Friday, May 11, 2012

Camouflage Scavenger Hunt for different colored yarn.

This was a busy week filled with lots of fun learning opportunities. For instance, on Monday, we had an ELF lesson taught by Finn’s grandfather, Lynn Murrell. The children were able to take advantage of the beautiful weather by getting outside for an activity involving camouflage. 

On Tuesday, Hunter’s mother came to help out for the day.  She was especially helpful working in small groups to assist students as they finish up stitching their pencil cases. Thank you Marta!

Finn and Carl Edward

Finn’s cousin, Carl Edward, is leaving to return to Norway. We enjoyed meeting him and having him visit our classroom this past spring. Thank you Carl Edward!

Marta helping Hunter and Kayla.

Language Arts:  

We are learning how to use the lines on paper to help guide us so our letters don’t float across the page. Look for our new practice writing paper in upcoming work. It shows a skyline, (air)plane dotted line, grass line and worm line.

Keira adds sunflower seeds to her flower art.

Science: We continue to learn about plants.  We talked about flowers and trees and used a Venn diagram to help us discuss how they are the same and how they are different. We also read some more books on the subject both non-fiction and fiction. For instance: From Seed To Plant, by Gail Gibbons; Our Tree Named Steve, by Alan Zweibel; The Tree by Tim Vyner; and The Giving Tree, By Shel Silverstein.  We talked about the parts of a flower and labeled one that we made.

Junior Achievement: Our Junior Achievement volunteer, Ms. Garrow taught two more lessons this week. She reads fun short stories and then they talk about why it is important to work together, various fun ways to earn money, and ways to save money.    

CALENDAR

• Field Trip on Monday. If you would like to be a chaperone, please email me over the weekend. We plan on leaving school at 9:15 and returning around 11:30. Chaperones are free! Please send in $5 for your child’s admission if you haven’t already done so. Thank you!  

• Student-Led Assembly at 12:30pm. Although our Kindergarten students aren’t performing it is always entertaining. Feel free to come and see if you have time.

•  Half Day, Thursday, May 17^th. Noon Dismissal.

• Parent Appreciation Assembly, Wednesday, May 23 at 6:30pm.

• Share: This week’s share theme was /ar/.  We had some great shares and discussion about the sound /ar/: A book, Dancing with the Star, Car, Farm, Shark, Star Wars figures, and Art Box and displays of art. This concludes our Sounds Share Themes.

For the rest of the year, please have your child choose something and help them decide on the sound they will be focusing on. Thank you!   J

• Snacks:  Thank you to Brady and his family for this week’s snacks. The class enjoyed Yogurt, Ritz crackers with Nutella, Cheeze-Its, Carrots, Bananas, Oranges and Pretzels.

Next week’s snack will be provided by Kayla’s family.  Many thanks! J

Lynn Murrell helps sort the colored yarn with students.

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS:

• Reading Buddy Reminder: Although our classroom reading buddy George went on an extended trip to Washington D.C., we have a new monkey, George Jr., that looks a lot like him-- just a little smaller.  Keira brought him home this week and we will continue to send him home with children so everyone will have a turn.   Please have your child dictate his adventures to you and write them In the journal. Please have them draw a picture too. Thanks!  

• Scholastic Book Orders:  May book order brochures were included in last week’s folders. They will be due by May 23, however, you can order anytime online if you like. I received an email from Scholastic that our classroom will be receiving bonus points for any orders placed this month. Our classroom code is: H9K3R

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Bodnar

jbodnar@wsesu.net

Friday, May 4, 2012

Ava enjoys her strawberry shortcake. 

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

May 1^st arrived with more rain, but we celebrated May Day anyway with strawberry shortcake and whipped cream.

On Friday we are planning on having a lock down drill. In order to prepare the children for this drill I read the Three Little Pigs and talked about why we might want to stay inside the building instead of going outside like we do in a fire drill. We practiced on Thursday in our room and reviewed the procedures with them so they will be safe and not be scared. They may talk about the drill with you at home to share with you their experience. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. They did well during our dry run today and I believe they will do a great job on Friday. Thank you.

Sophia works on bonding numbers using pennies.

Math:  We continue to explore bonding numbers. This week we discovered the parts that make 6.  Besides beads, we have used pennies, and plastic cups.  Depending on what is available a variety of manipulatives can be used, for instance, spoons. See note attached for directions on how to play at home. If you work on a specific number at home, have your child complete a bonding sheet. I am giving out pencils for students who complete these math worksheets.

Language Arts:  

We finished our booklet of The Little Plant, by Kate Louise Brown. They have illustrated their stories and will practice reading the words.  Look for it to come home next week. I hope they will have an opportunity to read it to you.

Handwriting is an area that is beginning to take off.  We have begun our discussion about tall letters, small letters and hanging or descending letters. In order to help the children identify with how these different groupings of letters are written we have talked about the different lines on paper that they will begin to use. We have the sky line, the plane line, the grass line and the ground line. Please see attached sheet for your reference.

Ms. Garrow reads to the kids.

Junior Achievement:

Our Junior Achievement volunteer, Ms. Garrow taught her first lesson today. She is an employee of Mascoma Bank in WRJ and lives with her family in Windsor. The children listened to a read aloud and then recalled the sequence of events. They were asked to draw their favorite animal and then shared their drawing with the group. Ms. Garrow will be coming twice a week. Her next visit is on Tuesday. JA uses compelling stories about helping, working, earning, and saving along with hands-on activities to engage the students.  The Kindegarten JA curriculum is titled Ourselves.  It introduces the economic roles of individuals. 

Student of the Week:
Kaitlyn’s name was drawn for student of the week. We learned that she wants to be a teacher when she grows up and that she loves grapes. Her favorite color is hot pink!

ART

Ian has been chosen to be in the running for NATIONAL Artist of the Week on the Artsonia Web Site! He and HES could win big prizes if he wins. Please go to the Artsonia website and vote for his artwork.  Anyone can vote, and you can voteonce a day through this Saturday.  Spread the word!  His artwork is posted in the vestibule off the front office. – Janet Cathey

You can find the Artsonia Link on my classroom webpage, or go directly to:

http://www.artsonia.com/museum/art.asp?id=18548603&exhibit=518781&gallery=y

Additional student artwork is being exhibited at the Hartland Library.

Peek a boo!

CALENDAR

•  Green Up Day Reminder: If your families are available on Saturday this weekend, please come to Damon Hall after greening up our community in the morning, for some free lunch and to hear our children sing, “The Earth is Our Mother” at 12:00pm. Although I will be out of town this weekend Mrs. White is planning on leading the children in singing this wonderful song. Because I will not be able to attend, if you are able please take a picture, and send it to me so I can insert it in next week’s newsletter. Thank you!
•  Share: This week’s share theme was /er/. We had lively discussions about the /er/ sounds in shares connecting teddy bears to “fur” and Hunter brought in a recorder.  Other shares front loader, girl, gripper, a book titled, Bieber Fever. Next week’s share is the sound /ar/. This completes all the sounds, vowel pairs, and r-controlled vowels. I hope the kids enjoy finding an /ar/ sounding share and that you don’t have to travel very far!  J

•  Snacks: Thank you to Andrew’s and his family for this week’s snacks. The class enjoyed Yogurt, crackers, apples, cheddar cheese, and popcorn.  Next week’s snack will be provided by Brady’s family.  Many thanks! J

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS:

• Reading Buddy Reminder: Our classroom reading buddy George took an extended trip to Washington D.C. A new reading buddy will be joining our classroom on Friday.  Please have your child dictate his adventures with our new reading buddy in the journal and have him or her draw a picture on a page as well. Thanks! 

• Scholastic Book Orders:  May book order brochures are included in today’s folders. They will be due by May 23, however, you can order anytime online if you like. Our classroom code is: H9K3R

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Bodnar

jbodnar@wsesu.net