Monday October 11, 2010

Happy Orange Day!

What a busy morning! We talked about friends around the world. We learned that friends in other countries do some of the same things together as friends in the United States do, such as jump rope, ride bikes, build snow sculptures, etc. We also were reminded of the fact that it is ok to be friends with people who are different than us (different ages, boys or girls, different color skin, people who live in different states, etc.)

We learned a new sight word: "a". Right now, it is a little tricky for the students to say the word and not the sound that the letter a makes. With repeated practice reading, this will come. The letter sound we are focusing on this week is /p/. Thank you to Blake and his mom for sending in mini pumpkins for the kids--it fit in with our curriculum very well--/p/ as well as being orange!

We did a science investigation with color mixing. We mixed yellow and red. We recorded our results (orange) in our science notebooks. The students enjoyed creating their hypothesis and testing it! We will continue mixing primary colors throughout the week.

In handwriting, we learned about proper posture when writing and how to hold our pencil. We looked through our handwriting workbooks, playing an I-Spy game to find different concepts in it (colored lines for writing, arrows that tell us how to make the letter, green dots to show us where to start, and stop and check signs.

During small groups, the students worked hard to identify initial sounds of words (/s/, /p/, and /m/). We also read the book, We Can Share.

Every Monday morning after the Pledge of Allegiance, we recite the "Horizon Promise". The students wanted me to give you a copy of the promise so that they could practice it at home. Here it is:

As citizens of Horizon Elementary we will be the kind of friends that can be trusted. We will be honest . We will be respectful of the people and places around us. We will participate in the activities of our school and always do our personal best.

I will also send home a copy of the promise in your child's folder later this week.

Reminders:
•Book orders are due tomorrow. You may order books online or send your order form and money to school. Thank you!
•Tomorrow is green day!
•This Friday we have a Healthy School Award Assembly!

Friday October 8, 2010

Happy Purple Day!

What an exciting day we had today! The Johnston fire department came to visit the kindergarten students. They talked about what to do if the fire alarm goes off at school or at home. They stressed the importance of having a meeting place so that everyone is accounted for and safe. They talked about the different pieces of clothing that they wear when they go to a fire, and even had Mrs. Abbey try it all on! Boy, was it heavy!

The firefighters gave everyone homework...to sit down with mom and dad and make a fire plan--what to do if there is a fire in your house (how to get out, where to meet, etc.) They would also like everyone to test their smoke detectors/fire alarms, so that the kids know what they sound like, and to practice a fire drill at your home.

The students learned that it is important to "stay low and go" if there is a fire. They also learned how important it is to "stay out once out"...that they should never go back into a house or building that is on fire. The firefighters talked about calling 911 if there is a fire. They also talked to the students about not being afraid if a fire fighter is trying to help them, and not to hide if there is a fire. Ask your child what they learned from the firefighters!

Back in class, we read a Time Magazine article about fire safety. These are coming home with your child today. Read them together, and ask your child to show you "stop, drop, & roll".

The students went to the library today! Don't worry if your child forgot their library book...they can return their books any day of the week to check out a new one!

Thank you to Elijah's mom who worked with the students today! We love our parent volunteers!

Monday is orange day!

Have great weekend!

Thursday October 7, 2010

Happy Pink Day!

We started talking about color mixing today! A big thank you to Ella's mom who helped out with a hand painting/color mixing science investigation! The kids enjoyed making their handprints and seeing what color was going to appear when 2 colors were mixed together. We have them hanging in our classroom. Next time you are in the school, stop by and check them out! The kids love talking about them! We will continue learning about colors and color mixing next week.

It has come to my attention that there is a conflict with our color days next week. Here is the revised color schedule:
•Monday--orange
•Tuesday--green
•Wednesday--white & wear Team Kindergarten t-shirts!
•Thursday--black
•Friday--brown

Tomorrow is purple day!

Mrs. Abbey read My Friends, a nonfiction story about things that friends like to do together. We practiced our a-z phonics songs, and focused on the /s/ sound at the beginning and end of words. This skill (deciding if the /s/ sound was at the beginning or end of the word they heard, ie. "sock" or "bus") was challenging for many of the students.

We started talking about fire safety today. Tomorrow a fire fighter comes to talk with the class! They are very excited for this special visitor!

Reminders:
•Remember to help your child fill out their pumpkin reading log this month each time you read together! It can be returned any time it is filled up, before November 1st.
•Students should continue practicing their Aa apple charts with you at home until they have mastered all of the letter names and letter sounds. Also, please find time to read the small white books your child brings home during the week. (There are usually two books that go home each week which focus on the words and skills we are learning in class.)
•Tomorrow is library day. If your child would like to check out a new book, please help them remember to return their book tomorrow.

Wednesday October 6, 2010

Happy Yellow Day!

Today we talked about games we like to play with our friends. We discussed how we don't always like the same things as our friends, but that we can still play together and be friends. Mrs. Abbey read Games Around the World, a non-fiction story about games that kids play no matter where they live, such as hopscotch, clapping games, mancala, and string games like Jacob's ladder. We practiced "turn to your partner" to discuss different things throughout the story. The students are really enjoying talking with their classmates about what we are learning, and it's a good way to get all of their voices heard.

In computer lab, Mrs. Abbey introduced the students to a new program, Kidpix. We learned how to "paint" using this program. The students practiced painting their names and some drew pictures around the edge. We printed our very best work to take home today! We will continue exploring and using Kidpix through the end of November, and will come back to it throughout the school year.

In guidance, the students played a sorting game to determine things that were or were not good for their bodies.

We continued work in our new handwriting workbooks! Today we talked about our left and right hands, and traced them into our handwriting books. We also learned a trick to help us remember which hand is which. Ask your child to show you their left and right hands & see if they remembered the trick!

Today there was a surprise snack from the PTO! Since everyone did such a good job of returning their Entertainment Book Fund Raiser, our class earned a Rice Krispie Treat and a bottle of water. Many of the students didn't finish their water and wanted to take their bottles home--check your child's backpack.

Information:
•This Friday a firefighter is coming to talk with the kindergarten students. Take some time at home to talk about your family's fire escape plan.
•October book order forms went home yesterday. You now have the option of ordering books online (which earns our class free books)! If you would rather not order online, orders can still be turned into me at school. All book orders are due by Tuesday Oct. 12. Thank you!
•Tomorrow is pink day!

Tuesday October 5, 2010

Happy Blue Day!

The Spanish class from Summit Middle School came over to perform The Very Hungry Caterpillar this morning! Despite it being all in Spanish, the students could understand most of it because of the fun costumes and acting done by the students. It also helped that it was a familiar story which the students had already heard! While waiting for the students to arrive, we talked about words we know in Spanish. The kids already know quite a few Spanish words!

During our "Being a Writer" time, Mrs. Abbey read Titch, a story about a young boy and his older brother and sister. The students practiced a sharing technique called "turn to your partner". Together we made predictions, talked about the feelings of the characters, and recalled events of the story. The students practiced their writing skills by drawing and writing about something they like to do with their family.

Our color of the day was blue. It is fun to see all of the students bringing in colored items each day! Tomorrow is yellow day!

We started something new today--our handwriting workbooks! At first, we will focus on the different writing strokes, then will go in to writing numbers and letters of the alphabet. At the end of the week, uppercase and lowercase alphabet cards will come home with your child, as well as a list of fun games to play with them. These cards are from the handwriting curriculum and are yours to keep. Writing is difficult to do if your child does not know the names of the letters. Please continue to practice identifying the uppercase and lowercase letters at home. Thank you!

Just a reminder...your child can return their library book any day of the week. We can usually find a few minutes where they can walk down and check out a new book to bring home.

Monday October 4, 2010

Happy Red Day!

The morning flew by even faster than normal. New literacy stations were introduced and the kids were so busy working at them that they couldn't believe it was time to clean up and go!

We started our new unit about friends today. Mrs. Abbey read What Do You Like?, a fiction story about two friends and the things they like. We talked about characters (the people or animals who do the actions in the story). We introduced the word "like" and the students practiced reading it in a large group poem as well as in their guided reading book, We Like the Playground. The letter sound that we are focusing on this week is /s/.

Everyone had something red on today! Tomorrow is blue day! (It is also PE, so please remember PE shoes.)

The new literacy stations are focused on names and sight words. The students are writing, stamping, punching, sorting, flipping, matching, and building these words!

Thank you to Blake's mom for helping us with a beginning sounds game today!

Keep sending in any plastic shopping bags (from Target, Walmart, Fareway, etc.) to recycle! We will stop collecting bags on Friday November 5.

Collection for Boxtops, Campbell's soup labels, and other Labels for Education will continue through this Friday, October 8. Keep clipping!

Just a head's up...our first "early out" of the year is this month! Thursday October 28 the students will dismiss at 12:35 (an hour later than usual). The students will have lunch with the rest of the kindergarteners at school! Please send a sack lunch & drink with your child that day, or set up an account in the school office so that they can purchase a school lunch that day (school lunch choice is a sack lunch). Also, the bus will not run, so please make arrangements for your child to be picked up from school. Thank you!

Friday October 1, 2010

Happy October!

Your child is bringing home a purple reusable shopping bag today! Each family at Horizon is receiving a reusable bag to kick off our "Build with Bags" Challenge. This is a challenge across the metro to earn money for our school. It’s easy to do...just send to school any plastic bags you have at home to be recycled AND take reusable bags to the local grocery stores! When you check out, tell the cashier you’d like the credit to go to Horizon and we earn points! The metro school with the most points earns a free piece of outdoor equipment made from recycled plastic. There is an informational flyer in your child's folder with more specific details. Last year Horizon came in 4th in the metro....we’re hoping to win it this year!

Today was the first day your child is checking out a book from the school library. A note from Mrs. Adair is in your child's folder. They may return books (and check out a new one) any day during the week (not just on library day)!

A new reading log is also in your child's folder. Please remind your child to color one pumpkin each time a book is read, or for every 5-10 minutes you read together. Books counted can be books that you read to your child, as well as books they read to you!

The students had new carpet spots and table spots today! A few new stations were introduced, and the rest will be introduced next week. It was quite an exciting day!

Mrs. Abbey read, Jennifer Bing, Why Don't You Sing? which taught us that people in a family are different and may choose to like different things than other members of their family. It also showed us that everyone in a family is good at something, and that everyone is different and special. "Happy the Dog" helped us put sounds together to make words. Try saying the sounds in a word slowly to your child (ie. /b/, /a/, /t/) and see if your child can put the sounds together to say the word ("bat"). Try it with a variety of different 3-letter words to help your child master this skill!

We are starting to use math fact cards when working with our math stations. The students are enjoying using the manipulatives to show the addition problem, counting up their sets, and check their answer on the back of the card! This activity also helps with number recognition, making sets, and 1:1 counting.

Please continue to send in boxtops and other labels for education. We will continue collecting them throughout the year, but this "contest" ends Friday Oct. 8.

Next week, we start a new literacy unit, Friends. We will be reading books and learning about having friends.

We also start color week . Monday is "red" day...please help your child choose something red to wear!


Upcoming:
•Tuesday Oct. 5, students from Spanish class will come to act out, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
•Friday Oct. 8, a firefighter will come talk to the kindergarten classes about fire safety.
•Wednesday Oct. 14 is the day we wear our "Team Kindergarten" t-shirts.
•Next week starts our color week! Monday-red, Tuesday-blue, Wednesday-yellow, Thursday-pink, Friday-purple. The following week (Oct. 11-15) we will also be focusing on different colors.