President's Day

Hello Parents,

Sorry for the late post. It has been a very busy weekend!

This week we talked about the presidents and America.  On Monday we started
with making American flags (which we learned is also called the star spangled banner).  We patterned the stripes and followed directions with 10 stars, and then stop. We did this 5 times until we had 50 stars!  We listened to the Star Spangled Banner while we worked.  We also started a syllable center with presidential words.  After students learned how to do it, it was put in the pocket chart center.

We also discussed George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. We watched short Scholastic videos on them and can now tell some short facts about them.  George Washington was our first president, is on the quarter and on the $1 bill.  Abraham Lincoln fought a war for freedom of slaves, is on the penny (the brown one), and on the $5 bill.  Barack Obama is our president now and he lives in the white house.

On Wednesday, we talked about the coins the presidents were on and did some coin rubbings to see the presidents' faces show up on our papers.  We also practiced flipping the coin, and graphing heads and tails. We then said which had more and how many it had.  Students also made a bald eagle from their hands. We talked about the eagle being our country's symbol, showed a picture of it on the oval office floor, and talked about how they aren't really bald, but have white feathers on their neck and head.

In addition to our letter of the week project, on Thursday students got to play Presidents day bingo.  This reviewed and taught some new American symbols.

The letter of the week was Ff 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 F with feathers.  On Wednesday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, F is for Flamingo.

Important Notes:

• BECAUSE IT IS FINALLY GETTING WARM ENOUGH TO GO BACK OUTSIDE, PLEASE BE SURE THEY ARE DRESSED FOR THE WEATHER TO GO OUT.  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.  We go outside on TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, Extended day kids go out EVERY DAY.
• 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. 

Next Week:
Theme: Dental Health.Teeth
Letter of the Week: Kk
Snack: Steudal

Family

Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

We had a lot of fun doing Valentine's day related activities this week.  We also added some centers, which made school more fun as well.

On Monday, students learned how to use our iPad center and how to mark they
were there.  We introduced an addition dice game in puzzles and games, introduced a rhyming pocket chart game, and continued to use "the shadow machine" (an overhead projector)  In sensory table we have put shaving cream and allowed students to go there when they choose to practice writing letters.  We also retaught how to do all the centers.  Students worked hard to make the many valentine's pieces to show all of you just how much they love you!

Thursday was our Valentine's day celebration. Students handed out valentines and did a write the room activity. This was working on some valentine's day words as well as copying print, and seeing if the letters were tall, small, or underground letters.  Students did very well with both activities.

We also got to do a letter of the week this week.  The letter of the week was Bb. 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 B with blue bubbles we blew.  On Wednesday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, Bis for bumble bee.

If you are willing and able or have extras lying around, please donate the following items:
5 oz cups for milk at snack

On a personal note, I would like to let you know that my husband and I are expecting our first child in August.  My belly has started to grow and I plan on telling the students on Monday, but wanted to let you know as well in case they come home with questions or are talking about it.  I plan on keeping the conversation very short and simple, but if you would like to talk to you child before hand, you are welcome to do so.  I do know there are book available titled, My Teacher is Having a Baby (click title for link to amazon for the book) if you would find it helpful.  If I am noticing a lot of questions, anxiety, or anything else, I will also invest in the book to read to the class.   If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to let me know. 

Important Notes:

• BECAUSE IT IS FINALLY GETTING WARM ENOUGH TO GO BACK OUTSIDE, PLEASE BE SURE THEY ARE DRESSED FOR THE WEATHER TO GO OUT.  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.  We go outside on TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, Extended day kids go out EVERY DAY.
• 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. 

Next Week:
Theme: President's Day, Patriotic
Letter of the Week: Ff
Snack: Beyer Family

Groundhog's Day, Shadows

We had a whole week of school!  It is exciting to be here and get all the fun things we planned done!

This week we focused on groundhog's day-but more shadows.  We talked about how we make shadows, where we get shadows and what we need in order to make a shadow.

On Monday, students created a shadow effect by laying their groundhogs down and painting along their edges (like the sun shines around the edges). When the picked their groundhogs up, they left a shadow and were searching for it.  Students giggled when the groundhog "popped" up on their art project.





On Wednesday, we focused more on shadows.  We used the overhead projector and put things on it to discover more about shadows. We drew the shadows we saw, learned that shadows are not always black, and more

        

.



Students had fun using the projector during free time this week. They built things, dumped things, stacked things, and more to see the shadows.  It was fun watching their little minds think!

We also got to do a letter of the week this week.  The letter of the week was Hh. 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 H with hearts.  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, H is for Hippo.

If you are willing and able or have extras lying around, please donate the following items:
5 oz cups for milk at snack
Shaving cream for sensory table and word/letter work

Many have have asked about our Valentine's Day in our class.

• Our school has an all or none policy--students can bring valentines for:                                                                      *All the school*All the class*None at all
• Valentine's day snacks can be anything you wish but we do not eat any at school
• We will be handing out Valentines on Thursday February 13 as part of our small group 
• Students are encouraged to write their own name on the from line, but they can leave the "To:" line blank. This allows students to pass out valentines more effectively.  IF your child would like to address them, it will be their responsibility to get them in the right buckets.
• For our buckets, we like to use milk jugs. It is large for the valentines, has a handle, and can be decorated (at school).  Please send a cleaned gallon milk jug with your child (If you have extra you may send them for those who may forget or not have them).  by Tuesday February 11.

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.  We go outside on TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, Extended day kids go out EVERY DAY.
• 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. 

Next Week:
Theme: Valentine's Day, Love
Letter of the Week: Bb
Snack: Wieczorek Family