Dec 17-Dec 20

Our letter of the week was Mm.  We talked about the sound Mm makes (like in monkey, Monday, mom, and more).  We practiced our hand symbol, and read our Alphatales story, Monkey's Miserable Monday.  The students are doing really well with our alphabet letters.  I am so proud of their progress with the sign language symbol, the sound symbol, the letter and even our handwriting sheets are improving!  Mm was an easy transition from the Nn in formation and the students are doing well with it.



I slightly modified, having students do the sign language for M (see website) and rubbing that symbol on their stomachs.
Mrs. Gloudemans' Class Website








Construction continues on the igloo.  Please keep the milk jugs coming!  Students help by holding the jugs together while they dry and then help bring them to the wall to put on.  We are three rows up and will begin the doming of the igloo next!

We played a game as a "team."  

Students took turns rolling the dice, counting the dots as the roller points, and then the whole team colors the spot on the gingerbread man that matches that number.  This game is now in our center area.

On Wednesday, we worked on our presents for the parents!  We made our own wrapping paper, present, and card.  The making of the wrapping paper worked on their fine motor skills, expressing self creatively through art, and following directions of increasing complexity.  Making the present consisted of fine motor skills, expressing self creatively through art, and the mathematical skill of shapes, and counting.  The card worked on fine motor skills, expressing self through writing, and the understanding letters make words, words make sentences, and that all tells somebody something.   I was going to post pictures, but since the snow day came on Thursday,  I was not able to send their gifts home.  I dont want to spoil the surprise ;) You will receive them on the 2nd of January.  

With the CT tragedy, I received this letter on facebook from a friend: 

If you know a teacher, or have kids in a school, please pass on:
A building has been designated to house the students from Sandy Hook Elementary School. They are in the process of transporting desks, chairs, supplies and so forth to this location.
My neighbor is the president of the Newtown PTA and we met tonight discussing what we can do to make these children feel comforted upon their return to school.
Please join us in "The Snowflake Project".
We are asking your students to make and decorate a snowflake. We will hang them in the hallways at the stark, new building where the Sandy Hook students will be returning. PLEASE NO WORDS! We want just a cheerful, happy (glitter and sparkle) environment for the students entering the new building.
Please pass on to any teachers you think may want to participate.
When you send your snowflakes, please include a note to tell us where they are from (your school, class, town, etc) to display along with your snowflakes. You can send them to me directly, and I will give them to our PTA.
Bonny Marsicano
22 Pine Tree Hill Road
Newtown, CT 06470
Thank you so very much!

  Though we are not talking about the tragedy in our class, I thought it would be still very nice for these students to have this gift.  I told the students that some kids are getting a brand new school and they are not getting a snow storm like we are.  We are going to make some snowflakes to make their classroom and school bright, shiny, and fun when they come to their first day of school.  They were excited about it.  I will be shipping them out tomorrow.

Herbie got into quite the mischief this week.  On Monday, he built himself a little fort and played in there.  Tuesday he was reading the book about him!  He was open to the page about him going to Santa and telling what he sees and it is up to Santa to decide what list to put the students on.  I wonder if he was spreading a message?  One Wednesday, he was  hanging from the ceiling on our tree house sign!  Birds eye view of all that was happening in our classroom!  

Classes Resume on Wednesday January 2nd.  See you all then!

Important Notes:

• RSVP for the YMCA swim night.  Please return RSVP forms regardless if you can come or not so we are able to give an accurate count the the 
• Book Orders are due January 18th.  Feel free to take a look at all the choices and place an order at any time before then.  
• Milk Jugs  Please continue to bring in the milk jugs.  We have a good start, but according to the website, we need almost 400!  We are going to use the caps to pattern and sort.  We will use the igloo in counting and other math activities.  Building this will include fine and gross motor skills.  Also, it will build the imagination as they play it in the home living center!  We are all very excited about this and all the learning and imagination it can bring!
• Dress for the Weather.  We go outside Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Students need coats, hats, and mittens.  If there is snow or even if it is in the 30s I would suggest snowpants and boots for warmth and dryness.  St. Edward Extended day families, these students go outside for "long recess" after lunch daily and need to be dressed for it daily.  Please come with everything they need to stay warm and have fun!
• Lost and Found.  Our lost and found is growing.  If you are missing something please feel free to check out the box on top of the lockers by our door, or email me and I will take a look for you!  
• As always, any questions or concerns please feel free to email me!  Have a great weekend!

Next week:

Theme: Polar Animals

Letter: Mm (finishing it up from the snow day.  It is a short week so no letter was planned)

AM Snack:Degeneffe

PM Snack: 

THURSDAY DEC 20--INCLEMENT WEATHER

Parents, severe weather is indicated for tomorrow.

If school is cancelled it will be posted on all major news sites.  Please look for the Hortonville School District posting.  If school should be cancelled, I am still available by email.

I sent the student's holiday gifts from myself (and Mrs. Drummond) home today in the off chance we do not come to school. They were told to ask you when they could open it and told not to do so at school or on the bus.  Please feel free to use what ever policy your family prefers with gift opening.

Students made your gift, card, and even wrapping paper today.  Unfortunately, they were not wrap up ready by the end of the day so if there is poor weather, they will come home after the holidays.

If we DO have school, please make sure all students come with all the appropriate clothing: Hats, mittens, scarves, warm jackets, snow pants, boots, nice socks, and even a good layer underneath (warm pants-not tights, sweaters/sweatshirts).  What my parents always told me growing up and riding the bus: "Plan on your bus going in a ditch; are you dressed ready now?"

If I do not see you and/or you child tomorrow, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!  If we are at school, SEE YOU TOMORROW!

January Family Fun Night

Join the Hortonville 4K families for a family fun night of swimming at the YMCA at no charge!  Please RSVP to me.

paper copies will be coming home in Wednesday Folders :)

Dec 10-13

Our letter of the week was Nn.  We talked about the sound Nn makes (like in nice, newt, noodles nest, and more).  We practiced our hand symbol, our handwriting sheet, and read our Alphatales story, The Nice Newt.  The students are doing really well with our alphabet letters.  I am so proud of their progress with the sign language symbol, the sound symbol, the letter and even our handwriting sheets are improving!  Nn was an easy transition from the R in formation and the students are doing well with it.

Our theme was Snow and winter again.

In our small group we talked about how all the snowflakes in the whole world are different.  Though some are close, they are all different.  Students put glue on a snowflake however they chose and then chose between rainbow, white, or silver glitter.  They then shook their own snowflake off using their fine motor skills, and then put it on the drying rack.  They are on our 3D tree in our classroom and look great!

We have been practicing The Gingerbread Man.  We have been practicing the role playing of the skit and showing how a story can be made into parts. Students are very excited.  Don't worry though, if you are unable to make it students still get to practice, laugh, enjoy it and have fun.  We did talk about if moms and dads say they can't make it it is ok, they are still VERY important! PLEASE GET THOSE RSVPs in!

We also made snowmen.  Students wrote their own name on their paper.  They then cut out the three snowballs out.  They then put them in size order, small, middle big to make a snowman.  They then decorated the snowman with their scraps and crayons.  

I sent home the number writing practice sheets to help students writing the numbers as well as counting and the number word.  I encourage you to work on these at some point so that students can get practice with their counting, number recognition, fine motor skills, and writing numbers.

Through out the week, students come into the room looking for the trouble Herbie got into during the week.  He was hiding on the pencil sharpener on Monday and Tuesday, we think he liked it because it goes around and around.  The kids thought this was funny when I demonstrated!  Wednesday he had drawn on the board!  It was a Christmas tree, his picture and his name.  We couldn't believe it!  Thursday he was perched up in the 3D tree just hanging out watching!

Igloo Progress

Afternoon class helped us make a circle.  One student held the middle
of the string and we went around the circle, each student applying
tape around the circle

Taping in progress

Taping in progress

Making our way around the circle

The circle is complete.  We did it!

This many friends fit in it right now!

I put the hot glue on the milk jugs, and then passed it
to the students.  They held it together while the glue dried

After students left today I finished gluing everything together and got as far as I could with the jugs we had.  This is a total of 48 milk jugs so keep them coming so we can build it up!  Also, upon reading the directions again, they did use some half gallon jugs as well.  If you have some bring them in!  I am so excited for them to play in the igloo!

Skills used thus far: counting jugs, sorting caps, making a circle, team work, taking turns, following directions of increasing complexity.

Important Notes:

• RSVP for Reading with the Stars.  Regardless if you are able to attend or not, please RSVP to the reading with the stars program so I can be sure there is at least one student at each part of the program.  Students will participate regardless, but I just wanted to be sure that there is someone for each job the night of.  The program is TUESDAY DECEMBER 18 5:30PM-6:30PM.
• Book Orders are in for the holidays. I did not plan on submitting another one until after the holiday, but they are always open to put an order in.  If there are a lot at some point, I will submit an order, so let me know if this is something you would want/need/be interested in.  
• Milk Jugs  Please continue to bring in the milk jugs.  We have a good start, but according to the website, we need almost 400!  We are going to use the caps to pattern and sort.  We will use the igloo in counting and other math activities.  Building this will include fine and gross motor skills.  Also, it will build the imagination as they play it in the home living center!  We are all very excited about this and all the learning and imagination it can bring!
• Dress for the Weather.  We go outside Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Students need coats, hats, and mittens.  If there is snow or even if it is in the 30s I would suggest snowpants and boots for warmth and dryness.  St. Edward Extended day families, these students go outside for "long recess" after lunch daily and need to be dressed for it daily.  Please come with everything they need to stay warm and have fun!
• Lost and Found.  Our lost and found is growing.  If you are missing something please feel free to check out the box on top of the lockers by our door, or email me and I will take a look for you!  
• As always, any questions or concerns please feel free to email me!  Have a great weekend!

Next week:

Theme: Holidays

Letter: Mm

AM Snack: Plamann

PM Snack: Court

Dec 3-6

Our letter of the week was Rr.  We talked about the sound Rr makes (like in rabbit, rainbow, radish, and more).  We practiced our hand symbol, our handwriting sheet, and read our Alphatales story, Rosie Rabbit's Raddish.  The students are doing really well with our alphabet letters.  I am so proud of their progress with the sign language symbol, the sound symbol, the letter and even our handwriting sheets are improving!  R was the best handwriting sheets as a whole that I have seen yet.

Our theme was Snow and winter.  We read The Elf on the Shelf and introduced Herbie to the class on Monday.  Students were told they could write a letter to Herbie while he was watching and it would get to Santa.  I saw more students writing than I had ever seen before! They were trying to sound out words, write letters they had never written before and more!  It was amazing to see!

In our small group we worked on patterning with snowflakes.  We started with an AB pattern and if students were able to complete that we moved onto an AAB or an ABB pattern.  Students are doing very well with patterning.  

Tuesday we read The Gingerbread Man.  We began practicing the role playing of the skit and showing how a story can be made into parts.  Students were very enthusiastic about it!  On Wednesday we assigned parts and began practicing.  Students are very excited.  Don't worry though, if you are unable to make it students still get to practice, laugh, enjoy it and have fun.  We did talk about if moms and dads say they can't make it it is ok, they are still VERY important!

We read The Grinch that Stole Christmas on Wednesday focusing on the first two pages; The Grinch hated Christmas because his heart was 3 sizes to small.  He needed to learn about love before it could grow.  We then made a large Grinch for our classroom and are going to write the kind things we see our friends doing that made our heart grow and showed us love.  So far it is off to a slow start, but as we talk about it I feel they will get the hang of it.  I will encourage this to be a writing activity as well, brining in letter sounds and seeing if they can help with any of the letters while writing it out.  We also watched the cartoon movie of The Grinch that Stole Christmas.  Children enjoyed the change of pace.  

They also began a measuring unit with snowflakes. We measured how many "big snowflakes" tall we were, and measured how many small snowflakes a variety of objects were in our room. We then wrote these numbers on our data sheets.

 Pictures are on the class website show students next to the big snowflakes.

 Through out the week, students come into the room looking for the trouble Herbie got into during the week.  He was hiding in our drop bucket (where we put a drop in when we made good choices) on Tuesday.  He must be looking how many great choices we had made thus far to tell Santa all about them!  On Wednesday, I caugt him coming into the classroom when I turned on the lights and he had to hang from a rope on or window all day until we went home.  Thursday, he must have gotten hungry, he was sitting in a bowl full of home living food!

Important Notes:

• RSVP for Reading with the Stars.  Regardless if you are able to attend or not, please RSVP to the reading with the stars program so I can be sure there is at least one student at each part of the program.  Students will participate regardless, but I just wanted to be sure that there is someone for each job the night of.  The program is TUESDAY DECEMBER 18 5:30PM-6:30PM.
• Book Orders were submitted last week.  They should be in soon.  I have received emails from the Erickson family and the Plamann family asking that the gifts come  home discreetly. If you also need them sent home discreetly, let me know.  I did not plan on submitting another one until after the holiday, but they are always open to put an order in.  If there are a lot at some point, I will submit an order, so let me know if this is something you would want/need/be interested in.  
• Milk Jugs  Please continue to bring in the milk jugs.  We have a good start, but according to the website, we need almost 400!  We are going to use the caps to pattern and sort.  We will use the igloo in counting and other math activities.  Building this will include fine and gross motor skills.  Also, it will build the imagination as they play it in the home living center!  We are all very excited about this and all the learning and imagination it can bring!
• Dress for the Weather.  We go outside Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Students need coats, hats, and mittens.  If there is snow or even if it is in the 30s I would suggest snowpants and boots for warmth and dryness.  St. Edward Extended day families, these students go outside for "long recess" after lunch daily and need to be dressed for it daily.  Please come with everything they need to stay warm and have fun!
• Lost and Found.  Our lost and found is growing.  If you are missing something please feel free to check out the box on top of the lockers by our door, or email me and I will take a look for you!  
• As always, any questions or concerns please feel free to email me!  Have a great weekend!

Next week:

Theme: winter, snow continued

AM Snack: Higgins Family

PM Snack: Gorges Family

December Reading with the Stars

The paper copy of the invite is coming home in folders tomorrow!

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

Please return your RSVP by THIS THURSDAY Dec 6!  This would be a wonderful event for all!

I would like to send a correct count to Play and Grow center so they can have the right amount of seating, food, etc.  Even if you cannot come, please RSVP with a no so I know that you saw it and cannot come.  Thanks!

Nov 26-Nov 29

With the short week we didn't have four projects so things got a little squished into the week.

Our letter of the week was Ee.  We talked about the sound Ee makes.  Finding words that start with Ee is tricky and vowels often get mixed up.  It is a good start to try them, but mastery is tough at this age.  We practiced our hand symbol, our handwriting sheet, and read our Alphatales story, Elvin the Amazing Elephant.  Students put paint on their Elbows and painted their Ee with them!  I hope this will help them remember the Ee sound for days to come.  We also made an elephant for their hand print book page.  Students are doing well with getting "their reading finger out" and doing the one to one correspondence between the word on the page and the spoken word.      Some are already seeing is and for as sight words and knowing them right away.  They are also getting good at finding the letters of the week in print around our room.

 I am so proud of their progress with the sign language symbol, the sound symbol, the letter and even our handwriting sheets are improving.  

For the Ee we say: Down, across 1, 2, 3.  Little e: out the driveway, around the block and curve.  

*****I added all the previous letters of the week to a "Letters of the Week" tab on our website.  Please visit the website for this new tab as well as updated photos!*****

Click here for Mrs. Gloudeman's Website

We started the week with a definition of Transportation: Things that go and take you from one place to another.

We then made a list of types of transportation.

The next day, we read the book: The Big Book of Things that Go.  This gave us even more ideas to put on our list.  We then added to our list.  When students dictate what to add to a list, I emphasize the first letter sound and often ask a student to help me figure out the letter making that sound.  This helps students to begin to see the correspondence between the letter sound and reading/spelling.  

The next day we Sorted the list into Land (green marker with grass lines), Water (dark blue waves), and Air (light blue clouds).  

The students also did a sort as their morning table time.

Students also wrote their names with cars. I wrote their names in large yellow letters (to be the yellow lines on the road) and they had to drive their cars on the yellow lines.  When I was writing the letters I made sure to describe the ways in which I was making/forming the letters so they could work on correct letter formation.

Important Notes:  

• Vision Screening Hortonville School District came in and did a vision screening today.  All students did well and she will not need to retest anyone.  
• RSVP for Breakfast with Santa is due on Dec 6, which is Thursday.  Please try to get these in, even if it is a no.  That way we can send an accurate count.  Flyer can be found on the blog as well.
• Book Orders Due Friday November 30th.  Remember, if you order online you get a $5 coupon and our classroom gets a $3 coupon!  We also earn classroom points and can get more books/supplies for our classrooms. If you want them as a Holiday Gift, please let me not by note in their folder or email and I will find a way to get them to you secretly.
• Reading with the Stars for December will be December 18.  This will be the closest thing to a program we will be having. We will be doing a Gingerbread skit as well as having activities.  A note and RSVP will be coming home next week.  Please try to attend the event, but let us know if you cannot so we can plan parts accordingly.  
• Folders.  Please be checking your child's daily folder each night.  We put notes on the notebook pages in their folders as well as any notes we may have for you.  Artwork is also sent home this way.    Also, Please check the student's Wednesday Folders.  Please try to take info out and return the folder and any forms/info/payments in those folders a day or two after receiving.  
• Dress for the weather.  Please send your child dressed for the weather as we go outside as long as it is not raining or below 0*  Even if there is no snow, snowpants are acceptable to keep students warm.  Students in the 4K program go out on TUESDAY and THURSDAY.  If students are in the extended day program, they go out DAILY.  A note was sent home in last Wednesday's folder about Cold Weather dress as well.  

Next Week:

Theme: Snow/Winter (a change for the original list, we will be doing polar animals after the winter break)

Letter of the Week: Rr

Snack this week: AM-We do not have anyone signed up, originally we had someone, but they can no longer do it.  If you could help out, even if it is just for 1 day please let me know. PM-Schultz Family

--Mrs. Gloudemans

Fun Family Day--Eat Breakfast with Santa!

Please return your RSVP by Dec 6!  This would be a wonderful event for all!

Classroom Igloo?

Hello Parents,

I have been doing some research to come with some cool units for our class.  I found a project in which the students can make an igloo IN the classroom.  (How to make a Gallon Igloo).

I think this would be a fun activity! To get it done in a timely manner, we should start it now!  If you have any gallon sized containers (from milk, oj, etc.) please clean them out and send them to school with your child.

Feel free to send the caps as well as these can also be used as instructional tools with patterning, sorting, etc.  If we get a good amount of jugs and this becomes a true possibility, I will keep you up to date with our progress with photos and excerpts on here.

Hope your Thanksgiving break is off to a wonderful start and all is well.  Let me know if you have any questions!

Nov 19-Nov 20 (21)

We did not have have a letter of the week this week due to the short week.  We brought in the alphabet and letter sounds in a variety of ways.  We have been practicing, practicing, practicing the letters we have learned so far and will continue to add more!

*****I am going to add all the previous letters of the week to a "Letters of the Week" tab on our website.  Please visit the website for this new tab as well as updated photos!*****

Click here for Mrs. Gloudeman's Website

 Monday we made turkeys that students matched the number on the feathers to the dots on the turkey.  They are doing well with this concept and continue to work on counting and number recognition.

Tuesday we made a Thankerchief--a game of passing around a "thankercheif" and taking turns saying what we are thankful for.  We practiced the game in school and I hope you were albe to enjoy it at home!  This activity taught us things we are thankful for, worked on our speaking skills, following multi-step directions, and fine motor skills when decorating our "thankerchief."

Wednesday, the morning class played Thanksgiving BINGO in our small group time.  We learned a variety of Thanksgiving vocabulary words as well as worked on our listening skills.  

Important Notes:  

• Book Orders Due Friday November 30th.  Remember, if you order online you get a $5 coupon and our classroom gets a $3 coupon!  We also earn classroom points and can get more books/supplies for our classrooms. If you want them as a Holiday Gift, please let me not by note in their folder or email and I will find a way to get them to you secretly.
• Conferences went well.  If you have any questions or concerns afterwards, please contact me and we can either discuss them via phone or email or set up a meeting time. 
• Folders.  Please be checking your child's daily folder each night.  We put notes on the notebook pages in their folders as well as any notes we may have for you.  Artwork is also sent home this way.    Also, Please check the student's Wednesday Folders.  Please try to take info out and return the folder and any forms/info/payments in those folders a day or two after receiving.  
• Dress for the weather.  Please send your child dressed for the weather as we go outside as long as it is not raining or below 0*

Next Week:

Theme: Transportation

Letter of the Week:Ee

Snack this week: AM-Zaves Family PM- As of now nobody is signed, up.  We do have some extras at school, but if you are interested, please let me know.

--Mrs. Gloudemans

Thanksgiving Week-Short Week

• AM Class Mon-Wednesday.  On the half day Wednesday: If you ride the bus, it will run normally.  If you usually go to extended day (with Mrs. Zajicek) you have the option to stay with her until 12:30 or get picked up at 11 when AM is released and 
• PM Class on Mon-Tuesday.  No PM class at all on Wednesday. 

Nov 12-15

With the short week we didn't have four projects so things got a little squished into the week.

Our letter of the week was Ss.  We talked about the sound Ss makes.  We found A LOT of words that start with Ss.  We practiced our hand symbol, our handwriting sheet, and read our Alphatales story, Silly Seal's Sandwich.  they put smiley face and star stickers on their Ss, and made a handprint book page: S is for Spider.  The students are doing really well with our alphabet letters.  I am so proud of their progress with the sign language symbol, the sound symbol, the letter and even our handwriting sheets are improving--though Ss is a really tricky letter to write!

*****I am going to add all the previous letters of the week to a "Letters of the Week" tab on our website.  Please visit the website for this new tab as well as updated photos!*****

Click here for Mrs. Gloudeman's Website

 Monday we made a Know, want to know, learned sheet.  It was cool to see how much the students knew!  They had some really good questions as well.  

Tuesday was our trip to Mosquito Hill.  We had a lot of fun. Pictures are posted on the Website.  The link for the website is below.  We had a lot of fun!

Click here for Mrs. Gloudeman's Website

Wednesday, we finished filling out the KWL chart with the stuff we learned at the trip and looked to see if it answered our questions.  







We also made a goose that is going to fly in our class in V formation!  It was fun to stuff the paper bag and cut out the pieces and assemble it all.  

Thursday we did our usual handprint letter page (with our reading finger if we already knew the letter).  We also worked on our handwriting page and figuring out the tricky S.  

It was a good week!  Next week is also a short week with the Thanksgiving Break.

Important Notes:

• Short Week Next Week.  
• AM Class Mon-Wednesday.  On the half day Wednesday: If you ride the bus, it will run normally.  If you usually go to extended day (with Mrs. Zajicek) you have the option to stay with her until 12:30 or get picked up at 11 when AM is released and 
• PM Class on Mon-Tuesday.  No PM class at all on Wednesday.  
• Book Orders Due Friday November 30th.  Remember, if you order online you get a $5 coupon and our classroom gets a $3 coupon!  We also earn classroom points and can get more books/supplies for our classrooms. If you want them as a Holiday Gift, please let me not by note in their folder or email and I will find a way to get them to you secretly.
• Conferences went well.  If you have any questions or concerns afterwards, please contact me and we can either discuss them via phone or email or set up a meeting time. 
• Folders.  Please be checking your child's daily folder each night.  We put notes on the notebook pages in their folders as well as any notes we may have for you.  Artwork is also sent home this way.    Also, Please check the student's Wednesday Folders.  Please try to take info out and return the folder and any forms/info/payments in those folders a day or two after receiving.  
• Dress for the weather.  Please send your child dressed for the weather as we go outside as long as it is not raining or below 0*

Next Week:

Theme: Where Animals go in the Winter

Letter of the Week:Ss

Snack this week: AM-Higgins Family PM- Brunn family

--Mrs. Gloudemans