Wild Weather!

This week during Theme we learned about precipitation and wind...and even experienced some of that outside at recess this week!  We learned that precipitation is water that falls from clouds in different forms: rain, snow, sleet, and hail.  We watched a video about precipitation and we had the chance to make observations about the different kinds.  We also read a story called Julia and Teresa's Wacky Weather Day in which the characters encountered all different kinds of weather in one day.  After reading the story, the children retold part of the story through an illustration and a couple of sentences.  We also investigated wind this week by reading  I Face the Wind and then we made windsocks to observe the strength of wind and the direction in which it blows.  Next week, we will learn about clouds and seasons.  Speaking of weather, please continue to send your child with all of his or her winter gear.  It's still pretty chilly for our morning recess and your child may still need snow pants.  It also has been muddy recently on the playground and snow pants will protect your child's clothes from getting wet and muddy.  Thanks!

During Writer's Workshop, we are continuing with our opinion writing unit; however, everyone is now learning how to write friendly letters to make a change in our school and community.  This week we learned the format of a friendly letter: a date at the top, greeting, and closing.  Be sure to ask your child about the letters he or she wrote this week.  Many are writing letters to get more recess and choice time and some are writing letters to get a pool outside at recess!  We have some very persuasive writers!

In math, we have begun a new unit about measurement.  For our April calendar, each day is a different type of measuring tool: ruler, balance, measuring spoons, and clock.  This week we learned how to measure weight using a pan balance.  We took objects from the room and placed them in each of the pans on the balance and compared with objects were heavier and lighter.  We also took a pound potatoes in a bag and measured to see if objects in the classroom weighed more than, less than, or the same as 1 pound.  Be sure to ask your child about the results of our weight experiments!  What was the heaviest object we measured?


Lastly, in Reader's Workshop we continued to build our Reading Powers!  We realized that the books we are now reading have fewer patterns and more difficult words.  When this happens, we really have to use our sight word power and our picture power to help us decipher new and difficult words.  If your child reads to you at home, encourage him or her to use all the reading powers: pattern power, sound power, picture power, and sight word power.  We also read our Scholastic Let's Find Out magazine.  This week's book was about animals and their habitats.  We learned a new sight word as we read our emergent reader book: have.  We have now learned all the required Kindergarten sight words; however, as we continue with Fundations and Reader's Workshop, we will be adding a few more to our word wall.  Thank you to everyone who has been practicing those sight words with your child.  It is really paying off in your child's reading fluency and writing!

Have a great weekend!