Dear Families,

The Kindergarten Team wants to communicate an update regarding our Monday schedule as we look forward toward the return to school process. As of February 1st, Mondays will now consist of a Morning Meeting starting at 9:20am followed by asynchronous/independent work. Morning Meeting will serve as a classroom community check-in and a time to set up the remainder of the day for the students as they work independently. As a reminder, attendance will be taken during the Morning Meeting.

All asynchronous work can be found in the “Weekly Assignment Notebook” and can be accessed through your teacher’s google site. You can only access this site when using an FCPS account. Please reach out to your individual teacher if you are unsure where to locate the assignments. In some instances, Mondays may be used as a time for teachers to provide small group instruction to students. If your child requires any small group instruction, you will be contacted directly by the teacher with further details. Although there will not be synchronous instruction, it is still important for students to complete the assignments listed as these activities will support your child’s learning.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your teacher. Thank you all for your continued support at home, we could not do this without you!

Language Arts

What are we learning?

• Readers will practice using pictures and vocabulary words in nonfiction texts to gain more understanding of the topic.
• Readers will practice asking questions about a text.
• Readers will make connections to texts from their own lives. 
• Readers will practice listening to others and sharing their ideas.
• Writers focus on topics they know a lot about.

Home/School Connection

• Continuing finding nonfiction texts on topics that your student finds interesting. 
• When reading a nonfiction text with your student, take time to focus on the pictures and vocabulary that is  introduced. 
• Encourage students to share any connections they have with the text.
  • Does this remind you of something? 
  • Has this happened to you before? 
• Have students write/draw about topics that they know a lot about. 
  • Example: Butterflies-they fly, they carry pollen from flower to flower, they start off as a caterpillar, they are colorful, etc.

Math

What are we learning?

• Students will learn about the parts and whole of numbers.
• Students will  learn how to show a number in different ways.

Home/School Connection

• Roll a dice and see how many different ways you can make that number using spoons or other objects.  Add in a second dice.  What do you notice?
• Pick a number and draw cookies for you and a friend.  How many different arrangements can you come up with?  Which combination is the most fair?

Science/Social Studies

What are we learning?

• Students are investigating and beginning to understand shadows and how they occur. 
• Shadows can be created with natural or artificial light when that light is blocked by an object.

Home/School Connection

• Go outside on a sunny day and observe your shadows. Try going out at different times of day (morning, mid-day, afternoon) and observe how your shadow changes. 
• Get a flashlight and find shadows around your house. Note what happens to a shadow when an object gets closer to the light source or farther away.

Class Compliments

• Mrs. Bender and Mrs. Santoro would like to shout out Nicholas and Chloe! Both of these students are always eager to learn and participate during each and every lesson. They are extremely helpful and enjoy seeing their classmates succeed. Not only do they try their best, but they encourage others to do the same. Keep up the great work!
• Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. T love to hear students greeting each other every morning! It is great to hear such cheerful voices to start our day.
• Miss Matthews and Mrs. Dillon continue to be amazed by the work our class is doing! We are most excited that for the first time we had 100% participation on a Pear Deck activity!   Way to persevere!  Keep it up!
• Mrs. Nieto and Mrs. B’s class has been doing awesome during small group times. Students are engaged during this time and are participating.

POG/Positivity Project

• Positivity Project (P2) for the week of February 8- 12 is love
• Positivity Project (P2) for the week of February 16-19  is humility
• Portrait of a Graduate (POG): All of Terraset Elementary is working on being Collaborators. Kindergarten is focusing on sharing our ideas.

Home/School Connection

• As with every other character trait, modeling is one of the most effective  ways to encourage these traits in our children. As adults we can apologize when we make mistakes and we can thank the people that help us succeed. 
• Compliment a child’s efforts in addition to their successes. 
• And take a few minutes after reading this to show your child you love them with a big hug, a kiss, a cuddle, or a dance party!

Important Upcoming Dates

• February 12- Webinar: From Chaos to Calm-Strategies for Families to Create Calm and Confidence in the Midst of Chaos and Uncertainty: A Webinar for Families (10:00-11:30am)
• February 15- Presidents’ Day: no school 
• February 16- new bell schedule starts for all students (9:45-4:15)
• February 17- Strategies to Support Social Emotional Learning at Home: A Webinar for Families (6:30-8:00pm)
• February 23- Kindergarten students who selected in person will return to school. 
• March 5- 2 hour early release
• March 8- student holiday

Click here to see what students are learning in Specials!