06 Jan Classroom Update

Happy New Year!  I hope 2024 is off to a great start for everyone!

Below is a quick update on what our class has been up to lately:

The season has definitely changed in our classroom.  Out with the leaves, acorns, and pumpkins…and in with the hot chocolate, scarves, and snowflakes!  In Motor Language Group (MLG), Ms. Burd (SLP) and Ms. Danielle (OT) have put together a language-rich, sensory activity that goes along with a book written by Jan Brett called The Mitten.  A variety of animals are out in the snow (ice water) and want inside the warm mitten (retrieved with tongs and put inside).  Check out the pictures from Tuesday’s group posted on the photos page.

In literacy, we are halfway through the third cycle of the alphabet.  We have been reading various stories every day that correspond with the letter of the day.  Our Really Great Reading lessons this week have focused on sorting words based on their initial sound.  For example, we sorted by /t/ and /z/ initial sounds with the words tiger, zebra, table, and zoo.  This is an easy activity to recreate and practice at home.  Does “tiger” sound the same at the beginning of the word as “toothbrush” or “zipper?”  Does “zebra” sound the same at the beginning of the word as “toothbrush” or “zipper?”  Building phonological awareness is so important at an early age and every little bit helps build foundational reading skills.

In math, we finished our lessons on length and height and have started to focus on sorting and counting.  A prerequisite skill that we are also reviewing is the ability to find “same.”  Same shape, same size (cycling back to length/height), same color, etc.  A much harder concept that we are also practicing regularly is finding “different.”  Ready Math does a great job of providing interactive games that help reinforce these concepts.  A parent letter was sent home that introduces sorting activities you can practice at home with your child.

Our Everyday Speech social-emotional lessons are now focusing on our second unit of study – self-management.  The goal of this unit is to develop self-management skills for school and home, as well as to develop positive relationships with others.  We have been practicing our self-calming strategies every day.  Students brough home a toolbox with a few ideas inside.  A classroom favorite is belly breathing.  We have been taking turns blowing bubbles as we walk in the hallway on our way to recess.  We had a lot of fun learning to do dragon breathing (mouth open, tongue out) and bee breathing (humming on the exhale to make a buzzing sound in our head).

Upcoming Dates:

January 15th – NO SCHOOL – MLK Jr. Day

January 19th –  School Spirit Day -Opposite Day

January 25th –  PTA STEM/Science Fair

January 25th –  Coffee with Kessler

January 26th – NO SCHOOL for Students; Teacher Work Day

Check out the photos before you go!  😊

Take care,

Jaime