Welcome Back!

Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a wonderful and restful winter break and are ready for an exciting and eventful semester in KINDERGARTEN!
Over the next 2 weeks we will be studying fairy tales.  We will read various versions of the 3's---TheThree Bears, Three Billy Goats Gruff, and The Three Little Pigs.  Some of our activities will be 1) Make a story board for the Three Little Pigs, 2) 3 Pigs listening activity, 3) Too Hot/ Too Cold activity, 4) Make our own Billy Goats book, 4) Make a Goldilocks class book, and 5) Create and describe our own troll.
We will also being going to LDC this week and next.
Our sight words will be AS, ON, UP, YES, OR and ALL.
In math we will focus on geometry (solid and flat figures) and measurement.
REMINDER- Friday is an early dismissal day.
=)

Gingerbread Man and Testing

This week we will begin our third planner, Tell Me a Story.  This planner focuses on the need to tell stories, emotions that are ignited through stories and creating stories.  We will start the planner with a study of the classic story of The Gingerbread Man.  We will read various versions of the story and then create our own!
In math we will begin story problems and revisit graphing. 
Our sight words are WAS, IT and CAN.
We will go to LDC today and tomorrow.
Wednesday will be the first day of STANFORD test administration.  It will take the first hour-hour and a half of class for 5 days.  Please make sure that your child gets a good night's sleep and healthy breakfast these days.
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!  Let's make these last 3 weeks of the semester great ones full of learning and growing!

November 8-12

This week we are continuing our Big O planner with a focus on patterns and story sequencing.
* We will also have a mini author study of Eric Carle.  We will read The Very Hungry Caterpillar (sequencing activity), Have You Seen My Cat? (character match), The Very Busy Spider (sequence the order characters were introduced), and Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
* During math we will focus on patterns with color, shape, position and sound.
* Our sight words this week are one, two and what.
* There is a homework activity in your child's folder this week.  The turkeys need a disguise so they won't get eaten on Thanksgiving!  Please help. but do not do it for your child.  Be creative!
* Our Thanksgiving Feast will be on Tuesday, November 23rd.  Each of the kindergarten classes is in charge of bringing something to share with all of kindergarten---plates, bread, fruit, veggies, pie or drinks.  Our class is in charge of bringing drinks.  In order to have enough for everyone, each family in our class needs to send in 2 jugs (gallons or liters) of something---juice, lemonade, punch, etc.  Please have these here by November 19th.
Thanks for your help!
-Sarah Eddlemon
ps  Just FYI, I will be at a teacher training on Monday, November 15th and the kindergarten teachers have PYP planning in the afternoon on Wednesday, November 17th.  Just wanted you to be aware.

The Big "O"

This week we started out second PYP Planner---The Big "O".  This planner focuses on organization.  We kicked off with Backwards Day on Monday.  The day was all mixed up and it made students realize that the organization and predictability of their day is comforting.  
This week and next we will focus on how organization makes us feel safe.  

We will read:

-I Pledge Allegiance

-We Are So Proud

-My Me Map

-Officer Buckle and Gloria

-Don't Talk to Strangers

We will do the following activities...

- Make U.S. flag

-Write our own safety tip

-Make a map of our day

-Create a community helper puppet

In math we will focus on teen numbers, days of the week, months of the year, and calendar skills.

Other Info:

* In this week's Tuesday folder you received the art fundraiser.  Many of the drawings were cropped incorrectly.  The company recognizes this error and is going to redo them.  If you are interested in buying your child's art, but it needs to be redone, please let me know so that I can make sure they fix it.

* Friday is an early dismissal day.  I will be having conferences that afternoon.  I think all but one time slot has been filled.  Please get with me to make arrangements if you did not get a spot on Friday.

* On Tuesday the students will be taking the NNAT.  This is a non-verbal test that is one of the things we use to identify students for the Gifted and Talented program.  Please make sure that your child is on time that day.

* Spooky Spaghetti is this Saturday!  It's going to be a great time!  Will and Scarlett's moms have been working hard on our booth decorations.  I can't wait to see how it turns out!  =)

Thanks for all you do!

FRIENDS

This week (and last) we are continuing our "All About Me" Planner with an emphasis on FRIENDS.  Some of the activities we will be doing are...

* Reading Friends and creating a storyboard to use to retell the story.

* Reading The Rainbow Fish and creating our own rainbow fish.  We will also write about sharing.

* Reading A Color of My Own and making a class book based on this story.

* Reading Ruby the Copycat and interviewing/introducing a friend to the class.

* We will continue writing in our journals all week.  

* We are working on the following sight words...little, to, a, see, have, is.  Please practice these words with your child.

* Math activities involving size comparison, number recognition, counting and graphing.

Other Informaiton and Dates to Remember

-  The "All About Me" posters are due Friday.

- Please send in a baby picture of your child if you have not already done so.

- Friday, September 24th is an early dismissal day.

- Our Class Party will be on Wednesday, October 13th.

- Friday, October 15th will be our "ME MUSEUM" from 8-9 am. Please plan to stop by and let your child show you what we have been learning about as our All About Me planner comes to a close.

***Don't forget to join the PTA!  We are shooting for 100% participation!***

How many ways can we make a hexagon?

Today we discovered that there can be more than one way to solve a problem.  We found 10 different ways to make a hexagon!

Families

This week we are continuing with our All About Me Planner with focus on families.
We will do the following activities...
* Read The Relatives Came and draw pictures of our families
* Read What Moms Can't Do and make a class book about things we do with mommies.
* Read Just Me and My Dad and make a class book with the prompt, "Me and my dad _____."
In math we will be focusing on graphing and shapes.  (See the following post about our exploration with pattern blocks today.)
This week we will begin learning our kindergarten sight words.  These are words that students should be able to recognize and spell correctly when writing.  This week's words are I, am and the.
You should have received the first homework project in the folder today.  Please help your child decorate this paper doll.  Remember not to do it for him/her!  =)
A big THANKS goes to Grayson's mom for putting together our photo directory that was sent home today.  (I forgive her for stretching my face out!)  Hopefully this will help you figure out who your child's new friends are.
Another THANK YOU goes to Brandon's mom for putting together our class directory.  We will get that to you shortly.
Keep collecting those BOX TOPS and don't forget about the book order if you are planning to order books!
That's it for now!  Let's make it a great week!