December 23, 2016

Hi Fish Families.

I put some photos of buddies and winter wonderland in P.E. on our FLICKR page. Be sure to check them out. Enjoy the vacation week and I look forward to all that 2017 will bring!

Up-Coming Events:

• December vacation- 12/26-1/2  See you on January 3rd!
• Handwriting- lowercase o,c, and s
• Word of the Week- it
• Lively Letters- sh
• No School- 1/16/17

Ho Ho Ho!

Kristen

December 16, 2016

Hi Fish Families!

We have been busy little elves this week, and our classroom is full of energy! We did reading "selfies" for the first time today. We are working out the glitches, but I hope you enjoy watching their first video.

Up-Coming Events:

• Handwriting- Review of Uppercase letters
• Word of the Week- the 
• Gingerbread Decorating Party- 12/22 at 2:05 
• Wear your pjs to school- Friday, 12/23
• Winter Vacation- 12/26/16-1/2/17

Enjoy the weekend!

Kristen

December 13, 2016

Hello Fish Families.
I can't begin to express how humbled I am by all of your generosity. The Sign Up Genius I sent out for the local family's wish list was filled up in a day. I am so excited to think of Christmas morning for those lucky children. Thank you fish families!

Here's a QUICK look into our week in the Fish classroom:

Literacy: Our shared reading book this week was Our Grandad. We did lots of thinking about what we know about grandfathers (schema) and made text to self connections. Readers think about what they read and we are working on that important skill. 

Books We Have Read: Happy Pig Day, Llama, Llama Mad at Mama, Llama, Llama Holiday Drama, The Gingerbread Bear, Georgie the Gingerbread Fairy, 

Up-Coming Events:

• Handwriting- I, T and J (These are our final uppercase letters!)
• Word of the Week- am
• Phonics-s and z 
• Gingerbread Decorating Party- 12/22 at 2:05 
• Wear your pjs to school- Friday, 12/23
• Winter Vacation- 12/26/16-1/2/17

Fondly,

Kristen

December 5th, 2016

Hello Fish Families.

The snowy season has arrived! Please send your child to school each day with LABELLED snow pants, boots, hats and gloves/mittens. We go outside as long as it isn't rainy or dangerously cold. Children who aren't prepared for the winter elements still go outside for recess, but have to remain on the paved area of the playground. Thanks for your support with this.

Here's a glimpse into our week in the Fish classroom:

Visual Arts: We are making lots of gingerkids using various art supplies to go along with our study (comparison) of the various versions of the gingerbread man folktale. We also used simple shapes to make winter trees and snowpeople. 

Readers' Workshop:  We are working on developing our snap words (high frequency words that we don't sound out). Keep practicing those words of the week we have covered so far this year (an, he, at, a, and, no, I, in,, is, so & see). The children learned about sound power where they "put the first sound of a word in their mouth and get ready to read" the word.  

Writers' Workshop: The children began writing list books. Their "just right" reading books follow a list pattern, so they are grasping the formula of list books quickly. They are writing I Can..., I Like..., I See...books. They can make their books a 'list with a twis't by altering the last page to break the pattern (ie. I like...I like... But I Don't Like...)

Literacy: Our shared reading book this week was The Tree House. The class made a version of this book which will come home in our fish of the day bag. 

Math Workshop: We wrapped up Unit 3 this week. I am finishing up the end-of-unit assessments and will send them home Friday. The children used 2 colored beans and ten frames to show combinations that add to 10. We did a problem solving math activity where the children had to represent a number 4 different ways. They used tallies, drawing of fingers, 10 frames, and dots to show numbers many different ways.  

Books We Have Read: The Gingerbread Man (2 versions), The Nijabread Man, The Gingerbread Boy, The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School

Up-Coming Events:

• Handwriting- G, S and A
• Word of the Week- and
• Phonics-u 
• Gingerbread Decorating Party- 12/22 at 2:05 
• Wear your pjs to school- Friday, 12/23
• Winter Vacation- 12/26/16-1/2/17

Have a great night.

Kristen

November 18, 2016

Hello Fish Families.

Here's a glimpse into our week in the Fish classroom:

Visual Arts: We have been busy making all kinds of turkeys using paint, feathers, markers and lots of googly eyes! We can't wait to show everything to you next week!

Readers' Workshop:  We are in the middle of my favorite reading unit to teach, Super Powers! The children are using their strategies (pointer, partner, re-read, sight word, and picture power) to read!  

Writers' Workshop/Science: The children have been working on writing during our science time these past two weeks. We are exploring with ramps and balls in the block area. They learned that scientists write sketches and label their work and are doing the same with their structures.

Math Workshop: We continue to practice number writing in our handwriting journals during math time. The children did some measuring this week focusing on using key vocabulary (longer, shorter, length, compare, same length) as well as making sure that ends match when measuring. Their big challenge was to line up by height and they were successful! We continue to work on 1-1 correspondence when counting by playing math games.

Guidance: Mrs. Griffith came in to talk about tattling vs telling.  The students watched a video and discussed specific situations that are telling and tattling.  They learned a mental checklist they could use before they seek help from an adult: 
                   Is someone in danger?
                   Is someone hurt?
                   Did I try to solve the problem on my own?
                   Am I minding my own business? 

Books We Have Read: The Silly Turkey Party, Giving Thanks-A Native American Good Morning Message, Who Will Carve the Turkey This Thanksgiving?, Hibernation Station, Circus Shapes, Rosie's Walk, The Shape of Things, So Much!

Up-Coming Events:

• Handwriting- C, O and Q
• Word of the Week- so
• Phonics- l and r 
• Family Breakfast- Tuesday, 11/22 from 8:00-8:25
• Thanksgiving Break- 11/23-11/25
• Gingerbread Decorating Party- 12/22 at 2:00 *More info to follow
• Winter Vacation- 12/26-1/2/17

Fondly,

.

Kristen

November 10, 2016

Hi!

Progress reports were sent home in folders today. The purpose is to report attendance and to provide you an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the document. We don't fill out progress reports for kindergarten students until the January marking period. Please sign and return the envelopes. The progress report is for your records.

I'm hoping to turn dramatic play into a maker space for the next month or so. We are looking for paper towel rolls, aluminum foil, paper clips, small boxes, egg cartons, toothpicks, pipe cleaners, tape, nuts and bolts, string or yarn...Please don't shop for this. Send in any miscellaneous items you might have laying around the house that the children can make something with. Dramatic play will become a true inquiry area of our classroom with your help.

Enjoy the long Veterans' weekend. Thank you to all who have served or are presently serving our great country.
Kristen



Up-Coming Events:

• Handwriting- X, Y and Z (continued)
• Word of the Week- I (continued)
• Phonics- m and n (continued)
• No School- 11/11
• Family Breakfast- Tuesday, 11/22 from 8:00-8:25
• Thanksgiving Break- 11/23-11/25

November 4, 2016

Hello Fish Families.

Here's a glimpse into our week in the Fish classroom:

Visual Arts: Our Halloween projects are coming down from the walls. We are beginning to replace them with turkeys. We painted and decorated some turkeys and began to work on our Thanksgiving themed sun-catchers. 

Readers' Workshop:  This week was spent putting all of the Unit 1 reading work together to read storybooks. We are ready to begin Unit 2: Superpowers. Our focus will be on reading strategies (pointing to each word, using the picture to help, etc.). 

Writers' Workshop: The children selected pieces to "publish" this week. They thought about the 'big idea' of their stories and made front covers. We edited/fancied up our pieces and plan to celebrate our hard work with our buddies next week by reading the stories to them. The children are feeling quite proud! We will turn our focus to writing like scientists next week.

Math Workshop: We worked on graphing this week. There was a lot of math vocabulary! The children learned row, column, most, & least/fewest. We also revisited shapes. We are describing attributes and comparing/contrasting circles, squares, rectangles and triangles. End of Unit 2 assessments will be sent home next Thursday.

Literacy: The children made a class book entitled Fish Class, Fish Class, What Do You See? 


Up-Coming Events:

• Handwriting- X, Y and Z
• Word of the Week- I
• Phonics- m and n 
• No School (Teacher Workshop)- 11/8
• No School- 11/11
• Family Breakfast- Tuesday, 11/22 from 8:00-8:25
• Thanksgiving Break- 11/23-11/25

Happy "Fall Back" Weekend

.

Kristen