name practice

In Kindergarten we learn about letters and words. We connect much of our initial learning to our names; our names are words, important words. The children have been practicing saying their names clearly and have been practicing saying the names of their peers. This week we will learn that words are made of parts and we will listen for the parts (syllables) in our names. 

Name Building

Last week we used natural materials to build our names. We noticed the letters in our names and the lines we needed to form each letter; straight lines, slanted lines, and curved lines. 

Working with small materials- such as pinching tiny stones when building a letter- strengthens hand muscles. Ongoing opportunities to pinch and develop hand and finger muscles will support the children in grasping a pencil or pen when printing and writing conventionally. We have noticed how important it is for this group to develop their fine motor skills and control. We will continue to offer fine motor opportunities connected to our academic learning.

The following day we built our names a different way. Children were given a large copy of their name. First they pointed to and read their names. Then they cut the letters out and used boxes on a canvas to put the letters in order, building their name. As they worked we talked about how many letters, beginning letters, and letter names. 

What do you notice about your name?
How many letters are in your name?

What is the first letter in your name?

Connections to Math Workshop

Through these "name practice" experiences children explored how many letters in their names and began conversations about what is the same and different. These conversations connected to our math workshop, as we have been thinking of different ways to sort our names based on what we notice and then count and show how many names in each sorted group.