Thanks so much...

I just want to send out a special thanks to Dena Fornwald, Cheyenne Walton, Steven Lundak, Renee Thorson, and Michelle Hanson for helping out with the Holiday Party on Tuesday, December 21st.  The party was a huge success.  Students made ornaments with their pictures in it, decorated/iced snowman cookies, played snowman letter sound Bingo, made number writing books, played pin the carrot nose on the snowman, colored, and more.  I hope everyone has a wonderful winter break.  I will see everyone back at school on January 3rd, 2011.

Winter Party/Thorncrest Caroling

Please return...

Please return the permission slip for your child to be included in the dvd video and pictures.  If you need another copy, please let me know and I will send one home with your child.  Thanks!

In order to share the dvd with the whole class, it is necessary to get permission from all parents. By giving permission, you are agreeing to have your child included in the dvd that will be shared with other families.

Kindergartnerers will be caroling...

We will be walking to Thorn Crest Nursing Home (across from the Hawthorne playground) on Monday, December 20th at 8:50 a.m. to sing holiday songs. 

Hawthorne Used Book & Magazine Sale

Where: Hawthorne Media Center
When: Before & After School on Monday, December 20th and Tuesday, December 21st

2 books = $0.25
2 magazines = $0.25
1 magazine and 1 book = $0.25

Winter Break

Winter break begins Wednesday, December 22nd.  There will be no school from December 22nd through January 2nd.  Students will return to school on January 3rd.  Hope everyone has a great winter break!

Super Reader Night

Reading

Snowman Art Project and Writing

Kindergarten Super Reader Night - Tuesday, December 14th, 2010 (5:30-7:00 pm)

If you plan to attend, here is what will be happening:

*We will meet in K-103 (Mrs. Leach’s room) and go over the agenda for the night.  We will spend approximately 15 minutes talking about what reading and math gold standards your child is working on in school.  Then you will be free to visit each classroom and complete the activity.

Book Swap:

-Please bring gently used books to swap with other families.  For every book you bring you will be able to pick out a different book to bring home.

Don’t forget to come dressed as your favorite super hero.

Winter Holiday Program

The students did a wonderful job at their winter holiday program.  If you were not able to make it and would like to borrow my dvd of it please let me know.

Winter Holiday Program and Class Pictures

Winter Program

Correction: The Winter Program will be at 1:00 on Wednesday, December 8th NOT at 1:30 p.m.  We will have a morning practice at 9:30 a.m.  If you are not able to attend the 1:00 program you are welcome to attend the 9:30 practice.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday at the Winter Program.   

Book Orders

I have had lots of people asking about the class activation code for ordering books.  See code below:

Online Ordering Information:

Web address: scholastic.com/bookclubs

Class Activation Code: DKZ7H

I will wait till Sunday evening after 5:00 pm to place the order.  Have a great weekend!

Turkey Bingo

Headphones anyone?

We are in need of headphones for our iPods.  If you have a pair of headphones at home that you are not using and would be willing to sendn them to school for students to use we would really appreciate it.  Please do not send the headphones that you put in your ear.  We only want the headphones that go over your ear.  Thanks so much!

Scholastic Book Order - Due back on December 3rd

I am going to place a book order on Friday, December 3rd.  I know that we normally do it on the 15th of each month but I wanted to make sure the book orders came in before we go on Christmas break.  Please return the Scholastic slip with money or place your order online by Friday.  If you have questions, about certain books or would like suggestions please e-mail or call.  Thanks so much! :)

The link is: http://clubs.scholastic.com/cool/login.jsp. 

School Closing

Check out the link below to find out about school closing, early dismissal, etc.  You can also sign up for instant alert.  Instant alert notifications can be sent to you via e-mail, text messaging, or phone call.

http://es.albertlea.k12.mn.us/closing.aspx

Kindergarten Technology Survey

I am sending home a survey tonight about technology in your home.  Please complete the survey and return to school in your child's daily folder as soon as possible.  Thanks so much!

Turkey Bingo Night

I hope to see everyone at Hawthorne tomorrow night (Tuesday, November 23rd) for Turkey Bingo.  Turkey Bingo starts at 6:00 p.m.  Childcare will be provided for preschoolers.  Bingo prizes include: turkeys, hams, canned food items, stuffing, potatoes, pies, and more.  See everyone tomorrow night! 

Turkey Pictures - Counting by 10's

Short Week Next Week

We do not have school on Thursday, November 25th or Friday, November 26th.  Enjoy your four day weekend!

Please return milk and snack slips...

If you have not already paid for the milk or snack cart option for second trimester, you should have received a form in your child's backpack last night.  Students who participated in the snack cart program during the first trimester seemed to enjoy the snack cart items.  The options are: red or green apple, raisins, pretzels, elf graham crackers, and gold fish crackers.  The cost of the snack cart is $15.00 per trimester.  Milk is also available for an additional $15.00 a trimester.  Please consider choosing the snack cart option for your child!  Sign-up forms are due back Wednesday, November 24.

Turkey Pictures

Happy Veteran's Day!

This morning we attended the Veteran's day music program (4th graders performed) and watched a video about what Veteran's Day was.  When we returned from the program we read an e-mail that Michael (our soldier) had wrote back to us.  Students then made cards for Michael.  Some things that the students wrote in their cards were:

• Thank you for keeping us safe.
• Thank you for being in the army.
• Happy Veteran's Day!
• Thank you for fighting for us.

I will be sending the cards to Michael at the end of the week. 

Looking for a volunteer

I am looking for a volunteer to come Monday through Thursday from 9:20-10:00 to assist during part of our reading block.  If you are interested or know someone that might be interested please contact me at 507-379-4971 or e-mail me at hleach@albertlea.k12.mn.us.  Thanks!

Check out our wiki...

On the right side of the page under newsletters and other documents click on Mrs. Leach's wiki.  I will be adding flashcards (alphabet, numbers, etc), bi-weekly newsletters, etc. for you to access at home. 

Conferences

Thanks so much to all of the families that were able to make it to conferences last week.  It was so nice getting to talk with everyone.  Please check out the new tab features on our blog and remember if you ever have questions, please give me a call at school or at home.

Halloween Party

Daily 5 (Listen to Reading, Read to Self, ABC Word Work, and Work on Writing)

PALS (Peer Assisted Learning Strategies)

Kindergarten Pajama Night

Pumpkin Patch

Kindergarten Pajama Party in the Albert Lea Tribune

Read the article by clicking on the following link: http://www.albertleatribune.com/2010/11/02/hawthorne-pajama-parties/.

Week 9 in Kindergarten

We are working on the letters E and O and sight words go and we this week.   In math, we are working on teen numbers, estimation, counting to 100, counting by 5's and 10's to 100, and counting backwards from 20.  We have been practicing writing our numbers 0-31 daily and working on sequencing numbers 0-31 with flash cards.

PALS is officially up and running.  Students are doing the large group word game and partner work in PALS (Monday-Thursday).  During partner work students are being introduced to/reviewing letter sounds, working on sight words, and working on stretching and reading three letter words.

We have just added Listening to Reading to Daily 5.  When students are signed up for Listening to Reading they may read a book on the iPod or listen to a book on the iPod.  During Daily 5 time students are Reading to Self, Working on Writing, doing ABC Word Work, and Listening to Reading for 30-45 minutes a day.  Students complete two task a day and the next day they do the other two tasks.  Students have been doing a nice job working quietly during Daily 5 time.  We are now working on working the whole time.  While students are working on Daily 5 work I am pulling them in small groups and having them read books or work on letters/sounds.

Don't forget Conferences

Don't forget conferences are tonight (3:30 pm - 8:00 pm), Thursday night (3:30 pm -7:30) pm, and Friday (7:30 am - 3:00pm).  If you cannot make your confernece time please call me and let me know so that we can reschedule.  Thanks!

BOOK FAIR IS OPEN DURING CONFERENCES!!!!

iPods and Computers

Free Choice

Busy Day in Kindergarten

I am sure your students went home exhausted tonight with a bag full of goodies.  We had a very busy day in kindergarten.  In the morning we went to Larry's pumpkin patch in Albert Lea.  At the pumpkin patch we got to feed llamas, goats and sheep, we also went through a corn maze and haunted house, played games, and picked a pumpkin.  In the afternoon, we had a fall costume party.  Students dressed up in their halloween costumes and went to six different stations throughout the classroom.  Students decorated pumpkins and sugar cookies.  They also made spider gloves, halloween foam pictures, candy neckalces, and played ghost bingo.  We also went to the gym and showed off all of our costumes to the other students at Hawthorne.

Special thanks to all of the parents who helped on the field trip to the pumpkin patch and helped out with the classroom party.  We could not have done it without you.  I hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend.  Just a reminder that next week we have conferences Monday evening, Thursday evening, and all day on Friday (no school for students).   

iPod touches and Computers in Kindergarten!

Students have been super busy reviewing how to log on/off the computer and being introduced to using the iPod touches.  We currently have four iPod touches in our classroom.  However, we just received a grant through Freeborn Mower Cooperative, which we will use to purchase three more iPod touches.  Each kindergarten classroom will get an additional iPod touch which will give us a set of five iPods.  The There are many applications on the iPod touch.  Students can practice letters/sounds, numbers, addition/subtraction problems, etc.  Students can also read books at their own reading level and have books read to them (Dr. Seuss books, Curious George, Diary of a Worm, etc).  The iPods are a fun and engaging way for students to practice literacy and math skills.  Students can use the iPods during Daily 5 (Listen to Reading), free choice, and quiet time. 

 

Parent volunteers have been working with students one-on-one to help them learn their username and password.  We have also been to the computer lab twice this week.  Students are working on  becoming more familiar with the computers.  We are practicing logging on/off, find my webpage, and plugging our headphones in. 

 

The computer center and iPod touches were added to free choice time.  Students check their name off to help us keep track of who has had a turn.  After each student has had a turn once students can sign up to use them again.

Scholastic Book Orders - Due back on November 15th

Dear Kindergarten Parent ~
This Holiday Season, Inspire Your Child's Imagination with Education/Classsic Toys and Books.  Learning should be fun.  That's why I sent home the special Back to Basic Toys holiday catalog, featuring educational games and classic toys that help foster a young person's growing imagination, creativity, critical thinking, and motor skills.  Giving books is also a great way to bring moments of real joy and wonder to your child.  I see this everytime a child gets books in his or her Book Club order.  If you would like to order books for your child for holiday presents I would be happy to keep them at school until you can come and get them or I can wrap them in a paper bag so that your child cannot see what books they will be receiving.  Just send a note on your child's book order form letting me know if you would like it to be a surprise or not.  If you order online just send me an e-mail and let me know what you would like.  Don't forget that our class gets $3 in free books every time you order online.  We also earn points to get books every time you send an order form to school to purchase books.  Please let me know if you have questions about book orders.  Check out the $1 and $3 book deals. 

MEA Break - No School Thursday and Friday

Just a reminder that we do not have school on Thursday, October 21st and Friday, October 22nd.  Hope you and your family have a nice weekend!  See everyone on Monday!

Kindergarten Pajama Night

Thanks so much to everyone who was able to make it to Kindergarten Pajama Night.  It was so much fun seeing families read books and make games together.  It seemed like everyone was having a blast.  Please check out the pictures from family night.  I hope you and your child had a great time.  We will have our next family night in December.

Computer Lab

We went to the computer lab for the first time today.  Students learned about the different parts of a computer (monitor, mouse, etc.), learned how to turn the computer on/off, and learned how to log on/off the computer.  The students were very excited to be using computers.  We will be going to the computer lab one-two times a week.  Next time we go to the computer lab I will be showing your student how to find my class webpage from the Albert Lea Schools webpage.  I will then show them how to navigate around and find the math/reading games.  We will go to the lab for up to 30 minutes each time.

Week 4 in Kindergarten

This week we are talking about fire safety.  Fire fighters from the Albert Lea Fire Department came and talked to us about fire safety.  We have been talking about what our family's plan is if there is a fire and what we need to do if we catch on fire.  We have been learning lots of fire safety songs to help remind us of our fire safety rules.


We are working on the letters: M, R, P, S, T, and C.  Monday's and Wednesday's we work on writing our new uppercase letter and Tuesday's and Thursday's we working on writing lowercase letters.  In math, we are working on identifying and writing numbers 5-10, counting to 100, and counting backwards from 10.  We have been cutting out shapes from magazines and making shape collages (come check them out in the hall). 


We are starting PALS this week.  PALS stands for Peer Assisted Learning Strategies.  There are two parts to PALS: large group word game and partner work.  The large group word game works on different phoneme segmentation skills.  After the large group portion of the lesson, the students work with a partner to complete the partner work portion of PALs.  This week we are only doing large group word games.  We will start partner work next week.


Daily 5 is officially up and running.  Students are Reading to Self, Working on Writing, and doing ABC Word Work for 30-45 minutes a day.  Everyone has been doing such a nice job of working quietly, staying in their Daily 5 spot, and working the whole time. 

Week 3 in Kindergarten

We have been super busy the last few weeks establishing classroom rules, routines, etc.  We are talking about CARES (Cooperation, Assertion, Respect, Empathy, and Self-Respect) and what each letter means at school and in our classroom.  We have also talked about how to be a "bucket filler" not a "bucket deeper." 

In reading, we are working on the letters M and R.  Students will be writing uppercase and lowercase letters and they will be learning the sounds that the letters make.  In math, we are working on identifying and writing numbers 0-4 and sorting objects by color, shape, and size.  Students are working on building stamina during Read to Self and Work on Writing Daily 5 time.  Some of our Daily 5 rules are: to work independently, stay in one spot, work the whole time, and work quietly.  Next week, I will be introducing ABC Word Work.  While students are working independently I will work with students in small groups on letter names, letter, sounds, and guided reading.

Fall Interviews

It was so nice to meet everyone at Fall Interviews.  I am looking forward to getting to know you and your child more as the year goes on.  We currently have 20 students in our class (11 boys and 9 girls).  I will let you know how many families chose the snack cart vs. community snack and send a letter out.  We have a Family Night coming up in October.  I will let you know more information when it gets closer.  Please feel free to contact me at anytime if you have any questions about your child or what we are doing at school.

Welcome to Kindergarten!

I am very excited to be working with your child this year to help him/her to achieve his/her full potential. It is my belief that a good parent-teacher relationship is necessary for maximum school success. Throughout the year, I will communicate with you frequently through newsletters, notes, e-mails, and phone calls. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please contact me. Feel free to send me a note, or e-mail me at hleach@albertlea.k12.mn.us, or call me at school (379-4971), or on my cell phone (380-6190). I look forward to a great year and getting to know you and your child.

Please check our class blog on a weekly basis to find out what your child has been working on.