Announcements

February Kindergarten Newsletter                            K3

 

What’s New?

 

We are going to be concentrating on our writing this month.  The students have been getting a lot of writing practice each week as they write and illustrate a page for each week’s V.I.P.  The V.I.P. then gets to take the book home with them so we are really emphasizing doing our best work to make it special for the V.I.P.

We will begin writing a five-page book about our families.  Each page will be devoted to a separate member of our family.  Many times students will even include their pets.  Please encourage your children to write often at home.  I ask students to challenge themselves to write what they hear and not to worry about dictionary spelling at this time.  It is amazing the growth we often see at this time of year.

 

What we are learning.

 

Math:  We will introduce standard measuring tools. Students will be asked to identify, describe, and sort objects through the use of multiple attributes.  We will continue to reinforce the meanings of addition and subtraction and the use of symbols.

Fundations:  We continue to practice our upper and lower case letter formations.  We will practice blending and reading three sound short vowel words.

Social Studies:  For our community activities we will travel to Italy, China, & Canada.

Science: We had an amazing time during our science week activities.  We will continue observing, predicting, and experimenting.

 

Valentines Day

We will have a small celebration on Friday, February 12th.  Attached is a class list of students.  Please have your child bring their valentines when they come to school on February 12th.

 

 

February/March Long Term Project

 

The project for February and March is for your child to complete an alphabet book.  I am sending home a basic template for you to use, but feel free to change it up if you have another idea (first page is for title and name.) Students should write the upper and lower case letter and then draw a picture, cut pictures out of magazines, use stickers, etc.  Please help your students to sound out the words rather than telling them how to spell each word.  The project will be due the week of March 8 – 12 for show and tell.

 

 

Show and Tell Themes for the weeks of: 

February 1 - 5  bring in one of your favorite things and tell us about it

 

February 8 - 12  tell us what a friend is.  A friend is. . .

 

February 16 - 19  Tell us what you would do if you were president.  If I were President I would. . .

 

February 22 – 26 What’s My Rule – please read description below

 

** Remember to check the schedule to see what day your child has show and tell

 

What’s my rule?  For Show and Tell February 22 – 26.  Bring in three small non-valuable objects that are similar in some way.  Examples we have shown the kids are a clothespin, a paperclip, a staple (all fasteners); a dowel rod, a block, and a wooden letter (all made of wood); a button, a die, a number 1 (all blue).  The possibilities are endless so be creative. * This activity helps students to meet the math standard that asks students to sort and classify objects according to common attributes.

 

Important Dates

 

February 4 – 100 day project is due

February 12 – Valentines Day Celebration

February 15 – No school – Presidents Day

February 19 – Chinese New Year parade

 

 

Lynette Wheeler: wheeler@aps.edu (e-mail is the best way to contact me) 

Visit my teacher website at:

http://teacherweb.com/NM/Bandelier/LynetteWheeler

 

 

 

 

 

January Kindergarten Newsletter                            K3

 

What’s New?

 

This month during our study of communities, we will learn about our state and our country.  We will also begin “traveling” to the different continents to learn about other cultures.  We will be cooking various foods and doing a variety of activities from all of the countries that we visit.  Our first destination is North America since we will be studying the United States.  As we travel, we will be emphasizing the similarities and differences between the U.S. and the various destinations in regards to food, clothing, language, shelter, and celebrations.  Please let us know if you have anything to contribute to our travels.

 

What we are learning.

 

Math:  We will continue working on addition and subtraction using symbols and terminology through number stories and concrete activities and we will introduce calculators.  We will continue to practice counting, number recognition, and number-writing skills. 

Fundations:  We have introduced all of the letters and have practiced both sounds and formation of lower case letters, This month we will practice formation of all of the upper case letter as we continue to practice with sounds and introduce students to syllable awareness.

Social Studies:  We continue our community activities and travel.

Science: using the district provided science kit, students will begin learning about the Earth and space as they observe how the Sun appears to move through the sky, become weather watchers, and distinguish winter and summer.

 

January Long Term Project

 

This month our project will be making a number book from 0-20.  Have your child:

1)  pick a theme i.e. flowers, cars, toys

2) write the number

3) write the number word

4) draw that many objects on the page using their theme.

5)  project is due for show and tell the week of January 25 – 29

 

Show and Tell Themes for the weeks of: 

January 5 - 8  share your building for our community – December’s long term project

 

January 11 - 15  bring a photograph or drawing of something you did on your winter break

 

January 19 -22  bring in your favorite book (Monday students can bring their show and tell on Tuesday this week)

 

January 25 – 29  bring in January long term project – Number Book

 

** Remember to check the schedule to see what day your child has show and tell

 

 

Important Dates

 

January 18 – MLK holiday – NO SCHOOL

 

January 25 – Book orders due

 

Lynette Wheeler: wheeler@aps.edu (e-mail is the best way to contact me) 

Visit my teacher website at:

http://teacherweb.com/NM/Bandelier/LynetteWheeler

 

 

 

 

 

 


December Kindergarten Newsletter – K3

What’s New.

This month we will continue discussing communities.  We will learn about our neighborhoods, jobs, and helpers within our communities.  This is a great time for you to help your child learn their address and phone number.  We have already had two of our parents come in to tell us about the jobs they do in our community.  Mrs. Lill shared her job as a dental hygienist and she gave your children a toothbrush and other dental goodies.  Mr. Lill came in and shared about his job as a Deputy.  The children got to see his car and were able to climb in the back seat and check it out.  They received a badge and a ruler from Mr. Lill.  We also have two parents coming in to share their job this week.  There is still time if anyone else would like to share their job with our class.

Field Trip. 

Our field trip to see Nutcracker on the Rocks is this Thursday, December 3rd.  Remember to send a lunch with your child on this day.  We will be eating in the classroom and the cafeteria will not be open at this time.

This is a "dress in your best" occasion since we will be going to the theater. (Please don’t stress over this.  Just have the children looking nice.  Collared shirts are fine for the boys.) As of today, November 30th, I still have one ticket available.  Parent volunteers are:  Katie Sutton (Orion’s Mom), Keena Lill (Cole’s Mom), Yvonne Prentice (Apache’s Mom), Robert Garcia (Matt’s Dad).  Please let me know ASAP if you would like to have the last ticket.

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December Long Term Project.

We are setting up our community in our classroom.  The children have already made a small house for their community with their own address.  As a long-term project, we would like the students to design a building for our community.  For example, cover a cereal box or shoe box and make it into a replica of their favorite store or restaurant.  Use your imagination.  This project will be due when we return from our winter break. 

Class V.I.P.

Beginning this month, we will have a class VIP every week.  Each student will have an opportunity to be our VIP.  On Friday, the VIP for the following week will be given a sheet of white paper to put the following information on: name, family members, favorites: animal, color, food, book, song, game, and any other pictures or information that would tell us more about your child.  The VIP needs to bring in the poster the following Monday to be displayed in the classroom all week.  The VIP will enjoy special privileges for the week such as 3rd in line, special jobs when needed, and passing out folders at the end of the day.  On Friday, the class will make a book for the VIP to take home.

Winter Celebration

On Friday, December 18, we will be having a winter celebration.  The children will not exchange gifts.  If you wish, your child may bring a gift for the classroom i.e. markers, puzzles, games, books, etc.  Our celebration will be from approximately 2:00 – 3:00.  Ms. Sutton, our room Mom, will be planning the activities and will be in touch with parents regarding contributions and extra help needed.

 

Show and Tell Themes:

November 30 – December 4  - bring in Personal History posters – November’s long term project

December 7 – 11  Bring in something that tells us that winter is not far away

December 14 – 18  Rhyme sharing – bring in three small items that rhyme.   Show the items to the students and see if they can guess the rhyme.  

 

Important Dates

December 14 – book orders due

December 18 – last day of school before winter break

December 19 – January 4th – Winter Break – no school

January 5 – First day back

 

Lynette Wheeler: wheeler@aps.edu (e-mail is the best way to contact me) 

Visit my teacher website at:

http://teacherweb.com/NM/Bandelier/LynetteWheeler

 


 November Newsletter
 
What's New.
This month we will be discussing families.  Where families live, what jobs people do as part of a family, family hobbies, and family traditions.  We will also be discussing our school family, our neighborhood, and our city.  We will be setting up a community in our classroom.  The students will be making their houses out of milk cartons.  They will need to begin learning their addresses so they will be able to put them on their houses.  This is also part of the expectations on our KDPR assessment.
 
What we are learning.
Writing:  in writer's workshop, your students will begin writing about things they know about.  Students will be encouraged to label their work and try to write at least one sentence.
 
Math:  we continue to learn to recognize and write the numbers 0-20, patterns, and sorting objects. We will begin unit 3 from our Everyday Math Program which focuses on introducing addition and subtraction through concrete activities, number writing, skip counting by 10s, non standard measuring, and basic probability.
 
Science:  we  will observe the changes in our pumpkins and document what we see.
 
Social Studies:  learning about our communities.
 
Art:  we will continue our study of artists.  So far we have studies, Paul Klee and Georgia O'Keeffe and we will be studying the art of Alexander Calder this coming week.
 
November Long Term Project
The project for this month will require you and your child to work together to create a personal history poster.  I will share my own personal history poster with the class so they will have an idea what I would like them to do.  You are also welcome to come by and see my poster, which I will post outside the classroom.  your child will be bringing home a sheet of white paper that they can use to make their poster.  Some questions you might have your child answer:  Where were they born?  Where were you - the parents and grandparents born?  How did they get their name?  Do you speak another language at home?  Also, please share your cultural heritage and your customs and/or family traditions that you practice at home.  We will share the posters for show and tell beginning on November 30th through December 4th.