Thank you!

It was a pleasure spending time with all of you during conferences. I can see why all of your children are such loving and caring kids. You are all doing a great job!

Thank you to Mrs. Williams for teaching the class about Hanukkah and Mrs. Cushing for kicking off our unit about Mem Fox.

Please let me know if you would like to read aloud to our class as a special guest.

What is going on in Room 32?

*learning to put words in ABC order
*new sight words - were, or, play, get
*Author's Study - Mem Fox
*plural s and apostrophe s
*word families -op and -ip
*Holidays around the World
*Math- turnaround facts

Week of November 15th, 2010

Dates to Remember:
*Conference slips will go home on Thursday 11/18. Please send them back promptly.
*Turkey Trot Friday 11/19 - 10am
*Report Cards go home - Tuesday 11/23
*Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL 11/24, 11/25, 11/26
*Conferences - 11/30, 12/1, 12/2 - 1pm dismissal on each day

What we are learning in Room 32:
*We just finished our science unit on shadows and your children are experts. Ask them about how to make a long or short shadow. Also ask them about how their shadows change throughout the day.

*We have almost reviewed the formation and sounds of all of the letters. Please stress proper formation to your child when they are writing. We will be talking about plural s and apostrophe s next week.

*Sight Words- Everyone will get their child's sight word assessment sent home this week. Please make sure that you review the words that your child had difficulty spelling nightly. They will be re-assessed in a few weeks. If your child mastered many of the sight words, challenge them to write a story or a few sentences about a particular topic using 10 sight words that you give them.

*Reading-Your child's reading envelope should be in their home folder each day. Please have them read the books nightly for fluency. If they have cut-up sentences have them practice putting the sentences back together and read them aloud.

Writing - Donald Crews and Cynthia Rylant as writing mentors! We are crazy about these authors in our classroom and we are modelling our own writing after theirs. Please encourage this by seeking out these authors in the library and encouraging your child to write at home.

Math- Numbers to 20 and Number Patterns
*The children have been exploring teen numbers and have been introduced to place value. We have been doing a lot of different work with patterns as well. Next we will work with odd and even numbers and skip counting. We will end this unit of study by working with doubles.

Update

*We all had a wonderful time at New Pond Farm. The children learned a lot about the animals on the farm and even learned how to milk a cow and make yarn! Thank you to Mrs. Rentz and Mrs. Hansen for coming along on the trip and taking pictures.

*Our Halloween Party and Parade are this Friday afternoon. Please send your child in with his or her costume in a bag on Friday morning. If your child has an allergy please make sure that you send them in with a "party" snack for the afternoon.

*I have been assessing the students on syllables, vowel sounds in the middle of words, beginning and ending consonants. Please visit the Education Technology Center (ETC) on http://www.monroeps.org/ . There are many games to help your child practice these phonemic skills. Go to first grade and reading then to phonics games. You can also visit Literactive and register to play the learning activities. In level 4, there is a great game about syllables!

***READING*** I am beginning to assess the students in order to have some data for report cards, conferences and to re-arrange reading groups. Please have your child practice their reading strategies as they read at home.
What to do when you get stuck:
1. Check the picture
2. Go back and re-read (don't let your child just skip a word - have them go back and try and figure it out.)
3. Get your mouth ready
4. Does it look right? Does it sound right? Does it make sense?
5. Find a part of the word that you know.

***MATH***
Practice counting pennies, nickels and dimes. Have them sing the "MONEY RAP"
The children are also measuring with non-standard units.

***November 2nd and November 11th - NO SCHOOL***

Week of October 4th, 2010

Picture Day is October 6th.

No School - Friday, October 8th and Monday, October 11th.

October 21st will be our trip to New Pond Farm. Please send back the permission slips and checks promptly. I will pick 2 chaperone names out of a hat and contact those parents by the end of the week.

We have been practicing the letter formation and sounds of the following letters: Ss, Bb, Hh, Tt, Ff, Ii, Kk. Please keep track of the 4 sight words that your child receives each week in their homework. You can make Bingo boards with these words or make 2 index cards for each word and play memory. Your child should be able to identify and spell these words.

The children will be picking a writing piece at the end of the week, editing it and turning it into a "published" piece. We will have a celebration of their work in our classroom next week. I plan on displaying these pieces in the hallway. If you are in the building in the next few weeks, please make sure that you take a look at our pieces.

The weather has not been cooperating for our Sunshine and Shadows unit but we are making the best of things. The children have been learning a lot about this topic in the computer lab through different sites in the ETC. Please visit these sites at home for reinforcement.

The children have been doing a wonderful job in math showing and telling addition and subtraction stories.

Update

We have been working so hard in our classroom. The children are really getting in the swing of things - it feels like we have been working together for more than 18 days!

We have reviewed and practiced the formation of the letters Aa, Bb, Cc, Gg, Hh, Oo. Please practice the sounds and formations at home.

The children are enthused about Writer's Workshop. We have been reading tons of books to see where writers get their ideas.

We are off and running with our stations and guided reading. Please return the manila reading envelopes each night and keep any cut-up sentences at home for practice.

We will begin our Sunshine and Shadows unit next week.

Any papers that are marked in your child's folder can also be kept at home.

PICTURE DAY IS OCTOBER 6TH - MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Bio-Dome

Yesterday, due to the generosity of our PTO, the children got to take part in a presentation about our solar system. The children actually sat in a "planetarium" and learned about the planets and the stars. Please ask them about this exciting experience.

Back to School Night

It was so nice to meet and see many of you last night. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at any point throughout the year.

Thanks again

Birthday Celebrations

We love to celebrate birthdays in first grade! This year I am asking the parents to send in non-food items into school for birthday celebrations. This can be a small item such as a pencil, eraser, sticker that your child can pass out on their special day. If you would like to come into our classroom to read a story any day during the week of your child's birthday we would love to have you! You can come in at 1:00 during that week to read a short story. Please notify me as to which day you will be coming in.

Thanks

Water Bottles

Please feel free to send your child to school with a water bottle that they can keep at their desks. Water bottles with sports caps are the best or a top that opens and closes easily.

Thanks!

Reminders and Help Wanted:)

Please bring in any school supplies and paperwork as soon as possible. Also, there are many children that are buying lunch that do not have money in their accounts. Please make sure that your child's account has money in it.

If anyone is interested in organizing the monthly Scholastic Book Orders please let me know. Thanks!

Welcome Back!

I hope that you all had a wonderful summer with your families and spending time with friends. I am so excited to begin first grade! We are taking the first step in a great adventure. First grade is my favorite grade to teach because we will see so much growth in the children! Please make sure that you read all the material in your child's BLUE HOME folder on a daily basis. Send in a note to alert us to any changes in your child's afternoon dismissal as well. Check my blog weekly for any new information. Thanks

Reading Bags and Writing Folders

Reading bags will go home for the last time this week. Most children will have 2 books in their bags to read and enjoy at home. Please keep them for a few days so your child can work on their fluency. Little paper books will go home this week. Please keep these as home and use them for reading practice.

I am sure that you are impressed by your child's writing folder. Please keep them and encourage your child to write this summer.

Water Day

Water Day is Thursday. Please send your child to school with their bathing suits underneath their clothes and a towel.

Cafeteria Orientation

Thank you all for responding to our letter about the cafeteria orientation being held tomorrow during snack time. Please make sure to send your child to school with a snack if they are not eating pizza. All children will have their snack or pizza in the cafeteria at the same time tomorrow.

Positive Vibes in Room 32

The children have been doing an exceptional job at getting along, being polite, being responsible for their work and taking care of our classroom! I am so pleased by their behavior and we are accomplishing a lot in these last few weeks of school due to it. We will continue to have reading groups until the last week of school and the children are on their way to winning another party for good behavior.

Please give your child a well deserved pat on the back and thanks for doing an equally good job at home!

End of the Year Dates to Remember

June 4th - Cafeteria Orientation - please send in money ASAP for a pizza snack
June 11th - Celebration at 10:30 in APR
June 14th - Storyteller
June 17th - Water Day - I need 2 volunteers, please let me know if you are interested.
June 21st - Special Event for Kindergarten classes
June 23rd - End of the Year Party at 10:30
June 24th - Last Day of School - dismissal at 11:17

Happy Spring

Things that we are working on:
-shoe tying
-review of all sight words and letter sounds
-assessing all students in reading - they are amazing!!!
-working on teen numbers in math, adding and subtracting and money!
-poetry
-ask your child about their new seat:)
-color words and days of the week
-introduction to the Water Planet in science and living things

Teacher Appreciation Week!

We just wanted to thank you so much for making teacher appreciation week so special. The cards, flowers and treats were awesome! It is so nice of all of you to take time out of your busy lives to send some cheer our way.

Mrs. Crenwick - Mrs. Kruk - Mrs. Schwartz

Artists in Action

Tomorrow is your opportunity to visit your child's art class at 11:30am. If you chose to pick up you child after art class, please sign him or her out in the office.

Homework

Please have your child complete the Qq paper that was in their folder by practicing uppercase and lowercase Q. They also need to draw a picture of something that begins with a Qq and makes a qu sound. Please return this at the end of the week.

Wanted!

Please send in an old white sock so that we may use them as an eraser for our white boards. Thanks!

Update!

As you may know by now, I had my tonsils out over vacation! I was hoping to be back to school mid-week but my recovery is going slower than I had planned. I am feeling better each day but it still hurts to talk for long periods of time. I will return on Monday, healthy and ready to enter the home stretch of Kindergarten!



This week the children were taught by Mrs. Procyck with the assistance of Mrs. Kruk and Mrs. Schwartz. Their days were structured in the same manner as when I am there. They all went to reading group each day and hopefully they all get to take at least one book home this week:)



They learned the formation and sound of letter Zz. Please keep practicing sight words at home and letter sounds. We will work on our science unit about shelters when I return and continue exploring poetry.

Show and Tell

We will have show and tell on Friday and I will try to have it once a month for the remainder of the year.

Please refrain from allowing your child to bring toys to school especially high-tech gadgets. They are a big distraction and I will not be responsible for things that get lost or broken.

Thanks for your help in this matter.

Week of April 12th

Hope that you all enjoyed this lovely weekend and I am sure that you are looking forward to our time off next week.

We will explore and practice the formation of letter Nn this week.

In honor of Poetry Month, I have been exposing the children to poetry. This will also be the focus of our Writer's Workshop, wish us luck!! Today we read the poem, The Folk Who Live in Backward Town. Come up with some ideas together of other things the people in Backward Town would do.

Sight word lists are in the literacy bags. You may find more than one book in your child's literacy bag. Please have them practice reading this familiar text for fluency.

Update for the Week of April 5th

Hope that you all enjoyed this beautiful, long weekend.

We are working on the letter e sound and the formation of both uppercase E and lowercase e. We have been discussing 3-D shapes such as cubes, cones, spheres and rectangular prisms. The children have been participating in various math centers to aid them in identifying these shapes. In science, we have been discussing animal shelters and habitats. We have been classifying materials by things that are man-made and those that are natural.

Please review the short vowel sounds with your child. We have been practicing them a lot! Have them sing the song, Be My Echo for each vowel.

Reading - I am again re-vamping how I want to handle books being returned to me in the literacy bags. If your child brings a book home, please have them read it a few times that evening and return it the next day. This way I can send more than one book home a week if I see fit.

Thanks!

Reading!

Reading books went home today with everyone that returned a bag this week. Literacy bags will go home on Wednesdays or Thursdays, please keep them through the weekend and return on Monday. Each bag will contain a strategies card, please have your child use this when they get stuck. Keep the card in their bag please.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Kevin Henkes

Today we read Grandpa and Bo by Kevin Henkes. Ask your child the differences between this book and the other Kevin Henkes' books we have been reading. Have them re-tell the story for you.

Proud Board

Zander's work is featured on our Proud Board this week.

Playdough

If anyone would like to donate playdough, it would be greatly appreciated. If you would like to donate homemade playdough that would be welcomed as well:)

Reading!

This week has been a busy week in our Kindergarten classroom. We have re-vamped our reading program a little bit in the past few weeks. We have been using a series of guiding reading books with the children that all have follow-up activities and opportunity for written responses. Mrs. Kruk, Mrs. Schwartz, Miss Hudak and myself have all been taking a small group to read with based on ability. This allows every child to be reading a book with adult instruction each day. On Fridays, the children have been listening to a book on tape and making connections to the story. Please make sure that you practice sight words daily with your child. This is the key to reading success. Pick three a week and have your child Look, See, Spell, Cover, Write, Check. Ask them what this means, we have been working on this with our sight words. Also, when books are sent home on Wednesdays please have your child read them throughout the weekend and return on Monday. Thanks so much in taking part in our reading adventure.

Supplies Needed

Please send in glue sticks and tissues. They would be greatly appreciated.

Proud Board

Gavin was the Proud Board student for this week!

Pajama Day!

Pajama Day was a big hit! The children looked adorable. They enjoyed a story by Sophia's sister because she was the Superstar this week. Ms. Hudak read them Ira Sleeps Over and we discussed sleep overs and special items we bring to bed with us.

Pajama Party

The children have earned a reward for good behavior. We will have a pajama party on Friday. It also correlates with the letter Pp that we have been working on this week. Please allow your child to come into school with their pajamas on Friday. Please make sure that they have appropriate foot wear - NO SLIPPERS!

Long Vowels

We have been shorting pictures according to the long vowel sounds that they make in the middle of the word. Long vowels say their names. The children will not be assessed on this but they need to know that vowels can make 2 sounds.

Show and Tell

We will have Show and Tell next Friday, March 19th. Please have your child bring in a small item that can fit in their backpack. They should be ready to tell the class who they received it from and why they like it.

Report Cards

Report Cards will go home on Friday, March 19th.

Concept Pairs

We are working on the concept pairs neat and messy. We will also be working on noisy and quiet. Please review these with your child at home.

Library Books

Please make sure that your child has their library book in their backpacks on Wednesday mornings.

Letter U

We will be learning the short sound of letter u this week like in umbrella. Please help your child practice the formation and sound.

Birthdays

Parents, I would appreciate it if you sent any birthday invitations or thank you notes via mail unless the entire class is invited. It causes a lot of hurt feelings in the classroom. Thanks for your help.

We discussed and learned the formation of the letter Kk this week. This is a complicated letter because it makes the same sound as hard c. Please have your child practice writing this letter at home.

The children listened to David Shannon's Good Boy, Fergus today. Ask them about this amusing book.

New Sight Word

The word has is our new sight word for this week. We will send home the book Spring tomorrow which highlights this word.

Penny Wars!

The Kindergarten classes have won the Penny Wars! The money will go to the Monroe Food Pantry and all the classes will have a movie party on April 1st.

February News

In math we are beginning simple addition. Please continue to work on number formation at home. Discuss the concepts of greater and fewer.

We learned about the lives and importance of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln this past month. Ask your child about how things were different when G.W. was alive. Please continue to practice addresses, phone numbers and shoe tying.

The children are increasing their sight vocabulary with new sight words this month. Please continue to practice these words at home. One way to do this is to play sight word concentration. Write down the sight words on index cards and make two sets. Place all cards face down and pick two cards at a time. Whoever has a match gets to keep the cards. The person with the most cards is the winner!

Please make sure that your child has their literacy bag in their backpacks everyday.

We are also in need of Wet-Ones wipes.

First Blog!

Parents, I have officially entered the cyber world! Please visit this page weekly for updates about our classroom. This will be in lieu of a monthly newsletter. Thanks for joining me in this adventure.