Feb 25-Feb 28

Our letter of the week was Qq.  We talked about the sound Qq makes (like in quilt, quiet, quack, and question).  We practiced our hand symbol, practiced the hand writing sheet, and made our hand print book page (quilt), and we decorated the letter Qq with quilt pieces.  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!  

**** 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.***

Our theme this week was Dr. Seuss.  We did A LOT of rhyming!  We started off our week with making our Cat in the Hat Rhyming Hats.  

Students had to follow multi-step directions and pattern in an AB pattern for the first step.  Students then started with Cat.  We tried to find rhyming words and then they had to figure out and write the initial sound of the words.

AM Class wearing their Cat in the Hat
rhyming hats! So Cute!

PM Class (though tiny through sickness)
wearing their Cat in the Hat rhyming
hats!  So Cute

We rolled the number dice and the colored fish dice.  Students glued that many of that color in their fish bowl.  They did this a second time. We then filled out the number sentence First roll plus second roll equals all that are in the bowl.  Students did great with this concept!  Yay we are adding in 4k!

Students have been doing many rhyming activities and playing with words (just changing the initial sounds of words they want, such as their names).  We have been reading a variety of Dr. Seuss books and even watching some of them on video.  The cool think about Dr. Seuss books is when I read it once, they can do pretty well reading it on their own in the reading center!

We have been doing Yoga for the past few weeks to "wake up our bodies and get ready to learn."  Students find a "yoga dot" on the floor for their own space.  They do a seal stretch (cobra), dog stretch, walking on tip toes to spots in a tree, touch their toes (not bending their legs/tree trunks) and then bring their hands into namaste.  We do deep breathing to get oxygen to our brains to help us think and then get our brains ready to learn by kissing it good morning/afternoon and we want our heart to love our class and our friends so we kiss that good morning/afternoon as well.  Students are doing really great!

We are working on left and right as well.  A way I have found to help teach this is the pledge hand is the right hand.  This way there is no confusion on what hand the right with, we always do the pledge with our right hand.  Encourage left and right at home!

If your student is out sick/ on vacation, please let the school know AND the bus company (for each individual day).  The bus company appreciates this so they know if they can alter the route to shorten it.  With the slippery roads, the more than can shorten the better! The school needs records of the reason of absence to report to the district nurse to track what is going through schools.

Next week, I am going to be gone on Wednesday (March 6) and Thursday (March 7).  I have an educational conference in Steven's Point.  Mrs. Drummond will be teaching both the morning and afternoon class.  There will be an aide in with Mrs. Drummond in the morning class.  I will discuss this with the class so they know I will be gone, but I know they are in good hands and all will be well!  

(as always, photos available by email at your request.  Additional photos are available for viewing on the website: http://mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward4k)

Important Notes:

• Book Orders are due March 22nd (MIDNIGHT).  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!  Find the link the scholastic section of the website: http://mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward4k
• Spring Break is the week of March 25th-29th.  
• Orientation  4K registration for NEXT YEAR'S 4k students is March 5 (Greenville) and March 6 (Hortonville).  If you plan on attending Hortonville or Greenville next year, you will automatically be registered due to your 4k enrollment (if you registered through Hortonville, not if you are registered through St. Edward.)  If you are planning on attending St. Edward next year (and were previously Hortonville), please let me know and we can get you a registration packet.  If you were already registered through St. Edward, your packet came in the Blue Folders last week.  Please get them in asap as they help us figure out staffing for next year and that process begins this early already.
• Milk Jugs.  We do NOT need any more milk jugs!  The igloo is done, the valentine's buckets are made, and we are still busting at the seams with milk jugs!  Thank you for all your donations and helping make the students a great learning experience and fun!
• 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. 
• 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: Dr. Seuss.Dental

Letter: Ww

AM Snack: Degeneffe Family

PM Snack: Howard Family

March Family Fun!

Link to document HERE

Kiddo Friendly Community Events for March

We’re “marching” into another month of great opportunities.  Here’s a few fun things to checkout!  Remember, if you discover an upcoming free or low cost activity in the area, please feel free to email Chrissy Belau, HASD EC:SE Teacher at christinebelau@hasd.org to potentially share it with the rest of our students! 

Home Depot Kids’ Worshop-FREE

March’s project: Race Car - Saturday, March 2, 2013 (9-12 a.m.)

Dr. Seuss Party

On Tuesday, March 5 from 6:30-7:15 p.m., the Menasha Public Library Children’s Department will host a party for kids in grades K-5 to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday with some Dr. Seussical nonsensical fun. Join us for crafts, treats, stories, games, and celebrate Dr. Seuss March madness.

Easter Bunny-FREE

The Easter Bunny will be visiting The Children’s Place at the Fox River Mall on Saturday, March 2 from 12-4.  Get a free pack of peep treats if you make an in-store purchase, too!

Come visit our floppy eared friend the Easter Bunny from Saturday, March 16 through Saturday, March 30 in the Macy’s wing!  Photo packages are available if interested.  The Easter Bunny is available for photos during the following times:Monday thru Saturday: 10am to 8pm and Sunday: 12pm to 6pm.  The Easter Bunny will take periodic carrot breaks throughout the day!

Kids Market - Downtown Appleton

We are excited to offer our first ever Kids Market on Saturday, March 16th. Come and help us celebrate our young entrepreneurs as they set up booths to sell their hand-made crafts and creations. Hope to see you there to support them, and mark your calendar for the second Kids Market on March 16th. City Center Plaza, 9-12:30

YMCA Family Nights - $3/per person, $15/max, FREE/members

Family Night every Saturday at the Appleton YMCA 6:30-9:30pm:

Enjoy the splash pad, family fun center, pools, gyms, and racquetball courts. Special activities vary weekly. All children must be accompanied by an adult during all Family Night activities.

Family Night • Heart of the Valley YMCA6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Gymnastics Center: 6:30 - 9:00 PM
Gymnastics, jumping, climbing, toys and lots of fun! Appropriate attire required.
Open Swimming: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Games, toys, water slide, and water fun! Pool inflatables will be available on certain nights. All children must be accompanied in the water with an adult in a swimming suit regardless of age.
Open Gym: 6:30 - 9:00 PM
Basketball and open play along with inflatables in both gyms!
Craft Project: 6:30 - 8:45 PM
Projects will be available for children to complete with the assistance of an adult; some assembly required!
Activities are designed as family time. All children must be from the same family and accompanied by an adult for all activities. The Lifestyle Center and Whirlpool are closed during Family Nights. Questions? Contact Brandon Vanderhoof at 830-5703.

Family Nights at the Neenah-Menasha Y

A special time for families to have fun and create great memories that last a lifetime. All children must be accompanied by an adult during all Family Night activities including swimming. March 9, 2013. From 6:30-9:00.

Rondini

Menasha Public Library Children’s Department, 440 1^st Street, presents a performance by Rondini. Join us for a marvelous magic show with Rondini, the award winning magician, on Monday, March 25 from 1:30-2:15 p.m. as part of the week long Spring Break Spree at the library. Free fun for the whole family.

Movie Day at the Library

Menasha Public Library Children’s Department, 440 1^st Street, presents a movie afternoon for kids in grades K-5 on Thursday, March 28 and Friday, March 29 from 1:30-3:00 p.m., as part of a week long Spring Break Spree at the library. Free popcorn provided. Children must be accompanied by a responsible caregiver at all times.

Don’t forget to checkout govalleykids.com and your local libraries for more family fun!

Feb 18-21

Our letter of the week was Ff.  We talked about the sound Ff makes (like in Fifi, flamingo, feathers and flute).  We practiced our hand symbol, practiced the hand writing sheet, and made our hand print book page (flamingo), and we decorated the letter ff with feathers.  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!  

**** 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.***

Our theme this week was Presidents/Patriotism.  We talked mostly of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but touched on Mount Rushmore, the white house, the oval office, and the money in which we find President Washington and Lincoln. 

We did a coin flip activity in which we flipped a penny, and noted if we saw Lincoln's face or the Lincoln Memorial (tales).  The graphed this data and then counted the times they saw each.  

Students then did a coin rubbing of the coins, brown for pennies, and gray for quarters.  

Students worked on following 2 step directions and patterning by doing the stripes on their flags (start with red on top and then pattern red, white, red, white).  

They then followed more directions: fill the box with glue and put the blue box in that one.

Finally, students counted and worked with 1:1 correspondance putting the stars on.  We worked on following directions of a row on top of 6, then 5, 6, 5, and so on.  My goal was to get all 50 on there.  The rows got further apart than intentionally thought, so there most likely isn't 50, but they did follow directions of 6 and 5 and get practice counting and following directions that far.

To add a little presidential and patriotic background, students played president's day Bingo. They followed multi-step directions, listened to speaker for instructions, and problem solved to find what the teacher was describing.  They gained some presidential knowledge along the way, too!

If your student is out sick/ on vacation, please let the school know AND the bus company (for each individual day).  The bus company appreciates this so they know if they can alter the route to shorten it.  With the slippery roads, the more than can shorten the better! The school needs records of the reason of absence to report to the district nurse to track what is going through schools.

(as always, photos available by email at your request.  Additional photos are available for viewing on the website: http://mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward4k)

Important Notes:

• Book Orders are due March 22nd (MIDNIGHT).  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!  Find the link the scholastic section of the website: http://mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward4k
• Spring Break is the week of March 25th-29th.  
• Orientation  4K registration for NEXT YEAR'S 4k students is March 5 (Greenville) and March 6 (Hortonville).  If you plan on attending Hortonville or Greenville next year, you will automatically be registered due to your 4k enrollment (if you registered through Hortonville, not if you are registered through St. Edward.)  If you are planning on attending St. Edward next year (and were previously Hortonville), please let me know and we can get you a registration packet.  If you were already registered through St. Edward, your packet came in the Blue Folders last week.  Please get them in asap as they help us figure out staffing for next year and that process begins this early already.
• Milk Jugs.  We do NOT need any more milk jugs!  The igloo is done, the valentine's buckets are made, and we are still busting at the seams with milk jugs!  Thank you for all your donations and helping make the students a great learning experience and fun!
• 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. 
• 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: Dr. Seuss

Letter: Qq

AM Snack: Plamann Family

PM Snack: Howard Family

Feb 11-Feb 14

Our letter of the week was Kk.  We talked about the sound Kk makes (like in kangaroo, kazoo, kite and K'nex).  We practiced our hand symbol, practiced the hand writing sheet, and made our hand print book page (Kite), and we decorated the letter Kk with K'nex toys.  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!  

**** 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.****

On Monday, we had a 2 hour delay, which means no AM 4K.  Though we got a later start than the PM they had just as much fun!

Students worked on sorting hearts. Our goal was to have then sort by 2 categories, first by size, then by color.  Some students did both at once (a pile of small red, a pile of big red, and so on), while others first did it one way and we asked if they could do it another.  We are just introducing this concept, but many students did very well with it.  We are going to continue to work on it with those who need more practice.  Some may even go for a three way sort!

I introduced listening center this week.  I first taught the red "story reader" set with book cartridges and books that read by magnets.  Students did well with that so then I introduced an actual book on tape with a valentine's book, the one in.  Student are doing well with this and I hope it will help them work on reading skills and start to even begin recognizing some words.  

We also decorated our milk jug valentine buckets.  Students got to choose from four stations: a marker station, a crayon station, a glue and glitter station, and a gluestick and heart station.  I allowed students to go where they choose, even more than once if they wanted to add.  I played some music and gave them so free choice time when they were done.  Students really enjoyed it and they look great!

We took technology up a notch this week.  Students not only typed their names to sign in, but found their last names on their check-in cards and then typed their last name as well!  It is interesting to see their little minds at work looking at a lower case letter, finding it as a capital on the keyboard and then seeing it appear in lower case again.  Everyone is doing very great with it!  We even have 1 student who uses home row and correct fingers when typing!  You can actually see the wheels turning; it is so cool!

In the shower Thursday morning I had the thought, "I am wearing pink/red today because it is Valentine's day.  I should have told all the students to wear red/pink as well, it would have made a cute picture."  Low and behold, when I got to school: spontaneous everyone dress in red and pink and look adorable for valentines day! 

Thursday was our Valentine's day party.  At the party we: played Valentine's Bingo.  This worked on listening skills, following directions, and working on listening to describing words.  Student did well with this and enjoyed playing!

Students took turns passing out Valentine's to their friends.  Reading names, matching them to the buckets, and putting them in worked their reading skills, following directions, problem solving, and fine motor skills.  

Valentines People (brought as a valentine from a student and a gracious project for us to do with them).  The student had written all of the AM student's names on the center heart.  The student also brought in all of the heads already painted and the arm and leg pieces already cut. Students found their name, picked the head they liked, and then assembled 2 hearts for each arm and leg.  They worked on their counting, direction following, and fine motor skills.






Students also made valentines for the parents.  They worked on copying print (the "Love," on the back) writing their name, and the fine motor skills of writing, ripping, and gluing.  Hope you love them!

For some gross motor work, we had a valentine heart relay.  Students started in two equal lines.  The first person ran with the valentine, touched the wall, and handed it to the next person in line. As soon as they had it in their hand they had to run.  This worked on team work, fine motor skills of pinching, gross motor skills of running, and following directions.  Students seemed to really enjoy it!  AM class ran 3 times, and PM class ran once on Wed and once on Thursday!

(as always, photos available by email at your request.  Additional photos are available for viewing on the website: http://mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward4k)

Important Notes:

• Book Orders are due Feb 15th (MIDNIGHT).  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!  Find the link the scholastic section of the website: http://mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward4k
• Orientation  4K registration for NEXT YEAR'S 4k students is March 5 (Greenville) and March 6 (Hortonville).  If you plan on attending Hortonville or Greenville next year, you will automatically be registered due to your 4k enrollment (if you registered through Hortonville, not if you are registered through St. Edward.)  If you are planning on attending St. Edward next year (and were previously Hortonville), please let me know and we can get you a registration packet.  If you were already registered through St. Edward, your packet came in the Blue Folders last week.  Please get them in asap as they help us figure out staffing for next year and that process begins this early already.
• Milk Jugs.  We do NOT need any more milk jugs!  The igloo is done, the valentine's buckets are made, and we are still busting at the seams with milk jugs!  Thank you for all your donations and helping make the students a great learning experience and fun!
• 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. 
• 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: President's Day/Patriotic

Letter: Ff

AM Snack: Janda Family

PM Snack: Cole Family

REMINDERS!

1. Please sign up for a conference time via the link sent to your email.  If you do not have this link or need help finding this link please email me: sgloudemans@stedwardk5.org

2. Scholastic Book Orders are due Friday.  Please consider purchasing these books. You get a great deal, kids get to read great books, AND each purchase earns points for our class (which I use to buy books and more materials).  ALSO, if you buy online, you get a coupon for a free book and so does the class!

As always, keep an eye on the website for updated picture (gallery) and info.  The blog is also available on there via the blog link on top now!

mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward4k

Spring Family Fun

Letters came home in Wednesday's Folders.  Please RSVP regardless so I can send in an accurate count!  Thanks!

Another Family Fun Opportunity!

Feb 4-Feb 7

Our letter of the week was Bb.  We talked about the sound Bb makes (like in Bear, bubble, and blue).  We practiced our hand symbol, practiced the hand writing sheet, and made our hand print book page (bumble bee), and we decorated the letter Bb with blue bubbles.  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!  

**** 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.****

Monday we did an activity about the groundhog and his shadow. Students cut out an image of a groundhog (lots of curves--getting lots of work with those scissor!).  We then taped him face down and painted over him to leave his shadow.  Our paint was "our sunshine." We then stood him up out of his hole and ahhh! he was scared of his shadow!

We read books about shadows and watched a video on shadows.

After doing our spontaneous graph last week, I observed students doing some of their own graphing on the white board during free choice time!




Gave students the opportunity to make their own shadows in the discovery center with the overhead projector.

Opening work on Wednesday was to start by sorting the tangrams (colored wood shapes) that were dumped on the table. They were then told to make shapes out the the shapes we had poured all over the table!  Students did well with this and initiated a lot of shape conversations and vocabulary!  More pictures are on the website.

On Wednesday, we did a small group activity on shadows.  Students looked at the shadows on the overhead projector and answered questions about them.  They did well with this activity and worked a large variety of skills including: fine motor skills, reading readiness, shape identification, listening skills, observational skills, and the scientific concept of trial and errors.  

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!  
• Reading with the stars  is Monday.  If you could try to get an RSVP to me by Friday (by form in their folder or by email) if you can come or not it would be greatly appreciated.  Feel free to send your stars from previous nights if you can't make the next one for us to display!
• Orientation  4K registration for NEXT YEAR'S 4k students is March 5 (Greenville) and March 6 (Hortonville).  If you plan on attending Hortonville or Greenville next year, you will automatically be registered due to your 4k enrollment (if you registered through Hortonville, not if you are registered through St. Edward.)  If you are planning on attending St. Edward next year (and were previously Hortonville), please let me know and we can get you a registration packet.  If you were already registered through St. Edward, your packet came in the Blue Folders last week.  Please get them in asap as they help us figure out staffing for next year and that process begins this early already.
• 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,  ats, 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: Valentine's Day, Love

Letter: Kk

AM Snack: Erickson Family

PM Snack: Emerich Family

**Reading with the Stars**

Monday February 11

5:30-6:30

  Invites went home on Tuesday.  

Please RSVP regardless if you can make it or not.  You can send in the paper form, comment on here, or send an email.  I am planning some valentines activities and these include purchasing/making some materials, not just copies.  Let me know if you have any questions!

Valentine's Day Letter and Lists

Hello Parents!  It is the time of year for Valentine's day!

Here are the links for the letter and the class lists:

Letter

AM Class List 

PM Class List

St. Edward, Whole School List