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/