We took a fun ride on the Polar Express before Christmas break. We set up the hallway like a long train. The passengers sat in sections of two while riding to the North Pole. We sang Christmas carols as we were moving along on the train.
Sarah Batt, the director of Project Relates, works in our school and has 3 children who attend SJA. She was the narrator of The Polar Express. She did a wonderful job and the kids really loved it!
After the train came to a halt at The North Pole, we exited the train. We made our way down to the gym. The kids watched the movie which was projected onto the wall. We sat on blankets together and behaved just like we would in a movie theater.
When the movie was over, we made our way back up to our classroom where we sipped on hot chocolate and listened to Christmas music.
Santa made a special visit to SJA!! He came up to our classroom to talk with the Kindergarten class. He even passed out Smarties to everyone! He told us that he would be coming to our homes soon. The kids were very excited about his visit.
It was such a fun filled day. I love being in the Kindergarten classroom because it gets me in the best Christmas spirit!! The kids were so anxious and excited about the holidays, they didn't know what to do!
Reading Mastery
In the Reading Mastery program, the kids learn the letter sounds which will build into the blending of letter sounds to make words. After completing the group lesson with the teacher, the students have to work independently to complete their seatwork which is directly related to the word and/or letter sounds they just worked on with the teacher.
Partner Reading
One way to improve reading skills is practicing with a peer. The students are given opportunities throughout the week to partner read with a designated reading buddy. Both students have the same book during the reading time. One listens and follows along while the other student reads. Each student has the opportunity to take a turn to read.
From Classmates to Best of Friends
In the kindergarten classroom, all of the kids are becoming very good friends! The kids in the class are caring, thoughtful, and loving to each other. They are willing to go the extra mile to help one of their classmates who might be hurt or have hurt feelings. They are a wonderful group of kids who are going to grow up to be wonderful men and women! I'm very proud of them because they work hard everyday and start their day with a smile!