Kindergarten Newsletter
February 21 - February 25, 2022
Click on the name below to email the teacher.
Important Dates:
February 21- 3D Creation Project Items Due (More information below)
February 22- Spring Picture Day
February 25- Kindergarten Rodeo (CHANGE IN LOCATION, read below)
February 28-March 4- Read Across America Week (More info below on dress up days)
March 7-11- Book Fair!
March 10-Book Fair is open after school until 6:30
What are we Learning?
Reading: I can act out a story. I can use the reading strategies when I read.
Writing: I can write a sentence.
Math: I can identify 3D shapes.
Science: I can differentiate between living and nonliving things.
Social Studies: I can recite the pledge to the Texas flag.
3D Creation Project
TOMORROW we begin to build REAL objects with 3D shapes. Here are the steps you and your child need to take by TOMORROW, Monday, Feb. 21:
Ask your child what they plan to build and send in items to help; we have briefly spoken about this.
Look on Pinterest with your child, they may see some awesome creations. A few ideas are attached below. We will make animals, robots, castles, buildings etc. We will "plan" our design and build the rest of the week.
Bring items to school (see list below) by Monday, Feb. 21st to create the REAL object your child has chosen. (We welcome you to bring in extra materials to share with others. Make sure your child knows what is theirs and what is to share.)
Teachers will provide construction paper, paint, hot glue, markers, crayons, etc.
If your child brings in boxes for their creation, consider wrapping it with the color of paper they desire in advance. For example, if they are making a pink castle, please wrap all the boxes prior to sending them in, it will help a BUNCH! (Imagine for a short minute that 20 5-year-olds are all needing your help at one time....and go from there!)
This is one of their favorite projects of the year and we LOVE helping them, but anything you can do in advance to reduce chaos is much appreciated!! ;-)
Possible 3D Shape items:
cardboard (smaller pieces 4x4ish :))
small boxes (Kleenex, cereal, kids shoe boxes or tissue boxes-for buildings, bodies and heads-consider pre-wrapping these if your child has a "vision" in mind)
masking tape
duct tape
fun patterned tape
toilet paper or paper towel rolls-colored or plain
dixie cups
paper
ping pong balls
popsicle sticks
cotton balls-clouds
Any other items your child would like to include in their creation!
Kindergarten Rodeo
Our annual Kindergarten Rodeo is THIS Friday, February 25th at 2:00 and you won't want to miss this event! The children LOVE getting to dress up like cowboys and cowgirls for this very special performance!
Due to a cold and rainy forecast, the Kindergarten Rodeo will take place in the OCT cafeteria! Please complete this FASTPASS for quick and easy check-in. All parents MUST check-in before attending this event. *Cafeteria seating will be provided for guests.
Calling All PROFESSIONALS!
Over the next few months, Kindergarten is looking for parents willing to WebEx with our classes regarding the following professional strands:
February - PRODUCTION
March - BUSINESS
April - FINANCE & BANKING
If you are willing to prepare a short (5-10 minute) presentation for our Kindergarteners, please email Mrs. Lind at sara.lind@gcisd.net
We would like for you to tell us about your job and show any "tools" you may use in your profession. For example, if you are an accountant, your "tool" would be a calculator and computer, etc. We would like for someone to be able to share about their career in a way 5-year-olds will understand and be engaged! Click on the links above to see if your career falls into one of the categories.
Thank you for helping us teach our children about their FUTURE!!
GT Testing and/or the ASPIRE Academy
Testing Window: February 1 - February 28
GT Decision mailed on: March 28
ASPIRE Decision mailed on: April 27
For more information regarding the testing process, please view one of the following videos below. All videos can also be found at https://bit.ly/GCISDGTinfo
Remind
Have you been receiving remind messages from your child's teacher? If not, please let your child's teacher know so you can get set up! This is a great way for you to communicate with the teacher and a way the teachers send out reminders!
Sight Words
New Sight Words for the Week:
find, make, take, where
Sight Words your child should be able to read: I, and, can, my, to, do, see, the, go, like, no, so, me, we, she, he, is, in, you, be, get, had, all, said, look, dad, it, mom, am, cut, sit, that, at, got, let, not, by, if, of, saw, off, on, us, was, as, did, has, ran, for, fun, yes, his, are, have, at, will, this, her, with, your, here, love, play say, came, come, from, some, them, then, these, they, ask, little, very, went, back, because, best, pretty, could, help, should, would
Reading Practice
Please have your child read their book every night.
Ideas to do after your child finishes their book:
-find sight words in the book
-ask your child questions about the book
-retell the story in order
Please make sure your child puts their book back in their book bag and brings their book bag to school every day!
Math Practice
Below are math skills you can practice at home with your child.
Counting to 100
Comparing numbers
Identify coins
Identify, represent, and write teen numbers
Count on from any given number 1-20
Identify 1 more/ 1 less to 20
2D Shapes (square, circle, rectangle, triangle)
3D Shapes (cone, cube, cylinder, sphere)
February Birthdays
2/10 Kelsey
2/18 Jonah
2/18 Jaxon
Great Tiger Folder
Please make sure you are signing your child's GREAT chart inside your child's folder each night. Also, make sure you are cleaning out your child's folder nightly as well.
SBRC
Standards Based Report Cards
The report card is designed to provide more specific and accurate information to parents than a traditional report card. Research has shown that giving specific feedback helps students to set goals and focus on continuous growth, rather than receiving an averaged number grade that gives imprecise information about performance. They will be in Skyward each nine weeks, with progress reports posted every six weeks. Please read the following links for more detailed information.
SBRC Parent Guide (en español)
SBRC Special Services Parent Letter
SBRC Special Services Parent letter (en español)
Developmental Sequence of Phonological Skills
80-90% of children can do the following:
By the age of 5
recognize rhyme - which two rhyme? bug, cat, hug
clap/count syllables - dog (1 clap), turtle (2 claps)
By the age of 5 1/2
blend onset/rime - /b/ /oat/ (boat) - special note: onset is the initial phonological unit of a word, rime is what follows the onset and is typically from the first vowel onward
produce rhymes - tell me a word that rhymes with cat?
isolate beginning sound - tell me the first sound in net (/n/)
By the age of 6
syllable deletion - say tulip, now say tulip without the /t/
blend 2 and 3 phoneme words - if I say /s/ /u/ /n/, what is the word? if I say /b/ /o/, what is the word?
segment 2 and 3 phoneme words - say the sounds you hear in boat (/b/ /o/ /t/)
Kindergarten Wish List
Below are some other items we are in need of. Please use the link below if you wish to donate. We appreciate it so much!
Please include the teachers name when you purchase from amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/OCD4HFK8KL7A?ref_=wl_share
Snack
Please make sure you send a bite sized snack with your child daily. We don't have lunch until 12:10 so your child will be very sad and hungry if they don't have a snack to eat.
Ipads
Please create a routine with your child to make sure your child's Ipad is charged each night and brought to school each day!
We download apps together as a class. Please don't let your child download any apps at home!
Library Tips
We always tell our students to keep their book in their backpack at all times (unless they are reading it) so it is always here at school when it's time for the library!
Below is the day your child's class will go to the library each week! YOUR CHILD WILL RETURN THEIR BOOK THE DAY BEFORE THEIR LIBRARY DAY! Please make sure your child brings their book that day so they can check out a new book the following day.
Arington: Wednesday
Lind: Thursday
Mack: Thursday
Richardson: Tuesday
Going Home
If you find your child must go home a different way than planned, please notify the office by a phone call by at least 2:00 p.m. Teachers and our front office staff do not always have access to email or are busy teaching or helping others. A phone call is required. Sometimes we have only one person in the front office, so we want to provide ample time to be able to meet your needs.
Volunteering
If you plan to volunteer in any capacity this school year, please click here to complete the background check.