Mrs. Barnes, Mrs. Dobson, Mrs. Meyerott, Mrs. Mayo, Ms. Walton

Kindergarten News March, 2012

Mrs. Barnes, Mrs. Dobson, Mrs. Meyerott, Mrs. Mayo, Ms. Walton

Reading: Nonfiction

·  How do I identify nonfiction texts?

·  What is the difference between fiction and nonfiction?

·  Why do I read nonfiction texts?

Vocabulary: bold print, fiction, headings, illustrations, labels/captions, nonfiction, photographs, skimming, summarizing, table of contents

Home Link: Read different genres of books with your child every night. Take time to look around your home and community and identify nonfiction materials with your child. As you and your child are exploring nonfiction, be sure to talk about how fiction and nonfiction are alike and different.

Writing: Nonfiction

·  How do writers share information with others?

·  How do I organize my book so others can learn about the topic?

Vocabulary: close-up pictures, fact, label, opinion, topic

Home Link: Explore nonfiction texts with your child and talk to them about the different parts of the text. Help your child to come up with a list of ideas that they know a lot about or topics that they might be an “expert” on. This will help them come up with ideas to write about. Each week, ask your child to tell you about the book(s) that they have been writing during Writer’s Workshop time.

Math: Measurement and Algebra

·  Why do you measure?

·  How can we be sure something is really bigger and agree on its size?

·  What type of units should we use to measure?

·  How can we compare the size of objects when we can’t put them next to each other?

·  How can you tell if something is a pattern?

·  Where do you find patterns?

·  How do patterns help us?

Vocabulary: long, length, measure, longest, shortest, equivalent, pattern, shape, rotate, flip, describe, sort

Home Link: Provide lots of opportunities for your child to compare and measure things around the house with standard and non-standard units. For example, compare child’s shoe to dad’s shoe. Have your child identify and describe shapes in our environment. Ask your child to sort and classify objects into groups by like features. Play pattern games with your child and ask them to create, describe, and/or extend a repeating pattern. After your child has created the pattern ask them if they can identify the unit of the pattern.

Social Studies: This is My Country and Me on the Map

·  What does our flag represent?

·  Why do we say the pledge of allegiance?

·  What does the pledge of allegiance mean?

·  What can we learn from American leaders?

·  How do I use a map?

·  How is a globe different from a map?

·  How is a globe the same as a map?

Vocabulary: Pledge of Allegiance, flag, map, globe, town, city, United States, geography, world, America, travel

Home Link: Look for the United States flag and other American symbols as you are out and about with your child. Discuss ways that your child or your family can make a difference in our community and show patriotism and pride in our country. Discuss with your child how they can be a leader in their daily choices at school and at home. Locate and discuss maps and how/why we use them. Help your child to locate special places on a map (i.e. your house, grandparents’ house, our school, St. Louis landmarks, etc.)

Notes from your child’s Classroom!