Friday, September 22, 2023
Dear Parents,
In our chapter book, Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride by Kate DiCamillo. Baby Lincoln hid in the backseat of Mr. Watson’s car. We discussed if this is a safe thing to do and why it isn’t safe. Ask your child about what they said about hiding in a car. Also in the chapter book Mercy isn’t wearing a seat belt. What happens to Mercy because she isn’t wearing a seat belt? Ask your child. We watched a small animated clip about why we should wear seat belts in the car. Ask your child what they thought of the two scenarios they showed one family with a seat belt on and the other family without their seat belt. What happened? The children continued to work on dictating their stories to me along with their drawings in their journals. It’s so nice to hear them say “Look how much we have done already in our journals”. In the story, Mercy and Mr. and Mrs. Watson have a tradition for a special Saturday lunch and a Saturday adventure in the car. I sent home a paper that you can talk about with your child about your own traditions at home. Then they will share their family tradition with our class. Please send the papers back on Monday. Thank you for your help and for helping your child recognize your family traditions within your own home.
During math, I placed a variety of items on a table for the children to explore. These items include a measuring tape, a stopwatch, dominoes, snap cubes, a ruler, and an abacus. I asked them what do you see, and then asked what do the items all have in common. Some said for measuring, counting, toys, and stuff. Each of these different tools helps us when working on math. Then we read the book 12 Ways to Get to 11 by Eve Merriam In the story, we see different items around us that can be added together to make 11. The class then proceeded to work in groups to make a page of their own about the book to come up with 11. Here are their drawings that came up with a story that added up to 11. The children also did a challenge in the morning with picking a number 1-20 and trying to find different ways to add different times. I also introduced a new dice game. The game is Dice War. The children worked in pairs and rolled the die at the same time. Whoever rolls the higher number takes the item from the center. When all 10 objects are collected that ends the game. Try this game at home with your child and again use any 10 of the same items. Have fun!! I enclosed two dice for each child in a plastic bag to keep at home.
In Art, we used watercolor pencils and watercolors to make our picture for Art to Remember the children are so excited to show you the drawings that they worked on. These will be sent home at the end of September keep an eye out for these amazing and colorful pictures your child did in class.
This week we started talking about our feelings. We talked about feeling happy, mad, jealous, sad, excited. See if they can remember the colors that went along with their feelings from the story Lucy’s Blue Day by Chris Duke. If you would like to view the story check it out here on YouTube https://youtu.be/UmrUV8v-KQg?si=_JE_CVGg4JunPJ6R .
Books we read this week:
Crow in the Snow by Lesley Sims
12 Ways To Get To 11 by Eve Merriam
Some Pig! by E.B. White
Oh, What a Noisy Farm! Harriet Ziefert
While We Can’t Hug by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar
Lucy’s Blue Day by Chris Duke
Cow takes a bow by Russell Punter and Fred Blunt
Have a great weekend!
Thank you Sincerely,
Ms. Demetra
