Dear Santa, We have been very good in school!

Week of December 18-22, 2017

2017 is quickly coming to an end. The students have been working so hard this year. I am seeing tremendous progress! We have a busy schedule this week filled with some, holiday activities. Tuesday we will be visiting the high school to see the band/chorus program. Wednesday is the kindergarten Polar Express Day. Thursday is the PBIS Reward day. Friday the children will have the NED Show kindness adventure program.

 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.

Topic 4 begins in Math this week. The unit compares and orders numbers from 0 through 10. Please continue to practice counting to 100, identifying the numbers, and writing the numerals 0-20. 

Reminders:

~ Students will be dismissed at 12:00pm on Friday, December 22^nd. School will resume on Tuesday, 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. 

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

~ Mrs. Green

All of the other reindeer!

Week of December 11-15, 2017

The holiday spirit is in full season. We are getting so excited, yet there is still so much learning to be done. We are trying our best to stay focused and meet our goals. Please remind your child each morning about the behavior goals that require students to earn 4 SPARTY stamps for the monthly reward.

Our Reading story is called “Little Quack.” This animal fantasy will focus on plot (The important things that guide 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 rabbit, will be the focus in our lessons with segmenting, blending, reading, and rhyming words.

Math: Six to Ten will be completed and tested this week. The students are required to count, read, and write the numbers 6-10. Remember to keep practicing correct number writing.

Reminders:

~Wednesday, December 13^th is a 2- hour data delay. It is still a rotation day.

~Friday, December 15^th is a  Dress Down Day for those who provide a $1.00 donation.

~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.

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

Have a remarkable week!

~ Mrs. Green

Week of November 13-17, 2017

This week’s Reading story will continue to discuss hibernation. “A Bed for the Winter” is an educational text that teaches what types of homes some animals need 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.

Math: Comparing and Ordering Numbers 0-5 will be continued. We will recognize a group that has 1 or 2 more or fewer than another group. The number 0 will be explored, read, and written. Please continue to practice writing the numbers 0-5. 

Reminders:

* It is very important to review class work and practice sight words daily. This helps reinforce the concepts and it gives you an idea of how well your child understands the idea. Also continue to review letters and sounds, syllables, rhyming, identifying numbers, and counting to 100.

* Feed a Friend donations will conclude on Tuesday, November 14^th. You are encouraged to send in non-perishable food items or monetary donations to help less fortunate families enjoy a holiday dinner.

* Friday, November 17^th is a dress down day only if your child provides a donation of an item that will be sent to those in the military. (Suggestions were sent home in a note last week).

* Book orders are due on Tuesday, November 14^th.

** Please be sure your child wears a coat to school.**

Have an interesting week!

~Mrs. Green

We had a special guest reader this week! Rachel Green entertained us with Halloween stories on Tuesday. 

Week of November 6-10, 2017

Reading: “Bear Snores On” is the title of our story this week. The animal fantasy will be used to teach 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: Numbers 1 through 5 will be completed in Topic 1 this week. We are counting, reading, and writing the numbers in different arrangements. Please practice writing these numbers at home as well. Once these skills are tested we will begin Topic 2. These lessons will help us learn how to compare and order numbers 0-5.We will start by comparing groups to see if they have more, fewer, or the same amount of objects.

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 will be collected until Tuesday, November 14^th.

*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: Art  Tuesday: Computers  Wednesday: Music  Thursday: Guidance  Friday:  Gym

Thank you for your continuous cooperation!

~ Mrs. Green

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Week of October 30- November 3, 2017

Reading: “Animal Babies” will be the story we are reading 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: Topic 1 continues this week. The children will learn how to read, write, and count numbers from 1-5 in different arrangements.

Reminders:

- Red Ribbon Week continues through Monday and Tuesday. Wear your pajamas to follow your dreams on Monday and wear red for drug free pride on Tuesday.

- Tuesday, October 31^st will be the PBIS reward day. Lunch is early to accommodate the activities. Children may bring extra snacks for the afternoon.

-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.

-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.

Specials:

Mon- Art         Tues- Computers         Wed- Music        Thurs- Library         Fri- Gym

Have a positively perfect Halloween week!

~ Mrs. Green

We had a great time on our Field Trip to Rohrbach's. Thank you to the chaperones and PTO for providing a fun-filled day!

Week of October 23-27, 2017

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 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: There will be a test on Topic 16 (Analyzing, Comparing, and Composing shapes) this week. Please review the 3D shapes. Then we will begin Topic 1, which focuses on Number Names and Counting. Numbers 1 through 5 will be read, written, and counted in different arrangements.

Reminders:

~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 Halloween Parade will held be on Friday, October 27t^h 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. 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 16-20, 2017

The students really enjoyed dressing up to show their school spirit this week. Friday concluded with our red, white, and blue/ Spartan pride!

Reading:  We have completed the first Unit in our Reading Series. “Look at Us” is the Title of Unit 2. Each week we 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 the letter to concentrate on. 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:  Topic 16 will begin this week. This topic teaches Analyzing, Comparing, and Composing Shapes. Lessons will include objects that are the same size and same shape, making shapes from other shapes, comparing solid figures, and building with solid figures.

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 Thursday, October 19^th. Please remember to label envelopes before sending money to school.

-Our class trip to Rohrbach’s Farm will take place on Friday. This is also a $1.00 dress down day. Therefore, children are permitted to wear jeans or sweatpants for their donation. Hopefully the field trip shirts will arrive before our trip. Otherwise, students are encouraged to wear a Spartan shirt if possible.

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

-The Halloween Parade will take place on Friday, October 27^th at 2:00pm in the High School Stadium.

-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.

-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 is another important skill to practice!

Have an amazing week!  

~ Mrs. Green 

Week of October 10-13, 2017

We had a wonderful time at the Fall Festival on Friday. It was a great opportunity for the students and I to share some social time together. I appreciate your contributions that helped make this day a big success. Thank you to all of the volunteers who made our day so enjoyable!

This week’s Reading story is called “Dig, Dig, Digging.” It is a concept book that will explore how vehicles. We will learn that vehicles are machines that can 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. We are still working on the sight words: a and to.

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

Math: Topic 15 (The location and position of shapes) will conclude this week. Please review the 2D shapes: circle, square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon; along with the 3D shapes: cylinder, cone, sphere, cube. Try to use positional words at home with your child such as: above/on/below, inside/outside, in front of/behind, and most importantly left/right.

Reminders:

-Wednesday, October 11^th is a two-hour data delay. These are now rotation days. (The students will have special).

-Thursday, October 12^th is picture re-take day.

-Scholastic book orders are due on Thursday, 10/12.

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

-As always, continue to practice letter names and their sounds along with sight words daily.

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

~Mrs. Green

Week of October 2-6, 2017

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. New sight words will be taught: 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: Topic 15 will start this week. This unit teaches concepts related to the position and location of shapes. We will use words such as inside/outside, above; below, and on; in front of/behind; and left/right.

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 in folders cause confusion when trying to organize ourselves). Review the schoolwork with your child to reinforce the concepts.

-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.

-Continue to review your child’s 5 digit number if they do not remember it yet.  This is an important tracking number for school information.

-The PTO will be hosting a Fall Festival for Kindergarten on Thursday, October 5^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!

Have a marvelous week!

~ Mrs. Green

Week of September 25, 2017

Reading: “Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip” is our new story. This story 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: Please review the 2D shapes: circle, square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon; along with the 3D shapes: cylinder, cone, sphere, cube. Topic 14 will be tested this week. Students will need to identify these shapes. They will also need to determine what shape is found on the flat surface of a 3D shape.  The next topic in math will teach the location and position of shapes.
Science: We will discuss how we observe things to learn about the world around us. We will be 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 Friday, September 29th. 15 books are the goal!
- October 5^th will be the Fall Festival. Please send in your $3.00 donation ASAP if you have not done so. Thank you to those who already contributed!
- Monday is Day 9 on the rotation schedule. 

Have a wonderful week!

~ Mrs. Green

Week of September 18-22, 2017

 “Plaidypus Lost” is our Reading story for the week.  This is a fictional story that discusses how families cooperate. Comprehension will be taught using the early literacy skill of sequencing. 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.

Topic 14 will be continued in Math. We are identifying and describing shapes. Our focus will be on rectangles, squares, circles, triangles, and hexagons. Knowing these shapes will lead us to learn about solid figures (cone, cylinder, sphere, cube) and flat surfaces.

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.

-The PTO will be hosting a Fall Festival for Kindergarten on Thursday, October 5^th. An individual $3.00 donation will be appreciated in order to provide a fun-filled day for your child. Please send in your donation if you have not already done so.

-There will be a meeting for those interested in helping out with the Fall Festival on Tuesday, September 19^th. It will take place at the Chill Out restaurant beginning at 6:30pm.

Thanks for your cooperation. Have a great week!    

~ Mrs. Green

Week of September 11-15, 2017

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 handling the adjustment well. The children are becoming more familiar with the rules and procedures. I am pleased with their progress!

     The title of this week’s Reading story is “We Are So Proud.” It is a fictional story that will discuss how children work and play together. The comprehension skill that will be introduced is setting (the time and place of a story). The amazing words in the story are: proud, cooperation, float, preparation, creation, and guide. The sight words we are working on are I, am, a, to, the.

  The Phonics skill to focus on will be syllables (word parts). This skill is introduced by clapping out parts of a word.  We will also visit the letters: Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Jj, Kk, Ll, Mm, and Nn.

     In Math we will continue to sort, classify, and categorize data. Our test will consist of identifying same/different, comparing and sorting objects according to their attributes (color, size, shape, kind), and graphing objects in order to answer questions. After Topic 13 is assessed, we will move on to Topic 14. These lessons will teach the students how to identify and describe shapes. We will start with rectangles, squares, and circles. 
Reminders:

~ School pictures will be taken on Tuesday, September 12^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 Tuesday morning.

~ Wednesday, September 13^th is a Data Delay. There will be no special class.

~ Students are permitted to donate $1.00 for a Spartan Dress Down Day on Friday, September 15^th.

~ The Fall Festival Meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 19^th.

~ 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.

~ Please continue a daily review of list 1 sight words found in your child’s folder. There will be an assessment on these words during the week.

~ 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.  

This week’s specials:  Monday- Music        Tuesday- Guidance       Thursday- Gym        Friday- Art

 I appreciate your support. Have a great week!   

 ~ Mrs. Green

Week of September 5-8, 2017

We had a terrific first week of kindergarten! These first few weeks are a huge transition for your child. It takes some time to learn the rules and procedures in our structured environment. The students are doing a wonderful job. We have an exciting year ahead!

We began Reading with the story, “The Little School Bus.” The children are enjoying the silly rhyming words in this animal fantasy. The animals in the story are used to introduce the concept of characters. There are six “amazing words” that accompany this story: first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. The first sight words to focus on are: I and am. We will take a closer look at the alphabet letters Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, and Ee this week.

In Math we are sorting, classifying, and categorizing data in Topic 13. The children are enjoying working together in small groups to sort objects according to size, shape, and color.

Reminders:

° Please remember to check your child’s folder EVERY day. Remove the “left at home” items and review the concepts that were taught. Check for the “right back to school” items. This side of the folder often contains important papers. Please return them promptly.

° Hooray! Everyone returned the beginning forms that were sent home. Thank you for being so prompt!

° Your child should continue to wear his/her bus tag to school. This helps to avoid confusion and keeps everyone moving in the right direction during the first few weeks in this new environment.

° It is very important for your child to learn his/her 5-digit number. Keep practicing this daily. Great job to those students who already know their number!

° School pictures will be taken on Tuesday, September 12^th. All students will be photographed and required to follow the school dress code. If you choose to purchase a package, please send payments by Monday, September 11^th in the envelopes that were provided in your child’s folder.

Thank you for your cooperation and have a wonderful week!

~Mrs. Green