Homecoming Week

Dress Up Days for Homecoming

Wednesday: Dress for Success

Thursday: Pajama Day/Comfy Clothes

Friday: Tiger Colors (Red/Blue)

Picture Day

Don't forget tomorrow is picture day!

Dress pretty! We have pictures at 8:30. Don't forget to send your picture order form back.

ABC Flashcards

I sent home alphabet flashcards last week. Please spend a few minutes a night reviewing the letters with your child. I have introduced the letters: R, S, and M.  We will start the letter T tomorrow. Have your child tell you the letter and the sound that letter makes. If your flashcards went missing let me know and I will send a new set home. Thanks!

Letter R

We have spent the last two days talking about the letter R.  We have worked on recognizing the upper/lowercase letter, writing the upper/lowercase letter, worked on words that begin with that letter, and the sound that the letter R makes. Here is the letter R page that the students made today of things that begin with the letter R. Ask your child what sound the letter R makes and ask them to tell you things that begin with the letter R.

Letter S

We spent the last few days talking about the letter S, the sound the letter makes, words that begin with the /s/ sound, and writing the uppercase and lowercase s. Ask your child what they learned about the letter S. Here is a picture of the letter S project we did today.

Sorting Website

We have been sorting things in kindergarten.  We have learned to sort by: shape, size, color, thickness, etc.  If you would like your child to practice sorting at home, check out this fun sorting game: http://www.scholastic.com/clifford/play/sortitout/sortitout.htm. 

10 Apples on Top

We are working on counting from 1-10 and backwards from 10-1.  Here is a fun project we did in math today! Some kindergarten friends even made patterns with their apples. Come check them out in the hall!

Monday and Tuesday we learned the upper and lowercase letter M and we practiced tracing and writing the uppercase and lowercase M.  We also have been practicing the sound the letter /m/ makes and things that begin with that letter.  Here is an example of the letter M project we made on Tuesday.  Come check them out in the kindergarten hall.  Make sure you ask your child about what letter we are learning each week and the sound the letter makes.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree

We have been singing lots of alphabet songs the last few weeks. Check some of them out on our blog under youtube videos. 

 Here is an example of the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree that students made last week after we read the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom book.  Come see them hanging in the kindergarten hall.

Newsletters

Newsletters go home every Friday.  You can also find them on our class wiki at:

http://mrsleachskindergartenclass.wikispaces.com/Newsletters

Adopt a Soldier

Our class has adopted a soldier!  His name is Michael High.  He is currently serving in the US Army and is on his second deployment to Afghanistan.  Our class will be making pictures and writing letters through the end of the school year.  We would like to send Michael and his squad a care package for Halloween.  We have asked them what are some things that they would like (see list below).  We would appreciate it if you could donate one or more of the items listed below.   Thank you for helping us support our troops!

 Please send items by Friday, October 12^th.  It takes about two weeks for the package to arrive.

                                      Mrs. Leach’s Class

Items Needed:

·        Dried Fruit

·        Sour Candy

·        Ramen Noodles

·        Slim Jims

·        Raisin Brain Cereal

·        Gum

·        Granola Bars

·        Trail Mix

·        Magazines (Time, National Geographic, etc.)

·        Wet wipes

·        Beef Jerky

·        Batteries (AA or AAA)

Name Books

We have really been working hard at writing our names the last two weeks.  Click on the link below to check out our class name book. 

Click here: http://mrsleachskindergartenclass.wikispaces.com/Student+Writing+and+Work

Just Right Books

The kindergarteners in Mrs. Leach and Ms. Rowland’s class learned how to choose a "just right" book today.  They are now allowed to choose no more than three "just right" books to read during Daily 5 read to self-time.  We started the lesson by Mrs. Leach trying to put on a baby shoe.  The kindergarteners laughed and told us that the baby shoes were too small.  Then I put on a pair of Mr. Leach's boots and they said that they were too big.  The kindergarteners laughed again and then Ms. Rowland and I went back and forth trying on shoes that were just right for us and what we were doing.  We talked about how it is just like books.  All the books are different and all readers are different.  We talked about how we are all at different levels just like we all have different size shoes and where them for different occasions (we wouldn’t wear rollerblades to kindergarten).  We explained to students that when they read they want to read "just right" books.  If a shoe is too big or to small then it is not "just right" and a book that is too easy or too hard is not going to help us become a better reader.  Kindergarteners need to choose "just right" books for them.  They need to be a PERFECT FIT just like the shoes they wear!  Students decided that if a book had more than 5 words on a page that they could not read then the book was too hard for them and that they should choose another book.

Thanks to Mrs. Zwolenski for coming and helping us teach the students about "just right" books.

Click to see more pictures.

Dress for the Weather

 

The last few days have been chilly when we go out to recess in the morning. Please send a sweatshirt or jacket to school for your child to wear when they are playing outside. Thank you!

AIMSweb Testing

Kindergarteners will be tested in reading and math on Friday, September 14th.  Students will be pulled for testing throughout the school day. It will take each student approximately 10 minutes to complete the test.  Please make sure that your child gets a good night's sleep and has a good breakfast before school on Friday. Thank you!

Scholastic Book Orders

Please return your child's book order to school by Friday, September 21st. You may place your order online or send it back to school with cash or a check.  Please let me know if you have any questions about placing a book order.

Snack

Did you sign your child up for snack cart/milk? It is not to late. I sent home additional forms today. If you choose not to sign your child up for snack, please send a snack to school for them each day.  Thanks!

Hollow Tree

Hollow Tree Reading Program

Dear Kindergarten Parents and Partners in Education:

The Kindergarten students are invited to participate in the Hollow Tree Reading Program. The Hollow Tree Reading Program is offered to all students. It is a voluntary, independent reading program which provides parents an opportunity to work with their children to improve and encourage reading.

After the children have listened to a book, they tell about the book.  Please record the title of the book and date the book was read on the form provided by the media center. The children will receive a free book after reading and telling about 75 different titles.

It is important that you follow these Guidelines for Hollow Tree:

1.    Read the ENTIRE book. (Drawing books, joke books, and magazines should not be used for Hollow Tree recording.)

2.    The child should RETELL the main ideas or events of the story.

3.    The child should IDENTIFY their favorite part of the book and explain why it is their favorite part.

4.    The PARENT MUST RECORD the title of the book and the date completed.

5.    Upon completion of 75 different books, the student may RETURN the form to the school media center and will be able to CHOOSE a free book.

6.    PICK UP a new form and continue reading and recording.

The books for the program are provided by the Hawthorne Parent Group. 

With their support, the opportunity of the Hollow Tree program is available for all students. 

Enjoy reading & recording with your child!

2nd Day of School Pics

 

We had another busy day in kindergarten! We had a discussion about what meetings look like, sound like, and feel like.  We decided what our rules would be for morning meeting in kindergarten.  We read a book about hopes and dreams (Uncle Jed's Barbershop - ask your child what Uncle Jed's dreams were).  We talked about what our hopes and dreams were for our kindergarten year.  We learned the rules/procedures for using the car mat, blocks, and reading loft.  We sang lots of songs and had lots of brain breaks (jumping jacks, sit-ups, etc.).  Tomorrow, we will be drawing pictures of our hopes and dreams.

1st day of Kindergarten

 

We survived the first day of kindergarten! The students explored using paper, pencils, and crayons to write their name and draw a picture.  They also explored using math manipulatives.  We learned the bathroon sign, bathroom rules, hallway rules, cafeteria rules, and recess rules.  We sang songs, read books, and danced.  It was a very busy day.  I hope your child came home excited about school.  Click on the picture to see more from the first day of school.

Snack Cart

Reminder - snack cart does not start the first week of school. Please bring a snack for your child the first week. Thanks!!

Meet the Families of K-103

 

Meet the families of Kindergarten 103!

Click on the picture to see more families in our class.

Wear Red

 

We will be having a kick-off "back to school" assembly on Tuesday (the 1st day of school).  Please have your child wear something red to school.  Thanks!

Open House/Fall Interviews

Thanks to everyone who made it to open house on Wednesday and fall interviews on Thursday. The goal of the open house and grade level presentation was to provide parents and students with multiple options to feel comfortable and excited about starting a new school year.  The fall interviews were a time for us to focus on getting to know your child and asking any questions you had about them starting kindergarten.  I hope I was able to answer all of your questions.  It was so nice to meet everyone and find out about your child.  I am excited for another wonderful school year.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you have in the future.