Week of 11/12

I hope you are enjoying the long weekend. I am looking forward to meeting with everyone in the upcoming two weeks! Remember that for the next two weeks (except Tuesday, 11/12), dismissal will be at 1:15 daily. If you need to reschedule your conference, please email me.  

Another Field Trip

We have another field trip coming up on Friday, December 6th! The kindergarten classes will be going to Center for Performing Arts to watch a live performance of The Nutcracker. Due to the Thanksgiving break, we need to have a quick turn-around on permission slips so that school lunches can be ordered in time for our trip (the vendor needs several weeks' notice). We will send the permission slips home with the kids on Tuesday (in their backpacks) and we need them back by Friday the 15th, especially if you are ordering a school lunch. If you do not return the permission slip by the 15th, a school lunch will not be ordered, and you will need to pack your child's lunch that day.

Special Turkey Project                                                                                                   

I am excited to see all the decorated turkeys this week! You can start sending those in on Tuesday, but no later than Thursday, when you return your child's Wednesday envelope. Please allow your child to lead this project. We are not looking for Pinterest-perfect turkeys and would much prefer to see child-created projects.

Language Arts

Four days a week, we have literacy centers in the morning. After our Fundations lesson, we switch to small group instruction. Each of the five reading groups in our class meet with me twice a week for instruction geared to their reading level. While one group is meeting with me, the rest of the class is engaged in literacy centers, which include: an iPad app called Lexia (an adaptive reading app), a writing center, an independent work center (reading worksheets, looking at books, etc), and literacy games. 

In Fundations this week, we will introduce the letters Hh, Kk, and Ll.  Did you know that there is a strong link between handwriting and literacy? Studies show that kids who practice handwriting do better at reading and spelling. Forming letters by hand while learning sounds activates brain circuits that promote literacy. If you notice that your child has not yet mastered the 20 letters & sounds we've introduced so far, please print out the letter pages in Fundations that are linked in the weekly update and have your child trace over them with their finger, while repeating their sounds, watching that they are forming them correctly. The pace of kindergarten is very fast, and by the end of 2024, children should know all letters & sounds. When we return from Winter Break, our focus will be sounding out words to read decodable texts.

Math

We will continue with Topic C, which covers constructing both 2D and 3D shapes. By the end of this week, we will have completed Module 2 on shapes. The next module is Comparison, where students will describe and compare measurable attributes.

Kimochis

This week, the Kimochis® Character named Cat will join our classroom to teach children about the feelings curious, cranky, and sorry. Cat is the Kimochis® Character who knows what she wants, when she wants it, and why she wants it! When Cat makes up her mind, there is no stopping her. When the group needs a leader, Cat is always ready to help. She loves to be in charge, but she can be a little bit bossy. Cat may seem mean on the outside, but on the inside, she is very sweet.

Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
Wednesday, 11/13 is Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. This is a schoolwide event. Please join Alta Vista in recognizing this historic event by wearing purple and walking to school on Wednesday. There will also be ice cream sales after school on Wednesday.

**Library is every Wednesday. Please return your child's library book by Tuesday each week.

**School spirit days are every Wednesday. Wear your Alta Vista t-shirts or your Grasshopper t-shirts to show your school pride.

This Week's Helpers & Activities
Monday: NO SCHOOL: Veteran's Day
Wednesday: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, Library @ 9:10 (Emily & Rachel), Dismissal @ 1:15, ice cream sales after school
Thursday: Last day to return Turkey Trouble project, Parent-teacher conferences begin: Dismissal @ 1:15

Friday: Permission slips for field trip due, Dismissal @ 1:15

Upcoming Events

Monday, 11/11: No School: Veteran's Day

Wednesday, 11/13: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day

11/14-11/22: Parent-Teacher Conferences 

11/25-11/29: Thanksgiving Break

Friday, 12/6: Field trip to Center for Performing Arts

Thursday, 12/19 @ 9:15 am: Nutcracker Performance 

12/23-1/5: Winter Break