Newsletter- Our Week In Review

Dear Families, 

We have had a great week in Kindergarten! The students are becoming more independent and comfortable in class and getting to know each other and making new friends. 

 

Comm. Arts:

Our big book of the week has been, Picnic in Apple Park and the smaller guided readers are Time toEat, Family Dinner and Potluck Supper. Please ask your child about the literature. Our guided reading groups are going well. We are working on pointing to words, sounding out words, and star word identification.   Our letter this week is "Aa" and star words are:  the, happy, we, I, can, and today.

 

Math:

We are working on recognizing numbers and number writing, shapes, and longest and shortest. Please continue to practice number writing at home and recognizing numbers 1-20. 

 

Science: We are working on our Earth unit and talking about day and night in our journals. 

 

Social Studies: We have been learning about our classmates as "Special Person" continues. It has been lots of fun!

 

Reminders:

 

Please continue to send in the field trip permission slips.

 

Please remember a healthy snack for your child each afternoon.

 

Please practice zippers and tying shoes with your child.

 

Thank you for all of your support!

 

Kindergarten Teachers

 

Packer Day tomorrow

Please wear your favorite Packer gear tomorrow! If you don't have Packer clothes, please wear green or gold. 

Go Pack Go!

It's a boy!

Baby Rocky is here! Evan James Rocklewitz was born on September 24th at 5:45pm. He is 6lbs 10oz and 20in long. We couldn't be more in love with our little guy!

Thank you to all of the love and support from all of you! I plan to come back sometime in January. Until then, Mrs. Johannes will be taking things over. She is amazing and you will all love her. Mrs. Johannes just visited our classroom on Monday to get to know the kids and to know our routine. She will do a great job!

Please feel free to email me if you need anything. I plan to check it while I am on maternity leave. 

Brew Crew Friday!

Tomorrow is Brewer Day at Thorson!  The Milwaukee Brewers need our help in cheering them on to the playoffs.  Please wear your favorite Brewer clothes tomorrow.  If you don't have Brewer clothes, please wear BLUE tomorrow.  

Let's Go Brewers!!

Newsletter- Our Week In Review

September 18, 2014

Dear Families,

We have had another successful week in Kindergarten!  Thank you for all of your help in preparing your children for the day.

This week during Guided Reading, we have been working on the story, Whose Baby Am I? In this story we worked on the skill of making predictions.   We did this by looking at the pictures of the baby animals and thinking what kind of animal could be the mother.  Ask your kindergartner which animal was their favorite!

We have also been working on the letter Mm.  We have been identifying words that begin with the letter m and have been working on printing the letter Mm.  Along with learning about the letter Mm, we have been working on our Star Words, “am & happy”.  Please be sure to practice these words with your child.

During Math we have been working on sound and motion patterns, color patterns, and sorting coins in a variety of ways.  We have also been working on counting and correctly writing numbers.

Reminders:
*The weather has been getting chilly!  Please be sure to send a jacket/sweatshirt with your child.  Make sure that it is labeled with your child’s name.
* Continue to send a healthy snack with your child- no cookies, chips, or candy.


If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!

Take care,
The Kindergarten Teachers

Taller and smaller

In math today we talked about size. We talked about things that were taller than us and things that were smaller than us. We went on a hunt around our classroom to find things that were taller and smaller. We created a special poster and added these items to our chart. See if you can find things that are taller and smaller than you at your house!

The chart we created. Lots of great ideas! 

Green Folders

Thank you to all of my families who are sending back the green folders nightly!  Be sure that you have emptied the folder each night of things that were sent home.  Thanks!

Tonight in your child's folder, you will see a poem called Old MacDonald's Vowel Farm.  This is just a poem that you can read with your child.  It will help to practice the short vowel sounds that the letters make.  For example the short a sound that you would hear in cat.  No need to send this poem back to school.

Another item you might see in your child's folder is a list of students' names/pictures.  We have been practicing writing our friends' names during our Working on Writing center.  There is no need to return this sheet to school either.  Feel free to have your child tell you their new friends' names!

Thank you for your support!

Magazine Pictures Needed

Dear Families,

In the upcoming weeks, we will be doing some collage pictures during our math time.  I was hoping that all of you could help me out with getting some of the pictures ready.

On Friday, September 19th, we will doing collage pictures of numbers all around us.  Will you please look through magazines with your child and cut out pictures of numbers?  Please place these numbers in an envelope with your child's name on it and return to school.

On Monday, September 22nd, we will be doing a collage on shapes in the world around us.  Will you please look through magazines and find pictures of triangles, circles, squares, and rectangles?  Please place these shapes in an envelope with your child's name on it and return to school.

Thank you so much for your help with this project!

Take care,
Mrs. Rocky

Thank You!

Thank you so much to my families that have been dropping off their child on the playground in the morning and allowing your kindergartner to come in the building by himself/herself.  By doing this, you are allowing your child to practice being independent- a goal that we want ALL kindergartners to be able to do.  Your child is able to hang up his/her backpack, give me the notes, and place his/her lunch away all on his/her own!  It is so cool to see your child being able to do these things! All of us continue to help your child on the path of being independent.
Thank you for your help and support!

Read to Self

During our Flex time, we have been working on Read to Self. Each student has a book bag with a variety of books. Students are asked to read quietly and independently. When we are working by ourselves, Mrs. Rocky will then be able to work with small groups or with a student. 

There are three ways that we can read a book in kindergarten. 

1. Read the pictures- tell yourself everything that is going on in the pictures. 

2. Read the words- look for words that you know. You can even tell yourself letters you know too. 

3. Retell the story- if you have already heard that story, tell yourself what happens in the story. 

Here are some friends practicing reading to self.  You can even practice reading to self at home! 

How To Be A Good Listener

We have been talking a lot about how to be a good listener in Kindergarten.  When we listen, we are able to learn new things.

We watched a video with Cookie Monster and he helped us learn how to be a good listener.  We found out that we needed to listen with our whole bodies.  We learned that we need to have:

Eyes watching

Ears listening

Mouth quiet

Body calm

When we do these things we are really able to be a great listener.  

The students really enjoyed the video of Cookie Monster teaching us to be a good listener.  Here is the link to the video to review with your child.  I often check in with the students after a lesson on how they think they did listening.  Many friends are honest and say that they will need to do a better job at keeping a calm body or a quiet mouth.  Way to go!  (Something you could try out at home too!)

Cookie Monster and Whole Body Listening

Peep and Chirp

We enjoyed a Peep and Chirp today.  We all loved it!  Here is the link that you are able to watch it again at home.  Enjoy!

Peep and Chirp Change Colors

Magazine Pictures Needed

Dear Families,

In the upcoming weeks, we will be doing some collage pictures during our math time.  I was hoping that all of you could help me out with getting some of the pictures ready.

On Friday, September 19th, we will doing collage pictures of numbers all around us.  Will you please look through magazines with your child and cut out pictures of numbers?  Please place these numbers in an envelope with your child's name on it and return to school.

On Monday, September 22nd, we will be doing a collage on shapes in the world around us.  Will you please look through magazines and find pictures of triangles, circles, squares, and rectangles?  Please place these shapes in an envelope with your child's name on it and return to school.

Thank you so much for your help with this project!

Take care,
Mrs. Rocky

Newsletter-Our Week In Review

September 11, 2014

Dear Families,

          Your kindergartner continues to be busy!  In Communication Arts we are reviewing the alphabet and learning the star words “I” and “can”. Please practice these words with your child as they will be reviewed and tested throughout the school year.

          During math we have been practicing our numbers 1-9, sorting objects, and making birthday graphs. We have been able to do a lot of these activities on our Smart board!  We love being able to interact with this great piece of technology.

         

          Reminders:

·       Remember to continue to practice your Star Word lists with your child.  We will test on TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS.

·       Remember to have your child wear shoes that they are able to take on and off independently.

·       Make sure your child has a daily healthy snack!

·       Please practice zipping jackets and tying shoes with your child. 

If you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!

Take care,

The Kindergarten Teachers

Birthday Graphs

We made a birthday graph today during math. Ask your kindergartner which months had the least and which months had the most. 

Our friend S with his graph of the birthday data. 

The graph we made as a class. 

Math centers

Number identification

1:1 counting/ number identification

1:1 counting/ number identification

Making patterns

1:1 counting/ number identification

Different ways to show a number

Number puzzles

Dance Break!

We love to dance in kindergarten!  We often take some time to dance between learning new things.  Enjoy a short video of us dancing away to Disney's Follow The Leader (From Peter Pan)

Picture Day!

Just a reminder that Picture Day is on Thursday!  Be sure to turn in your order forms if you plan on purchasing pictures.  Didn't get an order form?  Please be sure to contact me BEFORE Thursday so I can send you a new one.

If you are able to help out at Picture Day- please contact the school office.  I know that PTO was still looking for some helpers to walk classes down to get pictures taken on Thursday.  I believe you would need to help out in the morning.

Thank you!

I'm excited to see some smiling faces on Thursday!

Star Words for the week - where can I find them?

Dear families,

On the right hand side of this blog, you will see a place that says "Star Words and Letters" I will put the Star Words we are working on and the letter of the week we are working on in that place.  I would encourage you to keep up with our Star Words.  All kindergartners are expected to learn 54 words by May.  If you keep up with us (and review past words) your kindergartner will be able to do it!

You are also able to see what Star Words are coming up by clicking on the page that says Star Words that is at the top of our blog.

Thank you all so much for your support!

Take care,
Mrs. Rocky

What is with those stickers?

Your child has been bringing home some of their daily work and you might have noticed stickers (or stamps) on their work.

One place that you will see a sticker is next to their name.  When your child has written their name the kindergarten way the BEST that they can, they will earn a sticker. (Students who are having difficulty are able to trace their name by using a name card that is placed under their paper) Only when corrections have been made (fixing up backwards letters or having a capital in the middle of their name) will a sticker be given.  A sticker is given so the child knows that they have tried their very best AND so that the teachers in the room know who have already been checked.

The other place that you will see a sticker is next to the word that we wrote for the day.  The sticker is given if a child has tried their very best and all corrections have been made.

You will see what we have done to help your child if there is highlighter on your child's paper. This is a place where we have asked your child to try again- often by tracing what we wrote.

To help with writing please encourage your child to write their name the kindergarten way, write their letters from top to bottom, and right to left.  Thank you so much for all of your support!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Writing Our Names the Kindergarten Way

This week, we will start writing our names the kindergarten way.   The kindergarten way, as I refer to it, is writing our names with one uppercase letter and the rest lowercase.  If your child does not know how to do this quite yet, we will provide name tags that he/she can use to put under his/her work to trace.  We will also write your child's name in marker that he/she can trace.

It would be beneficial for your child to practice writing his/her name at home too.  In addition, please help your child learn that letters are formed from top to bottom and from left to right.  Your child may become frustrated when practicing because this may be a new skill.  Give it some time!  Your child WILL be able to do it!  A positive attitude goes a LONG way!

By working together we can ensure your child's success in kindergarten!  Thank you for your support!  We will continue to work on name writing daily at school.

Reminder for Monday

Dear Families,

Just a reminder that I will NO longer be meeting your child out on the playground in the morning before school starts. They will be brought in by one of our amazing aides.  I WILL be meeting them at our classroom door!  :)

I also appreciate SO MUCH that you are allowing your child to start to become independent by walking in on their own.  The kiddos are doing an awesome job at being able to hang up their backpacks, put their lunches away, and taking out their green folders to show to me if they have any notes for me.  They are all so proud of themselves by being "big kids".  Way to go parents and way to go kiddos!

We're going to have a great FULL week of kindergarten!

Take care,
Mrs. Rocky

MAPS Testing Coming Up

"Understanding each student’s academic level gives teachers the power to help them excel. MAP® computerized adaptive assessments are the tools that make it possible – providing educators with the detailed information they need to build curriculum and meet their students’ needs, one child at a time." ~ NWEA

On Wednesday, September 10th, my kindergarten students will be participating in a computerized reading test in the afternoon.  The students will sit at individual computers in the lab, wear headphones, and answer various questions about such concepts as letters, sounds, words, etc.

The other dates for the MAP testing will be on:

9-16-14 (Reading Part 2)
9-17-14 (Math Part 1)
9-22-14 (Math Part 2)

Monthly Calendars

Families,

This week your child brought home a calendar that they created during project time.  On the back of this calendar are fun things that you can do at home with your child.  There is no need to send this calendar back in at the end of the month letting me know that you did these things with your kindergartner.  These are just simply suggestions to spend some fun time together as a family.

Thank you!

Mrs. Rocky

Star Word Lists

Wow!  We have had a lot of friends who are bringing in their Star Word lists to get checked!  Yesterday, I had ten friends who were able to move on to list two!  That is wonderful!  

Please remember that I will ONLY check lists on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  You are more than welcome to bring in your lists earlier but they will just stay at school until Tuesday or Thursday.

Thank you so much for your support on this project!  I know that it will be a great help in learning those Star Words.  

What did you do all day?

Wow! I am so impressed with how your child is adjusting to kindergarten! I hope you are hearing fun stories about all the things we are doing instead of hearing "We did nothing!" 

I came across this article about ways to start a conversation about how school is going. I hope these ideas encourages your child to share more about his/her day. 

Thank you for all that you do!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/liz-evans/25-ways-to-ask-your-kids-so-how-was-school-today-without-asking-them-so-how-was-school-today_b_5738338.html?crlt.pid=camp.WZ5XA1QYSp2e

Outdoor Play is Important!

I came across this article on the importance of outdoor play. I totally believe that children should get a chance to play in the outdoors. I hope you find this article beneficial!

http://www.playworks.org/blog/healthy-play-outdoors-after-school

Pete the Cat Tour

We read the story Pete the Cat Rocking in his School Shoes. In the story, Pete visited many places around his school. We visited the same places in our school. It was fun to reinact the story!

In the library

In the office

Outside the cafeteria (there was a class going on!)

On the playground  

Newsletter-Our Week In Review

                                             
September 4, 2014

Welcome to Kindergarten!
We are so glad that all of you are here.  The kindergartners have had a great first couple of days of school.  We are so proud of them!

This week we are learning about the rules and routines of kindergarten.  We have been talking a lot about what it means to be a Positive Jaguar.  These three rules are: Be Respectful.  Be Responsible.  Be Ready to Learn.  Please be sure to go over them with your kindergarten student.

In math we have had the chance to do some measuring by comparing strips of paper.  We had to find a partner with the same length.  It was fun!  We also had a chance to work with the pattern blocks.  We were able to create our own designs with them.

A few reminders for the upcoming week:
1. Please be sure your child has a rest towel.  The towel needs to be labeled with their first and last name.
2. If you have any change in your going home plans, be sure to send a note with your child.  If you do not send a note, we will follow the plans you decided upon at the start of the year.
3. Be sure that your child has a snack to eat at snack time.  We have had a few friends without snack.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!

Take care,
The Kindergarten Teachers

Star Word Practice

Dear Families,

Thank you to so many families who brought in Star Word lists already!  I am so impressed by so many friends who know the first four Star Words.

Since today was such a busy day, I was unable to test my friends who brought in their sheets.  I will do my best to test friends and give out new sheets (if needed) on Thursday.

Thanks for understanding and your support in this program!

Take care,
Mrs. Rocky

A few reminders

Dear Families,

Thank you so much for getting your child ready for school in the morning.  There is so much to remember!

Please make sure that your child has:

Snack (and knows where to find it!)
Rest towel (if you haven't sent it already- remember that it will go home at the end of the week to get washed)
Shoes - that they are able to be independent with - tying, getting on and off, etc.

Please make sure that your child knows:

If they are having hot lunch or cold lunch
If your child is having option one or option two (if having hot lunch)
If your child needs milk at lunch time.

Thank you so much for your help and support!

Take care,
Mrs. Rocky

A note to my parents

You did it!  You made it through day one!

Thank you to all my parents for being brave and saying good bye outside this morning.  I can only imagine how hard it may be to let your baby go with someone else.  Know that I don't take your trust for granted.

Relationships are key- I will work hard at building one with you.

Communication is an important part to building relationships. I will do my best to keep you informed on what is happening at school and during our day  (here on our classroom blog and through various other forms of communication) You have my phone number at school and my email address.  Please feel free to contact me if you ever have questions.  I will do my best to get back to you in a timely manner.

I appreciate when parents advocate for their child.  As long as we can both listen to each other, I know that we can find a solution that will work for everyone.

Please be patient with me.  There are 20 new awesome and amazing people to get to know socially, emotionally, and academically.  It might take awhile before I know what I can do to make your child's kindergarten year a great one.

I want your kiddo to have fun and to succeed.

I really do love my job.  I couldn't imagine another place to be.

Here's to a fantastic year!
Mrs. Rocky

Pete the Cat Dice Game

We read Pete the Cat Rocking in his School shoes during reading time. At project, we continued to work with Pete by playing a dice game. Friends had to color in a section of Pete depending on what number they rolled. This game helps to practice number identification as well as turn taking. It was a lot of fun!

Tomorrow Is the BIG Day!

It was so nice meet all of you at Sneak Peek and at Parent Orientation.  I hope you all had a great time and are excited to start Kindergarten!

Here are a few reminders for the first day of school:

1. I will meet your child on the playground that is near the main office.

2. Take all the pictures you want and give lots of kisses and hugs outside.  Parents will not be following their child into school.  I know that it is hard and I know that there will be tears but I promise that I will take care of them.  

3. Please be sure you send a healthy snack with your child.  This snack will be eaten in the afternoon.

4. Please send a beach towel in a bag (with their name on it) for rest time.  We will take a short rest in the afternoon.  Your child is not required to sleep but is asked to be quiet during this time.  

5. If you are picking up your child on the first day, your child will meet you outside the doors that are nearest to our kindergarten rooms.  Please come to me and pick your child up.  I will not allow them to leave me until I see they are with a parent.

6. If your first day of school plans change, or if they ever change, please send a note to school.  This way I will know where your child needs to be at the end of the day.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to email me.  I will be checking my email today and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Thank you!  Looking forward to a great year!

Take care,

Mrs. Rocky