Star Student

Each day we have a Star Student.  They get a special Star Student crown, of course.  The Star Student program is a way to get to know each other but it also reviews the letters of the alphabet and the sound that each letter makes.  We interview each child with the microphone, notice things about the way their name looks, compare their name to other names on the name chart, and make a list of other words that start with the same sound as their name.  Then we invite the children to write the Star Student's name and to draw a picture of the Star Student.  In the beginning we accept stick figures but now we have begun to talk about adding details, such as fingers, even fingernails, bodies, necks, legs, and clothes that are the same color that the child is wearing.  Today we talked about adding labels to our pictures, such as head (hed), body (bode), neck (nek) by listening for each sound that that is heard in the word.  We teach children that they can write anything that they think because they can sound out the words and write the sounds that they hear.  Soon we will start writing sentences about each Star Student and in this way we will begin to build our Writers' Workshop. Before you know it, we will be writing stories! The pictures that the student draw of each child are sent home for the family to enjoy.

Welcome, Mrs. Jackson

Once a month the AMAZING Mrs. Jackson visits us to do a lesson on character traits. Today she talked about responsibility. She reads the BEST stories! We adore her!

Monkeying Around

Readers' Workshop Begins!

Readers' Workshop has started!  Yes, READERS' Workshop!  While a few of our kindergartners do come into Kindergarten reading, you might wonder what the rest of the children are doing during Readers' Workshop.   Children begin to read by looking at books and pointing to pictures.  They love to look through a stack of books.  They talk about the pictures. 

With familiar stories, children begin to retell the story as they turn the pages.  At first they might just name pictures but as they mature they begin to retell the story the way they have heard it.  You will hear them use the loud, gruff voice of the big Billy Goat Gruff and the sweet soft voice of the wee little Billy Goat.  That is why we read the same stories to children over and over - so that they will remember the story and the language.  Soon they will be saying, "Once upon a time: and "They lived happily ever after."  Before you know it, they will be pointing out letters and words and will tell you that they can't "read" the words.  That's when you now they are ready for conventional reading!

Amazing Animals!

Hope you loved the new Chets Creek tee-shirts that your child wore home today!  They are a gift from the PTA.  We wear them on Fridays for Spirit Day and to all field trips.  We love you, PTA!

Today was another great day with the animals.  We saw the birds - turkeys, ducks, and all things that fly - and even learned how the hunters make duck calls!  The children even got to try the duck calls themselves!  Sounded just like we were out in the wild!

We also saw animals of North America - some really white animals of Alaska, a porcupine, a great big brown bear, a bison, and deer that are seen right here in Jacksonville.  Amazing!

Wild Things

We gathered in the Dining Room with children and parents.

We said good-by to our parents and went to our classroom for our first day of Kindergarten!

 

We listen to stories.

And played with Math Manipulatives.



Each year, the teachers have a theme-related "wow" on their first day back, so last Monday teachers went on a scavenger hunt at the zoo.  Then the students have their own "wow" on their first day, so today we were treated to a Sensory Safari exhibit to go with our theme of  Taking a Walk on the Wild Side.  Sensory Safari uses donated and borrowed animal mounts, skins, skulls and horns to provide a real look at large live animals.  Take a look at our amazing tour!

What a wonderful first day!  Can't wait until tomorrow!

Lions and Tigers and Kinders...Oh my!

We LOVED meeting you at Orientation!  We put the adorable explorers that you made during Orientation on our bulletin board. We think we have the cutest Kindergartners in the building.  Don't you agree?

Welcome to the WILD Things!

Welcome to our new group of kindergartners!  We can't wait for you to see all we have in store for you at the Creek.  It is going to be W-I-L-D!