Hello, Kinder Griffins!
We are in our third week of the school year. Our homework routine will continue to grow, as you will see this week as we will start handwriting practice and oral phonogram practice. Please note that the homework is graded each night, and points will be taken off if it is turned in late.
We will introduce one phonogram each day in Spalding, and it is very important that you do not jump ahead and teach your child a phonogram at home before we teach that phonogram in class. We strongly suggest that every student have a set of Spalding phonogram flash cards to review during homework time each day. There cards are available for purchase via the Spalding International website and curriculum night on Tuesday:
Spalding flashcards
Please be sure to carefully review the handwriting homework that is coming home in your child's take home folder this week. An adult should recite the letter formation script provided on the homework sheet repeatedly as your child writes each phonogram. The student should say the phonogram sound(s) as they write. Please watch their writing to ensure they are working on pencil grip, starting and stopping at the correct spots, and finger spacing between formations. We don't erase in Spalding (only one neat line to cross out), so have your scholar do their best and try again 'next door' on the next formation. Thank you for your support!
Spalding handwriting relies on a very specific way of forming letters, and this is the way that we are teaching your child to write each letter in school. It is essential that they are practicing their letter formation the very same way at home. Great Hearts has created a short video (~15 seconds) for each phonogram. When you click on an individual phonogram link, you will hear the correct sound(s) for that phonogram and watch a teacher demonstrate how to write the letter. Please take a moment each night to look at the video clip for the phonogram being practiced for homework. Please use the verbal prompts from the video to "coach" your child as they use a pencil to write the phonogram several times on their homework sheet.
You can find the phonogram video links by visiting this link and scrolling to the bottom of the page. Look for this section:
This Week
Math Skills
- 100s Chart
- Count Numbers 0 to 5
- Order Numbers 0 to 5
- Counting Objects in Groups of 1 to 5
Language Arts Skills
- Spalding Phonograms: o, c, a, d
- Identify letter names
- Isolating sounds in words
- Identify phonogram sound
- Pencil grip
- Letter formation
Literature
- Identifying characters
- Sequencing Events
Core Saying
Poetry
History/Science
- Maps and Globes: History Unit Assessment, Tuesday 8/26
- What is a scientist? What tools do they use?
Homework Reminders
- Be sure to read daily for 20 minutes; this week 80 minutes because of R&R Weekend. Due this Friday. Please record on the Reading Log page.
- Practice writing each day's new phonogram 5 times on each line. Do not work ahead, because your student has not learned those yet with us.
- Memorize poem by Friday!
Upcoming Events
- Aug. 26 ~ K-2 Curriculum Night (6:00 PM) Adults only (No children)
- Aug.29 ~ Early Release; Spirit Day; R&R Weekend
- Sept. 1 ~ No School, Labor Day Holiday
- Sept. 5 ~ FULL DAY Friday
- Sept. 12 ~ Early Release
- Sept. 19 ~ Early Release
- Sept. 26 ~ Early Release; Spirit Day
