Learning Resource for Week 35: May 31 – June 4
Message from Teacher Anna, Teacher Selena, & Teacher Mimi:
For children transitioning to kindergarten, here is a program that Seattle Public Schools is offering to families:
The transition to school is a big step in your child’s life. It’s natural to have some anxiety. That’s why, even before school officially starts, we want to begin a connection with your family. This can happen in many ways – through virtual school tours and open houses, by talking with families who are part of that school community, or by visiting the school playground.
Jump Start is the most well-known kindergarten transition program Seattle Public Schools offers. This week-long orientation to school serves as a kind of “day camp” for children to come to their new school, meet staff and peers, and practice kindergarten routines. For more information, please see translated Jump Start flyers on our Resources page (Amharic, Chinese, English, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, Tigrigna, Vietnamese.)
For more information please visit SPS website here:
https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/early_learning/kindergarten/jump_start
Our four program-wide expectations are Be Courageous, Be Curious, Be Compassionate, Be A Community. This week we will focus on how children can be curious.
We are curious when….
We explore new ideas
We ask “I Wonder” questions
We imagine the possibilities
We test our ideas
We value the challenge
Look for an activity this week that helps you to be curious!
Suggested Home Learning Activities For This Week:
Problem Solving
Be Curious: Ada Twist, Scientist – This week we will learn about how to be curious. Here is a book about a little girl named Ada who is very curious about the world and loves to do experiments and ask “why” questions. After listening to the book with your child, talk with your child about how Ada was a very curious child and ask them to think about examples from the book of when she was curious. Ask your child what they are curious about and help them find answers or explore those curiosities. Try not to just give them the answer if it is something you can test and explore together. Here is the link:
Math / Science
Attribute game – With the tangram shapes provided from lakeshore, you can easily play the attribute game. You and your child can work together to sort the objects by different attributes: size, shape, color and number of sides. For example, have your child find all the shapes that are red and put them in one pile or have your child find all the shapes that are triangles and put them in one pile.
Movement / Play
Number Hopscotch – Number hopscotch is a common game that children enjoy playing. You draw a large hopscotch on the sidewalk, put a number in each square, toss a rock, and jump away! Numbers from 1-10 are traditionally written in each square. Once the hop scotch is drawn out, toss the rock and see what number it lands on and have your child say the number and jump to that number. You can also have your child count from 1 to practice counting. It won’t be long before your child knows their numbers from 1-10. Once the numbers 1-10 are mastered, write the numbers from 11-20 in the squares.
Art / Writing
Venger Drawing – One activity we often do in class is drawing a picture out of a shape, we call this “Venger Drawings.” Draw a rectangle shape on a piece of paper and ask your child to turn that shape into something new. Look around the house or outside to get an idea!
Language / Literacy
Dandylion Summer: Book Video – When two sisters make a wish upon a dandelion, the seeds scatter and bring them Dandylion, a friend to play with all summer long. Together, they go on lots of adventures. After listening to the story with your child ask them what they liked best in this story.
Here is a link to the book:
Art / Writing
Fine Motor Skills: Practice cutting skills (Art/Writing) – The opening and closing motion of cutting with scissors helps children develop the small muscles in their hands, otherwise known as fine motor skills. These muscles are crucial for holding a pencil or crayons and gripping and manipulating objects. Parents, grab your child’s safety scissors and draw out different sequences on any piece of paper you have at home (zig zag, straight lines, different shapes, snip). Have your child cut each sequence you draw for practice!
