**Reminder: no school this Wednesday, 11/11, and Turkey Trouble project due on Thursday, 11/12. This project will become our next class book, so I'd like everyone to have a page in the book!
It was great to see so many families at the Multicultural Fair! That is always one of my favorite Alta Vista events.
I am looking forward to meeting with everyone in the upcoming two weeks. Remember that for the next two weeks (except Monday, 11/9 and Tuesday, 11/10), dismissal will be at 1:15 daily. If you need to reschedule your conference, please email me.
Upcoming Field Trip
We have our first field trip coming up on Friday, December 11th! 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 return the permission slips within a week 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 in this week's Wednesday envelope (which will go home on Tuesday this week), and we need them back no later than Thursday the 19th, especially if you are ordering a school lunch. If you do not return the permission slip by the 19th, a school lunch will not be ordered, and you will need to pack your child's lunch that day. **We will need three chaperones per class for this trip. Priority will be given to parents who have already helped in the classroom since they are familiar with the students. Please email me if you're interested.
Special Turkey Project
I am excited to see all the decorated turkeys this week! You can start sending those in on Monday, 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 2-3 times 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. The sight words this week are to and and. 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 2026, 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.Art Vistas
We have our second Art Vistas lesson this Thursday! This will be a crayon-resist lesson, where students will draw horses. Thank you to Jidnyasa, Michelle, Sara, Kimia, and Shereen for their help with art this year.
Kimochis
This week, we will return to the Kimochis program, which is our social emotional learning curriculum. The Kimochis® Character named Huggtopus will join our classroom to teach your child about the feelings silly, frustrated, excited, and proud. Huggtopus (or Huggs) is our Kimochis® Character who is strong and affectionate, but she sometimes gets a little carried away with her big, friendly personality. She might hug too tightly or play too roughly, which upsets her friends. This can be confusing and frustrating to Huggs because she doesn’t know why her friends say, “Don’t bother me.” With Huggtopus, your child is learning to read social cues, such as facial expressions, body language, and sounds from peers. Huggtopus also teaches children how to celebrate our differences. Huggs is a six-legged octopus and is proud that she is so unique!Nutcracker Performance
A reminder again to mark your calendars for our performance of The Nutcracker! This is a very improvisational version of the classic ballet. All children have parts in the performance, and it is a must-see event. Please mark your calendars for Thursday, 12/17 at 9:15 am. You will hear about your child's part in the show after the Thanksgiving break.
**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 (when they arrive) to show your school pride.
This Week's Helpers & Activities:
Monday: Centers (Christa & Aditi)
Tuesday: Return library books, Centers (Shereen & Michelle), Weds envelopes go home early
Wednesday: NO SCHOOL: VETERAN'S DAY
Thursday: Return Weds. Envelopes, Art Vista Lesson (Michelle, Jidnyasa, Sara, Kimia) Music with Mr. Patrick, Special Turkey Project is due, dismissal @ 1:15
Friday: Dismissal @ 1:15
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, 11/11: No School: Veteran's Day
11/12-11/20: Parent-Teacher Conferences, dismissal at 1:15 daily
11/23-11/27: Thanksgiving Break
Thursday, 12/17: Kindergarten Nutcracker Performance @ 9:15am
12/21-1/3: Winter Break
