Kindergarten Update

We completed our drawing unit with a fun lesson on using expression from Art for Small Hands and launched our writing workshop.  It is exciting to watch the kids come up with their own ideas and put it on paper.

We will be reading one of my favorite books this week, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.  This story lends itself well to the skill of retelling.  Each student will make a storyboard with a clothespin caterpillar to practice the skill.   Retelling is the foundation of reading comprehension and we will practice it all year with a variety of text.

We have completed Unit 1 in Everyday Math and will be moving on to Unit 2 this week.  Unit 2 introduces 2 dimensional shapes, symmetry, estimation, tricky teens, and number stories.  We will continue to work on counting,  patterning, graphing, and comparing measurements.

We will also be wrapping up our 5 senses unit.  We will be exploring the sense of touch this week and the sense of taste.  It should be fun!

The kindergarten team is planning a field trip to Wolfe’s Neck Farm at the end of October.  More information will follow in upcoming newsletters.

I hope you have a wonderful fall week.  If you should have any questions or concerns please e-mail me at kwetzel@rsu1.org and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Artist use expression.

Classroom Rules

Last week was busy.  We made our hopes and dreams for our kindergarten year and posted them in our classroom for all to see and share.  After brainstorming a long list of classroom rules we were able to whittle them down to four rules that we can all remember.  Our classroom rules are:

Be safe.

Be kind.

Be responsible.

Try your best!

We will be talking about what these rules look like and sound like in our classroom this week.  Please take a moment to talk with your child about these rules.

Tomorrow is Picture Day.  We are scheduled to have our photos taken in the morning.  If you haven’t sent in your photo order please send it with your child tomorrow.

We have been slowly working toward developing a classroom schedule.  Our day always starts with morning work.  This is a quiet time when students work on a skill we have been learning in class.  It is also a time where I can work with individual students or small groups to bolster their skills.  At 8:45 a.m. we gather on the rug for a morning meeting.  It is a fun way to start our day and take a moment to greet each other.  This week I will be introducing writing workshop and we will start learning about literacy stations.  We always have a break midmorning for a snack and recess.

After lunch we have a special and then math.  Late afternoons we have time for social studies/science and then choice time or a recess depending upon the weather.

Our Hopes and Dreams for Kindergarten

Our First Week

We had a great start to the year.   For the past four days we have been learning routines and procedures that will support our learning for the rest of the school year.  We have learned where to store our backpacks, how to use a special signal when we need to use the bathroom, sit “criss-cross applesauce”, and to raise our hand when we want to speak.  We have learned how to walk down the hallway in a quiet, safe line and how to navigate the cafeteria.

We have started the process of creating our classroom rules.  We have discussed and created a list of things we think we will learn this year.  The next step is for each child to decide their hope and dream for their kindergarten year.  Then we will be ready to develop our classroom rules as a team.  I will keep you posted.

Next week will be a full 5-day week.  A good night’s sleep is vital for your kindergartner.  Experts say that 5-year-olds need 10 to 12 hours of sleep every night.

If you are interested in volunteering in the classroom or attending a field trip, please turn in the Volunteer Form as soon as possible.  The form takes a few weeks to process and the sooner you submit the form, the better.

The Dike Newell School Open House is scheduled for next Wednesday, September 10 from 6 to 7 PM.  Come join us.  It is great opportunity for your child to show off the school.  I am looking forward to seeing everyone.

Hooray! The First Day!

Your child had a very busy day today!  We spent a lot of time learning new routines, meeting new friends and many teachers/staff.  This adds up to a lot of listening

We sang songs and read a few books.  We started our first unit in Everyday Math and learned how to do our daily calendar.  In between we had snack, lunch, and recess, all the while learning how to do those things.

Over the next few weeks we will be building a classroom schedule and learning routines to help our day move smoothly.  We will also be developing our classroom rules for behavior and learning how to be part of a learning community.  This all takes time and practice.

Our specials schedule is as follows:
Monday:  Library
Tuesday:  Art
Wednesday:  Music
Thursday:  Library
Friday:  Physical Education
Please get into the routine of packing your child’s library book on Thursday and wearing sneakers on Friday.

Important Note:  Our classroom is a peanut and tree nut free zone.  For the health and safety of all our students do not send your child with a snack containing or processed in a facility that contains peanuts and/or tree nuts.  Check all labels.  Healthy alternatives are fruits and veggies.