Chewonki Visits This Week To Wrap Up Our Owl Unit.

Mrs. Deci’s Kindergarten News

January 30, 2012

Greetings Kindergarten Families!

THIS WEEK: 

We will continue learning about owls.  Students will create their own owl book with facts about owls and illustrations to match.  We will also continue to read and write about owls.  Our unit will come to a close with a visit from Chewonki.  They will be presenting to our class on Thursday morning. 

Below is an outline of the concepts that will be taught this week.

Language Arts ·       Long Vowels ·       Review Aa and Oo ·       Blending and Segmenting

Math ·       Counting and Number Games ·       Number stories (adding and subtracting)

Science ·       Weather/Seasons ·       Owls

ASSEMBLY:

This morning students attended a school wide assembly.  A slide show was presented of students busy at work and play!  Classes also prepared special presentations to share with the school. The kindergarten class sang our school song.  Ask your child if they can sing it for you. The lyrics are written below. 

Follow the rules (snap, snap)

Follow the rules (snap, snap),

Follow the rules, follow the rules, follow the rules (snap, snap),

Be safe, and be kind, be responsible, three simple rules,

For Dike-Newell School. 

Follow the rules (snap, snap),

Follow the rules (snap, snap),

Follow the rules, follow the rule, follow the rules.

REPORT CARD ENVELOPS:

If you have not already done so, please sign and return your child’s report card envelop tomorrow.  I was so impressed that everyone signed and returned them during the fist quarter.  Let’s do it again!

BOX TOPS:

We are still collecting box tops.  If you have box tops at home please send them to school in your child’s folder.  Remember all money raised will go directly to Dike-Newell school.  Thank you for your support!

WINTER CLOTHES:

Don’t forget to send your child to school with snow pant, boots, mittens/gloves and a hat.  Students must have these items on to play in the snow.

Thank you for your continued help and support. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns at 443-8285. 

Have a great week!

Mrs. Deci

Seasons, seasons there are four. Winter, spring, summer and fall. Which Season do you like best of all?

Over the past few weeks students have explored the four seasons, weather, and of course winter (we live in Maine)!  We have read many books, written about our favorite season and activities we like to do during that season!

We created a mitten graph (below) which shows which season was liked most in our class (summer).  It also shows whether the students liked the story, "The Mitten", by: Jan Brett.  As well as how old the students in my class are.  Each mitten is a glyph.  The students decorated their mitten after answering several questions.  The decorations they used represent their answers to each question.

We also read "Snowmen at Night".  This story is a great example of nonfiction.  Students created their own snowmen at night, and wrote about what they thought their snowman would do at night.

Box Tops, Box Tops...Send In All Box Tops!

Mrs. Deci’s Kindergarten News

January 9, 2012

Greetings Kindergarten Families!

THIS WEEK: 

We will be exploring seasons, winter weather and more!     We will read several Jan Brett stories including: The Mitten and The Hat.  Last week we read the Mitten and students acted out the story and practiced retelling skills.  This week we will do a class rewrite of the same story and read a new winter tale.  Students have been reading and writing about winter and their favorite activities to do in this season.

Below is an outline of the concepts that will be taught this week.

Language Arts ·       Final Consonant Sounds ·       Letter Oo ·       Blending and Segmenting ·       Short Oo Word Families: -ot, -op, and -og

Math ·       Counting and Number Games ·       Probability ·       Patterning

Social Studies ·       Winter Science ·       Weather/Seasons

BOX TOPS:

Dike- Newell School with support from the PTA is collecting Box Tops for Education.  Each box top that is collected is worth .10 cents for our school.  Please send them in your child’s folder, and I will collect them each morning.

REMINDER:

There will be NO school on Friday, January 13, 2012.  This is a professional development day for the school district.  There is also NO school on Monday, January 16, 2012 in recognition of Martin Luther King Day.

DONATIONS:

Below is a list of items we are unfortunately still in need of.  I appreciate all donations made to our classroom.

·       Hand Sanitizer

·       Tissues

·       Lysol Wipes

·       Colored Pencils  (12 pack)

Thank you for your continued help and support. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns at 443-8285. 

Have a great week!

Mrs. Deci

Welcome Back!

January 3, 2012

Greetings Kindergarten Families!

It is nice to back at school.  I hope that everyone had a restful and fun holiday.  Coming back to school after a break can be challenging at times.  We will spend the first few days back going over routines and expectations. Please remind your child daily that it’s their responsibility to come to school to do their best and have fun. 

THIS WEEK: 

We will discuss new years resolutions and setting goals.  Discuss with your child what they hope to learn or be able to do within the next year.  There are so many possibilities, I look forward to discussing and learning about their goals this week!     

Below is an outline of the concepts that will be taught this week.

Language Arts ·       Final Consonant Sounds ·       Letter Hh ·       Blending and Segmenting

Math ·       Counting and Number Games ·       Probability ·       Patterning ·       Measurement: Pan Balance

Social Studies ·       Winter Science ·       Weather/Seasons

REMINDER:

There will be NO school on Friday, January 13, 2012.  This is a professional development day for the school district. 

DONATIONS:

As we begin the New Year there are several items that we are in need of in our classroom.  If you are able please try to donate one item. 

·       Hand Sanitizer

·       Tissues

·       Lysol Wipes

·       Colored Pencils  (12 pack)

Thank you for your continued help and support. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns at 443-8285. 

Have a great week!

Mrs. Deci

Happy Holidays!

December 19, 2011

Greetings Kindergarten Families!

THIS WEEK:

The holidays are upon us!  This week we will discuss different holidays celebrated in winter.  We will read and write about the holidays and complete crafts and activities to accompany our discussions.     

Below is an outline of the concepts that will be taught this week.

Language Arts ·       Final consonant Sounds ·       Number and Color Words ·       Blending and Segmenting

Math ·       Number Formation ·       Probability ·       Patterning

Social Studies ·       Winter Holidays

SIGHT WORDS:

There will be NO official sight word homework this week.  However, we will be working with number and color words daily at school.  If your child has not yet mastered identifying these words please continue to review them at home. 

HOLIDAY PARTY:

Our class will have a holiday party on Wednesday, December 21, 2011.  Several parents volunteered to donate items for this event at our open house at the beginning of the year.  If you volunteered to bring something in for the party I have highlighted the item and attached it to this newsletter.  If you would like to donate something else, please contact me ASAP to insure we have everything we need for Wednesday afternoon. 

Please note, the party will be held on Wednesday because we have guidance on Thursday afternoon. 

REMINDER:

There will be NO school on Friday, December 23, 2011. 

HOLIDAY WISH LIST

·       Hand Sanitizer

·       Tissues

·       Lysol Wipes

·       Quart Size Zip - Lock Bags

·       Colored Pencils  (12 pack)

Thank you for your continued help and support.  I hope that everyone enjoys the holiday break, I look forward to seeing and working with you in the New Year.  Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns at 443-8285. 

Happy Holidays!

Mrs. Deci

Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man!

 Our gingerbread unit came to an end today.  And what a way to go out... students listened to a final gingerbread tale.  "The Gingerbread Man Loose In the School. "  Students compared this version with more traditional stories and discussed differences in characters and setting.   We also made gingerbread men!  They were cute and DELICIOUS!  Here are our baked cookies, YUM!

We began the unit by discussing how to bake a cookie, and different types of cookies.  Students had to vote for their favorite type: gingerbread, chocolate chip, or sugar cookies.  We then made a class graph illustrating the results.  Students also made adorable gingerbread girls and boys to help decorate out library.  

Students have had fun reading "Who Stole the Cookies".  They have read it daily to see whose name will appear in the blank. 

After reading the Gingerbread Man, students participated in a class rewrite.  Above are samples of student writing. 

Most recently, students listened to Jan Brett's, The Gingerbread Baby.  Students painted gingerbread babies, and made gingerbread houses.  They turned out GREAT! 

This has been a truly enjoyable unit.  Students were able to fully explore characters, setting, story structure, and making comparisons.  It was fun to listen to their predictions, and explore these stories together.

Don't Miss the Holiday Fair!

December 12, 2011

Greetings Kindergarten Families!

THIS WEEK:

We will wrap up the unit: The Gingerbread Man!  Over the past couple of weeks students have listened to, compared, and discussed several versions of the “gingerbread story”.  This week we will wrap up the unit by making gingerbread houses, and cookies.   

Below is an outline of the concepts that will be taught this week.

Language Arts ·       Letter Cc ·       Blending and segmenting ·       Making Predictions ·       Story Structure (beginning, middle and end)

Math ·       Number Formation ·       Measurement ·       Probability ·       Patterning

Social Studies ·       Winter Holidays

HOLIDAY FAIR:

The holiday fair is on Tuesday, December 13, 2011.  If you would like your child to purchase gifts at the fair please complete and return the form that was sent home.  List the names of individuals you would like your child to buy gifts for on the form.  Please only include immediate family members (mom, dad, siblings, step-parents, etc…).  Students will not have time to purchase items for other family members.   Send quarters to school with your child in a sealed envelope or baggy labeled with your child’s name.  Please put all money in their folder.  I will collect it in the morning.  This will assist in organizing and planning for our visit to the fair on Tuesday morning. 

GINGERBREAD HOUSES:

We will be making gingerbread houses on Wednesday morning.  Thank you to ALL families who donated an item for this project.  There is still time to send in a donation for this project.  We will be using all leftover items on Friday to decorate gingerbread cookies as a conclusion to our unit.

**Please note: the gingerbread house your child brings home will NOT be edible.  We will be using glue to construct the house. 

REMINDER:

There will be NO school on Friday, December 23, 2011. 

DONATIONS:

Below is a list of items our class is in need of as we enter the new year.  In addition to the sundry items, the items below will be used for academic projects and games. The beginning of the school year has been very successful. Thank you for your continued help in support.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns at 443-8285. 

HOLIDAY WISH LIST

·       Hand Sanitizer

·       Tissues

·       Quart Size Zip - Lock Bags

·       Colored Pencils  (12 pack)

Have a great week!

Mrs. Deci