WEEK OF MARCH 28-APRIL 1, 2011

KINDERGARTEN HOMEWORK

MONDAY THRU THURSDAY: PRACTICE READING WORD LIST # 18; EACH NIGHT COMPLETE THE HALF-SHEET OF READING/MATH PRACTICE SENT HOME IN YOUR CHILD'S FOLDER

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

THIS WEEK WE LEARN ALL ABOUT THE CONSONANT Qq AS IN QUILT. THIS IS OUR LAST LETTER (NEXT WE LEARN ABOUT RULES, DIGRAPHS, ETC.). THIS IS THE WEEK THE GIRLS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR EVER SINCE WE DID THE LETTER Kk (AND THE BOYS GOT TO BE KINGS). THERE WILL BE NO SHOW 'N TELL. HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE TWO SPECIAL EVENTS. ON WEDNESDAY THE GIRLS WILL GET TO BE QUEENS! THEN, ON FRIDAY, APRIL 1ST, WE WILL HAVE THE WEDDING OF THE Q AND U (A LETTER WILL COME HOME ON TUESDAY TO SHARE DETAILS REGARDING THE WEDDING.

IN READING WE WILL READ A NONFICTION BIG BOOK TITLED "IF YOU COULD GO TO ANTARCTICA." WE WILL DISCUSS ICEBERGS, SEALS, PENGUINS, WHALES AND CONTINENTS. IN THIS INFORMATIONAL TEXT WE WILL STUDY HOW TO CLASSIFY AND CATEGORIZE. WE WILL REVIEW THE VOWEL Ee. THERE WILL BE THREE NEW H/F WORDS: HERE, GO, FROM.

IN MATH WE WILL "SHOP" AGAIN (THIS TIME STUDENTS WILL HAVE 50 CENTS IN NICKELS TO SPEND). WE WILL DIVIDE BY SHARING. WE WILL USE DECKS OF CARDS TO IDENTIFY AND ORDER NUMBERS AND COMPARE SETS OF OBJECTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE WILL USE THE DECKS OF CARDS TO COMPARE NUMBERS THROUGH 10. THEN WE WILL SOLVE A PROBLEM BY DRAWING A PICTURE. THE FOLLOWING WEEK CHILDREN WILL BE ASSESSED ON THEIR ABILITY TO NAME THE DAYS OF THE WEEK AND ON THEIR ABILITY TO COPY A DESIGN ON A GEOBOARD.

FYI-OUR FIELD TRIP HAS BEEN PLANNED AND TICKETS HAVE BEEN PURCHASED. WE WILL BE GOING TO THE GIANT CENTER IN HERSHEY TO SEE THE RINGLING BROS.' CIRCUS ON THURSDAY, MAY 26TH.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND! MONDAY WILL BE DAY 4 AND WE HAVE GYM. REMEMBER TO WEAR YOUR SNEAKERS!

Week of March 21-25, 2011

Kindergarten Homework

Monday thru Thursday: practice Reading Word List #17 and do the half-sheet of reading/math practice sent home in your child's folder.

Kindergarten News

Monday, March 21st, is Day 3 and our special is Music. PSSA tests will still be held in the morning for grades 3-6; we will follow the schedule we used last week. Plus we must remember to be especially quiet in the building.

This week we will be working on the consonant Ww and its sound as in wagon and watermelon. We will have show 'n tell on Friday so look for bags to come home in folders on Monday.

To go along with our letter Ww, we will have two special activities. Wednesday, March 23rd, will be Watery Wednesday! We will be talking about water and completing different experiments involving water throughout the day. It will be WONDERFUL! Friday, March 25th, will be Wacky Hair Day. Start thinking about a wacky hairstyle for the day. Remember-boys and girls with short hair can always wear wigs-they're wacky too!

In Reading we will read the old classic, "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." We will review the letter Gg and discuss the concept of character. We will also continue to study the H/F number words-one, two, three, four, five.

In Math we will identify and work with nickels up to 50 cents. We will practice counting to 50 by 5's. We will put objects in order by height. We will identify a cylinder. We will continue to work with ABC patterns.

We are nearing the end of the third marking period. We will be testing the children again on many of the reading and math skills that have been introduced to see if they have mastered them.

Also-Graduation photos will be taken on the morning of Thursday, April 7th. Children will need to wear a white collared shirt that day. PSP will be taking the photos. More details will follow as the date gets closer.

Week of March 14-18, 2011

Kindergarten Homework

Monday to Thursday: each night practice the reading word list # 16. Also have your child do the half-sheet of reading/math practice that s/he brings home in their folder on the "Bring Back" side.

Kindergarten News

Monday, March 14 will be a Day 2 and our class will have Art with Ms. Pasco.

This week we will learn the consonant Xx as in fox and x-ray. there will be NO show 'n tell (thank goodness!). However, the children will go on a treasure hunt around the school to find the spots marked with an X.

In Reading we will read "One Little Mouse" by Dori Chaconas. We will introduce consonant blends and review the comprehension skill, sequence. This is a rhyming book about animals and their adventures.

Speaking of reading, if your child read the newspaper 5x last week, you can send in the "I'm A Reader" contract. Then, at the end of the year, your child receives a certificate and his/her name is in the newspaper (Pottsville Republican). If you misplaced your contract, I have a few here at school, contact me and I will send one home in your child's folder.

In Math we will make an ABC pattern using pattern blocks (we did not do all 5 lessons last week, due to the 2-hour delay on Monday, but we did do math on Friday). We will act out "Some, Some More" and "Some, Some Went Away" stories (we will use pattern blocks and teddy bear counters). We will estimate and measure the capacity of containers using nonstandard units and compare and order containers by capacity; plus, we will write numerals through 20 to label the sets. After that, we will solve a problem by guessing and checking. Children will also be assessed on making and reading a graph (which they will make out of pattern blocks).

Of course it is St. Patrick's Day on Thursday, March 17th. We will celebrate in a small way with some stories, songs and trinkets. Please try to remember to wear green!

Next week, beginning on Tuesday, the older students in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grades will be taking their PSSA tests. Please remind your child that it is very important to be quiet in the school on those days. Finally, on Saturday, March 12th, please remember to turn your clocks ahead one hour for daylight savings time. Our class is counting down the days until spring. Now, if only the weather would get more spring-like! Have a good week!

WEEK OF MARCH 7-11, 2011

KINDERGARTEN HOMEWORK

MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY: HALF-SHEET OF READING/MATH PRACTICE AND EACH NIGHT PRACTICE READING WORD LIST #14.

FOR THURSDAY/FRIDAY: PRACTICE A JOKE TO TELL THE CLASS

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

MONDAY IS DAY 1 AND WE HAVE COMPUTERS!

THIS WEEK WE WILL LEARN ALL ABOUT THE LETTER Jj AS IN JAR. WE WILL NOT HAVE SHOW 'N TELL. WE WILL TELL JOKES.

WE WILL ALSO TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE "JELLY BELLY" FACTORY ON OUR SMARTBOARD. THEN YOUR CHILD WILL GET TO SAMPLE SOME UNUSUAL JELLY BEAN FLAVORS. BE SURE TO ASK WHICH ARE THEIR FAVORITES.

IN READING WE WILL READ ANOTHER ANIMAL FANTASY "MY LUCKY DAY" BY KEIKO KASZA. WE WILL PRACTICE THE COMPREHENSION SKILL-CAUSE AND EFFECT. WE WILL REVIEW THE LETTER Ll AND KEEP PRACTICING THE H/F WORDS - ARE, DO, THAT.

IN MATH WE WILL BE WORKING WITH STRAWS - SORTING THEM BY LENGTH AND PUTTING THEM IN CORRECT ORDER. WE WILL GET OUT OUR GEOBOARDS AGAIN TO LEARN ABOUT LINE SEGMENTS, SHAPES AND DESIGNS. AGAIN, STUDENTS WILL PRACTICE ORDERING OBJECTS BY LENGTH, BUT, THIS TIME THEY WILL WORK WITH PAPER STRIPS. WE WILL PRACTICE MAKING AN ABC PATTERN WITH PATTERN BLOCKS (THE CHILDREN HAVE SEEN AN ABC PATTERN ON THE MARCH CALENDAR). FINALLY, THE STUDENTS WILL LEARN HOW TO ESTIMATE AND MEASURE THE CAPACITY OF CONTAINERS (THEY WILL USE TEDDY BEAR COUNTERS TO DO THIS!).

KEEP PRACTICING THE LETTERS AND THEIR SOUNDS - PARTICULARLY THE SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS -THEY SEEM TO GIVE THE CHILDREN THE MOST DIFFICULTY.

ALSO, PRACTICE READING AND WRITING THE NUMBERS FROM 11 TO 20. MOST CHILDREN CAN SAY ALL THE NUMBERS, BUT, SOME CANNOT READ THE NUMBERS WHEN I POINT TO THEM OR CANNOT WRITE THEM IF I ASK THEM TO DO SO.