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Science/Social Studies - Mrs. Matthews

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Last Week of School! 6/1/21

Hello Families, 
Well this is it! We have made it to our final week of the 2020-2021 school year. This is always a bittersweet time for me, but even more so this school year. We have been through a rollercoaster this year. From online learning to in person, mask wearing, covid precautions, and internet and zoom failures. Through the ups and downs you have all been patient and understanding, but most of all supportive. I will never be able to thank you all enough for your unwavering support and kind words as we navigated this unprecedented year of Kindergarten. I am so proud of our Kinders this year. They grew and learned in spite of the conditions and they taught me a thing or two along the way. Thank you so much for trusting me with your children this year! 
Below are a list of events for these final days of Kindergarten. Aside from the events below, we will spend the week packing up supplies, playing, and enjoying our last days together as a class. Please email if you have any questions. 
 

6/2 Move up Day

We are excited to welcome the first grade teachers to our Kindergarten classrooms. First grade teachers will provide a brief presentation about the amazing things students can expect in first grade next year.

6/3 Kindergarten Continuation Ceremony

Our Kindergarten Continuation Ceremony will be on Thursday 6/3 at 8:15am. All continuation ceremonies will be held over Zoom (zoom link will be emailed out the evening of 5/31). Students will be presented with a Continuation Certificate, small gift, and a round of applause. The ceremony will be recorded for any families unable to attend at that time.

6/3 Kindergarten End of Year Celebration

We will have an end of year celebration following our continuation ceremony. Students will make end of Kindergarten crowns, eat lots of goodies, have as many dance parties as they want, and have a last run around the playground. We cannot have parent volunteers join us in the building, but I promise to take pictures and email them out for you all to enjoy. I will need your help to make this celebration everything that out Kinders deserve. Please click here to view our sign-up genius to donate treats, drinks, and bubbles. Please send any donations with your student any time this week! 

6/3 Last Day of In-Person Learning - Half Day! 

Students will be released at 11:30am 

6/3 Parent Teacher Conferences via Zoom 1-8pm

6/4 Asynchronous Day - Final Field Trip Friday & Last Day of School! 

Today will be our final day of the school year. Students will access our final field trip Friday on Seesaw. You will also be able to view the virtual yearbook pages students signed for one another in our Seesaw classroom. 

6/4 Parent Teacher Conferences via Zoom 8am-12pm

Science: Dinosaurs! 5/21/21

Dear Families, 
This week we will continue working on our end of the year cumulative learning project! Students will use the skills they have learned this school year to investigate and teach others about dinosaurs. This week students will learn about carnivores and make connections between the needs dinosaurs have for survival, their habitat, and locate where we can find their fossils using maps. Students will research and complete an informational writing piece about a dinosaur that was an carnivore and include three facts, a diagram with labels, and a location on the map. 

Word List

herbivore - carnivore - dinosaur - habitat - survive - extinct - needs - wants - location - map - fossil - paleontologist - clutch

Science: Dinosaurs! 5/17/21

Dear Families, 
This week we will continue working on our end of the year cumulative learning project! Students will use the skills they have learned this school year to investigate and teach others about dinosaurs. This week students will learn about carnivores and make connections between the needs dinosaurs have for survival, their habitat, and locate where we can find their fossils using maps. Students will research and complete an informational writing piece about a dinosaur that was an carnivore and include three facts, a diagram with labels, and a location on the map. 

Word List

herbivore - carnivore - dinosaur - habitat - survive - extinct - needs - wants - location - map - fossil - paleontologist - clutch 

Science: Dinosaurs! 5/9/21

Dear Families, 
We are so excited to begin our end of the year cumulative learning project! Students will use the skills they have learned this school year to investigate and teach others about dinosaurs. This week students will learn about herbivores and make connections between the needs dinosaurs have for survival, their habitat, and locate where we can find their fossils using maps. Students will research and complete an informational writing piece about a dinosaur that was an herbivore and include three facts, a diagram with labels, and a location on the map. 

Word List

herbivore - carnivore - dinosaur - habitat - survive - extinct - needs - wants - location - map - fossil - paleontologist - clutch 

 

Science: Moon and the Solar System 5/3/21

Dear Family,

This week we will continue learning all about space. We will move on from learning about the sun's impact on the Earth and move on to learning about the moon. Your child will learn the phases of the moon.  Your child will also be able to describe the effect the solar system has on our life. 

Word List

crater – reflect – phase - asteroid

Supporting Your Student at Home

  • Discuss what your favorite activities are to do during the day.
  • Discuss activities that you like doing at night.
  • Are there any activities you can do during the day and at night?

Science: Heat and Sun 4/19/21

Dear Family,

This week we will continue learning all about heat and light.  Your child will learn why the sun is important to us.  They will be able to state how they can protect themselves from the sun, too.

Unit Vocabulary

heat – protect - shadow

Supporting Your Student at Home

  • Identify objects around the house that give off heat.
  • Talk about ways you can protect yourself from the sun.
  • Use a camera and take pictures outside showing how shadows change as the sun moves.

Science: Heat and Sun 4/19/21

Dear Family,

This week we will be learning all about heat and light.  Your child will learn why the sun is important to us.  They will be able to state how they can protect themselves from the sun, too.

Unit Vocabulary

heat – protect - shadow

Supporting Your Student at Home

  • Identify objects around the house that give off heat.
  • Talk about ways you can protect yourself from the sun.
  • Use a camera and take pictures outside showing how shadows change as the sun moves.

Social Studies: Economics 4/12/21

Dear Family,

This week we will be learning all about economics.  We  will learn how consumers and producers trade good and services for money.  We will also learn how money is earned, used, and saved, too.

Vocabulary

consumer – producer – good - service

Supporting Your Student at Home

Have your student draw a picture of: 
- a good
- someone who provides a service
- a way you  can earn money
- a way you can save money 

Social Studies: Economics 4/5/21

Dear Family,

This week we will be learning all about economics.  We will learn the difference between a want and a need.  As well, we will learn how people fulfill their wants and needs. 

Word List

economics – money – want - need

Supporting Your Student at Home

1. Discuss with your child how we work to earn the things we want and need. 
2. Make a list of wants and look up their cost
3. Develop a savings plan with your child so they can save to purchase something they want. What will they do to earn the money they save? How long will it take?
 

 

Leprechaun Traps! 3/15/21

Hello Families, 
Every March the kindergarten pod is terrorized by a menacing little Leprechaun. As a fun way to wrap up our force and motion unit Kindergarten students are challenged to build a leprechaun trap in hopes of catching our leprechaun. You will find videos and ideas to support your student in their field trip today located on Seesaw. This should be a fun and creative project using materials from around the house. Students will bring their traps to school on Monday and Tuesday so we can present them to the class and set them in hopes of catching our leprechaun. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. 

Science: Simple Machines 3/8/21

Dear Family,

This week we will participate in asynchronous lessons from home. Students will watch pre-recorded lessons in Seeasaw and submit their work. We will be learning all about simple machines.  Your child will be able to identify simple machines.  They will be able to tell how simple machines make our lives easier.

Vocabulary

force – pulley – lever – inclined plane – wheel – simple machine

Supporting Your Student at Home

  • Discuss different simple machines around the house and yard.
  • Make a pulley at home.
You can access our weekly learning calendar here. 

Science: Force and Motion 3/1/21

Dear Family,

This week we will continue learning all about forces.  What is a force?  How do we use force in our everyday lives?  What is a push and a pull?  How do magnets relate to forces?  We will learn answers to these questions and so much more this week.

Vocabulary

force – push – pull - magnet

Supporting Your Student at Home: 

  • Test objects around the house to see if they are magnetic or not.
  • Identify objects around the house that you can push or pull.

Science: Force and Motion 2/22/21

Dear Family,

This week we will be learning all about forces.  What is a force?  How do we use force in our everyday lives?  What is a push and a pull?  How do magnets relate to forces?  We will learn answers to these questions and so much more this week.

Vocabulary

force – push – pull - magnet

Supporting Your Student at Home: 

  • Test objects around the house to see if they are magnetic or not.
  • Identify objects around the house that you can push or pull.

Science: Seasons and Severe Weather 2/15/21

Dear Family,

This week we will continue learning all about the seasons and weather.  Your child will be able to identify seasons and the effect of the sun in each.  They will describe different types of weather throughout the week, too.

Vocabulary: 

season – weather - storm - severe

Supporting Your Student at Home: 

  • Talk about activities you can do in each season.
  • Talk about a time when you were in a storm. What happened? How did you feel?
  • What types of weather can you name?

100th Day of School! 2/11/21

Hello Families! 
Can you believe it is almost the 100th Day of School? In Kindergarten we love to celebrate by doing all things 100. We will make 100th day necklaces, count to 100 many different ways, try to read 100 books, and have 100 dance parties. Students will come to school dressed like they are 100 years old and imagine what they would do if they had $100.00! 
Congratulations! We've made it to the 100th Day of School.