Step Inside the Gingerbread Man

Wow! Is it really almost December?!  I can’t believe our kids have been in kindergarten for three months!  We had an eventful week as we learned the story of the gingerbread man.  We read MANY different versions of the classic story.  One of our favorite versions was The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett.  Another favorite was The Stinky Cheesemen by Jon Scieska – it was hilarious!  We even enjoyed listening to and singing a version from one of our favorite singers - Jack Hartmann.  We also had fun retelling a version of the story with our story telling props! 

Last, we “Stepped Inside” the Gingerbread Man and gave our viewpoint of what we thought the Gingerbread Man was thinking.

Ask your child what version was their favorite…

·        Gingerbread Girl

·        Gingerbread Boy

·        Gingerbread Man

·        Gingerbread Cowboy

·        Gingerbread Pirates 

·        Stop That Pickle

We didn’t stop the fun there…
We painted our own gingerbread men and made tear-art candles.

Writing Workshop

We are currently working on our fourth unit called, Pattern Books.   Students are invited to write multiple pattern books just like the ones they have been reading.  Since reading and writing go hand in hand, this unit will help make this connection very visible to students.

While this unit uses patterns to help students write, the focus of this unit is on meaning. Students learn that pattern books are not just books with repeating words but rather they are books with repeating words that communicate meaning; and that even the smallest books can hold big meaning.

Reading Workshop

We have been working on our comprehension skills. We have been comparing, contrasting and making connections between the different versions of the gingerbread stories.  We spent time talking about story elements, such as, the characters, setting, and plots.  We are using our “thinking words:”    “I notice…I wonder…This reminds me of…”

Math

In math we continue to work with gingerbread 10 frames.  We played Ten and Teen Frame Flash.  Young children need to see quantities when they work with numbers.  When children have mental images for numbers, they have more flexible strategies to apply to computation.

What is Center Time?  Center time is a flurry of activity during which an incredible amount of learning takes place!  It is the time of day that most kindergartners eagerly look forward to (besides recess!). When the children explore centers, it allows them to get hands-on learning experiences.  They are actively engaged in the learning process as they are thinking and doing!  Up to this point in the year, I have been available to the children during center time.   Beginning in December, I will be using Center Time to give your child individual or small group instruction while the other children are independently working.  I am confident the children know our classroom rules and routines.  This should be a smooth transition for most.  Please check in with your child next week and ask if they are being responsible for their work during Center time.  I appreciate your support!