AAS Moscow Kindergarten - Amanda Garrett
What’s coming up for November 18th – 22nd?
Monday – DAY 3 – PE & World Language (Final day to contribute to MS Food Drive)
Tuesday – DAY 4 – Music & World Language
Wednesday – DAY 5 – PE & World Language
Thursday – DAY 6 – Music & students may wear blue to support Movember (cancer awareness) – Mystery Reader needed! Please email me if interested.
Friday – DAY 1 – Swimming & World Language (volunteers needed)
What’s coming up November 11th – 15th?
Monday – DAY 4 – Music & World Language
Tuesday – DAY 5 – PE & World Language
Wednesday – DAY 6 – Music
Thursday – DAY 1 – Swimming & World Language (volunteers needed) students may wear blue to support Movember (cancer awareness)
Friday –DAY 2 – Art & Library (bring books and bag)
KGA Happenings
The students in KGA have been investigating both letters and shapes this week. In our word inquiry lessons, we have been learning to be Word Scientists as we looked very closely at the alphabet chart. The students made many noticings about the formation of the letters. They noticed that some are tall, some are small, some are hanging. We noticed that some letters have holes, such as “b” and some do not have holes, like “c”. And we we found two letters with dots above them, j and i. This close investigation of letters and how they are formed will help us as we continue with our knowledge of letter formation and the feeling of ownership over the letters and sounds.
Our investigations continued into math as we made noticings about different shapes and their attributes. You can help support your child at home by going on a shape hunt around the house. What shapes can you find?
In writing this week, we been working toward putting finger spaces between our words and using the alphabet chart and our snap word bank to help us put more words on our papers.
In reading, we began learning about Just Right books. We look forward to sharing more about Just Right books with you at Three-Way conferences on November 28th.
Reminders:
What’s coming up November 4th – 8th?
Monday – DAY 5 – PE & World Language
Tuesday – DAY 6 – Music
Wednesday – DAY 1 – Swimming & World Language (volunteers needed)
Thursday – DAY 2 – Art & Library (bring books and bag)
Friday – DAY 3 – PE & World Language
KGA Happenings
What another wonderful and busy week! Thank you to all parents who helped make our Halloween celebration memorable for the students. They all had a “spooktacular” time! Please read below about the amazing learning that has been happening in KGA this past week.
Year Long unit of inquiry: How the World Works
Central Idea: Through investigations people test theories and come to new discoveries.
As part of this year long unit, the students were engaged in investigations around pumpkins this past week. We made scientific observations, predicted and tested whether or not our pumpkins would sink or float, measured the height and circumference using non-standard units. We estimated and ordered the pumpkins from lightest to heaviest then weighed them using a scale and used our five senses to make more observations as cleaned out this inside. Our Grade 3 learning buddies even joined us to help us count how many seeds each of our pumpkins had! Did you ever think there was so much to learn from pumpkins?!
In connection with our Pumpkin Investigations, we also read the book Pumpkin, Pumpkin several times throughout the week. In this book, a boy plants a pumpkin seed and watches it grow through its life cycle. We will plant our own pumpkin seeds this week and observe the changes we see as it begins to grow too!
Unit of Inquiry – Where We Are In Place and Time
We had a wonderful field trip to the submarine on Friday! This was a fascinating field trip that really helped us to think about how people design and create spaces to meet specific purposes.
Reading
In reading, the students are learning to apply their knowledge of phonics to help them begin to sound out some words in the books that they are reading. We have been focusing on using picture cues in repetitive texts to make a prediction about unknown words. We do this by looking at the picture and getting our mouths ready with the first sound of a word. We then think about what word would sound right and make sense.
Many of the books that children are bringing home as their “home readers” are also repetitive texts. Please remember to re-read these books throughout the week. Books should be kept in traveling folders and returned to school every day. Books are changed on Mondays.
Benefits of re-reading these books throughout the week include:
Writing
In writing, we have been learning about “how we grow as writers”. We have been looking at examples of different types of writing from other student’s writing and making noticings about what the writer CAN do. This is helping us to focus our writing goals and motivating us to move forward as writers.
Students had an opportunity last week to begin (and some finish) a Halloween or “Spooky” story inspired by some of our class read alouds. Students focused on drawing and labeling their illustrations, beginning to put words on their paper by capturing sounds they hear in words and reading their writing to others.
We have also begun a new word study unit, We are Word Scientists! In this unit, we will focus on letter knowledge and letter-sound correspondence, phonological awareness, and high-frequency words. The students will be working with the alphabet chart which will help them to consolidate their learning in word study so far.
Math
In math, we have begun our unit on 2D and 3D shapes. We went on a walk around the school to make noticings about shapes in the world around us and have begun looking at different attributes of 2D shapes. We will touch on 3D shapes in the unit but will revisit this skill later in the year. In this unit, we also focus on positional words in relation to shapes such as: next to, behind, in front of, beside, etc.
Learning to measure using non-standing units and to compare measurements of length, weight and capacity will also be skills we will work on in the weeks to come.
On Monday, students will all receive login information (usernames and passwords taped onto their Traveling Folders) as well as a letter giving you more information to an online Math resource – www.ixl.com 
This is an OPTIONAL math practice resource. Please let me know if you have any trouble logging in.
Dear Parents,
I do hope that everyone had a fun and relaxing week off from school! I look forward to hearing all about the children’s holiday adventures. I am always happy to have students share about the school breaks in class. Please feel free to email me one special picture from your break and your child can share it with the class.
What’s coming up for October 28th – November 1st?
Monday (DAY 6) – Music & World Language
Tuesday (DAY 1) – Swimming & World Language
*Volunteers are needed for swimming! Please sign up here
Please let me know if you have trouble accessing the google doc above for Swimming Volunteers.
Wednesday (DAY 2) – Last day of Pinktober (students may wear pink)
Library (return books and bag) & Art
Thursday (DAY 3): Halloween Dress up Day – Students may wear their Halloween costume. Please leave any toy weapons at home. The Halloween party will take place in the kindergarten classrooms from 14:30-15:30. Parents are welcome to come and join us for this time together.
Friday (DAY 4): Music and World Language & Field Trip to Submarine – pack a snack and water bottle
What’s coming up for October 14th – 18th?
Monday: Swimming (volunteers are needed. Sign up here!)
Tuesday: Art & Library (bring books and bag)
Wednesday: PE & World Language (wear PINK for Pinktober)
Thursday: Music and World Language
Friday: PE and World Language
Lunch Menu: https://www.aas.ru/student-life/nutrition
Important Information:
Unit of Inquiry:
During our Open Inquiry time, the students were able to choose three different spaces in the school to tour. This provided them with an opportunity to make connections to our new unit of inquiry, begin to develop an understanding of “space” and tune into the concepts of purpose and responsibility.
On Friday, we had several activities to help us celebrate AAS’s 70th Anniversary. We made pizza dough numbers to form 70 and the last 70 minutes of the day, we engaged in a variety of activities during Open Inquiry time, including: Race to 70, Build a necklace with 70 beads, Build a tower with blocks, Dance to music from the ages and make a “70” Collage.
Language Arts:
KGA students have been labeling their classroom! They are very excited to be capturing as many sounds they can on paper and labeling the world around them. Students can also label at home. Here are some strategies to support your child in labeling at home:
KGA students are also working to add labels to their writing. Students who are more confident in their writing are adding adding sentences with more and more details.
We also studied the “snap words” me, the, a this week. These are commonly seen words that students should be able to read and write in “a snap”. Look for these words this week as you read books a home this week.
Math
As we are wrapping up our first unit of math, students will be making some Seesaw posts to share with you these skills we have been working on in class.
For the first part of kindergarten, students focus on building a solid foundation of numbers by playing games and participating in activities that include…
Following the October break, we will be begin working on Unit 2: Two Dimensional and Three Dimensional Shapes and well as Unit 3: Comparison of Length, Weight, Capacity and Numbers to 10. These two units will run parallel to each other and will be integrated with our Unit of Inquiry.
What’s coming up for October 7-11th?
Monday – DAY 2 – Art & Library (bring books and bag)
Tuesday – DAY 3 – PE & World Language
Wednesday – DAY 4 – Music & World Language
Thursday – DAY 5 – PE & World Language
Each day next week, the ES Cafeteria will serve a special for lunch and a dessert that coincided with the decades of the school. Click here for the 70th Anniversary menu specials, or find the full menu at www.aas.ru/student-life/nutrition.
On Monday, students will also receive a 70th Birthday Cupcake with their lunch.
This week we will be celebrating AAS’s 70 Years! Part of this celebration will be that students may dress up each day from a decade of the past. Here are the decades that the students may dress-up as each day:
On Friday, October 11th, the students will have a Celebration Open Inquiry for the last 70 minutes of the school day. A variety of learning engagements have been planned and students will choose which ones they will attend.
Monday – DAY 5 – PE & World Language
Tuesday – DAY 6 – Music
Wednesday – DAY 1 – Swimming & World Language
Thursday: NO SCHOOL (staff development day)
Friday: NO SCHOOL (staff development day)
Enjoy your long weekend!
Reminders:
Please send a healthy snack and spill-proof water bottle to school each day. Students are given two snack periods a day (morning & afternoon). Some great healthy snack options we have seen in school this past week are pre-cut fruits and veggies, crackers (not cookies), cheese, seaweed, etc. Please avoid sending chocolate and sugar packed treats. Involving your child in packing their snack each evening before bed or the morning before school is a great way of promoting and discussing healthy eating habits.
Lunch Menu: https://www.aas.ru/student-life/nutrition
KGA Happenings from September 23rd – 27th?
In Math this week, the students continued to work on numbers 1-10. They have been practicing correct number formation, learning poems to help them remember how to write each number. The students also continued to build their number sense by representing each number. They have been counting out a group of objects to represent each number in multiple ways, as well as pointing to and counting objects (one to one correspondence).
One important tool that the students are learning to use in this unit is the “Ten Frame”. A ten frame helps the students correctly identify numbers 1-10. Ten frames are used for counting. They make counting values more efficient. Throughout the year, we will be learning to use them for composing and decomposing numbers in relation to 5 and 10. Ten Frames also help form the basis for understanding place value in the future.
You can reinforce the practice of counting and representing numbers using ten frames by using egg cartons found here in Russia.
Language Arts
In reading, we are continuing to build our reading stamina. Students are practicing reading both independently (read to self) and with a partner (read to someone). The Kindergarteners are asked to first do a “picture walk”, then read the book using the pictures and finally read again, looking at the words, hunting for letters and/or words they may know.
We had a special visit by two MS school students this week through the Helping Hands program. These “big kids” came to read to us during our reading time.
Beginning this week, students will start bringing “home readers” in their traveling folders. Books will be marked as either “read to me” or “read with me”. At this time, Kindergarteners are not being asked to read the books to you.
Please check your child’s Traveling Folder on Monday. Books should “live” in the Traveling Folders and come back and forth to school each day. Please help your child get in the habit of this from the beginning.
Books should be read multiple times throughout the week (see letter with more details that will come home with the books). Books will be changed every Monday. If you would like books changed more frequently, please remind your child to ask for new books at the beginning of the day and we will be happy to change them.
In writing, we’ve been discussing why writers write and what writers write. Continuing to build upon the BIG idea that we are all writers, many of the students have finished at least one of their very own books. We have so many amazing books being written in class! Topics range from ABC books, counting books, informational books and even some fairy tales.
Before writing, the students are learning to first think of a writing idea (brainstorming), tell a friend about their idea (planning), draw pictures on every page (illustrating) and begin to add labels and/or words to their books.
Students can also make books at home! Extra pre-stapled books can be sent home (at student/parent request) or you can make your own. Encourage your child to bring any books they write at home to school to share with the class.
Unit of Inquiry
The students shared their ME boxes with their Kindergarten Family during Open Inquiry time. We were able to listen to and learn about friends across the grade level, thinking about how we are the same and different from other kindergarteners. We will be finishing up with our ME boxes either this week or early next week. We will be reflecting on what we have learned about ourselves (self identity) and what we have learned about others.
What’s coming up for September 23rd – 27th?
Monday – DAY 6 – Music
Tuesday – DAY 1 – Swimming & World Language
Wednesday – DAY 2 – Art & Library (please send books and bag)
Thursday – DAY 3 – World Language & PE
Friday – DAY 4 – Music and World Language
Lunch Menu Link: https://www.aas.ru/student-life/nutrition#ES —-Please look at the dates listed. Two weeks are shown at a time.
Thank you to all parents and students for attending Goal Setting Conferences last Friday. The students worked very hard in thinking about their strengths and next steps and were excited to share their goals with you. All Goal sheets have been posted on Seesaw. If you would like a paper copy sent home, please let us know. We will be working toward these goals and look forward to sharing our progress with you at Three-Way Conferences in November.
This week, Mr. Emman will be leading the class along with our substitute Instructional Assistant, Ms. Marina. I am attending a phonics institute at the Columbia University Teacher’s College in New York. The students were excited, and a little surprised, to find out that teachers continue go to school too!
If you should have any questions or concerns, please email Mr. Emman at emman.cucciardi@aas.ru.
I look forward to being back with the class next week.
Thank you again for all your support!
What’s coming up for September 16th – 20th?
Monday – DAY 2 – Art & Library (please send books and bag)
Tuesday – DAY 3 – World Language & PE
Wednesday – DAY 4 – Music and World Language
Thursday – DAY 5 – World Language & PE
Friday: Goal-Setting Conference (This is not a regular school day. Students come to school at the appointment time you have signed up for. Students must wear their formal uniform.)
Lunch Menu Link: https://www.aas.ru/student-life/nutrition#ES —-Please look at the dates listed. Two weeks are shown at a time.
KGA Happenings September 9th – 13th
Students have been learning about how they are both readers and writers. In launching our readers’ and writers’ workshop models, the students have been exploring why readers read and why writers write. We have been discussing two different ways that readers can read books; reading the pictures only and reading the pictures and the words. We have started practicing building our reading stamina so that we can read and stay focused on reading for long periods of time.
In writing, we went on a “hunt” around the school to see where we could find writing in the world around us. We found writing everywhere!
On our Friday forest walk, we also searched for letters in nature. Here are a few we found on the boardwalk. Can you see the letters too?
What’s Coming up for September 9th – 13th?
Monday – DAY 3 – PE & World Language
Tuesday – DAY 4 – Music & World Language
Wednesday – DAY 5 – PE & World Language
Thursday – DAY 6 – Music
Friday – DAY 1 – Swimming & World Language
Important Information:
Lunch Menu: https://www.aas.ru/student-life/nutritionPlease look carefully at the dates as two weeks are shown.
KGA Happenings from September 2-9
During our Math lessons this week, students have been learning about how to be good problem solvers and what it means to be a mathematician. We have agreed that:
Mathematicians in KGA will…
The students in KGA did a wonderful job practicing these attitudes and behaviors as we identified similarities and differences with various groups of objects. We then sorted by these attributes. The students practiced explaining their thinking in both whole group and learning partnerships. They also began using their math journals to record their thinking.
The students began our Open Inquiry time this week in Kindergarten. During this time, the students have choices of rooms and activities. This Open Inquiry time will take place every day from 2-3 pm. This first week of Open Inquiry, the students began exploring and connecting to the various kindergarten environments. They explored not only their environment but also their own interests and began making friends from other classes. This ties in directly with our unit of inquiry, Who We Are.
Central idea: Exploring and connecting to the environment and others promotes a sense of self identity and belonging.
Most photos from our Open Inquiry time will be posted on the Seesaw “Kindergarten Village” class. Please connect to Seesaw if you have not already done so.
In literacy this week, we began launching our Reader’s and Writer’s workshop. As a class, we read the book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear and talked about how and why readers read. We read this book several times throughout the week and began looking for patterns, repetition and rhymes in other books we read.
This book also inspired us to paint our book boxes with our own favorite colors which we then filled with books we want to read by ourselves and/or with a partner. We also began making another class book connected to this story titled, Children, Children…Who do you see? In writing this book, we worked in partners and had to identify and write a friend’s name using our School Family chart.
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