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!