Dear Parents,
We hope your children had a fabulous week off & that you were able to enjoy some family time. The upcoming month will be very busy as we prepare for conferences, and then meet with you all the weeks of March 14th and March 21st. We are looking forward to discussing your child's progress with you.
This week's letter is Zz. The new Alphafriend is Zelda Zebra. We have a new high frequency word, have. This one is often confused with a word we introduced earlier, here, since they both start with h and end with e. Continue reviewing those high frequency words posted on our website with your children. Remember that you can also use http://www.spellingcity.com as a fun way to review the words, as I have posted our list on the website. You can encourage your children to play games on the website to become more familiar with the words. Check it out! There is a link on our website with login information so that you can get to our kindergarten list.
We will begin a new math topic on Geometry. We will cover both plane & solid shapes. Plane shapes will include square, rectangle, triangle, and circle. Solid shapes will include sphere, cone, cube, and cylinder. Please begin familiarizing your children with these words, especially those of the solid shapes, by pointing to objects in the house that have those shapes. It is hard for them to remember these words without a lot of extra practice, and these words keep coming back year after year in our math program!
We will have a writing assessment in the next two weeks. We will share the results of this assessment with you at your parent-teacher conference. Children will be expected to write one complete sentence without assistance that covers the given topic. Your children have been doing well with their journals, so we anticipate some good results!
This week's sharing is book share. Please send a book in with your children and have them prepared to talk about the title, what the story is about, and show a favorite page.
We wanted to congratulate everyone on the fantastic job that they did with the President's Reports before break! We had a great variety of sentences, and I think we learned a lot about Lincoln & Washington because of this. Also, the kids needed very little prompting, and they spoke very confidently! It was really enjoyable to watch them.
Helpers/Activities This Week:
MONDAY: Centers (Laura & Megan), Sharing
TUESDAY: Centers (Manami & Wendy), Sharing
WEDNESDAY: Weds. Envelopes & Red Bags prepped (Karla/Derek/Angie), Sharing, Computers (Matt), Red Bags go home
THURSDAY: Centers (Hall Family & Melanie), Sharing
FRIDAY: Sharing, ZUMBA!
Upcoming Events:
3/9: Leprechaun Trap building homework
3/11: No School: Staff Development Day
3/14-3/25: Parent-Teacher Conferences
4/7: Field Trip to Prusch Farm
4/8: Spring Fling
5/5: Cinco de Mayo Hat Dance
Friday, February 25, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Week of 2/13
Dear Parents,
We are looking forward to a fun & simple Valentine's Day celebration tomorrow! We will have centers, as usual, but the art projects will have a Valentine theme. Following centers, we will begin passing out valentines. We will have snack/recess as usual, and then the children will return to the classroom to look at their valentines. It should be a lot of fun.
Our President's report homework is due tomorrow, in the Red Bags as usual. Our sharing this week will be to state the one sentence about Lincoln, and the one sentence about George Washington that your children wrote on the back of the dot-to-dots. We would like them to have each sentence memorized, but we expect that a few may need some prompting. There will be no homework this week due to the upcoming vacation.
Our new letter this week is Dd. The Alphafriend is Dudley Duck. We will introduce a new sight word, for. Please check the website for the starred words that the children should be able to read without hesitation. They are listed under the right-hand link, "High Frequency Words." We have now introduced 18 words.
We have an Art Vista lesson on Thursday. This is one of our more exciting art lessons-- we will make prints using a fish! The art lesson will affect centers that day, as art will not be over until about 9:15. If center helpers are able to help with both art and centers (which will probably end closer to 10:30) that would be great. Please let us know if that will be a problem. Other art this week will center around the Presidents who celebrate birthdays this month, and Valentine's Day.
Helpers/Activities This Week:
MONDAY: Red Bags/President's reports due, Centers (Tammy & Laura), Sharing, Valentine's celebration
TUESDAY: Centers (Manami & Melanie), Sharing
WEDNESDAY: Weds. Envelopes prepped (Karla/Derek/Angie), Sharing, Computers (Margaret), NO HOMEWORK
THURSDAY: Art Vista (Angie, Tammy, Lorraine), Centers (Matt/Lorraine & Nicole), Sharing
FRIDAY: Sharing, SPARK P.E. (Margaret, Tim, Derek, Mark/Megan)
Upcoming Events:
2/14: President's Reports due-- share your sentences on your share day
2/14: Pass out Valentines
Week of 2/20: No School: President's Week
3/11: No School: Staff Development Day
3/14-3/25: Parent-Teacher Conferences
We are looking forward to a fun & simple Valentine's Day celebration tomorrow! We will have centers, as usual, but the art projects will have a Valentine theme. Following centers, we will begin passing out valentines. We will have snack/recess as usual, and then the children will return to the classroom to look at their valentines. It should be a lot of fun.
Our President's report homework is due tomorrow, in the Red Bags as usual. Our sharing this week will be to state the one sentence about Lincoln, and the one sentence about George Washington that your children wrote on the back of the dot-to-dots. We would like them to have each sentence memorized, but we expect that a few may need some prompting. There will be no homework this week due to the upcoming vacation.
Our new letter this week is Dd. The Alphafriend is Dudley Duck. We will introduce a new sight word, for. Please check the website for the starred words that the children should be able to read without hesitation. They are listed under the right-hand link, "High Frequency Words." We have now introduced 18 words.
We have an Art Vista lesson on Thursday. This is one of our more exciting art lessons-- we will make prints using a fish! The art lesson will affect centers that day, as art will not be over until about 9:15. If center helpers are able to help with both art and centers (which will probably end closer to 10:30) that would be great. Please let us know if that will be a problem. Other art this week will center around the Presidents who celebrate birthdays this month, and Valentine's Day.
Helpers/Activities This Week:
MONDAY: Red Bags/President's reports due, Centers (Tammy & Laura), Sharing, Valentine's celebration
TUESDAY: Centers (Manami & Melanie), Sharing
WEDNESDAY: Weds. Envelopes prepped (Karla/Derek/Angie), Sharing, Computers (Margaret), NO HOMEWORK
THURSDAY: Art Vista (Angie, Tammy, Lorraine), Centers (Matt/Lorraine & Nicole), Sharing
FRIDAY: Sharing, SPARK P.E. (Margaret, Tim, Derek, Mark/Megan)
Upcoming Events:
2/14: President's Reports due-- share your sentences on your share day
2/14: Pass out Valentines
Week of 2/20: No School: President's Week
3/11: No School: Staff Development Day
3/14-3/25: Parent-Teacher Conferences
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Week of 2/6
Dear Parents,
We had a great field trip last Friday, and the children came back very excited about the show. It sounds like it was funny and entertaining and really kept the children engaged. Thanks to all of you for your support with the Consolidated Classroom Payment at the beginning of the year-- field trips would not be possible without your support.
We have another fun event tomorrow-- Snow Day! This is a day where we ask you to send your children with whatever snow gear they have-- jackets, scarves, hats, goggles, mittens, etc. Just before recess, we will go outside and have a "snowball fight" with K1! Afterward, the kids will get a snowy treat (Eskimo Bars) so you may not need to pack a snack if you think that will fill them. Monday's weather is supposed to be pretty warm again, so you will probably want to be sure to send a backpack so that they can put the gear on just before recess, and stow it safely in their backpacks afterward.
Thank you for your prompt replies on conference sign-ups. We have just about everyone scheduled. We will send out confirmations in this week's Wednesday envelope, so if we haven't heard from you, please send us your time preferences. We look forward to meeting with you all in March, and we will begin assessing your children this week to have all the latest information.
This week's letter is Qq. The Alphafriend is Queenie Queen. We will introduce two new sight words, or and but, and we will review is and here. We will begin a new math topic on Patterns. This is a fun topic where we look for patterns and complete patterns. Patterns are everywhere in math, so it is an integral unit.
Homework is due tomorrow, and then we will have a special homework project coming home this week. In honor of President's Day, we will be doing a very simple project honoring George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The children will complete and color a dot-to-dot of each president. There are two dot-to-dots in the packet, one of Abraham Lincoln, and one of George Washington. On the back of each of these pictures, your child is to write one sentence about each President. The children will present these facts next week for sharing. Please research your facts carefully, as we have been talking in class about "fables" versus fact. For example, the story that George Washington chopped down his dad's cherry tree is a fable. It is always fun when the children bring in little-known facts about the Presidents, so do a little research on the web and see what you can find! Of course, it is also okay to stick with basic facts such as "He was the first President." and "He was the sixteenth President." This is their first exposure to doing an oral report, so it is most important to choose a sentence that you think your child will be able to remember and present on his/her own.
This week, our art will center around Valentine's Day & President's Day . We are celebrating Valentine's Day in class on the 14th. Please remember to leave the "To" section of the card blank, and just have your child sign the card. This makes distribution much easier! Please send in Valentines for 23 students if you are participating. Thank you!
The I Love to Read presentation for January will be this Tuesday. If you haven't sent in your calendar or e-mailed Manami & Margaret with your child's minutes, please do so before Tuesday. Thanks!
Helpers/Activities This Week:
MONDAY: Red Bags due, Centers (Megan & Tammy), Sharing, Library
TUESDAY: Centers (Margaret & Jamie), Sharing, I Love to Read Presentation (Margaret & Manami)
WEDNESDAY: Red Bags/Weds. Envelopes prepped (Karla/Derek/Angie), Sharing, Computers (Tim), Red Bags go home
THURSDAY: Centers (Arden & Kristi), Sharing
FRIDAY: Sharing, ZUMBA
Upcoming Events:
2/7: Snow Day (dress up in snow gear and have a day of "snow" activities)
2/14: President's Reports due-- share your sentences on your share day
2/14: Pass out Valentines
Week of 2/20: No School: President's Week
3/11: No School: Staff Development Day
3/14-3/25: Parent-Teacher Conference
We had a great field trip last Friday, and the children came back very excited about the show. It sounds like it was funny and entertaining and really kept the children engaged. Thanks to all of you for your support with the Consolidated Classroom Payment at the beginning of the year-- field trips would not be possible without your support.
We have another fun event tomorrow-- Snow Day! This is a day where we ask you to send your children with whatever snow gear they have-- jackets, scarves, hats, goggles, mittens, etc. Just before recess, we will go outside and have a "snowball fight" with K1! Afterward, the kids will get a snowy treat (Eskimo Bars) so you may not need to pack a snack if you think that will fill them. Monday's weather is supposed to be pretty warm again, so you will probably want to be sure to send a backpack so that they can put the gear on just before recess, and stow it safely in their backpacks afterward.
Thank you for your prompt replies on conference sign-ups. We have just about everyone scheduled. We will send out confirmations in this week's Wednesday envelope, so if we haven't heard from you, please send us your time preferences. We look forward to meeting with you all in March, and we will begin assessing your children this week to have all the latest information.
This week's letter is Qq. The Alphafriend is Queenie Queen. We will introduce two new sight words, or and but, and we will review is and here. We will begin a new math topic on Patterns. This is a fun topic where we look for patterns and complete patterns. Patterns are everywhere in math, so it is an integral unit.
Homework is due tomorrow, and then we will have a special homework project coming home this week. In honor of President's Day, we will be doing a very simple project honoring George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The children will complete and color a dot-to-dot of each president. There are two dot-to-dots in the packet, one of Abraham Lincoln, and one of George Washington. On the back of each of these pictures, your child is to write one sentence about each President. The children will present these facts next week for sharing. Please research your facts carefully, as we have been talking in class about "fables" versus fact. For example, the story that George Washington chopped down his dad's cherry tree is a fable. It is always fun when the children bring in little-known facts about the Presidents, so do a little research on the web and see what you can find! Of course, it is also okay to stick with basic facts such as "He was the first President." and "He was the sixteenth President." This is their first exposure to doing an oral report, so it is most important to choose a sentence that you think your child will be able to remember and present on his/her own.
This week, our art will center around Valentine's Day & President's Day . We are celebrating Valentine's Day in class on the 14th. Please remember to leave the "To" section of the card blank, and just have your child sign the card. This makes distribution much easier! Please send in Valentines for 23 students if you are participating. Thank you!
The I Love to Read presentation for January will be this Tuesday. If you haven't sent in your calendar or e-mailed Manami & Margaret with your child's minutes, please do so before Tuesday. Thanks!
Helpers/Activities This Week:
MONDAY: Red Bags due, Centers (Megan & Tammy), Sharing, Library
TUESDAY: Centers (Margaret & Jamie), Sharing, I Love to Read Presentation (Margaret & Manami)
WEDNESDAY: Red Bags/Weds. Envelopes prepped (Karla/Derek/Angie), Sharing, Computers (Tim), Red Bags go home
THURSDAY: Centers (Arden & Kristi), Sharing
FRIDAY: Sharing, ZUMBA
Upcoming Events:
2/7: Snow Day (dress up in snow gear and have a day of "snow" activities)
2/14: President's Reports due-- share your sentences on your share day
2/14: Pass out Valentines
Week of 2/20: No School: President's Week
3/11: No School: Staff Development Day
3/14-3/25: Parent-Teacher Conference