Grant El. Kindergarten Weekly News

From Mrs. Conran and Mrs. Caya

Week Beginning:  September 8, 2014

Important Dates

Specials
Conran		Caya
Monday - Music		Monday – Library
Tuesday – Art		Tuesday – PE
Wednesday – Library		Wednesday – Music
Thursday – PE (gym)		Thursday - Art

Important Dates

Monday 9/8

Mrs. Caya’s Class Checks out Library Books

Wednesday 9/10

Mrs. Conran’s Class Checks out Library Books

Thursday, 9/11  

Spirit Day- Wear Red, White and Blue

OPT Meeting 6:30pm  Rm 105

Homework 1 is due!  Our goal is: 100% of students will return their homework!

Tuesday, 9/16 

Reading Night 5:30pm

(See pink flyer)

Friday 9/19 

Action Territory Night

Saturday 9/20

Saturday Morning Book Club 9am

Other News, Notes and Reminders

Library Check Out

Each class will also have one day each week to check out books.  This day will stay the same all year.   Books should be returned each week on this day.

Mrs. Conran’s Class – Wednesday.      Mrs. Caya’s Class – Monday.

Students are allowed to bring water bottles (with JUST water) to sip during the day.  They are kept in their cubbies.

We enjoy snack each afternoon.  Each child brings their own snack.  There is no refrigeration, and we cannot supplies spoons, etc.  Please send your child with a healthful, easy snack each day (Monday – Thursday).  White milk is provided. 

Be sure your child returns his/her folder each day.  Remind your child to turn the folder into the folder basket.

If you have not yet sent headphones, please send them to school by Friday 9/12.

Math

In Math, we are working on math skills during our morning routines. We are learning numbers, counting, and place value through the calendar, days in school, milk count, and the weather. You can build these skills by counting with your child daily.  Have them sort and count objects found around the house.

By the end of the quarter our students will be able to write numbers to 10, count to 20, name numbers, name and describe attributes circle and triangle, count by 10s to 20+, match number to groups of objects. How is your student doing on these skills?  Check the center pages of your child’s take-home folder for 1^st Quarter Report Card goals.

Learning Targets:  I can count to 20.  I can name numbers to 10.

Reading

We are working on listening to stories and answering “the W questions”.  “W Questions” are who was in the story, where did the story happen, when did the story happen (time of day, season…),  and what happened in the story.  You can help build this skill at home by reading stories together every day and asking and answering questions.

Learning Target:  I can answer ‘who’ and ‘where’ questions about stories I hear.

Letter names and sounds should be mastered by November 1^st.   To begin, we are practicing writing our names correctly and naming the letters in our own names.  To support this at home, practice naming letters (uppercase and lowercase should be separate) and making their sounds often.  In your daily folder, there is a list with pictures of the AlphaFriends.  They are designed to help children learn letter sounds.

Check the center pages of your child’s take-home folder for 1^st Quarter Report Card goals.

Learning Target:  I can name letters and their sounds.

Writing

We are working on thinking of ideas to write about.  Inspiration may come from family activities, games, hobbies, funny experiences…  This list goes on and on.  At this time, our goal is to draw a detailed picture and label it with beginning sounds.  Some students who know lots of letter sounds are being challenged to sound out words and sentences to go along with their detailed drawings.  Using pictures, we are showing our stories in the order they happen, with a beginning, middle and end.

Learning Target:  I can write a story in order.

Investigations

“Investigations” is Science and Social Studies.  All of our content areas are integrated.  This means that we take a theme and apply our learning in reading, writing, math, science and social studies.   We take care to blend these areas to make learning more meaning and authentic for our students.  Our current theme is ‘Caring Communities’.  We are learning about ourselves this week, and the things that make each of us special.

Learning Target:  I can share information about myself.

Questions to Ask Your Child to Spark Conversations

What are the 3 ways to read a book?   (read the pictures, retell a story you know, read the words)

What are the names of the friends you sit by at your table?  At lunch?

What do you do at recess?

What is the best thing you did today?