(UPDATE): HOME READING PROGRAM - Some of the JK's and all of our SK's should be reading at home every night with the books they are changing each day. Your child should read the books to you more than once so that s/he develops fluency from reading the second time and is also able to recognize some high frequency words (I, like, is, to, mom, etc). Continue to have him/her point to each word for one-to-one word correspondence. Once your child is reading at the higher levels s/he will stop reading with a finger and begin reading some short phrases (2-5 words) with fluency. We have completed the alphabet in class so continue to work on letter - sound correspondence so that they are fluent with them. Diligence, daily reading, on your part is extemely important in helping your child progress quickly in reading. Most SK students are beyond the orange group while some are reading at a very high level!  Fluency and comprehension must be in place before a child moves to a higher level. Once your child is at a higher reading level have your child retell the events of the story from beginning to end.  Talk about the characters, and ask Who? What? Where? When? questions.  Please remember to have your child return the books each morning for new ones.                                                                                                                                                                                       

MAY UPDATE:

 

In Literacy the students have been learning about the differences that occur between the winter months and the spring months.  We have been discussing what different clothes we wear, the difference in temperature, the different activities we participate in, etc.  Students are working in a booklet to demonstrate their knowledge of these comparisons.  

In math we continue our unit on 'Time'.  The students are enjoying the centers set up for inquiry based learning Students have been learning through inquiry based learning about the basic time concepts; before and after, morning, noon and night, time to the o'clock.  Students have been working in a 'Time' booklet that focuses on the their daily routines at school at each hour (9:00 we start journal, at 11:00 we are tidying for a lesson , 1:00 we are at centres, at 2:00 we are at gym or music).  Have your child tell you the hour on the clock and talk about what they are doing at that time.  Also talk about the different activities that take short periods of time versus longer periods of time (brushing teeth and going to gymnastics lessons).       

The dramatic centers have been set up for further literacy and math investigation.  Students are learning to count backwards at the Space Station, identifying numerals that come before and after . They also must identify what objects they need to bring with them to space when going for a long period of time.  At the 'Ice Cream Social' center the students are writing up orders for cones and sundaes and taking turns being a costumer and an employee.  

We have now completed all the letters of the alphabet.  Please continue to work with your child on recognizing both the uppercase and lowercase letters and the sounds that they make, this knowledge transitions into being able to write small words and short sentences with little support.  Call out a random sound or a letter and have your child write that letter.  Do the same with numbers, call out random numbers and have them write them out then count objects to represent those numbers.  You will see a remarkable difference after just 2weeks!!

All of our SK's have a home reading book bag (and now many JK's).  Please be sure that as your child reads to you they are reading while pointing to the words (red, yellow, orange and green books only).  When your child gets to the higher levels they should no longer be pointing to the words while they read as it should sound more fluent.  Amazing some of the JK's have also started with a book bag which is great.  Many are keen to also start a book bag like their peers, so encourage them to become fluent with both uppercase and lowercase letters and their corresponding sounds.  Continue practicing writing their names, printing letters and numbers, drawing shapes and cutting. 

Out in KOLE the students will be investigating the changes in SPRING.  What do plants, animals and people do or change to get ready for spring.   We also hope to do some planting outdoors so if you have any seeds to donate it would greatly appreciated.   

The students will be spending more time out in KOLE as the spring weather is arriving.  PLEASE REMEMBER that your child needs OUTDOOR shoes/boots each day so that we can continue to keep the classrooms clean.  We STRONGLY RECOMMEND  RUBBER BOOTS and a pair of SPLASH PANTS in order to keep dry as the ground will be muddy as it starts to thaw.  Students are out 2-3 times a day so warm, waterproof clothing is essential. 

 Please remember we are a NUT FREE school. We have students with severe NUT ALLERGIES this includes pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts, all nut and tree nut products. Let's keep our students save, thank you!!