Valentine's Day:
There is a note in the Friday Folder about Valentine's Day. I included all of the kids' names who will be participating in Valentine's. I would appreciate it if you steered clear from buying the Valentine's that are attached to candy. We will be including a couple of goodies in the bag so they won't need any extra treats. I understand that not everyone has time to make Valentines but instead of just having your child write their name I encourage you to write something nice on the Valentine about the child who is receiving it. I get that this is a lot for a kindergartner so perhaps they can do the names and they can dictate a line to you. An example might be:
To Susie
You have nice handwriting.
From Jane
It doesn't have to be something different for each child, there are no rules but I hope we can get back to what Valentine's used to be like and encourage kind words to one another. The kids love going through the bag and seeing all of the nice message the other kids have written to them. Please remember to send one Valentine for every student on the list. Valentines are due on Tuesday, February 9th. I will make up the bags on the 10th in the afternoon. I think this will be a great tradition to start!
Thank you:
I want to commend your students on what a great week it was. They have worked so hard and I am so thankful to be their teacher! It's always nice to hear that you have fabulous kids and I just can't tell you enough how true it is.
Centers:
This week in centers the kids dove into a book about penguins. The phonetic writing is really coming along and something to be proud of. They also learned about Ground Hog's Day and made a ground hog puppet/scene that should have been sent home in the back-pack. They learned about holidays and made a dragon puppet for Chinese New Year which is on February 14th this year. They also made their February calendar and 100 thumb prints getting ready for the 100th day of school.
We finished another four pages of addition problem and will introduce subtraction next week and continue with addition.
Daily News will come home in the homework folder on Monday so don't worry when you don't see it today.
Thank you to Molly Griffin for leading us in a great art docent lesson in class. Thanks again to all of our parent volunteers this week.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Reading Dates
It was another rainy Tuesday, but of course it was more like a Monday. The kids came to school in their usual cheery- I've just had a 3 day weekend way, going about putting down chairs, and taking out readers. As I went to join them on the rug I found much to my surprise that 13 of them had brought along readers and five of them had brought sight word lists! Yikes I thought there has got to be a better way! So I thought by the seat of my pants and I posted a sticky note into your child's reading log with a reading "date." Then I made a little schedule for myself about who was going to bring back their reader on what date. I gave them each about a week, some longer, and some less. It just seems that lately I get a majority of readers on Friday and Monday. If perhaps your child isn't read to read on your assigned date just shoot me an e-mail. If they are ready to go before then just let me know. I hope this works a little better for everyone.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Week 20
Sharing:
Today in sharing Ryan performed a science experiment. In case your child is interested in doing it at home here is what you'll need.
1 small plastic soda bottle
1 balloon
1/4 vinegar
2T baking soda
Put the vinegar in the bottle, and the baking soda in the balloon. Fit the balloon over the mouth of the bottle, lift the balloon upright so that the baking soda falls into the bottle. The water will fizz and cause the balloon to expand.
Centers:
Listening Center: Happy Birthday Martin Luther King. You should find your child's listening center writing in the Friday folder. Most of the kids are writing their sentences using sound spelling.
Yellow Table: Science/Art
The kids made penguin habitats out of construction paper and paper plates.
Green Table: Science/Writing
The kids worked on their weather books.
Red Table: Math/Art
The kids made addition problems with mittens.
Writing:
This week we implemented daily news. Please check the Friday Folder. There is a note attached to this week's writing.
Math:
We continued with addition. Some of it is in the Friday Folder this week. Please encourage your child to use manipulatives to help them solve the problems.
Readers:
The at home reading program is designed to be 3 to 7 days with the reader. If your child is not ready to go on after 7 days of reading 2x daily then just send me a note.
Please remember that next week there is no school on Monday. Enjoy the long weekend.
Today in sharing Ryan performed a science experiment. In case your child is interested in doing it at home here is what you'll need.
1 small plastic soda bottle
1 balloon
1/4 vinegar
2T baking soda
Put the vinegar in the bottle, and the baking soda in the balloon. Fit the balloon over the mouth of the bottle, lift the balloon upright so that the baking soda falls into the bottle. The water will fizz and cause the balloon to expand.
Centers:
Listening Center: Happy Birthday Martin Luther King. You should find your child's listening center writing in the Friday folder. Most of the kids are writing their sentences using sound spelling.
Yellow Table: Science/Art
The kids made penguin habitats out of construction paper and paper plates.
Green Table: Science/Writing
The kids worked on their weather books.
Red Table: Math/Art
The kids made addition problems with mittens.
Writing:
This week we implemented daily news. Please check the Friday Folder. There is a note attached to this week's writing.
Math:
We continued with addition. Some of it is in the Friday Folder this week. Please encourage your child to use manipulatives to help them solve the problems.
Readers:
The at home reading program is designed to be 3 to 7 days with the reader. If your child is not ready to go on after 7 days of reading 2x daily then just send me a note.
Please remember that next week there is no school on Monday. Enjoy the long weekend.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Week 19
Sharing:
I forgot to mention it to the kids but this Friday is sharing. It must be something educational and they must be able to speak about it.
Tell what it is
Where they got it
What makes it special
If they are student of the week they may bring anything. I would like it to not be a toy or something that might break. Some ideas for student of the week sharing might be:
A family member
A pet
a project
something yummy
It was a terrific week and I am so glad to be back. The kids welcomed me with open arms! I missed them very much. This week we talked a lot about Martin Luther King and why he changed the world. I hope that on Monday when they are not in school that they will be able to recognize why we celebrate this day.
Interactive Writing:
Interactive writing is an introduction to writing. We do this three times a week and we write a couple of sentences each day. They kids take turns sounding out the words and writing them on the paper. This week we wrote about Martin Luther King. All of the sentences are kid created. This is a great time for me to teach them about diagraphs (sh,ch,th,ck) and blends (bl,st, cr). We talk a lot about sound spelling too. The finished project will be on our wall so please make sure you check it out when you are in the classroom again.
Centers:
Listening Center- Reading
Many of the kids are writing some part of their sentence on their own. These are hanging in the classroom if you want to check them out. When your child is writing at home have them sound out the words to the best of their ability.
Orange Table- Science
The kids read an article in National Geographic Kids about Penguins. They did a penguin work sheet and they made a penguin. The penguins are in the front window on icebergs or in the water.
Yellow Table- Computer
Green Table- Math
Snowman estimation with cotton balls.
Red Table- Science
Weather Books
Readers:
We've started an in class reading system much like the books at home but designed to be mostly independent. The kids read the books and when they are ready they come and read to me. This is a self paced program and differentiated to meet their reading needs. We do this every day in class.
Math:
We have started addition in our math series. The kids really enjoyed it this week and were really excited about the topic.
I forgot to mention it to the kids but this Friday is sharing. It must be something educational and they must be able to speak about it.
Tell what it is
Where they got it
What makes it special
If they are student of the week they may bring anything. I would like it to not be a toy or something that might break. Some ideas for student of the week sharing might be:
A family member
A pet
a project
something yummy
It was a terrific week and I am so glad to be back. The kids welcomed me with open arms! I missed them very much. This week we talked a lot about Martin Luther King and why he changed the world. I hope that on Monday when they are not in school that they will be able to recognize why we celebrate this day.
Interactive Writing:
Interactive writing is an introduction to writing. We do this three times a week and we write a couple of sentences each day. They kids take turns sounding out the words and writing them on the paper. This week we wrote about Martin Luther King. All of the sentences are kid created. This is a great time for me to teach them about diagraphs (sh,ch,th,ck) and blends (bl,st, cr). We talk a lot about sound spelling too. The finished project will be on our wall so please make sure you check it out when you are in the classroom again.
Centers:
Listening Center- Reading
Many of the kids are writing some part of their sentence on their own. These are hanging in the classroom if you want to check them out. When your child is writing at home have them sound out the words to the best of their ability.
Orange Table- Science
The kids read an article in National Geographic Kids about Penguins. They did a penguin work sheet and they made a penguin. The penguins are in the front window on icebergs or in the water.
Yellow Table- Computer
Green Table- Math
Snowman estimation with cotton balls.
Red Table- Science
Weather Books
Readers:
We've started an in class reading system much like the books at home but designed to be mostly independent. The kids read the books and when they are ready they come and read to me. This is a self paced program and differentiated to meet their reading needs. We do this every day in class.
Math:
We have started addition in our math series. The kids really enjoyed it this week and were really excited about the topic.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Greetings
Update:
I know many of you have been asking Mrs. Bondanza and Ms. Becker about my returning to school. I will be back on Monday. I apologize for being out for so long but I was doing my best to take care of myself so that when I did return I could be the best teacher possible for your child. I am very excited to see your children and to get back into the classroom. I have really missed all of them and it was with a heavy heart that I have been out so long. I appreciate your support through this whole ordeal. I cannot say thank you enough.
Readers/Sight Word Lists:
We do our very best for the kids to be listened to everyday. Unfortunately it doesn't always happen that way. If that's the case we will do our very best to listen to them the following day. Typically we allow them to take the book/list home again if they would like to continue to practice again, but that too doesn't always happen. Please understand we are doing our best to see to the needs of all 20 children.
Student of the Week:
I wanted to take a minute to tell you about our student of the week/star student program. Up until now we have done a student of the day. Everyone has gotten several turns. Now we do a student of the week where they are interviewed, they get to be teacher's helper, and line leader for an entire week. Everyone gets a turn so please assure your child that their turn will come. We really want to have an opportunity to celebrate and learn more about your child. We do try to coordinate the week to fall around their birthday if they were born at this time of year. It also helps those kids who might have a birthday that falls during the summer time. If they choose they can bring a treat in at the end of their week. I will give you plenty of warning if this is the case.
Thank you:
I just wanted to say thank you again for all the wonderful holiday goodies. I really appreciate all your support this year. It is such a joy to be your child's teacher. I love my job and I so look forward to coming back on Monday.
I know many of you have been asking Mrs. Bondanza and Ms. Becker about my returning to school. I will be back on Monday. I apologize for being out for so long but I was doing my best to take care of myself so that when I did return I could be the best teacher possible for your child. I am very excited to see your children and to get back into the classroom. I have really missed all of them and it was with a heavy heart that I have been out so long. I appreciate your support through this whole ordeal. I cannot say thank you enough.
Readers/Sight Word Lists:
We do our very best for the kids to be listened to everyday. Unfortunately it doesn't always happen that way. If that's the case we will do our very best to listen to them the following day. Typically we allow them to take the book/list home again if they would like to continue to practice again, but that too doesn't always happen. Please understand we are doing our best to see to the needs of all 20 children.
Student of the Week:
I wanted to take a minute to tell you about our student of the week/star student program. Up until now we have done a student of the day. Everyone has gotten several turns. Now we do a student of the week where they are interviewed, they get to be teacher's helper, and line leader for an entire week. Everyone gets a turn so please assure your child that their turn will come. We really want to have an opportunity to celebrate and learn more about your child. We do try to coordinate the week to fall around their birthday if they were born at this time of year. It also helps those kids who might have a birthday that falls during the summer time. If they choose they can bring a treat in at the end of their week. I will give you plenty of warning if this is the case.
Thank you:
I just wanted to say thank you again for all the wonderful holiday goodies. I really appreciate all your support this year. It is such a joy to be your child's teacher. I love my job and I so look forward to coming back on Monday.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Thursday Centers
We are in need of a parent to come in on Thursdays for centers. It could be every other week or it could be weekly it is up to you. Please e-mail me at: swhite@nusd.org if you are interested!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Monday
Okay folks here it is- I won't be back this Monday. I did my best to be ready for K but I am just not there yet. I hope you all had a wonderful break and I will see you soon.
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