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/