Decomposing Numbers

We continued working on Math this week and learned a new chant: "Decompose, decompose, break it all down.. break it all down. Start with the whole, part, part. Decompose, decompose, break it all down, break it all down.'' We reviewed using a T chart to show the numbers different ways and learned a new spaceship strategy as well (one big circle connecting to two small circles) and used glass gems for our aliens. Students started with a whole number of gems and brought them down to show different parts. We continued working on problem solving as well and looked at using our strategies and manipulatives (blocks, gems, buttons, etc.) to try the following problem: There is one red gate and one green gate and 6 little pumpkins. Show us different ways the pumpkins can sit on the gates.

To further our understanding of breaking apart whole numbers we also played 'Snap!' using connecting cubes. In pairs, students use a tower of 5 blocks and snap them so that they break apart. Holding up one part of the tower in their hand and hiding another behind them, the partner guesses how many they are hiding.

Our PM friends also did a wonderful job participating in a lockdown practice. They stayed calm, quiet and followed all directions carefully. It is very important to participate in lockdowns so that students are aware and able to stay safe in case of emergencies and we are very proud of how they did.

To see our progress on our drawings and names in the month of October, we worked on writing our names 5 times and drawing a self-portrait as well. We are so excited to see how far we have come and encourage students to keep writing their names on everything they create and drawing lots as well. 

We continued exploring different games, exercises and equipment in gym, worked with musical instruments 'Boomwackers' in music, and has centres and snack as well. 

Important Updates: 

Please note that there is no school on Friday, November 1st.

Students are invited to bring a simple, non-violent (no weapons) costume to wear over their clothes on the afternoon of October 31 (AM and PM kindergarten may wear costumes for their half day duration). Other options families may choose include wearing black and orange, wearing school spirit wear, or also not dressing up at all.

  

Thinking Thoughts and Feeling Feelings!

We worked on numbers using our number rhymes. Using mini whiteboards and signing our number poem, we wrote different numbers. We learned that when writing or creating numbers, we always start at the top. Please find our number poems below. We then used different resources around the classroom to create and represent each number.  

Being inspired by The Family Book by Todd Parr, we used our visual journals to draw our own families and shared how many members were in our families by writing the number as well. 

This week we worked with our Speech Language Pathologist to focus on our next book in the Incredible Flexible You series where we focussed on Thinking Thoughts and Feeling Feelings.  We worked together to brainstorm ideas and used our thinking brains to put ideas together. We learned why it is important to think about others, play with each other and have friendships. These things are all about thoughts; knowing our own, sharing them with others and taking others’ thoughts into account as we act and react. 

AM students continued working on their understanding of feelings and emotion regulation by reading the pop-up book, The Colour Monster"! Students loved learning about different colour monsters and their feelings and were challenged to make their own monsters as well. 

Number Poems: 
1: Straight line down and then you're done! That is how you make a ...1!
2: Around and back, on the railroad track.Two, two!
3: Around a tree, Around a tree. That's the way we make a ...3!
4: Down and over, down once more. That's the way we make a... 4!
5: Short neck, belly fat. Mr. 5 wears a hat!

Please see the letter for more information about what your child learned about Thinking Thoughts and Feeling Feelings! Click here. 

Thank you! 

Apples, SPLAT!, and Thankfulness!

Yet another busy and fun week at Kindergarten has gone by so quickly. 

Some of us continued working with Mrs. Carlson and others worked on Zones of Regulation and drawing corresponding lines in our Visual Journals.

This week, we focussed on apples. Thank you to all the families who sent in apples! We closely looked at our apples on Monday and discussed how they all looked different- some were red, some green, and some yellow! Many were a mix of colours. We made a big circle on our carpet and grouped our apples based on their colours (Yellow, Green, and Red!). Students observed what colour apples we had the MOST of, the LEAST of and if we had any that were the same numbers. We talked about how the size of the lines the apples made together showed us which colour we had most of and least of. Working together, students counted how many apples we had of each colour and we wrote the numbers down- make sure to look at the picture down below! We learned a new apple song as well which you can also see below.

We continued working with apples the next day where students became mathematicians and problem solvers! We challenged students by asking, "The green group and the red group have 5 apples altogether. How many could they have?" Students worked using different math manipulatives to see how many different both groups could have 5 apples together. 

We were excited to learn a new math game 'SPLAT!' where we worked in partners to guess if they had 5 bingo chips to start, and their partner hid a certain number under the splat card, how many bingo chips could they be hiding? We also worked with math cubes to make different groups and sets of different numbers. 

After reading 'The Thankful Book' by Todd Parr we shared with each other what we were thankful for in our lives. Inspired by beautiful answers such as 'my family, going on walks with my dog, my heart, my ballet dress, my cousin, etc.' we captured our thoughts by drawing and writing about them in our personal journals. Students used detailed pictures, swirly, letter and letter sound printing to communicate their ideas. 

As always, we kept busy with green tubs, music, gym, centres and lots of reading in Kindergarten! 

Reminders:

- There is no school tomorrow, Friday, October 11th.
- Picture Day will be Wednesday, October 16 for Kindergarten students.
- Scholastic orders due by Monday, October 14. Order online under your child's responsibility teacher so that you have access to more flyers and it is more convenient. 
- Next Friday, October 18 will be an AM Kindergarten Day. No school for PM Kindergarten.