Week of December 17-21, 2018

Dear Santa...

Tickets! Tickets Please!

It is hard to believe the year is already coming to an end. The students have been working so hard this year. Their progress is tremendous! We have a busy schedule this week filled with many fun, holiday activities. Wednesday we will be visiting the high school to see the band and chorus holiday program.  Friday is the PBIS Reward day.

We will be using Christmas stories this week to practice our Reading skills. While reading the stories we will discuss characters, setting, plot, and the sequence of the story. We will also search for sight words, compare and contrast stories, and classify and categorize the information in some of the books. 

Our Math Topic 2 will wrap up this week. The unit focuses on how to read, write, and count numbers 11-20. Please continue to practice counting to 100, identifying the numbers, building the numbers with objects, and writing the numerals 0-20. 

Reminders:

~ Students will be dismissed at 12:00pm on Friday, December 21^st. School will resume on Wednesday, January 2^nd.

~ Outdoor recess continues throughout the winter. Please dress your child appropriately for the cold weather.
~ Please remember to practice the sight words and fundamental skills over the break. (letters and sounds, rhyming, identifying numbers, counting to 100, writing 0-20, etc.) Also take time to have your child practice reading with words they can sound out and blend. 

Specials:

Monday- Gym  Tuesday-Art  Wednesday-Computers  Thursday-Music  Friday-PBIS reward

Take some time to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the holiday season!

~ Mrs. Green

Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?

    

                   Week of December 10-14, 2018     

The holiday spirit is in full season. We are getting so excited, yet there is still so much to learn during these busy weeks. We are trying our best to stay focused and meet our goals. Please remind your child each morning about the SPARTY behavior goals, which earn monthly rewards.  

Our Reading story for the week is “Little Quack.” This animal fantasy will focus on plot (The important things that happen in a story). We will read about a duckling that learns new things as he gets older. This gives us the opportunity to discuss verbs that are happening now and in the past. The amazing words presented in the story are: duckling, pond, paddle, plunges, proud, and brave. The targeted sight words are: me, with, and she. (As always, remember to practice sight words daily.)

Our Phonics letter of the week is Rr. The /r/ sound, as in reindeer, will be the focus in our lessons with segmenting, blending, rhyming, and reading words.

Math: Numbers to 20 will continue this week. We are counting, reading, and writing numbers 0-20. Please remember to keep practicing correct number writing. Also practice identifying numbers 0-100 in random order.

Reminders:

~ Tuesday, 12/11/18, will be a dress down day for those who provide a non-perishable item or a monetary donation.

~ The Krispy Kreme pick up will take place on Tuesday, 12/11/18 from 4-6pm at the elementary cafeteria.

~ Our Field Trip to ride the Santa Train in Jim Thorpe will take place on Friday, December 14^th. Children are encouraged to wear pajamas like the characters in the Polar Express story. (Chaperones are also welcome to dress the role!)

~Please remember to have your child dressed to withstand the cold weather. Winter coats, hats, mittens, etc. will keep them warmer during our 30 minutes of outside recess on days when the temperatures are not extremely cold.

Specials:Mon. Gym  Tues. Art  Wed. Computers  Thurs. Music  Fri. Guidance

Have a remarkable week!

~ Mrs. Green

Week of December 3-7, 2018

The most wonderful time of the year is upon us! This season brings great excitement, as well as busy schedules. However, we are continuing to work hard, as our lessons become more challenging.  

Unit 3 will begin in Reading this week. This unit discusses changes that occur around us. The first story is called “Little Panda.” This nonfictional story explains how a panda changes in its first year of life. The children will see how a panda and her mother are alike, as well as how they are different. This helps us practice ways to compare and contrast subjects. Verbs will be the grammar focus. Our amazing words are: weigh, measure, healthy, bamboo, curious, and explore. New sight words presented this week include: me, with, and she.

Phonics will focus on two letters: Bb and Nn, The initial and final /b/ and /n/ sounds will be practiced.

Math lessons will continue to work with the numbers 11-20. Our goal is to read, write, and count numbers up to 20.

Reminders:

~ Please remember to return the letter to Santa that was sent home on Friday. A mailman will be visiting our classroom on Monday, December 10^th. He will collect our special messages that will be sent to the North Pole.

~ Scholastic book orders are due on Wednesday, December 5^th.

~ The PTO is conducting the Holiday Gift Workshop this week. Our class buying day is Thursday, December 6^th.

~Mark your calendars…The Christmas Concert is scheduled for Saturday, December 8^th at the high school auditorium. Kindergarten will hit the stage at 10:00am. Please have your child arrive by 9:30 in order to prepare.

~ Please continue to practice letters and sounds, counting to 100, and sight words daily.

Thank you,

Mrs. Green

Week of November 19-21, 2018

I hope everyone enjoyed their first snow storm of the school year! We have a busy schedule for the next few days to catch up on some Thanksgiving lessons and activities.

We will continue to work with the story “Bear Snores On” in Reading. After this story, we will move on to “Jack and the Beanstalk.” This fairy tale will revisit the concept of realism and fantasy.

Our Math lessons will still focus on numbers 11-20. Please continue to practice counting and identifying numbers 0-100, along with writing numbers 0-20.

Reminders:

-Monday, November 19^th will be Day 6 on the rotation schedule.  Wednesday, November 21^st will be a NON-ROTATION day.

-Students will participate in the PBIS monthly reward on Wednesday, November 21^st. The school will be working with members of the military and veterans from the community to create care packages that will be sent to troops and wounded veterans. Your donations will be greatly appreciated! (A list of requested items was sent home. Please let me know if you need a new reminder.) 

-There will be an early dismissal on Wednesday, November 21^st. School will resume on Tuesday, November 21^st.

 I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving holiday. Take a minute to enjoy the time you spend with your family and get some relaxation in before the hectic tasks of the Christmas season begin.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~Mrs. Green

       Week of November 12-16, 2018       

Our new Reading story will continue to discuss hibernation. “A Bed for the Winter” is an educational text that presents types of homes animals create in order to stay warm during the coldest season of the year. To enhance comprehension skills, we will revisit how to determine the sequence of a story. Adjectives for opposites are presented this week. The amazing words are: nest, meadow, stump, tree trunk, hive, and den. Two new sight words will be taught this week: he and for.

The Phonics letter of the week is Ii. The focus will be on the short /i/ sound, as in igloo. Words with the initial and medial /i/ sound will be practiced. We are working hard on segmenting, blending, and trying to write words containing the sounds we have learned. I am very pleased with the fantastic effort I am seeing!

Our Math lessons for the week will focus on numbers 11-20. We are practicing how to count, read, write, and represent numbers from 0-20. Please continue to practice counting to 100 and writing numbers 0-20 with correct formation.

Reminders:

- Please remember to send back your child’s signed report card envelope. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

- Please continue to practice sight words daily.

- Friday, November 16^th is a paid Spartan Dress Down Day.  A $1.00 donation will allow your child to wear jeans or sweat pants with a Spartan shirt.

-Students will be dismissed at 12:00pm on Wednesday, November 21^st.

 Have an impeccable week!

 ~Mrs. Green

Week of November 6-10, 2017

We really enjoyed our past two weeks of fall celebrations. The fall festival was filled with fun from morning until dismissal. Halloween provided more excitement for another school week. Now we are moving into the Thanksgiving spirit. These special events help fuel our positive mood to make us more productive!

Reading: Our story this week is an animal fantasy called “Bear Snores On.” We will examine the difference between realism and fantasy. The story uses simple rhyme and repeated sentences to give students the opportunity to join in the reading process. We will look for adjectives that describe the size, number, color, and shape of nouns. The amazing words we will explore include: sleep, winter, cave, woods, storm, and blustery. The sight words to focus on are: like, my, and we.

Phonics: Cc is the letter of the week. The initial and final /k/ sound will be practiced. (Example: cat, rock)

Math: Our Unit of Shapes will conclude this week. Testing will include 2-dimensional flat shapes (plane shapes) as well as 3-dimensional solid figures. Vocabulary words to review include: sides, vertices, circle, square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon, trapezoid, rhombus, oval, sphere, cube, cone, cylinder, rectangular prism, triangular prism, and pyramid. Also practice positional words, such as above, below, beside, next to, in front of, and behind. After testing this unit, we will move on to Numbers 11-20.

Reminders:

*Students are no longer permitted to wear shorts to school. Shorts will return in the Spring.

*The NS Student Council is participating in the Feed-A-Friend program. They are asking students in the district to provide donations to help provide a holiday dinner for the less fortunate families in Schuylkill County. Collections of non-perishable food items, as well as monetary donations are being collected.

*The colder weather does not stop us from outdoor recess. Please make sure your child is wearing a warm coat. Hats and mittens are also beneficial.

*Please continue to practice sight words as well as the following skills: letters & sounds, syllables, rhyming, counting to 100, and writing numbers & letters correctly.

Specials: Monday:Computers  Tuesday:Music  Wednesday:Guidance  Thursday:Gym  Friday:Art

 Thank you for your continuous cooperation!

~ Mrs. Green

Week of October 29-November 2, 2018

Reading: “Animal Babies in Grasslands” is our story this week. This informational text will discuss the special animals that live in grasslands with their babies. Determining the main idea in a story is the reading skill we will use to develop comprehension. Adjectives for colors and shapes will be introduced. The amazing words presented in the story are: calf, cub, joey, grassland, pup, and foal. Three new sight words will be introduced: we, my, and like.

Phonics:  Pp is the letter of the week. The sound we will focus on is /p/ as in penguin. We will practice the sound in the beginning, as well as at the end of words. We are learning to blend letter sounds to read words.

Math: 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes continue this week. The shapes we will focus on include: triangle, square, rectangle, circle, rhombus, trapezoid, hexagon, oval, sphere, cube, cone, cylinder, pyramid, triangular prism, and rectangular prism.

Reminders:

- Red Ribbon Week continues through Monday and Tuesday.

- The school nurse will be conducting vision screenings on Tuesday. If your child is required to wear glasses, please be sure he/she wears them to school.

- Wednesday is our Halloween parade/celebration. Information was sent home. If you need another copy of the information or have questions, please let me know. Be sure to be on time for the parade. Kindergarten is scheduled to start promptly at 2:00.

- We are still collecting money for parties throughout the year. Please remember to send in your $5.00 donation if you have not done so yet.

- October Reading logs will be collected on Thursday. The goal is to record 15 books you have read together. Children who meet this goal receive a free pizza coupon from Pizza Hut.  

-We do go outside during recess for 30 minutes each day unless it is raining. The days are becoming much colder. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. Also practice putting coats on (including fixing sleeves that are stuck inside!) and zipping/buttoning.

-Please review the letters of the alphabet, the letter sounds, sight words, and counting to 100 daily. Other skills to practice include syllables and rhyming.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and have a pleasant week!

~ Mrs. Green

Week of October 22-26, 2018

Reading: “Nature’s Spy” is this week’s nonfiction story. It teaches us how we can appreciate the world around us when we look closely at the natural environment. We will discuss setting throughout the week and proper nouns will be introduced. Our amazing words are: discover, nature, spy, acorn, pod, and pattern. We will continue working with the sight words have and is.

Phonics: The focus letter for the week is Ss. The sound is /s/, as in sun. This sound will be taught in the beginning and the end of words.

Math: We will continue working with shapes this week. Children will be introduced to 3-dimensional shapes. 2-dimensional shapes, sorting rules, attributes, and positional words will also be practiced.

Reminders:

~ The weather is becoming chillier. Please be sure your child is wearing a warm jacket to school. We do go outside for recess daily unless it is raining.

~ Monday starts Red Ribbon Week. Please refer to the October calendar for daily themes.

~ We are collecting money for parties that will take place throughout the year. Please send in your $5.00 if you have not contributed yet. 

~ The Kindergarten Fall Festival will take place on Friday, October 26^th. This fun filled event will be celebrated outside. Therefore, please be sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. Students may wear a Spartan shirt along with jeans or sweatpants and sneakers.

~ The Halloween Parade will held be on Wednesday, October 31st at 2:00pm. Kindergarten will lead the parade through the Spartan Stadium in front of the home bleachers. Costumes should not be worn to school. Children may bring their labeled costumes to school in a labeled bag in order to prevent lost items. We will have a limited time for a large group of children to get dressed in the classroom. Therefore, it is advised to keep the costumes simple. 

~ Please continue to practice sight words daily. This repetition will help your child learn the 96 required sight words, leading them to become a more fluent reader. Also take some time to practice the following skills: letter and sound identification, rhyming, syllables, counting to 100, and writing numbers 0-20. 

Have a super week!  

~ Mrs. Green

                    

Week of October 15-19, 2018

Reading:  This week begins Unit 2: “Look at Us.”  The stories will discuss how plants and animals are unique. “Flowers” is the first story. This nonfiction book explains variations of flowers and labels their parts. We will use the compare and contrast skill to make connections between two subjects in a text. Nouns for more than one are presented in the story. The amazing words unveiled are: seeds, buds, bloom, fruits, stem, and petals. Sight words to focus on are: have and is.

Phonics:  Aa is our focus letter. Words with the initial and medial /a/ sound will be taught (example: alligator, mat). The long /a/ sound will also be presented (example: ate, same). Segmenting (breaking apart words into sounds), blending (combining sounds to read words), rhyming, and syllables are constantly being taught. Please practice these skills at home.

Math: We are continuing to work with 2-dimensional shapes. We are sorting, identifying, and describing attributes of these shapes. Positional words are also practiced this week.

Reminders:

- The school-wide book fair will take place on Monday evening in the library from 4:00-7:00pm. Our class buying day is Wednesday, October 17^th. Please remember to label envelopes before sending money to school.

- There will be a brief Fall Festival  meeting on Monday, October 15^th at 5:00.  Anyone who plans on attending should meet in front of the school store.

- Friday is a $1.00 Spartan dress down day.

-Next week is Red Ribbon Week. Please check your calendar for dress themes.

- Picture Re-Take Day is scheduled for Tuesday, October 23^rd. 

-It is very important to practice sight words daily. This repetition will help your child learn the 96 required sight words, leading them to become a more fluent reader. Counting to 100 and writing numbers 0-10 are other important skills to practice!

Have an amazing week!  

~ Mrs. Green 

Week of October 9-12, 2018

This week’s Reading story is called “Dig, Dig, Digging.” It is a concept book that will explore how machines do many different jobs in order to get work done. To build comprehension, we will classify and categorize information in a story. As we read, we will learn that nouns can be places and things.  The amazing words for the week are: scooping, swooshing, squelching, gobbling, spinning, and rumbling. The sight words featured this week are: a and to.

Our Phonics focus letter of the week is Tt. We will focus on the initial and final /t/ sound in words. We are also continuing to practice syllables, rhyming, letter sounds, and blending.

The Math Topic this week teaches how to classify and sort objects. Our lessons this week introduce the following 2-dimensional shapes: triangle, circle, square, and rectangle.

Reminders:

-Unfortunately, due to rain in the forecast for Thursday, October 11th, our Kindergarten Field Trip to Rohrbach’s Farm has been cancelled. Information will be sent home when a new Field Trip is planned.

-This is homecoming week. The students are encouraged to participate in themed days throughout the week, ending with a Pep Rally on Friday. (Please check the October calendar for themes.) These events help build Spartan Spirit. This spirit creates a positive attitude that inspires students to try their best.

-There will be a brief Fall Festival planning meeting on Monday, October 15th at 5:00.  Anyone who plans on attending should meet in front of the school store.  

-Book Fair Week will begin on Monday, October 15^th with a Parent Night from 4-7pm. Buying Day for our class is scheduled for Wednesday, October 17^th.

-As always, continue to practice letter names and their sounds along with sight words daily. Also practice counting to 100 and writing numbers 0-10.

 Thank you for your continued cooperation and have a terrific week!

~Mrs. Green

 

Week of October 1-5, 2018

Reading:  The title of this week’s story is “Smash! Crash!”  The characters in this fantasy are vehicles that interact with each other. This selection will encourage students to discuss activities they do with their friends. Nouns will be introduced this week. The amazing words presented are: signals, dud, proper, pirates, perfect, and fabulous. The sight words spotlighted are: a and to.

 Phonics: We are beginning to focus on individual letters and sounds. The first sound we will learn is /m/, which is made by letter Mm. We will practice initial sounds, ending sounds, blending, and discriminating words that contain the same sound.

Math: Our first topic will be tested this week. The test will cover how to read write, and count numbers 0-10. The next math topic introduces shapes. Classifying and sorting a variety of shapes will be the focus. 

Reminders:

-September book logs are now due. Students who have read 15 or more books will receive a treat. October Book Logs will be placed in folders on the first of the month.

-There will be a PTO meeting on Monday, October 1^st at 6:30pm.

-It is important to practice sight words daily. Many students are advancing quickly. These students are seeing the benefits of knowing the words. They feel more confident when participating in reading activities containing their sight words.

-The PTO will be hosting a Fall Festival for Kindergarten on Friday, October 26^th. An individual $3.00 donation was requested in order to provide a fun-filled day for your child. Please send in your donation if you have not already done so. Thank you for the donations we have received!

- Friday, October 5^th is an Act 80 day. Students will be dismissed at 12:00.

-Monday, October 8^th is an In-Service Day. There will be no school for students.

-Next week is Homecoming Spirit Week. Please refer to the information that was sent home for daily dress themes.

Have a marvelous week!

~ Mrs. Green

            Week of September 24-28, 2018

Reading: “Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip” is our new story. This animal fantasy is used to discuss how people in a community cooperate. In order to build comprehension, we will learn how to classify and categorize. This will help us understand how things are alike in a story.  This week’s Amazing Words are: bakery, park, library, fire station, post office, and chaperone. We will be reading the sight words: I, am, at, the, little, yes, and no.

Phonics: We are focusing on beginning sounds in words this week. We will also keep practicing breaking words apart into syllables, as well as blending syllables to make words. Rhyming is being taught daily. The letters of the week are: Tt, Uu, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy, and Zz.

Math: Numbers 0-10 will continue this week. Students are practicing how to read, write, and count these numbers. We are counting forward and backward, using five frames, ten frames, and number lines.

Science: We are beginning observations to learn about the world around us. We will start by observing apples for the start of fall.

Reminders:
- Please remember to check your child’s folder EVERY night. 
- Sight words should be practiced daily.  Also practice letter names and sounds.
- September reading logs (from the book buddy pocket of your child’s folder) are due October 1st. The goal is to read 15 books!

- The next Fall Festival Meeting will take place at Francesco’s Restaurant on September 24^th at 7:00pm. The Fall Festival is scheduled for October 26th. Please send in your $3.00 donation ASAP if you have not done so. Thank you to those who already contributed!

- Our field trip to Rohrbach’s Farm is scheduled for October 11, 2018. Returned permission slips are required for your child to participate in our day of fun.

-There will be a dress down day on Monday, October 1, 2018 if your child wears a BLUE shirt for National Bullying Protection Month.

Have a wonderful week!

~ Mrs. Green

Week of September 17-21, 2018

Our Reading story for the week is called “Plaidypus Lost.”  This  fictional story that discusses how families cooperate. We will learn about sequencing to help build comprehension. This skill helps us determine the order in which things happen in a story. Our “Amazing Words” for the week are: platypus, around, lost, found, market, and groceries. The new sight words taught will be the and little. Letter  recognition will include: Oo, Pp, Qq, Rr, and Ss. Phonics will focus on initial sounds and sound discrimination.

Numbers 0-10 will continue to be our focus in Math. The students are reading, writing, and counting the numbers using various manipulatives. We are becoming very familiar with dominoes, ten frames, number lines, linking cubes, and counters.

Reminders:

-Please remember to check folders daily. The “return” items should be sent back promptly. The “Keep” items should be removed from the folder immediately. (Extra papers that are left cause confusion when trying to organize ourselves). Review the schoolwork with your child to reinforce the concepts.

-Please practice sight words daily. Repetition leads to mastery!

-Continue to review your child’s 5 digit number. This is an important tracking number for school information.

-Friday, September 21^st will be a Spartan dress sown day. Students may donate $1.00 to participate.

-There will be a meeting for those interested in helping out with the Fall Festival on Monday, September 24^th. It will take place at Francesco’s restaurant beginning at 7:00pm.

-Specials for the week:

Monday- Music,  Tuesday- Library,  Wednesday-Gym,   Thursday-Art,  Friday- Computers

Thank you for your cooperation and have a great week!

~ Mrs. Green

September 10-14, 2018

Congratulations to you and your child! You have made it through the hardest part of kindergarten. The first two weeks can be tough when transitioning into the school setting. Everyone seems to be adjusting well. The children are becoming very familiar with the rules and procedures. I am delighted by their progress!

Reading:    Story: We Are So Proud     Genre: Realistic Fiction  

                   Comprehension Skill: Setting

                   Essential Question: How do children work and play together?

                   Amazing Words:  proud, cooperation, float, preparation, creation, guide

                   High Frequency Words: I, am, a, to, the     (List 1 will be tested this week!)

 Phonics: syllables (word parts). This skill is introduced by clapping out parts of a word.  

Letter Recognition: Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Jj, Kk, Ll, Mm, Nn.

Math

 Unit: Numbers 0-10  

Essential Question: How do we read, write, and count numbers up to 5?

We will be identifying, writing, and counting numbers up to 5 this week. We will also be using manipulatives to demonstrate one-to-one correspondence while counting items in a set.

Reminders:

~ Please remember to check your child’s folder EVERY day. Remove the “left at home” items. Review the concepts that were taught. Check the “right back to school” items. This side of the folder contains papers that should be returned promptly. When sending a note or paperwork to school, please place it in the “return” side of the folder.

~ Continue to practice your child’s 5-digit number. They use this daily in the cafeteria. It is also used to log in to computers and check out library books.  

~The PTO school store is now open. Kindergarten students may shop only on Mondays before classes start. Money for the school store should not be placed in folders because I may not get to it in time.

~ The Fall Festival Meeting will take place on Thursday, September 13^th in the Elementary Cafeteria at 2:00pm.

~ School pictures will be taken on Friday, September 14^th. All students will be photographed and required to follow the school dress code. If you choose to purchase a package, payments are due by Friday morning.

Specials:      Mon. Music     Tues. Guidance     Wed. Gym     Thurs. Art     Fri. Computers

Please remember to contact me at any time if you have any questions or concerns.                                

 Have a wonderful week!