Week of September 3rd

Outdoor time is a favorite time in kindergarten  

Reader’s Workshop

   Our Reader’s Workshop curriculum begins with daily literacy mini lessons.  The students participate in the skill presented in the mini lessons as a whole group, then in small groups and finally independently.  This week we focused on procedures and routines. Such as; how to come to the carpet, how to sit so everyone around you can see, having a quiet body when listening to a story, how to raise your hand when you want to share your thinking...

We also introduced different  areas of our classroom (i.e. blocks, games, puzzles, art materials, books...).

Theme Time

          This week started our work with the Habits of Mind. For the next few weeks we will be working on Managing Impulsivity. This is a big chore for many kindergartners as they want what they want when they want it and can sometimes act impulsively. The children are learning to "Stop, Think and Choose" when it comes to acting impulsively. We have done some role playing, read stories about characters managing impulsivity and participated in activities to build impulse control.

IPads

    In our classroom, we will be using IPads during literacy stations and math stations to play with educational apps. If you would rather your child not use the IPads at school, please let me know.

Muscle Word

     The children will learn new high frequency words (sight words) each week. The words introduced will be posted on our word wall. We call them “Muscle Words” because if you know how to read and write them they make you a strong reader and writer.

     This week’s words are I and a.

Each week the list of “Muscle Words” will be updated on the "Writer’s Workshop” page this class blog.

Snack

  If you send in a snack that requires a spoon (ie. yogurt, apple sauce…) please be sure to place a spoon in your child’s snack bag each day. I will have your child place it back in his/her bag at the end of snack time. Also, please place your child’s snack in a separate bag from their lunch
if they are bringing a lunch
from home and only send in
one or two items for snack.
Thank you!

Daily Schedule

  I have placed a copy of our daily schedule in the back of your child’s home/school folder. Please take a look at this schedule. Your child will be participating in PE classes on Tuesdays and Fridays. Please send your child to school with sneakers every Tuesday and Friday in order for them to participate in PE activities. The children will have the opportunity to check out a library book on Wednesdays. Please return your child’s library book every Wednesday (or earlier in the week) so he/she may choose a new book to take home that afternoon.

A Look Ahead

C.O.L

September 27th

starting at 8:10

All family members are invited to join us

School Picture Day

October 2nd

Morning Meeting

     Every morning we will meet on the carpet for our Morning Meeting. We will greet each other, do an activity together, share about ourselves and read the morning message together. Ask your child to tell you about this week's greeting and activity.

GREETING: Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom

ACTIVITY: Freeze Dance (CD)

Book Orders

    On the Return to School side of your child’s folder,  you will find the September book orders. If you would like to place an order, fill out the back of the book order form (with your child’s name) and send your order and payment back to school by September 13th. You may pay with cash or a check made out to Scholastic Book Clubs. You may order online if you would like at www.scholastic.com with our class code which is DVTHH. There is a link at the bottom of this page to Scholastic Books. When ordering online, you pay with a credit card and your order will automatically be sent to my email so there is no need to fill out a paper form. Thank you!

Math Lessons

Each week we will have whole class lessons that teach key mathematical skills and concepts. The children will be able to practice their learning as small groups and individuals at stations as well as during hands on activities.

Number corner (calendar) involves routines and lessons based on the classroom calendar. We will look at patterns, numbers, equations and graphs just to name a few skills covered during number corner.

Writer’s Workshop

     The children will be engaged in mini-lessons, writing time, and sharing time each day as they become writers! This week we were illustrators and drew lots of pictures.

Our Week

       Well, we made it through our first four day week of kindergarten. We had a lot of fun and kept very busy. If you need to contact me, please do not hesitate to do so. You may write me a note and put it in your child’s folder or you may call me at (802)521-5610. If you ever need to change your child’s after school arrangements, you will need to call and talk to Beth Brown in the office. Please do not leave changes to schedules on my voicemail as sometimes I don’t get a chance to check my voicemail until after the children have left for the day.