December 8, 2017

Hi!

It's sounding like snow is on the way! Once there is snow on the ground, the children will need snow pants, boots, hats and mittens to participate in outdoor recess. If they don't have the proper gear, they still go out for fresh air, but are required to remain on the paved part of the playground. As long as your child has sneakers here at school, you don't need to send in extra shoes each day. 

Readers' Workshop: Your fish super reader is learning how to use his/her voice to bring a book to life. Each time they re-read a just right book, they are beginning to work on fluency. The predictable patterns in their books help them to sing out familiar texts. We are also beginning to use punctuation to figure out how we can change our voice to show understanding of what we read. (ie. louder and excited voices when there is an exclamation point)

Writers' Workshop: This week the children were introduced with list books with a twist. The book follows a pattern until the last page where the pattern changes. (ie. I like___. I like___. I like___. But I don't like____.) The children learned about punctuation in reading this week, so we are beginning to remind them to use periods at the end of their sentences in their list books.

Math Workshop:  There were many math challenges this week. The children are learning many different ways to solve simple math word problems. They are using 10 frames, number lines, number bonds, pictures and numbers. The searched for and cut out triangles and circles in magazines. They created pictures using shape tracing templates and used smaller shaped pattern blocks to see how many ways they could make a hexagon.

Visual Arts: There is gingerbread art everywhere! We have gingerbread boys, girls and houses on display. The children are even creating gingerkids with our playdough.

Some Stories We Have Read: Gingerbread Baby, The Gingerbread Girl, The Gingerbread Bear & The Gingerbread Boy

Up-coming Events:

• Word of the Week-the
• Phonics- superstar u
• Handwriting- A and I
• Early Release- Wednesday, 12/13
• Class Gingerbread Party- Thursday, 12/21 at 2:00
• Holiday Vacation- 12/25-1/1

Fondly,

Kristen

December 4, 2017

Math Center Time

Growing and repeating patterns


Using a geoboard app


Finding triangles in magazines

December 1, 2017

Hello Fish Families.

We have begun our month-long study of the gingerbread folktale. There are many versions of this story that we will be comparing/contrasting. We will also be doing lots of gingerbread art.

Readers' Workshop: We are in the middle of our Super Power unit. The children are learning a new reading power almost every day, so be sure to ask them all about what they are learning. This week we introduced pointer power, re-read power, partner power, picture power, (beginning) sound power and snap word power. 

Writers' Workshop: We are writing list books! The children are using sight words and patterns to write the type of books they are reading. (ie. I see a house. I see a car. I see a tree.)

Math Workshop: We began our geometry unit. The children are exploring with and talking about shapes. They are using lots of math vocabulary.  (ie. lines, angles, curves, sides, same, alike, different) We are also using shapes to make patterns. 

Visual Arts: We have been painting and using shapes to make winter trees and snowkids. 

Some Stories We Have Read: The Gingerbread Man, The Ninjabread Man, The Pigeon Needs a Bath, The Shape of Things, Circus Shapes

Up-coming Events:

• Word of the Week-is
• Phonics- l and r
• Handwriting- G and S
• Early Release- Wednesday, 12/13
• Class Gingerbread Party- Thursday, 12/21 at 2:00
• Holiday Vacation- 12/25-1/1

Have a nice weekend.

Kristen

November 17, 2017

Happy Friday Everyone!

Progress Reports can be found in your child's folder today. We don't report grades during the first marking period due to conferences. The progress reports are printed to report first quarter attendance. Please sign and return the envelope to school as soon as possible. We re-use them each quarter. The progress report is yours to keep.  Thank you!

Up-coming Events:

• Fish Class Breakfast- Tuesday, 11/21 starting at 8:00 in our classroom
• Thanksgiving Break- 11/22-11/24
• Word of the Week-I
• Phonics- m and n
• Handwriting- C, O and Q
• SMS Book Fair- 11/27-12/1
• FISH CLASS Book Fair shopping- Thursday, 11/30 from 2:15-2:45
• Early Release- Wednesday, 12/13

Fondly,

Kristen

November 14, 2017

Celebrating Unit #1

Reading with our Buddies

Launching Reading Unit #2 

A Visit from our very own SMS Superhero"LIT LADY" 

November 9, 2017

Hello.

Thank you for filling up our Sign Up Genius requests so quickly! I appreciate your continued support.

Picture re-take is on Monday. If you want re-takes done, please put your picture package in your child's folder and return it to school on Monday.

Up-coming Events:

• Word of the Week- so
• Phonics- superstar o
• Handwriting- X, Y, and Z
• PTO Spaghetti and Bingo- 11/17
• Fish Class Breakfast- 11/21 8-8:30
• Thanksgiving Break- 11/22-11/24
• Book Fair- 11/27-12/1

Fondly,

Kristen

November 3, 2017

Hello Fish Families.

A superintendent search survey is now available to community members on the SAU 16 website. This survey provides parents an opportunity to have a voice in the process. It is a quick, user friendly survey. Feel free to check it out. 

There will be a family breakfast on Tuesday, November 21st in our classroom from 8-8:25. Please save the date. Invitations will be coming home next week. 

Apps We Like: QuickImages & LetterSchool

Some Books We Have Read: I Will Surprise My Friend, Leaves, Fall Mixed Up

Up-Coming Events:

• Handwriting- V and W continued
• Phonics- a (our first vowel/superstar) continued
• Word of the Week- an continued
• Early Release for Parent/Teacher Conferences- Wednesday, 11/8
• No School for Teacher Workshop day- Thursday, 11/9
• No School for Veterans' Day- Friday, 11/10
• PTO Spaghetti and Bingo- Friday, 11/17
• Thanksgiving Breakfast, Tuesday, 11/21 8-8:30
• Thanksgiving Break- 11/22-11/24
• Book Fair- 11/27-12/1

Happy "Turn the Clocks Back" Weekend. 

Kristen

October 27, 2017

Greetings Fish Families! 

I am looking forward to conferencing with all of you over the next few weeks. There are so many things to celebrate with these kindergarten children. Until then, here is a snapshot of what we have been doing these past two weeks.

Writers' Workshop: We have been empowering your young writers to write even when it is hard. Taking risks and persevering are two major habits we want to instill in your authors. We made the jump to booklets as a choice when the children select paper to work with. Up until now, the children have been using single sheets of paper. They learned how to plan their writing piece across the pages before beginning. Partnerships are important during this time. When you tell your partner your story first, you are organizing your thoughts and are ready to get to the drawing part. We continue to work on making sure all the pages in a book go together (are about the same topic.)

Readers' Workshop: We have been doing lots of work with our "old favorites" or familiar stories. Children love re-reading stories they have heard many times. The fish are doing a great job using the pictures to read a familiar text. They are working hard to make sure the words they read match the pictures on the page. They use the language of the story and are even using exact character words! 

Math Workshop:  We continue to work with 10 frames, subitizing, writing numbers 0-10, making and analyzing graphs. This week the children worked on building numbers. They used cubes in two different colors to represent towers of 6. They recorded the many combinations of 6. We are almost done our first math unit, Counting and Cardinality 0-10. I will be doing some informal assessment next week. Letters will be sent home letting you know how your mathematician is doing once we are done with the unit and assessments.  

Science/Social Studies: We continue with our safety unit and learning about community helpers who help keep us safe. We also spent some time in the garden today planting daffodil bulbs. The children dug individual holes, planted their bulbs roots down and filled the holes back in. It was a beautiful day to work outside!



Visual Arts: We made black cats, witches, candy corn people and patterned place mats this week. There will be lots of art to check out when you are in for conferences.


Up-Coming Events:

• Handwriting- V and W
• Phonics- a (our first vowel/superstar)
• Word of the Week- an
• Class Halloween Celebration- 10/31 in the afternoon
• Early Release for Parent/Teacher Conferences- Wednesday, 11/1 and Wednesday 11/8
• No School for Teacher Workshop day- Thursday, 11/9
• No School for Veterans' Day- Friday, 11/10
• Thanksgiving Break- 11/22-11/24

Fondly, 

Kristen