Weekly Report

We've buzzed right through another week of Kindergarten, and had lots of fun learning about insects and bugs! Did you know that insects are bugs, but not all bugs are insects? We know that insects have specific characteristics that make them insects!

Look for a note about lunch on Field Day, May 19. Please fill that out and return it if you can. Spring pictures are in binders today, for families that ordered those. 

Please consider signing up to help on Field Day, May 19, especially in the afternoon. (We have two volunteers for our class for the morning, but none for the afternoon.) Coach Luna and Coach Small ask that if you would like to help, please click here to sign up.  Thank you!

It's not too late to sign up to be a zoo chaperone on May 11! Sign up here if you're interested. Thank you all for turning in permission forms! We're all set to go!

On Tuesday, May 2, we will have a special celebration for Mr. Schoenekase, our assistant principal, in honor of his receiving his doctorate. Dr. Parker is asking that we all wear his signature look--a button-down shirt and tie, if we can. (I'm going to try--I know the Peeps will laugh!) 

We've continued reading new books in our reading groups this week, and most of the Peeps have been eager to read with our iPads on the MyON site. We've learned how to search for books, in addition to reading books that are recommended for us. There are LOTS of insect books on MyON, and some of the children love to read the "Garbage Gang" books. If you lose your log-in information for home, and you'd like to have your child use MyON, just type "Long Elementary" in the school section (and be sure it's Lindbergh Schools; there are several Longs). The log-in is 29 and your child's full name. The password is "read." If you have any trouble, email me. I'm happy to help!

May reading logs are in binders--I know that several families were probably planning to reach their reading goal this weekend. That's OK! If you were only off by a few books, I consider that to be "goal met." Thank you for the time you spend reading at home. It definitely shows at school!

Please look in your child's binder today for our latest masterpieces--My Very Hungry Caterpillar (complete with a caterpillar that can eat his/her way through the book). We have worked very hard writing sentences for this book, and following the pattern of using a day of the week and a number for each page. The Peeps are so proud of these books. Please take the time to let your child read his/hers to you. (You'll love seeing their ideas for the food on each page!)

On Thursday, the math chapter for measurement came home. We didn't spend a lot of time this week working in our books--we decided that those pages were WAY TOO EASY for us! We spent most of our math time this week measuring things with cubes, rulers, and our balance. We weighed our shoes, and discovered that some shoes are very light, even though they were bigger than some heavier shoes! We used clay to make snakes to measure. We can explain the difference between the words "length," "width," and "height."

Our beanstalks are growing! The Peeps have been excited to come to school every day to see the progress that those little seeds have made! (I know the feeling, but I feel that way about watching their growth!) We've also been reading and learning about insects. (Have you heard your child sing the song, "Head, Thorax, Abdomen"?) Insects have three body parts--head, thorax, and abdomen. They have compound eyes, antenna, and six legs. Spiders have eight legs and only two body parts. They're arachnids, not insects. During our lessons, we've read fiction insect stories, such as The Giant Jam Sandwich, and non-fiction, like Bugs From A to Z. The Peeps have gotten good at noticing if illustrators draw insects correctly (with the legs coming from the thorax and not the abdomen). We've enjoyed watching A Bug's Life during our rest times this week--it takes all week to watch a movie! Look for our stick bugs today--they look like the picture at the top of this weekly report!

Monday is E Day - Library 
Please remember library books. 

Tuesday is A Day - Art

Wednesday is  B Day - Music

Thursday is C Day - P.E. 
Please have your child wear tennis shoes.

Friday is D Day - P.E.
Please have your child wear tennis shoes.

Click here to view our lunch menu.

Dates to Keep in Mind:

Thursday 5/11: Zoo Field Trip (Wear Peep Shirts)
Friday 5/12: No School (Professional Development Day)
Sunday 5/14: Happy Mother's Day!
Friday 5/19: Field Day (Wear Peep Shirts) AND Long School Night at Grant's Farm
Friday 5/26: Last Day of Kindergarten (Dismissal at 11:50, no lunch will be served)
Wednesday 5/31: Long Day at the Ballpark

Enjoy your weekend!