Don't forget...

When: Monday, October 31st

Where: Our classroom

Time: 1:00

Costume Parade: 1:30 in gym

Bring costumes to school in a bag.  We will dress at school in the afternoon.  Label the costume with your child’s name.  Remember to pick a non-violent costume.  Please use hair spray at home!  

The parties are planned by the room parents.  A special thanks to them for all their extra efforts!

Next week...

The theme next week is November and Native Americans.
  If you have any books at home on these topics, please send them to school with your child for us to read.  Thanks!



We learned....

and

We learned the letters G and F this week.  Please continue to practice saying the letter names, letter sounds, coming up with words that begin with these letter sounds, and writing these letters at home.

HELP!

I am looking for a few parents that would be willing to cut sight word rings, letter rings, and number rings for the students to use and keep track of their growth.  If you would be willing to help, please call me at 507-379-4971 or e-mail me at hleach@albertlea.k12.mn.us.  These could be done at school or they could be done at home.  I will provide all of the materials that you will need.  Thanks!

Pumpkin Patch

We had a wonderful time at the pumpkin patch today.  Special thanks to Jessica Bremer, Lori Aase, Veronica Decker, Charla DePoppe, and Tom Habana for going to the pumpkin patch with us.  Click on the class picture to see more pictures from our fun afternoon at the pumpkin patch!!!

Hawthorne Hat Day

Dear Families,

Our Scholastic Book Fair is coming soon.  The fair will be set up during conferences on:  Thursday, November 3^rd, Friday, November 4^th, and on Thursday, November 10^th.  This year, one of our goals is to put more books onto the shelves of classroom libraries.  One of the ways we can do that is through Hat Day.  Here’s how it works:

On Thursday, November 3^rd, your child can donate $1 (or more) to wear a hat to school.  All of the money collected goes directly to purchase more books for each Hawthorne classroom.  Please send the donation with your child on or before the 3^rd if he/she wants to wear a hat!

The students and teachers at Hawthorne thank you for your support!

Don't forget...

Pumpkin Patch tomorrow (Tuesday)

We will be leaving at 12:45!!!

Dress warm and comfortable!

Pile of leaves math game...

Here is a fun game to practice recognizing the numbers 10-21.  It is played much like the classic card game War.   Each player turns over the top card.  Whoever has the higher number takes the two cards.  If one player turns over the wind card the leaves blow towards their opponent.  Have your child read the numbers on both cards before telling you which number is higher.

Please remember to check folders daily...

Conferences schedules will be going home today (Wednesday, October 19th).  Please let me know if the time and day do not work out for some reason.  Thanks!  See everyone on Monday!

Next week...

The theme next week is Pumpkins.  We will be going to the pumpkin patch on Tuesday, October 25th.  We will be leaving Hawthorne around 12:45 and returning to school around 2:15.  Please let me know if you plan on going.


 We will continue to talk about Halloween through the end of next week!  If you have any Halloween books at home please send them to school with your child for us to read.

 and

We learned the letters N and D this week.  Please continue to practice saying the letter names, letter sounds, coming up with words that begin with these letter sounds, and writing these letters at home.

No After-School....

We will not have after-school program on Wednesday, October 19th. 

Reminder...

We do not have school on Thursday, October 20th or

Friday, October 21st due to MEA break.  We will see everyone back at school on Monday, October 24th.  Enjoy your long weekend!

We started PALS reading...

Your child will be bringing home a PALS sheet twice a week.  Please check their folder and have your student show you how to do PALS.

What exactly is PALS? According to Professional Learning Exchange, it’s a version of classwide peer tutoring where teachers evaluate and identify students who need help with specific skills and determine the most appropriate students in the class to assist them with those skills. The students are paired as "coaches" and "readers" but rotate roles as activities change and students are required to work on a variety of skills. PALS is designed to complement, not replace, the existing math or reading curriculum by providing opportunities for students to practice what the teacher has taught. Research supports that the use of pairs in the classroom provides more focus on individual student needs rather than a teacher-directed activity that may address the needs of a few students but not be able to meet the needs of all student. Some benefits attributed to the PALS program include:

• Actively involves all students in tasks they can perform successfully.

• Increases student opportunity to read and practice basic math skills.

• Motivates students to do better in reading and math.

• Expands instructional resources in the classroom.

• Provides for positive and productive peer interaction.

• Creates opportunity for lower functioning students to assume an integral role in a valued activity.

• Helps teachers accommodate academic diversity.

• Accelerates student achievement in reading and math.



Pajama Game Night

Thanks to everyone who made it to kindergarten family game night! We had 14 out of 19 families in our class attend. We will have our next family night in December.  Click on the picture to go to the album of family night pictures.

October Book Orders

I did not receive flyers to hand out for October book orders.  If you would like to order a book you may do so by ordering on the internet.  The link is: http://clubs.scholastic.com/.  I will submit the book order online on the 19th so that the books will be here before Halloween.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

 and

We learned the letters A and I this week.  Please continue to practice saying the letter names, letter sounds, coming up with words that begin with these letter sounds, and writing these letters at home.

Reading Rocks Assembly!

At the Reading Rocks assembly we talked about the reading strategy predicting and we learned the song....

Predict

(Tune: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")

What will happen next?

I wonder what will be?

I think I will predict and then

I'll read and I will see

Was I right or wrong?

Now I will confirm

Predicting helps me understand

All that I have learned!

Recruiting Volunteers for the Book Fair and Beyond

The Scholastic Book Fair will be at Hawthorne on November 3rd, 4th, and 10th.  The book fair will be open: November 3rd from 3-7:30 pm, November 4th from 7:30-3:30 pm, and November 10th from 3-7:30 pm.  If you have some time to help conduct the book fair, please call Nikki Worman at 507-379-4967 or e-mail her at: nworman@albertlea.k12.mn.us.

Thanks!

Help!

We are looking for the following items for our classroom to use during Daily 5 ABC Word Work time.  If you have any of the following items at home and would be willing to donate them we would really apprecaite it.

-Boggle Junior

-Scrabble Letters

-Jenga

-Paint Sticks

 

Kindergarten Family Night

What: Kindergarten Family Night

When: Thursday, October 13th

Where: Hawthorne Elementary - Kindergarten 103 (Mrs. Leach's room)

Time: 6:00-7:00

We will be talking about the current math and reading gold standards that your child is working on at school.  Students will be making a math and reading game to take home. 

Don't forget that every kindergartener that attends will receive a free book from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and their name will be put in a bucket for a drawing to win more prizes.

  Hope to see everyone there in their pajamas!

In gym class...

students have been talking about their biceps and triceps.  Ask your students to show you where each is located and ways that they can work on building muscle there.

We learned a new game in math today...

Directions to Play Number Top-It...

1. Take two decks of cards and shuffle them together.

2. Lay the cards on the table with the numbers facing down.

3. Each player flips over a card.

4. The player with the bigger number gets to keep both cards.

5. Play until all of the cards are gone.

*You can also purchase it for your iPod or iPad.

PTO Meeting

When: Monday, October 10th

Where: Hawthorne Media Center

Time: 6:30-7:30

Hope to see everyone there!

Next week....

The theme next week is Colombus Day.  What is Colombus Day? Columbus Day,  is held annually on the second Monday of October.  It is a time to remember Christopher Columbus' arrival to America on October 12, 1492.

We will continue to talk about Fall through the end of next week!  If you have any fun fall books at home please send them to school with your child for us to read.

 and

We learned the letters P and C this week.  Please continue to practice saying the letter names, letter sounds, coming up with words that begin with these letter sounds, and writing these letters at home.

Llama Pictures

In celebration of reading Llama Llama Red Pajama (for Read for the Record day), Rascal and Percy came to Hawthorne school and visited the kindergarteners. The two speakers talked to us about what llamas eat, how often they reproduce, what we use their fur for, and some other fun facts. Check out the pictures of the llamas by clicking on the picture.

Going on a leaf hunt...

This week we are talking about fall. We have been talking about how the leaves fall off of the trees. Kindergarteners went on a leaf hunt looking for different types and different colors of leaves. Tomorrow, they will graph their results and do a leaf drawing. Check out the leaf pictures and their favorite leaf they found.

Fire Department Visit

The Albert Lea Fire Department visited our class today. 

We learned...

•  how to stop, drop, and roll
• don't hide go outside
• stay away from matches, candles, etc.
• have a meeting place incase our house ever caught fire
• call 911 if we need police, fire, or ambulance
• check our smoke detectors once a month

Please check your child's folder.  Several papers were sent home from the fire department.

Don't forget...

PAJAMA DAY-Tomorrow

 WE WILL BE READING LLAMA LLAMA RED PAJAMA

ON THE SMART BOARD TOMORROW.  Please remind your student to wear their pajamas to school in celebration of Read for the Record day and the LLAMA LLAMA RED PAJAMA book that we will be reading.

MISSING!

We are missing a library book.  The name of the book is:

Scooby Doo and the Samurai Ghost.  Please look for it at home and send it back if you have it.  Thanks!

Reminder...

TOMORROW (Tuesday, October 4th) is an early out day.  Students get out at 12:05.  Please make sure your child knows where they are supposed to go after-school tomorrow.  We will serve lunch to students before they go home.

Special thanks to...

Jenny Habana and Charla DePoppe for helping make applesauce on Friday!  The applesauce was a huge hit.  16 out of 19 students said they liked the applesuace.