WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1-5, 2010

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

This week we will be learning all about the consonant Nn, as in nest, nose and nut. As usual, show 'n tell will be on Friday.

This will be an eventful week! Tuesday is Election Day. Please remember to vote-it's every adult's responsibility.

Tuesday is also the day we will have parent/teacher conferences. Currently, all of the conference times are booked, but, if you would like a conference and have not booked one; I will be available on Monday, November 8th between 4 and 5 p.m.

On Friday, Nov. 5th, the first marking period report cards will be sent home. Look in your child's take-home folder for the report card. Please sign it and return it to school.

In Reading we will take a few more days to read the book, "Dig, Dig, Digging." Then we will wrap up Unit 1 and children will be tested on the skills learned.

In Math, we will work with patterns, sort a collection of objects, put the numbers 1--10 in order and identify a missing number. Students will also work on counting backward from 10 and identifying the ordinal position to fourth. Students will also practice writing the numbers 5 and 6.

For homework the students will receive a half-sheet of reading/math/writing practice each night from Monday to Thursday. The half-sheet should be on the "bring back" side of his/her folder.

The 2nd marking period will begin on Wednesday of this week!

WEEK OF OCTOBER 25-29, 2010

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

This week we will learn all about the letter Aa as in apple, ant and acorn. We will have show'n tell on Friday morning. We will concentrate on the short /a/ sound as in apple.

This week is also "Red Ribbon Week" at NSE. Children will be doing different activities to help educate them and keep them drug-free. Each day has a different theme:

Monday-"Turn your back on drugs"-wear your shirt backwards

Tuesday-"Sock it to drugs"-wear crazy socks

Wednesday-"Put a cap on drugs"-wear crazy hats

Thursday-"drugs will turn you inside out"-wear shirts inside out

Friday-"red spirit day"-wear red school spirit shirts

Friday, October 29th, will be the Halloween parade/party. Parents who are helping and have clearances on file will be able to enter the building at 1:00 p. m. The parade will begin at 2:00. Parties will end at 3:00. Your child should not wear his/her costume to school. Please send the costume to school in a bag with your child's name on the outside. Students will get dressed in costumes with the help of teachers and homeroom helpers. Please keep the costumes as simple as possible. All are welcome to come and see the parade.

Conferences will be scheduled for Tuesday, November 2nd. Fill out the form that was attached to our weekly newsletter, if you would like a conference.

In Reading we will be listening to a nonfiction book, "Dig, Dig, Digging." We will talk about how machines help people. We will also review the letter Tt. We will be reviewing the skills of classifying and categorizing.

In Math we will sequence daily events, identify numbers 0-10, talk about triangles and squares, and describe shapes using shape, color, size and position. We will work with AB patterns again (but with sound and movement) and sort a collection of objects.

Please remember to ask your child about the walk we did on Friday afternoon (October 22nd). We raised funds for the American Diabetes Association.

Homework

Monday to Thursday: there will be a half-sheet of math/reading practice sent home in your child's folder on the "bring back" side.

Any additional homework (i.e. the "phonics booklets" will also be put on the "bring back" side.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 18-22, 2010

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

THIS WEEK WE WILL BE LEARNING THE CONSONANT LETTER Pp AS IN PIG, PINK AND PUMPKIN. TO CELEBRATE THIS LETTER WE WILL HAVE A Pajama Party ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21ST FROM 9:00 TO 1:00. STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO WEAR THEIR PAJAMAS TO SCHOOL (THIS HAS BEEN CLEARED THROUGH THE OFFICE!). ROBES AND SLIPPERS ARE OPTIONAL; HOWEVER, WE ASK THAT STUDENTS WEAR SNEAKERS TO SCHOOL. THEN S/HE CAN CHANGE INTO SLIPPERS AFTER ARRIVING IN SCHOOL (DUE TO OUTSIDE RECESS AND POSSIBLE INCLEMENT WEATHER AND DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS DAY 4 AND WE HAVE GYM!). WE WILL DO CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES ABOUT THE LETTER Pp AND HAVE SNACKS THAT BEGIN WITH Pp.

THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22ND, WE WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN A WALK FOR THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION. ALL OF NSE WILL BE WALKING OVER AT THE NSHS STADIUM ON THE TRACK. PLEASE HAVE YOUR CHILD WEAR SNEAKERS THAT DAY. KINDERGARTEN WILL BE WALKING AT 2:30 P.M. AND THERE IS EVEN TALK THAT CHANNEL 16/WNEP WILL BE THERE!

WE WILL BEGIN A NEW STORY, "JULIUS." THIS IS A BOOK ABOUT A LITTLE GIRL WHO GETS A SPECIAL PET PIG FROM HER GRANDFATHER (MUCH TO HER PARENTS' DISMAY). PERFECT TIMING FOR THE LETTER Pp!! WE WILL TALK AND WRITE ABOUT HOW PEOPLE AND ANIMALS WORK AND PLAY TOGETHER. WE WILL LEARN ABOUT THE LETTER Mm AND TALK ABOUT THE STORY ELEMENT, CHARACTER.

IN MATH, WE WILL STUDY PATTERNS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM. WE WILL ACT OUT STORY PROBLEMS WITH TEDDY BEAR COUNTERS. WE WILL COVER PATTERN BLOCKS. THEY WILL LEARN ORDINAL POSITION TO FOURTH. WE WILL PUT DAILY EVENTS IN THE CORRECT ORDER.

WE WILL ALSO BEGIN ASSESSING CHILDREN ON EVERYTHING THEY HAVE LEARNED THIS YEAR, SO FAR. THEY WILL NEED TO IDENTIFY THE LETTERS THEY HAVE LEARNED (L. O. G. H. T , AND P). THEY WILL BE ASKED TO I.D. THE HIGH/FREQUENCY WORDS THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN CLASS(I, LITTLE, THE , AM, A , TO, AND LOVE). THEY WILL I.D. THE NUMBERS 0 - 10. THEY WILL IDENTIFY SHAPES. THEY WILL MAKE A PATTERN AND EXTEND A PATTERN. THEY WILL HAVE TO SAY WHETHER TWO WORDS RHYME AND GIVE ME A WORD THAT RHYMES WITH 3 WORDS.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PARENTS WHO ORGANIZED AND CAME TO THE FALL FESTIVAL. IT WAS AWESOME!!! DUE TO THE WEATHER, WE HELD IT INDOORS, BUT, THE CHILDREN (BOTH KINDERGARTEN AND FOURTH GRADE) HAD A VERY GOOD TIME. IT WAS WELL WORTH THE EFFORT AND TIME THE PARENTS PUT INTO IT. BRAVO TO OUR PARENTS!!!

HOMEWORK

THIS WEEK YOUR CHILD WILL START BRINGING HOME A HALF SHEET OF HOMEWORK EACH DAY (MONDAY THRU THURSDAY). THESE 1/2 PAGES ARE PRACTICE FOR READING AND MATH SKILLS. IT WILL GIVE YOUR CHILD A LITTLE PRACTICE AT HOME AND GET THEM INTO THE ROUTINE OF BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING HOMEWORK ON A REGULAR BASIS. OCCASIONALLY I WILL STAPLE ADDITIONAL HOMEWORK TO THE 1/2 SHEET, BUT WILL TRY TO KEEP HOMEWORK TO A 10 MINUTE MAXIMUM PERIOD.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 11-15, 2010

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

This week school will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for all students. Teachers will have in-service training both days. School will reopen on Wednesday, October 13th.

There will be an hour long program on fire prevention on Wednesday, October 13th at 9:15 for kindergarten in the gym.

Due to the short school week we will not study a new letter in Saxon phonics. However, we will continue with handwriting, reading and math. Since we will not be doing Phonics, there will be no Show 'n Tell.

On Thursday, October 14th, kindergarten (along with their 4th grade reading buddies) will have their "Fall Festival." The parents have done an awesome job of planning and organizing a fun and educational day for our students. Students will be making crafts, taking a hayride, getting photos taken, making/ having snacks, playing games, dancing, listening to stories, decorating a pumpkin to bring home and much more. It will be held on the baseball field adjacent to the NSE building. If it rains, then, it will be held on Friday, October 15th.

School picture make-up day will be Monday, October 18th.

Please remember to label all coats, sweaters, lunch bags/boxes and book bags. We get a lot of lost items.

Homework

Wednesday: please do "first name" worksheet; practice telephone number


***VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR "FALL FESTIVAL." PLEASE CONTACT DANA ORAVITZ--danao2@verizon.net/874-2031, IF AVAILABLE TO HELP. SET UP WILL BEGIN AT 7:30 A.M. THURSDAY.

WEEK OF OCTOBER 3-7, 2010

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

This week we will be learning consonant Tt as in tent, tail and tie. Show 'n Tell will be on Friday-start looking for objects or pictures that begin with Tt. Also, boys and girls are asked to learn their telephone numbers-we will practice writing them and saying them in school-please practice at home too!

The Kindergarten Fall Festival will be held at the school on Thursday, October 14th. All family members who have the necessary clearances are welcome and needed. There will be a meeting for all those interested -tonight immediately following the PTO meeting in the NSE cafeteria.

In Math we will continue to use teddy bear counters, pattern blocks and linking cubes to learn new concepts. Students will work wit graphs for two days. They will name a shape piece using shape, color and size; then, describe its relative position. Children will match number cards (1 to 5) with sets of objects. On Friday, they will create an AB pattern using the linking cubes.

Also, remember we learn about calendars, patterns and numbers during our daily math meeting (first thing in the morning). We also identify letters and words in our morning message which is done on our smartboard each morning.

In Reading we will read "Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip." It's an animal fantasy that will involve discussing community and people who help each other. Children will be drawing/writing about a place where they would like to go on a field trip (can't wait to hear those answers!).

Monday: read "Family Times"; look for show 'n tell bag for Tt

Tuesday: practice your telephone number

Wednesday: practice reading the phonics booklet "Am I Little?"

Thursday: practice telephone number; practice counting to 25