Holiday Season Week 3

There isn't much to show you this week because between our letters of the week we worked on our parent Christmas presents, wrapping paper, and cards.  Things will be ready to come home on Tuesday.  No peeking until then parents!

I was out on Thursday so homework got missed.  We will be sending the letter N homework home tomorrow.

Tuesday, a winter break homework pack will be coming home.  The cover page explains all the projects and why they are important.  We WILL be giving stamps for all the completed homework returned after break.  Cant wait to see their hard work!


Please be sending boots and snow pants now that snow has fallen (yay!).  Our Friday friends were a little chilly today with it being only feels like 8* today.  Send them even if there is no snow for warmth!  The image is the order we do our snow clothes if it helps you at home.  We HIGHLY encourage them to do it completely independently, with only a little help here and there with tying boots, second mittens, etc.

The PM class got to do a Gingerbread Reader's Theater on Thursday.    It went really well!

 The AM class will be participating in the school wide program as they are all St. Edward families and can be a part of the religious program.  They will be singing 3 songs at the concert.  Please send them in Sunday Dress on Tuesday Dec 22.  They can change if you send a change and a note telling us they need to change.  The first concert is at 9:30, the second at 6 (students report at 5:30 to Mrs. Zajicek's room).  Words for the "tricky song" were sent home Thursday.  There will be a small social afterwards.

The letter of the week was Nn. 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 N with Noodles.  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, N is for Necklace.

Students also do a maze of the letter helping get from one object to another starting with that letter, find and color all of the letter, color a page of something that starts with that letter, and make a crown at the end of the week to be the Kings and Queens of the letter!

We also do a handwriting sheet.  This is important because writing the letters correctly helps with efficiency as well as learning cursive down the line.  We ALWAYS START AT THE TOP.  Please encourage students to write the letter correctly!

Important Notes:

• AM Students Program Tuesday December 22 9:30AM & 6 pm students report at 5:30.  Dress in Sunday Dress.

• ****PM STUDENTS***** There is no school on Wednesday  December 23 because that is the start of the Christmas break at 12:30.  Those are the only half days that there will be no PM 4k.  All other district half days 4k will be in session.
• ****AM STUDENTS**** Wed Dec 23, because it is the start of the holiday breaks, there will be no after care offered.  All students must be picked up by 11 (normal pick up time) or 12:30 if they stay all day.  Please email Mrs. Gloudemans with time and who is picking them up on those special days. Thank you.

• Dress for the weather Please send your child dressed for the weather.  We go outside 2 days a week (We really TRY).  AM goes out Wednesday and Thursday.  PM goes out Tuesday and Thursday.  Extended day (students who stay all day) go out every day.  Unless it is below 0* or raining we do go out.  Please send the clothes that will keep them warm.  Also, please attempt to send in clothes that your child can do themselves.  This may be sending a zip up sweatshirt over a pull over, zipper instead of buttons, mittens instead of gloves, etc.  Thought we will always help to get your child ready, we cannot help all at the same time.  Teaching the children self help and self dress skills is an important goal of the 4k program.  By sending easier clothes, it helps them be more successful.  
• Layers may be necessary in the school.  Heat does not turn on until later in the fall/early winter so the building can be a little chilly in the morning before the bodies warm it up.  Send your child in layers and maybe have an extra sweatshirt/sweater left in lockers in case they are cold.  It may also be time to switch out the clothes in the top of lockers to warmer options.
• As a part of our room decorations and to make every one feel at home, we have a "family and friends" board in our room.  Students will feel more at home and have a school family if they have their home family with them.  (The same as you putting a family picture on your desk).    Please feel free to send in a family photo that will be stapled up on our wall for the duration of the school year. Send in those family photos!
• Background checks. When it comes to these, we assume you are good unless we get a note otherwise, but we are counting on it not being processed (and will not make that assumption that it was run and you are good) until 2 WEEKS AFTER TURNING THE FORMS IN.
• Homework  Homework would be the only blank stuff sent home.  We have a homework stamp page in the back of you child's every day folder.  When you do homework with your child and send it back, we stamp the homework, stamp the homework page, and then send it back. Anything with a stamp on it or a project that is already done is yours to keep.  The homework page in the back of the folder explains more about homework. Homework TYPICALLY comes home on Thursdays and it is some reinforcing of letters at home (same sheet different letters so they also become independent).
• 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 TUESDAY.
• 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 Books will be sent home with your child when they come in unless you send a note that you would like it done differently.  We do encourage books to be gifts so if this is the case, please send a note and we put them in brown paper bags and tell the student it is mom/dad's homework.  The next book order is due January 28.  Please click on the link for scholastic at the top of this page.  When you buy books for your child, it helps buy books and supplies for our classrooms. 
• Snack reminder. Please remember healthy, nut free choices.   A list can be found on the blog at the bottom.  If you send an item that needs spoons/forks, please also send in those items. Thank You!

Next Week:
Theme: Christmas.Winter
Letter of the Week: None due to the short week, we will be making up any missed work.
AM Snack: Leftovers from past weeks
PM Snack: Schmidt, Emmett

Holidays week 2

We are talking about winter and the holidays...even though the weather outside is not looking like it!

We started the week off with a measuring unit.  We measured how tall the students were with big snowflakes, and then how many small snowflakes various things around the room were.  This helped the concept of measuring, counting, number writing, and direction following.  Students had a good time with this! Photos of your child by the measuring snowflakes can be found in the Thanksgiving/Holidays album on the blog album page (class photos tab, then blue link)

Students got to put the snowflakes on our Season Tree in our room.  They got to put glue stick on the snowflakes, and then dip that into the glitter.  Our tree is beautiful!  When they ran out of snowflakes, they got to use the glitter and method learned to make decorations for our dramatic play center.

We made name snowmen as well this week. Students had to count how many letters were in their name, then count out that many snowballs.  they had to write one letter on each snowball and then build the snowman in order.  Finally, the put on a head and arms.  This project worked on counting, name writing, one to one correspondence, letter writing, fine motor skills, and direction following!  We also discussed how none of the snowmen will look the same and each one is still special and that is just like them!

As the holiday season gets busier and busier, we are finding that some students forget the rules a little bit.  I think that is why Santa the Elf was sitting in our drop bucket on Thursday, to remind us all that we have to be bucket fillers and try our best to make sure all our friends are safe and happy at school!

We are busy preparing for our winter concerts!

 The AM class will be participating in the school wide program as they are all St. Edward families and can be a part of the religious program.  They will be singing 3 songs at the concert.  Please send them in Sunday Dress on Tuesday Dec 22.  They can change if you send a change and a note telling us they need to change.  The first concert is at 9:30, the second at 6 (students report at 5:30 to Mrs. Zajicek's room).  Words for the "tricky song" were sent home Thursday.  There will be a small social afterwards.

Sorry the image is sideways!

The PM class gets to do a Gingerbread Reader's Theater.  They will be performing on Thursday December 17 at 5:30 pm,  Students can show up at 5:15 in their classroom and we will get them ready to show up on stage (and meet you downstairs).  It will be held in our school gym on the stage.  We will have a small social afterwards as well as star decorating for the next month's reading calendar.  PLEASE send the lime green RSVP back on Monday if you haven't already so I can be sure to have the right amount of seats and programs.

The letter of the week was Rr. 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 R with Ribbons.  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, R is for Rabbit.

Students also do a maze of the letter helping get from one object to another starting with that letter, find and color all of the letter, color a page of something that starts with that letter, and make a crown at the end of the week to be the Kings and Queens of the letter!

We also do a handwriting sheet.  This is important because writing the letters correctly helps with efficiency as well as learning cursive down the line.  We ALWAYS START AT THE TOP.  Please encourage students to write the letter correctly!

Important Notes:

• PM Students Program Thursday December 17 5:30-6:30 students report at 5:15.  Dress nice.
• AM Students Program Tuesday December 22 9:30AM & 6 pm students report at 5:30.  Dress in Sunday Dress.

• ****PM STUDENTS***** There is no school on Wednesday  December 23 because that is the start of the Christmas break at 12:30.  Those are the only half days that there will be no PM 4k.  All other district half days 4k will be in session.
• ****AM STUDENTS**** Wed Dec 23, because it is the start of the holiday breaks, there will be no after care offered.  All students must be picked up by 11 (normal pick up time) or 12:30 if they stay all day.
• There is a half day on the district calendar for Wednesday December 9.  AM and PM will have class.  After school care is an option.  If you usually stay all day, please reply to the email or write a note in their folders indicating if they are leaving at 11 (& with who), 12:30 (& with who), staying for aftercare and being picked up at 3 (1 fee) staying for aftercare and being picked up 3-5:30 (additional fee).  

• Dress for the weather Please send your child dressed for the weather.  We go outside 2 days a week (We really TRY).  AM goes out Wednesday and Thursday.  PM goes out Tuesday and Thursday.  Extended day (students who stay all day) go out every day.  Unless it is below 0* or raining we do go out.  Please send the clothes that will keep them warm.  Also, please attempt to send in clothes that your child can do themselves.  This may be sending a zip up sweatshirt over a pull over, zipper instead of buttons, mittens instead of gloves, etc.  Thought we will always help to get your child ready, we cannot help all at the same time.  Teaching the children self help and self dress skills is an important goal of the 4k program.  By sending easier clothes, it helps them be more successful.  
• Layers may be necessary in the school.  Heat does not turn on until later in the fall/early winter so the building can be a little chilly in the morning before the bodies warm it up.  Send your child in layers and maybe have an extra sweatshirt/sweater left in lockers in case they are cold.  It may also be time to switch out the clothes in the top of lockers to warmer options.
• As a part of our room decorations and to make every one feel at home, we have a "family and friends" board in our room.  Students will feel more at home and have a school family if they have their home family with them.  (The same as you putting a family picture on your desk).    Please feel free to send in a family photo that will be stapled up on our wall for the duration of the school year. Send in those family photos!
• Background checks. When it comes to these, we assume you are good unless we get a note otherwise, but we are counting on it not being processed (and will not make that assumption that it was run and you are good) until 2 WEEKS AFTER TURNING THE FORMS IN.
• Homework Some parents have asked about homework and keep home stuff.  Homework would be the only blank stuff sent home.  We have a homework stamp page in the back of you child's every day folder.  When you do homework with your child and send it back, we stamp the homework, stamp the homework page, and then send it back. Anything with a stamp on it or a project that is already done is yours to keep.  The homework page in the back of the folder explains more about homework. Homework TYPICALLY comes home on Thursdays and it is some reinforcing of letters at home (same sheet different letters so they also become independent).
• 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 MONDAY.
• 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 Books will be sent home with your child when they come in unless you send a note that you would like it done differently.  We do encourage books to be gifts so if this is the case, please send a note and we put them in brown paper bags and tell the student it is mom/dad's homework.  The next book order is due November 25th.  Please click on the link for scholastic at the top of this page.  When you buy books for your child, it helps buy books and supplies for our classrooms. 
• Snack reminder. Please remember healthy, nut free choices.   A list can be found on the blog at the bottom.  If you send an item that needs spoons/forks, please also send in those items. Thank You!

Next Week:
Theme: Christmas.Winter
Letter of the Week: Nn
AM Snack: Backes
PM Snack: Greisbach

The holiday season!

We met our Elf this week!  Before the elf got here, we watched a movie so we could be sure to know why the elf doesn't move (we have to believe in his magic, he can't make us believe), we cant touch him or it takes his magic and he has to go to the elf hospital, and we have to name him.

We came up with some names for the elf and then voted on them.  The morning class came up with a list and voted on it.  The afternoon class added to the list and then voted.  Turns out, we had a tie, so the PM class had to do a tie breaker. They voted again but they could only choose between the tied ones.  We had a good lesson in sometimes our vote doesn't win but that is the way it is and the decision that is made.

We started our winter weeks with a gingerbread walk.  Students had to work on their fine motor skills of coloring a shape in all the way, counting numbers in order, recognizing numbers in print, and following directions.  They did very well and I can tell we are making a lot of growth in our counting, number recognition, and fine motor skills/coloring!

Students are encouraged to use the writing center by writing letters to Santa Claus. Santa the elf takes them back to Santa Claus every night!

New discovery center includes recognizing the number on the snowman's hat, using the pinchers to take that many blue blocks out of the bin and putting them on the Snowman.

We have a fireplace and a tree put up in our dramatic play center for the kids to decorate and play like they are getting ready for the holidays.  Both the AM and PM have been decorating and we have 2 weeks left.  They can make the decorations in art center.

New game in Puzzles and games is rolling a dice and graphing how many times they get the particular winter clothes pictures.

Another new game is building a snow man. The bottom is capital letters, the middle/arms is the lower case letter and the head and hat has a picture that starts with that letter sound.

Wednesday in class we sewed our stockings closed for St. Nick.  The sewing helped us to follow directions and use our fine motor skills.  They wrote their names on them as well.  Names are looking really great!

We have been working on proper writing in general.  Here is a look at our lines. There is the sky line, the plane line, and the ground. (eventually there will be a worm line but we aren't to worm line letters).  We always start at the sky line. ALWAYS.  For an A, it is start at the sky, Slant down, slant down, across the plane line.  For a, it is circle back, close, pull down to the ground.  Encourage this language and proper formation as it will truly help the with their fluency down the road.  We added a worm line now because the lower case g goes down to the worms!

painting with elbows!

The letter of the week was Ee. 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 E with elbows in eggy colored paint.  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, E is for Elephant.

Students also do a maze of the letter helping get from one object to another starting with that letter, find and color all of the letter, color a page of something that starts with that letter, and make a crown at the end of the week to be the Kings and Queens of the letter!

We also do a handwriting sheet.  This is important because writing the letters correctly helps with efficiency as well as learning cursive down the line.  We ALWAYS START AT THE TOP.  Please encourage students to write the letter correctly!

Important Notes:

• ****PM STUDENTS***** There is no school on Wednesday  December 23 because that is the start of the Christmas break at 12:30.  Those are the only half days that there will be no PM 4k.  All other district half days 4k will be in session.
• ****AM STUDENTS**** Wed Dec 23, because it is the start of the holiday breaks, there will be no after care offered.  All students must be picked up by 11 (normal pick up time) or 12:30 if they stay all day.
• There is a half day on the district calendar for Wednesday December 9.  AM and PM will have class.  After school care is an option.  If you usually stay all day, please reply to the email or write a note in their folders indicating if they are leaving at 11 (& with who), 12:30 (& with who), staying for aftercare and being picked up at 3 (1 fee) staying for aftercare and being picked up 3-5:30 (additional fee).  

• Dress for the weather Please send your child dressed for the weather.  We go outside 2 days a week (We really TRY).  AM goes out Wednesday and Thursday.  PM goes out Tuesday and Thursday.  Extended day (students who stay all day) go out every day.  Unless it is below 0* or raining we do go out.  Please send the clothes that will keep them warm.  Also, please attempt to send in clothes that your child can do themselves.  This may be sending a zip up sweatshirt over a pull over, zipper instead of buttons, mittens instead of gloves, etc.  Thought we will always help to get your child ready, we cannot help all at the same time.  Teaching the children self help and self dress skills is an important goal of the 4k program.  By sending easier clothes, it helps them be more successful.  
• Layers may be necessary in the school.  Heat does not turn on until later in the fall/early winter so the building can be a little chilly in the morning before the bodies warm it up.  Send your child in layers and maybe have an extra sweatshirt/sweater left in lockers in case they are cold.  It may also be time to switch out the clothes in the top of lockers to warmer options.
• As a part of our room decorations and to make every one feel at home, we have a "family and friends" board in our room.  Students will feel more at home and have a school family if they have their home family with them.  (The same as you putting a family picture on your desk).    Please feel free to send in a family photo that will be stapled up on our wall for the duration of the school year. Send in those family photos!
• Background checks. When it comes to these, we assume you are good unless we get a note otherwise, but we are counting on it not being processed (and will not make that assumption that it was run and you are good) until 2 WEEKS AFTER TURNING THE FORMS IN.
• Homework Some parents have asked about homework and keep home stuff.  Homework would be the only blank stuff sent home.  We have a homework stamp page in the back of you child's every day folder.  When you do homework with your child and send it back, we stamp the homework, stamp the homework page, and then send it back. Anything with a stamp on it or a project that is already done is yours to keep.  The homework page in the back of the folder explains more about homework. Homework TYPICALLY comes home on Thursdays and it is some reinforcing of letters at home (same sheet different letters so they also become independent).
• 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 MONDAY.
• 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 Books will be sent home with your child when they come in unless you send a note that you would like it done differently.  We do encourage books to be gifts so if this is the case, please send a note and we put them in brown paper bags and tell the student it is mom/dad's homework.  The next book order is due November 25th.  Please click on the link for scholastic at the top of this page.  When you buy books for your child, it helps buy books and supplies for our classrooms. 
• Snack reminder. Please remember healthy, nut free choices.   A list can be found on the blog at the bottom.  If you send an item that needs spoons/forks, please also send in those items. Thank You!

Next Week:
Theme: Turkeys
Letter of the Week: Ss
AM Snack: Bonnet
PM Snack: Stapp

Thanksgiving

We got a new sensory table, sparkly, sticky, snow!  It is a gak made of liquid starch, water, and washable glue.  I have given many instruction on proper use of the materials, but if they should get on clothes or in hair, it should be water soluble. 

We made thankerchief poems and tubes.  We played this game as a class and highly encourage all of you to play this game at your family thanksgiving feast(s).  Enjoy! 

We worked on counting as well.  I know this looks like a basic worksheet but I promise it works on a lot of skills.  Students counted, recognized numbers, pinched their writing tool correctly, had to completely full in the circles for fine motor development and strengthening.  I was able to work one on one with each child with these and wrote a little note on how they did on the sheet.  If you are looking for more data on how they are doing in this area check it out!

For those who came on Wednesday (AM), we made silly turkey hats.  We worked on how many letter in our names, writing our letters, and then putting them in order on our cool turkey hats.

Important Notes:

• ****PM STUDENTS**** There is no school on Wednesday November 25 due to the Thanksgiving break starting at 12:30.  There is also no school on Wednesday December 23 because that is the start of the Christmas break at 12:30.  Those are the only half days that there will be no PM 4k.  All other district half days 4k will be in session.
• ****AM STUDENTS**** On Wednesday Nov 25 and Wed Dec 23, because it is the start of the holiday breaks, there will be no after care offered.  All students must be picked up by 11 (normal pick up time) or 12:30 if they stay all day.  Please reply to the email if you haven't already with pick up time and WHO is picking up.  Thank you.

• Dress for the weather Please send your child dressed for the weather.  We go outside 2 days a week (We really TRY).  AM goes out Wednesday and Thursday.  PM goes out Tuesday and Thursday.  Extended day (students who stay all day) go out every day.  Unless it is below 0* or raining we do go out.  Please send the clothes that will keep them warm.  Also, please attempt to send in clothes that your child can do themselves.  This may be sending a zip up sweatshirt over a pull over, zipper instead of buttons, mittens instead of gloves, etc.  Thought we will always help to get your child ready, we cannot help all at the same time.  Teaching the children self help and self dress skills is an important goal of the 4k program.  By sending easier clothes, it helps them be more successful.  
• Layers may be necessary in the school.  Heat does not turn on until later in the fall/early winter so the building can be a little chilly in the morning before the bodies warm it up.  Send your child in layers and maybe have an extra sweatshirt/sweater left in lockers in case they are cold.  It may also be time to switch out the clothes in the top of lockers to warmer options.
• As a part of our room decorations and to make every one feel at home, we have a "family and friends" board in our room.  Students will feel more at home and have a school family if they have their home family with them.  (The same as you putting a family picture on your desk).    Please feel free to send in a family photo that will be stapled up on our wall for the duration of the school year. Send in those family photos!
• Background checks. When it comes to these, we assume you are good unless we get a note otherwise, but we are counting on it not being processed (and will not make that assumption that it was run and you are good) until 2 WEEKS AFTER TURNING THE FORMS IN.
• Homework Some parents have asked about homework and keep home stuff.  Homework would be the only blank stuff sent home.  We have a homework stamp page in the back of you child's every day folder.  When you do homework with your child and send it back, we stamp the homework, stamp the homework page, and then send it back. Anything with a stamp on it or a project that is already done is yours to keep.  The homework page in the back of the folder explains more about homework. Homework TYPICALLY comes home on Thursdays and it is some reinforcing of letters at home (same sheet different letters so they also become independent).
• 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 MONDAY.
• 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 Books will be sent home with your child when they come in unless you send a note that you would like it done differently.  We do encourage books to be gifts so if this is the case, please send a note and we put them in brown paper bags and tell the student it is mom/dad's homework.  The next book order is due November 25th.  Please click on the link for scholastic at the top of this page.  When you buy books for your child, it helps buy books and supplies for our classrooms. If you do not get your order in by Novemeber 25, a final Christmas order will be submitted December 10 (to be in in time for the holidays).  No more pamphlets are coming home.
• Snack reminder. Please remember healthy, nut free choices.   A list can be found on the blog at the bottom.  If you send an item that needs spoons/forks, please also send in those items. Thank You!

Next Week:
Theme: Elf.Gingerbread.St.Nick
Letter of the Week: Ee
AM Snack: Neubert (Breanna)
PM Snack : Olson
***Thanks to a parent suggestion, here is a healthy snack list site that can help with some ideas!***
Snack List

Turkeys

Sorry this one is coming late in the weekend again, sickness hit our home again!  We are all on the mend and back at it!


On Monday, we started with cutting apart a turkey puzzle. Students then had to count the number of dots on the bottom to put the puzzle back together.  They then got to color the turkey in.

This permission slip came home this week.  Each 4k site hosts a district wide event.  Ours was the 4k family fun night in October.  This event, Breakfast with Santa, is hosted by Play and Grow in Greenville.  Please EVERYBODY turn a slip in so I can email a correct count to the site. Thanks!

We worked on counting on Wednesday as well.  We counted the dots on the turkey body, went "shopping" for the correct feather at the blue table, and then brought it back to glue on the X by the number.  They had fun shopping and getting up and moving between feathers.  They did much better, I can tell they have been working with numbers a bit more.  Keep working on this at home!


We have been working on proper writing in general.  Here is a look at our lines. There is the sky line, the plane line, and the ground. (eventually there will be a worm line but we aren't to worm line letters).  We always start at the sky line. ALWAYS.  For an A, it is start at the sky, Slant down, slant down, across the plane line.  For a, it is circle back, close, pull down to the ground.  Encourage this language and proper formation as it will truly help the with their fluency down the road.  We added a worm line now because the lower case g goes down to the worms!

The letter of the week was Ss. 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 S with Star Stickers.  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, S is for Spider.

Students also do a maze of the letter helping get from one object to another starting with that letter, find and color all of the letter, color a page of something that starts with that letter, and make a crown at the end of the week to be the Kings and Queens of the letter!

We also do a handwriting sheet.  This is important because writing the letters correctly helps with efficiency as well as learning cursive down the line.  We ALWAYS START AT THE TOP.  Please encourage students to write the letter correctly! S is curve back, curve forward.

Important Notes:

• ****PM STUDENTS**** There is no school on Wednesday November 25 due to the Thanksgiving break starting at 12:30.  There is also no school on Wednesday December 23 because that is the start of the Christmas break at 12:30.  Those are the only half days that there will be no PM 4k.  All other district half days 4k will be in session.
• ****AM STUDENTS**** On Wednesday Nov 25 and Wed Dec 23, because it is the start of the holiday breaks, there will be no after care offered.  All students must be picked up by 11 (normal pick up time) or 12:30 if they stay all day.  Please reply to the email if you haven't already with pick up time and WHO is picking up.  Thank you.

• Dress for the weather Please send your child dressed for the weather.  We go outside 2 days a week (We really TRY).  AM goes out Wednesday and Thursday.  PM goes out Tuesday and Thursday.  Extended day (students who stay all day) go out every day.  Unless it is below 0* or raining we do go out.  Please send the clothes that will keep them warm.  Also, please attempt to send in clothes that your child can do themselves.  This may be sending a zip up sweatshirt over a pull over, zipper instead of buttons, mittens instead of gloves, etc.  Thought we will always help to get your child ready, we cannot help all at the same time.  Teaching the children self help and self dress skills is an important goal of the 4k program.  By sending easier clothes, it helps them be more successful.  
• Layers may be necessary in the school.  Heat does not turn on until later in the fall/early winter so the building can be a little chilly in the morning before the bodies warm it up.  Send your child in layers and maybe have an extra sweatshirt/sweater left in lockers in case they are cold.  It may also be time to switch out the clothes in the top of lockers to warmer options.
• As a part of our room decorations and to make every one feel at home, we have a "family and friends" board in our room.  Students will feel more at home and have a school family if they have their home family with them.  (The same as you putting a family picture on your desk).    Please feel free to send in a family photo that will be stapled up on our wall for the duration of the school year. Send in those family photos!
• Background checks. When it comes to these, we assume you are good unless we get a note otherwise, but we are counting on it not being processed (and will not make that assumption that it was run and you are good) until 2 WEEKS AFTER TURNING THE FORMS IN.
• Homework Some parents have asked about homework and keep home stuff.  Homework would be the only blank stuff sent home.  We have a homework stamp page in the back of you child's every day folder.  When you do homework with your child and send it back, we stamp the homework, stamp the homework page, and then send it back. Anything with a stamp on it or a project that is already done is yours to keep.  The homework page in the back of the folder explains more about homework. Homework TYPICALLY comes home on Thursdays and it is some reinforcing of letters at home (same sheet different letters so they also become independent).
• 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 MONDAY.
• 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 Books will be sent home with your child when they come in unless you send a note that you would like it done differently.  We do encourage books to be gifts so if this is the case, please send a note and we put them in brown paper bags and tell the student it is mom/dad's homework.  The next book order is due November 25th.  Please click on the link for scholastic at the top of this page.  When you buy books for your child, it helps buy books and supplies for our classrooms. If you do not get your order in by Novemeber 25, a final Christmas order will be submitted December 10 (to be in in time for the holidays).  No more pamphlets are coming home.
• Snack reminder. Please remember healthy, nut free choices.   A list can be found on the blog at the bottom.  If you send an item that needs spoons/forks, please also send in those items. Thank You!

Next Week:
Theme: Thanksgiving
Letter of the Week: None-make up missed letter work from past weeks
AM Snack: Schmidt
PM Snack : Springstroh
***Thanks to a parent suggestion, here is a healthy snack list site that can help with some ideas!***
Snack List

Migration & Hibernation

It was so nice seeing all of you at conferences over the past few days. Thank you for taking the time t come and chat about your child.

This week we talked about migration and hibernation.  We started with geese because the letter of the week is also G.  The geese fly south (Ella and Brielle S told us it was to Florida because that is where they just were/were going to be warm) for the winter to stay warm.  They fly in a V and they say hong honk!   Students had to cut out the pieces which was some of the trickier cutting we have done, and then they used the scraps to stuff the bags.  Students then crumpled up other recycleables to work those fine motor skills.  We stapled the body parts on and they are not flying in V formation in our room (and really pointing south, I checked ;) )

We then talked about hibernation.  In the fall times the animals that hibernate eat and eat and eat until they are so full they go in their resting place and "sleep" for the winter.  In the winter there is snow so of course there had to be glitter!  Students cut out the cave door which was a little trickier since paper plates are harder to cut than a lot of the paper we have been cutting, and it was on a curved line.  We then colored our bears and glued them on (still working on the appropriate amount of glue stick!) We then painted our caves brown and they were stapled onto our paper.  We then had to strengthen those fine motor skills again by squeezing the glue bottle and then we got to use glitter!

In the block center, we have added the farm to do more fall harvest.

The pocket chart has turkeys to help work on counting, number recognition, and for those ready even some reading word matching with the number words!

We have been working on proper writing in general.  Here is a look at our lines. There is the sky line, the plane line, and the ground. (eventually there will be a worm line but we aren't to worm line letters).  We always start at the sky line. ALWAYS.  For an A, it is start at the sky, Slant down, slant down, across the plane line.  For a, it is circle back, close, pull down to the ground.  Encourage this language and proper formation as it will truly help the with their fluency down the road.  We added a worm line now because the lower case g goes down to the worms!

The letter of the week was Gg. 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 G with green and gold glitter.  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, G is for Ghost.

Students also do a maze of the letter helping get from one object to another starting with that letter, find and color all of the letter, color a page of something that starts with that letter, and make a crown at the end of the week to be the Kings and Queens of the letter!

We also do a handwriting sheet.  This is important because writing the letters correctly helps with efficiency as well as learning cursive down the line.  We ALWAYS START AT THE TOP.  Please encourage students to write the letter correctly!

Important Notes:

• You may have seen the sign that says "No School Nov 16" Monday.  This is not the case for PM 4k and AM has already discussed their attendance (green note).  I will not be in the building, but there will be a sub.  Students days will run as normal, and if your child is at school and has speech they are able to attend still.
• ****PM STUDENTS***** There is no school on Wednesday November 25 due to the Thanksgiving break starting at 12:30.  There is also no school on Wednesday December 23 because that is the start of the Christmas break at 12:30.  Those are the only half days that there will be no PM 4k.  All other district half days 4k will be in session.
• ****AM STUDENTS**** On Wednesday Nov 25 and Wed Dec 23, because it is the start of the holiday breaks, there will be no after care offered.  All students must be picked up by 11 (normal pick up time) or 12:30 if they stay all day.

• Dress for the weather Please send your child dressed for the weather.  We go outside 2 days a week (We really TRY).  AM goes out Wednesday and Thursday.  PM goes out Tuesday and Thursday.  Extended day (students who stay all day) go out every day.  Unless it is below 0* or raining we do go out.  Please send the clothes that will keep them warm.  Also, please attempt to send in clothes that your child can do themselves.  This may be sending a zip up sweatshirt over a pull over, zipper instead of buttons, mittens instead of gloves, etc.  Thought we will always help to get your child ready, we cannot help all at the same time.  Teaching the children self help and self dress skills is an important goal of the 4k program.  By sending easier clothes, it helps them be more successful.  
• Layers may be necessary in the school.  Heat does not turn on until later in the fall/early winter so the building can be a little chilly in the morning before the bodies warm it up.  Send your child in layers and maybe have an extra sweatshirt/sweater left in lockers in case they are cold.  It may also be time to switch out the clothes in the top of lockers to warmer options.
• As a part of our room decorations and to make every one feel at home, we have a "family and friends" board in our room.  Students will feel more at home and have a school family if they have their home family with them.  (The same as you putting a family picture on your desk).    Please feel free to send in a family photo that will be stapled up on our wall for the duration of the school year. Send in those family photos!
• Background checks. When it comes to these, we assume you are good unless we get a note otherwise, but we are counting on it not being processed (and will not make that assumption that it was run and you are good) until 2 WEEKS AFTER TURNING THE FORMS IN.
• Homework Some parents have asked about homework and keep home stuff.  Homework would be the only blank stuff sent home.  We have a homework stamp page in the back of you child's every day folder.  When you do homework with your child and send it back, we stamp the homework, stamp the homework page, and then send it back. Anything with a stamp on it or a project that is already done is yours to keep.  The homework page in the back of the folder explains more about homework. Homework TYPICALLY comes home on Thursdays and it is some reinforcing of letters at home (same sheet different letters so they also become independent).
• 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 MONDAY.
• 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 Books will be sent home with your child when they come in unless you send a note that you would like it done differently.  We do encourage books to be gifts so if this is the case, please send a note and we put them in brown paper bags and tell the student it is mom/dad's homework.  The next book order is due November 25th.  Please click on the link for scholastic at the top of this page.  When you buy books for your child, it helps buy books and supplies for our classrooms. 
• Snack reminder. Please remember healthy, nut free choices.   A list can be found on the blog at the bottom.  If you send an item that needs spoons/forks, please also send in those items. Thank You!

Next Week:
Theme: Turkeys
Letter of the Week: Ss
AM Snack: Vosters
PM Snack : Woerpel
***Thanks to a parent suggestion, here is a healthy snack list site that can help with some ideas!***
Snack List