Communities

Our new unit on communities is underway, as our student are learning about what a community is and the places and the people that make up a community. By using the community that they are most familiar with, Lincolnwood, the students are using their own experiences to share about the places they have been in this community and what they can do there. Our key vocabulary words for places in our community are bakery, clothing store, fire station, grocery store, library, post office, and restaurant. The students should be familiar with the names and purposes of these places. But it does not stop there~ our students have been thinking of so many places that they know around the community, such the park, movie theater, schools, police station, and more. Looking for and pointing out these places as you drive around town would be a great way for students to connect the words they are learning in class to the real thing. As you travel and go around the community during the break, please talk with your child and ask them questions about the places you see. I would love to hear about the connections they made over break when they get back! .

We also read a new book called Bear About Town by Stella Blackstone. As Bear visits different places in the community each day of the week, the students were introduced to various places in Bear's town and the different activities he could choose to do. They students wrote about where they would go with Bear and what they'd like to do with him. Our Kindergarteners were also introduced to a new word wall word- "to". Many students were already familiar with this word, which is fantastic. Your support and work at home to reinforce the reading skills learned in school is indispensable. The students each received a new story called "I Go" which helped review and practice our word wall words and reading books written in a pattern. These went home today, and it would be wonderful to have your child read his book to you. Please continue reading and working on reading skills with your child over the winter break!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a joy-filled new year!
See you in 2010!