New Week, New Learnings

Next week we will begin a new Science Unit: Exploring Our Senses! Here is what your little one will be able to do by the end of the unit:

• Sort objects based on size, material, color, shape, and mass
• Use the senses to describe and identify the properties of objects
• Use the senses to identify the materials (e.g. cloth, paper, wood, rock, and metal) that make up an object
• Identify and compare different everyday sounds
• Record observations, findings and questions in a science notebook

In Reading, students have been set up with a reading partner. Students will read with their partner everyday during "we" time. During this time, students sit elbow to elbow,  knee to knee, book in the middle so they both can see :) Next week, students will practice talking to their partner and sharing their books from their book boxes! Here is what students are doing during reading workshop:

• I can follow the routines of reader’s workshop. This means I...
  • move quickly and quietly to and from the meeting area.
  • know where and how to get books to read.
  • follow routines for tub reading time.
• I can spend time enjoying books by myself. This means I...
  • read in a quiet voice. 
  • look at the whole book.
  • think about the book. 
  • choose to read many different books.
• I can spend time enjoying books with my friends. This means I...
  • share books with my partner
  • am respectful.
  • talk about the book.

In writing, students are learning how to think, think, think before the write, write, write! Students are working together to touch and tell their story, having a plan, before beginning to add pictures and words to each page! Books are starting to become great stories that are all about one topic! Here are the I can statements for the unit!

1. I can use a process to develop my writing. This means, with assistance I… 
             o recall topics and events to write about. 
             o produce books to share my stories. 
             o revise my work by adding to the pictures and words. 
             o edit my work. 

2. I can organize my writing. This means I… 
             o tell, draw, and/or write a complete piece. 
             o order the pages of my writing in a way that makes sense.
             o can read my writing to others.

3. I can grow my ideas on a topic. This means I… 
             o work with others to get and grow ideas. 
             o add details to my pictures and words 
             o use picture and/or words to show my ideas.

In Math, we are beginning to talk about equal, greater than and less than! Students are doing a great job catching on to each concept and are enjoying playing games during math workshop! Here is what students are working on during our first math unit:

1. I know the number names and the count sequence. This means I can...
• write numbers 0 to 10.
• write a number to match a group of objects from 0 to 10.
2. I can count to tell the number of objects. This means I can...
• count objects in a group (each object is counted only once regardless of arrangement and order).
• answer “how many” are in a group after counting all the objects.
• count up to 10 objects in lines, arrays, or circles.
• count out 1 to 10 objects that are scattered.
• count out 1 to 10 objects.

3.   I can compare numbers. This means I can...

• identify the group of objects that is greater than, less than or equal to another group of objects.
• compare two numbers from 1 to 10.

***All unit descriptions and I can statements are retrieved from Parkway's Online Curriculum Guide***