Weekly Report

We've had so much fun listening to tales of The Turnip this week! We've learned about Habit #6: Synergize. "Synergize" means work together. As we've now finished 30 days of kindergarten, we're learning more and more about how to work together all of the time!

You will find October reading logs in your child's binder today. Please take a moment to set a goal of at least 10-20 books with your child. We're learning how to set a goal and try to reach it! MANY of you met or exceeded your September goals...way to go!! (I'm saving all of your reading log pages in your child's reading workshop folder. The Peeps like to look back at the books they've read and the stickers they've earned!)

During our shared reading lessons, we've read books with sight words this week.  We've noticed the parts that repeat. We can make the words match what we say when we read very beginning level books together. We've enjoyed Spring and Fall, and High and Low.

During our independent reading time, we've been re-reading our "old favorite" storybooks. These are books that can have lots of text on a page, but we know those stories so well that we can retell them and read from our memory! We are learning how to point to the parts where we know exactly how the words go. We've had fun making some new books "old favorites." We LOVE the book We Are Growing by Laurie Keller...it's as exciting as watching grass grow! (That's what it's about!)

As we go through our writing mini lessons each day, there's a new focus. (A mini lesson is supposed to be short...about 5-10 minutes.) At the end of the lesson, I usually say, "You can go back through your older stories and see if you'd like to try this!" In my experience, most children usually start a new story. But not these Peeps! I have never had a class as proud of their work as these children. They go back through their stories carefully, and add new things, and make changes. I am amazed at how they remember what their stories are about! (It's very easy to forget sometimes!) We went through our folders today, sharing our favorite writing pieces. We'll be starting a new unit next week, all about writing personal narratives! I can't wait to see what the children come up with next! Writing Workshop is one of my favorite parts of the day!

I'm cleaning out the folders, but I'm going to make books from these early writings. They are priceless! I can't wait to share them with you during our fall conference time!

"Pull the line down, then go around. The number 6 we have found!" That's the rhyme we learned when we practiced writing number 6. We know how to show six in many different ways. We've learned all about hexagons, too! In addition to writing number 6, we've continued working with sorting, patterning, number words, and color words. The Peeps love to explore manipulatives during our Math Workshop time. We can make hexagons out of trapezoids and triangles, and create and extend patterns. We are also using our practice packs (DVD cases) to practice writing numbers correctly, too! Many of the children can remember all of the number rhymes we've learned!

We've read different versions of The Turnip this week, and had fun acting out the story of the characters working together to pull up an enormous turnip! Today was the last day of September, so we read Big Pumpkin, which is a Halloween variation of the same story. Earlier this week, we read Swimmy, where a little black fish is able to save a school of red fish by teaching them how to swim together and scare the bigger fish. We used a straw to stamp "fish" on a paper, and make a big fish out of them! Synergizing is when we work together!


Monday is A Day - Art

Tuesday is B Day - Music

Wednesday is C Day - P.E./Health Be sure to wear tennis shoes!

Thursday is D Day - Library/Technology Be sure to wear tennis shoes!

Friday is E Day - (Custodian's Day) Library/Technology Remember to put your library book in your backpack! (Mr. Powell is having surgery on Friday, and I'll be out all day with him. Mrs. Barber will be here with the Peeps.)

Click here to view our lunch menu.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

Friday, October 14: Half-Day of School (Record Day for teachers)

Wednesday, October 19: Early Release Day--that means it's Show and Tell Day for the Peeps!

Monday, October 24 and Wednesday, October 26: Parent/Teacher Conferences (more information will be coming home soon)

Sunday, October 30, 4-6 pm: Trunk or Treat

Monday, October 31: Halloween Parade (1:40), Halloween Party (2:00-3:00)

Have a great weekend!