Pam Johnson's Kindergarten Blog

Weekly News - 3/1

weatherby — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:17:46 +0000

This Week’s News:
Our base story this week is called “Five Little Ducks”. Our phonics focus is reviewing Cc, Dd, Ll, Kk, and Oo. We will also be working on comprehension. In math, our study will be 3 dimensional shapes. In Social Studies, we will talk about leaders and Texas symbols. We will start discussing weather in our science curriculum. For writing, we will complete another 4-frame as we extend writing.

Notes and Reminders:
We are really working hard now on writing first names correctly (uppercase, then lowercase letters). We will have to get it ready for first grade. I’ve told the children that it’s a matter of habit now. They just need to think as they write.

Upcoming Events:
You probably saw the flyer that came home in your child’s Thursday folder concerning Sports Day. Because of the growth of our school and enrollment, it will be on 2 different days this year. It will be on Thursday, March 11th for grades K, 1, and 2 and on Friday, March 12th for grades 3, 4, and 5. Watch for more information coming home about this.

Recipe Friday for this week will be “Hail Mix”. It it made with Kix cereal, powdered sugar, and caramel syrup.

Homework:
Our homework assignment this week is writing sentences using some word wall words. Some of the children also really need to work on reading the word wall list. Your child should know many of these by now. We will have spelling tests on some of these over the last nine weeks. We want to be ready for these.

Thanks!

Weekly News - 2/8

weatherby — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:47:46 +0000

This Week’s News:
Our base story this week is called “Fiesta”, and our focus is the letter Ll. We will be working on predicting and main character. Our math study is on fractions, and we will begin with halves and wholes. In science we will be reviewing fish and snails. We will be doing Valentine activities all week long, and we will also read fun Valentine stories. We will be talking about Black History throughout the month.

Notes and Reminders:
Later this week I will be sending out a detailed progress report for your child. I will also send a letter with details about needed conferences. Look for this in your child’s folder later this week.

Upcoming Events:
We look forward to out Valentine’s party this Thursday at 1:30. All parents are invited to attend. Remember that Friday, the 12th and Monday, the 15th will be student holidays. The children will be back on the 16th. We won’t have Recipe Friday this week since we are not in the classroom on Friday.

Homework:
Continue working on those valentine cards. Please bring these to school by Wednesday, Feb 10th. Send them in a ziploc bag so we don’t lose any. Children will pass them out on Thursday morning. Keep reading!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Weekly News - 1/25

weatherby — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:34:30 +0000

This Week’s News:
Our base story this week is a Big Book called “Flower Garden”. Our focus letter is Cc, and we will be working on predicting. In writing we will work on a “Four Frame story” and hope to put these up in the windows to share. We continue our study of comparing whole numbers in math, and we will be discussing problem solving in social studies. In our science study of animals, we will learn about goldfish and guppies.

Notes and Reminders:
I will be scheduling DEAR readers for February soon. If you haven’t been a reader and would like to be on our schedule, please let me know. For recipe Friday we will be using blue jello and gummy fish to make a goldfish pond snack.

Upcoming Events:
Our 100th day is coming up on February 4th. We will do special activities all week long for this, so watch for details in your child’s folder soon. It’s very exciting. Also, our Valentine’s party is coming up on February 11th. I’ll be sending a note home soon on how to address the Valentine cards for classmates.

Homework:
We are working on Word Wall words. By the end of the year, the children need to be able to read, write, and spell these. We will keep adding to the list. Let’s keep up the reading and bring those books back as soon as your child is ready.

Thanks!

Weekly News - 1/5

weatherby — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:17:48 +0000

This Week’s News:
Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were joyous and fun-filled. We begin the new year studying winter and snow in science. Our base story is called “Shoes for Miss Alice”, and our focus will be Gg and asking questions. In math we will be comparing capacity, weight, and temperature which builds on our measurement unit started in December. In Social Studies we will talk about New Year’s traditions, and we will continue to build on details and punctuation in our writing.

Notes and Reminders:
Thanks so much to our room mothers and all who helped with our Holiday party. It was spectacular! The children had so much fun. Look for report cards on Wednesday, and celebrate your child’s progress!

Upcoming Events:
We plan to go to Amy’s Ice Cream this month. Watch for details about this field trip. For Recipe Friday we will make snowmen using ritz crackers, cream cheese, nutella, and raisins. We are hoping to get our chef hats to use for the 2nd semester.

Homework:
Our homework will be working on Word Wall words. This will be due on Monday, January 11th. Let’s also keep reading and bringing back the readers to read to the class.

Thanks!

Weekly News - 12/14

weatherby — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:38:38 +0000

This Week’s News:
Our base story for this week is “Maxi the Taxi Dog”. The focus letter is Hh and we will be talking about characters. In math, we continue with measurement and Science/Social Studies is still working on Winter Holiday Traditions. In writing this week we will be making lists and responding to a story.

Notes and Reminders:
I hope you had a chance to visit the Book Fair. Thanks to all of you that bought books for the classroom. We were thrilled to win best Kindergarten book box! We got $25 to spend on class books!

Upcoming Events:
Out class party will be on Wednesday afternoon from 1:30-2:30. Our room mothers are planning this for us and I know it will be lots of fun. Winter holidays are Friday, Dec. 18 through Monday, Jan 4th. The children return on the 5th.

Homework:
We don’t have any written homework this week. Keep reading over the holidays!

I wish you all the happiest of holidays! I feel blessed to be working with your sweet children!

Weekly News - 12/07

weatherby — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:32:01 +0000

This Week’s News:
Our base story is “Where’s the Fly?” which is a wonderful follow up story for our Social Studies unit on maps. We will be reviewing phonics skills this week. Our math focus will be finishing up numerals 6-10 and comparison with measurement. In Social Studies, we will begin our 2 week study of Holiday Traditions. We will talk about all of the winter holidays and learn about symbols and traditions having to do with these. What a fun time of year it is!
Word Wall Words to know: a, and, blue, but, go, is, I, like, red, see, the, will, have, in, big

Notes and Reminders:
I’ve noticed the folders are getting pretty ragged. We will all get new folders when we return in January! For recipe Friday (on Thursday this week) we will make wreaths using bread, cream cheese, and cinnamon candies.

Homework:
Our homework this week is drawing and writing about a special holiday tradition that your family does this time of year. It will be due back at school by next Monday, Dec 14th. We will not have any written homework for the following week. Let’s keep up with the reading, though. What great readers we have this year!

Upcoming Events:
On Friday, Ariela’s mom will come and talk about Hanukkah and some special things they do at their house. Let me know if you would like to share a tradition before the 17th. We will have our holiday party on the 16th and we will make and bake gingerbread cookies on the 17th.

Thanks!

Weekly News - 11/30

weatherby — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:52:39 +0000

This Week’s News:
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We come back to a wonderful base story, “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse”. Our focus letter is Pp and we will be talking about cause and effect. In science, we will finish our “Ladybugs” study and begin “Holiday Traditions” in Social Studies. Our math focus will be numerals 0-10 and using these numbers. We continue to build on our writing concepts and on putting details in our drawings. We will be reviewing word wall words.

Notes and Reminders:
We have several needs in the classroom: brown paper bags, holiday stickers, and dry erase markers. Thanks if you can help us with any of these! We are fine with snacks and playdoh right now.

Homework:
This week’s homework is a follow-up activity for our Social Studies unit on “Homes”. The children will count certain things at home. This paper is due back by Dec 7th. Continue to read at home and bring back the readers when ready.

Upcoming Events:
Book fair is coming so watch for details about this. It is always so much fun! Our Recipe Friday activity this week is “Bugs on a Log”. We will use celery, peanut butter, and raisins for this. As always, thanks for sending items that I ask for.

Thanks!

Weekly News - 11/10

weatherby — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:12:16 +0000

This Week’s News:
Our base story for this week is “Time To Sleep”, and our focus letter/sound is Nn. We will also be working on being a polite listener, verbs in sentences, and “recall and re-tell”. In science, we begin our study of ladybugs and will have live ladybugs in our science center to observe. We will be revisiting some of the basics in writing and learning about common nouns and proper nouns.

Notes and Reminders:
Next Monday is Mrs. Nichols’ last day with us as a student teacher. She’s done a great job, and we’ve had lots of fun! She will be back at Gullett a lot to sub - and back in our room for DEAR time and when I have to be out. So we will see her a lot! For recipe Friday we will make ladybug snacks using crackers, strawberry cream cheese, and raisins.

Homework:
Continue reading with your child for 15 minutes a night and initialing in the folder. I’m glad the children are enjoying using the readers at home. They are doing a good job reading aloud in class! This weeks’ homework came home in the folder. It covers word wall words and phonics/rhyming skills. It will be due by next Monday, November 16.

Upcoming Events:
The Thanksgiving lunch is on November 19th. The lunch schedule is revised that day - according to the latest schedule, our lunch begins at 11:16 that day. If you did not purchase tickets you can still come and eat with your child and have pumpkin pie!

Thanks!

Gullett Carnival

weatherby — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:00:15 +0000

Parents -

The Gullett carnival, “Globetrotting with the Geckos”, is only a few weeks away. There will be world musicians, international food, an exotic petting zoo, a giant climbing wall, a box maze, putt putt golf, fortune tellers, games of skill, henna artists, origami lessons, the infamous cake walk, Chinese calligraphy, Indian pottery making, a peddle car, a dunking booth to dunk Gullett staff, pony rides, and karaoke, just to name some highlights! Here’s what we need from you:

1. Please let your family and friends know in advance. The success of this fundraiser depends heavily on Gullett parents spreading the word. Here is a flyer that you can put up or give out to friends and family. gullett-carnival-poster.doc

2. Sign up for an hour-long shift to cover a booth or activity for your child’s grade. There are 3 booths per grade. The sign up sheet is posted outside Mrs. Childs’ classroom, and you can sign up directly on there.

3. Purchase carnival tickets. They will be on sale from November 2nd-13th before and after school in front outside and/or in front of the main office. Tickets are 20 for $15 and 40 for $28. Please make checks out to Gullett PTA.

Thanks!

Weekly News - 10/26

weatherby — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:20:05 +0000

This Week’s News:
We are looking forward to a fun-filled week of learning! Our base story this week is a Big Book about farm animals called “No, No, Titus!”. Our focus letter and sound is Aa, and we are also talking about nouns, singular, and plural. In Math we continue our unit on patterns. In Science our focus will continue to be on plants with special emphasis on pumpkins. We will be doing some fun Halloween activities throughout the week. We are working on putting more details in our writing!

Notes and Reminders:
Word wall words for this week are: the and go. For Recipe Friday we will make “spiders” with Ritz crackers, cream cheese, and pretzels. Thanks again for sending the food items when we ask!

Homework:
Continue reading with your child for 15 minutes a night and initialing in the folder. Also, we are going to “ease” into the homework activity this week with everyone doing the page on “Pretty Patterns”. This combines our math units on shapes and patterns. That goes home today and is due back in folders by next Monday, 11/2.

Upcoming Events:
Tomorrow, October 27th, is our wonderful KinderKapers program. It is at 7:45 am and will last about 30 minutes. You can drop your child in the room at 7:30 and meet us in the cafeteria for the program. You will want to get a good seat - Ms. Jeffrey, our music teacher, always does a wonderful job putting this together. You can look forward to it!