St. Patrick's Day

Well Parents some sad news, I am working away on the blog and for whatever reason it got overridden and was last week's blog when I logged in to finish it up.  I can re-write it all, but I cannot put the images in because they were all imported directly into the blog (and not saved anywhere else) and when the post was over written they are gone.

We had a leprechaun visit the room this week.  He left a note asking students to write him notes, draw him maps, or build traps (but they can only stay up if the wrote a Do not Touch sign).  That leprechaun has a tricky way of getting them to use their fine motor skills.

I was always told where there are rainbows, there is also gold. We filled our classroom with rainbows to try and get some gold.  Students are working on reading their color words by looking at the initial sound/letter. They then had to rip tiny pieces to fit into the strips of the rainbow.  This also got them strengthening their fine motor skills.  Our room is so bright and colorful!

Wednesday, students measured St Patrick's Day pictures with green cubes. Students worked on keeping them in a straight line, counting how many went dot to dot, and then how wrote that number on their sheets.

Though journaling is not a required 4k skill, some students are ready for it.  For those who are ready, we began journaling on Wednesday.  Students come to small group, have a brainstorm, draw their picture in their brain, and then do their best to write what they hear (invented spelling) to write about their picture.  We are off to a great start.

I do have photos of the kids in all their green on my phone so I was able to import those!

The letter of the week was Ww. 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 W with watercolors. 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, W is for Whale.

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.

• Spring Break will be the week of March 28-31.  St. Edward school will be closing at 12:30 on Thursday March 24 with no after school care offered.  PM 4K WILL RUN AS NORMAL ON THURSDAY MARCH 24, IT WILL BE THE ONLY PROGRAM IN THE BUILDING. Buses will run as normal. There will be no after school care offered. Friday March 25 will have no Friday 4k.  Classes resume as normal on April 4.
• 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 coming next week (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: Easter.Spring
Letter of the Week: Xx
AM Snack: Lloyd (already in)

PM Snack: Jahnel

Dr. Seuss week 2

Dr. Seuss Week 2!  We had a lot of fun!

On Monday, we did a 1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.  Students rolled 2 dice.  One was a dice with colored fish on it, and one was a regular dice.  They had to pull the number the rolled out of the bag, color them the color they rolled and glue them in a bowl.  they did this a second time.  They then wrote the number sentence on the bottom: color number 1 + color number 2 = fish in the bowl.  They did really great with this!

Tuesday, we read There is a Wocket in my Pocket.  Students then helped make a list of all things a wocket needs. It doesn't matter what those things look like, but they need to have them.  Wednesday's morning work was then to create a wocket, create a pocket, and the put them up on our wall.

Wednesday We also worked on Green Eggs and Ham.  Students rolled a dice and had to count that many eggs and make them green.  They then put all those on one plate.  The repeated a second time, and filled their second plate.  We then had to evaluate which plate had more and which plate had less.  Students did great with more or less and they are really getting good at working with those numbers!

The letter of the week was  Vv. 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 V with Vehicles, Vroom Vroom! 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, V is for Vehicle.

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.

• Reading with the Stars will be held on Monday March 14.  5:30-6:30pm.  Please do your best to reply regardless of yes or no so we can get an accurate count, make the right amount of materials, and pick a space that will fit everyone best.  This will be the final Reading with the Stars.  April we spend a lot of time prepping for graduation, and May has graduation.
• Spring Break will be the week of March 28-31.  St. Edward school will be closing at 12:30 on Thursday March 24 with no after school care offered.  PM 4K WILL RUN AS NORMAL ON THURSDAY MARCH 24, IT WILL BE THE ONLY PROGRAM IN THE BUILDING. Buses will run as normal. There will be no after school care offered. Friday March 25 will have no Friday 4k.  Classes resume as normal on April 4.
• 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 coming next week (blue)
• 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.
• 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: St. Patrick's Day
Letter of the Week: Ww
AM Snack: Wunderlich

PM Snack: Neubert, Austin

Dr. Seuss week 1

If you have not done so already, please send in the yellow 5k intention forms.  We do need 100% response back as the district needs to staff accordingly. This is the biggest 4k group the district has ever had so they just want to make sure they have enough kindergarten teachers in the right places.  

On another note, if you are planning on staying at St. Edward, we also would love to have your registration paper work turned in as soon as possible.  We love verbal commitments, but we cannot staff a teacher in a room until we have numbers based on enrollment paperwork.  PLEASE return enrollment paperwork to give our school a good count as well.

We did Dr. Seuss this week.  We are diving into rhyming and all the great books he wrote.  This also brought the opportunity of some cool new centers.  Warning you right now, they will ask if EVERYTHING rhymes as they are figuring this whole rhyming thing out!

Students were introduced to a new QR reader that will play YouTube videos of Dr. Seuss being read to them.

We have a rhyming clip game in puzzles and games where students clip a clothes pin on the words that rhyme. This works on fine motor skills as well as their rhyming skills.

Students that were ready
worked on adding by looking
at the numbers and using the cubes
as manipulatives to help.

Students count one group of hats,
then count the other group of hats,
and then count how many hats in all.

Monday we worked on math with Dr. Seuss. We varied the work up by need/ability so your child was getting practice in the area that they needed.

Students counted and colored the appropriate number of Dr. Seuss pictures.

On Wednesday (what a crazy day! We had a sub for part of the day in the AM so all staff could attend a staff meeting, and PM had a sub for part of the day so I could go cover for my sick babysitter).  Students started by celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday by making him a card.  We then made hats that are from his famous book The Cat and the Hat.  Students first patterned their hat to get it looking red, white, red, white.  They then had to help come up with rhyming words that rhymed with at. They wrote the initial sound on the line to complete the __at word.  We then wore them for a great group picture!

The letter of the week was  Qq. 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 Q with quilt pieces.  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, Q is for Queen.

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.

• Half day Wednesday March 9.  Extended day families, please reply to your email. PM students will have class as normal.
• 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 March 10.  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. 
• Reading with the Stars will be held on Monday March 14.  5:30-6:30pm.  Please do your best to reply regardless of yes or no so we can get an accurate count, make the right amount of materials, and pick a space that will fit everyone best.  This will be the final Reading with the Stars.  April we spend a lot of time prepping for graduation, and May has graduation.
• Spring Break will be the week of March 28-31.  St. Edward school will be closing at 12:30 on Thursday March 24 with no after school care offered.  PM 4K WILL RUN AS NORMAL ON THURSDAY MARCH 24, IT WILL BE THE ONLY PROGRAM IN THE BUILDING. Buses will run as normal. There will be no after school care offered. Friday March 25 will have no Friday 4k.  Classes resume as normal on April 4.
• Spring Field Trip will be coming up in April.  The teachers are working on where and when now.  More information will come as we get it.
• 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.
• 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: Dr. Seuss (week 2)
Letter of the Week: Vv
AM Snack: Backes

PM Snack: Still looking (PM parents, please see email)

Dental health

We are talking about dental health this week.  We started the week off by counting the teeth in a kid's mouth and then putting a toothbrush that had that number on it by the correct mouth.  Counting is getting pretty good, but keep working on that number id!

We followed up the discussion by watching a youtube video about dental health.  I am sure many of your kids have been talking about it as they have been talking about it quite a bit at school. The video is below. 

We got a new dramatic play center, a Vet office.  Students are loving the x-rays (donated by a parent who works in a vet), medical supplies (donated by walgreens) and more!  They are doing some great role playing in there! We also have a sign in and a clip board for doctor notes as well.  We are encouraging kids to do the best writing they can.

The new sensory table has been making teeth, putting them in the mouth, and then being a dentist for a day.  Students are really enjoying this one as well!

On Wednesday, we cut things out of magazines that were good for our teeth and bad for our teeth.  We talked how if something is bad for our teeth this does not mean we cant have it, just that we need to have little bits of it and make sure to brush our teeth after.  I promise I am not teaching them all food besides fruit and veggies are bad!

PM Class, thank you with your patience with my in and out.  My son went to the doctor Tuesday evening and was diagnosed with an ear infection and RSV.  He is getting better, but since he couldn't go to the sitters with other kids my husband and I were trading off.  

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.  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,F is for Flamingo.

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:

• 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. 
• 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 March 10.  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. 
• Reading with the Stars will be held on Monday March 14.  5:30-6:30pm.  Please do your best to reply regardless of yes or no so we can get an accurate count, make the right amount of materials, and pick a space that will fit everyone best.  This will be the final Reading with the Stars.  April we spend a lot of time prepping for graduation, and May has graduation.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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: Dr. Seuss
Letter of the Week: Qq
AM Snack: Romnek

PM Snack: Woerpel

President.patriotic

I would first like to apologize for not getting the blog out during the weekend.  I unfortunately had water damage from a leaky upstairs bathroom to a downstairs living room followed by my son having a 101 fever Sunday.  I think its all under control, but then I am quickly writing this on lunch because it is conferences and I am at school all day today.  Sorry!

We started the week with talking about presidents because it was presidents' day.  We talked about who our president is (Barack Obama), our first president (George Washington), and the president that said slaves isnt fair and everyone needs to be paid to work (Abe Lincoln).  We introduced that some of the presidents are on money.  We talked about Abe Lincoln being on the penny and did 2 activities with pennies.

Students counted groups of pennies and then worked on writing the numbers on their own.  Students also flipped a penny 10 times (ish) and counted how many heads and tails.  

We read the book Bennie's Pennies at circle time.  In the book, Benny has 5 pennies and they went through buying things with the pennies.  We did the math along with the book.  Students are pretty good at this!

Pocket Chart is matching number of hearts, the number, and the number word together. PM class was so proud of their completed chart!

Wednesday, students began to copy print writing God Bless America on their papers with their hand print eagles (National bird/Mascot).  Students did SO well on this project!

We read another book about flags at circle time. We talked about the colors red, white, and blue and the fact there are 50 stars!  We also talked about the flag having a pattern (red white red white).  Students then created a flag  by patterning the red and white, gluing on the blue square, and then counting to 10 5 times to make 50 dot stars on their flag!

The letter of the week was Kk . 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 K is for K'nex.  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, K is for kite.

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:

• Emails for conferences came out this week.  Pleas sign up for a time if you have not done so yet.  DUE TO THE SHORT TURN AROUND FOR THE PALS WINDOW THEY GIVE US, REPORT CARDS WILL NOT BE READY WHEN THE QUARTER ENDS.  YOU WILL GET ALL REPORTS AT CONFERENCES.  
• 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 March 10.  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. 
• Reading with the Stars will be held on Monday March 14.  5:30-6:30pm.  Please do your best to reply regardless of yes or no so we can get an accurate count, make the right amount of materials, and pick a space that will fit everyone best.  This will be the final Reading with the Stars.  April we spend a lot of time prepping for graduation, and May has graduation.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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: Dental Health
Letter of the Week: Ff
AM Snack: Ashauer

PM Snack: Taube