November 16, 2009
I hope you all enjoyed listening to your child read to you last week from the independent readers they brought home. Please remember to have your child read to you and then send the book back the next school day.
There are alot of upcoming events that I want to share with you so you can get them marked in your calendar:
First, this Thursday, Nov. 19th is our campus Thanksgiving lunch. We will be going to lunch at 10:15 on Thursday, 20 minutes earlier than normal. The menu served will be a traditional turkey dinner. Please plan on joining us.
Also on Thursday, Nov. 19th the library is hosting Family Literacy Night. It begins at 6:30pm in the cafeteria. The night will finish up with a storyteller, Elida Bonet.
Friday, Nov. 20th is the first ever Bobcat Bop to celebrate the PTA meeting their direct donation fundraising goal of $25,000!! It will be from 6:30pm – 8:00pm.
Looking forward to next week, we only have school on Monday and Tuesday. There is no school from Nov. 24-27 due to Thanksgiving break. I hope you all have a wonderful few days spent with family and friends!
When we come back from Thanksgiving, the week of Nov.30 will be our campus book fair. The library will be closed for check out, but will be full of books to purchase. The 30th will be a preview day for the students and then the book fair will be open on Dec. 1st from 2:45-7:00 and again on Dec. 2nd and 3rd from 8:4:30. This is a great time to get some books to put into those stockings!!
Looking farther into December, our first Kindergarten field trip will be on Dec. 10th. We will be headed to Zachary Scott Theater in Austin for a show called Holiday Heroes, then to a park for lunch and play time. Due to the limited number of seats in the theater, parents are not invited to the show (so sorry!); however, parents and siblings are welcome to meet us at the park afterward for a picnic lunch. More details will be coming home soon. Students will not need to pay for this field trip.
Our winter holiday class party will be Dec. 18th at 11:15. Students will be celebrating the holidays with games, crafts, snacks and stories during the party. Parents are welcome to join us for the fun. Due to the limited number of supplies and space, we ask that siblings not attend the party.
Okay, so now that you are totally overloaded
, here's what we are learning this week:
Reading Workshop:
1. Discussing the reading strategy of "Getting your Mouth Ready"
Writing Workshop:
1. Continue talking about using "because" to help us elaborate our stories
2. Where do writers get their ideas - IMAGINATION
Phonological Awareness:
1. Segmenting words
2. -og word family
Word Wall Word(s):
1. because
2. are
Handwriting:
1. Letter Q
2. Letter G
3. Letter S
Math:
Number concepts: 0-20
Science/Social Studies:
Thanksgiving - We went to the computer lab today and quickly went through a website about the first Thanksgiving. I wanted to send that to you and if you have time you can let your child show you some of the information we are going to be learning this week.
Tomorrow will be our first visit to the computer lab to get to work on the computers. We will be going twice a month and more often as times become available. A big THANK YOU to Srivi and Jeffrey's moms for volunteering to help us out!
I hope you all have a wonderful week! I know we will...
November 8, 2009
I want to start this update by saying a great big THANK YOU to all of the moms that helped us out and donated items for our 50's day. The decorations were perfect and after seeing the pictures, I know the kids had so much fun!
Looking ahead to this week...
Book orders are due by Tuesday, Nov. 10th. If you are ordering online, I want to encourage you to check out the Club Shop flyer. This area gives you the option of ordering books and software for all different age levels. If you are beginning to think about the holidays, I will be sending home one more book order before the winter break. If you have a secret book request just let me know and I can get those books to you without your child knowing.
Wednesday, Nov. 11th is another early release day. Dismissal will be at 12:45. We will be on the front porch at 12:40 for pick up.
Picture retakes and holiday pictures will be on Nov. 12th. Information about holiday pictures will be coming home in this weeks Tuesday folder.
Friday, Nov. 13th will be Pajama Day! Last week during our Voting/US symbols unit the kindergarten class got to vote on a spirit day choice. They headed to the polls and cast their ballot for either Hat Day, Sock Day or Pajama Day. Pajama Day had the majority of the votes, so send your little one to school on Friday in their PJs. We do have PE on Friday, so please make sure your child brings tennis shoes if they were slippers to school. If the girls wear night gowns, please make sure they have shorts on underneath.
We have been working during our reading workshop time on learning strategies to help us read independently and making sure we understand what we read. Starting this week, our reading and writing workshop times will become several times during the day where the students will get a little more choice in the daily activities of reading and writing. This week you will also see books coming home on your child's reading level. Please let your child read this book to you so he/she can show off what we have learned so far. These independent books will be relatively easy for your child to read so they are able to practice fluency(speed and expression) and build confidence. These books will be coming home in their brown reading envelope and I just ask that you try to return the books the next school day.
Speaking of reading, I want to remind you to fill out the reading slips for our library reading program and send them in when you get a page filled out. The reading program is a great motivator for the students as they receive a prize for each reading slip turned in. You can print off the reading program slips from the library link on the main school website. If you have trouble, just let me know and I can send some home to you.
Homework this week will be to review writing the numbers 1-10 and to review creating a pattern.
Units of Study this week:
Reading Workshop:
1. Making choices from our reading and writing options: Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading and Work on Writing
2. Comprehension Strategy: Retell the story with a beginning, middle and ending
Writing Workshop:
1. Adding labels to our picture plan / purpose of labels
2. Moving beyond one sentence; speaking and writing in complete sentences
3. Using "because" to help us elaborate our stories
Phonological Awareness:
1. Beginning sounds
2. Hearing and substituting sounds
3. -ug word family
Word Wall Word(s):
1. said
2. because
Handwriting:
1. Letter Y
2. Letter Z
3. Letter C
4. Letter 0
Math:
Number concepts: 5-10
Science/Social Studies:
Fall Plants / Harvest
That about does it... Thanks for all of your support and help at home. Have a wonderful week, Thanksgiving is right around the corner!!
November 2, 2009
Happy FALL! I love this time of the year! I love getting that extra hour of sleep! Thanksgiving will be here before we know it! From the stories I heard today, it sounds like everyone had a FUN time trick or treating! I will continue to encourage them to write about these experiences in their writing folders. Thank you for completing last weeks homework. There are some days when they just can't think of anything to write and having their own IDEA list helps them to quickly recall an activity or trip or favorite something that they can write about. They are continuing to write stories about things they know.
Wednesday of this week will be our 50's day celebration. We are half way to 100 days of school. We welcome all students dressing up in 1950's style outfits. Boys have it easiest, just a pair of jeans rolled up and a white shirt! If girls are wearing a poodle skirt, please remember to wear a pair of shorts under it. We have a very fun day planned!!
Report cards will come home on Tuesday. Please refer to the information inside the report card envelope to help you understand the grading system. For those of you who have older children that attended kindergarten at Fern Bluff, our report card has changed, so please do not become alarmed if you see that your child is marked at a "level 1". This simply means at this time of the year, direct guidance is given during most activities. If I have any specific concerns regarding your child's performance I will always contact you.
I will be out of the classroom this week on Wed. and Thurs. for a district training. Mrs. Kozak will be back to substitute for me. She is very excited to get to visit again. She says we have the BEST kindergarten class!!
The PTA direct donation drive continues this week. You may send in your donation with your child and I will deliver it to the PTA box. I believe I saw the marquee this morning said we have already reached $10,000 dollars! The best part is- the school gets to keep it all!!! I encourage you to donate an amount comfortable for your family.
The November book orders will also be in the Tuesday folders tomorrow. I have set a due date of November 10th so I can get the order submitted in time for the books to be delivered before Thanksgiving break.
Next Wed., November 11th is an early release day. Please remember to pick up your child at 12:45.
*Units of Study this week:
Reading Workshop:
1. Learning the expectations of our Listen to Reading time of the day
2. Learning how to use the listening equipment
3. Making choices within our Reading Workshop schedule: Read To Self, Read To Someone, Listen to Reading, Work on Writing
Writing Workshop:
1. What is expository text? (non-fiction)
2. What are the characteristics of expository text?
Phonological Awareness:
1. Hearing and blending onsets and rimes
2. Segmenting words
3. -en word family
Word Wall Word(s):
1. of
Handwriting:
1. Letter V
2. Letter W
3. Letter X
4. Number 6
Science / Social Studies:
US Symbols / Voting
Mathematics:
Number Concepts: 0-5
That about does it. I hope you all have a wonderful week! I know we will...
October 25, 2009
I hope you all enjoyed the beautiful weather this weekend. They are beginning to go by so fast...
This week is Red Ribbon Week. In the classroom we will be talking about making healthy choices. Our counselor, Mrs. O'Brien, will also be visiting to discuss safe and healthy choices this week. Each day this week there is a theme:
Monday - "Wear Red Day"(Lets all wear red shirts)
Tuesday - "Backwards Day"
Wednesday - "Crazy Sock Day"
Thursday - "Crazy Hair or Hat Day"
Friday - "Take Pride Day" (Please send your child in their blue class t-shirt)
* Units of Study this week:
Reading Workshop:
1. Use the picture reading strategy
2. Halloween stories
Writing Workshop:
1. Where do writers get their ideas (continued)
2. Stretching out words in our writing journals
3. How letters make words and words make sentences
4. Leaving spaces between words in sentences by using a "spaceman"
5. Dictation sentence - I like my mom and dad.
Phonological Awareness:
1. Segmentation of words in sentences
2. Discrimination and production of rhyming words
3. -et word family
Word Wall Word:
1. the
Handwriting:
1. Letter L
2. Letter U
3. Number 6
Science/Social Studies:
1. Season of Fall
2. Pumpkins
3. Apples
Math:
1. One to one correspondence
2. Describing how many are in a set
3. Creating sets to represent quantities given both verbal and written
Reminders:
*The PTA direct donation drive is still going on. You can send back your donation in the labeled envelope and I will turn it in to the PTA.
*PTA Reflections contest entries are being accepted this week.
*Day Light Savings is Sun, Nov. 1st. Don't forget to "fall" back!
*The first 9 weeks ended on Friday. Report Cards will go home on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
*Please remember that students are NOT allowed to dress in Halloween costumes at school. However, Halloween shirts, socks, etc. are allowed.
I can't wait to see those sweet, smiling faces in the morning. I hope you all have a wonderful week, I know we will !
***Please provide a change of clothes in a sealable bag including top, bottom, undergarment and socks daily. It will be kept in your child's backpack. Even though all Kindergarten rooms have a bathroom, accidents do happen and we might need their “Oops “ bag. This will save the nurse from having to call you to bring up clothes. Don't forget when the seasons change to add the appropriate clothes to the Oops bag.
**Dismissal Procedures: All kindergartners (except daycare and YMCA students) will be dismissed from the front porch. Students will exit the building with their teachers and will sit in a line in the teacher's assigned place. We are letter E. Please do not take your child out of line while we are walking down the hall or coming out the doors. I will happily and safely dismiss your child to you once we are in our assigned spot on the porch. If you are picking your child up in the car pool line, please note that our school policy is no student may be placed into a parent's car until 2:50. This is to give time for walkers and bikers to exit the driveway area before cars begin to move. This is strictly a safety policy. So, please understand that even though I may see your car at the front of the line, I am not allowed to assist your child into the car until 2:50. Thanks for your help in this matter!!
**Each week our class website will be updated with important information, happenings in the classroom and at Fern Bluff, reminders and celebrations. Please sign up below (click on "Add Email or Mobile Device Address") to receive an email each time I update the website.