This week in Kindergarten:

Morning meeting:

-We learned two new greetings: the butterfly greeting and hello in Japanese.

-We shared in partners and in a whole group. We are practicing eye contact and using names when we share and greet friends.

-We sang the song "Black Socks". Ask them to sing it for you.

-We practiced counting letters in names and clapping syllables.

Reading/Writing:

-We practiced independent reading at book bins .

-They chose an activity while I gave a reading assessment.

-We modeled and practiced how to get I pads and headphones out. They learned how to get on Starfall and draw on notepad. We focused on staying in seats, plugging in headphones in completely, using the volume, taking care of headphones, etc.

-We read a book called "I Like Me" and they wrote their favorite color and colored their favorite foods.

-They drew self-portraits and wrote names. They will be turned into our first class book.

-We worked on phonics and phonemic awareness, and rhyming.

-We read about different kinds of families and they drew and wrote about their own families. They talked to their table partner about their own family.

-They listened to and acted out a song called "Start Your Letters at the Top".

Math:

-Dice as a math tool was introduced. They practiced rolling dice and tracing numbers.

-We practiced "air-writing" numbers with our fingers and repeated rhymes to help us remember how to make the numbers.

-We practiced using cubes and pattern blocks.

We counting to 100 by 10s and 1s.

-We did our calendar routine. We are counting the days of school with stickers. I told them that they will have a 100th day party on the 100th day of school.

-We traced numbers 1, 2, and 3.

-We practiced "1, 2 Buckle My Shoe."

Social studies/science:

-We talked about family, our self-concept, and the classroom expectations.

Other:

-Students practiced "social tubs". Each table shared a tub of toys. (I cleaned them after.) They practiced using indoor voices, sharing, keeping toys on the table, and cleaning up.

A Few things:

Snacks

Thanks for the snack donations. We do have a student with nut and dairy allergies, so I will be listing some brand-specific ideas. Snacks need to be pre-packaged. Please try to make the snacks as healthy as possible. I know it's hard, but the less sugar, the better. I try to save the sugary snacks for special occasions. Also, we are getting a new student on Tuesday, so there will now be 22 kids. We currently have enough snacks for approximately 1 week of school.

Snacks ideas:

Original Pringles

Chocolate chip Teddy Grahams

Chicken in a Biskit Original Snack Crackers

Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs...nacho Vibes

Traditional Chex MIx (savory)

Kellogg's Scooby-Doo Graham Cracker sticks (cinnamon)

Mott's Medleys assorted fruit snacks

SkinnyPop Popcorn Original

Belvita breakfast sandwich peanut butter/strawberry/banana bread

Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar flavor squares

Stauffer's Original Animal Crackers

Rold Gold Tiny Twist pretzels (original)

Kellogg's Original Club Crackers

Ritz Original Crackers

Birthdays

When it is your child's birthday time and you would like to send in treats for the class, please make sure you let me know ahead of time. Birthday treats also need to be pre-packaged and not homemade. Thanks for your cooperation.

Arrival/Dismissal

School starts at 8:00 each day and gets out at 3:05, except for on Wednesday. Students are released early on Wednesday at 1:35. If your child will be picked up a different way than normal after school, please let myself or the office know of the change so I can make sure they are where they need to be.

Stuffed Animals/Toys

Stuffed animals and toys need to be left at home from now on unless you have specifically talked to me, because your child needs something comforting in order to calm down in the morning.

Water Bottles

Students need to bring a water bottle to school each day. If you are able to send bottled water in case a child forgets, please let me know. If a student forgets their water bottle, I have given them a school water bottle that they are to keep at school. I tried to explain this to the kids, but I think I confused some of them. If they bring a water bottle from home, at the end of the day, they have the choice to bring it home and back the next day or leave it at school.

Other

Please continue to check that there is a clean mask in your child's backpack. Also, please include a change of clothes in their backpacks.

Headphones

A few kids have somehow misplaced their headphones. Please check backpacks if you remember just in case they put them in there instead of their cubby. Thanks.

Thanks!

This week in Kindergarten:

Reading

-We read two versions of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and learned how to retell a story.

-We read an informational book on bears and made paper sack puppets.

-We practiced independently and quietly reading books from our book bins--reading the words and/or the pictures.

-We practiced talking to our table partners about books.

-We played an alphabet game called "Find the Worm"

-We learned how to use scissors and glue sticks and we practiced cutting and pasting.

-Much more!

Math:

-We learned how to use pattern blocks as a math tool.

-We continued to practice using cubes as a math tool.

-We counted to 100 by 1s and 10s.

-We practiced finding the number that comes before and after another number.

-We read books about shapes and practiced drawing shapes.

-Much more!

Writing:

-We practiced writing and tracing our names.

-We learned how to use dry-erase markers.

-We listened to the story "Matthew's Dream" by Leo Lionni and students drew their own hopes and dreams for the kindergarten school year. Attached is a picture of their hopes and dreams.

-Much more!

Social studies/science:

-We read the Story, "How Full is Your Bucket?" and discussed it.

-Student came up with our classroom rules:

1. We will be safe.

2. We will be kind to each other.

3. We will try our best.

4. We will be responsible.

-Students guessed the answer to some school supply riddles.

-We learned about Bobcat bucks and how you earn them. Students decorated their envelope "wallets" to keep their tickets safe and in one place. There is also a class chart where students are earning bucks for a pajama party.

Other:

We practiced color identification.

We learned different breathing techniques to calm down.

We revisited playground expectations.

Voice level was discussed and practiced.

A Few things:

Snacks

Thanks for the snack donations. We do have a student with nut and dairy allergies, so I will be listing some brand-specific ideas. Snacks need to be pre-packaged. Please try to make the snacks as healthy as possible. I know it's hard, but the less sugar, the better. I try to save the sugary snacks for special occasions. Also, we are getting a new student on Tuesday, so there will now be 22 kids.

Snacks ideas:

Original Pringles

Chocolate chip Teddy Grahams

Chicken in a Biskit Original Snack Crackers

Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs...nacho Vibes

Traditional Chex MIx (savory)

Kellogg's Scooby-Doo Graham Cracker sticks (cinnamon)

Mott's Medleys assorted fruit snacks

SkinnyPop Popcorn Original

Belvita breakfast sandwich peanut butter/strawberry/banana bread

Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar flavor squares

Stauffer's Original Animal Crackers

Rold Gold Tiny Twist pretzels (original)

Kellogg's Original Club Crackers

Ritz Original Crackers

Birthdays

When it is your child's birthday time and you would like to send in treats for the class, please make sure you let me know ahead of time. Birthday treats also need to be pre-packaged and not homemade. Thanks for your cooperation.

Arrival/Dismissal

School starts at 8:00 each day and gets out at 3:05, except for on Wednesday. Students are released early on Wednesday at 1:35. If your child will be picked up a different way than normal after school, please let myself or the office know of the change so I can make sure they are where they need to be.

Stuffed Animals/Toys

Stuffed animals and toys need to be left at home from now on unless you have specifically talked to me, because your child needs something comforting in order to calm down in the morning.

Water Bottles

Students need to bring a water bottle to school each day. If you are able to send bottled water in case a child forgets, please let me know. If a student forgets their water bottle, I have given them a school water bottle that they are to keep at school. I tried to explain this to the kids, but I think I confused some of them. If they bring a water bottle from home, at the end of the day, they have the choice to bring it home and back the next day or leave it at school.

School work

The kids have mailboxes where I put work that I've looked at. My current plan is to send things home on Friday.

Thanks!