Week 36 of Kindergarten: A Journey of Growth and Discovery

Dear Family, we hope you all had an amazing week! Week 36 has been just as fun and engaging as the previous 35, with our kindergartners learning, exploring, and sharing their thoughts and ideas. They have come so far academically, physically, and emotionally, and we couldn't be prouder. Keep reading for more details…...

Happy Birthday Leayene! We love you so much!

Large Group

This week in our large group, we practiced reading using word families (ake, ack, ook, ug, and all). First, we practiced saying these words and formed new words using these families, reading them together one by one. Each child had a turn to read the words, reinforcing the idea that practice is the key to learning any new concept! We even created sentences using these words and let each student read the sentences to further enhance their reading skills.

“ook is so easy” -Junior

“All of them are easy” -Adelene

“Word Family” -Eliyab

“I want to read them all” -Yeabsera

“Yellow” -Yichen

Literacy

This week, we continued our literacy journey with articles. Now that our kindergartners understand which article goes with which noun, the learning process has become both easy and engaging for them. We had our first literacy session on the mat, where we called out words and placed an article in front of each one. It was a fun experience, as everyone had a turn to either ask or answer questions. After this oral practice, we moved on to a picture-based worksheet where the children filled in the correct articles. It was a delightful moment, as they were thoroughly engaged, learning and having fun simultaneously!

“There’s nothing in our class room that needs an” -Leayene

“There’s oval in the 2D shape….an oval” -Lucas

“And an eraser hahahaha……” -Adelene

“L is not a e i o u so it’s a leg not an leg” -Abigail

“I want another worksheet I want to do more” -Yeabsera

Math

This week in math, we revisited our time-telling lesson from a couple of months ago. We wanted to recap the lesson and provide further practice, as our children are trying to tell time every day. This time, it was lively and engaging, as they already had some understanding and were able to tell time easily; especially the hour, as the short hand is distinct. We emphasized the minutes, which involve counting by fives, to reinforce that session as well. In our first math class, we used our classroom clock to practice telling time and setting it using the rolling part on the back. One student would say a time, and another had to set the clock exactly as instructed. In our second math session, we used the classroom board to focus more on telling time, specifically the minutes, since the hour was already easy for them!

“I know how to roll this fast, let me show you” -Umar

“You do it for me and I tell what time” -Tang Tang

“My dad knows how to do this super super fast like the flash” -Junior

“Counting by 5 is easy you say 20 then 25 you say 30 and then 35” -Adelene

Science

This week, we introduced our children to the skeletal system and its structure. After learning about our organs for a few weeks, it was time for them to understand the framework that holds each organ in place. To keep things simple, we focused on the upper part of the body skeleton to avoid overwhelming them with too much information. In our first science session, we introduced the parts and names of each bone. Then, we did a skeletal worksheet where the children cut out different pieces from paper and assembled a skeleton using those pieces. It was a fun experience, as they easily identified where each part belonged. Next week, we’ll learn more about the lower part of the skeletal system and engage in additional activities to reinforce their understanding!

“My dad has million bones than babies” -Junior

“We all have 206 bones, only babies have 300” -Umar

“Giraffe’s neck and our neck both has 7 bones. We learned it last time” -Abigel

“Look at my ribs you can see them” -Adelene

“But we can’t see the ribs if the person is fat yeah?” -Lucas

 Art

This week, we continued our 4 seasons art project. After painting the edges of our round canvas last week, we moved on to sketching the tree trunk in the middle and branches, which we then painted brown. For the leaves, we used colored buttons that we painted, as we only had white buttons in our art room. Once the painted buttons were dry, we carefully collaged them onto the canvas, arranging them to reflect the different types of leaves we see in each season. The end result was a beautiful masterpiece, and our children were delighted as it turned out exactly as they had envisioned. They were excited to see their artistic vision come to life on the canvas.

“My dad is going to buy this for my mom” -Tang Tang

“No, I’ll buy this for my sister cause she will love this” -Leayene

“The buttons look real” -Hekima

“The buttons won’t fall yeah?” -Yeabsera

“The spring one looks so cool” -Lucas

Construction Center

Our young builders have made fantastic progress on the house they constructed in the construction center couple of weeks ago! After completing the framework, which features inviting bedrooms, a cozy living room, and even a staircase, they returned this week with enthusiasm to add their personal touch. Armed with paintbrushes and a palette of vibrant colors, each child unleashed their creativity, transforming the house into a beautiful masterpiece. They collaborated and admired each other's work.

Football

This week, our football sessions were filled with fun and excitement. As our children prepare for their upcoming game next week, they are brimming with energy and team spirit. Throughout the year, they have been dedicated to practicing and developing their team-building skills, and it shows in their progress. We are grateful to their coach, Tesfaye, who has taught them the fundamentals of the game, as well as the importance of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Our children have now mastered the skills of playing, caring for their teammates, and working together as a team. We are looking forward to the match against the ICS team, and we wish our young athletes the best of luck. We are confident that they are physically, mentally, and emotionally ready to give their all and represent our school with pride.

“I want to play there and be a goal keeper” -Adelene

“We’re going to win because Umar is our captain” -Lucas

“You guys have to pass the ball to each other okay” -Hekima

“Tesfay said I can also play but I have to ask my mom first” -Leayene

“I’m going to play with the boys and we are going to win” -Yeabsera

Next week’s schedule:

Monday – Math, Literacy

Tuesday – Literacy, Science, gym

Wednesday - Library, Math

Thursday - Science

Friday - Cooperative game

Specials:

Monday- Art

Tuesday - Gym

Thursday - Ethiopian center/ clay

Friday - Football

Reminders and notes:

• Make sure that our children are wearing suitable clothes on Monday as we have art class and activities get messy sometimes.

• Every Wednesday and Thursday is library day. Our children will be bringing home a book of their choice in their library folder, so please make sure to read the book with them over the weekend. Return the folder the following Wednesday so they can get a new one.

* Every Tuesday, we have gymnastics, so please ensure that our children come dressed in comfortable and loose-fitting sports attire to facilitate their exercise.

• Every Friday, we have football, so please make sure our children wear their football jerseys if they have them, or any comfortable shorts.

Have a wonderful weekend!