Mrs. Johnson's Kindergarten Kiddos!

No School Friday

2010-10-06T13:39:00.000-07:00

Don't forget that there is no school this Friday, October 8th. I will be looking forward to seeing the class again on Monday:)

We have been learning about pumpkins the past two weeks in science. We labeled the different parts of the pumpkin including the tendrils, vine, pumpkin shell, ribs, and pulp. We have also been learning about the lifecycle of the pumpkin: seed, sprout, plant, yellow flower, green pumpkin, yellow pumpkin, orange pumpkin, back to seed. For art we made torn paper Jack-o-lanterns where we were not allowed to use scissors and had to rip all of the pieces for our pumpkin including the stem, leaves, and jack-o-lantern face. Next week we will start our theme about the farm.

We are finishing up our math chapter where we learned about sorting, graphing, fewer, and more. Next week we will start our chapter on patterning. The kids seem to really love this chapter. We have already been working on patterns during calendar time in the morning and centers in the afternoon. Each month we focus on a different pattern in addition to the chapter on patterning. In September we learned about AB patterns (red, green, red, green). In October we are focusing on AABB patterns (pumpkin, pumpkin, candy, candy, pumpkin, pumpkin, candy, candy).

Each week we are continuing to be introduced to one or two sight words. I have adult helpers that have started playing sight word games with the kids to reinforce these words at school. Once a child masters 6 words, I move them on to the next 6 words that have been taught or will be taught. This way students that need a challenge can learn the words ahead of when they are taught in class and kids that need extra practice can get that extra practice.

We also started calendar books this week. These books will come home about once a month, when students are ready to start the next one. Kids are learning concepts such as odd and even, number writing, counting and adding dice, graphing, reading numbers on dominos, finding numbers on a hundreds chart, and number recognition. Some kids don't quite understand what is being taught yet, but are able to copy the examples on the document camera in the front of the room. This is okay, because we are going to be doing these books all year and I have found they really help children with more challenging math concepts.

We Went Shopping Today!

2010-09-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

The kids were really excited to spend their monkey money today. I had a few who wanted to save up for something more expensive next week and a few that did not get to shop because of having a hard time following directions. My goal is for everyone to have the opportunity next week to spend, spend, spend!

Behavior is continuing to improve. Thanks for all of the home support. It is great to know that I have such caring families that I'm working with.

Next week we are going to start learning about pumpkins in science. We already started with a pumpkin book today. Don't forget to turn in permission slips by next Thursday for the pumpkin patch. I am still waiting on 5.

Books are ordered from Scholastic and will be coming in hopefully next week or the week after. I will keep you posted.

Have a wonderful weekend! I can't wait to see the kids on Monday:)

Oops! Picture Day is on Wednesday

2010-09-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

I was trying to be too efficient and made a typo. INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL PICTURES IS ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND, NOT THE 23RD like I had on the homework cover sheet. Sorry for any confusion.

First Full Week of School

2010-09-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

A special thank you to all of the families that remembered to send in an apple for science and math this week. We are really going to learn a lot using them.

The class is still really starting to improve behavior by listening when I am teaching, not interrupting, and keeping bodies to themselves. Please talk with your child about the importance of these three things. Mr. Williams has even come into our class to talk about keeping hands, feet, and bodies to self because it was becoming a problem for the safety of the class. The next step for children who are still having difficulties with this is owing some recess time and then talking with Mr. Williams if the behavior continues.

Mrs. Dafoe, the lunch lady, would like me to remind you that you can put any amount of money on your child's breakfast/lunch/milk account. When the account gets low, she will notify me and I will stamp your child's hand with a reminder about needing more money. You can go to the office and pay Mrs. Dafoe in the morning or send your child with the money in an envelope and I will get it to her with my attendance. Be sure to label the envelope so I know what it is for.

Individual school pictures are coming up next Wednesday. A flyer is going home with children today and the money envelope will come home with Friday's homework.

Don't forget homework is due this Thursday and book orders for anyone interested. I have already gotten back several pumpkin patch forms. This is a fun trip for the kids. The $5 includes a tractor ride, pumpkin, and the hay maze/slide. We will be back in time for lunch that day.

Have a great rest of the week!

Lots of Learning

2010-09-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Well we have all completed our second day of kindergarten. The biggest challenge for most students at this age is remembering the rules. There are so many. Rules when they come into the classroom, get in line, recess, snack, library, music, PE...you get the picture. It takes a few weeks to really get into the groove of things. The biggest reminder for all students is to use listening ears when Mrs. Johnson is talking. There are a lot of side conversations going on, which makes it challenging to give directions.

We are very fortunate to have a restroom in our classroom. I encourage students to use the restroom when they first get to class, at recess, at lunch, and at centertime. It takes some training at the beginning of the year. At this age when one child uses the bathroom, they all want to use the bathroom. Since most of the children are not independent workers yet, it is difficult to get anything accomplished while children are in the bathroom. Of course when it is an emergency, kids can use it when they need to:)

Just a couple of reminders...homework and book orders are coming home this Friday. Homework is due back on Thursday as well as the book orders if you are interested.

The date of the Pumpkin Patch is set for Friday, October 22nd. Our class will be going in the morning, so we have time in the afternoon to do some hands-on science with pumpkins. We should have plenty of room on the bus for all chaperones. Children must ride the bus. Since this is a school function, we ask that no siblings come along. Permission slips for this trip will also go out this Friday. The cost per child is $5.00. Please make a check payable to "Parkside Elementary" or send cash in an envelope with your child's name on it. Don't forget to have the district volunteer form filled out A.S.A.P. if you are planning on attending with your child.

Field Trips are Coming!!!

2010-05-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Well we are getting to the very busy time of the year for kindergarten. So much going on. With just over a month of school left comes our annual field trips to the local Timberland Library, Tenino Fire Station, and Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.

For the zoo trip we need a head count by the end of next week. If you are planning on chaperoning, please indicate that on your child's yellow field trip permission slip. Also please indicate if you need a volunteer application form. I know of a few families who have already indicated more than one parent wanting to come on the zoo trip. Please remember this is a school function and that you may still be responsible for other children, especially if there is more than one adult going in your group. Please also be prepared to pay for the additional adult when you arrive at the zoo.

Our class is not participating in the VIP lunch at the end of the month. This event is for 1st and 2nd graders. This event was in the school newsletter. If at any time you would like to come in and eat with your child at our lunchtime, you are more than welcome. I have had a few parents do that this year.

Next Friday, May 14th is our annual Jog-A-Thon. We will be jogging from 12:45-1:15. If you would like to volunteer for this event (handing out juice/helping with pledge envelopes), please contact the office. I have had several parents in the past show up to walk or jog with their student as well. Feel free to stop by and participate if you would like. There is a pledge sheet your child has brought home. If you would like your child to earn a jog-a-thon t-shirt or Subway lunch with Mr. Thummel, please bring back the pledge sheet the day of the jog-a-thon.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the sunshine!

B.E.A.R. Week is Coming!!!

2010-04-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

B.E.A.R. (Be Excited About Reading) Week is next week. Kids have a lot of fun during this week dedicated to reading and writing. We kick it off with celebrity reader day. A local celebrity will be coming in Monday to read with our class. We are lucky to have 2 people from South Sound Reading. On Wednesday we are having author Deb Lund visit. For the kids that purchased one of her books a few weeks ago, she will autograph them and kids will get them that day. We have a day that we are buddy reading with a second grade class. We get to show them how even at kindergarten we are little readers. Friday is the wrap-up assembly where every child is welcome to bring a well-behaved teddy bear to school. If your child does not have a teddy bear, they may bring another stuffed animal. Don't forget to turn in your B.E.A.R. week bookmark Thursday because there will be a school wide drawing for a boy scooter and a girl scooter at the assembly.

Book orders are due next Thursday 4/29. We will only have one more book order after this one and then we will be finished for the year.

Thank you to all families that have sent in snacks. If you haven't, please make sure I get them by next Friday. Thanks so much for everything you do!!!

In Need of Snacks

2010-04-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

With Spring Break at an end, the end of the year is just months away. It is so fun to see how far the class has come this year and I wait with anticipation to see how much further they will go before school lets out for the year. Most kids have been reading Biscuit books with me and have taken accelerated reader quizzes on the computer to test their comprehension of the stories. If your child hasn't had this opportunity, he or she will soon. My goal is to have each child familiar with the process so they will already kind of understand what to do for next year. Most kids have also started Math Facts in a Flash on the computer. All children are practicing addition of 0 and 1. They are quizzed on problems from 0+0 to 10+1 and everything in between that pertains to 0 or 1. To move on to the next level, the child needs to get 100% on 40 problems in two minutes or less. I'm not sure how many kids will be able to get their speed up enough to pass, but again, it helps them with the process and will hopefully make it a little easier when they do it next year.

We are learning about transportation for another week and then we will start learning about bears. We are still learning about larger numbers in math and then will work on addition and subtraction, which most kids already have down.

We are in need of snacks again. There were a few families who did not send in snacks last time. I need everyone to send in enough snacks to feed 22 kids for 2 days. If you are sending in snacks like Cheeze-its please get the family sized boxes. We love extras so it's okay if you send in more. If everyone participates, this will be the last time we will need snacks for the year.

Have a great week!

Carnival and Class Pictures

2010-03-18T12:43:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is class picture day. Please make sure your child is here on time tomorrow, so they don't miss out on the class picture. I've only had one year that all of the children were here for the picture. Hopefully tomorrow will make it two! If you would like to purchase a class picture, please send your check in the envelope that was sent home with your child yesterday. The pictures are $8.25. If you do not have the envelope, please send a check for $8.25 and I will fill out the envelope for you.

The carnival is tomorrow night from 6-8 PM. I also sent out a reminder with children yesterday which included 4 free tickets for games. Food is also available for purchase in the gym tomorrow night. Don't forget to check out all of the silent auction items and baskets in the library. Silent auction ends promptly at 7:50. Our class quilt will be in there as well. Check it out and even bid on it if you want:)

There will be a sheet going home with your child's folder tomorrow talking about our Author Visit next month. Each year we celebrate B.E.A.R. Week (Be Excited About Reading) with an Author Visit. The sheet explains about purchasing a book for your child that the author can autograph if you decide to participate. Orders need to be in by the due date to ensure the author brings as many books as ordered.

Three book order forms are going home tomorrow and are due next Thursday if you are planning on ordering.

Don't forget next week we have half days Monday - Thursday. School will be out at 11:30. Don't forget your conference next week. If you cannot make your scheduled conference, call the office to cancel and please reschedule. At Parkside our goal for conferences is always 100% participation. There will also be NO SCHOOL FRIDAY. Enjoy the extra day for Spring Break. There is NO HOMEWORK DURING SPRING BREAK. I will keep your child's folder when it comes in next Thursday and send it home the following week.

See everyone next week!!!

Leprechauns on the Loose!

2010-03-11T15:29:00.000-08:00

Our classroom quilt for the carnival is finished. Here is a close-up picture. Each child has a handprint with their name that has been turned into a sea creature. The kids were really excited when I pulled it out today and showed it to them. This twin-sized quilt will be at the silent auction at the Parkside Library on carnival night. It would be great if a child from our room was able to take it home!

Our class basket for the carnival is "Garden". So far we have a few packages of seeds, a nozzle, and a kneeling pad. Volunteers will be putting together baskets Tuesday night. If you have a chance this weekend, please support our garden basket by purchasing garden supplies and sending them in with your child on Monday or Tuesday. There is a volunteer form coming home with your child in tomorrows homework folder. Please return A.S.A.P. if you would like to help set up, clean up, run a booth, or help put baskets together for the carnival. All help will be greatly appreciated. Money from the carnival goes to the Parkside PTA and in turn gets returned to our school:)

The Leprechauns are back to their old tricks in our room. Every year around St. Patrick's Day the Leprechauns sneak into kindergarten classrooms at night and play tricks on the kids. Sometimes they make messes by finding green things in the room and scattering them (crayons, unifix cubes, etc.) and other times they leave little surprises for the kids. The kids really enjoy coming into the classroom in the morning to see if the Leprechauns visited while they were away.

We have been reading decodable books during our reading time in the mornings. Decodable books have sight words and words the kids can sound out. I have the children highlight any words they know how to read by themselves. I try to call 1/3 to 1/2 of the kids each day we work on a decodable book so they can read the books to me. If your child has a sticker on any of their books, they earned it by reading to me that day. The decodable books that we work on throughout the week are sent home on Friday's with the other work they have completed for the week.

Conferences are just over a week away. I look forward to talking to you soon and sharing your child's progress!

March...Lion or Lamb???

2010-03-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

March has been surprising so far with such nice weather. I hear next week we will be getting colder temperatures, rain, and possibility of light snow. Make sure your child is dressed for the weather. A few times this year kids have had to sit in the office at recess for not being dressed for the cold weather.

This week we have been learning about plants and what plants need to survive. Some items the class and I have decided that plants need to survive are sun, air, water and dirt. I have been reading them books that have to do with the lifecycle of plants as well. To go along with plants, we will also be learning about weather this month.

We just took our math test on time and money. Next week we will start learning the basics of addition and subtraction. This chapter should be easy for the kids because they have already proven to me they know how to do addition.

Don't forget that class picture day and school carnival are both coming up on March 19th. I have had one donation to our "Garden Basket" so far.

Hopefully everyone will have a chance to get out in the nice weather tomorrow before it changes to rain on Sunday.

The Çat in the Hat is Back at Parkside!

2010-02-24T13:43:00.000-08:00

We have been busy with Dr. Seuss activities this week to gear up for our Dr. Seuss assembly this Friday. All of the kids who have turned in their reading log (yeah! we all did!) are entered into a drawing to win fun Dr. Seuss prizes. Each child will also get to pick out a book on Friday to add to their personal library at home. Thank you for helping your child complete their reading log.

I am going to start most of the class on Math Facts in a Flash this week and next week. Math Facts in a Flash is a computer program that gives children practice with math facts and quizzes them on math facts to move them up in levels. It is a new program to Parkside this year. Most 1st and 2nd graders have been using this program. It is a little more challenging in Kindergarten because I need to sit with the children at first to make sure they understand how to run the program. This is just another way the children will be practicing kindergarten skills at their individual levels.

I am looking for donations of hand sanitizer. I had a parent generously donate 2 large bottles when flu season started and the second bottle is running low. I give the kids the hand sanitizer when they come in from recess. Of course they wash their hands before lunch and after using the restroom or blowing their nose. If anyone would like to donate a bottle, we would appreciate it and be able to continue sanitizing our hands when we come into the classroom:)

Conferences are coming up next month. Please check the conference schedule coming home this Friday in your child's folder and return the bottom portion of the paper letting me know whether you can make the scheduled time or need to reschedule.

February Flies on By!

2010-02-17T13:54:00.000-08:00

I don't know about anyone else, but I feel like February always flies on by. There is so much to do during the month of February including learning about holidays, special days such as 100's Day, and gearing up for Read Across America with Dr. Seuss. Whew!

Over half the class has been able to read "Biscuit" the dog books to me with just a little assistance. I have been pairing up kids and having them alternate reading pages with their buddy. I sit with them so I can help with any words they don't know. I already have 5 kids taking AR quizzes on the computer and many more that will be starting soon.

Behavior has been steadily improving over the past few weeks. Hopefully with such a long break between holidays, behavior will really start to soar.

We started our math chapter about time and money. We are learning to tell time to the hour on both digital and analog clocks. We are learning to tell apart pennies, nickels, and dimes. We are also working on recognizing their value and counting the money when it is mixed together. The concepts we are learning are first, next, and last.

We have finished our handprints for our class quilt that will be put up for auction at the Parkside Carnival next month. The theme of the quilt is ocean. It will be a twin sized quilt. I will get a picture sent out when it is finished. The kids used their hands to create crabs, sea horses, star fish, fish, and even an octopus.

Have a great rest of the week!

Groundhog Day, 100's Day, and Valentine's Day

2010-02-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

Well Phil saw his shadow this week, but that hasn't kept us from enjoying the warm weather. Next Wednesday is 100's Day (100th day of school). We celebrate in many different ways. It is a fun way to incorporate math into art, writing, etc. We are having a very low key Valentine Party the morning of February 11th. Kids can bring in their Valentine's any day starting Monday. We are going to be graphing Valentine candies, writing about Valentines, etc.

Don't forget there is no school Friday the 12th or Monday the 15th of February due to Mid-Winter Break and Presidents Day.

The kids continue to impress me with their abilities to sound out, write, and read words. Most kids in class are on list 5 or 6 for sight words and I only have 7 lists total, which means several kids have almost learned the complete list for the year. I may have to put together more lists to challenge those kids later in the year.

We have a new middle school helper in our classroom. We lost our other one because of the change in semesters. I worked with our new helper towards the end of last year and am excited to have her back. She will be a great addition to our morning:) It is great to have middle school role models in here to help the kids and show them what they can do if they keep their grades up!

February is Fast Approaching

2010-01-27T15:03:00.001-08:00

We are already in our last week of January. With attached to your child's homework this week will be the Valentine Class List and the 100's Day Snack Mix List. I encourage you to let your child write his or her name on the Valentine's and also let them write the names of their classmates on the Valentine's. It is a great way for them to practice their handwriting. For the 100's Day Snack Mix, I will pour all of the items into separate bowls and each child will have a hundreds chart to fill up with the items. They fill up #'s 1-10 with one type of item and continue counting by 10's and filling up their chart. This is a really fun and yummy activity.

I have already had 5 students read their 5 books and turn in their Dr. Seuss page. These children were very excited to get to take their pencils home to show off. Although this project is due towards the end of February, it is a huge help to me if we get them turned in early. Parkside's goal every year is to have 100% participation.

Our class is participating in a Valentine Exchange with over 40 kindergarten classes across the United States and even one from Mexico. We got our first Valentine in the mail yesterday from a class in Georgia. I am very excited about this exchange. It is a great way for us to share about our state and town as well as learn about other states. I have a map of the United States that we will be coloring as we get Valentines from different states. We made our Valentine's out of hearts to look like fish. I will be mailing them to the various classes by this weekend.

Half the class has brought in their snacks. If you haven't yet, please get them in next week.

Have a great rest of the week!

Book Exchange Friday

2010-01-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

The annual Parkside Book Exchange is this Friday. Your child may bring up to 10 gently used books to exchange for up to 10 gently used books. I have not had any books come in yet. If your child is going to participate by bringing in books from home, please make sure the books get to the classroom by Thursday.

Our snack supply is starting to run very low. Please make sure you send in enough snacks to feed 22 students for 2 days (at least 44 snacks). Don't forget we have the snack bags, so if you are a bargain shopper and want to buy bulk or boxes of snacks, we can bag them up here for the kids. Favorites have been Goldfish, cheese and crackers, string cheese, graham crackers, fruit snacks, cereal.

In Science/Health we are learning about staying healthy with our Doctor/Dentist theme. Today we discussed how to keep our teeth healthy including brushing them, using floss, using mouthwash, eating healthy foods, and visiting the dentist regularly.

I have really been working with the kids the past couple of weeks about talking out when it isn't their turn. It has been challenging lately to get through directions because of the many side conversations. I have been in enforcement overload. If your child appears to be owing more recess lately, that is why. This is very normal after Winter Vacation for children to need extra reminders of the rules.

Don't forget to save and send in those empty cereal boxes for our Valentine holders:)

Happy 2010

2010-01-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! It was great to see so many smiling faces welcoming me back after break.

For the next 2 weeks we will be learning about winter during science. We are also working on measurement in math. We are not using a ruler to measure, we are using non-standard forms of measurement such as how many paperclips long is an object, how many unifix cubes go around an object, etc. We have already learned terms such as longest, shortest, tallest, and the same. We also estimated objects around the room that were one unifix cube, five unifix cubes, and ten unifix cubes long.

We are starting to move away from Zoo Phonics, since the kids really are picking up capital and lowercase letter names. I even had the children try to write a sentence on their own this week and between their really good pictures they drew and the way they are already able to piece sounds together, I could read most of the sentences written!

We are starting to focus more and more on handwriting and letter formation. I found a great DVD and CD that teaches songs for each letter. Each song has motions that explain how to write both the capital and lowercase letters. I am using this as a fun way to teach letter formation and then after each lesson, the children practice writing the letter that was introduced that day. Right now I am planning on teaching one song daily Tuesdays through Thursdays, we will be finished focusing on all of the letters by the end of February at the latest. The DVD and CD also has most of our sight words put into songs with motions. We may be learning some of these songs as well.

We are now having reading groups during center time. This gives me the opportunity to pull kids back and work with them in small groups at their level. This will help children that need a little boost as well as children that need a challenge.

Thank you to the parents that are sending in Campbells Soup labels, Box Tops for Education, and empty ink cartridges. The money earned on each one really adds up by the end of the year.

Our Valentine Party will be on February 11th, since there will be no school on February 12th or 15th. I will be sending out a list of all of the students in the classroom by the end of January or early February so children can start filling out their Valentine cards. Please keep sending in empty cereal boxes. We need at least 20 and have 2 right now.

100's Day I believe will be on Febrary 10th, but that is always subject to change. More details to come soon.

The end of the semester is towards the end of January. Report cards will come home soon after. It will be exciting to see the progress made.

Gingerbread

2009-12-10T12:32:00.000-08:00

We have been busy the past two weeks with our Gingerbread Theme. Today we made paper gingerbread houses and decorated them with gingerbread stickers. Tomorrow we will be making our gingerbread houses and taking them home. Thank you for all of the home support by sending in the materials to make this fun and memorable project a success!

We are finishing up our math chapter dealing with numbers up to 10. We will take the test next week. When we come back in January we will start our chapter on measuring.

Don't forget to dress your child for the weather. With it being so cold this past week we have been staying in for the first recess and even second recess. Sometimes we have been going outside for the last recess. I have seen lots of fluffy coats, scarves, mittens, and even hats. Thank you for making sure your child is dressed for the weather.

I am still looking for volunteers for our Christmas Party next week. I have one volunteer so far. If you are planning on coming to winter sharing in the afternoon, you could help with the party and still catch the show:)

Don't forget there will be NO HOMEWORK OVER WINTER BREAK.

Also remember HOMEWORK WILL NOT GO OUT AGAIN IN JANUARY UNTIL FRIDAY, JANUARY 8TH.

The January Book Orders are set up if you order online. I do not have both catalogs yet, so they will be sent out with January homework.

Have a great week!

Brrr! December is Here!

2009-12-03T13:49:00.001-08:00

Student Success and Slippers is tonight at 6:30. Doors open at 6:15.

December is under way and with it comes the cold. Please remember to send your child with a coat each day. A hat and gloves or mittens are a great idea too. We go outside in the cold unless it is unsafe because of ice on the pavement. If your child does not bring a coat on these cold days, he or she will be sent into the office for recess to keep out of the cold.

We had a lot of fun decorating a door inside the building with a gingerbread theme. The kids love walking to PE or music and getting to see "our door". This was a school-wide project.

Again, Winter Sharing Program is on Friday, December 18th. We are performing at 8:30 and at 1:30. Space is very limited so please only pick one performance to attend. In the morning we are performing with morning kindergarten and 1st grade. In the afternoon we are performing with afternoon kindergarten and 2nd grade.

We will be making our gingerbread houses on Friday, December 11th. Thank you Rebecca for volunteering to come in Thursday night to help me get them ready for Friday! I will take lots of pictures!

We will also be having our holiday party on Friday, December 18th from 11:50-1:10. Please let me know if you would like to volunteer. It will be run the same way as the last party with different "stations" including rudolph hats and reindeer food.

Getting Ready for Turkey Day!

2009-11-20T07:09:00.000-08:00

We have been busy learning about Thanksgiving, Pilgrims, and Indians. I have really enjoyed seeing all of the "Tom the Turkey's". I know the kids are enjoying seeing them come in as well. Thanks for helping your child complete their project. I have taken a picture of each one to put in your child's portfolio that will be sent home at the end of the year.

Don't forget there is no homework until December 4th. Please keep reading with your child daily. I am sending out a weekly newsletter this week, but I will not be sending out another weekly newsletter (homework cover sheet) until then either.

Our Parkside Food Drive is under way. Feel free to send in non-perishable food items with your child between now and December 17th.

Student Success and Slippers is on December 3rd. It is a great event for the entire family. Children get to come to school that night dressed in their p.j.'s and with their favorite stuffed animal. They get to listen to stories and eat milk & cookies. Adults get to go to the gym and learn about our math curriculum and strategies to help your child be successful in math. I will be there to present the kindergarten portion to parents. Hope to see you there!

Our Winter Sharing Program is already less than a month away. All day kindergarten will be performing both at 8:30 (with 1st grade) and 1:35 (with 2nd grade). Please be respectful to all families by picking only one of the times to attend. We have limited seating and want to make sure everyone gets to see their special someone.

Have a fun and safe Thanksgiving next week!

Conference Week

2009-11-12T06:57:00.000-08:00

This has been a very wacky week schedule week for us at school and I'm sure everyone at home as well. It has been great sharing student progress so far and I am excited to see the rest of my parents today.

I already have one student who turned in her "Tom the Turkey" in disguise. To the right you will find "Tom the Ballerina". What an awesome idea! I don't think this Tom will be eaten on Thanksgiving Day. I can't wait to see the rest of the turkey's. Remember, the Turkey Dressing Project is due next Thursday, November 19th. Of course I will gladly take them sooner.

You might be wondering why you sent in a one-inch binder at the beginning of the year. This is for your child's kindergarten portfolio. This is something I started about 4 years ago to show capture your child's progress throughout the year. I save student work and originals of writing samples and progress report/report card assessments. At the end of the year I send these home with your child along with a photo CD of the pictures I have taken of your child throughout the year. I think it is a neat keepsake and great way for you and your child to reflect on the progress they have made.

Don't forget, there is homework coming home today, but I will not be sending home any work next Thursday. This is to give your child and family a break for the holiday. I will be keeping the homework folder when it comes in next week. Any papers that the office sends home will go home in your child's backpack without the folder.

Welcome November

2009-11-05T15:26:00.001-08:00

As the holidays are near, we get even busier than usual. Above are some marble art pumpkins from our Halloween Party and some raccoons from our art center. It is always fun to share student work. They work so hard!

Next week is conference week. Remember, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are early release days and Wednesday is Veteran's Day with no school. I am looking forward to seeing each of you again and sharing your child's progress with you.

Next week is also the Scholastic Book Fair in the Library. Our Librarian Ms. Lakin does a great job making the library match the theme of the book fair each year. Feel free to browse before or after your conference.

I am sending out a family project with homework this week. It is "Turkey Dressing". Basically, we are trying to disguise Tom the Turkey, so he doesn't get gobbled up on Thanksgiving Day. Please help your child out. I have a directions sheet and examples on the back of the directions sheet. I have included "Tom" and also a piece of construction paper to glue him to. You don't have to use the construction paper if you have something you would rather use.

We have been working with beginning sounds and rhyming sounds and are even starting to learn specifically about vowels. In Zoo Phonics we call these "The Hardest Workers". We have been learning about nocturnal animals too. While talking about bats we even had a discussion about mammals. We are learning so much!

See you next week.

End of October

2009-10-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

I am almost complete with progress report testing and am delighted with what I am seeing. Children are really picking up on the necessary kindergarten skills. Just in the past month they have come so far. I can't wait to see each of you at conferences in November to go over progress reports.

We are starting chapter 4 in math next week, which is numbers 0-5. We are also going to be learning about nocturnal animals in science. The kids are having a lot of fun working with our middle school helper in the mornings with sight word and math games. I am really seeing the benefits.

We have been making a lot of class books in our room too. Each one is totally different and each one all of the kids contribute too. We have a book where I took pictures to measure how tall they are compared to paper pumpkin cut-outs, a book based on the children's book "No David", a skeleton book where I took their picture and they manipulated a skeleton cut-out to copy what they were doing in the picture, our version of Mrs. Wishy Washy, and many more. We even have a book by last years kindergarten class giving this years class advice about kindergarten. It's called "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Welcome To Your New Room". My goal is to have enough class made books by the end of the year for each child to take at least one home.

A special thank you to all of my volunteers that will be helping with our party today and to all of the families that sent in stuff for the party. Remember, if your name wasn't on the list, your name will be on a list for an upcoming party. We make gingerbread houses in December and there is a lot of goodies and help required for them. It is so exciting to see the kids understand the interest you are taking in their education. There are so many ways to let your child know that you value their education including volunteering, chaperoning trips, helping them with their homework, reading with them, asking them how their day was, helping with prep work, etc. I know each of you are doing one or many of these because I hear the kids talk about it all the time.

Time to get ready for the day. Hope each of you have a fun and safe weekend!

Conferences, Book Orders, and Parties

2009-10-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

Fall conferences are just around the corner. Next week I am going to begin assessing students for the progress reports that we will go over during conferences. We test over many items. Some include Zoo Phonics animal name, sound, and signal (motion that goes with the sounds), name writing (like on homework sheet), number writing to 10 (reversals are counted as incorrect), number identification to 10, comprehension, rhyming, and more. Some of the testing is completed whole group and some individually. Remember, I cannot score your child on how they perform for you at home, only how they perform during the test for me.

Next week you will be getting your November book orders. I am sending out 4 of them instead of just 2. There are some special orders for the holidays and also a math/science order. I thought some of you might be interested. If you are considering buying your child some books as a present, please let me know and when the books arrive I will not send them with your child. I will contact you instead. A huge thank you to all of the parents that are ordering books online. I have earned 4 free books for the classroom so far based on the online orders. I can't wait to do some shopping!

I am still looking for volunteers for our Halloween Party next Friday, October 30th. I have 3 volunteers so far and am hoping for 4-7 to really make sure things run smoothly. If you would like to volunteer, please let me know ASAP. The party will run from 11:50-1:10.

Sorry I missed so many of you at the pumpkin patch. I can't wait to see each of you real soon!

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins!

2009-10-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

This week we took our second math test. The children are really starting to understand test taking procedures. Each child gets their own "office" during test time, which they think is pretty neat. We are now moving to Chapter 3 in math which is all about patterns. During calendar, the children have already learned about AB patterns and AABB patterns, so most of the concepts will already be very familiar to the children.

Our child with the peanut allergy has moved and so we are lifting our "Peanut Free Zone", unless another child moves in with a peanut allergy.

In tomorrow's homework folder I am sending out our class list of what is needed for our Halloween Party on Friday, October 30th. We will have our party from 11:50-1:10. I am looking for volunteers to help out with activities during this time period. Let me know A.S.A.P. if you are able to help out. Not all children were included on the list of things to supply. If your child was not on the list, they will be on a future list.

The weather is starting to get more and more unpredictable. Please, please, please make sure your child is dressed for the weather. We stay inside if it is raining or pouring, but if it is barely sprinkling, the children may be going outside for recess. It is hard to be cooped up all day in the classroom for the children. Also, when the weather gets colder, your child may be sent to sit in the office if they are not dressed for the weather. This is not because they are in trouble, but because we cannot have children outside in the cold with no coat.

I am looking forward to our first field trip tomorrow. I have been talking with the children all week about dressing for the weather tomorrow. I hear it may be raining! I know tomorrow is red and black day for spirit week, but dressing for rain is probably more important since we don't want cold, wet kids in the afternoon.

See many of you tomorrow!

Welcome October

2009-10-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

We have been learning a lot about the pumpkins and the lifecycle of a pumpkin in science. We have already learned many similarities between pumpkins and apples and will be comparing them in the coming week on a Venn Diagram. Of course the kids are super excited about our trip to the Pumpkin Patch. Don't forget to make sure your child is dressed for the weather that day as we will be coming back to school after the trip and finishing up our day. We don't want any kids in wet clothes for the day because it rained etc.

As with every class I have students of all levels. I have been working really hard to challenge kids that need a extra challenge. Two of my ways of accomplishing this is through our Calendar Math Books and Daily Math Journals. Our Calendar Math Books we complete after calendar each morning. We complete how many days we have been in school, write out the date (eg. 10-10-09), roll 2 dice and graph the total, and pick a domino where we draw the domino on our paper and find the number on a hundreds chart. I would be happy to pull these out at conferences next month and show you. We also do our Daily Math Journal at the end of the day. We are working on addition and subtraction right now as well as one to one correspondence and understanding a number line. I understand that not all children will understand the concepts this early in the year, but all children are able to follow along with me as we complete these as a whole group. We completed our first journal and it went home Friday. The nice thing about both of these books is that for the children that need the extra challenge, they are able to stretch their brains more and can move from recognizing concepts to understanding and applying math skills. For the children that are still recognizing math skills, this will only strengthen their number sense skills, which is a huge focus in kindergarten math and math throughout the grades.

Parkside Elementary has a Lost and Found located on the railing in the office. If your child is missing any articles of clothing, this is the place to look. As the weather is getting colder, children wear their coats out to all recesses and if they are hot at recess, we encourage them to tie their coats around their waist so the coats do not get left outside and end up in Lost and Found.

I have come up with some fun ideas for our Halloween Party this month and will be sending out information soon.

Start of a New Month

2009-10-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

October is starting today and I know the kids are excited as I am. They were watching me change the calendar yesterday and already asking important questions like "Are we going to the pumpkin patch tomorrow?" I have been so impressed this week by how independent the children are getting during centers. They really know what to do and are going the extra mile to help each other be successful. Along with the weekly newsletter (the Classroom Happenings section on the homework cover sheet) that is going home this week, there is also a October newsletter from me. Please read both to see what we have been busy doing in September. Hopefully you get a chance to look through your child's work weekly when it is sent home to see how far he/she has already come. Volunteers are coming out of the woodwork! It is a great feeling to know how supportive each family is of their child's education. Have a great first week of October.

Math Tests and Apple Trees

2009-09-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

Another busy week in kindergarten. We took our first math test of the year today. It was over Chapter 1, which was all about math position words. Kids were assessed over words such as above, below, before, between, left, right, same, and different. I was very impressed with how well all of the children did for it being their first test taken as a whole group. So much of kindergarten is teaching procedures. When taking a test as a whole group, children learn how to keep answers to themselves and keep thier eyes on their own papers, and keeping up with the group. So much to learn!

The class is having a lot of fun learning about apples for science. We have been reading a lot of books about the lifecycle of apples/apple trees. We have been learning about what trees look like in winter, spring, summer, and fall as well as how apples develop and what causes apples to develop on trees. The children had the opportunity to do a little painting, which we will be making into an apple tree later this week or next week. Tomorrow we will be graphing the apples that were brought in, catagorizing them by shape and size, and making observational drawing for art. Next month we are going to learn about pumpkins and their lifecycle for science.

Pumpkin Patch is coming up soon. Please make sure you turn in your child's permission slip A.S.A.P. and turn in your volunteer application form if you haven't already done so if you would like to attend. Parents are going to need to transport themselves to and from the field trip. Kids will ride the bus. I'm sure we can set up some carpools for parents who are interested.

Talk to you soon.

First Full Week of Kindergarten

2009-09-17T19:24:00.000-07:00

Yeah! We successfully made it through our first full week of school. I am amazed every day at how fast the kids are picking up on routines. We have already learned four sight words (we, will, I, see) and have started playing "The Great Word Race", a sight word game that gives the children lots of practice reading sight words. We are very fortunate to have a helper come in every morning from the middle school. With his help, we are able to practice math and reading concepts in groups of two. On average he seems to be able to work with each child about every three days. We are still working on position word concepts in math. We should be finishing up the chapter next week and moving on to patterns.

Last week we started centers by exploring the manipulatives that go along with them. This week we took it up a notch and starting the "learning" part of centers. We are now going through rotations of math, listening, art, magnetic letters, read the room, and writing centers. Each center has tasks to complete before moving to the next center. I am really stressing how important being trustworthy is during centers because ultimately this time will be used by me to work with small groups of children on individual needs. To do this, I need to rely on the children to be self sufficiet, hard workers that are honest about completing their work so I'm not policing them. This is an ongoing process that will take a few months, but the kids are catching on fast. They are a great group of kids that I know will amaze me throughout the year.

Next week we are going to really be focusing on apples for science. Don't forget to send an apple in with your child next Wednesday. I plan on having the kids graph the different kinds of apples they bring in, looking at the inside of some apples, talking about the lifecycle of the apple tree, and making applesauce...yum!

Have a wonderful weekend.

First Weeks of Kindergarten

2009-09-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

We have already learned so much this week. A large part of the first few weeks pertain to learning rules and routines. The children are picking up quickly. One of the biggest things we are learning with the rules are to listen when someone else is talking and follow the directions that are given. Many students have already owed some of their recesses due to "moving their monkey down" on the behavior chart. This is totally normal. I am firm so they understand what the boundaries are. If your child is continually owing recess I will let you know.

A challenge for the children has been when to use the restroom. Of course I don't want any bathroom accidents, but as soon as one child asks to use the restroom, they all seem to need to use the restroom. Unfortunately, a lot of instruction is whole group and it is hard to catch everyone up or continue teaching when there is a steady stream of children heading to the restroom. I encourage children to go as soon as they get to the classroom in the morning, at recess, at lunch, and at center time (if I'm not giving directions to the class). Please encourage your child to do the same.

By the end of this week, the children will have been introduced to all of their Zoo Phonics character, signals, and sounds. It takes practice to perfect, but they are well on their way. In math we are working on concept words such as above, below, in front, behind, in between, left, right, etc. We are also working in math journals for problem solving. For handwriting we are working in our "Rainbow Writing Line Tracing Journals". I tell the kids that this book is exercise for our fingers. We are building up our hand muscles and making them strong. Basically we are tracing lines to learn how to control our strokes, which will help us when we write letters. I call it rainbow writing because the students trace the lines with a marker and then again with another marker, which makes the lines look like a rainbow. We are beginning to learn how to rotate through centers. This takes lots of practice. Right now it is a lot of play, but it will help them learn the routine before we involve the work part of it.

Thank you family members for remembering to pick up your walkers in Mrs. Marganelli's room after 2:25. This makes the wrap up at the end of the day go really smooth. Also, thank you for informing the office of any bus or walker changes. This helps the children feel safe when they know what to expect.

Have a great week!

Kindergarten Conferences

2009-09-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

I was very excited to have 100 percent turnout for our conferences today. It was great to know that I have so many dedicated families that want to be an active part in their child's educational success.

I wanted to make sure I followed up with a few reminders:

I will send out my classroom volunteer application form next Friday, September 11th. If you or any member of your family would like to volunteer, please fill it out so I know where your interests lie. Volunteering in the classroom will begin in October. I will notify those who would like to volunteer of their assigned dates/times later this month.
If you plan on volunteering in the classroom or on field trips, please complete the blue distict volunteer application form. A copy of your driver's license is also required.
Any money for book orders, lunch/milk, tuition, etc. can be sent with your child's homework folder on Thursday's or can be pinned to your child, inside of an envelope, with the purpose of the money written on the check or envelope.
Please call the office or send a note to notify us of any bus or pick-up changes.

I had several questions regarding almond butter and whether that could be substituted in sandwiches for peanut butter. The child with the peanut allergy also has reactions to almond butter, but sunflower butter (available at Safeway) is a safe substitution. Thank you for helping us out.

If you had the opportunity to go over the packet from our meeting today and have any more questions, please feel free to call me or email me. Thanks.