Christmas Pics 2011 - Slideshow

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Newsletter for the Week of December 12 - 16, 2011

Newsletter for December 12 - 16_ 2011 -

Unit 3, Week 1 - Little Panda

     This week our Focus Story will be Little Panda by Joanne Ryder.  We will learn all about baby pandas and discuss the parallels between panda and human babies through this heart-warming story of the birth and growth of Hua Mei, the first giant panda cub to survive in captivity, in the San Diego Zoo.
     Our Target Skill will be comparing and contrasting.  We will also continue to practice retelling a story and identifying the main idea of a story.  We will work on identifying, forming, and matching the letters Bb and Nn to their sounds--/b/ and /n/, respectively.

Amazing Words: weigh, measure, healthy, bamboo, curious, and explore

High-Frequency Words:  me, with, she  (Please continue to practice the following words at home as well: I, am, to, a, the, little, we, my, like, have, is, he, for.)

Letters: Bb and Nn

Thank you to http://www.digitalpencil.org for the cover image!

Newsletter for the Week of December 5 - 9, 2011

Newsletter for December 5 - 9_ 2011 -

Unit 2, Week 6 - Whose Garden Is It?

     This week our Focus Story will be Whose Garden Is It?, written by Mary Ann Hoberman and illustrated by Jane Dyer.  The "secrets" of a garden are revealed as Mrs. McGee and her child wander through one in this story, trying to uncover the answer to the question posed by the title.  We will meet characters along the way--a gardener, woodchuck, rabbit, butterfly, squash bug, bumblebee, and even some seeds blowing in the wind--who each claim ownership of the garden based on the job they perform within it.  To whom does the garden belong?  It is up to you to decide!
     Our Target Skill this week will be determining the differences between realism and fantasy.  We will also continue to practice making predictions, retelling a story, and identifying the setting of a story.  We will continue to work on identifying, forming, and matching the letter "Ii" to it's phoneme--/i/--this week. 


Amazing Words:  garden, gardener, plant, seed, soil, and blossoms


High-Frequency Words:  he, for   (Please continue to practice the following "Popcorn" Words as well--I, am, to, a, the, little, have, is, we, my, like.)


Letter: Ii


Thank you to www.vegbooks.com for the cover image!

December 2011 Calendar

December Calendar 2011 -

Newsletter for the Week of November 28 - December 2, 2011

Newsletter for November 28 - December 2_ 2011 -

Unit 2, Week 5 - A Bed for the Winter

     This week our Focus Story will be A Bed for the Winter by Karen Wallace.  In this story, we will follow a dormouse as she attempts to find a home for the winter.  Along the way she observes other creatures readying their homes for the winter, and narrowly escapes both an owl and a snake before finding a winter home of her own.
     Our Target Skill this week is determining the sequence of events, or the order in which things happen within a story.  We will also continue to practice making predictions and retelling a story, as well as classifying and categorizing information.  We will be working to identify, form, and match the letter "Ii" to its phoneme--/i/.

Amazing Words: meadow, nest, stump, tree trunk, hive, den

High-Frequency Words: he, for  (Please continue to practice the following words as well: I, am, the, little, to, a, have, is, we, my, like.

Letter: Ii


Thank you to http://scottsforesmankdg.wikispaces.com/A+Bed+for+Winter for the cover image!

Fun Turkeys!

We made some fun turkey treats today in celebration of Thanksgiving this week--the kiddos loved them!  

Newsletter for the Week of November 21 - 25, 2011

Newsletter for November 21 - 25_ 2011 -

Newsletter for the Week of November 14 - 18, 2011

Newsletter for November 14- 18_ 2011 -

Thank You to Our Veterans!

Unit 2, Week 4 - Bear Snores On

     This week our Focus Story will be Bear Snores On, written by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman. A variety of animals seek shelter in Bear's cave, one by one,  to escape the cold. The animals make themselves at home, but, even after the corn is popped and tea is brewed, Bear just keeps snoring, asleep through it all.
     Our Target Skill for this week is recognition of the differences between realism and fantasy.  We will also continue to work on identifying the setting of a story (where it happens).  We will be working to identify, form, and match the letter "Cc" to its sound--/k/.

Amazing Words:  sleep, winter, cave, woods, storm, blustery

High-Frequency Words:  We will continue to practice the words "we", "my", and "like".  (Also, please continue to review the following "Popcorn Words" at home: "I", "am", "to", "a", "the", "little", "have", and "is".)

Letter: Cc


Thank you to http://karmawilson.com for the cover image!  This is actually the author's website and there are some great ideas and activities found here, as well as a list of other stories that she has written, if you are interested.

Thanksgiving Lunch Pics - November 10, 2011

Pancakes in Pajamas for Pp Week

Mrs. Holmes, Mrs. Brown, and Ms. Batte

Pajama Day!

Silly Faces!

Sleepy Faces!  (It is Pajama Day!)  

Pancake time!

Newsletter for the Week of November 7 - 11, 2011

Newsletter for November 7 - 11_ 2011 -

Unit 2, Week 3 - Animal Babies in Grasslands

    This week our focus story will be Animal Babies in Grasslands by Jennifer Schofield.  The students will be introduced to six different young animals (and their families!) from the African savanna to the Australian outback.  We will learn about what life is like for the elephants, prairie dogs, zebras, kangaroos, giraffes, and lions that live in the hot, dry climates of the grasslands.
     Our Target Skill this week is identifying the Main Idea of a story, or, in other words, why it is written.  Also, we will continue to practice the skill of comparing and contrasting similar objects.  We will be working to identify, form, and match the letter "Pp" to its sound--/p/.

Amazing Words: calf, grassland, cub, pup, joey, foal

High-Frequency Words:  we, my, like  (Also, please continue to practice the following words at home: I, am, the, little, to, a, have, is.)

Letter:  Pp


Thank you to us.macmillan.com for the cover image!

November 2011 Calendar

November 2011 Calendar -

Newsletter for the Week of October 31 - November 4, 2011

Newsletter for October 31 - November 4_ 2011 -

Halloween Party 2011

Here is a slideshow of pictures from our Halloween Party and Parade--Friday, October 28, 2011.  I hope that you enjoy!

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Unit 2, Week 2 - Armadillo's Orange

     This week our focus story will be Armadillo's Orange by Jim Arnosky.  This story teaches us the value of neighbors through the adventures of an endearing armadillo.  He insists on using a fallen orange to mark the entrance to his burrow and ignores the other animals he meets out and about each day.  When a sudden gust of wind, moves his landmark orange and he cannot find his way home, the armadillo realizes the value of having neighbors and friends.
      Our Target Skill of the week will be identifying the setting of a story.  We will also practice making predictions and placing events in sequential order.  We will be working to identify, form, and match the letter "Ss" to its sound--/s/.

Amazing Words: armadillo, burrow, tortoise, rattlesnake, grubs, insects

High-Frequency Words:  We will continue to practice the Popcorn Words "have" and "is", as well as review the words "I", "am", "the", "little", "to", and "a".  Please continue to practice these words at home as well!

Letter: Ss


Thank you to www.abbeychristian.com for the cover image!

Newsletter for the Week of October 24 - 28, 2011

Newsletter for October 24 - 28_ 2011 -

Unit 2, Week 1 - Life in an Ocean

     This week our focus story will be Life in an Ocean by Carol K. Lindeen.  With this book, we will explore life as it exists in the ocean habitat. We will learn about the animals that call this habitat their home and how they adapt to their surroundings for survival.
     Our Target Skill this week will be comparing and contrasting.   The skill of classifying and categorizing information will continue to be revisited and assessed this week as well.  We will be working to identify, form, and match the letter "Aa" to its sound--/a/.  We will spend two weeks on the letter "Aa" this year, as all of the vowels can make two different sounds (short and long vowel sounds).  This week we will be focusing on the short "a" sound, as can be heard at the beginning of words such as "alligator", "ant", and "astronaut".

Amazing Words:  ocean, world, crab, shell, fish, seaweed

High-Frequency Words:  have, is  (Please continue to review "I", "am", "the", "little", "to", and "a".)

Letter:  Aa


Thank you to www.amazon.com for the cover image!

"T" Week--Tie Day Picture

Newsletter for the Week of October 17 - 21, 2011

Newsletter for October 17 -21_ 2011 -

Unit 1, Week 6 - Dig Dig Digging

     This week our focus story will be Dig Dig Digging by Margaret Mayo and Alex Ayliffe.  This book will introduce us to 11 different vehicles that perform jobs from construction to rescue, using a variety of fun adjectives and verbs along the way.
     Our Target Skill this week will be classifying and categorizing. We will also continue to practice identifying the setting in a story.  We will be working to identify, form, and match the letter "Tt" to it's sound--/t/.

Amazing Words: scooping, swooshing, squelching, gobbling, spinning, and rumbling

High-Frequency Words:  We will continue to work with "to" and "a" for another week.  Also, please continue to review the following words: I, am, the, little.

Letter: Tt


Thank you to www.glasgow.gov.uk for the cover image!

Fun Literacy Practice for Fall Break

      Here are 10 activities that you can do with your child at home to reinforce classroom experiences over Fall Break.  As we have just studied the letter "Mm" extensively so far, several of these activities are strictly related to reiterating that particular learning.

1. Listening: In each group, which words begin with the "Mm" sound? Which word has a different sound at the beginning? What sound does it begin with?

mail, milk, book      lemon, more, magnet       music, baby, man
muscles, comb, mix       bunny, money, mother       mud, bud, made
mill, mice, bill       meat, mitten, beat       bug, map, mug
moth, bay, may       moo, boo, middle       my, make, by

2. Listening: Which words in these sentences begin with the "Mm" sound?
a. Matthew had a ride on the merry-go-round.
b. Miss Mooney saw me at the store.
c. I will miss Mickey when he moves.
d. Melissa put money in her piggy bank.
e. Maria and Mike are getting married.

3. Play a word guessing game. Your answers should begin with the "Mm" sound.
a. What is white, good to drink, and comes from a cow? _______ (milk)
b. What does a cat say? _______ (meow)
c. What animal can swing by its tail and make funny faces? _____ (monkey)
d. What do some people wear over their faces on Halloween? ______ (masks)
e. What day comes after Sunday? ________ (Monday)

4. Play a listening and thinking game. Tell what is wrong with these sentences.
a. Music makes me mad.
b. Machines make work hard for men.
c. Marge wears mittens on her feet.
d. Mom makes mudpies for dinner.
e. The moon is made of green cheese.

5. Make a list of friends, relatives and favorite storybook characters with a name that begins with the "Mm" sound.

6. Show your child how to print "Mm" this way:
M: Make 2 straight lines from top to bottom. Put a dot in between the 2 lines at the bottom. Make a sliding board from each line at the top to the dot at the bottom.
m: Make a straight line from middle to bottom, pause, trace back up and around, pause, trace up and around again.


7. Visit http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/CompactforReading/tablek.html. Here you will find a variety of downloadable and printable activities to practice basic Kindergarten literacy skills.  


8.  Play "Candyland" a new way.: We have been practicing color word recognition for the past few weeks.  Play "Candyland" with your child, but instead of using the color cards that come with the game, make your own cards out of paper or index cards and write the color words on them instead.  


9.  Restaurants/stores as places of learning.  Restaurants and stores are great places to practice letter, number, and sound recognition, as well as shape and color identification.  Have your child point out things that are a certain shape/color, or that begin with a certain sound.  They can go on a "Letter Hunt", searching to see how many places that they can find that particular letter (This works well with numbers, too!).

10. Don't forget about our "Popcorn" Words!  Don't forget to continually practice our "popcorn", or sight, words.  The words that we have studied so far are: "I", "am", "the", "little", "to", and "a".  Have your child locate these words in various types of print (newspapers, magazines, books, DVD/movie cases, signs, advertisements, etc.  You can also make flashcards--but be sure to mix up the order from time to time! 


     I hope that you and your child have a wonderful and relaxing Fall Break!  I am looking forward to seeing the kiddos again on Tuesday, October 18th!


Thank you to http://mrsjonesroom.com/letter/all.html for some of the above ideas!

Pictures from our field trip to Jackson's Orchard

Just click the play button below to view a slideshow of pictures from our trip! 

Personalize your own slideshow design

"M" Week Mustache Pictures!

The Green Table

The Red Table

The Blue Table

The Yellow Table

Newsletter for the Week of October 3 - 7, 2011

Newsletter for October 3 - 7, 2011 -

Milk Mustaches!

We're studying the letter "Mm" this week!  Today Ms Batte gave us "milk" mustaches (made of marshmallow cream) and we wrote journal entries about how they felt and tasted.  We had a blast!

October 2011 Calendar

October 2011 Calendar -

Unit 1, Week 5 - Julius

     This week our focus story will be Julius, written by Angela Johnson and illustrated by Dav Pilkey.  This story introduces us to a little girl named Maya and Julius the pig, a present from her granddaddy.  Julius makes a tremendous mess of Maya's house, so, in order to be able to keep him, Maya has to teach Julius all about manners.
     This week we will again focus on the Target Skill of identifying the characters in a story, as well as spiral review the skills of sequencing and setting identification.  Also, we will begin to focus solely on one letter a week now, working to identify, form, and match that letter to its sound.

Amazing Words:  crate, protect, sneaked, granddaddy, scary, sharing

High Frequency Words: to, a  (Also, please continue to review the following words: I, am, the, little.)

Letter: Mm


Thank you to www.theafricanbookcompany.com for the cover image!

Newsletter for the Week of September 26 - 30, 2011

Newsletter for September 26 - 30, 2011 -

Field Trip Permission Slip

Here is a copy of the permission slip that went home in your child's folder yesterday.  If you need another copy, simply hit the orange "Download" button located in the top right hand side of the ".docstoc" frame below.  You will then be able to print out another copy at your convenience.


Field Trip Note -

Unit 1, Week 4 - Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip with Kindergarten

This week our focus story will be Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip with Kindergarten, written by Joseph Slate and illustrated by Ashley Wolff.  The lovable Miss Bindergarten leads her class on a tour through town, exploring and learning about various community helpers along the way.
     Our Target Skill this week is Classification and Categorizing--we will also continue to practice identifying the setting and characters in a story, as well as recognizing rhyming words and initial sounds.

Amazing Words: bakery, post office, fire station, library, park, and chaperone

High-Frequency Words: the, little  (Please continue to review the words "I" and "am", as well!)

Letter Recognition:  Tt, Uu, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy, and Zz


Thank you to www.tower.com for the cover image!

Newsletter for the Week of September 19 - 23, 2011

Newsletter for the week of September 19-23, 2011 -

Unit 1, Week 3 - Plaidypus Lost

     This week our focus story will be Plaidypus Lost by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel.  In this story, we will meet a young girl and her favorite stuffed toy, a platypus made out of her grandfather's old plaid shirt.  We will tag along on their adventures and share in the anxiety of the little girl when she misplaces her "Plaidypus" (which she does quite often!), and in her joy in finding him again.  
     Our target Comprehension Skill this week will be sequencing, or putting things in order of what happened first, next, and last.  We will also continue to work on distinguishing the characters and setting of a story.  Our Phonics skill this week will be Sound Discrimination.  More specifically, our goal will be to discriminate initial, or beginning, sounds, and identify rhyming words.

Amazing Words:  platypus, around, lost, found, market, groceries


High Frequency Words:  the, little   (Please continue to review "I" and "am", as well!)


Letter Recognition:  Oo, Pp, Qq, Rr, Ss



Thank you to www.goodreads.com for the cover image!