Jan 21-Jan 24

GREAT NEWS!  The host site I use for the school website officially has the blogger tool!  This means this blog is also available on the website.  You no longer have to go to two sites for the blog information (though it is a linked up application so this is always available if you prefer).  

Our letter of the week was Jj.  We talked about the sound Jj makes (like in jaguar, jelly, and juice).  We practiced our hand symbol, practiced the hand writing sheet, and made our hand print book page (jaguar), and we decorated the letter Jj with JELL-O.  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!  

We did our own symbol for letter Jj.  We put the pinky up and drew a J with it saying "j".  This is the sign language for the letter J and helped to draw it so it made more sense to teach it this way.

I met with the kindergarten teachers of the Hortonville school district and they suggest that we teach the PROPER formation of the letters before they get to kindergarten.  I have been working on this with students, but encourage you to help them at home as well.  Almost all letters start on the top (M & N the only exception) and all circle letters (a, d, g, o, q) start at the top and do the circle first.  I can also send you the words we use, if you would be interested.  I will work on getting this as a digital copy and/or something to send home. We practiced this at school by doing rainbow writing.  I showed students proper writing of their name, with starter dots, and arrows, and sometimes numbers to help with order and then they did it in all the colors of the rainbow making their name rainbow.

**** Found the correct wording on how to write the letters. Please click HERE It should bring you to a google document.  When you get in the document, you can save it (download) as a PDF.  You can then view, rotate counter clockwise to get a better view.****

We discussed community helpers this week. We discussed the many people that help our community.  We also discussed how all these helpers are jobs they can have when they grow up.  On Monday, we took the people/community helpers and placed them under, in front, behind, and over the vehicles they drive.  It was pretty interesting to see some of their thoughts, such as some student put their person on the back of their paper for behind and for under.  Interesting to see their perspective!  

Peyton typing a sight word
while his friends look on.

I wanted to start to incorporate technology for the students.  

Technology is becoming more and more prominent in the students' lives.  One skill important for them to learn is the location of the letters on the keys. We started this by typing the words I can print to put on our word wall and to type their names.  I projected this up on the screen as the students in the class helped us to sound out some of the words.  

Logan typing his name, looking for
that letter "o"  Can you tell?  :)

We will begin to do some sign in activities where instead of finding their blue cards, we will type our names onto the lap top.  I will do the best I can to incorporate more technology to get them ready for their future school years as well as the world around them.

On Wednesday, we talked about any job they picked would  make them a community helper.  We then drew a picture of us working this job, and then tried to write it.  We are then putting this in a class book.  Students are very ambitious and they are doing well coloring (adding details) and trying to write.

The igloo is FINALLY done!  We have a whole igloo!  We are still collecting a few milk jugs to make a door way, but after this week we can officially say the igloo is done and no more donations are needed!

Kids are having fun playing in the igloo.  I have seen everything from playing house to pretending to be polar bears.  We are still working on (and could use some reminders about) treating the igloo with love.  I have had to replace the front twice and the back twice as well.

Next week is Catholic Schools Week.   Though we are a public school program, the entire school will be dressing up and doing a variety of activities (non-secular).  If your child would like to participate, they are more than welcome.  As mentioned, all activities will be NON SECULAR. 

• Dress Up days please feel welcome. 
• Monday: Scientist day
• Tuesday:  Spirit wear: School colors navy and gold or St. Edward aparel if you have it!
• Wednesday: Rainbow day
• Thursday: Athletic wear

• Our afternoon class will be going to the science show on Monday (and the students who stay with Mrs. Zajicek for extended day). 
• We will all be hopping for Leukemia on Tuesday.
• Thursday, students enrolled in St. Edward program through the parish (Extended Day, Cole, Howard and Schultz families) students will be going on a field trip in the PM.   Mrs. Drummond, our morning aide will be teaching in the afternoon as I, Mrs. Gloudemans, will be helping out on the trip.
• WEEK LONG:  Our school will have a book fair running Sunday, Tuesday Night, and Friday afternoon. Same company as our book orders, but there are some "Fair specials."  

Important Notes:

• Book Orders are due Feb 15th.  There are some great new collections. Also, if you order online you get a coupon for free books.  It also earns points and free books for our classroom as well!  
• Milk Jugs.  We do not need any more milk jugs (though you can bring what you have left over), but you don't have to save any more.
• 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!
• With weather below zero, students cannot go outside. This does include windchill.  Unfortunately, this means we didn't get outside all last week, but we do attempt to get some exercise in the room and the gym.  Please continue to send snow pants and boots as the commute to school can be rather long and I want them all to stay warm if something should happen.
• 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: Community Helpers

Letter: Hh

AM Snack: Darnick Family

PM Snack: Brunn Family