Room 2 News
February 5, 2010
Quote of the Week:
“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I
set her free.”
-
Michelangelo
Dear Families,
We had a blast
celebrating the 100th school day. We shared our “100” projects, the children made
necklaces with 100 fruit loops, collected 100 snacks, created a book entitled,
“I Can Eat 100…”, and more. We jumped up and down 100 times, measured 100 feet,
counted to 100 by ones and tens, and read several fun books dealing with the
number one hundred. Look for the new poem “On Our Way to the One Hundredth Day” in today’s Friday folder.
In addition, there
are several important notices in today’s Friday folder. Please look closely for information on our field
trip to Deer Hollow Farm and for Valentine’s Day next week.
We will be going to Deer
Hollow Farm in Los Altos on
Wednesday, February 17th. This wonderful trip takes us through a
beautiful nature area to the farm where the kids will visit animals and an
organic farm. The docent led program coincides well with our Foss science
animals unit, and is a precursor to an upcoming gardening unit. We will need
both permission slips returned next week with the fee of $8.75, which will
cover the cost of the program, as well as the bus fare. I apologize for the late
notice.
We will be
celebrating Valentine’s Day next
Wednesday. Please read the information on card distribution. If your child is
planning to distribute cards to classmates he/she must bring one for each
student. Thank you to the parents who volunteered to bring supplies for our
party. It will be held in room 2 after lunch at 12:30. Please let me know if
you are available to help out at the party. Thanks!
Congratulations
to our wonderful student of the week, Aadi!
A Peek Inside Room 2
Language Arts:
*Writing Love Poems
*Writer’s Workshop Lessons on
speech bubbles & quotation marks, and sequencing events
*Guided Reading and Writing
Math:
*100th School Day
Activities
*Attributes Game
*Number Stories using
abstract symbols (+, -, =)
*Two digit numbers – making
with 10’s & 1’s, comparing, ordering
*February Calendar
*Money – Penny & Dimes
game (counting, place value)
*Multi-Link structures
(visual discrimination, counting, comparing)
*Potato Measuring (weighing,
comparing, ordering)
Science:
*Guppies & Goldfish
(recording comparisons in science journals)
*Experiment on Surface
Tension (We created surface tension by placing a paper clip on top of a piece
of paper towel that was floating in water. The molecules in the water stick
together creating a “skin” on the surface that allows the paper clip to float
even after the towel is removed. This was very exciting!)
Announcements
Wednesday, February 10th
– Room 2 Valentine’s Day Party (see attached sheet)
Thursday, February 11th
– Staff Development Day (no school for kids)
Friday, Feb. 12 & Monday,
Feb. 15 – Presidents Day Holiday (no school)
Wednesday, February 17th
– Field Trip to Deer Hollow Farm
*Forms and Fees are due this
Monday!
Wednesday, February 24th
– Family Math Night (6:30 – 8:00)
Room 2 News
January 29, 2010
Dear Families,
We are fast
approaching the 100th school day! This is a magical number for
kindergarteners; a number that we have been discussing and collecting daily
with our place value school day count. Next Friday is the day! In class, the kids will participate in special
centers that morning focusing on the number 100. Please read the accompanying
sheet with information about a homework project for our 100th school
day.
The crisis in Haiti
has inspired many individuals and groups throughout the world to raise money
for those suffering. Palo Verde is no exception. Our school is in the midst of
a drive “Coins for Caring” to raise money for Haiti relief. Each class has a
jar for the collection of coins. This is an excellent opportunity to talk to
your child about those less fortunate and how we can help. The act of
collecting spare change at home, bringing it to class, and putting the coins
into the collection jar is a wonderful lesson in caring. Thank you for your
participation.
I have been informed
by the office that if any student arrives to class five or more minutes late
he/she will be required to get a tardy slip. If you get to class five minutes
late, please go directly to the office first and get a tardy slip before
bringing your child to class. Thank you.
Room 2 is one of the
only classes that has not done a lice check on the students. This simple
procedure helps prevent the spread of lice. This is something that we have to
do. We need a volunteer! Please contact me if you are willing.
Congratulations to
Jeffrey, our student of the week. We enjoyed his sharing, particularly his
favorite book, The Little Engine That Could.
A Peek Inside Room 2
Science
*Goldfish & Guppies
(observing, comparing, communicating)
*We had lessons on how to
care for the fish, as well as, observing behavior changes when their
environment is altered with shells and a tunnel.
*Owls (labeling the parts of
an owl)
Math
*Teddy Bear Math (sorting,
measuring)
*Addition & Subtraction
games and activities
*Geometry (the sides of a
triangle do not have to be the same length)
*Geoboards (creating shapes)
*Estimation Jars (estimating,
counting, comparing)
*Attributes game
Language Arts
*Guided Reading at individual
levels
*Writing practice in our Draw
& Write journals and little letter books
*High frequency word practice
– new words: we, was, me, do, like, here
*Writing mini-lessons on
vowels and brainstorming
*Independent afternoon work
including: book reports, word sorts, spelling patterns, making words, etc.
Announcements
Friday, February 5th
– 100th School Day!
Wednesday, February 10th
– Room 2 Valentine’s Day Party
*The party sign-up sheet will
be on the bulletin board next week.
*Look for information next
week with instructions about bringing Valentine cards to classmates.
Thursday, February 11th
– Staff Development Day (No School)
Friday, Feb. 12 &
Monday Feb. 15 – President’s Day Holiday (No School)
Wednesday, February 24th
6:30 – 8:00pm – Family Math Night
Room 2 News
January 15, 2010
Quote of the Week:
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional
love
will have the final word.”
-Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dear Families,
Well, it seems as if
we just returned to school from our winter break, and here we are with another
holiday on Monday. Of course, Martin Luther King Day is well worth honoring. In
class, we have learned about Dr. King’s legacy and how he helped to create a
more just and tolerant world. The children listened to several books about his
life, watched a short program, and made their own mini-book. In addition, each
student wrote his or her own dream for a better world. These writing are now
available on the room 2 website, as well. Just go to www.freewebs.com/ablumberg and
click on student work.
Naturally, Dr.
King’s message of tolerance, equality and peaceful co-existence connects well
with the Palo Verde character trait program. So far, we have focused on
respect, empathy and compassion. We have just introduced the character trait of
courage. Martin Luther King embodied all traits of good character, but perhaps
none more than courage. In class, we have had discussions about the many
aspects of courage. One shows courage when he/she takes on a new challenge like
riding a bike or beginning a school year. Like Dr. King demonstrated so well,
courage is when an individual stands up for what is right. Our kids will face
many challenges as they grow up. Peer pressure will tempt them to be led
astray. It is not too early to remind your child that it is okay to say “No”
when another encourages him/her to misbehave. Making the right choice, the
kind, responsible choice, even when an adult is not looking – now that is a
choice that would make Dr. King proud!
Congratulations to
Eileen, our student of the week. Well Done Eileen!
A Peek Inside Room 2
Science:
*We conducted several
experiments with magnets. The kids discovered that magnetic force passes
through plastic, fabric, wood, construction paper, and water to pick up a metal
paper clip.
*We began our Foss unit
Animals 2x2. The children observed and compared the guppies and the goldfish.
They also labeled the body parts of a goldfish.
Math:
*In Math this week, we
practiced addition in a variety of ways, including through the use of
manipulatives and games. The students used dice, two-color beans, and
multi-link cubes to practice adding. We met with our buddy class in room 13 to
play an addition card game called “Top-It” in which players turn over two cards
and add the total of the numbers. The player with the highest total wins that
round.
*The students worked with
pattern blocks to create patterns. We discussed the concept of “Extending” a
pattern, and we played the game “Guess what’s next?” In addition, the kids used
the pattern block templates to create geometrical animal designs.
*We created a graph each
morning and discussed strategies for counting other than by ones. We have been
practicing “counting on” from a number other than 1, and “chunking” which is
counting in groups of numbers. For example, when looking at a column of five
and a column of two, instead of counting “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7”, we can just
begin at “5” and then add the “2” by saying “5…6,7.”
Language Arts:
*In Writer’s Workshop, we had
mini-lessons on word families and concepts of print. The students wrote in
their Draw & Write journals.
*We used flash cards to
practice spelling high frequency words.
*We practiced reading and
writing sentences in our little letter books.
*Our letter of the week was
Nn.
*In the afternoon, the kids
read books at their independent level, and completed a mini book report. In
addition, the kids practiced word families, word endings, blending, spelling
patterns, and phonemic awareness.
Announcements
Monday, January 18th
– Martin Luther King Jr. Day (No School)
Friday, January 22nd
– Local Holiday (No School)
Friday, February 5th
– 100th school Day
*We will be celebrating this
day with “100” activities throughout the morning. The children will be asked to
bring in a project from home that shows the number 100. This can be a
collection, a poster, gadget, or any other creative idea that you come up with.
Stay tuned for more info on this exciting day.
Wednesday, February 10th
– Valentine’s Day Celebration.
*We will celebrate
Valentine’s Day on this day due to the long weekend for President’s Day. I will
send home more information as this day approaches.
Thursday, February 11th
– Staff Development (No School)
Friday, Feb. 12th
& Monday, Feb. 15th – President’s Day (No School)
The Lunar New Year begins the
week of February 14th. We will be celebrating in class on Wednesday,
February 17th. Mrs. Wong will be cooking and teaching the children Chinese
writing. There will be other fun activities during the week, as well.
Room 2 News
January 8, 2010
Quote of the Week:
“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work
a day in your life.”
-Confucius
Dear Families,
I wish you a Happy New Year once again, and trust that you had a joyous holiday break. We had a smooth transition back into the routine of school this week. The children were excited and happy to be back in room 2 with their friends and the fun kindergarten activities. We got right to work Monday morning and had a productive first week back!
On Monday, a response journal will be included in your child’s red book bag. This will be a regular part of our program, so please keep the journal inside the book bag and return it along with the book. The purpose of these journals is to encourage thinking about the story and then to communicate a response through illustration and writing. A letter with more specific instructions has been stapled to the inside cover of the journals. This letter outlines typical response suggestions. I am requiring that each student do a minimum of one response per week. If you have any questions about this new homework component of our program, please approach me after school.
Yesterday, we experienced a small earthquake during school. Our class was in the library at the time. The kids did a “duck and cover” under the tables, and then they lined up and orderly walked to the grass area where the entire school met. Under the guidance of Mr. Garcia, Palo Verde has implemented a solid disaster preparedness plan, which has been practiced through drills often in the past. I am pleased to announce that our real drill was executed perfectly.
Congratulations to Alex and Vasuda, room 2 recipients of the compassion award at the Wednesday assembly.
Happy birthday to Amy, who turned six today!
A Peek Inside Room 2
Language Arts:
*Guided & Independent reading with leveled books
*Writing practice in journals, little books, book reports, interactive writing
*Continued work building concepts of print through instruction and practice of phonemic awareness, syllabication, high frequency words, one to one correspondence
*New high frequency words: look, at
Math:
*Addition & Subtraction games: “Top It”, “Go Forward, Back Up”, “The Whale Game”. “Number Line Game”
*January Calendar
*Number six – tile designs on grid paper (ways to make #6)
*Creating our own subtraction word problems – “How many are left?”
*Multi-link animal designs – spatial reasoning, counting, comparing
*Patterning
*Everyday math morning activities (daily)
Science:
*Investigations with magnets – observing, comparing, communicating
*Key vocabulary – attract & repel
Social Studies:
*Work with the character trait empathy & compassion (stories, discussions, games)
Art:
*Spectra art lesson
*January self-portraits
Announcements
January 14th – District Parent Math Night (Barron Park School 7-9pm)
January 18th – Martin Luther King Jr. Day (No School)
January 22nd – Local Holiday (No School)
Room 2 News
December 18, 2009
Dear Families,
We had a festive last week before the winter break. The children were busy making holiday gifts and other seasonal craft projects. We read books about different traditions celebrated throughout the world. The kids wrote cards and sang holiday songs. This week we met with our third grade buddies from room 13. On Wednesday, we had our Hanukkah party. The children enjoyed playing the dreidel game and eating yummy potato latkes and chocolate gelt.
Other work this week included:
*Math Strategy Games
*Subtraction Word Problems
*Creating & Comparing Teen Numbers
*Writer’s Workshop mini-lesson on question marks
*Guided Reading & Writing Practice
Congratulations to Cierra Schaack, our student of the week. We also celebrated her birthday on Wednesday!
Over the break, I encourage you to keep working with your child so that he/she can stay sharp. When you have time, do a little reading, start a creative project, write thank you letters together, have discussions, etc.
I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank all of you for your kindness and support. I have enjoyed working with you and your terrific kids these past few months, and I look forward to continuing this journey in 2010. When we return on Monday, January 4th we will focus on elements of writing, guided reading groups, our Foss science unit on animals, and math units on addition, subtraction, geometry, measurement, and more. Until then…I wish you and your entire family a joyous holiday season, and a peaceful, prosperous New Year!
Warm Regards,
Andy Blumberg
*Friday Folders and Poem Books were not sent home today.
*Check out the kid’s dictated holiday stories on the classroom web site.
Room 2 News
December 11, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“I dream my painting and then I paint my dream.”
-Vincent Van Gogh
Dear Families,
With the holidays approaching and the first trimester now complete, this is a great time of year for reflection. The children have grown tremendously these past few months, and I am proud of each and every one of them. Although not always apparent on a day-to-day basis, when looking at the body of work, as well as the recent assessments, the extent of learning is quite clear. So far, I am pleased with how our parent/teacher conferences are going. I appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the progress of our fabulous room 2 kids. I look forward to the remaining conferences next week. Look for reminder notices in today’s Friday folder, as well as the daily schedule on the bulletin board.
Palo Verde is collecting new toys for disadvantaged children. Check out the “giving tree” in the office.
Congratulations to Kenny Kim, our student of the week. We enjoyed his photographs and Star Wars Lego collection. Also, thank you to his mother, Moon, who made wonderful individual nametags for the kids written in Korean!
Happy birthday in advance to Cierra and Kyle who will be celebrating their birthdays during the winter holiday.
A Peek Inside Room 2
Math:
*Our Everyday Math lessons this week focused on addition and subtraction games. The children used multi-link cubes and number lines 0 -20 to play a variety of fun games to practice addition and subtraction.
*We measured weight with our pan scale balances, and then recorded and compared results.
*We wrote sentences for the addition facts for number 4.
*The kids sorted items from “treasure” baskets and then illustrated their groupings.
*The kids completed a calendar for the month of December.
Language Arts:
*In writer’s workshop, we had a mini-lesson on using periods when writing multiple sentences.
*Letter Kk activities
*New high frequency word – you
*New poems – Snow & Color Me Cold
Science:
*We had a lesson on food that comes from trees. The kids examined various fruits and nuts. We looked at seeds that come from fruit and seeds. We went outside and looked at our lemon tree, as well as, Mrs. Wong’s persimmon tree. The kids wrote in their science journals.
Spectra Art:
*Mrs. Temple led a lesson creating snowflakes. The children folded paper, drew creative designs, and then cut out their unique snowflakes. The final project was placed on a warm or cool color painting, and then laminated. They are now hanging in the classroom and look beautiful.
Announcements
Wednesday, December 16th – Hanukah Party
*We will have a fun day of Hanukah activities. The kids will play the dreidel game, sing songs, eat latkes, and more…
Friday, December 18th – Minimum Day
*ALL students will be dismissed at 1:25.
December 21 – January 4: Winter Break
Room 2 News
December 4, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“One kind word can warm three winter months.”
-Japanese Proverb
Dear Families,
I hope you had a festive Thanksgiving with family and friends. It was wonderful to return to school this week to a full classroom of students! It has been a challenging flu season this year, and room 2 certainly has been hit hard. Let’s hope for a healthy rest of the school year!
I look forward to parent/teacher conferences beginning next week. This is a time to celebrate the children’s growth thus far, to review the report card, and to discuss specific questions or concerns that you may have. (Please note, that these conferences are intended for teacher and parent only. If you are unable to make arrangements for childcare, let me know and we can work something out.) The report cards will be handed out at the conference. I will post the daily schedule on the bulletin board as a reminder. Please let me know if you need to cancel so that we can reschedule our meeting.
We recently began to focus on the character trait of empathy & compassion. We’ve looked at photographs of different emotions, played games about feelings, and have had several class discussions. The kids are learning how to “read” a face or body language to determine how another is feeling. We have read stories that illustrate the theme of kindness. The students are learning that as members of a community their actions impact others in either a positive or negative way. I try to emphasize that each child is a valuable citizen in the community, and with that comes a responsibility to treat each other with respect. It is always a good policy to follow the golden rule – Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Congratulations to Kenny Kim, Sarai Wagner, and Walfredo Cirne for receiving Mr. Garcia’s character award at Wednesday’s assembly.
Congratulations to Sasha, our wonderful student of the week. One of the highlights of her sharing this week was meeting her two-year-old brother Gabriel.
Happy Birthday to Ayaka and Tori.
A Peek Inside Room 2
Language Arts:
*Writer’s Workshop mini-lessons on concepts of print – writing left to right, spacing between words, and beginning sentences with a capital letter.
*Letter Jj activities
*New high frequency words: are, has
*Class book – Oh, A Hunting We Will Go
*New Poems – Lazy Jane & Three Jolly Gentlemen
Math:
*Lessons on Probability with investigations involving counting and recording.
*Free exploration with pan scales measuring weight
*Creating addition story problems – How many penguins?
*Measuring and comparing length of objects using two different non-standard tools – paper clips and multi-link cubes
*Patterning
Science:
*We are in the process of completing our unit on trees & leaves. This week the students matched leaves based on size and shape. We discussed how leaves are the same and different, and the students added a piece of writing to their science journals.
Announcements
*We will not be having a big winter holiday party. Instead, we will have several smaller celebratory activities focusing mainly on Christmas and Hanukkah. I will be reading books about some of the other traditions celebrated throughout the world during this time of year. If your family has a unique tradition that you would like to share with the kids, please let me know. I would love to have you come into class.
*Winter Break: December 21 – January 4
Room 2 News
November 20, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“Be kind whenever possible, it is always possible.”
-The Dalai Lama
Dear Families,
It’s been an exciting, busy week preparing for our Thanksgiving celebration. The children made American Indian and Pilgrim costumes, including headbands, necklaces, hats, vests, shawls, and aprons. We looked at pictures of Native American designs found in clothing and jewelry, paying close attention to the symbols and patterns. Symmetrical patterning was emphasized all week, and the kids created unique designs using colored beads and pattern block stickers.
We learned about the first Thanksgiving between the Wampanoag Indians and the Pilgrims. We discussed the early settlers plight coming to America, and facets of their life - work, shelter, clothing, food, and the role of the Wampanoag tribe played in helping the Pilgrims establish a community. In addition, we discussed the differences between the native tribes, determined by environment and the resources available to them. For example, prairie tribes, like the Comanche, where buffalo were plentiful, lived in tipis made of hide, whereas tribes in desert lands, like the Navajo, used adobe to build hogans.
Throughout the week, the children enjoyed listening to several Native American folk tales. One of the stories, The Legend of the Bluebonnet, illustrates the theme of giving. We brainstormed the things that we are thankful for in our own lives and wrote about it. In addition, we made pinecone turkeys for a Thanksgiving table decoration.
Today, we prepared food for Monday’s feast. The kids made mashed potatos, cranberry sauce, and corn muffins. They also shucked corn and shelled peas. We’re looking forward to eating the yummy food that we made.
I would like to give a big Thanksgiving thank you to all those who have or will be helping us with our celebration. We would not be able to provide the kids this special experience without your support of donated food and volunteer support in the classroom. THANK YOU! Let’s not forget about Mrs. Wong, too, who has given extra hours to help with costumes and cooking. Thank you Mrs. Wong.
Despite all the attention to Thanksgiving, we did manage to include some other things this week, as well. Read on:
*On Tuesday, we had a Spectra Arts lesson with Charlene Temple. The kids made a warm and cool color paintings using pastels and watercolors.
*On Wednesday, we met with our buddy class – Mrs. Swaggerty’s 3rd grade. The kids really enjoyed meeting and getting to know their big buddy. We will be meeting with Room 13 throughout the year for fun projects.
*We had several birthdays this week. Happy birthday to Alex and Sarai, as well as to Tori and Ayaka, who will be celebrating their birthdays on Sunday.
*Congratulations to Kevin, our wonderful student of the week.
Next Week’s Schedule:
Thanksgiving Celebration – Monday, November 23rd
We will be putting on our costumes between 10:15 – 10:30. This will be a good time for picture taking. At around 10:45 we will go to our buddy class to show off our costumes and to present a gift to our buddies. We will have our meal at approximately 11:00.
*I will be counting on the parents in attendance to help with putting on costumes, setting up the tables, serving food, and clean up.
*The children will not need a snack on Monday.
*The kids staying for lunch may still bring a lunch from home, or order a school lunch, however due to the meal provided in class, you may decide that your child does not need lunch on Monday.
Native American Games – Tuesday, November 24th
The three K classes will have their annual American Indian game festival at the end of the day on Tuesday. Beginning at 11:00am, the kids will rotate through several stations featuring a traditional game.
Thanksgiving Holiday (No School) – November 25 – 27th
I wish you and your entire family a peaceful, joyous holiday!
Room 2 News
November 13, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world, indeed,
it’s the only thing that ever has.”
-Margaret Mead
Dear Families,
We are fast approaching the Thanksgiving holiday. Here at Palo Verde the kindergarten classes traditionally celebrate Thanksgiving with our own feast the Monday before the break. This year is no exception. On Monday, November 23rd all room 2 families are cordially invited to join us for a celebration of Thanksgiving. Read on for more detail:
We have begun preparing for Thanksgiving by learning about the Pilgrims and the Native Americans they encountered from the Wampanoag Tribe. We are in the process of creating Pilgrim and Native American costumes which will be worn during the celebration. Pictures depicting the uniquely colorful patterns found in Native clothing are being shown to give the kids ideas for creating their own designs. The children will hear a number of stories from Native American folklore, as well as books about the early Pilgrims.
Next Friday, November 20th, we will have our food prep morning. The children will make much of the food that will be eaten during our feast, including mashed potatoes, biscuits, cranberry sauce, corn on the cob, and peas.
Our feast will take place in room 2 on Monday, November 23rd at approximately 11:00am.
*Please see the sign-up sheet for contributions towards our Thanksgiving celebration. In addition to food contributions, we will need helpers on both Friday November 20th and Monday November 23rd.
A Peek Inside Room 2:
Science:
*We sorted leaves by color and shape. The students observed and compared smooth, toothed, and lobed leaves. They counted the veins in leaves. They made leaf rubbings and a leaf collage.
*Leaf Silhouette puzzles
Math:
*Measuring weight using a balance scale
*Using Dominoes to add and match numbers
*Monster Squeeze game to reinforce number relationships, to compare and order numbers
*Estimation bags – guess and count using a hundred chart
Literacy:
*Writer’s Workship – draw & write journals
*Dictated Writing – “How do you cook a Thanksgiving turkey?”
*Handwriting & spelling practice
*Letter Ii activities
*Don’t forget to use the little letter books and the Weekly Reader to help you child practice reading at home.
Announcements:
Friday, November 20th – Food Prep Morning
Monday, November 23rd – Room 2 Thanksgiving Celebration
Tuesday, November 24th – Native American Games
November 25th, 26th, 27th – Thanksgiving Holiday (no school)
*Parent/Teacher Conferences will take place after the Thanksgiving holiday. I will post a sign-up sheet beginning next week.
Room 2 News
November 6, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t
see the whole staircase.”
Dear Families,
I am pleased with how the transition into a longer school day went this week. The children seemed genuinely happy to stay for lunch; there were no complaints and attitudes were upbeat. The afternoon session offers the children additional practice with core academic skills, and it allows me to pull children individually and in small groups for focused instruction and assessment.
Please look in today’s Friday folder for these special projects that your child completed in class:
1. Pumpkin Math Books
2. Colorful Clothes Book
3. Black Cats (words that rhyme with “at”)
*The children worked hard on these projects. Spend some time going over this work with your child. Ask him/her to tell you about the tasks done in the pumpkin books. Have your child read the Colorful Clothes book to you, as well as the rhyme words on the black cat.
There were a few kids confused this week about what lunch they were having – a lunch from home or a school lunch. To avoid further confusions, please remind your child at the beginning of the school day what kind of lunch he/she has. Sometimes kids order the school lunch even if they have brought a lunch from home. They may think that it will be fun to get a school lunch, and they don’t realize that you, the parent, will have to pay $3.75 for that lunch. Also, when kids are unsure about what kind of lunch they have it wastes a lot of time checking backpacks. Therefore, from now on, when I ask, “Who is ordering a school lunch?” if a student says, “I don’t know” I will assume that he/she has brought a lunch from home. If you do not trust that your child will be able to accurately tell me what kind of lunch he/she has for that day you can either hand me a note in person, or go over the school lunch menu and mark the lunches that your child wants in advance, then give me the menu. Thank you for your help.
Congratulations to Eileen, Everardo, and Hannah for receiving the respect award at Wednesday’s assembly.
Congratulations to Ethan L. for being student of the week. He had some great sharing, particularly his Pokemon goodies.
A Peek Inside Room 2
Literacy:
*Writer’s Workshop mini-lessons
1. Letters make words/Words make sentences
2. Leaving a space between words
*New High Frequency Words: this, and, an, no
*Practice reading & writing high frequency words using white boards
*Letter Hh activities
*Class book based on the story, I Had a Hippopotamus
Science:
*We observed and recorded the decomposition of a pumpkin this week noting daily changes.
*We began a unit on leaves. The children went on a leaf walk and collected a variety of leaves from different trees noting differences in shape and size.
Math:
*We made a calendar for the month of November. The children glued the correct days of the week in place and wrote the numbers 1-30.
*The kids worked in number books – practicing writing numbers 0 – 10, and illustrating the corresponding quantity.
*The kids measured the circumference of different body parts (head, chest, waist, neck) and compared sizes.
*We did patterning and graphing activities, and continued practicing oral story problems.
Announcements:
Veteran’s Day Holiday (no school) – Wednesday, November 11th
Thanksgiving Holiday (no school) – November 25, 26, 27
*We will be having a Thanksgiving celebration in class before the break. This will take place on Monday, November 23rd. Parent contributions and in class help will be solicited. I will give you more information next week about this major kindergarten event.
*Parent/Teacher conferences will take place after the Thanksgiving break. I will be posting a conference sign-up sheet on the bulletin board soon. The report cards will be handed out at the conference.
I hope you have a great weekend.
Mr. B
Room 2 News
October 30, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“Be the change that you want to see in the world.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
Dear Families,
We finished the first quarter of the school year this week capped by a very exciting day of Halloween festivities. The children worked hard throughout the week, despite their growing anticipation of the big day. In fact, the Halloween theme provided embedded motivation for a host of reading, writing, and math/science activities. (See below for more details)
Today the kids had a blast decorating cookies, making Tootsie Pop ghosts, popcorn bags, and participating in other fun activities. They enjoyed showing off their costumes, as well as, seeing other costumes in the school parade. We topped the day off with our Halloween party. Thank you Room 2 parents for all your contributions to our day – the goodies, decorations, and especially for volunteering in class and helping make our day a success!
We had a presentation by a nurse on Tuesday about germs and staying healthy. Please reinforce good practice at home – washing hands with soap (20 seconds) before eating and after using the bathroom, coughing and sneezing into your arm, not touching others, especially in the face. Thank you for helping us keep Room 2 germ free.
Congratulations to Amy White, our student of the week. It was a fun week with Amy and her sharing!
Look for two new poems by children’s poet laureate, Jack Prelutsky, in the poem books. Both poems have a Halloween theme. Please practice reading the poems at home. If your child is not ready to read them – don’t worry. He/She can look for common high frequency words instead, such as and, an, can, for, go, have, is, in, my, on, so, see, to, the
Also, you can now read the children’s dictated Halloween stories online at the Room 2 website. Go to www.freewebs.com/ablumberg then click on “Student Work” to read the children’s stories.
A Peek Inside Room 2
Pumpkin Math & Science Book
*Estimated & Measured the weight & circumference of pumpkins.
*Compared sizes and weight of different pumpkins.
*Observed, compared, and recorded the shape, texture, markings, and insides of pumpkins.
*Brainstormed adjectives to describe the texture of pumpkin stems.
*Investigated whether a pumpkin sinks or floats
*Cut open a pumpkin and counted the seeds in groups of 10.
Language Arts
*Autobiographical writing – “Who Said Boo?”
*Class Book – “On Halloween I will dress as a _________ .”
*Letter Gg activities
*Word Wall game – practice reading high frequency words
*Colored and Read the book, “At Halloween, What Do You See?” which follows a pattern similar to the Brown Bear, Brown Bear books. (This is in today’s Friday folder. Please help your child practice reading at home.)
Other Math & Science Activities
*More work with story/word problems. We acted out more addition and subtraction problems. Then the kids created their own story problems on paper through illustration.
*Measurement with non-standard tools. We used our feet to measure distances in the classroom. We also used yarn to measure and compare the circumference of our head.
*We used tree silhouettes to compare & match different trees.
Announcements
Monday, November 2nd – Extended Day Begins
*I have included a reminder notice in the Friday folders with your child’s placement information.
Wednesday, November 11th – Veteran’s Day Holiday
November 25, 26, 27 – Thanksgiving Holiday
Have a fun, safe Halloween weekend!
Mr. B
Room 2 News
October 23, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“The breaking of a wave cannot explain the whole sea.”
-Vladimir Nabokov
Dear Families,
We are entering our last week before the extended day program
begins. This will be a period of adjustment for all of us, especially the
children, many of whom will find the different dismissal times confusing.
Please help prepare your child by having discussions with him/her about
the upcoming change. If you are planning to have your child buy a school
lunch, please go to the office next week and set up a “credit” account.
This will make the ordering of a school lunch much easier for your child,
since he/she will not have to hassle with the transfer of money each day. If
there are any lingering questions, contact me after school next week.
Our trip to Webb Ranch was successful. The children enjoyed
wandering through the pumpkin patch, climbing on hay stacks and the
tractor, and picking out a pumpkin. Perhaps their favorite part of the trip
was the bus ride! Thank you to our six wonderful chaperones:
Deena – Cierra’s mom, Ellen – Tori’s mom, Helen – Hannah’s mom,
Jackie – Kyle’s mom, Reema – Aadi’s mom, Victoria – Eileen’s mom.
The Halloween party sign-up sheet is now on the bulletin board.
Please check it out. We will need several volunteers that day – at least 3 in
the early morning to help with Halloween related work stations, and 3 later
in the morning to assist with the party (set-up, serving, and clean up.) Mrs.
Wong will NOT be at school next Friday, therefore in order to have a fun,
successful day we will need parent support. Thank you!
Yesterday, I sent a flyer home in the red book bags with information
about the pumpkin gallery next Tuesday. This is a fun, optional event open
to all kindergarten families. The goal is for family members to work with
their kinder to plan and create a decorated pumpkin. Use yarn, fabric, glitter,
paint, foil, or anything else you can think of. Will your pumpkin have a
face? Will you carve it? Maybe it won’t be a jack-o-lantern. You and your
child decide. Have fun.
Congratulations to Nathan Yarkin, our student of the week! We
enjoyed meeting his grandparents on Monday, and his mom visited us, as
well.
A Peek Inside Room 2
Math:
*Intro to story/word problems. We acted out addition and subtraction
problems, and practiced strategies for recording.
*Teen Numbers – creating teen numbers using “10” sticks & ones cubes.
*Estimation Activity – estimating, counting, and comparing numbers
*Practice “counting on” and adding by one.
*Halloween Patterns – creating spooky patterns, and solving other patterns.
Science:
*Tree puzzles – matching parts of trees and comparing different kinds of
trees.
*Mini-Pumpkin Books – sequencing the stages of growth.
*Vocabulary (Observe, Communicate, Compare)
Literacy:
*Halloween dictated stories
*Letter Gg activities
*Shared reading & writing experiences
*Weekly Reader – don’t forget to read the Weekly Readers that come home
in the Friday folder. There are two issues this week because we did not read
one last week. This is a good opportunity to practice reading with your child,
and to have a stimulating conversation about a relevant topic. The issues this
week are “Be Smart About Fire Safety” and “Falling For Fall.”
Spectra Art:
*We had an art lesson with spectra teacher, Charlene Temple on Tuesday.
We created straight line spider webs. The techniques involved were
concentric circles, radial symmetry, and contrast. The kids made three
types of straight lines – vertical, horizontal, and diagonal.
Announcements
Tuesday, October 27th – Pumpkin Gallery
Friday, October 30th – Halloween Celebration
*We will have Halloween related stations at the beginning of the
day between 8:45 – 9:45. The Palo Verde parade will be at 10:30.
The party will be in the classroom after the parade. All parents are
invited to attend the parade. This is a good photo opportunity.
Monday, November 2nd – Extended Day Begins
Wednesday, November 11th – Veteran’s Day Holiday
******************************************************
(Please cut her and return the bottom portion – if you are able to volunteer next Friday)
I am able to help with Halloween stations next Friday morning
between 8:45 – 9:45.
Name _____________________ Phone #___________
I am able to help with the Halloween party next Friday morning
between 10:15 – 11:30.
Name_____________________ Phone #___________
Room 2 News
October 16, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“Imagination is better than knowledge. Knowledge is
limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
- Thomas Edison
Dear Families,
On Monday, I attended an Everyday Math training with all the district kindergarten teachers. It was a productive day, providing us with further support and tools needed to deliver the new program in the most effective manner possible. Upon my return to room 2, I was glad to see a positive note from our substitute, Nancy Berry. The kids apparently did very well with the transition. Thank you for preparing your child so well!
Thank you, as well, for your attendance at today’s parent meeting. I hope that our discussion on the report card/standards and the extended day program was helpful. Everyone received a packet with flash cards and math resources. The materials are designed to give you ideas for additional ways that you can assist your child at home. I hope that you will have a chance to read through the information provided and utilize some of these ideas. If you were unable to attend the meeting, I will send the packet home with your child.
Your child’s extended day assignment will be mailed this weekend. This letter will give you the information that you need for the week of November 2nd when extended day begins.
Congratulations to Sarai Wagner who was our student of the week. Way to go, Sarai!
A Peek Inside Room 2
Literacy:
*Letter Ff activities (reading, phonics, spelling, handwriting, etc.)
*Rhyme Words – We used the song “Oh, A Hunting We Will Go” for pocket chart activities and to make individual rhyme books.
*Black Cat “at” words
*New High Frequency word – go
*Draw & Write Journals
Math:
*We did a unit on “teen numbers.” The kids sequenced the numbers 10 – 19, they matched quantities to various numbers, and they participated in several games featuring teen numbers.
*Number 5 Activities – The kids practiced making the addition facts for #5.
*Place Value – One of the ways we are teaching the teen numbers is through the concept of place value, i.e., ten and five makes 15. The goal is to help children make connections between mathematical concepts and their everyday experience.
Science:
*We continue our tree unit. This week we discussed what trees need to live. The students added a piece of writing to their science journals.
Announcements
Wednesday, October 21st – Webb Ranch Field Trip.
*I will be in contact with all chaperones.
Tuesday, October 27th – Pumpkin Gallery
*All K classes will have their annual pumpkin gallery on this day. Children will bring decorated pumpkins to school. I will include more detailed information about this event next week.
Friday, October 30th – Palo Verde Halloween Celebration
*There will be a school parade at 10:30 followed by parties in the classrooms. Look for more information next week, including information on costumes, and a sign-up sheet for our room 2 party.
Room 2 News
October 9, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“Because your existence in time and space is unique,
there are lives that only you can touch.”
-Harry Palmer
Dear Families,
The next few weeks will be filled with special events and some changes. Please read carefully and mark your calendars appropriately.
I will be out on Monday attending a PAUSD math training with all the kindergarten teachers. Next Friday, the K teachers will host an information meeting to address the upcoming extended day program and to review the progress report and standards. This meeting will be from 8:00 – 8:30am.
On Wednesday, October 21 we will have a field trip to Webb Ranch. Please fill out the permission slip included in today’s Friday folders, and return it with the trip fees in the envelope.
Halloween will be celebrated on Friday, October 30th. There will be a whole school parade and parties in the classrooms. Children may wear their costumes to school on that day. In addition, we will have a “pumpkin gallery” earlier in the week. More info on Halloween events will be provided in the near future.
Our biggest change will take place on Monday, November 2nd when the extended day program begins. Placement letters will be mailed at the end of next week. This letter will tell you if your child will be staying late on Monday & Tuesday, or Thursday & Friday – (Everyone stays late on Wednesday.) The letter will also give you information about lunch. If you have any special needs/circumstances requiring a particular schedule, you must let me know by next Tuesday. I cannot promise anything, but I will try to accommodate.
Congratulations to Ethan M., our student of the week. It was fun to have him as our special student this week.
A Peek Inside Room 2
Science:
*We began our Foss tree unit this week. The students observed trees, labeled tree parts, and discussed/wrote about ways that people and animals use trees. We went outside and looked at different trees in the schoolyard, and then we sat under a tree and made an illustration of a tree.
Math:
*The students practiced writing numerals throughout the week, which included completing an October calendar. Kinesthetic tools were provided for students who are having difficulty with numeral formation. For example, the kids used modeling clay to form numbers, as well as, glue cards and a sand tray.
*The students learned a new game involving coins.
*We completed “number boards” by gluing the appropriate number of stars next to the corresponding number.
Writing:
*In writer’s workshop, we had mini-lessons on invented spelling and identifying sounds in each syllable. The students wrote in their draw & write journals, as well as, their alphabet books.
*The students wrote sentences in their “Colorful Clothes” books. Also, they wrote sentences in their science journals.
Literacy:
*We had activities focused on our letter of the week – Ee.
*We practiced reading our “high frequency” words. Our words so far are:
the, in, is, on, for, my, can, have
*We practiced the concepts of print, including reading with one to one correspondence.
Art:
*We had a Spectra art lesson this week with Charlene Temple. The kids learned about warm and cool colors. They created a warm color painting and a cool color painting, which involved mixing paints to make different hues.
Announcements:
Monday, October 12th – Mr. B to attend PAUSD math training.
*Nancy Berry will once again be substituting. Please prepare your child before school on Monday, and review the behavior expectations with him/her.
Friday, October 16th 8:00 – 8:30: Room 2 Information Meeting
*If you are attending, please bring your child at 7:55am. The kids will be escorted to the portables where they will be supervised by Palo Verde staff. The meeting will begin promptly at 8:00. We will be discussing the extended day program and the report cards.
*Extended day placement letters will be mailed in the afternoon.
Wednesday, October 21st – Webb Ranch Field Trip
*Please complete the permission slip and return it with fees in the envelope provided.
Friday, October 30th – Halloween Celebrations
*More info to come next week.
Room 2 News
October 2, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“Peace begins with a smile.”
-Mother Theresa
Dear Families,
I hope you enjoyed the long weekend!
Last Friday, the Palo Verde staff participated in another training on the new district math program – Everyday Math. It was a productive day. Each teacher is expected to attend another day long training this month. The kindergarten teachers will be training on Monday, October 12th. So, there will be a substitute again on that day.
Speaking of substitutes, I received a positive report from Nancy Berry regarding Tuesday. The kids responded well to her, and the lessons went smoothly. I will try to get Nancy again on the 12th. I do not like missing a day in the classroom, but sometimes it can’t be helped.
Look for the “Poem Books” in today’s Friday folders. The two new rhymes are: Hey, Diddle-Diddle & Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear. Please practice with your child at home. You can read the poems with your child, as well as, play the “word or letter hunt” game. For example, say, “Find the word the, or is.” “How many D’s can you find in the poem.” Etc.
Don’t forget about the Room 2 website. Go to the following address:
www.freewebs.com/ablumberg
Thank you for helping your child to be responsible with their school belongings. Red book bags come back to school every day. Friday folders need to be returned at the beginning of each new school week.
A Peek Inside Room 2:
In Math, the children participated in lessons in Number Sense, Measurement & Geometry, and Statistics, Data Analysis & Probability. This included counting games that involved predicting and understanding the relationship between numbers and quantities, identifying, describing, and extending patterns, and identifying and describing common geometric shapes in our environment.
In literacy, the children did an autobiographical piece of writing. We practiced one to one correspondence when reading, and we practiced handwriting – both individual letters & numbers, as well as, a complete sentence.
In Centers, the children did the following activities:
*Dinosaur puppet
*Dinosaur puzzles
*Dinosaur word match
*Duck dot to dot
*AB pattern (big square, little square)
*Tissue paper shape collage
*Work on our “Colorful Clothes” book
Announcements:
Don’t forget the Harvest Fair! This Sunday, October 4th from 3:00 – 5:00.
Monday, October 12th – Mr. B attending District Math Training
Friday, October 16th – Parent Meeting in Room 2 from 8:00 – 8:30
*Every year the Kindergarten teachers offer a parent info meeting in October that covers the components of the report card, as well as, the upcoming extended day program. This is an opportunity to learn about the features of the report card, and to have questions answered about the extended day program. The children should arrive to school early that day at 7:55am. The aides will then escort the kids to the portables where they will be supervised. I will include more information and reminders next week.
Wednesday, October 21st – Field Trip to Webb Ranch
*Look for permission slips and more info in the near future
*
Room 2 News
September 24, 2009
Quote of the Week:
“There is always something beautiful to be found
if you will look for it.”
- White Eagle
Dear Families,
It’s hard to believe that we are already heading into October next week. I am pleased with the way our year has begun. We have a wonderful group of children. They are all eager to be in school, and a pleasure to be around, and though we are still learning how to interact and communicate properly with each other, the general tenor of the class is friendly and cooperative.
We have completed 22 days of kindergarten. During the year we keep track of the number of school days in order to learn counting by ones and tens, addition, and place value. We use mini cubes for the ones and “ten sticks” for the tens. When we reach 100 we will have a special 100th school day celebration.
We completed our Apple Math & Science Observation books this week. We cut open the apples and the children counted the number of seeds inside the core. It was fascinating to note that the largest apple does not necessarily contain the most seeds. In fact, the small apples sometimes carry far more seeds than the large apples. Afterwards, the kids worked with Mrs. Wong to peel and cut the apples. Then we made applesauce. Yummy!
Another big project this week was the shape unit in math. The kids learned about horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and curved lines. We observed the differences between 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes, and compared the lines and angles on various shapes. The kids made shape collage posters by cutting and gluing pictures from magazines. We used pattern block stickers to match shapes. Also, we looked for shapes in our environment, and we made a class book entitled The Triangle Book.
In Writer’s Workshop, we continued to practice the concepts of print, sounding out words, and matching letters, words, and/or sentences to an illustration. In a mini-lesson, the emphasis was on the idea that it is ok to make mistakes. Writing is fun and everyone can learn how to do it. We just need to practice. Instead of sitting there with a blank sheet of paper, or spending a lot of time erasing, the kids are being encouraged to take chances, to give it a go, and to ask for help when needed.
This week we added the word “can” to the word wall.
We had our first Spectra Art lesson with Charlene Temple. Charlene did a lesson on line and composition – some of the concepts connected well with our math unit. We will enjoy seeing Mrs. Temple every other week.
Congratulations to Kyle Macklin our “Student of the Week” who did a great job sharing many interesting things from home. We also enjoyed his photos.
Also, thanks to Tori’s grandfather who came into class last Friday and read the classic story, Dr. Desoto by William Steig.
A Peek Inside Room 2
*Camel Puppet
*Number Sequencing
*Word Hunt in text
*Yoga
*HeartMath – Lessons in social and emotional compentencies
*Handwriting practice
Announcements
*There is no school on Friday, September 25th & Monday, September 28th.
*I am NOT sending home the Red Book Bags or the Poem Books today due to the long weekend.
*The Harvest Fair is Sunday, October 4th from 3:00 – 5:00pm.
*Please remember to bring back the Friday Folder on Tuesday. Thanks!
Have a relaxing and fun long weekend!
Andy Blumberg
Room 2 News
September 18, 2009
Quote of the Week
“If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can blossom
like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire
society, will benefit from our peace.”
Dear Families,
We had a busy week outside the classroom – class photos on Wednesday, individual photos on Thursday, and the Walk-a-Thon on Friday, and, as a result, our regular work schedule was altered a bit, of course, for good reasons. The children enjoyed the festive nature of the walk-a-thon, being outside, and participating with the other kindergarten classes. Thank you for your contributions.
At Wednesday’s assembly Palo Verde kicked off our first character trait, RESPECT, as part of our school climate program. During the year, teachers will incorporate character training within their social studies curriculum. Students who demonstrate good character will be honored at future assemblies. If your child is selected you will be notified. Please support us at home by talking to your child about respect. You may ask: What is respect? How do you show respect to others, to yourself, to the environment? What does respectful behavior look like? How does it feel when someone respects you? How does it feel when you are disrespected? Praise your child when he/she demonstrates respectful behavior independently. Perhaps the best way to teach children is through modeling good character. Thanks for all you do.
I hope you are getting used to our routines, particularly the daily red book bags. Thank you very much for supporting your child in returning the bags every morning, as well as, returning the Friday folders and poem books on Monday. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to create a special spot at home where your child will keep their school belongings (book bag, Friday folder, poem book, little books, backpack, etc.) Not only does it make things easier for you, but it also teaches the kids about organization and responsibility.
It is wonderful having parents now volunteering in Room 2. Big thanks to those of you who are helping out in the classroom and with our book bags.
Congratulations to Tori Kneep, our first “Student of the Week.” We enjoyed Tori’s sharing each day, which included visits from her mom and dad. Also, happy birthday to Eileen and Sasha, our September birthday girls.
Look for the following new songs/poems in the Poem Books today:
Row, Row, Row Your Boat and The Apple Tree. Also, we added the following words to our “Word Wall” – the, in, is, for
A Peek Inside Room 2
Writer’s Workshop: The children are enjoying our writer’s workshop sessions. It is a time for expressing creative ideas in picture and written form. We have been practicing the concepts of print – reading & writing left to write, top to bottom, spacing between words, 1 to 1 correspondence or matching finger to the spoken word when reading, putting a period at the end of a sentence. The kids are learning to stretch words out to hear the individual sounds in a word and then writing the letters to match their picture. As we practice throughout the year, the children will become more familiar and adept with the challenging task of learning to write.
Math: In addition to our daily practice with patterns, place value, counting, graphing, and calendar, the students participated in the following lessons:
*Estimating & Measuring the volume of different sized containers.
*Bears on a Boat – creating an addition “story problem” using colored bear stamps. The children counted and added groups.
*Counting Games – counting in a circle, putting numbers in the correct order, matching number sets to the corresponding numeral.
Apple Unit: We began our apple unit this week. We made a class graph that illustrated how many apples of each color variety were brought from home. The kids worked in their “Apple Observation” books, which includes measurement activities involving circumference, weight, and area, as well as, graphing, and a sink or float experiment. Next week, the kids will cut open their apple and count how many seeds are inside. We will culminate the unit by making applesauce.
Everyday Math Homelinks: The following items are included in today’s Friday folder relating to our math program.
*Homelinks are fun math activities related to concepts taught in class. Each week I will staple them to the newsletter. Please support your child’s learning by doing these activities at home. You do NOT need to turn anything back into me.
*Mathematics At Home booklets – These little books are a wonderful opportunity for you to supplement your child’s learning at home. The books are filled with extra ideas for activities to do at home related to the work that is being done in class. In addition, it gives parents the chance to better understand our math program. Please keep these booklets at home and use as much or as little as you choose.
Announcements
Staff Development (No School) – Friday, September 25th
Local Holiday (No School) – Monday, September 28th
Harvest Fair – Sunday, October 4th 3:00 – 5:00pm
Room 2 News
September 11, 2009
Quote of
the Week:
“The Universe is one great
kindergarten. Everything that exists
brought with it its own peculiar
lesson.”
-Orison Swett Marden
Dear
Families,
I
hope you had a fun Labor Day holiday on Monday. Despite the shortened week we
managed to be quite productive in room 2. The children seem genuinely happy in
class; they approach their work with enthusiasm, and enjoy being around their
peers.
As
kids figure out how to be autonomous, respectful citizens in a community, there
is a lot that we can do as adults to foster successful interaction skills.
Though the majority of the time the children of room 2 are kind and
cooperative, sometimes problems arise, and this gives us the opportunity to
practice proper communication. For example, by recognizing how our actions
impact another we are developing empathy. By giving an “I” message to another
person who is bothering us we are developing assertiveness. Sometimes an
accidental bump is perceived as an intentional punch. When we chose to talk to
each other in a reasonable manner instead of reacting angrily, the more we are
able to diffuse conflict and build understanding and acceptance for each other.
You can practice these skills with your child at home, too.
Today
is the 8th anniversary of the September 11 tragedy. Let us reflect
on those who lost so much, and embrace all the blessings in our own lives. A
peaceful world begins at home, in our hearts, and in the love that we share
with others.
*************************************************************
There
are many things to tell you about. Read on:
Library
Books:
Yesterday
library books came home in manila folders. This will NOT be our usual routine.
Beginning next week, the library books will come home in the Red Book Bags.
Library books will be returned with the red book bags the following day on
Friday. If your child did not get a book this week it is because he/she did not
return the library contract from Ms. Losier. I have additional contracts for
those who have lost theirs.
Red
Book Bags:
We will
begin our red book bag program on Monday, September 14th. To refresh
your memory, the kids will bring home a different picture book everyday (Monday
– Thursday) in their red book bag. The bag with the book in it will return to
school each morning so that the kids can get a new book. I will place a large
plastic container on the blue table in front of class. Please have your child
put their book bag in the container when he/she arrives to school. Do not take
the bag and put it in for your child; we want to teach him/her to be
responsible and independent. A gentle reminder may be necessary, especially
until the routine is internalized. Again, on Thursdays the book will be the one
that was checked out from the school library. It will still need to be returned
the following day in the red book bag.
Poem
Books:
You will
notice a purple or pink poem book in your child’s Friday folder today. This
book will go home most Fridays for you and your child to enjoy over the
weekend. It will include poems, songs, and rhymes that we have learned in
class. Read the instructions for how to use these books located on the inside
cover. Enjoy!
Weekly
Reader:
Our class
has a subscription to the Weekly Reader magazine. We read the magazine in class
and then the kids take it home in their Friday folder. You can use these
magazines for additional reading practice at home, as well. Re-reading is an
excellent way to build comprehension and fluency. You may want to collect all the
Weekly Readers and store them in one place for easy access throughout the year.
Perhaps these magazines can be kept along with the “little books” that come
home each week, as well.
Stick
Puppets:
Speaking of
collections. Your child may enjoy keeping a collection of all the alphabet
stick puppets made this year. The first came home today in the Friday folder –
Alligator.
Everyday
Math Homework: (Homelinks)
As I
mentioned at Back to School Night, there will be math sheets from Everyday Math
that come home in the Friday folders each week. These are fun interactive
activities related to concepts taught in class. You do NOT need to return these
sheets to me. They are for your child and you to do and enjoy together at home.
Room
2 Web Site:
You can
access the room 2 website by going to: www.freewebs.com/ablumberg
There you
will find the site Mr. B’s Kindergarten
*************************************************************
Announcements:
Palo Verde
Pot Luck Dinner: Tonight 6:00 – 8:00
Picture
Days Next Week:
*Wednesday,
September 16th – Class Photo
*Thursday,
September 17th – Individual Photos
Palo Verde
Walk-a-Thon – Friday, September 18th
*All
students will walk regardless of whether they have sponsors
There will
be no school on Friday, Sept. 25th and Monday Sept. 28th
due to staff development and local holiday.
Palo Verde
Harvest Fair – Sunday, October 4th
Room 2 News
September 4, 2009
Quote of
the Week:
“In our fast moving, increasingly complex world,
we need new skills
to
successfully adapt to the changing conditions in our environments,
including
working together in small groups, problem solving, creativity
and
self-regulation. Research has shown that children who are educated
in
social and emotional skills perform better at school, develop better
relationships,
experience greater confidence, persevere with challenging
tasks
and communicate their needs more effectively.”
-HeartMath
Dear
Families,
The
children are settling well into the daily routines of kindergarten. We have an
enthusiastic, friendly group of boys and girls. I am pleased with the way our
little community has begun to take shape.
I
appreciate the large turnout we had at Back-To-School Night on Tuesday. Thank
you for taking the time from your evening to come learn about Room 2. If you
were unable to attend, or if you have any further questions don’t hesitate to
request a meeting with me sometime after school. You can call the school in the
afternoon, or send a note with your child asking that I phone you. I value your
input, and I look forward to working with you for the good of the kids
throughout the year.
Speaking
of working together, thank you so much for the numerous volunteer sign-ups. I
will be contacting each volunteer personally to arrange your first classroom
visit. If you signed up for
“Centers” “Library” “Art” or “Writer’s Workshop” – I would like to begin
these volunteer assignments next week. Expect a phone call sometime over the
weekend. Those of you who will help with “Book Bags” – I will contact you later
in the month when we begin this program.
Language
Arts:
*The
children worked in their “Draw & Write” journals throughout the week. We
had mini lessons on writing left to right, top to bottom, and in matching
letters to illustrations.
*We worked
on the letter Aa this week. The children played phonics games including
listening for sounds and finding the letter in the text. We practiced
handwriting, read our first “little book” and began work in our alphabet books.
The students made an alligator stick puppet.
*We played
several language games using the pocket chart and songs.
Math:
*We
practiced counting, patterns, graphing and place value during our calendar
activities.
*We have
been working on a unit in numbers and number sets. The children matched number
sets and wrote numerals.
*We played
the whale game again. This is a fun edible math game using goldfish crackers to
practice addition and subtraction. You can play this game at home, too. The
kids get a cup of crackers and a blue mat for the “ocean.” They listen to a
made up story and either add or subtract (eat) depending on what happens in the
story. For example, “Five little fish were swimming in the ocean. Along came a
whale and ate two. How many are there now?”
Library:
We had our
first trip to the library this week. We will go every Thursday from 9:40 to
10:10. Laura the librarian gave the kids a tour of our fabulous Palo Verde
library. She went over the library behavior expectations, read a story, and
gave the kids some time to look at books. Next week we will begin checking out
books. Please return the library contract, if you haven’t done so yet. Thank
you.
Announcements:
*Afternoon
assessments will continue next week. Please bring your child at the scheduled
time.
*Friday
Folders need to be sent back to school at the beginning of the new week. This
is so they can be prepared for weekly take home.
Thanks for
all your support. I hope you have a great weekend!