A Peek at Our Week in the Cherry Blossom Classroom!
We continued our focus lesson on Animal Classification this week! We reviewed vertebrates and invertebrates. We introduced two invertebrate animal groups – Insects and Arachnids! We learned that insects have three body parts (head, thorax, abdomen), and six legs! We also spent some time discussing arachnids and learned that they have two body parts (cephalothorax and abdomen) and eight legs! We talked about spinnerets and the different types of thread spiders use, and learned that spiders turn insects into smoothies so they can drink them! A little bit gross and a little bit fascinating!
Mr. John kicked off our arachnid lesson by visiting our classroom with his tarantula! Some of us were curious, some of us were cautious, but we all asked LOTS of questions!
Oh my, the Handwriting!
Cherry Blossoms worked hard on their handwriting this week! You’ll notice theres a few different ways that teachers will introduce handwriting skills.
Our youngest students will work with the sand tray and the sandpaper letters. This gives them a very sensory based approach to beginning those handwriting skills.
As our fine motor skills strengthen, children will be introduced to either the chalkboard or dry erase board. We begin by introducing the baseline, midline, and top line that will assist us in forming our letters. Then we introduce beginning strokes, such as swing, down, and circle. These movements will form our cursive letters later!
After our children are comfortable with those beginning strokes, they will be introduced to individual sandpaper letters. We will practice tracing the sandpaper letter while being introduced to the language that assists us in forming that cursive letter. For example, the letter t is formed by “begin at the baseline, swing up to the top line, down to the baseline, pick up your pencil, and cross at the midline.” Then we will use that language we learned and practice forming our letters on the chalkboard or dry erase board!
Once we are comfortable with that skill, we’ll practice in our handwriting folders! Phew! Handwriting is hard work!
Enrichment Spotlight – Music with Ms. Lisa!
Ms. Lisa has been working with us on recognizing whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note and what that sounds like in music. We also have been working on allegro (fast) and adagio (slow). We practiced with our bodies in music class, but we also practice with our lunch song before we eat!
WE WERE BOOED!
Peek Into Next Week!
We will continue our study of Classification of Animals. We will review Vertebrates and Invertebrates. We will review Mammals, and introduce Birds and Fish!
Letter: Jj
Number: 8
Languages: Counting in German and ASL
Important Dates:
Monday is the last day! : Usborne Book Fair – Join us in person or online! https://v2805.myubam.com/
November 5: Trunk or Treat
November 12: Parent/Teacher Conferences – No School for Students