Thank you so much to all of the families that have shared a holiday tradition or story with the class. Our class really enjoys bringing their families into the classroom. The children have been able to make reindeer snack mix, scoop hot cocoa, label ornaments, decorate our class picture, and many other holiday traditions. They were very excited to learn all about Hanukkah and play dreidel. After our grandparent volunteer, the class continued some very competitive games of dreidel later that afternoon. It was so much fun!

In math this week, we continued to expand on our number sense. We played the game “Spill the Beans” where the children record the number of beans that landed green side up. This game practices one-to-one counting, graphing, and numeral writing skills. We also have been building addition problems with dice and dominoes. We expanded on our knowledge of numbers by creating a human number line. Every child received one number written on an index card. Then we went to the wiggle room to put our numbers in the correct order. Once we got it right, we came back to the classroom to illustrate our cards. Children had to draw the corresponding number of objects on their card. After that, I showed them a number line 0-20. It had holes punched underneath each number. Using this number line, we have created an interactive center using linking cubes. The children test out their knowledge of numbers by creating a linking chain with the right amount of pieces on it to hang from the number line.

During guided reading groups, children have been working with the same book for the past two weeks. Each child has their book in a folder in the classroom. This enables the children to revisit that book at other times during the day. We will continue to add to these folders to build a small collection of books at each child’s reading level. We have guided reading groups during Literacy Work Stations. During this time, students have been working with their sight words at stations in the classroom. This week, students were building their words with letter stickers at the writing table, building their words with letter clips and cubes at the ABC/Word work station, or just reading their words to a friend.

Due to some conflicts on the playground lately, we created some playground rules for the kindergarteners and first graders. As part of these rules, the children must keep their whole body to themselves on the playground. The rules also include a list of things they CAN DO on the playground. This has helped alleviate the wrestling and tackling that was occurring.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS: I am asking for as many parent volunteers as possible for next Thursday afternoon. We are setting up for Polar Express day. We need parents to help in the afternoon (1-3ish) to start hanging lights and wrapping paper to decorate the wiggle room. Polar Express is such a magical time for the children, yet it takes some time to get it all set up and ready to go. Depending on how much we can get done in the afternoon, I would also appreciate any helpers after school as well. (Just remember…. NO STUDENTS allowed in the wiggle room during set up. If you are able to help, plan on leaving your Pembroke kiddo with someone else). 🙂 Thank you so much!!!!