Third Time's a Charm

Our 2009-2010 looks like it's off to a good start!

Thank You So Much!

The greatest gift ever given.. (I'm sorry about the watermark - I didn't wanna pay for the program to upload it)

Kinder Celebration

We had a wonderful Kindergarten Celebration today, thank you to all who attended.
Here is a copy of the slide show that was shown this afternoon :) Enjoy!

Kinder News 2.33

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Literacy: We finished our Rosie's Walk book and practiced reading it using our puppets.
Writers Workshop: We looked back on the events from this year and students worked in partners to write "Kinder News" that will be displayed for Open House.
Rainbows: We talked about rain and sunshine together making rainbows and we created rainbows to hang around the classroom.
Science: We began talking about seeds. We made a book about the steps to planting a seed, then we actually planted sunflower seeds on Thursday.
Social Studies: We learned about Cinco de Mayo. We colored a flag of Mexico and practiced saying the colors and numbers in Spanish.
Art: We created paper sunflowers, and used real sunflower seeds to decorate them. We also spent some of our time this week working on our Mothers Day gift and cards :)
Math: Students continue to play games with Mrs. Chiappe to learn more about addition.
Music: We learned a new song about planting seeds. We practiced "Each of us is a Flower" and "This Land is Your Land".


NOTES AND REMINDERS
Parent Volunteers: Star testing has concluded, so we will be back to normal schedule for the conclusion of May.
Mulberry Leaves Needed: We will be introducing Silk Worms in our class next week, but are in need of mulberry leaves to feed them. If you have access and could send some in, it would be much appreciated.
Thank You: Huge thank you for your generosity and thoughtfulness throughout Teacher Appreciation Week!


UPCOMING DATES
May 15: Multicultural Fest
May 19: Minimum Day
May 19: Open House 6:30-7:30
May 22: No School
May 25: No School (Memorial Day)
May 27: Blue Day

Kinder News 2.32

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Literacy: We spent a majority of our week working on pages to create our own Rosie's Walk book. Students became very familiar with the story and created beautiful renditions of the illustrations. We were also able to watch Scholastic's interpretation of Rosie's Walk on DVD.
Writers Workshop: Students are focusing on endurance during Writers Workshop. We are adding time and encouraging students to fill the front and back of their paper.
Math: Students are playing games such as "Shake Them Beans" and a dice-rolling game that they used for addition.
Science: We focused on the shape of leaves, drawing and naming them (spear, oval, paddle, line, heart, and triangle).
Cooking: After focusing on Rosie's Walk for much of the week, we created our own version of "Chicken Feed". We used ingredients: cheerios, candy covered sunflower seeds, sunflower seeds, m&ms, and almond slices.
Healthy Play: We learned to play the game "On the Way to School Today" which is a play off of the game chirades.
Music: Mrs. Stryker led music, we learned a few new songs. One of the favorites was "Pepperoni Pizza" (follows the same pattern as Apples and Bananas)
Lifeskill Assembly: Rashaun was recognized at our Lifeskill Assembly for this month's lifeskill of Teamwork.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Parent Volunteers: There is another week of STAR testing in the Upper Grades and in an effort to create a more conducive testing atmosphere, parent volunteers are still not allowed on campus for the duration of testing. So take one more the week off ;) I do have a few prep projects that I could use a hand on, if anyone is able or interested, please email. THANKS!

UPCOMING DATES
May 15: Multicultural Fest
May 19: Minimum Day
May 19: Open House 6:30-7:30
May 22: No School
May 25: No School (Memorial Day)
May 27: Blue Day

Kinder News 2.31

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Literacy Centers:
-Starfall Dictionaries: Students added more words into their Starfall dictionaries, using vocab cards with pictures
-"What Is In This Egg" Mrs. Harris Book
-Sight Word Tales (Private and Partner Reading)
-Energenius Calendar Coloring
Writers Workshop: We wrote about our Spring Breaks and all of the fun adventures. On Earth Day we also wrote about what we could do to help the Earth be a better place.
Math: Students are beginning addition in Mrs. Chiappe's room.
Social Studies: We talked about Earth Day and the things that we can do to help the Earth. We read the Energenius calendar and Little Book and discussed options such as turning off lights and the tv.
Science: We discussed the seasons, and how they affect what a tree looks like. We drew a tree in each of the four seasons. Winter (bare) Spring (blossoms) Summer (leaves and small apples) Fall (leaves falling and apples)
Cooking: In honor of Earth Day we recycled crayons. We peeled, broke, and filled molds with old crayons. We put them in the oven at 250 for about 10 minutes and let them cool. Students loved to see their new crayons and some even experimented, using them to draw during Friday Funday. (This is a fun and easy activity to do at home, and a fun use of old crayons)
PE: Inspired by Earth Day, we played a game called "Cleaning up the Yard". This game puts two teams on opposite sides of the grass with fluffballs scattered throughout. The object of the game is to "clean the yard" by throwing any fluffball onto the opposite team's side. This is a fun filled game where the students are able to work on the skill of throwing.
Music: We practiced songs like "Each of us is a Flower", "The Worm Song" and "Mr. Sun" and learned the words and sign language for "This Land is Your Land".

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Hot Weather Reminders: Please remember to put sunscreen on your child before sending them to school, the Kindergarten yard has shady spots but for the most part is covered in sun on warm days like we had this week. It also is a good idea to send a hat in their backpack that they may choose to wear at recess and lunch. If you choose to send a water bottle, they may keep that in their backpack as well for access at recess and lunch.
Parent Volunteers: This week STAR testing begins in the Upper Grades and in an effort to create a more conducive testing atmosphere, parent volunteers are not allowed on campus for the duration of testing. So take the week off ;)

Kinder News 2.30

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Literacy Centers:
-Sound Boxes: children move around cards to build three-letter words
-Made _an word family Fan
-Mrs. Harris book about morning activities on the farm
-Penmanship
Writers Workshop: We focused on the parts of stories (beginning, middle, end). Students switched from using packets, to including all of these parts on a single sheet.
Math: Students continued to examine and build 3D shapes.
Social Studies: We completed our student of the California Symbols.
Science: We discussed the seasons, and particular attributes of Spring (things are blooming, baby animals are being born, and weather changes). The students learned the phrase "April Showers bring May Flowers" and completed a writing and illustrating activity surrounding it.
Cooking: We colored eggs! Students used crayons and dye to create beautiful masterpieces. Some chose to bring their eggs home, while others enjoyed peeling and eating them at our Rabbit Party.
Healthy Play: We learned a new game called "Cookie Monster" where children are broken up into groups, name their group after their favorite cookies, then are chosen one cookie at a time to tag the rest of the children and bring them into the "cookie jar". Ask your child what type of cooking they were, we had some interesting groups (most notably the peanut butter blueberries).
1st Grade Concert: We had the opportunity to enjoy the concert put on by the first grade classes, which centered around life skills.
Music: We have restarted music with Miss Casellini's class. We are learning several songs about spring and the farm.
Spring Fling: Students from all classes, and a strong outpouring of parental help, enjoyed the annual Spring Fling. We toss out (paper) eggs that contain words. The job of the children is to pick up an egg, bring it to an adult, and read it. Once they do, they are handsomely rewarded with a jellybean. Students continued to collect and read eggs until all the jellybeans had been awarded.
Rabbits: This week had a bit of a rabbit theme. Early in the week, we created paper rabbits to decorate our classroom. Friday we had our Rabbit Party. Students enjoyed foods including sunflower seeds, carrots, celery, apples, strawberries, carrot cake muffins, and juice. Our buddies helped us make our bunny-ear hats and Miss Tabitha and myself used lipstick and eyeliner to finish off the bunny look with noses and whiskers.
Citizenship Gathering: Allie was the proud recipient of this month's Citizenship Award. Since joining our class a few short months ago, she has really jumped in and become an integral part of our classroom community. Congratulations Allie!


NOTES AND REMINDERS
Snacks: Our snack supply is finally dwindling down. If you are shopping during Spring Break, consider picking up a healthy snack for our class. (cereal, pretzels, granola bars, fruit, cheese, goldfish, snack mix, etc)
GIGANTIC THANK YOU: To all the parents who stepped up to donate, volunteer, or photograph our events on Friday. It's such a pleasure to have such an active parental community.

IMPORTANT DATES
April 13-17 NO SCHOOL Spring Break :)

Kinder News 2.29

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Literacy: Children learned how to play Word Family Bingo with words from the _at and _an family.
Penmanship: We practiced writing letters that begin with a downward stroke (T, I, L) and also practiced writing capital letters of the entire alphabet. We are going to focus on letter formation and neatness.
Writers Workshop: We focused on the parts of stories (beginning, middle, end). Students used packets with three sheets of paper and used one for each part of the story. This helped them to make sure they were stretching their story and adding plenty of details.
Math: Mrs. Chiappe is working with students to identify 3D shapes.
Social Studies: We shifted our focus to California State Symbols, rather than National Symbols. We also continued to talk about dental health, creating a toothbrush and learning good behaviors for brushing.
Tooth Fairy: We had a visit from the tooth fairy. She talked to all Kindergarten classes about foods that are good choices, how to brush your teeth, and confronted some myths about the tooth fairy.
Cooking: Wrapping up the dental health unit, we created "smiles" today in cooking. This was done using sliced apples, peanut butter, and marshmallows. The marshmallows served as the "teeth", the peanut butter were the "gums" and the apple slices were the "lips". The children had fun creating them, and even more fun eating them.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Wishlist: Thank you for your generous contribution of gluesticks.
Snacks: Our snack supply is finally dwindling down. We are set for next week, but if you are shopping during Spring Break, consider picking up a healthy snack for our class. (cereal, pretzels, granola bars, fruit, cheese, goldfish, snack mix, etc)

IMPORTANT DATES
April 13-17 NO SCHOOL Spring Break :)

Kinder News 2.28

With no school on Friday, I had forgotten to send this. Apologies! Hope you enjoyed your long weekend!
-Miss Wagenaar

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Shared Reading: Together as a class, we read the big book "Dan the Flying Man" several times.
Literacy: In response to the literature, students created their own page of a scene that they would fly over if they got the ability to fly. Also relating to the book, we worked on the _an word family.
Writers Workshop: We talked about counting words before writing a sentence. In the process we talked about the difference between letters, words, and sentences. Students are still practicing using their Alphabet Charts and Space Sticks.
Math: Students are wrapping up their unit on Telling Time. They will bring home their Rabbit Clocks for more practice next week.
Science: We are continuing to talk about animals that live on the farm, and their attributes.
Art: The young artists of room 4 completed their March self portraits. We focused this month on filling in the entire background of their picture.
Social Studies: We are wrapping up our study of National Symbols and will be moving onto State Symbols next week. We also talked about Dental health month and introduced foods that would be good choices for our dental health, and those that would be bad choices.
Lifeskill Assembly: This month Colin was honored with our award for Caring at our Blue Day assembly.
Field Trip: Tuesday was our field trip to San Francisco's Herbst Theater to see "People Like Me", an interpretation of the legend of how the sun got it's light. Students enjoyed a wonderful lunch on the lawn, great performance and fun bus rides to and from. Special thanks to our parent volunteers who chaperoned and EXTRA special thanks to Mrs. Fritschen who taught all of the Kindergarten classes about the myth and cultures that were respresented before we saw the performance.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Wishlist: We are in desperate need of glue sticks in Room 4. If you are able to donate one, or a pack it would be much appreciated!

IMPORTANT DATES
April 13-17 NO SCHOOL Spring Break :)

Kinder News 2.27

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Literacy Centers:
- "Where Am I?": children colored and practiced reading a small book about things you see on a farm
- Magna Doodles: students wrote the room using our new set of magna doodles
- Penmanship: Students started in their new penmanship books, practicing pencil strokes that're the foundation of letter formation.
- Dr. Seuss Book Box
Guided Reading: Students have gotten another opportunity to read a book at their Guided Reading level this week. They have continued to practice with each other, finding students who have the same book as them.
Writers Workshop: Students wrote using a new tool - a space stick (this is a tongue depressor that has been decorated) to create a space during their writing. We also made a list of "Great Beginnings" to use in Writers Workshop. Ask your child to share some of these with you.
Word Families: As we are continuing to play with letters and their sounds, we are beginning our study of word families. This week we worked with the _at familiy.
Math: Students have begun studying time (to the hour) with Mrs. Chiappe.
St. Patricks Day: We incorporated math with a Lucky Charm cereal activity. Students estimated, sorted, counted, and graphed the number of marshmallows in a serving of cereal.
Healthy Play: This week we learned how to play North Wind, South Wind. It is a tag game in which students are tagged by the "North Wind" and can be unfrozen by the "South Wind".
Social Studies: We are continuing our study of the National Symbols (American Flag, Bald Eagle, Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore, and the Statue of Liberty)
Assembly: We had a Celtic Harpist and storyteller visit and share some entertaining tales and beautiful music.
Science: We are continuing our study of farms, focusing this week on reading both fiction and non-fiction books. We did an interactive writing activity about animals on the farm and the sounds that they make.
Cooking: We used English Green Peas from our Harvest of the Month box to make a pasta salad. Although students were hesitant to try some of the ingredients (red peppers and pepperjack cheese) most enjoyed the pasta salad to some degree.


NOTES AND REMINDERS
Field Trip: Thank you to all families who contributed money to our scholarship. All students are able to attend our field trip. We have a group of chaperones to ensure that this day goes smoothly. Please remember that we will be eating lunch in the city, so make sure your child BRINGS a lunch on Tuesday. On the day of the field trip, we will be returning back to campus no later than 2:30. Please pick your child up from Room 4.
Pennies for Patients: Our student council's community service project is attempting to collect change to put toward helping children with medical issues. If you choose to donate, please send change in a zip-lock bag with your child.
Return Dates for Take-Home Books:
Library Books - go home Friday, come back Monday (if forgotten, ensure it is back by Tuesday - our library day)
Guided Reading - go home Friday, come back Monday
Red Mystery Bags - go home Friday, come back Wednesday

IMPORTANT DATES
Tuesday March 24th: Field Trip
Wednesday March 25th: Blue Day
Friday March 27th: No School

Kinder News 2.25

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Literacy: We colored and practiced reading our own version of One Fish, Two Fish.
Guided Reading: Students have gotten another opportunity to read a book at their Guided Reading level this week. They have begun to practice with each other, finding students who have the same book as them.
Writers Workshop: Students wrote about their favorite Dr. Seuss book, including the title and their favorite part.
Dr. Seuss Day: We gathered with Miss Casellini's class to prepare Green Eggs and Ham and enjoy some cartoon versions of some Dr. Seuss favorites. (Thank you to Mrs. Regan and Mrs. Soares for helping). We also got to enjoy some wonderful stories, read by the following parents: Mrs. Lew, Mr. Aglubat, Mrs. Otsuka, Mrs. Beadell, Mrs. Soares, and Mrs. Tu. We also visited www.seussville.com during Computer Lab.
Math: Students completed a variety of math assessments this week, including counting, comparing and ordering. They also grabbed pattern blocks, recorded them, and then ordered them from shortest to longest. In our classroom, we graphed our favorite Dr. Seuss book as well as whether or not we liked Green Eggs.
Healthy Play: This week we learned how to play Cooperative Musical Chairs inside the classroom. This is another Healthy Play game which no students are ever out, when they are unable to find a chair, they choose a lap to sit on.
Social Studies: We learned about Hina Matsuri (Japanese Girls Day) and created an origami woman in celebration.
Art: We completed and displayed our March quilt. We also built giant Leprechauns to decorate our classroom. Please come in and take a peek!


NOTES AND REMINDERS
Conferences: The week of March 9th contains two Minmum Days, set aside for conferences. This round of conferences is for students who are below grade level or who I have other concerns about. I will not be meeting with most families during these days.
Field Trip: Please remember that money to cover the cost of tickets is $6 per person. (This also means that parents who are coming must purchase a ticket). If you are able to contribute toward a scholarship, it is appreciated. I have filled all chaperone positions, thank you for your eager replies. On the day of the field trip, we will be returning back to campus no later than 2:30. Please pick your child up from Room 4.
Pennies for Patients: Our student council's community service project is attempting to collect change to put toward helping children with medical issues. If you choose to donate, please send change in a zip-lock bag with your child.
Book Fair: The book fair is open after school on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Students had a chance to preview books this week and there is a "Wish Box" that I've placed books in available.

IMPORTANT DATES
Tuesday March 10th: Minimum Day (Conferences)
Wednesday March 11th: Minimum Day (Conferences)
Friday March 13th: Report Cards Go Home
Tuesday March 24th: Field Trip
Wednesday March 25th: Blue Day
Friday March 27th: No School

Kinder News 2.24

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Literacy Centers:
- Students did creative writing, imagining themselves as the president "If I was President I would..."
- The lyrics of "Magic Penny" were in the form of a little book that students could color and read
- Magnetic Letters: building words
- 100s Day coloring activity which involved reading color words and coloring picture appropriately
Guided Reading: After completing assessments, we were finally able to dive into Guided Reading this week. I had a chance to meet 1-on-1 with every student to talk to them about the structure of guided reading. (That they will be pulled, either by themselves or with a group, to learn something about reading and then practice it with me. I explained that they may feel frustrated during Guided Reading sometimes, but that it's my job to make sure that they are reading books that are just right for them. Students will keep books at school in their Book Boxes to practice and periodically take them home for additional support there. This week I focused with most students on pointing to words as they read them. This ensures that they are matching spoken words to written.) This is a very exciting time for Kindergarteners as they are beginning to build confidence in their reading skills and strategies and look forward to the journey that lies ahead.
Writers Workshop: Students used photos with their flat dolls (or drew their own illustrations) and wrote about their Winter Break. Students are beginning to really excel with phonetic spelling and are taking more risks, a huge step to becoming independent and successful writers!
Math: Mrs. Chiappe taught students a game called Racing Bears. In our classroom, we examined pennies (President Lincoln) and recorded results of a penny toss activity.
Science: We have said goodbye to our Animals Two by Two unit. We explored fish, snails, and worms! Our classroom will continue to house the fish and snails for students to make observations and care for.
Art: Students created both squares for our February quilt (one was simple cutting and gluing and the other was watercolored). We also colored our February self portraits. This month we focused on filling the entire space, most students did this by coloring their picture's background blue as the sky.
Social Studies: This week we focused on Presidents day. We talked especially about Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. I read several Read Alouds, they read leveled reader about Washington, we talked about Holidays and even watched a DVD segment (complete with a song about holidays).
Buddies: Our buddies helped us to create George Washington hats this week. Then we were able to read them our new guided reading books.
Lifeskill Assembly: This month Andrew was honored with our award for Perseverance: "I will finish what I start".

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Conferences: The week of March 9th contains two Minmum Days, set aside for conferences. This round of conferences is for students who are below grade level or who I have other concerns about. I will not be meeting with most families during these days. I will be sending letters home early next week, to schedule with those of you who I'd like to conference with. If you have concerns and feel that a conference is necessarily, please email me with your inquiry.
Field Trip: Please remember that money to cover the cost of tickets is $6 per person. (This also means that parents who are coming must purchase a ticket). If you are able to contribute toward a scholarship, it is appreciated. I am also looking for volunteers to chaperone our field trip to San Francisco on March 24. We are able to take 4 parents, and I will give priority to those who have not yet attended. I will open the opportunity up to those parents on Monday if I have not recieved enough.
Dr. Seuss Day: Monday, March 2nd we will celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday. We will spend the day reading Dr. Seuss stories, making Green Eggs and Ham, and creating Cat in the Hat hats. I am looking for parents who might be interested in being "Guest Readers" that day to read a Dr. Seuss story. (I will forward the Jooners sign up - Please sign up no later than Sunday night so I can plan accordingly)
Photos: They are uploaded on Picasa. Please enjoy, and once again sorry for the huge gap in time. I will do my best to keep them more up to date in the future.

IMPORTANT DATES
Monday March 2nd: Dr. Seuss Birthday
Tuesday March 3rd: Hina Matsuri (Japanese Doll Festival)
Friday March 6th: Minimum Day
Tuesday March 10th: Minimum Day (Conferences)
Wednesday March 11th: Minimum Day (Conferences)
Friday March 13th: Report Cards Go Home
Tuesday March 24th: Field Trip
Wednesday March 25th: Blue Day
Friday March 27th: No School

Kinder News 2.23

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Literacy: We colored and read a book called "I Like Me". Students were very successful with this patterned text.
Writers Workshop: This week we talked about functional writing. Our focus was on writing a letter. We talked about the parts of a letter (date, Dear _____, message and the closing). Students wrote a valentines letter for someone in their family.
Field Trip to the Mailbox: After completing the letters, putting an address label on the envelope, and stamps, we walked to the mailbox on Dunford. Students had a chance to place their letters in the mailbox (so keep your eyes on the mail, hopefully they will arrive on Saturday).
Math: We worked on a simple addition concept book, students chose two quantities to draw, then created an addition problem to accompany them.
Science: We observed our newest and final animal friend, worms. Students asked questions to guess what animal we'd be meeting, then used those clues to guess. We examined Red Worms and Night Crawlers. We talked about how their bodies feel and what they look like when they move.
Cooking: Our Harvest of the Month crate contained Cabbage. We looked at three types: Red, Napa, and Green. Miss Wagenaar cut the Green Cabbage and created a Chinese Chicken Salad (minus the chicken) for the children to try.
Native Pride Dancers: We had an assembly on Monday which involved Native Americans presenting information and a glimpse of their culture.
Kinder Concert: We hope you enjoyed our presentation of the Kindergarten Concert on Tuesday evening. We have worked very hard to learn the songs, and many wonderful reviews would say that the time and effort paid off.
Valentine's Day: Today was a fun-filled day. We started the day with a math exercise - sorting, graphing, and addition using candy hearts. Our buddies helped us to complete a Valentine Mouse craft project. After lunch we enjoyed our party. We had snacks including mini pizzas, kettle corn, oranges, strawberries, apple juice, and a cookie. Finally students were able to open and enjoy their Valentine cards with one another. The day ended with Esther Lew handing out beautiful construction paper roses for the students to bring home to parents. These roses were created using their handprints! (Absolutely Amazing!)

NOTES AND REMINDERS
There is no school this coming week! Enjoy your holiday, hope it finds you happy and healthy.

Flat People: If you were not able to submit pictures (or did and would like to take more) of your child with their flat counterpart, I've pushed the writing project back to allow families who missed out on the Winter Break to participate. So, remember the idea is to take photos of your child and their doll doing noteworthy activities during the break. We WILL be writing our Class Book about their adventures when we return. Thank you for your involvement!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU: To all parents who helped with our Valentines Celebration, whether by attending or providing supplies or snacks! What a group of willing individuals we have this year. Your children and I are so lucky to have you!
Also, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU: To Maura Fennelly (Megan's mom) who was able to get her work to donate a laptop to replace my previously stolen one. The kids and I are very excited (they're all already making requests for songs that they'd like me to have on it when we get back from break). My vow, now that I've been given such a generous gift, is to stay on top of the blog, especially the picture uploading. I leave for Chicago in a few hours, but when I return I will be taking some time to upload backlogged pictures that haven't made their way online. Thank you for your patience with me while I get things back in order.

IMPORTANT DATES
Monday February 16 - Friday February 20: No School

Kinder News 2.22

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Literacy Centers:
- Mr. Snowman song
- Beginning Sounds worksheet
- I would eat 100___/I would not eat 100____ class book page
-Clifford Alphabet Bingo game
Writers Workshop: Students practiced writing before drawing during Writer's Workshop and used phonetic spelling to tell a story about something that had happened to them. (Students practiced using the alphabet chart to help identify letter sounds) We especially focused on adding a reflective ending. For example "It was fun." or "I had a good time."
Science: We continued our examination of snails. We drew them scientifically, and added labels of their parts (shell, foot, tentacles, and eyes).
Cooking: This week Yuka's mom organized and led our cooking project. We made Chinese dumpling in a sweet broth. The children had fun creating the dough balls and trying a food that most of them had never experienced.
Groundhog Day: We celebrated Groundhog day by creating a Groundhog puppet. Since Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, we will be experiencing six more weeks of Winter.
100th Day: We celebrated the 100th day of school with a variety of activities and projects. We found 100 objects around the classroom, sorted, and counted them. We did a "museum walk" to see the 100 item collections brought it in all Kinder classes. We made 100 glasses/headbands. We compared the weight of our 100 item collections. We used marshmallows to count to 100, focusing on grouping and place value. We finished the sentence "If I had $100 I would buy ________." We also made a necklace using 100 fruit loops.
Music: A lot of our week was devoted to preparing ourselves for our upcoming concert. We have moved our practice onto the stage, preparing ourselves for the concert by singing on the risers. We look forward to sharing our hard work during next week's concert.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Kinder Concert: Just a reminder that our Kindergarten Concert will be happening on Tuesday. Please remember to send in your child's pink or red shirt (marked with their name) as soon as possible.
Valentines: Reminder that if Valentines are going to be distributed, they need to be written by your child and they must be included for every student. We will be distributing them throughout the morning of Friday February 13.
Valentines Celebration: Our celebration will be following lunch on Friday February 13th. We will enjoy some healthy snacks (sign-up sheet to follow) and students will have an opportunity to open their Valentine Cards.


IMPORTANT DATES
Tuesday February 10th: Kinder Concert (6:30pm)
Friday February 13th: Valentine's Celebration
Monday February 16 - Friday February 20: No School

Kinder News 2.21

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Writers Workshop: Students practiced writing before drawing during Writer's Workshop and used phonetic spelling to tell a story about something that had happened to them. (Students practiced using the alphabet chart to help identify letter sounds)
Math: Mrs. Chiappe and the children have been focused on teen numbers, and completed their "Teen Numbers Book".
Science: We continued our examination of snails. We drew them scientifically, and added labels of their parts (shell, foot, tentacles, and eyes).
Chinese New Year: This week was the start of Chinese New Year. We did a mini rotation to learn about different parts of the holiday. In Mrs. Robinson's room, the children learned the character for "Gung Hay Fat Choy" or happy new year in Chinese. In Miss Casellini's room, they created dragon puppets and learned about the symbolism of the dragon in Chinese tradition. In my classroom, students learned about the Zodiac calendar, and created their own. We talked about what the different animals are supossed to say about someone who was born in that year. You can use their Zodiac calendar to find out what you are if you don't already know.
Cooking: IInstead of cooking, we focused on EATING (with chopsticks). Students had the opportunity to experiment with using chopsticks to pick up and eat popcorn (a little easier to grab than rice).
Music: This week we continued with all Kinder classes to practice songs for our February concert.
Literacy: We learned and practiced weather words (like snow, rain, wind, and sun). We also learned a new pocket chart song "Mr. Snowman" which plays with letter sounds.
Guided Reading: Students have now all had a chance to read one-on-one with me to find out where we are starting for guided reading levels. I will begin to pull small groups next week, and book bags will begin to be sent home with your students to practice what they learn.
Art: We water colored paper plates to create a large dragon display for our back window. The children used bright colors, since that is said to scare off the bad from the previous year to start our new year with only positive.
Snow: On Monday, we had the treat of REAL snow. Students had a chance to have hands-on observations. We talked about how snow is water, but that was really noticed when kids came out to recess and realized that the snow we'd been playing with was all gone and only puddles remained.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Kinder Concert: Just a reminder that our Kindergarten Concert will be happening on February 10th. Students will be asked to wear a red or pink shirt with blue jeans.
100th Day Homework: Your child's 100th day homework is due by Tuesday (the 100th day of school). Please do your best to help your child submit a creative collection.

*Throughout all Kindergarten classes, it has come to our attention that bullying on the playground is becoming a growing issue. A small number of students are hitting, pushing, or using unkind words toward their classmates and friends. We are working in Room 4 to create an atmosphere of respect and caring both inside the class and out. We have daily class meetings where we can discuss solutions to problems encountered both in class and on the playground. PLEASE urge your child to report any bullying or unsafe situations to an adult WHEN IT HAPPENS. (That part's important, that's why it's in CAPS) It is very difficult to solve a problems days, or even hours after it happens. Best results happen when it is dealt with in a timely fashion. I do my best to mediate and solve any situations, but please help me by reminding your child of the best way to deal with a problem when it arises.
1) Use Your Words (tell the person to stop because you do not like what they are doing)
2) Walk Away
3) Tell an Adult (again, the success of resolution is directly linked to the shortness of time between the incident and reporting it to an adult)

I appreciate your help because I know that, just like I teach the kids, we will be more successful if we work as a team. I want your children to feel safe and happy and eager to attend school everyday. Thank you for valuing that as well :)

IMPORTANT DATES
Monday February 2nd: Groundhog Day
Tuesday February 3rd: 100th Day of School
Tuesday February 10th: Kinder Concert
Monday February 16 - Friday February 20: No School

Kinder News 2.20

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Writers Workshop: We wrote on our "Helping Hands" project something that we could do to help the world (inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.)
Math: Children are working on inventories with Mrs Chiappe.
Science: We have introduced our newest animal that we will be studying, snails. Students had the opportunity to touch, hold, and experiment with snails. We found out what happens when we touch their antenna (the go down into their heads), and what happens when we put something in their path (they climb over it). We will have snail races next week and continue to learn about the unique anatomy of a snail.
Social Studies: This week we really focused on two great individuals who we were able to compare in some ways.
-Martin Luther King Jr.: We read several books about his life and accomplishments, and created a portrait of this fine man.
-Barack Obama: We read a Let's Find Out about his life before presidency and watched a portion of the inaguration, including his speech. Children shared what they thought it would mean for our country that we have a new president.
Cooking: We created "snow people sundaes" using ice cream and various food items to decorate (pretzels, licorice, candies, etc.)
Music: This week we continued with all Kinder classes in the cafeteria to begin learning songs for our February concert.
Literacy: We used the sentence frame "When it is cold I wear my _________." on snow day after talking about appropriate clothing for cold and hot weather. Some students challenged themselves and on the back replicated the sentence, changing it to "When it is hot I wear my _________."
Art: We decorated our painted snow people using the "good stuff" that was sent in from families in Room 4. They are GREAT!
Author Study: We are continuing to read books by Jan Brett, and will rap up the Author Study next week by writing Jan Brett a letter about our favorite characters and stories.
Snow Day: Today was excellent! We completed our Snow Olympics (a series of ski races using our mini skiers) and Amanda was our Champion! We also made the snowpeople sundaes. We also enjoyed our Snowball Toss outside with Miss Casellini and Mrs. Chiappe :)

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Kinder Concert: Just a reminder that our Kindergarten Concert will be happening on February 10th. Students will be asked to wear a red or pink shirt with blue jeans.
100th Day Homework: The 100th day of school is a big celebration in Kindergarten. Your child will be given "homework" next week to be completed by the 100th Day (February 3rd). The homework will be to collect and bring in 100 of something. It could be 100 toothpicks, noodles, stickers, or anything you can think of. Be creative! Just wanted to give you a heads up so you can start brainstorming with your child.

IMPORTANT DATES
Wednesday January 28th: Blue Day
Tuesday February 3rd: 100th Day of School
Tuesday February 10th: Kinder Concert
Monday February 16 - Friday February 20: No School

Kinder News 2.18

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS
Readers Workshop: We reviewed private/partner reading procudures.
Writers Workshop: We wrote and rewrote (these were also in the bag that was stolen) this trimester PBA. Most students wrote stories about their winter break.
Math: Children are beginning work with teen numbers.
Science: We have begun our newest unit "Animals Two by Two". We introduced our first animal - Goldfish. We learned about the parts of a goldfish and how to take care of them. Our class goldfish has been named Flippy.
Cooking: We made a non-edible project this week, creating snowman dough with a mixture of salt, corn starch, and water. We then built and decorated the snowmen.
Music: This week we gathered with all Kinder classes in the cafeteria to begin learning songs for our February concert.
Literacy: We learned and practiced the word "can" while we created a class book with the sentence frame "I can _________".
Art: We completed our January self portraits.
Author Study: We started reading several books by Jan Brett including The Mitten, The Hat, The Umbrella, and Honey Honey Lion.

NOTES AND REMINDERS
Flat People: Thank you to those of you who participated in our winter break project, photographing your children's adventures with their flat counterparts. We will begin our Writers Workshop component of this project next week. So, if you have not returned photos with your child, please do so by Tuesday. Thank you!!! Also, for the time being - please hold onto these dolls. We will begin our next experience in the coming weeks which will involve sending them to friends and relatives. Thank you for taking part in this very special project that I'm sure your children will not soon forget!
Snow Day: On January 23, we will be celebrating a Kindergarten tradition - Snow day. This is a day where kids will dress for the snow, make snowman sundaes, have ski races (with paper skiiers) and even have an untraditional snowball fight to end the day :) I will be seeking volunteers in the coming weeks, so look inside Thursday folders for a sign up sheet.
January Reading Logs: Reading Logs for January went home in Thursday folders. The due date is stamped on the top: January 30, 2009.
Thank You: Gigantic thank you to all who were thoughtful enough to think of me during Christmas and my birthday. Your generosity touched me and I appreciated every card, gift, or well wish.

IMPORTANT DATES
Monday January 19 - No School (MLK Holiday)
Friday January 23 - Snow Day