Transitional Kindergarten News 

🔢 Math

This week in Math, we practiced finding the number that comes before a given number during calendar time. We also practiced writing the numbers 4 and 5.

We spent some time exploring sorting in different ways. Sorting may look like a simple activity, but it is an important early learning skill! When children sort objects by color, shape, size, or other attributes, they are learning to observe details, compare, classify, and explain their thinking. These skills build an important foundation for early math, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

We also used our sorting skills in Language Arts by sorting pictures by their beginning sounds.

📚 Language Arts

This week, we continued working with the letters Aa, Mm, Tt, and Ss. Students practiced naming the letters, producing their sounds, and blending sounds to read simple syllables and words.

We also worked on rhyming! Students practiced listening carefully to words and deciding whether or not they rhyme. We even went on a rhyme hunt around our classroom, searching for words that rhyme with one another. 🔎

We continued our work with our first nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty. Students illustrated the nursery rhyme in their journals and then practiced sequencing by cutting apart pictures and putting them in the correct order of events from the poem.

Sequencing helps children understand that events happen in a particular order and is an important skill for reading comprehension and storytelling.

📝 Assessments & Small Groups

We began our first round of assessments this week, focusing on capital and lowercase letter identification and letter sounds.

These assessments give me a better picture of what each child knows and what they are ready to learn next. I will use this information to help move students along at their own pace and meet them where they are in their learning during our small-group centers.

🎲 Learning Through Play

We played Jenga, Stack Attack, and Doggie, Doggie, Where's Your Bone?, along with some other classroom games.

While these games are lots of fun, they also give us opportunities to practice taking turns, following directions, listening to others, and being good sports.

We are learning that sometimes we win, sometimes we don't—and either way, we can be kind friends! 💛

🎨 Art

Students had time in the art center to explore dot paints, watercolors, Play-Doh, coloring utensils, scissors, glue, and paper. They were also introduced to painting with tempera paints.

I hope you are enjoying all of the amazing art projects coming home! Our little artists have been very busy! 🎨

✝️ Religion

Mrs. Sgroi taught our class about the Holy Family in Religion this week.

In our classroom, we are also working on being still and quiet during our all-school morning prayer and learning some of our daily prayers.