Did you know there are 17 different kinds of penguins? The shortest penguin is about the size of our backpack and the tallest penguin is about three backpacks. This week the kindergartners learned all about the penguin from their size and species to what they like to do for fun. We found out that penguins move by waddling, hopping, tobogganing, swimming, diving, and surfing. They eat fish and krill for lunch. And not all penguins live where it is really cold, some live where it is warm. This week we discovered the difference between facts and opinions, measured and compared the heights of each penguins species, created a class book about penguin facts.
Monday:
We started our reading lesson with a short video. It was about two different penguin movies, Happy Feet 2 and March of the Penguins. Then we talked about the differences. We noticed some things were real and some were not. Ms. Torborg told us about fiction and nonfiction literature. Fictional texts are texts made up by an author that are not true. Nonfiction texts teach, inform, and explain real things. From there we were able to determine Happy Feet 2 was fictional and March of the Penguins was nonfictional. We also listened to 2 different stories, Lost and Found & Penguins. After each story, we were able to determine it was fiction or nonfiction and why. Next, we were introduced to our newest letter and letter sound, Rr. After reviewing all of letters and letter sounds, we sang our letter song and completed our letter sorting worksheet.
After snack, we were off to the computer room. Today we took the Winter NWEA (standardized) test for Reading. It measured things like Foundational Skills, Language & Writing, Literature & Informational, and Vocabulary Use and Functions.
In religion, we talked about baptism. We started by watching a couple of short videos. We found out that we are each born with Original Sin from when Adam and Eve at the forbidden apple. Baptism washes away that sin and brings us closer to God. Next, we talked about the 5 symbols of baptism and what each one means, the Sign of the Cross, water, chrism, white garment, and the candle.
After lunch, we finished our reading lesson. Next, we were introduced to facts and opinions. Facts are things that are true and have happened. Opinions are things people believe, thoughts, or feelings. After watching a short video, we listened to several different books about penguins. Did you know there are 17 different kinds of penguins? Today, we learned all about penguins from their size and species to what they like to do for fun. We found out that penguins move by waddling, hopping, tobogganing, swimming, diving, and surfing. They eat fish and krill for lunch. And not all penguins live where they it is really cold, some live where it is warm. We ended by filling out a can/have/are chart together as a class. We tried to list all of the facts we learned about penguins on the chart.
Tuesday:
In reading, we reviewed our sight words before we were introduced to two new sight words, of & said. Both of our sight words are baseball words, so most of us can already identify them. After reviewing our sight words, we were introduced to our new emergent reader, I Love the Cold! The first time we read through it together as a class, we noticed some unusual marks in the sentences, quotation marks. Quotation marks tell us the exact words someone says. We were able to find several different sets throughout the story. The second time, we read it with a partner. Next, we reviewed our letters and letter sounds, we sang our R song, and we completed our R worksheet.
After snack, we headed up to the computer room to finish our NWEA (standardized) testing. Today we took the Mathematics test. It measures things like Numbers & Operations, Algebra, Geometry & Measurement, and Data Analysis.
In religion, we were reviewed the 5 symbols of a baptism. We know that when you are baptized, you join God’s family. Mass is a special time when we can gather with other members of God’s family. Today we focused on Holy Water. We noticed that there is Holy water at each of the doors in church. This is so we can bless ourselves as a sign of our baptism. Finally, we colored a picture of a baptism. In it we were able to locate each of the 5 symbols.
In math, we were introduced to the hundreds chart. Our chart had all of the numbers from 1 to 100. First, we counted all of the numbers. Then Ms. Torborg would call out different things we had to do like with your red crayon color all of the numbers that start with an 8 or with your blue crayon color all of the numbers that end in 3 or with your yellow crayon color all of the numbers that you say when you count by tens. We noticed that the numbers sequenced. Then we worked on locating specific numbers on the chart like 93 or 48. We started by locating the row of the first digit. Then we would slide over until we could locate the second digit.
Wednesday:
Ms. Torborg was gone today. We had Mrs. Dingman for our sub.
In reading, we reviewed some of the penguin facts we already know. During our discussion, we found out that some of things were opinions and not facts. Facts are things we can prove such as Penguins are black and white. Opinions are things we think such as Penguins are cute. Then we read our Penguin is a Bird book. It is a nonfiction book full of penguin facts. We continued our penguin exploration by examining a penguin’s body from its head to feet. Then we applied all of our new knowledge on a worksheet. We had to label all the parts of the penguin- feathers, bill, webbed feet, flippers, egg. We also reviewed our sight words, letters, and letter sounds, we worked on writing words and substituting letters, and learning our ball words during reading stations and small group time.
Our Olweus lesson today focused on being brave. We know that we can be brave everyday even though it is not a dangerous or risky situation. We talked about several different times when we were brave. Then the teacher told us a situation and we had to decide if it was a safe way to be brave or a dangerous way to be brave.
In math, we took some time to compared the heights of all the different penguins. We know that the shortest penguin is about the size of our backpack and the tallest penguin is about three backpacks. To help us figure out the exact size of a penguin, we measured out the height of all the different penguin species with a piece of ribbon. Then we hung them up on the wall, so we could compare our height with that of a specific penguin.
Thursday:
In reading, we reviewed characters and setting. Then we did a character and setting sorting worksheet. As a couple people finished up their testing, we worked on reading stations and one-on-one testing with Ms. Torborg. We ended our morning by starting our writing project. Before we started, we listened to the story, Penguins. We reviewed the difference between facts and opinions. Then we listed some of the facts we know about penguins. Finally, it was time to just into our project. Our job was to complete a are/can/have chart. We had to write two sentences for each category. (Ex. Penguins are birds. Penguins can dive. Penguins have 2 flippers.)
In the afternoon, we finished the writing project we started in the morning. If we had time after we finished writing our sentences, we had to color the penguins on our page. When everyone is done, we will put them together into a new class book, Penguin Facts.
In religion, we continued learning about baptism. Today listened to the story of Jesus’s baptism. We found out that his baptism wasn’t the same ours. He was baptized when he was an adult by John the Baptist. Then we colored the picture of St. John the Baptist in our Saint books. He is the patron saint of Puerto Rico and his feast day is June 24th.
We ended our day with a kick-off assembly for our Catholic United Financial Catholic Schools Raffle. (The date got changed due to the weather forecast.) Our goal is to raise $10,000 for the school by selling $5 raffle tickets. There are other special events planned if we make our goal. Plus if everyone in your classroom participates, the whole class gets a pizza party.
Friday:
No School. Snow Day!