Volume 2 - Issue 9
Friday October 24, 2008
Weekly Happenings
•Literacy Centers
oResponse to Literature- students colored their directed drawing of “Five Little Pumpkins”
oPlay-Doh Letter Formation
oInitial Sound Sort: using three sorting mats (with pictures of either a witch, a pumpkin, or a cat) students sorted words that started with W, C, and P.
oStar Book Reading Center
o“The” Word Work
•Math: Students extended patterns, tackling border patterns with Mrs. Chiappe. In our room, we practiced completing patterns that had already been started.
•Music: We concluded our October music rotation with Miss Casellini and myself. In November, classes will receive instructions with different teachers.
•P.E.: We learned a new game called “Totally It Tag”. In this game EVERYONE is it at the beginning of the game. Once you are tagged, you become a frozen statue and the game continues until most players have become frozen.
•Reader’s Workshop: We have continued to read our Star Books, focusing especially on Caps for Sale and The Snowy Day. We also worked on examining the cover of a book to get clues about what the story is about. We also used the pictures (and not the words) to tell a story to ourselves and our partners.
•Writer’s Workshop: Students created covers for their Sourcebooks. They used ideas from our “What Writers Write About” chart to draw icons on their border to help stimulate their thinking in future Workshop sessions.
•Science: We completed a life cycle of a pumpkin, beginning at seed, moving through vine, flower, and various sizes, ending with a Jack-O-Lantern. Students ordered the stages as well as creating illustrations using materials such as pumpkin seeds, pipe cleaners, and tissue paper.
•Cooking: This week we had a fusion of science and cooking. We cut open a pumpkin, gutted it (although may I say it was an amazing pumpkin free from most pulp, goop, and excessive seeds), carved a face into the pumpkin, and finally roasted and tasted our pumpkin seeds.
•Library: This week students chose books to check out and have brought them home in their blue Laurelwood Kindergarten bags. Books need to be returned on Monday to assure that they can check out a new book on Tuesday during Library.
•Computer Lab: Students used the program Jumpstart Kindergarten once again, this time playing games that focused on the skills of patterning and counting.
•Red Ribbon Week: Thank you to all who participated in our theme days. On Tuesday we had an amazing “Perfection on Wheels” Assembly with talented BMX riders. I even got the opportunity to lay down with a group of 6 other teachers, allowing the rider to jump over us.
Notes and Reminders
Book Orders: October Book Orders went home in Thursday Folders yesterday. Please send completed order forms and checks to school by next Thursday, October 30th. THANK YOU!
Pumpkin Fest: Wednesday, October 29th is Laurelwood’s Pumpkin Fest. If you plan on attending with your child, please make sure you turn in your payment.
Halloween: The morning will begin with a Costume Parade (at 8:25) which parents are invited to attend. Students will need to remove their costumes directly following the parade. We will be celebrating with Halloween Rotations and a Halloween Party at 1:00. Thank you to those of you who have volunteered to contribute or attend. Dismissal will be at the regular time (2:00-2:10) on Friday.
Class Books: Class Books will be sent home starting this week. Please enjoy, return to the manila envelope and send back with your students after reading together.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday October 29th Blue Day
Wednesday October 29th Pumpkin Fest
Friday October 31st Halloween (parade – 8:25) (party – 1:00)
Sunday November 2nd Daylight Savings (fall back an hour)
Monday November 3rd- Wednesday November 5th Fall Book Fair
Photos available at http://picasaweb.google.com/MissWagenaar/
Friday, October 24, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
A few backlogged videos
Cooking last week, we created number biscuits :)
Just a little silly photo shoot (we all need one every once and a while)
Just a little silly photo shoot (we all need one every once and a while)
Friday, October 17, 2008
Kinder News 2.8
Volume 2 - Issue 8
Friday October 17, 2008
Weekly Happenings
•Literacy Centers: This week we continued with our weekly Literacy Center rotations. This week students explored alphabet rubber stamps, completed a colored apple themed book titled Apples, did rainbow tracing of the letter Cc, colored our fireman song/poem, and practiced writing our new sight word “the” on wipe off boards.
•Math: Students began continues patterning in Mrs. Chiappe’s class. They used pattern blocks to create “pattern snakes”.
•Music: We reviewed a few of our apple songs, “Five Little Pumpkins” and Halloween Cat.
•P.E.: We reviewed and mastered the two games we’ve learned: “Squirrels in a Tree” and “Stuck in the Mud.”
•Reader’s Workshop: Students were introduced to and practiced Partner Reading. We also began introducing some of our “Star Books”. These are books that we will read several times and later use to teach, retell, and act out.
•Writer’s Workshop: Together we brainstormed and made a chart about “What Writers Write About”. This will be a helpful tool as children continue to write independently.
•Science: We have moved from wood to paper, another product of trees. Students had the opportunity to draw on different kinds of paper using both markers and crayons. The students compared the differences between paper towels, facial tissue, wax paper, and construction paper. We also introduced pumpkins as another kind of fruit. Next week, we will discuss their life cycle and difference/similarities between apples and pumpkins.
•Cooking: This week we made pumpkin raisin muffins. Students are becoming familiar with terminology such as recipe and ingredients and are recognizing ingredients that we’ve used frequently (flour, baking powder, eggs, etc.)
•Library: The students chose books and will keep them at school for the time being.
•Computer Lab: Students visited computer lab for their first time. Students were introduced to procedures and expectations for computer lab. They used the keyboard to type their name and mouse to navigate a game within the program Jumpstart Kindergarten.
•Morning Gathering: We had our first Morning Gathering with the rest of the school. At the Morning Gathering, Amanda received our first Super Citizen award. Congratulations Amanda!
Notes and Reminders
Red Ribbon Week: Next week is Red Ribbon Week. A flyer about Red Ribbon Week came home in your child’s Thursday envelope. As a way to show unity throughout the week, theme days are as follows:
Monday - College Attire Tuesday – Wear Red Wednesday - Sports Jersey
Thursday - Hat Day Friday - Crazy socks
Assembly: On Tuesday we will be having an outside assembly called “Perfection on Wheels”.
Pumpkin Fest: Wednesday, October 29th is Laurelwood’s Pumpkin Fest. If you plan on attending with your child, please make sure you turn in your payment.
Halloween: You will be receiving information about our Halloween plans in next week’s Thursday envelope. Information will include a schedule of events (parade, party, etc.) and signup for volunteers.
Stranger Danger: Teachers have been asked to speak with our students about strangers due to recent events in our neighborhood. I feel it would be best if parents spoke with their children about “stranger danger” this weekend. We will be talking about what to do around strangers this week.
Upcoming Events
Monday October 20th- Friday October 27th Red Ribbon Week
Check www.misswagenaar.blogspot.com for more updates
Photos available at http://picasaweb.google.com/MissWagenaar/
Friday October 17, 2008
Weekly Happenings
•Literacy Centers: This week we continued with our weekly Literacy Center rotations. This week students explored alphabet rubber stamps, completed a colored apple themed book titled Apples, did rainbow tracing of the letter Cc, colored our fireman song/poem, and practiced writing our new sight word “the” on wipe off boards.
•Math: Students began continues patterning in Mrs. Chiappe’s class. They used pattern blocks to create “pattern snakes”.
•Music: We reviewed a few of our apple songs, “Five Little Pumpkins” and Halloween Cat.
•P.E.: We reviewed and mastered the two games we’ve learned: “Squirrels in a Tree” and “Stuck in the Mud.”
•Reader’s Workshop: Students were introduced to and practiced Partner Reading. We also began introducing some of our “Star Books”. These are books that we will read several times and later use to teach, retell, and act out.
•Writer’s Workshop: Together we brainstormed and made a chart about “What Writers Write About”. This will be a helpful tool as children continue to write independently.
•Science: We have moved from wood to paper, another product of trees. Students had the opportunity to draw on different kinds of paper using both markers and crayons. The students compared the differences between paper towels, facial tissue, wax paper, and construction paper. We also introduced pumpkins as another kind of fruit. Next week, we will discuss their life cycle and difference/similarities between apples and pumpkins.
•Cooking: This week we made pumpkin raisin muffins. Students are becoming familiar with terminology such as recipe and ingredients and are recognizing ingredients that we’ve used frequently (flour, baking powder, eggs, etc.)
•Library: The students chose books and will keep them at school for the time being.
•Computer Lab: Students visited computer lab for their first time. Students were introduced to procedures and expectations for computer lab. They used the keyboard to type their name and mouse to navigate a game within the program Jumpstart Kindergarten.
•Morning Gathering: We had our first Morning Gathering with the rest of the school. At the Morning Gathering, Amanda received our first Super Citizen award. Congratulations Amanda!
Notes and Reminders
Red Ribbon Week: Next week is Red Ribbon Week. A flyer about Red Ribbon Week came home in your child’s Thursday envelope. As a way to show unity throughout the week, theme days are as follows:
Monday - College Attire Tuesday – Wear Red Wednesday - Sports Jersey
Thursday - Hat Day Friday - Crazy socks
Assembly: On Tuesday we will be having an outside assembly called “Perfection on Wheels”.
Pumpkin Fest: Wednesday, October 29th is Laurelwood’s Pumpkin Fest. If you plan on attending with your child, please make sure you turn in your payment.
Halloween: You will be receiving information about our Halloween plans in next week’s Thursday envelope. Information will include a schedule of events (parade, party, etc.) and signup for volunteers.
Stranger Danger: Teachers have been asked to speak with our students about strangers due to recent events in our neighborhood. I feel it would be best if parents spoke with their children about “stranger danger” this weekend. We will be talking about what to do around strangers this week.
Upcoming Events
Monday October 20th- Friday October 27th Red Ribbon Week
Check www.misswagenaar.blogspot.com for more updates
Photos available at http://picasaweb.google.com/MissWagenaar/
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Kinder News 2.6
Kinder News
Volume 2 - Issue 6
Friday October 3, 2008
Weekly Happenings
•Apples: We are wrapping up our unit on apples.
oTen Apples Up on Top: We read the Dr. Seuss story Ten Apples Up on Top and created our own class book. Students drew their heads and decided how many apples they wanted to draw on top.
oSocial Studies: We talked about John Chapman, also known as Johnny Appleseed. We read a book about his life and then completed a sequencing activity.
oArt: We used our hands to create an apple tree. (My parents were visiting and able to help!) Please peek into our classroom as they are posted on our front bulletin board. We also made an apple print that went along with a short story. Ask your child where you can find a little red house with no windows, no doors, and a star inside. (the answer is an apple)
oCooking: We worked together to make DELICIOUS apple muffins. Ask your child which ingredient they added (recipe c/o Elaine Regan will be sent home in Thursday folders.)
•Literacy Centers: This week we continued with our weekly Literacy Center rotations. This week students explored magnetic letters, completed a gingerbread themed book titled Run Run, colored an alphabet chart, rainbow traced the alphabet, and practiced their writing on wipe of strips.
•Math Students began patterning in Mrs. Chiappe’s class. They will continue to extend and become more advanced with their variety of patterns in the next few weeks. We also talked about rectangles and made Longworth Rectangle.
•Music: We began our weekly music meeting this week. We talked about procedures and expectations. We also sang a few songs about apples and even did a dance called the tooty-ta.
•P.E.: We got together with Miss Casellini’s and played “Squirrels in a Tree”. This game involved students finding partners to create a tree, then a third person would position themselves under the tree.
•Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: We read the story several times, watched the Scholastic video version, and created our own chicka boom trees with our names spelled upwards.
•Science: We are continuing our unit on wood. We talked about changing wood, and students got the chance to use sandpaper in order to change the shape of individual pieces of basswood.
•Library: This week students checked books out of the library. For the time being, we will be housing these borrowed books in our classroom.
Notes and Reminders
Conferences: This week are parent-teacher conferences. Please remember that every day this week is an early-release day. Please be punctual as conferences are scheduled back-to-back and I’d like to be able to give everyone the full 20 minutes.
Parent Volunteers: Reminder, parents must be cleared with their TB test before entering school to volunteer. Thank you to those who have already begun.
Reading Logs: September Reading Logs should be returned as soon as possible.
Drop Off and Pick-Up: New procedures for drop-off have been sent home in Thursday folders. Please contact me if you have any questions. For pick-up, please wait outside the gate until dismissal, then please remember that children need to be picked up from the curb around the play structure. When the final bell rings, the playground closes, so please make your way out of the yard. Thank You!
Classroom Expectations: Please remind your child about our no-hitting rules both inside the class and on the playground. The problem seems to be getting better. Let’s keep reinforcing.
Upcoming Events
Monday October 6th- Friday October 10th Parent-Teacher Conferences (Minimum Days)
Monday October 6, 2008 Hearing Screening
Tuesday October 7, 2008 Fire Engine Visit
Check www.misswagenaar.blogspot.com for more updates
Photos available at http://picasaweb.google.com/MissWagenaar/
Volume 2 - Issue 6
Friday October 3, 2008
Weekly Happenings
•Apples: We are wrapping up our unit on apples.
oTen Apples Up on Top: We read the Dr. Seuss story Ten Apples Up on Top and created our own class book. Students drew their heads and decided how many apples they wanted to draw on top.
oSocial Studies: We talked about John Chapman, also known as Johnny Appleseed. We read a book about his life and then completed a sequencing activity.
oArt: We used our hands to create an apple tree. (My parents were visiting and able to help!) Please peek into our classroom as they are posted on our front bulletin board. We also made an apple print that went along with a short story. Ask your child where you can find a little red house with no windows, no doors, and a star inside. (the answer is an apple)
oCooking: We worked together to make DELICIOUS apple muffins. Ask your child which ingredient they added (recipe c/o Elaine Regan will be sent home in Thursday folders.)
•Literacy Centers: This week we continued with our weekly Literacy Center rotations. This week students explored magnetic letters, completed a gingerbread themed book titled Run Run, colored an alphabet chart, rainbow traced the alphabet, and practiced their writing on wipe of strips.
•Math Students began patterning in Mrs. Chiappe’s class. They will continue to extend and become more advanced with their variety of patterns in the next few weeks. We also talked about rectangles and made Longworth Rectangle.
•Music: We began our weekly music meeting this week. We talked about procedures and expectations. We also sang a few songs about apples and even did a dance called the tooty-ta.
•P.E.: We got together with Miss Casellini’s and played “Squirrels in a Tree”. This game involved students finding partners to create a tree, then a third person would position themselves under the tree.
•Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: We read the story several times, watched the Scholastic video version, and created our own chicka boom trees with our names spelled upwards.
•Science: We are continuing our unit on wood. We talked about changing wood, and students got the chance to use sandpaper in order to change the shape of individual pieces of basswood.
•Library: This week students checked books out of the library. For the time being, we will be housing these borrowed books in our classroom.
Notes and Reminders
Conferences: This week are parent-teacher conferences. Please remember that every day this week is an early-release day. Please be punctual as conferences are scheduled back-to-back and I’d like to be able to give everyone the full 20 minutes.
Parent Volunteers: Reminder, parents must be cleared with their TB test before entering school to volunteer. Thank you to those who have already begun.
Reading Logs: September Reading Logs should be returned as soon as possible.
Drop Off and Pick-Up: New procedures for drop-off have been sent home in Thursday folders. Please contact me if you have any questions. For pick-up, please wait outside the gate until dismissal, then please remember that children need to be picked up from the curb around the play structure. When the final bell rings, the playground closes, so please make your way out of the yard. Thank You!
Classroom Expectations: Please remind your child about our no-hitting rules both inside the class and on the playground. The problem seems to be getting better. Let’s keep reinforcing.
Upcoming Events
Monday October 6th- Friday October 10th Parent-Teacher Conferences (Minimum Days)
Monday October 6, 2008 Hearing Screening
Tuesday October 7, 2008 Fire Engine Visit
Check www.misswagenaar.blogspot.com for more updates
Photos available at http://picasaweb.google.com/MissWagenaar/
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