Current Unit/Classroom Learning

Current Unit: People worth Knowing (Dec 3^rd-Jan 4^th)

Our current unit is called People worth Knowing. This unit focuses on family and community and how the people in our lives are similar and different from one another. d/or different than they are.  This unit will also focus on teaching children to interact appropriately with others by cooperating, helping, sharing, being respectful and expressing interest.

By the end of the unit, we hope that students will be able to answer the following question(s):

• How am I the same?
• How am I different?
• Who is in my family?
• How does my family help each other?

Focus Skills – During this unit, we are working on the following skills:

• Literacy – We are reviewing the parts of the book as well as the author and illustrator’s purpose. We are learning about left page and right page, and where we begin reading. We have learned the difference between pictures and words too! We are working on rhyming words and nursery rhymes.
• Writing – Children are being exposed to what good writers do.  We are still learning to use materials correctly. We continue to practice with writing letters and drawing pictures.  Most of our students are doing very well with writing their name here at school! We are learning to write/draw about one topic at a time.
• Math – We have mastered the art of sorting! We can sort by color, shape, and size! We are currently making patterns and learning how to collect data and graph.
• Content – Our main focus is on the people that are important in our lives. We are talking about our family as well as our community. We are learning what a community is. We are also learning about the similarities and differences between the people in our communities.

 

Here are some suggestions to work on these and other basic skills at home:

• Say the alphabet with your child.  At this point in the year, we are saying it slowly and NOT singing it to be sure that students are saying each letter.
• While reading each night, talk about the different parts of the book.  At this point in the year, we are learning to find the front cover, back cover, and title page.  There will be more things to discuss as the year progresses!
• Provide your child with opportunities to practice writing at home.  Practice makes perfect!  Encourage your child to hold his/her pencil correctly when writing.
• Help your child practice spelling and writing his/her first name.
• Have your child various objects around the house or while out.
• Ask your child to identify shapes and/or colors that are found in the environment.  You can ask him/her to name shapes/colors of random objects, or you can challenge him/her to find a certain shape/color.
• Ask your child to tell you about school and classroom routines.  Reviewing this information at home will help them remember what to do at school.
• Help your child learn important personal information such as first and last names, birthday, and parents’ names.

You can find more suggestions of activities to do at home with your child on the Home-School Connection page!

Here are some suggestions to work on these and other basic skills at home:

• Say the alphabet with your child.  At this point in the year, we are saying it slowly and NOT singing it to be sure that students are saying each letter.
• While reading each night, talk about the different parts of the book.  At this point in the year, we are learning to find the front cover, back cover, and title page.  There will be more things to discuss as the year progresses!
• Provide your child with opportunities to practice writing at home.  Practice makes perfect!  Encourage your child to hold his/her pencil correctly when writing.
• Help your child practice spelling and writing his/her first name.
• Have your child various objects around the house or while out.
• Ask your child to identify shapes and/or colors that are found in the environment.  You can ask him/her to name shapes/colors of random objects, or you can challenge him/her to find a certain shape/color.
• Ask your child to tell you about school and classroom routines.  Reviewing this information at home will help them remember what to do at school.
• Help your child learn important personal information such as first and last names, birthday, and parents’ names.

You can find more suggestions of activities to do at home with your child on the Home-School Connection page!