The week of Feb. 4-8.

Happy Monday!

We successfully made it through Kansas Day and 100's Day!  Check out the pictures below!  We had a lot of fun counting to 100 different ways, showing our collections, and mixing our food collections together on a sheet to make a trail mix!

Book it Calendars are due tomorrow!  Please make sure a parent signs the bottom along with your child.

Reading/Social Studies this week!
This week we are learning about the Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  Can your child tell you which President is called, "The Father of our Country"?  Also, which one is famous for freeing the slaves?  

Letter of the week--Ww
Sight words:  have, how (We will talk about Interrogative sentences--questions, and we will write questions beginning with have and how.)

Math this week!  Topic 7 continues to be on Understanding Addition.  We have learned the terms- addends and sum. Today we added numbers to 0 and numbers to 1, along with our math ws.  Once they understood the pattern, they got it!

A math packet with a few practice worksheets will be coming home on Thursday to be returned on Monday before our test.  Please make sure to read the directions at the bottom and check over the ws after your child completes it.  It's helpful for you to know if they are understanding the concept of addition.

Counting to 50!  Our goal this month is to count to 50.  Many have accomplished this, but a some keep getting stuck on 29, 39, or 49.  Please have your child count to you and see if they can do it!  The car is a perfect place to count!

February is also dental health month.  We will read a couple of books about teeth this week!

Handwriting--This week we are writing the letter l and words beginning with l.  Please continue to make sure your child is writing letters and numbers starting at the top.  Reversals are developmental at this age, but we do want to make sure we point it out to our KDG to correct them when we see them.

Homework--Please make sure your KDG writes with a pencil when they do their homework.  It's important for them to be able to erase as needed.

Parent Conferences--Just a reminder that KDG conferences are for parents only.  If your child needs to come with you, please bring something for them to do in the hall.  I will have books for them to look at too!

Coming up!
Feb. 5     PTO Board Meeting--Parent Night at 7:00  Topic TBD
Feb. 7     Food Night:  Panera
Feb. 12   Valentine's Day Party
Feb. 13    Parent Teacher conferences after school
Feb. 14    No School for kids--Conferences all day
Feb. 15-18  No School
Feb. 21    Dental Screening--More info. to come.  You will have to opt in for your child to participate.
Feb. 22    Family Movie Night--6:30

Kansas Sunflowers

The week of Jan. 28-Feb. 1.

Oh my!  It was sure cold when we attempted outdoor recess today!  The kids need to run so badly and let out their energy!  I'm sure you notice it at home too.

This is another busy week celebrating Kansas' 158th Birthday tomorrow and our 100's Day on Thursday! The snow day backed us up to Jan. 31 instead of Wed. Jan. 30.
Several kids said they don't know what they are bringing for their snack of 100 unwrapped items or their 100 collection.  Please help your child come up with an idea for both and let them count their items to 100 on their own.  I know it's so much quicker and easier for us to count for them, but please let them take the time to count by 1's, 5',s or 10's We have talked about washing our hands before counting our food collection.  They also know to put their items in groups if they are counting by 5's or 10's and put them in a baggie. 
I will be asking them how they counted.  In the past I've had kids tell me they didn't know how it was counted because mom or dad did it. So please let this be a learning activity for your child!

The non-food collection should fit in a baggie also.  This could be pennies, buttons, little toys, legos, paper clips, etc.  Just look around your house.  
Thank you for helping your child find their collections!

Reading this week!
This week we are reading The Boy Who Cried Wolf.  We have talked about this book a lot and I feel that the kids are understanding how important it is to always be honest!  The kids are owning up to their actions most of the time which will help them be good citizens as they grow up!  

We will be reading a couple of books about the 100th Day of School too! Along with reading those books, we will be illustrators of our own topics about 100.  

Sight words this week:  that, her
Letter of the week:  Dd

Reading groups!  Please make sure to check your child's folder each night.  My reading groups are not always the same day, so some little books are not getting done the night they come home.  Make sure to have your child read the book at least 2 times at home with someone.  They are so proud of themselves when they are reading them!  I am proud of them too!

Social Studies
Learning about our Kansas symbols has been fun!  We are finishing up our unit this week.  Their packet of the symbols will be coming home!  See if your child knows their symbols by quizzing them when you see the packet!  Tomorrow we will play a Kansas Bingo Game of the symbols, make a Sunflower hat, eat a few Kansas snacks, and read a few Kansas books.  

Math this week!
We finished our numbers to 100 last week, but we will continue to work on counting and writing the numbers.  You can help at home too by asking your child to count to 50 and continue on if they can.  Also, have them write numbers randomly from 1-20 to make sure they are writing them correctly and without reversals.

Topic 7 is "Understanding Addition."  We just started it last week!  Right now we are learning about addition sentences like--4 and 2 is 6.  By the end of the week we will be adding with a plus and equals sign.


Coming up!
Jan. 29   Kansas' Birthday!
Jan. 31   100th Day of School!  Bring collections!
Feb. 5     PTO Board Meeting--Parent Night at 7:00  Topic TBD
Feb. 7     Food Night:  Panera
Feb. 12   Valentine's Day Party
Feb. 13    Parent Teacher conferences after school
Feb. 14    No School for kids--Conferences all day
Feb. 15-18  No School
Feb. 21    Dental Screening--More info. to come.  You will have to opt in for your child to participate.
Feb. 22    Family Movie Night--6:30

The week ofJan. 22-25.

It was a nice long weekend!  I hope you all got to enjoy it too!  We have so much we are fitting in our 4 day week!  We will be busy!

I hope the girls have a blast at the Father/Daughter dance if it works out for them to go!  If not, they will do again next year!

This week in Reading!
Our Theme book is "The Three Little Pigs" retold by Brenda Parkes.  We learned that retold means an author may make changes to her book from the original.  Ask your child if there were any changes in this story.  

There are so many versions of The Three Little Pigs to read.  We also read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs today.  It is the Wolf's point of view.  The other two books we will read are The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig and The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf.

After reading the different versions, we are going to compare and contrast The Three Little Pigs  and The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig on a venn diagram.  

Letter of the Week--Hard Gg and Soft Gg
I love to read several different versions of The Gingerbread Man also!  So, we will read the original Gingerbread Man story first.  Then, we will compare and contrast the characters and refrain of that story with the Gingerbread Girl.   The refrain is the verse that is said throughout the story.  The last books we will read are The Gingerbread Kid and The Ninjabread Man.

Friday, we will have fun doing gingerbread activities throughout the day!  One is a special surprise!

Sight words:  one, from  (Your child was tested over the 3rd quarter words last week.  They are challenging so please work on these with your child!)

Math this week!
We took a test over numbers to 100.  Some needed little tips on this if they didn't know what some of the numbers were.  I will write "helped" if your child needed assistance.  Please look over this with your child when it comes home.

We will begin topic 7--Understanding Addition.  We will be learning how to put groups together with manipulatives.  Adding groups of things together can easily be done at home too!  For example, counting how many spoons and forks are on the table.  

Social Studies
This week we are continuing in our Kansas Packet.  Today we colored Kansas on the map and wrote the abbreviations for KS and our bordering states.  We also found where Johnson County is on the state of Kansas map.  We will finish the packet with coloring a sod house, Prairie Schooner, wheat, and a maze and dot-to-dot.  

The one instruction I had from the beginning was for each picture to be colored the correct color; so that when your child sees the symbol, they will recognize it as our state symbol.  Unfortunately, not everyone followed that direction, so when you check out the pictures in their packet, you will know that I didn't instruct them to color the bison purple and pink!!!!  

Handwriting--  This week we are practicing writing words in our book.  We are working hard to write the letters on the lines correctly.  I am watching for them to start at the top and write the letters the correct direction.  If we get in the habit in KDG, it will sure be easier each year!

Coming up!
Jan. 29   Kansas' Birthday!
Jan. 30   100th Day of School!  Bring collections!
Feb. 5     PTO Board Meeting--Parent Night at 7:00  Topic TBD
Feb. 7     Food Night:  Panera
Feb. 12   Valentine's Day Party
Feb. 13    Parent Teacher conferences after school
Feb. 14    No School for kids--Conferences all day
Feb. 15-18  No School
Feb. 21    Dental Screening--More info. to come.  You will have to opt in for your child to participate.
Feb. 22    Family Movie Night--6:30

The week of Jan. 14-18.

I'm sure glad the snow came over the weekend!   I heard some good stories about what was made out of it!  We're going to make a snowman in class this week with cotton balls after reading "The Snowy Day".

Reading this week!
Our stories for reading are short with a message!  Both short stories' messages are about how we can accomplish anything if we work together!  We talk about how our Kindergarten class is a team and each table has to work together all day to earn points for their table! We learn so much in KDG and "working together" is one of our goals all year long!

Letter of the week!  Short Ee
Please have your child read the little "e" books that is coming home and all other little paper books.  They are on your child's level and it's important to have them use the "body walk" to sound out the words.  They can do it!
Sight words:  his, for

Handwriting--We are writing Magic c letters, the letter "u",  and words with "u" in them.  Magic c letters are the lowercase letters that begin with "c".  

Social Studies
This week we are learning about the State insect--the Honeybee, the State reptile- the Ornate Box Turtle, the State Amphibian-the Barred Tiger Salamandar, the State fish--the Catfish, the State Seal, and the Kansas Flag with the State seal.
The class loves learning and coloring each state symbol!

Today, a half sheet is coming home asking for your help to tell where your child was born and what that state's mascot is.  For example; I am a Jayhawker (Yes, I'll say it!) since I was born in Kansas.  Please return it next Tues. the 22nd.

Martin Luther King Jr
MLK's birthday is Monday, Jan. 21.  We will not be in school that day to celebrate this holiday.
We will learn about MLK Jr. through books and videos.  Then we will make a mobile telling what our dreams are for other children.

Math
This week we are continuing with Numbers to 100.  We are looking for patterns going across the rows and down the columns.  Today we counted by tens to 100!  How far can your child count?  We would like for them to count to 50 this quarter!  However, once they understand the pattern, they can usually go to 100!  Challenge your child to go as far as they can!  We will also be writing to 100 soon!

100's Day Party!  So far our 100's Day Party will be on Jan. 30 if we do not have any snow days.  It will be the day after we celebrate Kansas' birthday on Jan. 29!  I will be sending home information this Thursday on what to have your child bring for 100's Day.  You will have two weekends to help them find their 100's Day Collection.  More info. to come!

Valentines' Day Party!
It's on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 2:45-3:15.  We have it on Tuesday instead of Wednesday so we don't have to back it up with  Parent Conferences right after school.

Help!!!  I do not have anyone signed up to coordinate this party!!  Would two people be willing to help us make our last party of the year a blast?!    Please email asap if you would love to help us out!  I am happy to give ideas!  Thank you for considering!

Coming Up!
Jan. 18   Mrs. Scott is gone. Mrs. Draper is the substitute.  I am heading to Arkansas for a soccer tournament.  
Jan. 21   No School-MLK Day
Jan. 29   Kansas' Birthday!
Jan. 30   100th Day of School!  Bring collections!

Book Bash

Thank you to Mr. Dickerson, Mrs. Mayhugh, and Mrs. Cavanaugh for 

reading to us!  We loved it!

Jan. 7-11.

Welcome Back!  It sounds like the kids had a wonderful break!

We are getting back to the swing of our class rules.  Reminders at home to not blurt out are always helpful! Thank you!

Grade cards will be posted tomorrow after school.  Please take the time to get on Skyward and check out your child's progress 2nd quarter.  If you have any questions about either the skill section or comments, don't hesitate to ask!  A packet of info. will come home tomorrow, so please check your child's folder!

Book Bash!  This will be Thursday morning.  I emailed info. about it last Friday.  The kids know that they can only bring one item- a pillow, blanket, or stuffed animal.

Please help your child get back on track by bringing their snack each day or making 5 snacks and leaving them in their backpack.  Thank you!

Reading this week!
We are reading a Realistic Fiction story called, "Munching Millie"  Ask me the characters, setting, and, beginning, middle, and end.  We are learning what a bad habit is.  Millie has a bad habit in the story. Can I tell you what it is?

Other skills this week--
Word families/rhyming words.  Not all rhyming words are word families such as- "read and feed".  But word families do rhyme like "had, bad, mad, sad".

Homophones-  to, too, two     red, read      blue, blew
We are learning the correct usage when writing with homophones.

Letter of the week:  Rr (we run in place while saying the "rrr" sound).
Sight words:  had, dad

Social Studies
Kansas symbols--Today we learned about our first Kansas symbol-the state flower, the sunflower.  We will be learning about many Kansas symbols this month leading up to Kansas Day on January 29. The rest of this week we will learn about the state tree-cottonwood, state animal-the bison, the state bird- the meadowlark and being a Jayhawker if you were born in Kansas. You may be surprised at some of the symbols as there may be a few new ones since you learned about them!

Math this week!--We are finishing up Topic 15 on Position and Location of Shapes.  Then we will begin Topic 6 on Numbers to 100!  We will be counting to 50 this quarter or further if your child is ready.

Handwriting--lowercase letters "t, a, d, g"  We will learn that a, d, g, are magic c letters that always begin with a c.  

Coming up!
Jan. 8    Grades posted at 4:00 and important information in folders
Jan. 10  Book Bash
Jan. 11   Mrs. Scott is gone.  Mrs. Draper is the substitute.
Jan. 18   Mrs. Scott is gone. Mrs. Draper is the substitute.
Jan. 21   No School-MLK Day
Jan. 29   Kansas' Birthday!
Jan. 30   100th Day of School!

Winter Holiday pics

Opening gifts!

Job Day was awesome!  

We learned about the jobs of these parents below!  Thank you for sharing what you do!  

Mrs. Heaton--Home Health Coordinator for a hospital.

Mr. Washatka-Civil Engineer

 Mr. Cavanaugh-- Smart City/Community Solutions

Mr. Gifford--A Fireman

 Mr. Dickerson--Security Engineer for Cybersecurity

Mr. Dickerson showing the inside of a computer.

The week of Dec. 10-14!

It is amazing how we are just about done with the semester!  It has just flown by and your kids academics have improved greatly since day one!  I'm so proud of how hard they have worked and you are working at home with them!

We continue each day to remember our class rules and are reminded of being respectful to all, taking ownership of our actions, and following directions.  These are all behaviors that we work on our first year of school, however I do notice that we fall backward when I'm gone or when we've had extra days off.  Please revisit appropriate behaviors before coming to school each day.  Thank you for your support at home!  It is much appreciated!

Job day is this Friday!  The kids will love hearing dads talk about their jobs, and whether you are a producer or consumer, buy/sell goods or do a service!  Thank you all for volunteering!

Social Studies!  We are finishing up our Economics Unit learning more about "Goods and Services", "Producers and Consumers", "Saving and Spending", and Job Day!  It's been a fun unit!

Reading/Social Studies:  Our reading unit is over Economics also.  Our big book is called, "Needs and Wants".  We have had many conversations about making choices on what should be bought first over wants. We have also talked about saving our money for what we really want, so we help mom and dad out on buying our wants.

Letter of the week:  short u (pointing up), long u (make a unicorn sign with pointer finger)
sight words:  but, with (these are the last two 2nd quarter sight words)

Math:  We are finishing up Topic 16 this week, Analyzing, Comparing, and Composing Shapes.  Today's math was a challenge.  Check it over and see what we had to do!  It looks easier than it is tracing shapes to make other shapes.

Handwriting this week:  We are now writing the lowercase letters.  They are much harder to write correctly!  This week we are writing the letters, "s, v, w".  

Coming up!

Dec. 14      Job Day--please fill out the form and turn in asap if you're interested!

Dec. 18      Winter Party--2:45-3:15

Dec. 19     Last day before Christmas Vacation--half day

Crazy Hair Day for those that chose to participate!

The week of Dec. 3-7.

This weather is definitely preparing us for the winter season beginning on Dec. 21!  Brrr! 

Thank you for making sure your child is dressed for the weather if we go outside!  I appreciate it!

  

I heard Winter Wonderland was fun for all that went!  I was sorry to miss it.  

I have a few reminders as we are getting close to the end of 2nd quarter.  

1.  Please make sure to have your child return little readers and the homework sheet the next day of school.  I would like for them to get in the habit of knowing that homework needs to come back when it's due to prepare them for first grade on up.  I totally understand when things come up. But, pretty much I stick with the same day I have your child's reading group, so you can plan on homework that night each week unless we have a snow day or I have to be gone.  Also, there are times that I'm using the same book for another group and may need it that week.  Thank you!

2.  Snack and waters.  I would love it if you would send five bags of snacks in your child's backpack on Monday each week, so they always have a snack.  Also, I am happy when they have water bottles, so please send them.  I think it's okay if they leave their water bottles a day or two and just refill them.  Then, they don't have to remember them each day.  I'll continue to offer that to the kids.

Fastbridge testing--This is a new test for reading and math that will be given three times a year to watch for progress in certain areas.  If needed, we will be doing progress monitoring in areas that your child may need extra help in.  Progress monitoring is when you retest in-between testing after working on a skill to see if there's improvement or if more reviewing needs to happen.   Your child will be taking the test one-on-one with myself or other teachers this week and next week.  You will not see any results I don't believe, but I just wanted you to be aware of it if your child tells you about it.  Grades 3-5 have always taken the MAP tests.  This test is replacing that one and all grades will be taking it.  If you have any questions, please ask and I'll do the best I can to answer them or find out for you.

Reading this week!

We are reading fiction and non-fiction stories about community helpers.  Today we reviewed our 4 basic needs.  1. food/water  2. shelter  3. clothing  and 4.  air.

Needs and wants will be our next topic in Economics.  This is farely easy for the kids to grasp, but it would be a good conversation at home especially with Christmas coming!  :)

Letter of the week!  Bb --The lower case "b" and "d" confuse the kids when writing them.  As a reminder at home, the "b" is written beginning in the sky or top, and the "d" starts like a magic c!

Does your child have a bear ready for bear day on Friday?  Some have mentioned that they do not have a teddy bear.  That's okay!  Just send a stuffed animal that fits in their backpack!

Sight words:  and, you----We learned today that "and" is a conjunction with the important job of connecting two words together like: in and out, black and white, cake and ice cream! Yum!

Job Day!  I have two signed up for Job Day on the 14th and would love a few more if you are able to take a little time from your busy day!!

Math this week!  Topic 16  

We had fun reviewing 3D solid shapes by doing a shape sort with food today!  First they were given Trix for spheres, marshmallows for cylinders, cheese cubes for cubes, and Bugles for cones.  The class had to sort them on to their shape sheet, count them, and fill out the shape graph before they could eat them!  

Then we categorized different objects with the same shapes on the board.  We will review more tomorrow and take a test on Wednesday.  Review the names of the shapes at home and look for those shapes around the house!!

Coming up!
Dec. 4        Troll Day- crazy hair day!
Dec. 5         Wacky Sock Wednesday
Dec. 6         Traveling Thursday
Dec. 7         Forest Friday--wear green

Dec. 14      Job Day--please fill out the form and turn in asap if you're interested!

Dec. 18      Winter Party

Dec. 19     Last day before Christmas Vacation