Click to see the activities that our Kindergarten classes participated in this year.
Our kindergarten friends celebrated a special fall friend's birthday! Johnny Appleseed, also known as John Chapman, is a famous pioneer who helped plant apple trees in Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. He became a famous American legend because of his kind ways and his impact on apple orchards during Pre-American Revolutionary years. His official birthday was September 26, 1774.
Our kindergarten students had a wonderful learning experience that was inspired by the Caldecott award winning book, The Polar Express (pictured above), written by Chris Van Allsburg. Students became the "Polar Express" and "choo chooed" to other classrooms to pick up other kindergarten friends. Mrs. Moody (an elf for the day!) read the story to the children who were all gathered together. Back in their own classrooms, students enjoyed hot cocoa and treats, just like the children did on the Polar Express!
For more information on Caldecott award winning books go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldecott_Medal
Kindergarteners at LER are learning many math skills through creative activities and manipulatives. The children in Mrs. Carey's class are shown recognizing and ordering numerals from 10-20 by using inviting snowmen on a clothesline. Students closed their eyes while a couple of classmates removed snowmen. Then, children had to guess what numeral was missing and return the snowmen to their places on the line. Children couldn't wait to play with this activity during their center time!
In Mrs. Awley's class, children used manipulatives to solve addition problems. Manipulatives included cubes and tiles. Children were very successful!
Lexia, a reading software program, is designed to support core reading curriculum, prevent reading failure, and remediate difficulties in struggling readers. Research findings have proven that students using Lexia significantly increase reading proficiency. Thanks to all the hard work of our technology department, Lexia is up and running in our K-2 classrooms!
Lexia's program is designed to meet the individual needs of each student because it automatically adjusts to the responses of the child. Students are also able to track and celebrate their progress by seeing bar graphs (see the picture above) fill up as they work on lessons within levels. Skills developed include phonological processing (the ability to manipulate sounds in words), phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Students absolutely enjoy using this reading program as they improve their reading skills!