A Peek at the Week...

We had a great week and are settling into our routines!  Although we had an "unexpected" day off on Thursday, we still got through a lot of material this week!

Star Student:  This week our star student was Max!  We loved learning about Max and all of his likes.  Our friends had "many" wonderful words to describe our friend Max.

Math:  We started our math curriculum this week and began with reviewing the vocabulary words same and different.  We sorted our shoes by many different attributes including color, type of shoe, laces or no laces, etc.  We them began sorting shapes by color, size and shape.  Throughout these lessons, the kids will be working on their "number memory" by tracing and writing numbers on every math sheet they do.  We work really hard on remembering to always start our numbers at the top.

Phonics/Reading:  This week we learned the letters Cc and Dd.  We practiced what sound they make. Ask your child to tell you what they say.  We sing a song with each letter.  It goes like this....A says /a/, A says /a/, every letter makes a sound A says /a/.  With each letter we read an alpha tales story.  These are funny stories that help us recognize words that start with each letter.  This week we read the story Copy Cats  and Detective Dog and the Disappearing Doughnuts.

We also do a lot of "finding" the letters in stories and poems.

Bus Safety:  This week we learned about how to be safe when entering, riding and getting off the bus.  We made a book about being safe and went on a school bus where the bus company did a puppet show for us to teach us school bus rules.  We also learned about the danger zone and why we can't ever go into it.  "If I can't see the bus driver, the bus driver can't see me."  We practiced crossing the road waiting for the bus driver to wave us across.  If the driver honks the horn, we need to go back to the side of the road because something is unsafe.  We did very good practicing this!

Storybook Reader: Marie Mavencamp read the story, There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed some Books. 

Name Focus:  Every day we learn about the name of a friend in our class.  We count how many letters, syllables, cheer the name and then have that student "fix" their name.  We then make a book for our special friend and practice writing their name.  Watch for a "special" book coming home made especially for your child by their friends. 

A Peek at NEXT WEEK...

We celebrate Billy's birthday!

Star of the week is...Logan!

Our first library check out

We will be starting our handwriting curriculum

We will begin our writer's workshop

Letters E and F

More name focus

Technology time

Beginning building our stamina for Daily 5

We will send home our classroom pet "Ozzie" for the first time on Friday!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH is FAMILY GAME NIGHT!!!  Come to the Elementary School at 6:15 to play some new board games from the game company GAMEWRIGHT.  You will have an opportunity to purchase games as well and half of the proceeds will be used to support activities and needs in the classrooms.  I will be there with my kids, hope to see you there!

Welcome to Kindergarten...the first two weeks!!

What an exciting first two weeks!! Enjoy these first day of kindergarten pics...

These past two weeks we have been learning about what it looks like to be in school.  We learned the words expected and unexpected and practiced what it looks like in the hallway, classroom, cafeteria, bathrooms and the playground.  We are on our way to a very successful year in kindergarten!

Here are  a few more highlights..

We went on a tour of the school looking for all of the Brown Bear Brown Bear characters that magically jumped out of the book and hid around the school.  Every time we found a character we learned about that space.  Some areas we learned about were: the office, nurses office, gym, cafeteria, media center, computer lab and all three kindergarten rooms.  Of course we had to wear our magic "SPY" glasses to help us!

Snack...we have a snack every morning at 9:30.  If you did not choose the snack cart option, PLEASE send in a plastic container filled with snacks for your child.  When it gets low I will write a note in their VIP notebook or send the container home.

Quiet time:  Each of us got our own "quiet place" where we rest with the beach towels you brought in.  We get to listen to quiet relaxing music and have some time to relax.  If you have not brought in a towel yet for your child, please do so.  It makes it more comfortable for them and gives them a boundary.

Math Learning Tools:  In our math curriculum we will be using "tools" to help us learn.  We had some time to explore!

Table work: We learned about what is expected when we work at the table.  We practiced how to work while whispering with our friends and remembering to push our chairs in when getting up.  We are getting really good at this! 

Letter Work:  We started our alphabet journey this week by learning the letters A and B.  Each week we will learn 2 new letters.  Ask your child to tell you a word that starts with these letters.

S.M.A.R.T. Room:  So far we have learned the alligator crawl, balance beam, hopscotch, pencil roll,  popcorn, helicopter spins.

Library:  Every Tuesday we will go to the library to check out a book.  Please try and return your child's library book by Monday.  

Free time:  Every day we have some free explore time.  We work on sharing, taking turns and getting along with our classmates.

Technology:  Every Wednesday we will see Ms. Casebolt in the computer lab.  This week we learned about how to use the mouse.  We learned about the one click, double click and click and drag.  We practiced our skills by playing the game this is sand.  Click HERE to try it out at home.

Storybook reader:  A couple times a month we have a special guest reader.  This week it was Amanda, the para who has been working with our class.  We hardly recognized her in her wig!  

Special Visitors:  On Thursday morning we had a visit from Mrs. Harlan and Mrs. Weninger.  We will have character education every Thursday morning.  We will learn how to be social detectives.  We will be looking for clues to determine how others are feeling.  Mrs. Harlan came with this week to talk about how to be safe and school and talked about the rules at school.