We are SMART!

Hello!  I'm sorry to say, but I think you will have to get use to my blog posts being a little bit later on Wednesday afternoons.  Each Wednesday our staff participates in PLC time (professional learning communities).  We use this time to look over student data and make decisions about how best to support our students.  This means that I am often not able to blog until I get home.  So...

Today was day two of students walking in the classroom on their own!  They are doing such a great job and remembering their morning routines, such as putting their F.I.S.H. in the ocean.

This morning during our calendar time, it became obvious that we have a class favorite in our song choices.  Here is a photo of students movin' and groovin' to The Number Rock.  See if your child can sing this counting song for you.

Our Mystery Letter today was the letter T,t.  We decorated this letter using toothpicks and triangles.  We also talked about how to use glue bottles.  We learned how to make rain drops come out of our bottle, instead of puddles. :)

We also started learning various activities that will be used during our SMART time.  SMART stands for Stimulating Maturity through Accelerated Readiness Training.  This research-based program is designed to boost pre-reading skills and develop both large and small motor skills.  Once fully introduced, our SMART time will consist of a six station obstacle course in our classroom.  Students will spend two minutes at each station.  There is also a whole group warm-up and cool down.  Today we practiced being popcorn and hot dogs.  To be popcorn, we hold our knees at our chest and then pop out to a laying position with our arms above our heads.  Then, we squeeze back into a piece of popcorn.  It's actually a pretty good core exercise!  To be a hot dog, we stretched out long and rolled across the carpet.  Participating in rolling exercises helps students to develop internal and external spatial relations.

We had a busy morning!  We even read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and made our own Chicka Chicka Boom Boom trees!  These trees are displayed in the hallway outside of our room.

This afternoon we wrote in our journals for the first time.  Our main objective for this afternoon was just to draw a detailed picture using four or more colors.  Some friends even started to write!  During our journal time, students will be encouraged to write the sounds that they hear in the words they want to write.  Try to encourage this at home as well, versus giving your child the conventional spelling.

Remember:  Tomorrow is picture day!  Tomorrow is also the Kindergarten Picnic.  Hope to see you all there!

Love,
Mrs. Huettl