WEEK OF MAY 2-6, 2011

KINDERGARTEN HOMEWORK

MONDAY TO THURSDAY: EACH NIGHT PRACTICE READING WORD LIST # 22-THE TEST WILL BE ON FRIDAY, MAY 6TH. ALSO, EACH NIGHT COMPLETE THE HALF-SHEET OF READING/MATH PRACTICE SENT HOME IN YOUR CHILD'S TAKE-HOME FOLDER. FINALLY, PRACTICE SIGHT WORDS!

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

OUR NEW DIGRAPH FOR THE WEEK IN PHONICS IS OO. IT HAS TWO DIFFERENT SOUNDS. IT CAN BE OO AS IN HOOK. IT CAN BE OO AS IN TOOTH. WE WILL STUDY BOTH SOUNDS NEXT WEEK.

IN READING WE WILL READ AN OLD CLASSIC, "THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD," BY WATTY PIPER. WE WILL TALK ABOUT TRAINS AND THE PLOT OF THE STORY. WE WILL AGAIN REVIEW THE SHORT SOUND OF THE VOWEL Uu. WE WILL INTRODUCE THE NEW H/F WORDS: SAID, WAS.

IN MATH WE WILL HAVE A NEW MONTH, A NEW SHAPE FOR THE CALENDAR, A NEW COLOR PATTERN. WE WILL ALSO DEEP COUNTING TO 180 (ONLY 23 DAYS UNTIL SUMMER)! STUDENTS WILL LEARN ABOUT EQUIVALENT SETS AND DOUBLES WHILE USING DOMINOES. THEY WILL ACT OUT "SOME, SOME MORE" STORIES (WORD PROBLEMS). THEY WILL SOLVE A PROBLEM BY GUESSING AND CHECKING (USING LARGE DOT CUBES MAKE OF FOAM). THEY WILL ALSO BE ASSESSED ON THEIR ABILITY TO COUNT TO 100 BY TENS. FINALLY, THEY WILL HAVE TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST STRAWS TO TELL ME WHICH IS SHORTEST AND WHICH IS LONGEST.

IN KID-WRITING WE WILL DEFINITELY BE WORKING ON WRITING LISTS OF WORDS. YOUR CHILD WAS ASKED TO WRITE ALL OF THE WORDS IN OUR ROOM THAT THEY COULD READ. SOME CHILDREN WROTE A LIST OF 78 WORDS. WE WILL KEEP "WRITING THE ROOM." WE WILL ALSO BE WRITING ABOUT SOMETHING THEY WANT TO LEARN TO DO THAT THEY THINK WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF EFFORT. THAT SHOULD BE INTERESTING!

NEXT FRIDAY I WILL BE SENDING HOME A PERMISSION FORM FOR THE FIELD TRIP AT THE END OF MAY. I WILL ALSO SEND HOME AN ORDER FORM FOR A BAGGED LUNCH FROM THE CAFETERIA. THIS IS AN OPTION; YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ORDER A LUNCH.

IN YOUR CHILD'S FOLDER YOU SHOULD HAVE FOUND AN ORDER FORM FOR A DVD OF THE KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS' PHOTOS AND GRADUATION SONGS. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, YOU MAY PURCHASE ONE-AGAIN, THIS IS OPTIONAL! KEEP PRACTICING THE GRADUATION SONGS!

WEEK OF APRIL 26-29, 2011

KINDERGARTEN HOMEWORK

TUESDAY TO THURSDAY: EACH NIGHT PRACTICE THE READING WORD LIST #22 (THIS IS AN EASY ONE FOR MOST, 5 MINUTES PER NIGHT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT). ALSO COMPLETE THE HALF-SHEET OF HOMEWORK SENT HOME FOR READING/MATH PRACTICE. ALSO, PRACTICE THE LYRICS TO THE KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION SONGS SENT HOME LAST WEEK IN YOUR CHILD'S TAKE-HOME FOLDER. THANKS!

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

THIS WEEK IN PHONICS WE START A NEW DIGRAPH, TH. WE WILL STUDY BOTH THE VOICED AND UNVOICED SOUND (I ONLY MENTIONED THE VOICED SOUND IN THE NEWSLETTER). THE VOICED SOUND WILL BE FIRST. THE KEYWORD IS FEATHER. ON THURSDAY WE WILL BEGIN THE UNVOICED SOUND AS IN THIMBLE. THIS IS DIFFICULT. PLEASE LOOK OVER YOUR CHILD'S PHONICS WORKSHEET WHEN IT COMES HOME IN THE FOLDER TO REVIEW IT.

IN READING WE WILL READ A REALISTIC FICTION BOOK CALLED "MESSENGER, MESSENGER." WE WILL DISCUSS TRANSPORTATION JOBS. WE WILL REVIEW THE LETTER Uu AND THE STORY ELEMENT OF COMPARE/CONTRAST. WE WILL HAVE SEVERAL NEW H/F WORDS. PLEASE REVIEW THESE WITH YOUR CHILD.

IN MATH WE WILL WORK A LOT WITH COINS (THIS SEEMS TO BE A WEAK AREA FOR MANY OF THE CHILDREN). WE WILL ALSO WORK WITH TANGRAMS. WE WILL WORK WITH RECTANGLES AND JUDGE THE LARGEST VERSUS THE SMALLEST.

ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY THE READING TEACHERS WILL TESTING THE KDG. STUDENTS WITH THE DIBELS TESTS. THIS IS THEIR THIRD AND FINAL DIBELS TESTING OF THE YEAR. IT SHOULD SHOW US YOUR CHILD'S PROGRESS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS THE READING TEACHERS WILL ALSO TEST YOUR CHILD ON HIS/HER ABILITY TO WRITE A LIST OF WORDS AND TO WRITE A DICTATED SENTENCE. WE WILL PRACTICE THIS IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT, ANY ADDITIONAL PRACTICE AT HOME WOULD HELP.

THIS WEEK THE CHILDREN WILL HAVE A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER ON THURSDAY MORNING AS I GO THE FOUNTAIN SPRINGS CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER TO VISIT WITH THE CHILDREN COMING TO NSE NEXT YEAR. ALL OF THE KDG. TEACHERS TAKE TURNS VISITING.

OF COURSE KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION IS COMING! IT IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, MAY 23RD AT 6:30 P.M. AT NSHS AUDITORIUM. LATER THAT WEEK THE CHILDREN WILL TAKE A FIELD TRIP TO THE HERSHEY CENTER TO SEE THE CIRCUS (THAT WILL BE ON THURSDAY, MAY 26TH). THEN, FINALLY, THEY WILL HAVE THE NSE CARNIVAL ON FRIDAY, MAY 27TH-WHAT A WEEK THAT WILL BE!!!

WEEK OF APRIL 18 - 21, 2011

KINDERGARTEN HOMEWORK

MONDAY TO WEDNESDAY: PRACTICE READING WORD LIST #20 (WHICH WILL COME HOME IN YOUR CHILD'S FOLDER ON MONDAY); THEY WILL BE ASSESSED ON THURSDAY. ALSO, DO HALF-SHEET OF READING/MATH PRACTICE EACH NIGHT THAT COMES HOME IN CHILD'S FOLDER.

* YOUR CHILD WILL ONLY HAVE THREE NIGHTS TO PRACTICE THE READING WORD LIST; THEY ARE ALL EARNING 100s AND THEY CAN LEARN THE LISTS IN A SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME.

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

THIS WEEK IN PHONICS WE WILL STUDY THE DIGRAPH SH AS IN SHARK. STUDENTS WILL BE REMINDED TO UNDERLINE DIGRAPHS. THERE WILL BE NO SHOW 'N TELL.

IN READING WE WILL READ THE STORY, "MAYDAY, MAYDAY." IT IS REALISTIC FICTION ABOUT A COAST GUARD HELICOPTER SENT OUT TO RESCUE A BOAT IN A STORM. WE WILL REVIEW THE LETTER Xx AND LEARN NEW H/F WORDS: GREEN, BLUE, FOR. WE WILL ALSO DISCUSS CAUSE AND EFFECT IN THIS STORY.

WE WILL PRACTICE WORD PROBLEMS IN MATH AND WILL DRAW PICTURES TO HELP US SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. WE WILL ALSO STUDY SPHERES AND QUARTERS. WE WILL ASSESS STUDENTS TWO MATH SKILLS.

IN KID-WRITING WE WILL CONCENTRATE ON EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION. DRAWING PICTURES AND WRITING AT LEAST TWO SENTENCES. WE ARE SAVING OUR KID-WRITING TO SHARE WITH FAMILIES AT YEAR'S END.

WE DO HAVE SOME SPECIAL EVENTS NEXT WEEK. CHILDREN WILL HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED "BRAINSHOWMANIA." THIS WILL BE WEDNESDAY MORNING. THEY WILL ALSO HAVE AN EGG HUNT AND EASTER PARTY ON THURSDAY MORNING.

REMEMBER - SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED FRIDAY, APRIL 22ND, AND, MONDAY, APRIL 25TH.

MONDAY, APRIL 18TH, IS DAY 3 AND WE WILL HAVE MUSIC!

WEEK OF APRIL 11-15, 2011

KINDERGARTEN HOMEWORK

MONDAY TO THURSDAY: EACH NIGHT PLEASE PRACTICE READING WORD LIST # 19, THE TEST IS ON FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH. ALSO, COMPLETE THE HALF-SHEET OF READING/MATH PRACTICE SENT HOME IN YOUR CHILD'S FOLDER.

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

IMPORTANT REMINDER: KINDERGARTEN PHYSICALS WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, APRIL 14TH.


THIS WEEK IN PHONICS WE WILL BE STUDYING OUR FIRST DIGRAPH CK AS IN DUCK. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE SPELLING RULE FOR THE FINAL /K/. WHEN YOU HAVE THE /K/ AFTER A SHORT VOWEL YOU SPELL IT CK. STUDENTS WILL LEARN THAT YOU CODE DIGRAPHS BY UNDERLINING THEM. THIS DIGRAPH (CK) IS THE FIRST OF MANY THAT THEY WILL STUDY.


IN READING WE WILL BEGIN A NEW UNIT OF STORIES-UNIT 5-"GOING PLACES." WE WILL BE DISCUSSING HOW PEOPLE GET FROM PLACE TO PLACE. IN OUR FIRST STORY WE WILL TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION THAT THE CHILDREN CAN NAME. OUR FIRST STORY IS "MAX TAKES THE TRAIN" BY ROSEMARY WELLS. WE WILL TALK ABOUT REALISM VERSUS FANTASY AND REVIEW THE LETTERS Jj AND Ww. WE WILL ALSO BE USING NEW H/F WORDS: YELLOW, BLUE, GREEN, HAVE.


IN MATH WE WILL DO SOME MEASURING AND WE WILL GRAPH A PICTURE ON A PICTOGRAPH. THEN WE WILL WORK WITH NUMBER LINES TO IDENTIFY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LARGER AND SMALLER NUMBERS. WE WILL WORK WITH TANGRAMS AGAIN TO COVER DESIGNS AND EXPLORE SLIDES, TURNS AND FLIPS. CHILDREN WILL ALSO COUNT FORWARD AND BACKWARD ON A NUMBER LINE AND MATCH NUMBER CARDS TO A SET OF UP TO 20 OBJECTS.


IN KIDWRITING STUDENTS WILL WRITE ABOUT FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION THAT INTEREST THEM. THEY ARE ALSO PRACTICING MAKING LISTS OF WORDS THAT THEY KNOW. THE LISTS KEEP GETTING LONGER AND LONGER!


ON THURSDAY, APRIL 14TH, MRS. HULL, OUR GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, WILL COME TO TEACH HER MONTHLY LESSON ON BULLYING. THE CHILDREN ALWAYS SEEM BER Y ENGAGED IN HER LESSONS AND ARE ATTENTIVE.


UPCOMING EVENTS: BRAINSHOWMANIA PROGRAM-APRIL 20TH; EASTER EGG HUNT/PARTY-APRIL 21ST; EASTER VACATION-APRIL 22-25TH.


MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, IS DAY 2 AND OUR SPECIAL IS ART. ON MONDAY THERE IS A LUNCHTIME MENU CHANGE: IT WILL BE BREADED CHICKEN PATTY ON A ROLL, INSTEAD OF CHICKEN NUGGETS (SORRY, KIDS).

WEEK OF APRIL 4-8, 2011

KINDERGARTEN HOMEWORK

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

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

MONDAY, APRIL 4TH IS DAY 1 (COMPUTERS). THURSDAY, APRIL 7TH IS KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION PHOTOGRAPHS. CHILDREN MUST WEAR A WHITE COLLARED SHIRT. THEY WILL BE PHOTOGRAPHED IN A CAP AND GOWN, SO KEEP HAIRDOS SIMPLE AND NO ELABORATE HAIR ACCESSORIES, PLEASE.

WE HAVE FINISHED LEARNING ALL OF THE 26 LETTERS (FINALLY!); SO, THIS WEEK WE WILL LEARN ABOUT THE LONG VOWEL RULE. THE LONG VOWEL RULE STATES: A VOWEL NOT FOLLOWED BY A CONSONANT IS LONG; CODE IT WITH A MACRON. PREVIOUSLY, THE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED TO CODE SHORT VOWELS WITH BREVES9THEY LOOK LIKE SMILES). THEY ALSO KNOW THAT WHEN A VOWEL IS FOLLOWED BY A CONSONANT IN A WORD THE VOWEL IS SHORT. THERE IS NO SHOW 'N TELL.

IN READING WE WILL READ THE LAST BOOK IN UNIT 4. IT IS "ABUELA" BY ARTHUR DORROS. IT IS A FANTASY STORY ABOUT A GIRL AND HER GRANDMOTHER (ABUELA) AND HOW THEY TAKE A FLYING ADVENTURE AROUND NEW YORK CITY. THIS BOOK INCLUDES MANY SPANISH WORDS; SO, DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOUR CHILD TRIES SOME OUT ON YOU. WE WILL REVIEW THE VOWEL Ee AND OUR NEW H/F WORDS-HERE, GO, FROM. WE WILL REVISIT THE COMPREHENSION SKILL-SETTING.

THE READING WORD LIST #18 SHOULD HAVE COME HOME IN YOUR CHILD'S FOLDER ON FRIDAY (4-1). SORRY, I FORGOT TO SEND IT HOME (GUESS I WAS SIDETRACKED BY WEDDING PREPARATIONS!). THE CHILDREN WILL NOW BE ASSESSED ON FRIDAY, APRIL 8 AND WE WILL TRY TO STAY ON THIS SCHEDULE.

IN MATH WE WILL BE ASSESSING YOUR CHILD'S ABILITY TO COPY A DESIGN ON A GEOBOARD. EACH MORNING WE WILL WORK WITH A NEW ABC PATTERN ON OUR APRIL CALENDAR AND A NEW SHAPE-THE ELLIPSE! IN THE NEXT GROUP OF MATH LESSONS THEY WILL BE WORKING WITH A ABBC COLOR PATTERN. THEY WILL IDENTIFY RIGHT AND LEFT. THEY WILL LABEL THINGS SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE. THEY WILL ALSO BE COUNTING BACKWARD USING A NUMBER LINE.

WE ARE PLANNING AN EASTER EGG HUNT AND SMALL PARTY FOR KINDERGARTEN ON WEDNESDAY. APRIL 20TH IN THE A.M. ALL OF THE EGGS WILL HAVE READING SIGHT WORDS WRITTEN ON THEM. OUR CLASS' SIGHT WORD IS LOVE.