Exploring All About Books

During Writers’ Workshop this week we began learning about “All About Books” (commonly know to adults as nonfiction texts). The children began by comparing nonfiction Big Books with Dr. Seuss books. Here are some of the things they noticed:
“The pictures and writing was bigger.”
“They are more grown-upy.”
“The pictures are realistic.”
“It told me what a Bumble Bee egg looks like and is called.”
“It taught me things.”
“It was written about real things.”
“The pictures are taken with a camera.”
“Sometimes they have experiments.”

In Math are working on Volume 2, Unit 4 in the Kindergarten Math Expressions program. This unit builds on the children’s understanding of addition and subtraction story problems. The children will deepen their knowledge of problem solving as they learn the reverse connection of creating story problems for addition and subtraction equations they have solved. They will also continue partner work for partners 2 through 6 (example; 1 & 4 are partners for 5 because 1 + 4 = 5) and practice visualizing teen numbers as a ten and extra ones.

Our First Day with Andy

“Today we learned about our Great Artist Andy Warhol. We read the book Uncle Andy’s. I learned that he paints really well, and I learned that he has 25 cats named Sam. I also know that he wears purple glasses and a white wig. He has white hair that looks just like his wig. He lived in a big house, I think it was a Skyscraper. He had a lot of steps in his house and lots of cats and stuff. His house was in New York City. At night he liked to go out to parties. At day time he made art. He painted soda bottles, soup cans and Elvis. He got boxes and made them into soup can boxes. At meeting time we shared the pen and wrote what we know about Andy Warhol. Maya wrote about the cats and I wrote New York City. Sharing the pen is when some body has a pen and somebody has a sharpie and when you don’t know how to exact spell it the teacher helps you and that is when you share the pen. At job time I drew what I think Andy looks like. And I wrote that Andy paints unique pictures. Some friends wrote their questions to Andy.” ~J.M & N.S

100 Days of School

“The world in 100 years will be good, healthy, happy, clean, shy and green if we work together to clean it. We help the Earth if we reduce, recycle, reuse and turn off the water and the lights.” ~Room 5

Today we celebrated the 100th day of school! The children combined Fruit Loops into groups of 10 & 5 to make a necklace of 100; made a trail mix with 100 items; wrote their numbers from 1-100; made 100 tallies; estimated which jar contained 100 beans; read “Mrs. Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of Kindergarten”; wrote about what they want 100 of; made 100’s glasses and wrote about what the world will be like in 100 years! What a day!


“What have your learned during your first 100 days in Kindergarten?” ~Lisa J.
“I learned that La Jolla Kayak does not sell surf boards.” A.R
“I learned how to write words.” T.S
“I learned how to spell T-H-E” P.W
“I learned that Hotel La Jolla has 10 stories. And how to write ” J.R.
“I learned how to spell the word ‘Dear’ just today” M.E
“I learned that we can make pizza at La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club” E.E
“I learned how to write a lowercase a.” J.M
“I learned how to use finger spaces” J.W
“I learned that Surf Divas has blue and other color surf boards.” E.M
“I learned that there are a lot of different kind of Fairytale characters.” N.S
“I learned how to write all the lowercase letters.” H.C
“I learned how to add things in the ladybug job in math.” M.N
“I learned how to say yes and no in English” A.G