Sunday, October 27, 2013

Fall, PALS, Red Ribbon Week, 4K Family Fun night, oh my!

Hello Parents!


THIS COMING WEEK IS RED RIBBON WEEK!  BELOW IS THE FLIER AND THE DRESS UP DAYS.  IT IS NOT REQUIRED, BUT MAY BE FUN!

MONDAY-Superhero
TUESDAY-St. Edward Apparel or blue & yellow
WEDNESDAY-Bring a stuffed animal with a Paw
THURSDAY-Halloween Colors (we do not wear costumes to school)

TUESDAY NIGHT IS OUR 4K FAMILY FUN NIGHT!  PLEASE FEEL FREE TO WEAR YOUR COSTUME TO 4K FAMILY FUN NIGHT.
This past week,
Our topic this week was Fall again.

Students read fall books and even helped figured out some leaf names.  Students also got the opportunity to play in some pumpkins--feel, smell, and touch them!

Students also were pulled out to do their PALS assessment.  Students are doing well with this and we will be discussing the results with you during conferences in November!  See below for the parent note on PALS if you would like more info on PALS.

The letter of the week was Dd. We learned the sign language for a letter, the literacy link sound symbols, the letter sound, and looking at and writing it in both capital letters and lower case letters.  Click here to view the many ways we learn the letter of the week!

Each week we watch letter videos from "Have Fun Teaching" and the students are really picking up the names of letters, formations, and the sounds of letters.  Check out these videos with you child!  Click HERE.

The Tuesday project of letter of the week is to decorate a letter with something that starts with the letter. This week we decorated the letter D with dots.  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, D is for Duck.

Please visit the whole website (4k, drop down menu, Gallery) to see your child's first day photo as well as photos from through out the week.  If you would like the first day photo, please email me and I can send you the digital copy.

As mentioned for the past few weeks, we would like to have a family and friends board in our room.  That way the space is as much of the students' as it is of mine (I have my family photos, they should too!)  Please send a family photo that can stay up in the classroom all year long.  When photos come in, the students will take some time to tell the rest of their class about their family.  Can't wait to see the photos and hear about the families!

PALS will be begin on October 14 and end on October 30.  See the information below about PALS.

Important Notes:
  • 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*(students are more than welcome to bring layers daily or to leave in their lockers)  It may also be time to change out the change of clothes to make sure they are weather appropriate.  If you send a new change of clothes, we will send the warm weather clothes in their backpacks.
  • 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. As we start letter of the week, we will also start sending home homework to help reinforce the letter concept and identification.  Please work on this with you child to help the students make the connection between home and school. 
  • 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. 
  • Literacy Bags come home every three weeks.  Students will have a week to complete the project inside and can then return the bag with completed sheets in it on TUESDAYS.
  • Library Books come every week.  We go to library on Monday and student have the opportunity to check out a book and keep it for a week. It can be kept in their back packs or at home, but please remember to bring it on Mondays. 
  • Book Order due October 25th (paper fliers came out, online available in the scholastic tab of the website: mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward)
  • Send in those family photos!
Next Week:
Theme: Halloween
Letter of the Week: Gg
Snack: Hurst Family

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

4k Family Fun!

If you haven't already, please reply for the  4k family fun night!  


Friday, October 18, 2013

Fall-PALS week

Hello Parents!

Our topic this week was Fall.

Students made a fall leaf for our tree in our classroom. They worked on their fine motor skills cutting out the leaf and then pinching the sponges and stamping them on the leaf.  Our tree looks great!

Students also decorated an acorn.  Students painted glue on the top and then sprinkled it with oatmeal.  The then painted the bottom of the acorn with glue and sprinkled it with coffee.  Our room smelled great and our acorns look so cool with the textures!

Students also were pulled out to do their PALS assessment.  Students are doing well with this and we will be discussing the results with you during conferences in November!  See below for the parent note on PALS if you would like more info on PALS.


The letter of the week was Aa. We learned the sign language for a letter, the literacy link sound symbols, the letter sound, and looking at and writing it in both capital letters and lower case letters.  Click here to view the many ways we learn the letter of the week!

Each week we watch letter videos from "Have Fun Teaching" and the students are really picking up the names of letters, formations, and the sounds of letters.  Check out these videos with you child!  Click HERE.

The Tuesday project of letter of the week is to decorate a letter with something that starts with the letter. This week we decorated the letter A with apples and ants.  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, A is for Alligator.

Please visit the whole website (4k, drop down menu, Gallery) to see your child's first day photo as well as photos from through out the week.  If you would like the first day photo, please email me and I can send you the digital copy.

As mentioned for the past few weeks, we would like to have a family and friends board in our room.  That way the space is as much of the students' as it is of mine (I have my family photos, they should too!)  Please send a family photo that can stay up in the classroom all year long.  When photos come in, the students will take some time to tell the rest of their class about their family.  Can't wait to see the photos and hear about the families!

PALS will be begin on October 14.  See the information below about PALS.

Important Notes:
  • 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*(students are more than welcome to bring layers daily or to leave in their lockers)  It may also be time to change out the change of clothes to make sure they are weather appropriate.  If you send a new change of clothes, we will send the warm weather clothes in their backpacks.
  • 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. As we start letter of the week, we will also start sending home homework to help reinforce the letter concept and identification.  Please work on this with you child to help the students make the connection between home and school. 
  • 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. 
  • Literacy Bags come home every three weeks.  Students will have a week to complete the project inside and can then return the bag with completed sheets in it on TUESDAYS.
  • Library Books come every week.  We go to library on Monday and student have the opportunity to check out a book and keep it for a week. It can be kept in their back packs or at home, but please remember to bring it on Mondays. 
  • Book Order due October 25th (paper fliers came out, online available in the scholastic tab of the website: mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward)
  • Send in those family photos!
Next Week:
Theme: Fall
Letter of the Week: Dd
Snack: Krueger Family (already in)

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Fire Safety/Prevention

Our topic this week was Fire Safety and Fire Prevention.

We discussed Stop, Drop, Roll, calling for help, not touching lighters and matches, getting help, and more!



Our dramatic play center was filled with fire hats, fire coats, and phones.  It is fun to hear students call the fire department, ask for help, get their gear on and go "fight fires."  

Mrs. Drummond was working with students dialing their phone numbers, knowing
what to say on the phone, and role playing some phone conversations.  Students are doing a great job and we will continue to practice some of these skills through out the year.

At circle time we did a fire house math sheet.  This sheet helped us to begin working on reading skills, new vocabulary, counting skills, number recognition, and writing numbers.  Students counting skills are doing well, now we begin to work on writing the numbers so they are able to communicate their math skills.

We did discuss an escape plan (if the doors were blocked) and a family meeting spot that is far enough from the fire but a meeting place in case they all go out different doors, windows.  If you havent already, have this conversation with your child.  They will be less hesitant to exit the burning house if they know where you are going to be when they get out

On Wednesday, we have a fire drill and got to meet the Town of Center fire fighters and see their truck.  Students did excellent stopping what they are doing, getting in a line and exiting the building quietly.  Our entire school excited the building and got to their safety spots in 1 minute and 39 seconds!  Students listened well to our firefighters, answered their questions, took pictures with them and went through their truck!  We didnt have anybody afraid!  They did wonderful!  I could not be more proud of them!  
.


Discussing fire safety, stop, drop, and roll, family meeting points, and more.  The 4k friends were the ones shouting out the answers to their questions, even before the 5th grades.  They really knew their stuff!

Students got to touch the gear and see what the firefighters wear to keep them safe so they can come in and get them safe.

The firefighters start in their street clothes and then get dressed in their fire gear in front of the students to show them that thought their gear makes noise and they may look a little scary, they are just real nice people in there.  If there is a fire always crawl to the firefighter and give them a hug instead of hiding.  


Students decorated Stop, Drop, and Roll crowns.  Students worked on what to do, practiced it in our room, and then made crowns to help them remember.  They worked on their fine and gross motor skills while working on the stopping, dropping, and rolling, as well as some safety skills. 



On Friday, we made a thank you card for our firefighters and signed the card with our name.  Our name writing is getting better, but keep practicing at home!  I will be sending more name writing practice sheets home to help wit the correct formations, but a good rule of thumb is always to left to right and start the letters on the top.  If the letter is a "circle letter" make sure they start at the top and circle backwards (counter clockwise).  

The letter of the week was Oo. We learned the sign language for a letter, the literacy link sound symbols, the letter sound, and looking at and writing it in both capital letters and lower case letters.  Click here to view the many ways we learn the letter of the week!

Each week we watch letter videos from "Have Fun Teaching" and the students are really picking up the names of letters, formations, and the sounds of letters.  Check out these videos with you child!  Click HERE.

The Tuesday project of letter of the week is to decorate a letter with something that starts with the letter. This week we decorated the letter O with an O (bead) rolled all Over in Orange paint.  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, O is for octopus.

Please visit the whole website (4k, drop down menu, Gallery) to see your child's first day photo as well as photos from through out the week.  If you would like the first day photo, please email me and I can send you the digital copy.

As mentioned for the past few weeks, we would like to have a family and friends board in our room.  That way the space is as much of the students' as it is of mine (I have my family photos, they should too!)  Please send a family photo that can stay up in the classroom all year long.  When photos come in, the students will take some time to tell the rest of their class about their family.  Can't wait to see the photos and hear about the families!

PALS will be begin on October 14.  See the information below about PALS.



Important Notes:
  • 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. As we start letter of the week, we will also start sending home homework to help reinforce the letter concept and identification.  Please work on this with you child to help the students make the connection between home and school. 
  • 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. 
  • Literacy Bags come home every three weeks.  Students will have a week to complete the project inside and can then return the bag with completed sheets in it on TUESDAYS.
  • Library Books come every week.  We go to library on Monday and student have the opportunity to check out a book and keep it for a week. It can be kept in their back packs or at home, but please remember to bring it on Mondays. 
  • 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*
  • Book Order due October 25th (paper fliers came out, online available in the scholastic tab of the website: mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward)
  • Send in those family photos!
Next Week:
Theme: Fall
Letter of the Week: Aa
Snack: Sprangers Family

Sunday, October 6, 2013

More Apples!

We continued apples this week. 

We finished up our apple stamping books and did an early reader apple book. We read it, colored it, and the read it again with clues. 


We made an apple core project to practice cutting, then we picked a leaf that had a number on it.  We then knew how many seeds needed to go into our apple core.  They are decorating the hall and they great!

We have been watching a lot of videos about apples still. We have seen the different kinds of apples, what you can make with apples and more!


We also had the opportunity to make applesauce as a class. Students helped peel apples, and the put the cut up slices in making sure only the flesh got in-no seeds or core.  It cooked for one whole school day and then the next school day it was ready!  It smelled so good!  We got to taste it and use our 5 senses with it as well.  We also did a poll of like it or not like the applesauce.  Everyone liked it!











We also got the opportunity to practice graphing apples by color by using the Mimio board (like a SMART board).  Students pulled an apple out of the wagon or basket and put it in the correct tower. We then evaluated which one had most, least, middle or were tied. They did great!

The letter of the week was Cc. We learned the sign language for a letter, the literacy link sound symbols, the letter sound, and looking at and writing it in both capital letters and lower case letters.  Click here to view the many ways we learn the letter of the week!  

Each week we watch letter videos from "Have Fun Teaching" and the students are really picking up the names of letters, formations, and the sounds of letters.  Check out these videos with you child!  Click HERE.


The Tuesday project of letter of the week is to decorate a letter with something that starts with the letter. This week we decorated the letter C with Cotton Clouds (cotton balls).  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, C is for cat.

Please visit the whole website (4k, drop down menu, Gallery) to see your child's first day photo as well as photos from through out the week.  If you would like the first day photo, please email me and I can send you the digital copy.

As mentioned for the past few weeks, we would like to have a family and friends board in our room.  That way the space is as much of the students' as it is of mine (I have my family photos, they should too!)  Please send a family photo that can stay up in the classroom all year long.  When photos come in, the students will take some time to tell the rest of their class about their family.  Can't wait to see the photos and hear about the families!

PALS will be begin on October 14.  See the information below about PALS.



FIRE SAFETY WEEK.  We will be having a fire drill on Wednesday October 9 at 10am. We will also have a visit from the fire fighters to learn about safety and if there is a fire run to the firemen, not away.  We will be talking about emergencies, fires, and 911.
Important Notes:

  • 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. As we start letter of the week, we will also start sending home homework to help reinforce the letter concept and identification.  Please work on this with you child to help the students make the connection between home and school. 
  • 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. 
  • Literacy Bags come home every three weeks.  Students will have a week to complete the project inside and can then return the bag with completed sheets in it on TUESDAYS.
  • Library Books come every week.  We go to library on Monday and student have the opportunity to check out a book and keep it for a week. It can be kept in their back packs or at home, but please remember to bring it on Mondays. 
  • 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*
  • Book Order due October 25th (paper fliers came out, online available in the scholastic tab of the website: mrsgloudemans.wix.com/stedward)
  • Send in those family photos!
Next Week:
Theme: Fire Safety
Letter of the Week: Oo
Snack: Sprangers Family