We began our afternoon with learning how to write the number 4 today using the "wet-dry-try method" in our Handwriting Without Tears program. Both classes love learning how to write their numbers with this tactile experience and have learned how to write their numbers very quickly with the correct formation! Way to go, K-1 and K-3!

After they practiced writing the number 4 on their chalkboards 2 times using this unique method, they showed me what they learned by doing the number 4 page in their workbooks. They all did a beautiful job writing their numbers nice and slow to ensure they were making it the correct way.

Next, I did a math lesson with both classes where we talked about the concept of same and different along with the meaning of the numbers 1-4. In their math workbooks, we did a fun activity where I asked them to draw their own imaginary animal. This animal had to have one of something drawn on it, 2 of something, 3 of something and 4 of something. It was so fun to walk around the classroom and see all of the creative animals they made incorporating the number of things when drawing. I was so impressed! Here are some pictures of the things they made:

In Jolly Phonics today, we learned the new letter sound for the letter "Hh." The motion for this letter is to act like you are panting after a long race, hold your hand up to your mouth saying h,h,h,h,h,h. We learned all about this letter sound using our Jolly Phonics program on the Mimeo. At the end of the lesson, there were 6 words that contained all the letters we have learned so far in Jolly Phonics. We read each one together saying the sounds of each letter as we sounded out the words. I was AMAZED with how quickly they were able to blend the sounds together to decode the words! They are ALL reading!!!!!! Yay!!!! I have to say I had the biggest smile standing in front of both classes hearing them read the words out loud and the smiles they had on their faces was priceless. They were all realizing they were beginning to read and it was so exciting! Way to go, K-1 and K-3! After the lesson, my kindergarten friends went to their seats and they did the letter "Hh" practice page in their Jolly Phonics packets. They all did a wonderful job tracing the h's on the bottom of the page ensuring they were tracing them the correct way and coloring the picture on the page too. We have been working hard to control the crayon while coloring to stay within the lines and to fill in all the peek-a-boo spots. On the back of their "Hh" page, they needed to look at all the pictures and circle the objects on the page that began with the letter "Hh" sound. They did great! For homework tonight, I asked them to find four things that begin with "Hh" and glue them in their soundbook. I am excited to see what they will find when completing their homework. 

It was a wonderful day in kindergarten today! Tomorrow we have gym and music so please make sure your child wears their gym shoes tomorrow so they can fully participate. Have a wonderful night, everyone!

I read the class a book today called, Pete the Cat-The Wheels on the Bus. The class LOVED reading this story and doing the motions that went along with each page as I read it out loud to them! When I was done reading it, we talked about how the book was different from the song "The Wheels On The Bus" that we all know from pre-school. They did a great job pointing out the differences along with some things that were the same too. Next we made a bus project to go along with it that was a "listen-and-do" activity. It is a project where I give them cut out pieces of construction paper and they listen to my step-by-step directions on how to put it together. I LOVE doing these projects with my kinders because it's fun to see how they all turn out with given the same directions. It is also fun to ask them questions as we make it to see their thought process. They all did AMAZING! They couldn't wait to bring them home today to show you. Here are some pictures of my kinder friends making their school buses today:

After we made our school bus, we went outside for a well-deserved "brain break" to play on the playground. They had so much fun!

When we came back in, we learned how to write the number 3 through our wet-dry-try method in our "Handwriting Without Tears" program. They did a great job learning how to make the number 3 the correct way and writing it themselves in their handwriting workbooks!

For the last part of our day, we learned the letter "Ee" in Jolly Phonics. We learned that the letter e makes the short e sound like in the words: elephant and egg. We listened to the song and the story and found things on the screen that began with the letter e or had the letter e sound within the word. I was amazed how quickly they found things that had the learned letter sound. Next, they did the letter "Ee" practice page in their Jolly Phonics workbooks. They did great tracing the letter "e" and finding things on the back that had the short e sound in them. For homework tonight, I asked them to find 4 things that begin or have the "Ee" sound in it. Remember the letter "Ee" sound makes the short e sound not the long e sound. I am looking forward to seeing all the things they find to add to their soundbooks tomorrow. It was another busy day in kindergarten and they are ALL doing wonderful!

With today being the first day in September, we made our September calendars. At the beginning of each month, we will make a monthly calendar that will display all the fun things or events that will be happening in our classroom or at Olive. Both classes had so much fun making their September calendars and I was so proud of how well they all followed my step-by-step directions in making it on their own. When we made our calendars, the first thing we did was to trace the month and the year at the top followed by tracing the numbers for all 30 days of September. Next I showed them how to color in the school house picture where they needed to use a color key to color specific numbers on the page specified colors. Then they cut it out, glued it on top of their calendar and added detail to finish it. They were so proud of how their calendars turned out and it was fun to see the fun they were having in making it at their table spots. Here are some pictures of my kindergarten friends making their calendars:

In Jolly Phonics, we had a review day today. Yesterday we finished learning the first set of 6 sounds so today was a "review day" to practice what we learned. We watched a Jolly Phonics movie for review and we did a sound sort with the letters s, a, t, i, p, and n. For the sort, my kindergarten friends needed to cut out some pictures and glue them under the letter sound they began with. To help them with this activity, I told them to cut out a picture one at a time, say the name of the object slowly breaking it up into sounds and listen to the sound it began with. Then glue it into it's correct spot on their sort. They ALL did a fabulous job and I was so impressed with the confidence they all had in completing it on their own. Only a few friends raised their hand for help. It was truly amazing! Here are some pictures of my friends working on their sort:

In handwriting, we learned how to write the number 2 with the correct number formation. This number is a very "tricky" one to write and we spent a lot of time practicing it today. To write this number, we learned that it begins at the starting corner at the top where you then make a big curve to the bottom corner and make a little line coming straight out from it. I told them with more and more practice, they will get better in making it on their own. 

With all this hard work today, we had a longer outside recess for a well-deserved "brain break." Both classes had so much fun playing on the playground together and it's so fun to see all the cute friendships that are forming amongst the classes. It was a fun day in kindergarten today! Have a great night, everyone!