Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Happy Birthday Megan!

BLUE DAY!!


Today Mr. Fung read a story in honor of Megan's Birthday


We also had our first Blue Day Assembly, Annette was recognized for demonstarting this month's lifeskill: RESPECT. Also, our class was recognized for walking the most laps of all Kindergarten classes! CONGRATULATIONS to those who participated.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Newsletter: Week 5

Friday, September 25, 2009
Miss Wagenaar
Reminders/Notices:
•I will not be at school on Monday, September 28th. Mrs. Fitzgerald will be here with the students and I will return on Tuesday.
•Thank you to the families who have returned their Goal Setting Conference scheduling forms. I look forward to having an opportunity to meet with each of you to discuss your children and answer questions about an overview of our school year.
•Water bottles that the students received for the Walk-A-Thon are a gift from Laurelwood’s “Go Green” team. Students are encouraged to use these water bottles and home and school. Students who choose to bring these bottles to school can store them inside the classroom throughout the day but are asked to take them home at the conclusion of each day to wash/refill.
•Reading Logs for August/September should be returned as the month draws to a close. New reading logs, to be used for October will be sent home in Thursday folders.
•The PTA is holding a fundraiser on Wednesday, September 30th at Sweet Tomatoes. See flyer in Thursday folders for more information.
•Next Wednesday is our first “Blue Day”. It is tradition that all students wear Blue spirit wear on that day to show school unity. This year, walk-a-thon t-shirts were printed on blue to give more students an opportunity to participate.

This Week:
In Writer’s Workshop this week we told our Falling Down stories orally to a partner, then put those stories into writing using pictures and words. We also drew and labeled pictures of our families, it was great to get to know the members of your family.
In Reader’s Workshop time, we learned home to read with a Partner. Students practiced holding the book between them and taking turns turning pages and ‘reading’ the stories.
We dove into more sorting activities using Attribute Blocks from our new math adoption. The children have discovered that the blocks can be sorted in different ways: by shape, color, and size.
Our animal family grew this week as we introduced two new guppies, to use in comparing out goldfish to. We have one male and one female (named Coraline and Sam). Students made observations and learned how to tell the two guppies apart.
Using our hands and fingers for stamping, we created an apple tree to lead into our unit on Apples which will continue next week.
We read Dr. Seuss’s Ten Apples Up on Top and created our own classroom version where each child created a drawing of themselves with apples on their head.
We began introducing some vocal music in the classroom, learning the “Hello Song”. This song allows the students to practice saying hello in a variety of languages. Some of the favorites are Spanish (hola), French (bonjour), Korean (ahn nyeong), Chinese (ni hoa), Japanese (konnichi wa), Hindi (namaste), Hawaiian (aloha), German (guten tag), and Pirate (ahoy).
We watched a presentation about Bus Safety featuring a large remote controlled bus named Buster. After students watched a video and listened to a presentation about rules on a bus they practice evacuating a bus out a side exit.
This week we worked for several days on our banner for the Walk-A-Thon. Kindergarten classes were assigned pigs to portray. We did a directed drawing where each student drew and colored a pig. We then finger-painted a large mud puddle as a class and glued on our pigs.
We walked a lap at the Walk-A-Thon with our buddies from Mr. Wichmann’s class.

Next Week:
We will continue studying apples. Johnny Appleseed’s birthday is on September 26th, so we will be talking about him as an example of people in history who were good citizens. We will be using the theme of apples over the next two weeks across many of our curriculum areas.
We will be concluding our study of goldfish and guppies and begin comparing another set of animals: land snails and sea snails.
We will be using the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See to jump into more math and literacy activities.
After sorting, tasting, and graphing the apples that you have brought in, we will use them to make apple muffins.

Questions to ask your child
1.How can you tell which guppy is a girl/boy? (girl: larger belly, boy: large, colorful tail)
2.What did you write about for your Falling Down story?
3.How did you sort your attribute blocks? (either by color, shape or size)
4.How many times can you ride the trikes around the track before you need to give someone else a turn? 3
5.Ask you child to sing you the “Hello Song”; If they don’t remember the tune ask them what other ways they know how to say hello.

A few items needed
I have received several donations for sorting containers, I am still looking for the following items, please send any that you can spare, even if it’s just a couple: Bread tags, Old keys and Buttons. ESPECIALLY BUTTONS!!

Walk-A-Thon


Today we had our Bus Evacuation presentation and practice. We also wrote our Falling Down stories in Writers Workshop. This afternoon we did an opening lap together with our buddies for the Walk-A-Thon. I hope you all had an opportunity to go check out this great event!!


(I am currently sitting in SFO, waiting to board my flight to Chicago. I plan on writing the newsletter in flight and I will send/post it as soon as I have internet in Chicago! - Thanks for the understanding)

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Steven and Shannon Visit!

Today we told a partner our Falling Down story. We also used our new math curriculum to explore things that are the same and different. We also applied this when we met the guppies in our classroom. We names them Coraline and Sam, we have one male and one female. This afternoon a couple of my high school friends (Shannon and Steven) were visiting the bay area and helped us do art in our classroom! We used our hands and fingers to make apple trees.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Book Orders are here!

Book orders are in! They are sorted and will be sent home tomorrow with Thursday folders. Thanks to the great response, we were able to get the following books for our classroom:


In class, we've been working on procedures for Readers and Writers Workshop and today drew (and labeled) our families. We also drew, colored, and painted to prepare our poster for Friday's Walk-A-Thon. We will finish this project tomorrow.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Color Weeks

We've wrapped up our color weeks. The children (and staff) had so much fun dressing up in our daily colors. Please enjoy these colorful photos

Friday, September 18, 2009

Newsletter: Week 4

Friday, September 18, 2009
Miss Wagenaar
Reminders/Notices:
•Please send an apple of any shape, size, or color to school with your child by Thursday, September 24th. We will be studying apples next week, we will use those apples to sort, graph, and taste.
•There is no school for students on Monday September 21st.
•Next Friday is our Annual Walk-A-Thon and Silent Auction. Please ensure that your child’s permission slip has been turned in if they will be participating after school. The Silent Auction is our PTA’s main fundraiser, helping to provide money for school-wide field trips. Miss Casellini and myself offer a pizza/movie date for the two top bidders. Please check it out, and bid if you are interested!
•I have sent out notifications with date and time of your Goal Setting Conferences. Please return the bottom half (or email) indicating your availability during your scheduled time. I look forward to having an opportunity to meet with each of you to discuss your children and answer questions about an overview of our school year.
•Parent Volunteers will be invited into our classroom beginning this week. If you are a regular, weekly scheduled volunteer please make sure that you check in through the office and put on your badge before entering campus. I look forward to having parents join our classroom community and thank you for your willingness to help. We still do not have a volunteer for Computer Lab, so please let me know if anyone is available for Tuesday from 12:50-1:20.
•I have sent home our classroom Roster. Please check it over and inform me of any errors or changes so that I can update everyone else.

This Week:
Citizenship Award Winner: Lindsay Padden (congratulations Lindsay!!)
In Writer’s Workshop this week we generated a list of “What Writers Write About”, decorated covers for our sourcebooks and began preparing our alphabet charts that will be used as we begin to spell things phonetically.
We continued to focus on routines and procedures in Reader’s Workshop this week. We practiced Private Reading and practiced reading the pictures (which I encourage for our class of emerging readers)
Students have begun sorting for Math, using our sorting bags – which contain a variety of objects from batteries to shells and beads.
We jumped into our Foss Science unit about animals by two. I introduced our four goldfish and we named them: Roxie, Rosie, Goldie and Sharkie.
In Social Studies we continued to talk about Rules, focusing especially on sharing and taking turns.
This week’s pocket chart was “I Am a Pirate” a book that coordinates color with items of clothing that a pirate is wearing. After practicing all week, the children got their own “I Am a Pirate” to color correspondingly.
We met our 3rd grade reading buddies from Mr. Wichmann’s class. Together the students completed a questionnaire to learn about each other.
We celebrated International Talk Like a Pirate Day by eating Pirates Booty, making pirate hats, and learning phrases like “Ahoy”, “Walk the Plank” and “Shiver Me Timbers”!

Next Week:
We will be studying apples. Johnny Appleseed’s birthday is on September 26th, so we will be talking about him as an example of people in history who were good citizens. We will be using the theme of apples over the next two weeks across many of our curriculum areas.
We will continue our study of animals, introducing guppies to compare with our goldfish.
We will be doing Reader’s and Writer’s Workshops next week. In Reader’s workshop we will introduce procedures for Partner Reading. In Writer’s Workshop students will be prompted to write a story about a time that they fell down or got injured (I choose this as a first topic since everyone – myself included – has a memorable story about sustaining an injury).

Questions to ask your child
1.What parts do a fish have? (fins, gills, eyes, mouth, tail)
2.Brainstorm a “falling down” story with your child. Ask them to tell the story to you, including details. This will prepare them to share their story in class, both orally and in picture/words.
3.Can you show me the front cover, back cover, and spine of the book?
4.Can you sort these items for me?

A few items needed
I am looking to grow our sorting bags in my classroom. If you have any of the following items laying around your house that you would donate to our classroom, please send in with your child. I would greatly appreciate any donations.

Bread tags
Shells
Old keys
Container lids
Tile pieces
Beads
Buttons
Corks
Shaped erasers
Metal washers from screws

Black Day


This morning at our citizenship gathering, Lindsay was recognized for excellent citizenship. We celebrated International Talk Like a Pirate Day. We started with completing our "I Am a Pirate" Book that we've been reading all week in the pocket chart. After eating Pirate's Booty for snack, we made our pirate hats and wrote our Pirate names on them. During Friday Funday this week, Ms. Stryker's class joined us.
Star of the Day: Alexis

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Brown Day


This morning we colored our own personal Alphabet Charts to use as a tool for Writers Workshop. We reviewed procedures for Private Reading, including putting our Backs to the Box and using the voice in our head. We graphed our favorite colors and made observations about our graph (The most children liked Blue, and no children chose Black or White as their favorite). We wrote a letter to Mr. Wichmann's class, thanking them for a wonderful day and expressing our excitement to see them again.
Star of the Day: Jesse

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

You've Got a Friend in Me

Meeting our 3rd Grade Buddies from Mr. Wichmann's class :)

Pink Day


Today we decorated the cover of our Sourcebook with icons that will prompt ideas for future writing (using our list of What Writers Write About to inspire). We read A Fish Out of Water and talked about caring for goldfish. We fed our goldfish and observed their behavior. In P.E. we learned a tag game called Stuck in the Mud. In this game, students who are tagged can be un-frozen by having a classmate tag between their spread legs. We also met our 3rd grade buddies from Mr. Wichmann's class and filled out a interest sheet with them.
Star of the Day: Annette

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Purple Day


We created a chart "What Writers Write About" to give us some ideas as we jump into daily Writer's Workshop. We completed a leaflet in Social Studies titled "Why do we follow rules?". In Reader's Workshop we practiced reading the pictures, since many children are not yet able to read the words. We flipped through the book and told the story by making observations about the pictures.
Star of the Day: Paul

Monday, September 14, 2009

Blue Day


Today we met some friends that we will keep in our classroom to use as part of our Science Unit. We now will learn about and care for four goldfish, which we named: Rosie, Sharkie, Goldie, and Roxie. Please feel free to come into the classroom before or after school and let your children introduce you.
Star of the Day: Lindsay

Friday, September 11, 2009

Newsletter: Week 3

Friday, September 11, 2009
Miss Wagenaar
Reminders/Notices:
• Morning Greeters: If you are interested, there are two orange vests available in the morning for parents to put on and help patrol our Kindergarten Gates. If you arrive and still see vests on the fence, grab a vest and help us in the yard.
•Next week we will be continuing Color Week, the order is as follows Monday-Blue, Tuesday-Purple, Wednesday-Pink, Thursday-Brown, and Friday-Black (International Talk Like A Pirate Day).
• Please submit Roster Information (red form from Thursday folder or submit electronically) as soon as possible. I am aiming to send out a roster next week.
•Parent Volunteer schedule has been sent out. If there are any changes that need to be made, please notify me. We will start inviting parents into our class the week of September 21st. I will also send out an updated final schedule next week.

This Week:
This week we read several of Marcus Pfister’s books, including The Rainbow Fish and Rainbow Fish to the Rescue. We did a directed draw of a fish, and students used watercolors to paint them in a variety of colors. They look amazing! We also worked together as a class to retell the story, including the most important plot details. Our pocket chart that we practiced this week was “Orange is a Carrot”. We worked on a color book each morning as we came into the classroom by gluing the color words onto construction paper of the same color. We began Readers and Writers Workshop. We talked about procedures for Readers Workshop and how to gather our mind and eyes to get ourselves ready to read. In social studies, we talked about rules and why we have and follow them. We created a list of guidelines for ways to stay happy in room 4. In Math we practiced sorting objects, including linking cubes, kids, and rainbow goldfish. We focused on the letter Ss, writing it and practicing the sound that it makes.

Next Week:
We will continue working on our procedures for Readers and Writers Workshop. We will continue talking about rules and citizenship in Social Studies. We are going to be starting our Foss Unit: Animals by Two, introducing goldfish and guppies. We will continue sorting, focusing on using different features to sort (color, size, shape, etc). On Friday we will be celebrating International Talk Like a Pirate Day, we will be focusing on incorporating colors that we’ve learned about throughout the color weeks into a book called “I Am a Pirate”. Next week we will have our first Citizenship Assembly, recognizing a member of our class who is demonstrating exceptional citizenship.

Questions to ask your child:
1.Ask your child to tell you the story of Rainbow Fish.
2.Have your child show you what their mouth looks like when they make the sound of the letter s. (teeth together, sounds like a hissing snake.)
3.Ask your child the name of at least one friend in their class or another.

Green Day


Today we read the book Fireboat which led to a conversation about the events of September 11th. The focus of the conversation was more about the heros who stepped up to be of service, and not so much on the loss of lives. We practiced choosing books and procedures for reading during Readers Workshop. For math, we sorted and recorded the colored goldfish.
Star of the Day: Darpan

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Yellow Day


We practiced Readers and Writers Workshop procedures for gathering our eyes and minds to prepare for minilessons. We started social studies, watching a DVD about Rules and coming up with our own list of "Ways to Stay Happy in Room 4".
Star of the Day: Miyu

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Orange Day


Today we reread The Rainbow Fish then the students retold the story in their own words. We painted the fish that were drawn yesterday with watercolors. In P.E. we did a warm-up with big steps, small steps, skipping, running, and jumping. Then the students used those locomotive skills in a game of Duck Duck Goose.
Star of the Day: Lennox

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Red Day


Today we read "Llama Llama Red Pajama" and "Red is Best" to celebrate the start of color week. We also reread "Rainbow Fish" and did a directed draw of our own fish. Our new pocket chart this week is "Orange is a Carrot". We tried to watch a piece of President Obama's speech, but internet traffic didn't allow for live streaming.
Star of the Day: Arul

Monday, September 7, 2009

Run Run as Fast as You Can

Photos from cooking, chasing, decorating, and eating our Gingerbread!

Friday, September 4, 2009

Newsletter: Week 2

Room 4 News
Friday, September 4, 2009
Miss Wagenaar

Reminders/Notices:
•Beginning this week, we will be having P.E. on Wednesdays with Miss Casellini’s class. Please send your child to school with tennis shoes or sneakers, appropriate for physical activity. Thank you!
•We are also looking for Morning Greeters for our Kindergarten Gate, this would require you to be at the Kinder Gate from 7:55-8:15 helping to facilitate drop off. If you are interested please let me know and I can talk to you more about specific scheduling.
•Reminder, there is no school on Monday due to the Labor Day holiday. Enjoy your day!
•Next week begins Color Week, the order is as follows Tuesday-Red, Wednesday-Orange, Thursday-Yellow, and Friday-Green.
•I am still working on completing a volunteer schedule. I will send out a tentative schedule later this weekend, however we will not be inviting volunteers to join us in the classroom for a couple of weeks (until we have a little more practice with our routines and procedures-we’ll play it by ear)

This Week:
We also spent this week focusing on our routines and procedures. We read the book “No, No Bono” and reviewed classroom rules, using a misbehaving monkey as a model. We learned how to say hello in Japanese (konnichi wa), Hindi (Namaste), Hawaiian (aloha), Korean (ahn nyeong) and Pirate (ahoy). We read several versions of the gingerbread man story this week, including but not limited to: The Gingerbread Cowboy by Janet Squires, Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett, The Gingerbread Man by Karen Schmidt, The Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth, The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone, The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst. We made Gingerbread dough, rolled, cut, and baked the cookies. We went on a Gingerbread Hunt with stops at the office, staff room, computer lab, and library. Then we decorated and ate our Gingerbread people. We focused on the letter Mm, writing it, practicing the sound that it makes, and finding it in our own Mm book.

Next Week:
We will be adding more routines into our day. We will be learning routines for our Readers Workshop. We are going to be celebrating Color Week – using literacy activities to reinforce color words. We will be focusing on Rules and citizenship in Social Studies and will start sorting in Math.

Questions to ask your child:
1.Ask your child what animal ate the Gingerbread Boy in our stories. (fox)
2.Have your child show you what their mouth looks like when they make the sound of the letter m. (their lips should be closed.)
3.Ask your child what their favorite thing to do is during Choice Time.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Welcome Kindergarteners!

Star of the Day: Megan
Today we had a Welcome Assembly in tha Cafeteria with Mrs. Paolinetti. She talked about school rules, recess procedures, and assembly behavior. We did a wipe-off name tracing activity. We read and the children began to color their own copy of "No No Bono" about a monkey who is learning how to behave at school. We inserted our own names into the rhyme "Run Run as fast as you can. You can't catch me I'm ________." We ended our day learning to write our letter of the week: m.