Cutest Reindeer EVER!!!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Spectacular New Year!!!

I will miss each of your children and each of you kind, supportive, and generous parents! 

Best wishes to all!

How Changes Affect Us

 This time of year is very exciting.  We had fun Halloween and Thanksgiving celebrations and Christmas will be here before we know it.  After reading what we are learning, you can see some pictures from the past month...

Here are some things that we are working on the next 6 weeks:

Math - Comparing Numbers and Geometry. Students will be able to compare numbers within 10 telling which is greater than and less than.  Students identify 2-D and 3-D shapes, learn how the shapes can be combined to make other shapes, identify shapes of common objects, and tell which 3-D shapes can roll, slide and stack.

Language Arts - We have learned all the letter names and sounds.  Now we are taking a more in depth look at the sounds of b, n, r, d, k, f, and o by identifying them in words and using those sounds to write new words. We are changing the beginning, middle, and/or ending sounds in words to make new words. We are paying extra attention to the medial sound.  Students will be able to read and write simple CVC words as well as: I, am, the, little, a, to, have, is, we, my, like, he, for, me, with, she, see, look, they, you, of.  Students will be able to refer to environmental print to write even more words. 

Comprehension - We are learning about compare and contrast, plot, cause and effect, drawing conclusions and main idea.

Social Studies and Science - Our big question is How do changes affect us?  We will learn how we change, animals change, life today from long ago and how our feelings can change.    We will also be discussing and answering these questions:

• How does a panda change in its first year of life?
• What new things can you do as you get older?
• How is life different from life hundreds of years ago?
• What happens when animals change?
• How are things we use today different than things used long ago?
• What causes us to change the way we feel?

Upcoming Events:

11/27 - 11/29 - Thanksgiving break - No School

Monday, Dec. 2 - Limo Lunch Trip - Jonah, Stella, Trynitee, Damien and Cooper
Tuesday, Dec. 3 - Holidays Around the World 6-8 pm (this will be a great event!)
Wednesday, Dec. 4 - PTA meeting 6 pm meet and greet, 6:30 meeting
December 9-13 - Staff Appreciation Week
December 23-January 3 - Winter Break
Monday, January 6 - School Resumes
Monday, January 20 - No School MLK day

Plants and Animals Are Unique...

Seven weeks of kindergarten are complete!  We still have a lot to learn, but it is fun to already see students begin to grow!

Please help me help the children to write their names using correct letter formation.  Here are a few things to remind the students:

• Hold the pencil correctly.
• Begin the letter from the top or middle, never start from the bottom.
• Use a capital/uppercase letter at the beginning of the name only.

Here are some things that we will be working on at school for the next 6 weeks:

Math - Numbers 0-10. Students will learn how to properly write all numerals, as well as discriminate numbers by adding within 10, determine 1 and 2 more/fewer, same as, number sentences, part, whole, order, forward, backward, making an organized list and graphing.

Language Arts - We have learned all the letter names and sounds.  Now we are taking a more in depth look at the sounds of a, s, p, c, k, and i by identifying them in words and using those sounds to write new words. We are counting syllables, counting sounds in words, identifying medial and final  sounds, discriminating between sounds and blending words orally and visually.  Students will be able to read and write simple CVC words as well as: I, am, the, little, a, to, have, is, we, my, like, he, for.

Comprehension - We are learning about characters, setting, plot, sequencing, fiction/nonfiction, comparing and contrasting.  

Social Studies and Science - Our big question is How are plants and animals unique?  Students are encouraged to bring in live flowers (from your yard) for us to examine.  We will also be discussing and answering these questions:

• How are flowers unique?
• What can we learn about nature when we look closely?
• What special animals live in the grasslands?
• What unique thing does a bear do in the winter?
• What kind of home does an animal need?
• How are real and make believe plants alike and different?

Upcoming Events:

Monday 10/14 - California Pizza Kitchen - dine in/out at CPK, present flyer, our school gets 20%
Monday 10/14 - 10/27 - Online scheduler open for conferences. Schedule your conference time now.
Wednesday 10/16 - Early dismissal @10:20
Thurs/Friday, 10/17-10/18 - FALL RECESS - No school
Thursday 10/24 - School 90th Birthday Party 3:30 - 6:30 - please come
Thurs 10/31 - Halloween Activities, early dismissal 10:20. Students wear costumes to school.
Friday 11/1 - NO SCHOOL
Wed/Thurs - 11/6 & 11/7 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
Thurs. 11/7 - Early dismissal @ 10:20
Friday 11/8 - NO SCHOOL

WELCOME TO A NEW YEAR!

Here is the future!
We started our year off learning about the rules in our school and classroom.  We learned how important kindergarten is to preparing us for college and great careers that lie ahead of us.  I have to say, the students were lacking enthusiasm for this picture.

Here are some things that we are working on at school:

Math - sorting, classifying and position words.  We are using small objects to help us understand how to sort by shape, size, color,  and type.  We also are learning that we can sort by more than one attribute: small and red, hexagon and large... The positions we are learning are inside, outside, top, bottom, middle, over, under, on, before, after, right and left.

Language Arts - We are quickly reviewing all the letter names, sounds, and how to properly write each letter.  We are rhyming, counting syllables, counting words in a sentence, identifying initial sounds, discriminating between sounds and blending words orally and visually.  Students will be able to read and write simple CVC words as well as: I, am, the, little, a, to

Comprehension - We are learning about characters, setting, plot, sequencing, fiction/nonfiction, We are also learning the components of books: author, illustrator, cover, title, title page, table of contents, spine, and page numbers.

Social Studies - Our big question is How do we live, work and play together?  We will also be discussing and answering these questions:

• How do children get to school?
• How do school children work and play together?
• How do families cooperate? 
• What do you like to do with your friends?
• How do Machines help people work?

We are working diligently at our classroom routines and how we work together at school. 

Upcoming Events:
Monday,  9/23 - Hearing screening for all kinder students
Monday, 9/30 - Classroom Volunteers begin (more details to follow)
Tuesday, 10/1 -  Vision screening for all kinder students
Monday, 10/7 - NO SCHOOL for students (professional development for teachers)
Tuesday, 10/8 - 10/11 - Red Ribbon week. We pledge to be drug free.  More details to follow
Thursday, 10/10 - Picture Day
Thurs/Friday, 10/17-10/18 - FALL RECESS - No school