October 26th- November 6th

This week and next we are focusing on tools that keep us organized.  We will learn about clocks, calendars, and schedules.  In math we will discuss positional terms, patterns, and weight.  Our sight words are am, of, or, no, as, & and.

Wednesday, November 4th is an early dismissal day.  All kindergarteners will be taking the NNAT that day.  This test is used for placement in the gifted and talented program.  Students will have about 30 minutes to take the test.  I will test half of the class at a time.  One of the teacher aides will help with the kids that are not testing.  Please make sure that your child has a good night's sleep and a good breakfast that morning.  The afternoon has been set aside for parent/teacher conferences.  Report cards will also be given out that day.  

We are collecting Box Tops for Education.  There is a competition between all of the classes at Mark Twain to see who can bring in the most.  My class won last year...let's make it a tradition!  :)

The Big "O"

Last 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 we will focus on how organization makes us feel safe.  We will do many activities involving safety and community helpers.  We will discuss stranger danger, read Officer Buckle and Gloria and make our own safety tip, make community helper puppets, watch a demonstration from the Mark Twain Safety Patrol, and visit the local fire department.  

In math we will focus on numbers, patterns, and measuring.

Our sight words for the week are on, of, and we.

We will be going to the fire department on Friday morning.  We need volunteers to walk with us, so let me know if you are available.  We will miss our lunch time, so please send a sack lunch on Friday.  Look for the permission slip in the Tuesday folder.

Spooky Spaghetti is this Saturday!  It's going to be a great time!

Children's Museum

We had a great time at the Children's Museum.  Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered to chaperone.  It was a success!  Here are a few pictures of our day.

Project Week

Over the next week and a half we will be finishing up our All About Me PYP planner.  To complete the planner, the kindergarten classes will host a Me Museum on October 7th from 8-9 am.  Parents are invited to view the museum.  Please plan to let your child show off all his/her wonderful work.

This week students will participate in the following activities.

* ME/WE Book- Students will work in pairs to complete their page for our class book.

* Create a life-sized self portrait

* Rainbow of Me

* Me Map- Students will write and draw to complete a map of themselves.

* Me Museum Reflection

Our class will go to the Literacy Development Center (LDC) this week and next.

Our field trip to the Children's Museum is Wednesday, September 30.  Please send in your permission slip and money if you have not done so yet.  Also, please send a sack lunch for your child the day of the trip.  We still need volunteers, so if you are available let me know.

We are still looking for volunteers to help with the life-sized self portraits.  Please stop by if you can from 8:15- 9:00 and/or 2:00-2:40.  Thank you!

Five Senses

This week we will be exploring the five senses.  Students will participate in the following activities.

* Make individual books about their senses.  

* Find and cut out pictures of things you can taste, smell, see, feel, and touch from magazines.

* Play various sense-related games such as I Spy and Mystery Box.

* Make an "I can touch..." caterpillar.

* Tasting activity...bitter, sweet, salty, and sour.

* Listen to a variety of Read Alouds pertaining to the 5 senses.

Math- activities involving numbers, parts of a whole and relationships between numbers

Journal- Students will write in their journals each day.  We will begin our story dictation with parent volunteers this week.

Miscellaneous Info:

-Two homework activities will be in the brown folder.  Please send them in as finished.

-Me Posters are due this week.

-Don't forget....We have Show and Tell every Friday!

-Kindergarten Pizza Night is September 23rd.  Hope to see you there!

-Please let me know if you are interested in volunteering for our field trip to the Children's Museum on September 30th.  

I can't believe it's already our 5th week of school!  Let's make it a great one!  :)

Freinds

This week 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.  ***I am already noticing improvement in writing skills this early in the year!  Yeah!!!***

* Math activities involving patterning, number recognition, counting, and graphing.

Other Informaiton and Dates to Remember

- You will find directions for a homework project in the brown folder.  The "All About Me" posters are due next week.

- If you have not filled out the Media Release form, a new one is in your child's brown folder this week.  Please complete and return it as soon as you can.  I would like to add pictures to our blog but can't until I get these back.  Thanks!

- Open House is September 15.

- Sally Foster and Entertainment Book fund raisers are due on September 18th.

- Kindergarten Pizza Night is September 23rd from 5:30 -7.  Hope to see you there!

- There is no school on Monday, September 28th.

- Children's Museum Field Trip is September 30.  Parent Volunteers are needed.  Look for the permission slip in the brown folders.

- Our Class Party will be on October 3rd at Karl Young Park at 9 am.

Congratulations to Avonlea and her family who welcomed a baby boy over the weekend.  :)

News

September 8-11

This Week's Focus:  FAMILIES

Activites:

* We will read My Family, Your Family and graph our families.

* We will also read A Chair for My Mother and Just Me and My Dad.  Each student will complete a page for a class book.

* We will read aloud Tar Beach and students will complete a glyph about themselves.

* Students will write in their journals each day.

* Math- Activities involving numbers, operations, and quantitative reasoning in addition to daily calendar activities.

Miscellaneous Info:

* The first of four Home Links will be in the brown folder.  Home Links are a supplement to our math program.  The books suggest activites for you to do at home with your child.  You do not need to return the book.  It is yours to keep.

* Me Dolls- Look for Me Dolls in the brown folder.  This project will be due on Monday.

* Please send in a baby photo with your child's name on the back.  We are going to guess who's who.  The photo will be returned.

* Don't forget to join the PTO!  We want 100% participation for our class.

* Scholastic Book Orders are due on Wednesday.  I have not gone online with this yet, but I'll let you know when I do.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

In an effort to go green, I have launched a class website.  The address is:

mrseddlemonsclass.blogspot.com

Look for updates each week online instead of in the brown folder.

Thanks!!! :)