September 25, 2015

Dear Families,

We followed the adventures of the Very Hungry Caterpillar by eating a huge, healthy fruit salad. THANK YOU to all who sent in fruit! It was delicious!!! (I posted pictures on mrssampleskindergarten.blogspot.com)

In science we are learning about the life cycle of the butterfly. 

Books Read: Butterfly Express, Gotta Go! Gotta Go! Don't Be Silly, Mrs. Millie, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and a variety of Eric Carle books.

Animated Alphabet is our approach to phonemic awareness and spelling. The letters are taught through a multi sensory approach of music, dance, characters and signs which help the students hold onto that information. The characters we learned this week are; Max the Ox/Felix Fox,  Actress Annie and Daisy Dragon.

In math we are getting to know numbers, comparing sizes, patterns with color and shapes, working with 5 frames, describing shapes and continuing our calendar routines. Our routines at calendar time include; counting to the calendar number of the day, weather observations, tracking the number of days we have been in school and days of the week. 

We are learning about the Woolwich Way! The Woolwich Way is made up of 6 qualities that will help us to be the best we can be! (Courtesy- I can use good manners, Compassion-I can help others, Respect- I can treat others kindly, Honesty-I can tell the truth, Responsibility- I can take care of myself and my stuff, Quality- I can do my best even when things are hard)

Upcoming Events:

September 29- Rocky Ridge Apple Orchard- (Please send back permission slip & $5 if you have not already) 

October 9- NO SCHOOL- Teacher Inservice

October 12- NO SCHOOL- Columbus Day

Butterfly~Gotta Go, Gotta Go, Gotta Go To Mexico!

It is always hard to say goodbye to friends! This is our long awaited appearance of our visitor who has been with us for a few weeks. I took him home (yes it was a boy) and released him in the exact spot where I found him.

Then... today in the mail, we received the itty-bity baby caterpillars we ordered through the mail, so we will watch them get hungry and big and (hopefully) we will have a warm fall so we can release them before it gets too cold.

Very Hungry Caterpillar Fruit Salad

Following the sequence of one of our favorite Eric Carle books, we created our very own fruit salad. Thank you to all of you who donated fruit for this fun (and delicious) activity!

The End

September 18, 2015

Hello Everyone!

It was so wonderful to see you all last night at open house! It was the best attended open house I have had in my 15 years here in kindergarten! Thank you all for making it such and collaborative event.

A paper copy of this newsletter comes home on Fridays, but the blog has more than just what comes home. Visit mrssampleskindergarten.blogspot.com for pictures of quality work and fun happenings that you won't see anywhere else! We take daily nature walks and look for specific items that will be posted on there as well. Feel free to leave your comments and join in the fun.

To clarify, folders only come home on Friday unless there is important information that needs to get home to you sooner! This week please look for the permission slip to Rocky Ridge as well as a request for a certain kind of fruit you might bring in for our "Very Hungry Caterpillar fruit salad" we are making on Monday. 

Books Read: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, A Caterpillar's Wish, Butterfly Suits, I'm a Caterpillar, and Butterfly Life Cycle .

Animated Alphabet is our approach to phonemic awareness and spelling. The letters are taught through a multi sensory approach of music, dance, characters and signs which help the students hold onto that information. The character we learned this week was Mimi Mermaid.

In math we are getting to know numbers, introducing attributes and sorting, multisensory counting, counting backwards, patterns and continuing our calendar routines. Our routines at calendar time include; counting to the calendar number of the day, weather observations, tracking the number of days we have been in school and days of the week. 

We are learning about the Woolwich Way! The Woolwich Way is made up of 6 qualities that will help us to be the best we can be! (Courtesy- I can use good manners, Compassion-I can help others, Respect- I can treat others kindly, Honesty-I can tell the truth, Responsibility- I can take care of myself and my stuff, Quality- I can do my best even when things are hard)

Upcoming Events:

Sept. 21-Very Hungry Caterpillar Fruit Salad Day (Please see request and help if you are able)

Sept. 29 Rocky Ridge Field trip- (Please sign and return the permission slip) If you want to join us you must fill out a "Volunteer Form" 

October 9- NO SCHOOL- Teacher Inservice

October 12 - NO SCHOOL- Columbus Day

September 11, 2015

Dear Families,

Books Read: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Miss Bindergarten Stays Home From Kindergarten, Have You Filled A Bucket Today?, Creak Said the Bed, and Freight Train. 

We became scientists and used our observational skills to observe our monarch caterpillar in his container. I told the children I can tell if the caterpillar is a boy or a girl only after he makes his transformation, so we are anxious to find that information! On Thursday afternoon he decided to go into his "j" formation in preparation for making a chrysalis.

Animated Alphabet is our approach to phonemic awareness and spelling. The letters are taught through a multi sensory approach of music, dance, characters and signs which help the students hold onto that information. The character we learned this week was; Ollie Ostrich and we learned how to do a Magic draw." Fun!

In math we are getting to know numbers, introducing measurement comparisons, multisensory counting, patterns and continuing our calendar routines. Our routines at calendar time include; counting to the calendar number of the day, weather observations, tracking the number of days we have been in school and days of the week. 

We are learning about the Woolwich Way! The Woolwich Way is made up of 6 qualities that will help us to be the best we can be! (Courtesy- I can use good manners, Compassion-I can help others, Respect- I can treat others kindly, Honesty-I can tell the truth, Responsibility- I can take care of myself and my stuff, Quality- I can do my best even when things are hard)

Upcoming Events:

September 17- Open House at WCS 5:30-7:00

October 9- NO SCHOOL- Teacher Inservice

October 12- NO SCHOOL- Columbus Day

We Love Kindergarten!

WOW! What a fantastic first week of Kindergarten! I am so impressed by the way we are blending together as a community. We are learning our schedule, classroom expectations and how to be a good friend. Our word for this week has been-Responsibility-

All of the students will be assessed this week and next in the areas of reading and writing. These assessments are fun for them and act more as a game then stressful work. They will probably be tired and hot this afternoon when they come home but know that they have spent 4 days adjusting to a new schedule and a whole new life. Exciting!

You have noticed a flurry of paperwork coming home. Please take time to fill it all out and send it back to me. Having updated addresses, telephone numbers and other important information is the key to keeping your child as safe as I possibly can. Thank you!

The best way to get in touch with me is through email at ssample@rsu1.org. I check my email a few times a day and I will do my level best to get back to you as soon as I check it. I feel like too much information is better than too little.

Our specials are: Monday-Art
                           Tuesday- PE (if you haven't sent in sneakers to keep at school, please do)
                           Wednesday- Guidance
                           Thursday- Music
                           Friday-Library (Please help your child keep his/her library book in a safe place and      enjoy spending time reading with them.) Books are due back the following Friday.

I will try to add to this blog each week as well as when there is any special event going on. When I receive your paperwork about publishing pictures, I will know who I can and cannot publish on this blog. Paper copies will come home as well.

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Sarah~