Kinder News #2 September 29, 2024

 Kinder News,

We had a very productive two weeks of school. Our students demonstrated exceptional behavior, filling our gem jar twice by following the school rules ( We are kind. We are safe. We are responsible). This led to two extra choice times in the morning, a testament to their commitment. We appreciate your participation in the open house last week.  We are excited about our first ECO this week, where we will walk to Harrison Field with Victoria, a naturalist from the Nature Center. Please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather and wears walking shoes. During ECO, we will have a unique outdoor science class.  

Important Dates:

Monday, September 30th: Early Release Day 

Friday, October 11: No School Inservice Day

Monday, October 14: No School Indigenous Peoples Day 

Wednesday, October 2: ECO at Harrison Field 1:30-2:30

Wednesday, October 16: ECO at Harrison Field 1:30-2:30

Wednesday, October 30: ECO at Harrison Field 1:30-2:30

Monday, October 28-November 1 PUMPKIN WEEK

Thursday, November 7: Early Release Day

Friday, November 8: Care Giver Conferences No School

Pumpkin Day and Apple Donations:

We are grateful for your support and contributions. We will have Pumpkin Week starting October 28 and need small pumpkin donations. Each child needs their own pumpkin, so extra contributions are greatly appreciated. We also need apple donations. For the next couple of weeks, we will use apples for science and cooking. Your support is invaluable, and we thank you for it.

ECO:

We have our very first ECO on Wednesday, October 2.  We will walk over to Harrison at 1:30.  Please make sure you help your child dress for the weather.  We usually go rain or shine.  

RECESS:

I bring the children out for recess twice daily, rain or shine.  It is very helpful that the children are properly dressed for the weather.  Thank you for your help!

EXTRA Clothes:  Please remember to restock extra clothes for cubbies. The school does not have extra clothes.

Literacy Snapshot:

Letters/Letter sounds -M man /m/, N nut /n/, I itch /i/, U up /u/

Name work/Writing our names with the first letter uppercase and the rest lowercase

Name puzzles

Letter formation uppercase  m, n, p, r, all capital frog jump letters

Letter formation Uppercase letters with diagonals w, v, y, x, z

Segmenting and deleting syllables

Writing Poems about ourselves

Some Books we read:

The Family Book

Our Class is a Family

A Creepy Pair of Underwear

Johnny Appleseed

I Like Me

I Don’t Want to be a 

Giraffes Can’t Dance

Clark Shark

Future Plans:  Letters/letter Sounds - Oo Octopus /o/, Uu Up /u/, Aa Apple /a/, Gg Game /g/, Learning all about Vowels-Syllables, blending and segmenting sounds, compound words, counting words in sentences, beginning and final sounds in words, Literacy Menu (Independent Literacy Stations)

Math Snapshot:

Counting to 100+

Practiced Proper Number Formation 0-10

Played a dice and number match game

Counting through the teen numbers

Discussed the pre-teen numbers 10-12

Discussed the teen numbers 13-16 

Future Plans: Math Menu (independent math stations) Number Formation 0-10, Partner Math Games

Science/SS Snapshot:

Life Cycle of Apple trees  

Apple Cut Art

Still Life with Cezanne

Categories-Pass the Apple Game

Apple Variations

Apple Song -singing

Taste Test (red, yellow, and green apples)

Self Portraits

Fourth Grade Buddies (Fridays -8:30-9:00)With Mr. French’s Class

Future Plans: Recycling and Composting with John Jose (Guest Speaker from Central Vermont Solid Waste Management) Leaf Rubbings and Paintings (so beautiful) apples and pumpkin life cycles

Social Emotional Learning:

Our Hopes for kindergarten

Fire Drill Safety and practice

Mood Meter Practice

Future Plans:  Mindful Station (taking a break space), Breathing Activities, Self-Space

Questions to Ask your Kinder:

What are the preteen numbers?  What are the teen numbers?  What do they start with?

Practice making the letters M and N. They are frog jump letters.

Sing the apple song or the pencil grip song!

How many days have we been in school (hint: it’s the number after 20)?

What was your favorite apple?

Tell me about the mood meter.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.  I will respond as soon as I can. 

denac@mpsvt.org  Fondly, Dena Cody

Math:

Class Library:l

Choice Time Activities:

Choice Time with our Fourth Grade Buddies:

Handwriting:

September 15 Kinder News #1

September 15

Kinder News,

Please make sure you have signed into PowerSchool.  You must complete a form online before I can post pictures of the class or take the children off campus for ECO.

PowerSchool Form

Please complete the Power School Caregiver Form, which is located here: https://www.mrpsvt.org/powerschool. Need help? Contact UES Registrar Taylor Fair: taylorfair@mpsvt.org

Hello, and happy weekend! We had a very busy first two weeks of school. The kids are still working hard to learn about our classroom and navigate a very busy day in kindergarten. They are doing an amazing job! They filled our gem jar twice by following the school rules (We are kind, safe, and responsible). We had two extra morning choice times to celebrate. We have several important dates coming up. 

Important Dates:

Wednesday, September 25 Open House (5:30-6:30)

Monday, September 30: Early Release Day (1:00 dismissal)

*Wednesday, October 2nd ECO We will walk to Harrison Field from 1:30 to 2:30 for environmental science activities with Victory from the Nature Center (Every Other Wednesday)

Friday, October 11: School Closed (Inservice Day)

Monday, October 14: School Closed (Indigenous Peoples’ Day)

*ECO: Please check the weather on ECO days every other Wednesday starting October 2.  We will go out even in the rain!

Literacy Snapshot:

Letters/Letter sounds -Tt top /t/, Bb bat /b/ and Ff fun /f/ 

Name the first letter in uppercase and the rest in lowercase.

Letter formation -pencil grip song and name writing practice.

Rhyming words Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas

Blending to make new Compound words, for example, cup - cake = cupcake

Writing about our favorite color, favorite animal, and what we like

Handwriting Uppercase Frog Jump Letters M, N, D, and P

Assessment of name-writing

Next Week:  Letters M and N, Writing a sentence (what does that look like), More Name Practice (first letter uppercase, the rest lowercase), Assessments for literacy (Producing and recognizing rhymes, blending and segmenting words) 

Some Books we read (and so many more):

It’s Okay to be Different.

The Family Book

We all Make Mistakes

How are you peeling?

The Hungry Caterpillar

A Monarch Butterfly

Mean Jean, the Recess Queen

The King and Queen of Kindergarten

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Math Snapshot:

Number formation 0-10

Recognizing Numbers up to 10

Counting Backwards from 10 like a Rocket Ship ready for take-off

Pattern Block Creations

Five Frames and Ten Frames

Interlocking Blocks

Counted with manipulatives.

Dice games with numbers and dots

Pattern Pillars

Next Week:  Number formation 0-10, Counting to 100, More Dice Games, Backward counting from 10 to 20, Getting ready for the Math Menu

Science Snapshot:

Life Cycle of Butterflies  

Butterfly journals

Metamorphosis: Are Caterpillars the only creatures that change?

Released Eight Painted Ladies

Next Week: Butterfly Symmetry Crowns, Finish our Butterfly Unit with the release of our last 5 Painted Ladies, Make our very own Butterfly Life Cycle

Social Emotional Lessons:

Mrs. Ronci, School Guidance Counselor (Every Other Wednesday 11:50-12:20): What does a school counselor do?

The school rules (we are kind, we are safe, we are responsible)

How to earn gems

The Kindness Challenge

What does it look like to be a good listener

Mean Jean the Recess Queen (how to help someone be a friend)

Next Week:  We will discuss the mindful station, Create our Classroom Agreements, and work on safe hands.

Optional Questions to Ask Your Kinder:

How do you earn a class gem?

Do a countdown from 10!

What sound does “b” make?  What sound does “t” make? What sound does “f’ make? 

Are there other animals that change (Metamorphosis), such as caterpillars?

What are the stages of a butterfly?

How many letters are in your name? Practice writing names using the uppercase first letter and the rest of the lowercase letters.

What are the school rules?  What does choosing to be kind mean?

What is Owl time?  This is an intervention block from 9:00-9:25 each day. We will use assessments and observations throughout the year to guide these short bursts of teaching points.  Some interventionists include Rachel Whalen (literacy), Leah Shoaff (math), a Member of the Social Emotional Learning Team, Abbie Eldridge (Speech), and, of course, me!  If your child receives an intervention, you will get an email from one of the specialists.  As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email.