7/29/2019 Kindergarten Newsletter 2-2-13

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/kindergarten-newsletter-2-2-13 1/2

Volume 5 Issue 13 Mrs. Berry’s Kindergarten February 2, 2013

Monday: Art

Tuesday: Media

Wednesday: P.E.

Thursday: MusicFriday: Art

Whats “Popping Up”in Our Garden?”

Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day Party

Feb. 18: Presidents’ Day—Holiday for Students

Next week: Begin some Valentine’s Day themed lit-

eracy and math activities

Friday: Homework packet #3 DUE (required); Read-

ers due back

Lifeskill we are “Sowing”Ideas / content we are “planting” this week and next

”

• Communities

• Workers in our community• Map Skills

Letters of theLetters of theLetters of theLetters of the

Reading Literacy New Vocabulary words:

Theme: Neighborhood

ACTIVITYACTIVITYACTIVITYACTIVITY

• Reviewing sight words (See note below under “Other News”): we, is, areplay, for you, little, said, can have 

• Identifying main idea and details in a story

• Writing first and last name on papers

• Thinking Maps—Circle, Tree, Flow 

FOCUS this week and next:

Number combinations for the number 10: 0, 10; 1,

9; 2, 8; 3, 7; 4, 6, 5,5

Note: Very few students have “subitized” (have

mental pictures) for the combinations for the

number 10. Ten is a Benchmark Number and

subitizing the combinations is a CRITICAL skill

for kindergarten students. It is VERY IMPOR-

TANT students practice with 10 frames at home.

I can’t do it alone as it takes MUCH practice!

•

north• south

• east

• west

• globe

• compass

• direction

(Our Lifeskills book is“on hold” this week.)

Math Literacy

For monthly activity schedule, class photos, and up-to-date information: http://mrsberryskindergarten.blogspot.com Email: berry.susan@brevardschools.org

Other News

News from Our GardenNews from Our GardenNews from Our GardenNews from Our Garden

Note about homework: Parents, we are trying to establish good study habits for

the students and preparing them for first grade. The packets we send home are

homework and it is the expectation that the work will be completed and turned in

every Friday. As you may have noticed, the work in kindergarten is much more rig-

orous than it has ever been and all students need additional practice at home in all

the skills. Please make time to work on the following:

• packet

• the readers

• the sight words 

• ten frames 

7/29/2019 Kindergarten Newsletter 2-2-13

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/kindergarten-newsletter-2-2-13 2/2

Working on Number Combinations to Ten What is a Ten Frame and why is it a useful tool for developing early number relationships and fact fluency?: http://

www.region10ct.org/math/region10mathsitefaq/What%20is%20a%20Ten%20Frame.pdfSome important things to know about kindergarten math:

• The district math test does not allow us to give the students any points if they have to count to tell us the quantities

of the cubes, counters, or dots presented in a math problem. They are expected to give their answers with

“automaticity, fluency, and flexibility”.

• Relying on the methods we (parents) learned number concepts will not work with the children today. As those of you

who attended our Math Night learned, students are learning math concepts in a completely different way than any of us

learned. Therefore, please do not present these quantities as flash cards alone. The students need many, many experi-

ences with manipulating objects to truly “subitize” number quantities and be able to manipulate the numbers in their

heads.

• The BEST resource that I can suggest for practicing to develop automaticity, fluency, and flexibility (not rote memory)

is the Illuminations website:

• Five frames (master these before moving to the ten frames): http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?

ID=74

• Ten frames: http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=75

Please note that on this website, there are many levels for working with both the five frames and the ten frames. Your

child should work towards being able to produce the answer with “automaticity”, or as we say in class, “Like popcorn pop-

ping!” Once your child can answer each question rapidly, then move to the next skill. They are listed as “Games”.

Earlier this year I sent home ten frames and a packet of games to play with your child. In addition to those activities, you

can find more here:

• http://pinterest.com/pstohrhu/ten-frames/ 

• http://www2.carrollk12.org/instruction/elemcurric/math/tframes.HTM 

• http://www.granby.k12.ct.us/uploaded/faculty/wyzika//Dice_and_Card_Games_to_Practice_Math_Facts.pdf