Saturday, September 26, 2015

All About Apples!

We had so much fun in Kindergarten this week learning all about apples! Please take a look at some of the fun things we did this week in Room 6!

Read-Alouds:
This week, we read several apple books to enhance our understanding and love for apples! The two read alouds this week were:
Ten Apples Up On Top, by Dr. Seuss
The Apple Pie Tree, by Zoe Hall
In addition, together we read a Scholastic News magazine, which taught us the life cycle of an apple and listed some animals that like to eat apples.
 
Writing
This week, we learned that we can write things down to help us remember information. We specifically learned that we can label pictures or objects to help us understand and remember what they are. On Monday, we did an excellent job labeling different things around the classroom. Some things the children labeled include: chairs, windows, crayons, toys, and much more! Please be sure to ask your child what he/she decided to label in our classroom!

On Wednesday, we talked about how sometimes, different objects have an "inside" that we can label. We learned that this is called "Cross Section Labeling." We looked at the inside of an apple, and we were able to label the different parts of it. As a class, we labeled the stem, leaf, skin, flesh, and seeds of an apple. The children were then asked to label his/her own diagram of an apple. They did a phenomenal job! Please be sure to ask your child if he/she can remember the different parts of an apple!

Next week, the children will pick another object and complete a cross-section diagram individually. We can't wait!

Reading:
During our reading block this week, we learned and recited several apple poems. The students then illustrated the poems by drawing a picture that matched the words of the poem. Everyone did a great job and the poems came out fantastic! In addition, we are continuing to work on the concept of rhyming. Whenever possible, talk to your child about words that rhyme!  

Math:
This week in math, we have been practicing counting and writing numbers 1-5. We will finish this skill by the end of next week.

Tickets! 
The kids have been working so hard all week and have been earning lots of tickets. Please be sure to ask your child some ways he/she has earned a ticket this week!

Apple Picking!
On Friday, the Kindergarten at Fox Hill went on a field trip to Parlee Farms. We had so much fun! We got to pick 5 apples and 1 pumpkin. In addition, we got to feed some farm animals, and even had fun on the hay maze. Enjoy some pictures below from our Apple Picking Field Trip!!! Thank you to all chaperones who volunteered!!!

Guiding Questions: 
Please be sure to ask your Kindergartener some of these questions about our Apple Week!

  • What are the parts of an apple?
  • What was your favorite part of the apple picking field trip? 
  • What did you draw in some of the Apple Poems?
  • Which apple book did you like better, The Apple Pie Tree, or Ten Apples up on Top?
  • How did you earn a ticket this week?
  • How was library on Tuesday? 









 



 



 





Friday, September 18, 2015

Super Second Week!!


It’s hard to believe we have already been in Kindergarten for 9 days! We have had a wonderful week in school and had lots of fun learning new things.


Read Alouds:
This week, we read many stories. Some of the stories we read involved lots of rhyming words. Other stories showed us great lessons about why it’s important to be a kind friend. Here is a list of stories we read together this week in Room 6!
  • This School Year Will Be the Best! by Kay Winters
  • Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin Henkes
  • Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten, by Joseph Slate
  • How Full is Your Bucket? Tom Rath
Rhyming:
Throughout the week, we talked a lot about words that rhyme, and how we know when words rhyme with each other. We played lots of games that promote the understanding of this concept. At home, be sure to ask your child about different words that rhyme!

Being Safe and Kind
The first twenty days of school are all about learning and reinforcing routines and expectations in how to behave in a classroom. The children are working so hard in practicing how to be safe and kind in school. Each child is making his/her own Rule Book to keep in school. Be sure to ask your child what he/she decided to draw in each page of their book so far!
*Next week, we will focus on how we can be responsible and respectful in school. :)

Math
This week, we began our lessons in math by introducing the concept of numbers. We learned that we can count objects, and the last number we count is the total number of objects in the group. We also learned that the items/objects we count can be represented by counters (i.e. math manipulatives). Next week, we will practice writing numbers 1-5.

Library
On Tuesday, the children got to go to the library and listen to our librarian, Mr. Murphy, read a story. In addition, the children got to pick out a book to take home and borrow for the week. The children were very excited, and we hope they are enjoying the books with you at home! Don’t forget to remind your child to bring back his/her book back to school by Tuesday!!!

Life Skill Lessons
Our school Guidance Counselor, Ms. Greene, comes into our classroom for a short time once per week to teach students various skills on how to be a successful student. Please check out the school Counselor blog for more information! The blog URL is posted under the tab “Blogs I Follow;” you can also find the link to the School Counselor’s blog {here}.

We are “Good to the Core!”
On Friday, as a preface to our Apple Unit next week, the children got to make their very own apple core by using colored paper and crayons. The kids really enjoyed this activity, and we will be doing more fun apple crafts next week to supplement our Apple Picking Field Trip!  

Stuffed Animal Day
This week, the children have done a superb job earning lots of tickets! When the teacher notices a student doing the “just right thing,” the child will be awarded with a ticket. We got so many tickets this week, that we already filled up our class bucket and earned a special reward. The children got to bring in their favorite stuffed animals! All the students really loved this special time, and we can’t wait until the next time our bucket gets filled!

Reminders & Looking Ahead:
  • Don’t forget to get a CORI done as soon as you can. The CORI’s are good for up to three years.
  • The volunteer meetings are scheduled for September 22nd at 9:30 and September 24th at 6:30
  • Our Field Trip to Parlee Farms will be on Friday, September 25th. Please send your child to school with two separate lunchboxes/bags-- one for snack and one for lunch.
    • We will be eating lunch at Parlee Farms so please be sure to pack a nut-free lunch for your child on Friday. Students will not be able to buy a lunch from the cafeteria on this day.
    • More information will be provided to you regarding the Field Trip T Shirts soon.
    • A Field Trip reminder notice will be sent home next week.
  • To supplement our field trip, We will focus on learning all about apples next week!


Guiding Questions:
Here are some questions you can ask your child about this week:
  • What are some ways you can be kind at school?
  • How are you safe in your classroom?
  • Ask your child about some rhyming words
  • What/who do you play with in the morning?
  • Ask your child what he/she has been doing to earn lots of tickets
  • Going to library for the first time: what was it like?




We can’t wait to have another wonderful week in the colorful world of Kindergarten with your child!!

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Volunteer Meeting Update

In order to volunteer both inside and outside of the classroom this year, you must attend a Volunteer Meeting with Mrs. Johnson to go over Fox Hill volunteer procedures.


The volunteer meeting will be at Fox Hill school, and is scheduled for:
Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:30 am
Thursday September 24th at 6:30 pm

If you attended the volunteer meeting last year, you do not need to attend the meeting again this year. Please just send me an email to let me know!

*If you cannot attend either meeting at all, and did not attend the meeting last year, please send me an email to let me know so we can figure something else out.*
Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

Saturday, September 12, 2015

We're off to a Great Start!

Our first week of Kindergarten together was such a blast, and we have learned so much already in these past few days! Here is a brief outline of what we did this week:  

Life Skills:
This week, the children learned some important life skills that are necessary to be successful in a classroom setting. The students learned skills like: when we want a teacher’s attention we raise our hands, when someone says our name we stop what we’re doing and say “Yes?”, and we also learned when we say “good morning” or “hi” to a friend, we look at their eyes when we speak. The children have been working so hard this week on these skills, and they have been doing a great job! We will continue practicing these skills, and more, throughout the year!

Read Alouds:
During our first week of school, we have read many stories about friendship and starting school for the first time. Some popular stories we read this week include:
The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
What I Do Best, by Allia Zobel-Nolan
David Goes to School, by David Shannon
Franklin’s New Friend, by Paulette Bourgeois
Activities:
Throughout the week, we did some fun activities together, including making self portraits, painting our hands for the Kissing Hand poem, making new friends during morning meeting and recess, and getting active during our “brain break” dances!

Brainstorm Class Rules:
This week, we talked about why it is good to have rules in our classroom, and the children began a wonderful list of rules so far. We will continue working on this list next week!  

Belonging Assembly:
On Friday, we had a school assembly in the cafeteria about what it means to “belong” in a community. All Kindergarteners did an outstanding job reciting the “Friends” poem together!

Guiding Questions:
To bridge the home-school connection, I will post some things you can ask and/or talk to your child about each week regarding what we’ve been doing in school. Here’s a list of things you can ask your child about this week:

  • How are you a good friend?
  • Doing fun “Brain Breaks”
  • Earning “tickets”
  • Read-Alouds
  • Creating self portraits
  • What are some good rules to follow in a classroom?
  • Playing games/using manipulatives during free-choice