Friday, April 29, 2016

Plants, Trees

We started the week with making our Blooming Bonanza Fundraiser items.  We made wind spinners for the garden out of recycled water bottles.  COME CHECK OUT THE FUN EVENT ON FRIDAY MAY 6 AND SATURDAY MAY 7!
We also began learning about plants. We discussed the needs of a plant and made some predictions of what we thought would happen if we took some of the needs away.  Then we made various cups with the different variations and we are testing.  We will make observations to see if our predictions come true.

For graduation, the students are typing their own power point slides.  Students will type their own info in and then there will be a first day of school/graduation slide as well.  I will be happy to email you your child's slide after graduation if you would like it.
In puzzles and games, students got creative and patterned!











The boys were so proud of the insect puzzles they put together!








Wednesday began our ABC countdown. Here students, enjoy a movie while eating their apples.  We also were talking about the Lorax and how he cares about the trees.  We need to care about the trees if we don't want our world to go yucky like it did in the movie. We then made Lorax out of our hands, and some Truffula Trees!

We have moved onto numbers of the week this week!

This week we worked on numbers 0, 1, 2
On Tuesday, students put the correct number of stickers on their number(s) for the week and color that correct number of pictures.  On Thursday they find that number in magazines and in advertisements and cut 3 out and glue them onto the corresponding number(s).  Students also practiced writing the numbers daily and in their handwriting book.  

As a party of morning work, they also do farm counting, number sheets with 10 frames (BIG in kindergarten), and rainbow writing.

A big part of kindergarten readiness is making sure the student can correctly and efficiently use their tools.  It is also that their letters are written (and identified) correctly so they can begin the reading and writing process.  PLEASE help your child hold pencils and scissors correctly, name the letters and numbers, and correctly write the letters and numbers.  
pencils need to be held in a "tri-pod/pincher grip.
Pointer and thumb should pinch the pencil and the
pencil should rest in the middle finger on the top
kuckle.  The thumb and the pointer should make
a round/circular shape
Scissors need to be held thumb up, cut
away from the body, and pushing foward
as the fingers and thumb open and close.
Writing the letters correctly will help them greatly in kindergarten as they will be more fluent in their writing if it is done correctly.  A good rule of thumb: START AT THE TOP AND CIRCLE BACK.  Circle back homework came home this week as well; it is essential students circle back rather than forwards for the correct formation of the letter.   I can send home the correct formation of the letters to help you work with them (this also came home in Holiday Homework).

Writing the numbers is equally as important as it is essential in communicating their math answers.  Please help your child name and write the numbers they best they can (ideally: count objects to 10, write up to 10, identify up to 12, count orally to 20, ).  Please note how the numbers look in the image.  This is how we write our numbers including the 2, 4, and 9 (not as they show up when typing).
Important Notes:
 We have a lot of events/dates, forms, announcements, trips, etc. coming up.  Please read these important notes weekly and/or check the calendar in the tab at the top to stay up to date..
  • AM Class School Concert Wednesday April 27, 2016 9:30am & 6:00pm.  Please note all AM students are expected to attend.  We have 2 songs prepared for you and we follow the choir. 
  • ABC Countdown Participation is optional!  The days are listed at the bottom, slips are coming home last Monday (lime green), and you should have gotten a digital copy in your email last week.
  • Number of the Week continues next week.  In one section of our number of the week books, we cut out numbers and glue them to the number that matches.  If you have any ads please send them in for us to cut!
  • Bloomin' Bonanza MAY 6 & MAY 7 is our school spring fundraiser. We sell annuals, perennials, and crafts.  There is also a table at which the students make things to sell as well.  It is a fun event to support the school and get those gardens looking great! (It is also Mother's day weekend so it makes for some great mothers day gifts as well!). We will all made contributions to the school table for sale as well.
  • Graduation will be held on Thursday May 12 5:30-6:30pm.  We love to have all students there as they will be singing for you, a power point presentation (they write the slides and have 1st day/graduation photos) getting their diplomas, and little presents.  There will be a social afterwards.
  • 4k Safety Fair Trip is a free trip offered by the district. The trip will be held on Tuesday May 24, 2016 during school hours.  The Hortonville High School students enrolled in an early childhood class plan the day for us.  We visit Hillside preschool and use their building.  The trip includes firefighters, police officers, pharmacists, pet specialists/trainers, Emotional health specialists, and then the high schoolers host a bike rodeo for bike safety training.  It is a lot of fun and a good message to send students with before the summer break. More details to come. THE BUS NEEDS TO LEAVE ON TIME IN ORDER TO GET TO OUR DESTINATION ON TIME, HAVE LONG ENOUGH ON THE TRIP, AND GET BACK IN TIME.  IF YOUR STUDENTS IS NOT AT SCHOOL ON TIME, THE BUS WILL LEAVE WITHOUT THEM. (permission slip is orange).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 few 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. 
  • 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: PALS.Mother's Day.
Numbers of the Week: 3, 4
AM Snack: Jesse
PM Snack: Neubert

Alphabet Countdown
The end of the year is almost here!  We are going to count down the last 26 days by celebrating a letter of the alphabet each day.  Participation is optional for most of the activities, but they will all be fun and bring the year to an end quickly. 
Since we participte with the whole school, we do have Fridays on here. I took the Fridays and grayed them out.  The small Friday group then will still have access.  Some days are a little different from the big kids but very few are changed.

Monday, 5/2          D. Dress in Comfortable Clothes Day - We will go for a walk today.

Tuesday, 5/3          E. Earth Day – Wear green and help us clean up our school and outside.

Wednesday, 5/4   F. Flower project day

Thursday, 5/5        G. Game Day – Play a game in class today.

Friday, 5/6             H. Help Day! We will help today at Blooming Bonanza.

Monday, 5/9          I. Inside out and Backwards Day – Wear your clothes crazy today!

Tuesday, 5/10        J. Jogging Day!  Jog around the track, today is the iRun!!

Wednesday, 5/11    K. Karaoke Day– Who will be brave enough to sing in class today?

Thursday, 5/12    L. Let’s Be Crazy Day – Let’s wear crazy hats today!

Friday, 5/13           M. Marvelous Art Day – Puffy paint socks for the assisted living facility today.

Monday, 5/16        N. New Neighbor Day- Sit by a friend today.

Tuesday, 5/17        O. Oh My!!!  It’s Packer Day!!! - Wear your Packer gear today!!

Wednesday, 5/18   P. Pajama Day- Wear your pajamas to school today!

 Thursday 5/19   Q. Quiet Day– Quietly work under your desk today.

Friday, 5/20           R. Read a Good Book Day – We will be reading books in class today.

Monday, 5/23        S. Surprise Day – Your teacher will surprise you today.

Tuesday, 5/24       T. Trip Day!  We are headed to the Safety Fair at Hillside preschool

Wednesday, 5/25    U. Upside down day—we are doing our schedule bottom to top today!

Thursday, 5.26    V. – Very big party day!  Very last day for Mrs. Gloudemans and Very Happy Birthday to all of our 
summer birthdays!

Friday, 5/27           W. – Wow!  The Bishop will be celebrating Mass with us!

Tuesday, 5/31        X.   XTRA Clean and Fun Day – Help clean your rooms, lockers, and school today! 

Wednesday, 6/1  Y. Your Last Full Day – Graduation, awards, picnic and games today!


Thursday, 6/2        Z.  Zip up your backpack and Zoom home for the Zummer!!!

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Insects week 2 + Trip and make up week

Please encourage family, neighbors or friends to register their child now as we are working on placements. for 4K for the 2016-17 school year.  Please have them do this ASAP as we have begun preparing for the upcoming year and hiring teachers accordingly.  Registration forms are online.  http://www.hasd.org/district/online_registration.cfm    They will receive your placement letter in late May or early June.

Students stamped the caterpillar bodies or the spots on a lady bug to work on counting, number recognition, following directions, and fine motor skills!








New pocket chart focuses on initial sound and matching initial sound.







New bug roll a dice game in puzzles and games.






Ants in the pants joined our puzzle and games center.










The letter of the week was Zz. 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 Z with Zig-Zags. Students are getting good at making predictions of what they think they will be decorating with based on words that start with that sound.  On Thursday, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, Z is for Zebra.


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!  This came home on the blue sheets from break.

This week we had some make up of letters we missed to complete our books, went on our trip, AM practiced for their program, AM met with their buddies, PM got extra play time, and we ALSO took away our chart and students get to pick where they play!  How cool is that!  We also had graduation photos.  With the crazy schedule, there isnt much to post picture wise.

Please click on the tab above indicating photos, and there is a link to class trip.  If you would like to save that photo, please click the download button.  If it is not working, email me and I will get that to you!  If you have photos to add, I believe I have enabled it so you can add photos if you took any as well!


Important Notes:

 We have a lot of events/dates, forms, announcements, trips, etc. coming up.  Please read these important notes weekly and/or check the calendar in the tab at the top to stay up to date..
  • AM Class School Concert Wednesday April 27, 2016 9:30am & 6:00pm.  Please note all AM students are expected to attend.  We have 2 songs prepared for you and we follow the choir. 
  • ABC Countdown begins! Wednesday April 27, 2016!!  Bring in those apples as AN EXTRA snack to eat during play time! Participation is optional!  The days are listed at the bottom, slips are coming home Monday, and you should have gotten a digital copy in your email today.
  • Number of the Week starts next week.  In one section of our number of the week books, we cut out numbers and glue them to the number that matches.  If you have any ads please send them in for us to cut!
  • Bloomin' Bonanza is our school spring fundraiser. We sell annuals, perennials, and crafts.  There is also a table at which the students make things to sell as well.  It is a fun event to support the school and get those gardens looking great! (It is also Mother's day weekend so it makes for some great mothers day gifts as well!). We will all be making contributions to the school table for sale as well. Keep sending water bottles if you have them! with your child to use for this project. 
  • Graduation will be held on Thursday May 12 5:30-6:30pm.  We love to have all students there as they will be singing for you, a power point presentation (they write the slides and have 1st day/graduation photos) getting their diplomas, and little presents.  There will be a social afterwards.
  • 4k Safety Fair Trip is a free trip offered by the district. The trip will be held on Tuesday May 24, 2016 during school hours.  The Hortonville High School students enrolled in an early childhood class plan the day for us.  We visit Hillside preschool and use their building.  The trip includes firefighters, police officers, pharmacists, pet specialists/trainers, Emotional health specialists, and then the high schoolers host a bike rodeo for bike safety training.  It is a lot of fun and a good message to send students with before the summer break. More details to come. THE BUS NEEDS TO LEAVE ON TIME IN ORDER TO GET TO OUR DESTINATION ON TIME, HAVE LONG ENOUGH ON THE TRIP, AND GET BACK IN TIME.  IF YOUR STUDENTS IS NOT AT SCHOOL ON TIME, THE BUS WILL LEAVE WITHOUT THEM. (permission slip is orange).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 few 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. 
  • 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: Plants
Numbers of the Week: 0, 1, 2
AM Snack: Gonnering
PM Snack: Jahnel


Alphabet Countdown
The end of the year is almost here!  We are going to count down the last 26 days by celebrating a letter of the alphabet each day.  Participation is optional for most of the activities, but they will all be fun and bring the year to an end quickly.
The countdown begins on Wednesday, April 27th.
Since we participte with the whole school, we do have Fridays on here. I took the Fridays and grayed them out.  The small Friday group then will still have access.  Some days are a little different from the big kids but very few are changed.

Wednesday, 4/27    A.  Apple Day – Bring an apple or your favorite fruit for an extra snack.

Thursday, 4/28    B.  Beach Day – Bring a beach towel, beach ball, and sunglasses and enjoy a day at the beach.

Friday 4/29            C. Celebrate Spring Day - Bring seeds for Father Walter to bless at Mass.

Monday, 5/2          D. Dress in Comfortable Clothes Day - We will go for a walk today.

Tuesday, 5/3          E. Earth Day – Wear green and help us clean up our school and outside.

Wednesday, 5/4   F. Flower project day

Thursday, 5/5        G. Game Day – Play a game in class today.

Friday, 5/6             H. Help Day! We will help today at Blooming Bonanza.

Monday, 5/9          I. Inside out and Backwards Day – Wear your clothes crazy today!

Tuesday, 5/10        J. Jogging Day!  Jog around the track, today is the iRun!!

Wednesday, 5/11    K. Karaoke Day– Who will be brave enough to sing in class today?

Thursday, 5/12    L. Let’s Be Crazy Day – Let’s wear crazy hats today!

Friday, 5/13           M. Marvelous Art Day – Puffy paint socks for the assisted living facility today.

Monday, 5/16        N. New Neighbor Day- Sit by a friend today.

Tuesday, 5/17        O. Oh My!!!  It’s Packer Day!!! - Wear your Packer gear today!!

Wednesday, 5/18   P. Pajama Day- Wear your pajamas to school today!

 Thursday 5/19   Q. Quiet Day– Quietly work under your desk today.

Friday, 5/20           R. Read a Good Book Day – We will be reading books in class today.

Monday, 5/23        S. Surprise Day – Your teacher will surprise you today.

Tuesday, 5/24       T. Trip Day!  We are headed to the Safety Fair at Hillside preschool

Wednesday, 5/25    U. Upside down day—we are doing our schedule bottom to top today!

Thursday, 5.26    V. – Very big party day!  Very last day for Mrs. Gloudemans and Very Happy Birthday to all of our 
summer birthdays!

Friday, 5/27           W. – Wow!  The Bishop will be celebrating Mass with us!

Tuesday, 5/31        X.   XTRA Clean and Fun Day – Help clean your rooms, lockers, and school today! 

Wednesday, 6/1  Y. Your Last Full Day – Graduation, awards, picnic and games today!


Thursday, 6/2        Z.  Zip up your backpack and Zoom home for the Zummer!!!

Friday, April 8, 2016

Insects week 1

MANY, MANY IMPORTANT DATES, FORMS, AND REQUESTS IN THE IMPORTANT INFO SECTION.  PLEASE BE SURE TO READ!

We started the week with making up the X's from before break. Students did their  X page, X is for X-ray.  

Students worked on patterning on their pattern-pillars.  Patterns are going well for students, but they need to be encouraged to go back and look at their work.  I think it is very important that they learn this self-check skill as it will help them in their schooling for the rest of their life.  Keep encouraging them with "Does that look right?" "Is that your best?" "What were the directions? Did you follow them?"
AM got to label the parts of an insect.  Students used the song they have been learning (we are going to keep practicing it this week and then I will post a video next week!) of the parts of an insect.  They sang the song to complete it as well as looked at the initial sound of the word to put the correct word in the correct spot.
Sensory Table chanced to Moon sand and insect stamps.
Towards the end of the week, students were introduced to our new dramatic play center: flower shop.  Their are carts, bags, flowers, order forms, birthday/mothers' day cards, and even a cash register.  So far they have been very respectful to the center, hopefully they continue to do so so we can keep it for a while!
Art center students have been able to make buds for our spring tree (glue and tissue paper) or the new insect rubbings.  Students tape the rubbing stencil on the table, lay a piece of paper on top, and use the melted crayons to make an insect.  They can also add details to the photos by coloring.  Students have been introduced to the pencil sharpener and have been asking to sharpen colored pencils more often. Since they are not abusing it yet, they have that opportunity.  
The letter of the week was Yy. 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 Y with yellow yarn. Students are getting good at making predictions of what they think they will be decorating with based on words that start with that sound.  On Monday (today) due to the snow day, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, Y is for Yak.


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!  This came home on the blue sheets from break.


Important Notes:
Now that we are in April, it feels like the school year flies!  We have a lot of events/dates, forms, announcements, trips, etc. coming up.  Please read these important notes weekly and/or check the calendar in the tab at the top to stay up to date..

  • Spring Field Trip will be April 19.  PLEASE TURN IN BLUE PERMISSION SLIP WITH MONEY BY THURSDAY.  We will be going to Bubolz nature Preserve and we will be doing a 5 senses hike.  Cost is $3.50 a  student, no cost for chaperones.  Permission slip came home today (blue). THE BUS NEEDS TO LEAVE ON TIME IN ORDER TO GET TO OUR DESTINATION ON TIME, HAVE LONG ENOUGH ON THE TRIP, AND GET BACK IN TIME.  IF YOUR STUDENTS IS NOT AT SCHOOL ON TIME, THE BUS WILL LEAVE WITHOUT THEM.
  • Graduation Photos are offered to all students (to get photo for slide show, please sign consent) and optional purchase.  They are adorable in their cap and gown photos.  We do not wear cap and gown at graduation, just this one photo.  Information will come out closer, but photos will be during the school day on April 21. PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN THE ENVELOPE REGARDLESS OF PURCHASE, WE NEED YOUR PERMISSION TO TAKE YOUR CHILD'S PHOTO TO USE FOR THE GRADUATION POWER POINT.
  • Bloomin' Bonanza is our school spring fundraiser. We sell annuals, perennials, and crafts.  There is also a table at which the students make things to sell as well.  It is a fun event to support the school and get those gardens looking great! (It is also Mother's day weekend so it makes for some great mothers day gifts as well!). We will all be making contributions to the school table for sale as well.  PLEASE SEND AN EMPTY SINGLE SERVING WATER BOTTLE with your child to use for this project. 
  • Graduation will be held on Thursday May 12 5:30-6:30pm.  We love to have all students there as they will be singing for you, a power point presentation (they write the slides and have 1st day/graduation photos) getting their diplomas, and little presents.  There will be a social afterwards.
  • 4k Safety Fair Trip is a free trip offered by the district. The trip will be held on Tuesday May 24, 2016 during school hours.  The Hortonville High School students enrolled in an early childhood class plan the day for us.  We visit Hillside preschool and use their building.  The trip includes firefighters, police officers, pharmacists, pet specialists/trainers, Emotional health specialists, and then the high schoolers host a bike rodeo for bike safety training.  It is a lot of fun and a good message to send students with before the summer break. More details to come. THE BUS NEEDS TO LEAVE ON TIME IN ORDER TO GET TO OUR DESTINATION ON TIME, HAVE LONG ENOUGH ON THE TRIP, AND GET BACK IN TIME.  IF YOUR STUDENTS IS NOT AT SCHOOL ON TIME, THE BUS WILL LEAVE WITHOUT THEM. (permission slip is orange).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 few 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. 
  • 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: Insects (wk 2)
Letter of the Week: Zz
AM Snack: Bonnet
PM Snack: Springstroh

Monday, April 4, 2016

Easter

I apologize that this is coming late.  Once we got news of a snow day my brain checked out of school for spring break and didnt get back into it until this morning!

We started the week with shape bunnies. This project worked on shape recognition, direction following, directional words, and fine motor skills.  Some students found this easy and some have some work to do in these areas.
Mrs. Sandy worked with students to graph their easter eggs based on their markings and then do some evaluation of their graphs.
In the art center, students are putting tissue paper on blossoms to go on our spring tree. 
Here is finally a picture of that liquid gold I am am sure they have been telling you about as well as Im sure you have seen come on a shirt sleeve or so!  (it is only starch and washable elmers glue so it should come out in the wash).
The letter of the week was Xx. 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 X with black paint and q-tips to look like Xrays. Students are getting good at making predictions of what they think they will be decorating with based on words that start with that sound.  On Monday (today) due to the snow day, our letter of the week project was to read a page from our alphabet book, X is for X-ray.


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!  This came home on the blue sheets from break.


Important Notes:
Now that we are in March, it feels like the school year flies!  We have a lot of events/dates, forms, announcements, trips, etc. coming up.  Please read these important notes weekly and/or check the calendar in the tab at the top to stay up to date..
  • Hortonville Spring Event will be held on April 7 and Hortonville Elementary.  It will have a gross motor focus. Permission slip coming home Monday. (pink).
  • Spring Field Trip will be April 19.  We will be going to Bubolz nature Preserve and we will be doing a 5 senses hike.  Cost is $3.50 a  student, no cost for chaperones.  Permission slip came home today (blue). THE BUS NEEDS TO LEAVE ON TIME IN ORDER TO GET TO OUR DESTINATION ON TIME, HAVE LONG ENOUGH ON THE TRIP, AND GET BACK IN TIME.  IF YOUR STUDENTS IS NOT AT SCHOOL ON TIME, THE BUS WILL LEAVE WITHOUT THEM.
  • Graduation Photos are offered to all students (to get photo for slide show, please sign consent) and optional purchase.  They are adorable in their cap and gown photos.  We do not wear cap and gown at graduation, just this one photo.  Information will come out closer, but photos will be during the school day on April 21.
  • Bloomin' Bonanza is our school spring fundraiser. We sell annuals, perennials, and crafts.  There is also a table at which the students make things to sell as well.  It is a fun event to support the school and get those gardens looking great! (It is also Mother's day weekend so it makes for some great mothers day gifts as well!)
  • Graduation usually is the end of the year, but with my being due so close, I wanted the best chance to be there as possible.  Graduation will be held on Thursday May 12 5:30-6:30pm.  We love to have all students there as they will be singing for you, a power point presentation (they write the slides and have 1st day/graduation photos) getting their diplomas, and little presents.  There will be a social afterwards.
  • 4k Safety Fair Trip is a free trip offered by the district. The Hortonville High School students enrolled in an early childhood class plan the day for us.  We visit Hillside preschool and use their building.  The trip includes firefighters, police officers, pharmacists, pet specialists/trainers, Emotional health specialists, and then the high schoolers host a bike rodeo for bike safety training.  It is a lot of fun and a good message to send students with before the summer break. More details to come. THE BUS NEEDS TO LEAVE ON TIME IN ORDER TO GET TO OUR DESTINATION ON TIME, HAVE LONG ENOUGH ON THE TRIP, AND GET BACK IN TIME.  IF YOUR STUDENTS IS NOT AT SCHOOL ON TIME, THE BUS WILL LEAVE WITHOUT THEM.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 few 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. 
  • 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: Insects
Letter of the Week: Yy
AM Snack: Neubert, Breanna

PM Snack: Pollack (in already)