Friday, November 21, 2014

Friday Note 11-21-14



Friday Note 11-21-14

Events of the Week: In math, we finished our unit on comparing and ordering numbers from 0 to 10.  We learned about how one number can be greater than or less than another number.  We also found numbers that are one more and one fewer. 
Our focus in reading this week was on folk tales.  Here’s what we did in each workshop:

·        Language Workshop— We concentrated on the book The Three Little Pigs.  We focused on story elements, such as characters, settings, and major events.  We introduced vocabulary words that are in the story, such as: trot, sturdy, and furious. We also practiced retelling the story by telling what happened in the beginning, the middle, and the end.  We finished the week by reading other versions of the story. The students enjoyed The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf and the wolf’s version of events, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.

·        Writing Workshop—We learned the sight word “with”.  We practiced stretching sounds as we wrote sentences about the pigs and the wolf.

·        Reading Workshop—We introduced another center that will we use during Literacy Centers and continued to practice working independently.  We used a book called What I like to practice our new reading strategy, stretch the word out s-l-o-w-l-y then blend it back together.  Your child has this book in their book box to continue to practice reading during independent reading time. 

·        Word Study—Our letter for the week was “Ii”.  We learned that Ii is a vowel and can make a short sound and a long sound. 

Important Dates:
o   Nov. 22: Shelby’s Run
o   Nov. 25: Kindergarten Share Feast
o   Nov. 26- 28:  Thanksgiving Break   
o   Dec. 2- Cox Care Mobile
o   Dec. 3- Picture Retakes  
o   Dec. 15: Kindergarten Winter Program 6:00 

Sight Words—Keep practicing!
I    is    like    see    my    a    the    be   
it   he    she   to  can   with

***Reminder: These are words your child should be able to read by sight!


The Character word for November is
CITIZENSHIP.
(Taking care of our school and community)

Share Feast
All of Kindergarten is coming together on Tuesday, November 25th to celebrate the first Thanksgiving.  Please have your child bring in a favorite individual-sized snack (cheez-its, chips, pretzels, reese’s pieces, m&ms, etc.) by Monday, November 24th that we will combine together to make a Share Feast for all to enjoy.

Weather Alert!
With the temperature dropping, please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather.  We will make every effort to go outside for recess even on cold days!  If we have inside recess due to the weather, please encourage your child to keep a small toy in their backpack to play with. 
Picture Retake Information
If you would like for your child to have his/her picture retaken please return the picture package.  The information on the package is needed so that the photographer knows what to re-enter in the system to ensure you get the same package you ordered.  Thanks! 
Next Week:
·        We will be talking about Thanksgiving traditions. 
·        Our share feast will be Tuesday. 
·        Our sight word will be “go”.
·        We will learn about the letter “Qu”.

Have a great weekend!!

Mrs. Wenger 

Friday, November 14, 2014

Friday Note 11-14-14


FRIDAY NOTE (11/14/14)


Events of the Week: In math, we started a new unit on comparing and ordering numbers from 1 to 10.  We learned about how one number can be greater than or less than another number.  We also found numbers that are one more and one fewer.  We will continue this unit next week.

Our focus in reading this week was on folk tales.  Here’s what we did in each workshop:

·         Language Workshop— We concentrated on the book The Three Billy Goats Gruff.  We focused on story elements, such as characters, settings, and major events.  We introduced vocabulary words that are in the story, such as: valley, meadow, rushing, troll, roared, gobble, and trampled.  We also practiced retelling the story by telling what happened in the beginning, the middle, and the end.  The students really enjoyed using the story pieces to retell.  We finished the week by reading other versions of the story. The students really enjoyed The three Billy Goats Fluff.

·         Writing Workshop—We learned the sight word “to”.  This week we practiced using magnetic whiteboards and letters to build the sight words we have learned so far.  After we built each word, we practiced writing it. 

·         Reading Workshop—We introduced another center that will we use during Literacy Centers and continued to practice working independently.  We used a book called I Go to review the two reading strategies that we have learned (use the picture clues and get your mouth ready to make the first sound).  Your child has this book in their book box to continue to practice reading during independent reading time. 

·         Word Study—Our letter for the week was “Ee”.  We learned that Ee is a vowel and can make a short sound and a long sound. 


Important Dates:
·        Nov. 22:  Shelby’s Run  9:00 a.m.
·        Nov. 25:  Kindergarten Share Feast
·        Nov. 26-Nov. 29:  Thanksgiving Break
·        Dec. 3:  Fall picture retakes


Shelby’s Run Fundraiser
During the week of November 17-21, our Student Senate will sponsor a school-wide fundraiser to raise money for Shelby’s Run (to benefit the children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital). Students may donate $1.00 each day to participate:

Tuesday - Hat day - $1.00
Wednesday - Pajama Day- $1.00
Thursday - Fashion Disaster Day- $1.00
Friday – Wear Yellow or Gold for Childhood Cancer Day – FREE DAY!

                     Who is Shelby?
Our Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Grover had a granddaughter named Shelby.  Shelby developed a brain tumor.  Her battle ended in October of 2007.  She was three years old.  Shelby’s Run is to honor her and her family.  It is also coming together as a community to help fight childhood cancer.  All proceeds go to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.  Last year, we raised over $1,870!!!

Share Feast 
All of Kindergarten will come together on Tuesday, November 25th to celebrate the first Thanksgiving.  Please have your child bring in ONE INDIVIDUAL-SIZED favorite snack (Cheez-its, mini marshmallows, pretzels, M&M’s, etc.) before this day that we will combine together to make a Share Feast for all to enjoy. Thanks so much for your help!



Sight Words—Keep practicing!
I   is   a   my   like  she
 see   the   it   he   be   can   to


Lost and found fenceIs your child missing a jacket, gloves, lunchbox, etc?  The Lost & Found fence outside the office is OVERFLOWING with items.  If your child is missing something, please check the fence. 


Box Tops Challenge
The winning class for the pizza or a sundae party (class chooses) is Mrs. Sartin's class with a total of 2,714!!!!

Second and third place classrooms get a popsicle party:
2nd place is Mrs. Davis with 1,463             3rd place is Mrs. Holmes with 1,209

Thank you all for your hard work.  Some of the dollar amounts that we can expect are...
$1600 from Box Tops and $90 from Best Choice.  Keep up the good work saving for the next challenge after Christmas!!

Reading for a Touchdown!
Our 2nd Quarter Reading Challenge is well underway.  Please read a book with your child and have him/her complete the response page that was sent home.  We’ve had 7 students earn their Pizza Hut Book-It coupon for November. We’ve also had 4 students complete the challenge and are posted on the “wall of fame”!   Keep reading!

 Snacks Needed
Our class is in need of more snacks.  We currently have 19 students. 
Next Week:
·        We will continue learning about story elements. 
·        In Language Workshop, we will be focusing on the book The Three Little Pigs.
·        We will learn about the letter “Ii” and the two sounds the letter makes. 
·        We will learn a new reading strategy, “Stretch out the word slowly”.
·        In math, we will continue to compare and order numbers 0-10.

Have a great weekend!!
Mrs. Wenger

Please see the back of this page for an important letter from Mrs. Wallin!


In a recent study by British insurance company Allianz, more than 1,000 parents were surveyed for their levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, as they did their school day morning routine. Levels peaked just before leaving the house to drive to school each morning, researchers found. And the impact of that stress stays with parents well into the day. Also, nearly 25 percent of parents surveyed said that morning drop off stress sets their mood for the day — good or bad.
I believe the same could be said about the pick-up line and these moments set the stage for our students as they begin their school day or their evening at home.  I’ve visited with our circle drive crew and we have compiled the following suggestions for drop off and pick up each day.  If we all work together, we can turn this stressful event into a positive boost for our students each day!
#1: Please stay in your car.  This just helps keep our students safe and keeps the traffic flowing smoothly.
#2: Put down the cell phone as you enter circle drive.  Waiting for your child in your quiet car seems like the perfect opportunity to catch up on work – but it’s also a distraction. People on their phones don’t notice the car in front of them has moved.  More importantly, it’s dangerous for students and circle drive workers.
#3:  No walk ups, please.  If you are walking your child to or from school, please stay on the sidewalk instead of walking along the car line.  If you are walking to pick your child up, please send them with the walkers and meet them at the North Gym each day.
#4:  Please help your child to be ready when we open the door.  If they are unbuckled and have everything in hand, we can move the car line more efficiently.
#5:  During pick up, keep your name sign displayed until your child is loaded.  Sometimes, we miss hearing a name announced and it is helpful if we can see who is needing to be loaded.
#6:  Don’t run over Ms. Debbie.  Yes, because of rule #2 it has happened three times in the last two weeks L
Circle drive times:  AM 7:40-8:00 (If the cones are out, you need to park and walk your child into the office) PM 3:10 (Please leave the right lane clear until 2:45)
Thank you for your help to ensure the safety of our students!
Mrs. Shelly Wallin

PK-4 Vice-Principal

Monday, November 10, 2014

Care to Lean Night at Murfin's this Thursday


Care to Learn Night at Murfin’s
Thursday, November 13
4PM-7PM

10% of all sales will be donated to Care to Learn.





Friday, November 7, 2014

Friday Note 11-7-2014

Friday Note 11-07-14

Events of the Week: In Language Workshop, we focused on story elements with the book The Little Red Hen.  On Monday, we introduced vocabulary words that are in the story such as: gossip, vain, plump, sprout and knead.  On Tuesday, we identified the characters in the story.  On Wednesday, we identified the setting in the story.  On Thursday, we discussed the sequence of events and drew our favorite part of the story.  On Friday, we read a different version of The Little Red Hen and compared the two.  The kids had quite a heated discussion as to whether the hen should have shared her bread or not!  During our Writing Workshop we wrote a sentence each day telling what the Hen did throughout the story.  Have your child read this to you.  You will notice on the back side of the paper your child practiced writing the sounds they heard in each word on their own before writing it the correct way in the sentence.  Our sight word for the week was “she”.  During our Reading Workshop we introduced one center that will we use during Literacy Centers and continued practicing working independently.  We introduced the reading strategy “Get your mouth ready to make the first sound”.  We practiced using this strategy with a book called My Dog.  Your child has this book in their book box to continue to practice reading during independent reading time and rest time.   Our letter for the week was “Aa”.  We learned that Aa is a vowel and can make a long and short sound. Students should be able to identify all 52 letters (capital and lowercase) by the end of the quarter in December.  Please keep practicing letter identification at home. In math, we finished our math topic over numbers 6 to 10.    


Important Dates:
·        Nov. 22:  Shelby’s Run  9:00 a.m.
·        Nov. 26-Nov. 29:  Thanksgiving Break
·        Dec. 3:  Fall picture retakes


Sight Words—Keep practicing!
I   is   a   my   like  she
 see   the   it   he   be   can

***Reminder: These are words your child should be able to read by sight!


The Character word for November is
CITIZENSHIP.
(Taking care of our school and community)


Reading for a Touchdown!
Our 2nd Quarter Reading Challenge has started.  Please read a book with your child and have them complete the response page that was sent home. We’ve had seven students earn their Pizza Hut coupon for November already!
 Keep reading! 

Extra Clothes
Please send an extra set of clothes with your child to keep in his/her backpack in case of an accident at school. We will make sure that your child changes into the clothes if an accident happens. Thank you!

Next Week:
·        We will continue learning about story elements. 
·        In Language Workshop, we will be focusing on the book The Three Billy Goats Gruff.
·        Our sight word will be “to”.
·        We will learn about the letter “Ee” and learn the long and short sound the letter makes. 
·        We will continue using the reading strategy, “Get your mouth ready to make the first sound” with a book called I Go.
·        In math, we will begin comparing and ordering numbers 0-10.



Have a great weekend!!

Mrs. Wenger