Week 4 9/2-9/6

I hope everyone had a relaxing and fun Labor Day Weekend!  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.

Important Dates:

9/2 - Labor Day:  No School
9/9-Moms in Prayer @ 9:00
9/11- Spirit Day (jeans and Spirit shirts)
9/16- Picture Day
9/16-Moms in Prayer @ 9:00
9/18-New Family Informational-Invite anyone who may be interested in Fortis!
9/23-Moms in Prayer @ 9:00
9/25-Pizza Day and Spirit Day!
9/25-Falcon Moms Meet-Up
9/30-Moms in Prayer @ 9:00
9/30-Grammar School Playdate 3:00-4:00

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 below)

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 learning about Creation this week.  We are using this song to help us remember what God created on each of the 7 days of creation.  Here is a link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoehyq6X650

Science:

• We are leaning more about the Sun and how the planets in our solar system orbit around the sun!

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 9/30

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 25th. 

K week 4	9/2/2019	9/3/2019	9/4/2019	9/5/2019	9/6/2019	Co-Teacher Notes
Discipleship	Cautiousness
Bible	Labor Day - No School	Review fruits of the spirit that we have introduced: love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness.	Fruit of the Spirit: GOODNESS	Discuss ways to show goodness at home and at school.
Math		EM-A 45-47	EM-A p48-50	EM-A p51-52  and math journal (Practice writing numbers 1-5 in math journal as well)
Spelling		AAS-Step 4 p29-31	AAS-Step 4	AAS-Step 4 p29-31
Writing		HWT-p19-20 (K,L)	U,V	HWT-p21-22 (U,V)
Reading		Go over yellow Phonogram cards at least 2X/day and at least 20 minutes of read aloud time	OPG-L27/28	OPG-L27 and at least 20 minutes of read aloud time.	OPG-L28	Introduction to Short a sound
History			Little Pilgrims: Creation			Focus: Creation & Adam and Eve
Geography		Continents and Oceans - Due 9/30
Science			Lesson 3: The Solar System and the Sun
Memory Work		Quarter 1 Poem Due 9/25

Week 3 8/26-8/30

I am 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. I 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 Wednesday!  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 $40 or you can send an email to sjohnston@fortisacademy.net and Sheryl 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

Important Dates:

8/26 -Moms in Prayer @ 9:00

8/26 - Open House @ 6:00 

8/28 - Pizza Day/Spirit Day! Students can wear a Fortis T-shirt and jeans or uniform bottoms.

9/2 - Labor Day:  No School

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.  Make sure to offer several different ways to show each number (ex: 6 can be 3 and 3, 4 and 2, 5 and 1, ect.)  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 and 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!
• Your student does not need to bring their handwriting books to school.

History:

•  This week we will talk about the Greatest Story of All (His Story) and how history begins with creation and will end with Christ's Return.  We will discuss how Jesus is the very center of history.  We will also begin our classroom timeline this week.  

Science:

• This week we will be learning about stars.  We will be introducing the concept of the speed of light with a fun running activity!  On Thursday, don't forget to watch the video of a night as an astronomer! The link can be found here as well as on the blog chart.

"Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another."

 ~Plato

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 9/30

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 25th.

K week 3	8/26/2019	8/27/2019	8/28/2019	8/29/2019	8/30/2019	Co-Teacher Notes
Discipleship	Cautiousness					Open House 8/26 6pm-7pm
Bible	Fruit of the Spirit: PATIENCE	Discuss ways to show patience at home and at school.	Fruit of the Spirit: KINDNESS	Discuss ways to show kindness at home and at school.
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, K, L	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: The Beginning of History					Focus: Creation & Adam and Eve
Geography	Continents and Oceans - Due 9/30
Science			Lesson 2: Stars	A day in the life of an astronomer video.
Memory Work	Quarter 1 Poem Due 9/25

Week 2 8/19-8/23

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 Psalm 27 (NIV).  We will be going over this during morning assembly, as well as in class and at home.

Important Dates:
8/19- Moms in Prayer @ 9:00
8/26 -Moms in Prayer @ 9:00
8/26 - Open House @ 6:00
8/28 - Pizza Day/Spirit Day! Students can wear a Fortis T-shirt and jeans or uniform bottoms.
9/2 - Labor Day:  No School

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:

• This week we will begin our study of the Solar System!  
• "O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!...When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the starts, which thou hast ordained." Psalm 8:1,3
• We will be discussing what this scripture teaches us that God made and start practicing the order of the planets in our solar system.  

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 or found here.

Memory Work:

•  We have introduced 'Jesus Died Your Soul to Save' in class. This poem will be assessed on September 25. Please practice daily! Don't miss the opportunity to really discuss with your child the meaning of this beautiful poem.

K week 2	8/19/2019	8/20/2019	8/21/2019	8/22/2019	8/23/2019	Co-Teacher Notes
Discipleship	Cautiousness					Open House 8/26 6pm-7pm
Bible	Fruit of the Spirit: JOY	Discuss ways to show Joy at school and at home.	Fruit of the Spirit: PEACE	Discuss ways to show peace at home and at school.
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		To teach initial phonograms in place of first 26 lessons in OPG
Writing	D,P	HWT-p11-12 (D,P)	B,R	HWT-p13-14 (B,R)
Reading	Phonograms and Uppercase and Lowercase matching activities.	Phonograms and Read aloud from book of choice.	Phonograms and Uppercase and Lowercase matching activities.	Phonograms and Read aloud from book of choice
History	Little Pilgrims - p1-7 God's Great Story					Focus: What is History?
Geography	Continents and Oceans - Due 9/30
Science			Lesson 1-Introduction to space
Memory Work	Jesus Died Your Soul To Save Due 9/25 Psalm 27 (NIV)