Kinder Week 5 - 9/3-9/7

K week 5	9/3/2018	9/4/2018	9/5/2018	9/6/2018	9/7/2018	Co-Teacher Notes
Discipleship	Labor Day - School Holiday	Unit Verse: 1 Corinthians13:7 “[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”				Picture Day - 9/10
Bible		Perseverance in Prayer: Luke 18:1-8, Jeremiah 9:23-34	Life is a Long Race: Hebrews 12:1-11	A Persistant Builder: Genesis 6:5-22.	Discuss the following question: What is the biggest project that you have built out of Lego®, wooden blocks or something else? How long do you think it took Noah to build an ark that was 450 feet long? What would have happened if Noah had given up and left the ark half built?
Math		EM-A p55	EM-A p56-57	EM-A p58-59 and math journal	EM-A p60, p61-63
Spelling		AAS-Step 4 p29-31	AAS-Step 4	AAS-Step 4 p29-31
Writing		HWT-p23 (W) and pgs 84-86 (number formation)	W, X	HWT-p24(X) and pgs 87-89 (number formation)	*Review W, X
Reading		OPG- L29	OPG-L30/31	OPG-L30	OPG-L31	Short a
History			Little Pilgrims - p8-13 The Beginning of History			Focus: Creation & Adam and Eve
Geography		Continents and Oceans - Due 9/24
Science			Insects
Memory Work		"Jesus Died Your Soul to Save"  Poem Due 9/26

Important dates:

Monday, September  - Labor Day. NO SCHOOL!

Monday, September 10 - Picture Day

I hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend! Tuesday will be a regular homeschool day. Looking forward to seeing my sweet students on Wednesday.

We have begun our study on the life cycle of insects, and will move into the life cycle of butterflies very soon. I will be ordering live butterfly caterpillars to observe in class! What a magnificent way to see, up close, God's amazing design and provision for one of his smallest creatures :)

Make sure you are checking the homepage of the Fortis blog each day as well as this grade level page. Important school wide information will be posted there!

Math

• Though it may feel like we are going slow or the curriculum is not challenging enough, there are many foundational math skills that we are developing in these first few units. Identifying sets, assigning a numeral to a set to make it a number, and writing digits are skills that we often clump all together with 'counting', but they are each their own math milestone! The units that we are covering in "book A" are preparing us for the big things we will be doing down the road!

Reading:

• Our OPG lessons have begun! It might be helpful for your little one if you write the words on a dry erase board for him/her to read. 
• Click here for a link to the short vowel story rhymes I introduce in class (this week is "short a") to help the children remember the short vowel sound of the vowels.

Writing:

• Please continue to enforce correct pencil grip and proper handwriting strokes! You are helping create habits that will last a lifetime and improve efficiency in writing.
• As you work on the number formation pages in HWT, please feel free to modify the numerals 2 and 6 from what the book shows.

Spelling

• Review phonogram and key cards.
• Step 4 is rich in letter, phonogram, and phonics work. Though this lesson was covered last week, please continue to segment words, alphabetize letter tiles, and dictate sounds with writing.

History 

• This week we are learning about Adam and Eve! In class we will be creating a creature while reviewing creation. The students will then get to name their creature, just as God commanded Adam to name all the creatures!

Science

• Feel free to dive into the life cycle of insects at home! 

Geography:

• Kindergarteners will be expected to be able to point to the Continents and Oceans on a map. Click here for the song we use in class. Due 9/24

Memory Work: 

• Spending a few minutes each homeschool day going over all memory work, will help make the process of memorization much easier.
•  "Jesus Died Your Soul to Save".  Students will say title, author, and then recite poem on September 26th. 
• TIMELINE SONG: We will be singing it in class a few sections at a time, and introducing the hand motions found in the link below. We have all year to work on this one!
• Click here and here for Timeline song with hand motions.

Kinder Week 4 8/27-8/31

K week 4	8/27/2018	8/28/2018	8/29/2018	8/30/2018	8/31/2018	Co-Teacher Notes
Discipleship	Cooperation: Unit Verse: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”					Open House, 8/27 6-7:00 p.m.
Bible	Learning to submit to God Judges 2:6-23	Working together for truth 1 John 1:1-11	Working together for truth 1 John 1:1-11, Discuss ways that we can work together to find truth	A task required teamwork and determination Mark 2:1-12	Find a task that takes determination and teamwork to complete.
Math	EM-A 45-47	EM-A p48-49	EM-A p50-52	EM-A p53-54	Review numbers 1-5
Spelling	AAS-Step 4	AAS-Step 4 p29-31	AAS-Step 4	AAS-Step 4 p29-31		To teach initial phonograms in place of first 26 lessons in OPG
Writing	K,L	HWT-p19-20 (K,L)	U,V	HWT-p21-22 (U,V)
Reading	Turtle talk and Bubblegum words	Go over yellow Phonogram cards at least 2X/day	OPG-L27	OPG-L27	OPG-L28	Introduction to Short a sound
History	Little Pilgrims - p8-13 The Beginning of History		Little Pilgrims - p8-13 The Beginning of History			Focus: Creation & Adam and Eve
Geography	Continents and Oceans - Due 9/24
Science	Insects		Insects	Insect Observation Worksheet		Insects
Memory Work	Quarter 1 Poem Due 9/26

Important dates:
Monday, August 27 - Open House, 6-7 p.m.
Wednesday, August 29 - Pizza Day! Students may wear Fortis spirit shirts with jeans or uniform bottoms.

Monday, September 3  - Labor Day. NO SCHOOL!

Wednesday, September 10 - Picture Day

I am having so much fun getting into a learning routine with your little ones! At Fortis we not only value academics, but their heart and their spirit as well. We have been focusing on love, joy, and peace and what it looks like to care for others. We are reading some wonderful stories, as well as beautiful scripture.  I hope to see you at Open House on Monday!

This week we will start the lessons from Ordinary Parent's Guide to Reading (OPG) beginning with lesson 27 in class. Continue daily practice of the 26 individual letter phonograms from step 1 of All About Spelling. We will be working through step 4 of All About Spelling because the lessons are applicable to reading. After step 4, we will be taking a break to establish reading prior to introducing spelling.

Math :

• Please make oral counting part of your daily routine. This can easily be done on your car ride to school!
• Numbers 0-10 may seem like an easy skill, but in class, we are using tools such as a ten frame, number line, rekenrek, and subitizing cards to really solidify the understanding of these numbers. We want our students to have a very strong number sense. We encourage you to use these tools at home as well.  You can find them here:  http://www.fortisacademy.net/singapore-math/ 
• Story problems are another great tool you can add on to your math lessons. We will start doing them daily at school. Give your child manipulatives and the different math tools mentioned above, along with paper and pencil. Let them choose how they would like to solve the problem. After they come up with an answer, have them explain to you how they came up with it. 

Examples:  

•  I see 4 bees and 3 ladybugs in the garden. How many insects do I see? 
•  Johnny had 7 apples. He gave 2 to his brother. How many are left?
•  Sally had some cookies. Her friend gave her 3 more. Now she has 7 cookies. How many cookies did she have to start with?
•  There were 6 crickets. Some hopped away. Now there are 3 left. How many crickets hopped away?
•  Sarah baked 3 pies. She used 2 apples to make each pie. How many total apples did she  use?     

Reading:

•  For lesson 28 we suggest you use your All About Spelling letter tiles and board!

• Please read the instructor note in lesson 27 about sounding out words - when sounding out, phonograms should not be separated, they should be blended - no pausing or stopping between letter sounds.

Writing: (see table above)

Spelling :

• Review phonogram and key cards.
• Continue to review the first 3 lessons if student is still needing practice with these pre-reading skills.

History :

• We will be discussing Adam and Eve after we wrap up the study of Creation.

Science:

• THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Worksheet: Insect Observation - Please return in blue folder on Monday.  

Geography:

• Kindergarteners will be expected to be able to point to the Continents and Oceans on a map. Click here for the song we use in class. Due 9/24

Memory Work: 

•  Please work on memorizing our poem "Jesus Died Your Soul to Save".  Students will say title, author, and then recite poem on September 26th. 
• TIMELINE SONG: We will be singing it in class a few sections at a time, and introducing the hand motions found in the link below. We have all year to work on this one!
• Click here and here for Timeline song with hand motions. 

Kinder Week 3 8//20-8/24

K week 3	8/20/2018	8/21/2018	8/22/2018	8/23/2018	8/24/2018	Co-Teacher Notes
Discipleship	Cooperation:Unit Verse: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”					Open House, 8/27 6-7:00 p.m.
Bible	Building Together Nehemiah 3:1-16	Building Together Nehemiah 3:17-32	Submitting to Authority Romans 13:1-7	Standing Strong Together Nehemiah 4:7-21	Standing Strong Together: Discuss and find ways that you are stonger together.
Math	EM-A p27-29	EM-A p30-33	EM-A p34-36	EM-A p37-40	EM-A p41-44
Spelling	AAS-Step 3	AAS-Step 3 p25-27 key card 1,2	AAS-Step 3	AAS-Step 3 p25-27 key card 1,2	Review segmenting words and Step 1-3	To teach initial phonograms in place of first 26 lessons in OPG
Writing	N,M	HWT-p15-16 (N,M)	Frog Jump capitals, H	HWT-p17-18 (frog jump capitals, H)
Reading	Phonogram games and activities *Introduction to Tudley!	Go over yellow Phonogram cards at least 2X/day	Phonogram games and activities	Go over yellow Phonogram cards at least 2X/day		We will begin reading short vowel words next week! Please make sure your child knows all of his/her letters and basic letter sounds
History	Little Pilgrims - p8-13 The Beginning of History		Little Pilgrims - p8-13 The Beginning of History			Focus: Creation & Adam and Eve
Geography	Continents and Oceans - Due 9/24
Science	Insects		Insects	Parts of an insect worksheet		Insects
Memory Work	Quarter 1 Poem Due 9/26

Important dates:

Monday, August 27 - Open House, 6-7 p.m.

Wednesday, August 29 - Pizza Day! Students may wear Fortis spirit shirts with jeans or uniform bottoms.

Monday, September  - Labor Day. NO SCHOOL!

Wednesday, September 10 - Picture Day

Looking forward to another great week of learning! The kids are doing great learning classroom procedures and I am enjoying getting to know them! We are also spending time each day focusing on a certain "Fruit of the Spirit" and discussing ways to grow them in our heart. We not only hope to train their minds, but their hearts as well, so that we all may become more like Christ each day.

***Pizza Day is next week!  On the last Wednesday of every month we will have pizza delivered to school...a day off from packing a lunch!  You may have already paid for pizza when you registered.  If you didn't (and you would like your child to have pizza each month) you can send in a check for $35 or you can send an email to bbrannan@fortisacademy.net and he can add it to your FACTS account.  If you are still in need of spirit shirts you can let me know and I can pull one for you!

Love, Mrs. McKethan

Math:

•  Please remember to do the "Introduction" and "One Step Further" at the bottom of the pages.
• This is a great week to introduce those Subitizing (dot) cards at home, and begin building that number sense! Click here for dot cards up to 5 and click here for dot cards up to 10.  You can also make your own using index cards and "garage sale" stickers.  Show the card for 3 seconds then put it down.  Ask them how many dots they saw and how they saw it (2 on top ad 2 on bottom, 1 on top, 3 on bottom, etc)

Reading:

•  Please use this time to go over letter sounds! (Yellow Phonograms)
•  Please be working with your student on letter recognition, both upper and lower case letters.  We will begin reading short vowel words next week!
• PHONEMIC AWARENESS: to reinforce our Spelling segmenting lesson, we like to have "Turtle Talk" at school. Our puppet Tudley says a 3 sound word slowly (ex: /p/ /e/ /t/) and student has to blend the word and say it. This is a great activity for driving in the car!
• Ideas: *call out a phonogram and have student write it with sidewalk chalk, wet paintbrush on sidewalk, shaving cream, a tray with sand or salt, playdough, etc. * Play hopscotch with phonograms. They have to say the sound before hopping to the next.
• Read quality literature to your child to encourage the love of beautiful books!

Writing:

• Remember to reinforce letter practice on lined handwriting paper. Especially if your child is needing additional letter practice.
• Please have your child practice writing their first name correctly (beginning with a capital and the rest lower case).
• Check for proper grip and that your child is starting their letter formation in the correct spot (generally from the top).
•  Click here for a short video to help with correct pencil grip and using the handwriting paper correctly.

Spelling:

•  Introduce blue Key card 1 and 2. *Please make sure to go over yellow phonogram cards at least twice per homeschool day. Also, if your child is struggling with segmenting words (p.23), please continue to review this concept. It is a crucial step for reading!

History:

•  The next 3 weeks we will be discussing the beginning of history. We are diving into the story of Creation and then Adam and Eve with living books and in-class activities.

Science:

• THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Worksheet:"Create your own insect" - We will be sharing these on Monday!
• Song: (tune-Head, Shoulders, Knees and toes)

Head, thorax, abdomen, 6 legs

Head, thorax, abdomen, 6 legs

Two antennas, compound eyes

Head, thorax, abdomen, 6 legs

Geography:

• Kindergarteners will be expected to be able to point to the Continents and Oceans on a map. Click here for the song we use in class. Due 9/24

Memory Work: 

•  Please work on memorizing our beautiful poem "Jesus Died Your Soul to Save".  Students will say title, author, and then recite poem on September 26th.
• TIMELINE SONG: We will be singing it in class a few sections at a time, and introducing the hand motions found in the link below. We have all year to work on this one!
• Click here for song 
• Click here and here for Timeline song with hand motions. 

Kinder Week 2 8/13-8/15

K week 2	8/13/2018	8/14/2018	8/15/2018	8/16/2018	8/17/2018	Co-Teacher Notes
Discipleship	Attentiveness: Unit Verse: Proverbs 22:17-18 “Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.
Bible	Listening to wise parents and teachers Prov 4:1, 5-6, 20-22	Mary and Martha listen to Jesus Luke 10:38-41	Eager Listeners Mark 6:30-35, Psalms 25:12-14	Knowing the Shepherd - Jesus John 10:22-30	The Transfiguration Mark 9:2-13, James 1:5
Math	EM-A p15-16	EM-A p17-19	EM-A p20-21	EM-A p22-24	EM-A p25-26	Sets
Spelling	AAS-Step 2	AAS-Step 2 p21-22	AAS-Step 2	AAS-Step 2 p23-24		Oral Segmenting is VERY important!
Writing	D,P	HWT-p11-12 (D,P)	B,R	HWT-p13-14 (B,R)
Reading	Phonograms	Phonograms and Read aloud from book of choice.	Phonograms	Phonograms and Read aloud from book of choice
History	Little Pilgrims - p1-7 God's Great Story		Little Pilgrims - p1-7 God's Great Story			Focus: What is History?
Geography	Continents and Oceans - Due 9/24
Science	Insects		Insects	Parts of an insect worksheet		Insects
Memory Work	Quarter 1 Poem Due 9/26 and Timeline Song

I am enjoying getting to know your children! What a sweet treasure to be entrusted with helping to mold their hearts and minds. I hope your first week was a joyful and peaceful one. Do not be afraid to reach out to me or other parents if you feel overwhelmed or need some tips.

The next few weeks in class we are going to be learning about the special Fruits of the Spirit! These are actions that come from our heart when our heart is in the right place. These actions will help us to be wonderful students and friends. We will work on growing our fruit all year long! 

Mark 12:30 is our Kindergarten verse which we will recite every day.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a] Mark 12:30 

 Continue daily practice of the 26 individual letter phonograms from step 1 of All About Spelling. We will be working through step 4 of All About Spelling because the lessons are applicable to reading. After step 4, we will be taking a break to establish reading prior to introducing spelling.

***Our school wide scripture memory this year is Philippians 2:1-18 (KJV) We will be going over this during morning assembly, as well as in class and at home.

Important Dates:

Wednesday, August 15 – Spirit Day! Students may wear Fortis spirit shirts with uniform bottoms.

Monday, August 27 – Open House

Wednesday, August 29 – Pizza Day! Students may wear Fortis spirit shirts with uniform bottoms.

Math - This week we will be introducing the Estimation Jar...a kindergarten favorite.  We will be practicing our estimation and counting skills each day by guessing how many objects are in the jar then counting them.  If your child's guess is closest to the actual number of items in the jar then he/she will be able to take the jar home.  When your child comes home with the plastic jar please put up to 100 (no more than 100 please) of any object in the jar.  Please do not tell your child how many objects are in the jar so that they can participate in the following day's guess!  Anything from around the house is great. Examples include cotton balls, toy cars, markers, small candies, clothespins, unifix cubes, Pokemon cards, oranges, etc. You do not have to fill the whole jar!  Please return the jar on the next class day after you receive it.  Thank you so much for helping make math fun for your child! 

Reading:

•  Please use this time to go over letter sounds! (Yellow Phonograms)
• Ideas: *call out a phonogram and have student write it with sidewalk chalk, wet paintbrush on sidewalk, shaving cream, a tray with sand or salt, playdough, etc. * Play hopscotch with phonograms. They have to say the sound before hopping to the next.
• Read quality literature to your child to encourage the love of beautiful books!

Writing:

• Please have your child practice writing their first name correctly (beginning with a capital and the rest lower case).
• Check for proper grip and that your child is starting their letter formation in the correct spot (generally from the top).
•  Click here for a short video to help with correct pencil grip and using the handwriting paper correctly.

Spelling:

• If you have not already done so, please read over pages 6-14 in the AAS book to familiarize yourself with it.
• Phonograms, phonograms, phonograms! Go over them at least twice each home day.
• This week we begin oral segmenting. This is a crucial step for beginning readers. Please continue to practice this skill using your "chips" like the manual shows. **This can be a difficult skill for some students, so practice it each day at the beginning of your AAS lessons.

History:

•  This week we are discussing what history is, what is important to include in history, and how to measure history. It began with God and it is HIS story. For an optional extension activity at home, you could make a family tree starting with your child, then parents (you), grandparents for both sides and discuss that if we continued to fill this tree in, we would get to Adam and Eve.

Science:

• We begin our study on insects this week. Always a fun topic with Kindergartners! The first objective we will be covering is identifying the parts of an insect.

• THURSDAY: Worksheet "Parts of an Insect"- Discuss with your child the parts of an insect. Have your child cut and paste to complete the sheet.

Song: (tune-Head, Shoulders, Knees and toes)

Head, thorax, abdomen, 6 legs

Head, thorax, abdomen, 6 legs

Two antennas, compound eyes
Head, thorax, abdomen, 6 legs

Geography:

• Kindergarteners will be expected to be able to point to the Continents and Oceans on a map. The song that we will be using in class can be found under "Curricula", then "Geography", K-6,  on the Fortis website.

Memory Work:

•  We have introduced 'Jesus Died Your Soul to Save' in class. This poem will be assessed on September 26. Please practice daily! Don't miss the opportunity to really discuss with your child the meaning of this beautiful poem.
• TIMELINE SONG: We will be singing it in class a few sections at a time, and introducing the hand motions found in the link below. We have all year to work on this one! How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!!! Don't let the length discourage you! 
• Click here and here for Timeline song with hand motions.