December 5, 2014

Dear families,

This is what has been hopping in the frog classroom:

Readers' Workshop: We are learning how readers can help themselves by using their super powers. The children found that it is not always enough to put the first sound in your mouth...you have to read through the word and use the pictures to help.

Writers' Workshop: We have been making technical drawings like a scientist. The children have been practicing labeling and writing sentences. We have talked about using meatball spaces.

Math: We have been talking about shapes. We have used our attribute blocks and discussed a lot of attributes by sorting and playing, What's My Rule?

Visual Arts: We are making a class quilt for our, 'long winter's nap.'

Song of the Week: Stomp, Stomp, Clap!

Book of the Week: lots of different gingerbread men stories

Donation Requests:

 rick rack

small craft buttons

foam stickers

I will be sending home a request list for the gingerbread cookie decorating party. I will also send reminders to those who have already volunteered something. Something we could always use is small candies to decorate with (no nuts or hard candies please) It is helpful if you send them in early.

Upcoming Events:

• Gingerbread literacy and math
• Early release-12/17
• 12/22 Gingerbread cookie decorating (families welcome)
• 12/23 pajama day
• Winter Break-12/24-1/2
• Word of the week-the
• Handwriting:I,T, and S
• Phonics- (s)&(z)

Have a wonderful Weekend!!!

Thanksgiving pictures are uploaded to Flikr.

11-22-14

Frog News

Please remember you and your families are invited to our celebration on Tuesday at 9:30. The children will sing a couple of songs and share some breads they baked.

We have been very busy reading realistic fiction about Thanksgiving, playing lots of math games, weaving and making some really nice art projects. We worked on writing the letter Q and introduced the sound r makes. We continued with the word, and.

Donation Requests

• rick rack
• ribbon 
• buttons
• holiday stickers (or anything festive to decorate are gingerbread people)

Upcoming Events

• Thanksgiving Celebration 9:30 -Tuesday, Nov. 25th
• Thanksgiving Break- 11/26-11/28
• Gingerbread activities (literacy and math)
• Early Release-12/17
• Monday, 12/22 at 12:30 Gingerbread Cookie Decorating (families welcome)
• Tuesday, 12/23 Pajama Day...frogs hibernate:)
• Winter Break- 12/24-1/2

A happy and healthy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

****We desperately need brown paper grocery bags to use to send the childrens' projects home in.  Please send any you can!!!!

November 14, 2014

Dear families,

The frogs would like to invite you to a Thanksgiving Celebration. It will take place in our classroom at 9:30 on November 25th. The children will sing a few songs and we will eat bread that they baked. Families are invited. Look for your invitation on Monday.

We had a busy three day week and we accomplished a lot. C & O were our handwriting letters this week. Phonics was the sound of l. And our word of the week was, and. We continue to practice reading skills so we can develop into strong readers. The children have started to work on "fancying" up one of their stories.

Math has been fun, we are exploring the different ways you can represent a numeral. Four tally marks, four dots, and four spots on a ten frame are all equal. We've counted to make sure.

November Donation Requests

 small and large white paper plates (the cheaper ones because we are going to use them for a project)

soft tissues

Upcoming Events 

• Handwriting-Q
• Phonics-R
• Word of the Week-and
• Thanksgiving Celebration- 11/25 from 10-10:30

Have a wonderful weekend!

Donna

Safety 10/2014

We did finish up safety this month. 

• Officer Mike came in and discussed Halloween Safety and Stranger Safety. 
• The fire department came and told the children how to keep safe in case of fire, DO NOT HIDE from firefighters even if they look strange. Make a plan with your family.
• Mr. Fosher discussed bus safety.
• Diane Griffith discussed personal safety. We learned, say STOP! NO!, GO away, TELL a grownup.

Sorry for the delay on this. My computer was down.

This week:Handwriting letters: X,Y, and ZPhonics: m & nWord of the week: so

Remember Early Release this Friday. Parent Conferences.

Lots of new pictures on Flikr.

Week of 10/20-10/24

Learning in the Frog Classroom:

October is safety month. Officer Mike came and talked to the children about trick-or-treat safety. They all promised not to eat any candy until they got home after they went trick-or-treating. We took pictures of them in the police car and you can look at them on Flikr. Diane Griffith, our guidance counselor, will come talk to the children about personal body safety. She will show them a video on Thursday (10/30) at 10:00. You are invited to join us. The fire department will also do a safety presentation.

****Needed for the Halloween Celebration-24 small  water bottles

Literacy Centers

We practiced writing the letters, L&U this week. We used the ipads, Promethian board, wood pieces and workbooks. The children all agreed these were easy letters to write. Our word this week was, an . We stamped it, searched for it and read it in stories. Our phonics sound was, (a) ,now we can practice sounding out short a words.

Readers' Workshop

Everyone got to put a book that they can read by themselves in their book boxes. They  are very excited, and they have partners that can help them if they get stuck. Our reading buddies pictures are also on Flikr.

Writers' Workshop

We continue to write about small moments and are starting to add details to our stories. The children understand that drawing is an important part of their writing. We continue to practice meatball spaces and spaghetti spaces in our writing and reading. Ask your child what they are.

Math

We have been working in our calendar books and are practicing our counting. The children love Zero the Hero and counting by 10's to 40 now. We have worked with addition and subtraction stories. We do this on the Promethian board.

Upcoming Events

• Handwriting-V & W
• Phonics-short o
• Word of the week-I
• Picture retakes-10/28
• Halloween Celebration-10/30
• Early Release for Parent Conferences-10/29 & 11/7

10/10 

This week's happenings!

• word of the week, in
• handwriting letters: M & N
• phonics (qu)
• Made two class books, Yuck Soup and Yum Soup inspired by Joy Cowley
• Illustrated the seasons of an apple tree
• lots of calendar math, practice writing numerals, and math games
• Readers' Workshop-we got our own bins and are practicing telling stories through pictures.  I invited the children to bring in a well loved story from home.  We will begin partner reading next week.
• Writers Workshop-We celebrated our writing by framing our favorite piece of writing. Now we are practicing writing about small moments.

Thank you to all of you who have returned the appointment sheets for conferences, I gave a date and time to everyone who has sent one in.

Pictures should be in soon.

Change of clothes-some of you sent in shorts, you might want to change them for something more seasonal.

Yum Soup

Recipe

cookies

pineapple

spaghetti

meatballs

peaches 

apples

Yuck Soup

Recipe

hair

paint

mushrooms

pine cones

feathers

stinky shoes

stinky socks

toothbrushes

Upcoming Events

• Handwriting letters, H & K
• Sight word-see
• Phonics (th)
• 10/13 - No School
• 10/29 &11/7-Parent Conferences  (Early Release)
• 10/21 Field Trip
• 10/30 Halloween Celebration (staff & children only) please send costume in a bag.  

Have a great weekend!

October 5, 2014

We continue to have a great time in the frog classroom.  The children are really starting to learn all of the routines.  

Here are some activities:

We made a beautiful apple square quilt.  We made applesauce, apple pizza, and apple slinkies.  

We have searched for our sight words and stamped them out in play-doh.  It was also fun to paint and make the word magically appear. Handwriting practice has been exciting. We have used the ipads, the Promethean Board, and the handwriting books.

The letters we have practiced so far are F,E,D,P,B,&R. We will start with M & N this week.  These are all called frog jump letters.

Our phonics sounds have been (p) (b) (d) (t) (f) (v) (g) & (k). 

Our sight words so far are: a, he, no, and at. Next week our word is in. 

Everyone should have received an assessment sheet on the foundational math skills we have practiced. The children are great at math:) We continue to practice math through calendar math, counting, patterning, and practicing numeral recognition. We play games, use the ipads, manipulatives, and the Promethean Board.

2014-2015

It was a great first week!

Thank you for all your help with explaining to the children what is snack and what is lunch. I also appreciate all of those forms you have filled out and sent in. The children seem to be having a great time, look at Flikr to see them in action. I frequently upload pictures there to share with you, the next set will be from Cider Hill Farm. 

Please send in P.E. shoes and a change of clothes if you haven't already.

Grandparents' Luncheon pictures have been added to Flikr. Enjoy!

End of the Year Info

I can't believe the year is coming to an end so soon. I have had so much fun and learned right along with your children.

Grandparent Luncheon

Grandparent Luncheon is at 10:30 this Monday for kindergarten. Please make sure you child has a big breakfast because we will not have snack that day.

Last Day of School June 11

We finish before the rest of the school so the incoming kindergartners can come for a visit. We will have a celebration at 9:30 and dismissal will be by 11.Please let me know if this presents a problem for your family.

Field Day 2014

Despite the gloomy weather, everyone had a great time. Thank you parents, fifth graders and P.E. teachers. Check out Flikr for some awesome pictures.

Friendly Reminder

This Wednesday (May 14) is an early release. Children will be dismissed at 12:50.

Field Day May 23

Could use some parent volunteers, in the morning. Fifth graders run the stations, we just need escorts.

Grandparents' Luncheon

June 2.

Last day of Kindergarten June 11th

A celebration-certificates, cake and a short performance.  9:30  Dismissal by 11, They go home with you. Please let me know if this presents a problem for you.

What a Day

We started with a puppet show!

We made flower baskets and cards for nursing homes.

We had fun in the sun.

And we ended with a wellness walk.

Thank you for all your help!!!

Wednesday, May 7

Our puppet show is at 9, parents and younger siblings are welcome. Our service project will be making flower baskets and cards for the elderly. Please send in flowers with your child. You are welcome to come and be part of the wellness walk at 1:30.  You probably should get here a little early if you decide to join us because the street will be closed during the walk.

Reminder

This Friday is our second pajama day.  Please allow your child to wear pajamas if s/he wishes to do so.  Could you please send in a baggie of their favorite cereal? We will have breakfast for snack after we do some math activities with the cereal. If you wish, they can purchase milk in the cafeteria for the cereal.  It would be great if you could send in a plastic bowl, if not, I will have some. They may bring a stuffed animal.

May 7

• Puppet Show 9-10 parents and younger siblings invited
• 10-11 making flower baskets for nursing home patient-2 volunteers requested
• 1 volunteer requested to deliver flowers to nursing home of your choice.

***Wellness Walk 1:30 parents are invited to join us.

 

May 7th is so busy, I have decided to have the sundaes on May 21st in the afternoon.  We go to the music hall that day so it will be a nice afternoon surprise.  Anyone that wishes to scoop at 1:30 gets a sundae as a thank you.

Donations needed

for May 21

2 people to bring in a half gallon of ice cream (vanilla)

1 bottle of fat free chocolate syrup

2 cans of low fat whip cream

20 bowls, 20 spoons, napkins

for June 11 (end of  kindergarten year celebration 9:30-11:30)

napkins, 2 liter bottle of 7 UP, 1 cranberry juice,

Some people have already volunteered something for those days, Mrs. Norton will give you a reminder.  Please email her if you can send in anything from these lists.  Thanks so much for all your support and thank you to those of you who helped with our special pizzas!

More information  about both days will follow.

Lots of fun things happening this month.

• Wednesday, April 30 is the first Wednesday the children stay all day.  We will make English Muffin Pizza so they will not need a second snack.
• Friday, May 2 we will have our second pajama day.
• Wednesday, May 7 (our second all day Wednesday) We will have our May Festival.  We could use a couple of volunteers to work on a service project and help the children make flower baskets for a local nursing home.  There will be a puppet show at some point (younger siblings and parents are invited...more info to follow).  The wellness walk is that afternoon and everyone is invited to join us if you would like to.

***The children only stay all day on Wednesdays.  They follow their regular schedule the other days of the week.

Jump Rope for Heart

It was a bit chilly, but everyone had fun.  Look on Flikr for the pictures.

Chocolate Bunnies 

We finger painted chocolate pudding bunnies.  It was a "finger licking good" project.

Music Hall

Thank you for sending those permission slips back so quickly, we are only waiting for a couple more.

Progress Reports

The progress reports were sent home for the purpose of reporting attendance.  There is no new information.  Please sign the envelopes and only send the envelopes back.

Froggy Pizzeria

We will make pizza the Wednesday after vacation.  Our wonderful room mom will contact you if you volunteered to send anything in.

Pajama Day 2

We will celebrate spring and wake up the Friday after vacation.  It would've normally been this week...but pajamas and jump roping didn't make sense.

Happy Vacation-think sunshine!!

April 11,2014

Conferences continue next week, there will be another early release on Wednesday, April 16.

We will be doing a project with fruit next week, could you please send in a piece of fruit with your child on Tuesday?  It will not be used for their morning snack, we will have a fruit buffet in the afternoon.

The chicks are with us for a few more days.  Some children chose to hold them this afternoon.

Friendly Reminder  

Tomorrow is an early release.  All students are dismissed at 12:50.  There is one on April 16th also.

Ah-Choo

Allergy season is upon us and we could use some donations of soft tissues.  Any and all donations are welcomed.

Baby chicks!!!

Two chicks have arrived and we look forward to more arriving.

Conferences

Conferences are set for April 9 &16.  I am still waiting to hear from some of you.  There is one 3:00 appointment available on the 9th.  There are a few available between 2:50 & 4 on the 16th.

Parent Conferences are coming up.  Please let me know if you prefer April 9 or 16.  The time blocks are between 1:30-3 or 3:30 - 5.  You will be given a 20 minute slot. Let me know if these times present a problem for you and we will work something out.  Feel free to email me your request and I will process them as I get them.  Thank you!

New pictures have been added to Flikr.  It shows the celebration we did as a school.

Friendly Reminder

Tomorrow the whole school will be celebrating, Read Across America.

We will start the day reading together in the cafeteria, then we will watch a skit and have a guest reader.  The children are welcome to wear storybook character costumes.  Please have them bring the book for their character.  If you do not have one, we can give them a Dr. Seuss book and have them be the boy or the girl.  It will be a fun day!

Spring is Here!

Yes, spring has arrived...but the snow hasn't left.  The children need snow pants and boots to play in the snow.

Lots of science going on, we planted magic leprechaun hair and made predictions as to what it needed to grow.  We also have eggs and are going to hatch baby chicks.  We have been watching their development on the Promethean Board.  

Math has been a lot of fun we're graphing, counting, and doing addition and subtraction in lots of different ways.

The children are doing great with their reading.  They are  flying through these books.  They are starting to understand that fluency develops with practice.  We are learning about making connections to the stories we read and sharing them with reading partners.  It encourages the children to think deeper about the stories, helps develop comprehension, and social interaction skills.  (It's important to be a good listener.)

We are also working on writing how-to books, it is interesting to watch five and six year olds explain how to do a simple or not so simple task.  We talk about how it is important to list the materials needed and to sequence the steps.

Friday, March 28th is when we are celebrating Read Across America Day.  The children are encouraged to dress as one of their favorite story book characters-it does not have to be a fancy costume.  It could be the boy in, Magic Tree House or the girl in Junie B. Jones.  Please send a book with them on Friday that matches their costume.  Don't worry, if they need help we will take care of it here.

Any parent that would like to come in on Monday or Thursday to read a book to the class would be very much welcomed.

Week of 2/3-2/7

Thank You

Thank you for sending in all the childrens' 100 day projects, the field trip money and the valentines.  I am still looking for a few stamped envelopes addressed to your child for our secret valentine project.  Could you please send them in Monday, if possible?   I would like to mail the secret valentines out early next week.

Our classroom post office has opened and has been very busy.  Our postal workers are very efficient.  We will open our valentine factory next week also.  Any donations of alphabet stickers or valentine stickers would be appreciated.  It is one of the childrens' favorite centers.

We will be decorating love bug cookies on Valentine's Day. Is anyone available to help bake them on Thursday morning?  We will be using Pillsbury sugar cookie dough to simplify the process.  The children will also open their cards on Valentine's Day.  It will be a fun day for children only:)

I hope you enjoyed the book bags the children brought home on Tuesday.  These were well practiced books so they would have an opportunity to show off for you.  I tell the children we reread books to develop fluency and strengthen our reading skills.

Snow angel pictures are on Flikr.

Enjoy your weekend!!!

100 Day

 Look at the wonderful collections!

 We made 100 squares with rods.

 We made medallions and wore crowns.

 Look at these girls fill in the Promethean Board.

 We used unifix cubes to build another 100 square.

 It was a great day!

100 day

Tomorrow is 100 day if the weather cooperates.  The children were concerned that we might miss it due to snow, but I explained to them whatever day we come back will be day 100.
Please send valentines in, even if the children haven't finished them so they can start mailing them.  We will do a few each day.
Thank You!!!

Teddy Bear Picnic pictures have been loaded onto flikr.

Troublemaker Bear came to school and made a mess while we were out of the room.  Mr. Fosher came and took him to the office.  He has to earn his "magical" hat back by making good choices.

Friendly Reminder

Tomorrow is an early release day, the children will be dismissed at 12:50.

Tomorrow is also the day for out Teddy Bear Picnic, the children are allowed to bring teddy bears to school, if they do not have one Mrs. Brooks has 1,453,018 and she will bring some to school to share.

Week of 1/24/14

The children have been having lots of fun despite the cold weather and lack of outdoor recess.  

Assessments are done, children will be receiving their report cards next week.  I have been out with a bad back, but Mrs. Boisvert whas been in and she is wonderful.  I will continue to be in half days next week.  

On Monday, you will receive a valentine list for your childrens' cards,  we will have a classroom post office. 

The S.O.A.R.S. group is looking for donations of tuna.