Wonderful Wednesday!

What a terrific day!  In the AM class, we started our day with a Royal Reader!  In the PM class we started our day with Play-Doh!  Then we interviewed our Happy Camper of the Day, did our campers name book and completed our Daily News!  Then, we did Calendar!  Can you believe we are already on the 26th day of school today!  We counted up from 1 to 26 and down from 26 to 1!  Then we read a non-fiction article called "Night Animals," all about animals that are awake while we are asleep!  We also learned that warm blooded animals are called mammals, and that mammals have hair and fur!  We had a short recess out in the beautiful sunshine today!  After recess, we had reading groups, working more on our letter of the week, Aa.  A says /a/, as in apple.  We are also reviewing last weeks letter Mm says /m/, as in muffin.  Please play a little seeking game at home where you are trying to find all the things around your house that start with the /m/ sound and the /a/ sound!  Also, in reading groups we read the story "Wet Dog," worked on writing our sight word "the" and the letter Aa.

Our math lesson today was all about the number 9.  To write the number 9, we "Make a loop and a down line, that's the way to make the number 9!"  On our math page, we worked on counting to 9 in different ways, following directions and writing the number 9.  Both classes were able to have a few minutes of Free Choice time at the end of the day!

Reminders:
1) Tomorrow is the Take Home Book Exchange:

Options for a reading the Take Home Book Exchange on Thursday:
1. If your child needs more practice with this book, return the book in the envelope so I can check off  that you have that book.
2. If the book was at an appropriate level of difficulty, but you are done with this book write on a sticky note: New Book
3. If your child could read this book in the first sitting and they know all the words, write on a sticky note: New Level.
**If a book doesn't have a sticky note, it doesn't get exchanged, just checked off.

2) Students should continue working on their homework packets. Remember, we don't expect your child to be reading and spelling everything correctly. Please just provide them a quiet spot and read the sentence prompt to them. If they ask how to spell something, just say..."use your best guess spelling! You can do it!" 

Here are some rules for you that will be very hard to stick to during writing homework:

#1- Do not spell anything for them,
#2 Do not write anything for them,
#3 Do not tell them they wrote something incorrectly. 
You literally smile and say good job!  I am so proud of you!  That is perfect!

3) Make sure your kiddo reads their take home book at least twice to you. Remember, it's very normal and developmentally appropriate for kiddos to use picture clues. Please do not cover the pictures in your child's book.  Students should be using their "Magic Pointer Finger" while reading, even if they need your help reading the book.  This helps students to develop their concepts of print and really helps us as we get further along in reading!

4) Remember to have a few minutes of flash card practice at home daily.  Daily practice for just a few minutes is better than one big chunk at once.  Pick one thing to have your child work on, start with a few cards and gradually add more as they learn them.  You do not want to overwhelm them in the first sitting.  For example, if they do not know all their letters, go through and pull out the ones that they know without any prompting from you, then add one or two more that you want to teach them.  FYI: studies show that B and D need to be introduced separately, students need to be solid on one, before you even think about adding the other.

Have a great night!
~Love,
Mrs. Wittwer  

Tuesday!

Terrific Tuesday!  We had such a great day today!  We started with math and worked on counting up to 8 in different ways, how to use a math counting pathway.  Then we interviewed our Happy Camper of the Day (AM= Aiden) (PM=Hollyn).  We did the Daily News, our camper's name book, and Calendar.  We had a nice short recess outside.  During reading groups today, we worked on blending sounds together, reviewed last weeks letter Mm and this weeks letter, Aa.  Our sight word for this week is "the."  We also learned the sight word "am" today! We finished up with writing something special for Donuts with Dads day, next Thursday!

Just a reminder: Please remember to use those sight word flash cards, number cards, and letter cards on a weekly basis.  If you child doesn't know all their letters, please start with teaching them their letters, then work on the sounds those letters make, then work on sight words.  In the Open House folder, we gave you all the flash cards you need.  Also, in the stapled packet, there is a special page that has all the sounds the letters make and the way we want students to say the sounds.  This might sound easy, but please read this page first to make sure you know the way we would like them to say the sound.  Thank you!!  Our goal is for students to have mastered their Magic 5 by the end of April!  For your child to master the Magic 5, they need to:

1) Read all their letters (capital and lowercase)
2) Know all the sounds the letters make
3) Read all 31 sight words
4) Read all the numbers from 0 to 31
5) Count to 100 without any errors

Thank you ahead of time for practicing this at home with your child!  When you think your child is ready to test for a specific area of the Magic 5, send me an email and I will try to get to it that week!

Have a great evening!
~Love,
Mrs. Wittwer

Monday!

What a wonderful Monday we had today!  We started out by finishing our writing from last week.

FYI: With our writing, we are working on writing our name and date on the paper, drawing a picture of what we did in our story, labeling all the parts of our story and writing our sentence the best we can.   We are working on listening for all the sounds in the word, this is phonetic spelling, which means words are probably not going to be spelled correctly and that IS what we want at this point!  I have attached the same alphabet chart that we use in class, so your child can get used to looking for the picture for the initial sound.   Please do not help them spell the word, ask them to sound it out, you may help them at the beginning of stretching it out long so they can hear the sounds (snake= ssssnnnnaaaaaakkkkkkeee), then transfer the responsibility to them to sound it out.  This is one thing you do NOT want to do on a regular basis for your child, because then they are relying on you to sound out a word.  They must be able to do this on their own!  You could use this chart to help with writing homework sentences as well.

 Please note, I love this chart, but the only letter that doesn't start with the correct sound on this chart is the Xx, Xylophone doesn't start with the Xx sound.  We talked about how it should be an X-ray there instead.

After writing, we played with Play-Doh for a few minutes.  Then we interviewed our Camp Ranger of the Day, did Calendar, the Daily News, and wrote the campers name for their Name Book.  We then had a short recess.  After recess, we worked on counting to the number eight with objects in a tens frame, tall like a tower and long like a train.  We worked on how 5 and 3 make 8, then we completed our math page where we are creating 8 several ways with 5 and 3.  After math, we read "The Picnic at Apple Park," where several families went and had a picnic at Apple Park, they flew kites, played baseball, ate their picnic, their dogs found a skunk and then it rained on them, so it was time to go home.  The PM class also had Library today!

Reminders:
1) Tonight Homework is coming home in backpacks along with the Take Home Book!  Students should work on their homework packet.  Please just provide them a quiet spot and read the sentence prompt to them. If they ask how to spell something, just say..."use your best guess spelling! You can do it!" Please note that our building policy is to only give between 5-8 minutes of homework per day in kindergarten (that includes writing their sentence, three math problems, and reading their take home book). If you would like to give your child extra work, that's up to you. If you have questions regarding your child's homework and/or our homework policy, please email me.    

Here are some rules for you that will be very hard to stick to during writing homework:#1- Do not spell anything for them,#2 Do not write anything for them,#3 Do not tell them they wrote something incorrectly. You literally smile and say good job!  I am so proud of you!  That is perfect!  

2) Take Home books also came home today, so be sure to help your child point with their magic pointer finger to all the words as they are reading!  Remember you can help guide them and help them read the first time if needed, but they are pointing to the words. 

3) Donuts with Dad is October 22nd from 8-9am for AM and PM classes. Dads DO need to stay with students until 9am. There is not an early drop off.

4) Tonight is the second PTO meeting at 6:30!  If you can make it that would be great!

5) Just a reminder that the PTO and school calendars are linked on the side of the blog. All upcoming events are posted there and is a great resource.  You can click Here to see the PTO website!

Have a great evening!

~Love, 

Mrs. Wittwer

Wednesday News!

We had a great day in Camp Kindergarten!

We started our day with learning how to write the numbers 6 & 7.  Then we interviewed our Happy Camper interview and completed their name book. After Calendar and Daily News, we started math.  In math today, we were working on Counting 4–6 objects in circular and scattered configurations, counting 6 items out of a larger set and writing numerals 1–6 in order.  After math, we were able to go outside for a short recess. It wasn't the best weather, but at least we got outside, :) We then came in and did reading groups, where the kiddos worked on the /m/ sound, reading, sight words, and listening to the story "Goldi Rocks." We ended our day together with a read non-fiction read aloud called, Who's Baby Am I?, about baby animals and their adults.  We learned the names of many baby animals today!

Important Information:

1. NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9TH!

2. Homework is due tomorrow. Please make sure your child's homework is completed and in their homework folder. 

3. Take Home Books are due tomorrow. 

*If your child needs more practice with their book, return the book in their plastic envelope/bag so I can check off  that you have that book. 

* If the book was at an appropriate level of difficulty, but you are done with this book write on a sticky note: New Book 

*If your child could read this book in the first sitting and they know all the words, write on a sticky note: New Level.

**If a book doesn't have a sticky note, it doesn't get exchanged, just checked off.**

4. Library books are due tomorrow!

5. All book orders are due tomorrow, whether online or paper version!

6. Donuts with Dad is October 22nd from 8-9am. Dads DO need to stay with students until 9am. There is not an early drop off.

Have a great night!

~Love, 

Mrs. Wittwer

Terrific Tuesday!

We had an awesome day today!  We started our with our online computer District Assessment.  For this, students each had their own computer and headphones.  The program talks them through a series of questions, where students test their reading knowledge.  After this long assessment, students then got to play on the Starfall website, which they loved!  After that, they learned how to carefully hold and put away their computers!  We went out for a nice recess.  Then we interviewed our Happy Camper of the day, did the Daily News, and wrote their name for their name book!  Then we did calendar, working on our new sight word of the week, we!  Then we worked on our new letter of the week Mm!  We talked about a lot of things that start with the Mm sound.  Please look around your house and play game finding all the things you can that start with the Mm sound!  Then we did our math, counting objects and writing the number of objects we counted.  Then we finished, with Free Choice time!

Remember: Homework Folders, Take Home books are due on Thursday this week because of our shortened week.

PM students Library books are due either Thursday or Monday.

AM students Library books are due next Thursday (the 15th)!

Have a great night!
~Love,
Mrs. Wittwer

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday!

We started our day celebrating our Happy Campers and making their name books. We then did our calendar and message routine, where the kiddos worked on reading, counting, days of the week, months of the year, graphing, and place value. After calendar, we went outside for a glorious recess. The weather was perfect and the kiddos loved running and playing! We then came in and did our Daily News. After Daily News, we a read a book all about the letter Mm, guessed what was in my Alphabet Can, and did a picture guess - all about the letter Mm. Finally, we did a math lesson where kiddos counted 4-6 objects in vertical and horizontal linear configurations and arrays. 

The PM class had library today, too.

  

Important Information:

1. Homework folders went home today. Please have your child do their Monday name and sentence.  

Again, here are the "very hard to follow homework rules:"

#1- Do not spell anything for them,
#2 Do not write anything for them,
#3 Do not tell them they wrote something incorrectly.
You literally smile and say good job!  I am so proud of you!  That is perfect! 

2.  Take Home Books came home today! Make sure your kiddo reads their take home book at least once to you. Remember, it's very normal and developmentally appropriate for kiddos to use picture clues. Please do not cover the pictures in your child's book.

3. If you have not yet put the yellow transportation tag on your child's backpack, please do that tonight. It so helpful and important that we know how your child will be getting home.   

4. If you haven't turned in all your school forms, please do so asap! Thanks! 

5. Reading Group have been canceled for tomorrow due to assessments. Reading groups will start back up on Wednesday.

Thursday!

Hello Parents, 

Today was a super fun packed day!  We started with introducing our letters of the day, Uu and Vv.  Then we practiced writing our first letter of the day, Uu!  After writing Uu, we interviewed our Camp Ranger of the day, Gwyneth (AM) and Nimrut (PM).  Then we did calendar, our Daily News and wrote the Camp Rangers name for their book.  We enjoyed a short recess, then we had our reading groups, where kiddos worked on sight words, letter ID, letter sounds, reading, writing, math, and listening to "If You Give A Pig A Pancake." When writing we have been discussing and really focusing on the different types of letters we made (chicken, giraffe, and monkey). 

We started our first art project with our Art-a-Baloo parents. We will finish the project tomorrow.  Then we played a math game called "Mix and Fix," each student had a set of cards numbered 1-5, then turned them face down, mixed them up, then on the count of 3, they had to flip them over and "Fix" them (put them in order).  Then we worked on hidden partners and writing the number sentences that go with it.   

Important Information:

1. Homework folders are due tomorrow. Inside the folders, on the right back to school side, should be your child's completed homework. Also, if you haven't yet taken out the red/blue open house folder you were given, please do so. It gets a bit confusing for the kiddos if they have two folders in their backpack. :) 

2. Library books are due tomorrow.  Some students have turned their library books in already.  If it was in their backpack and now it isn't, that means they turned it in!  :)

3. We have music and P.E. tomorrow. Please make sure your child is wearing appropriate shoes. 

4. AM KINDERS have library tomorrow. PM KINDERS have library on Monday. 

5. Please continue to help your child sell cookie dough. Remember, if your kiddo sells or receives donations, to fill out the white coupon and send it in. They will get a minion key chain for every 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 tubs they sell/donations they receive. We were told kiddos can actually return their cookie packets on Monday (10/5), so they can keep selling over the weekend. :)  I was out of the Minion keychains today, so students will get their key chains tomorrow!  Sorry for the day delay!  

6. If you have not yet put the yellow transportation tag on your child's backpack, please do that tonight. It so helpful and important that we know how your child will be getting home.   

7. If you haven't turned in all your school forms, please do so asap! Remember, the office actually needs you to fill out the WSP form in the office. They will also need a copy of your license when you turn in the form. This must be filled out before you can volunteer in the classroom. If you have questions, please let me know!

8. Book Orders: You can send in money and the order form, or you can order online!  For every purchase online we get a book in our classroom, it is also very easy and hassle free!  If you want to order online here is our classroom code: HGCGT

Have a great evening!

~Love,
Mrs. Wittwer