Dear Kindergarten Families,

It has been another exciting week in our kindergarten classroom, and I’m thrilled to share what we’ve been learning and doing!

Writing

This week, we’ve been focusing on transition words like first, next, then, and last to make our stories flow smoothly. We’re also working on adding feelings to our writing. For example, instead of saying, “I went to the park,” we encourage your child to write, “I went to the park and felt so excited to play!” You can support this at home by asking your child to share stories about their day using these transition words and describing how they felt.

Phonics

In phonics, we are continuing to stretch out words to hear all the sounds and are still practicing word families (e.g., cat, hat, bat). We also ask that you practice snap words (or sight words) at home. These are words like the, and, is, it, and you that we see frequently in reading and writing. Knowing these words automatically helps children decode books more easily, making writing less frustrating.

Reading

This week, we are exploring decoding strategies, which means helping students learn to sound out unfamiliar words. Without a strong foundation in snap words, children can struggle to become confident readers and writers, so consistent practice at home can make a big difference. Try playing games like Snap Word Bingo or creating flashcards for a fun and interactive way to practice!

Math

In math, we’ve been exploring 3D shapes (sphere, cylinder, cube, cone, etc.) and identifying these shapes in our environment. We are also learning how to decompose numbers—breaking them apart into smaller groups—and finding different ways to make 10. For example, 7 + 3 = 10 or 6 + 4 = 10. This foundational skill is key as we build towards addition and subtraction fluency.

Social Studies

Our theme this week and next is Past, Present, and Future. We’ve been discussing what these time periods mean and how life changes over time. To connect with our learning, the children drew pictures of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (the past), themselves (the present), and robots (the future)! These creative illustrations are proudly displayed outside our classroom, and they look amazing. Feel free to stop by and see them!

Reminders

• No School on Monday: Enjoy the long weekend!
• Teacher Absence: I will not be at school on Thursday or Friday. If your child’s transportation method needs to change on these days, please call the office to update us.
• Stay Warm: The weather is getting chilly, so please make sure your child comes to school with appropriate winter gear.

Thank You!

We had such a great time on our recent field trip! The kids were so engaged and enthusiastic. Check out the attached pictures to see all the fun we had.

Thank you for your continued support. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Stay warm, and have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,
Mr. Eubanks
Kindergarten Teacher