September 26-30

Wow! I can't believe it is the last week in September already! These kiddos have already learned so much about the workings of a Kindergarten classroom. I can't wait to watch them continue to grow!

Few reminders:

• Please remember to send in school fees if you have not yet done so.
• If you plan on participating in field trips or volunteer opportunities this year, you can fill out a background check now! Background checks take 2-3 weeks to be processed. These forms are valid for 5 years. Let me know if you would like me to send one home.

Future Family Night invites and RSVPs will be sent via email with a link to a google form.
On October 18th, we will host Grandparents, Goodies and Games from 6:00-7:00PM.  Please RSVP using this link.  Please only respond once per family.


Below is the link to our parent survey. Please let us know what your talents and interests are!

• https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F2KHTQN

Upcoming events:
9/28: Homecoming Parade

• If you and your child would like to walk behind the New Directions banner in the parade, meet at Tanner at 5:45. Children must be accompanied by an adult!

10/18: Grandparents, Goodies, and Games Family Night
10/19:Field Trip to Heckrodt Nature Preserve and Kaukauna Fire Dept

 Reading: This week in Reader’s Workshop, the students are working on retelling and saying more and more of the story. We will also learn to use connecting words, such as then, after, and, & later, to tell the story. Students will focus on words and lines that are repeated by characters in our story so that we can use the exact same words when we retell the books. Towards the end of the week, we will focus on pointing to words in the book that we can read already. This will set students up for the more conventional reading that is coming soon!

Writing: Our writing shifts from writing informational stories to writing true life stories this week. On Monday, we will use a checklist to make sure our informational writing had everything it needs! Later in the week, students will be introduced to narrative, or true story, by first writing a class story together and then trying to write one independently. Students will do an on demand writing. That means, the students will have the entire writing block to write a true story without my coaching. This allows me to see what they are already doing as writers and figure out what they need to push their writing forward! I am excited to read some of their true stories!

Math: Students will rotate through 4 math centers after a minilesson each day. The minilessons will focus on adding/subtracting, writing numbers 1-5, and comparing numbers 1-10, and shapes. There are four new centers this week:
1. We have been reading Anno’s Counting Book in math to focus on numbers 1-10 and count the number of items on each page. Students will create their own counting book.
2. Students will use a comparing mat to show which number is more and which is less.
3. Students will work with a classmate and counting chips to find the different partners of numbers  For example, 3+2 and 4+1 are partners of 5.
4. Students will sort shapes based on different attributes. They could look at the number of edges, number of corners, straight sides, etc.

Word Study: We have four stations that students rotate around throughout the week.

1. Salt writing: Students will be writing letters in boxes filled with salt.
2. Students are working with puzzles that match lowercase letters with their uppercase partner.
3. ABC Busted!: In this game, students pick a card out of a bucket. They tell the group which letter is written on the card. When someone picks up the card with the sticker on it, they are busted! Everyone puts their cards back into the bucket and start over.
4. Students are using stamps to match uppercase and lowercase letters.

Social Studies: This week, we will begin our School Study unit. Throughout the unit, we will be exploring who the community helpers are in our school and conducting interviews to learn more about what they do! We will be learning about interviews and planning what kinds of questions we are going to ask our school community helpers.


Feel free to call/email at any time with questions, comments, or concerns!

September 19-23

What a beautiful weekend! Hope you had a chance to relax and enjoy the warm weather while it's still here.

 Please remember to send your child’s writing folder to school if you have not already done so--we will start using them this week!

Upcoming events:
9/19-9/23 Safety Week-a letter will be sent home explaining the exact drills we will practice.
9/19: PSC Meeting
9/20: No School for students
9/22: Family Night: Hot Dogs and How to Help

Students and staff are able to wear NDLC apparel every Friday! If you would like to order NDLC wear, use this link to check out Eagle Graphics' online store.  The code is NDLCSPIRIT. Clothing samples are available in the office and will be out at family night on September 22nd.  Orders are due by September 25th.

Here's what's happening in Kindergarten this week:

Reading: This week we will be starting a new bend in our reading unit, meaning the focus shifts a bit. We have been reading learn-about-the-world books, or informational texts, to practice rereading and thinking about how pages go together. This week, we will begin to focus on reading old favorite storybooks. We have been reading books such as Mrs. Wishy-Washy, The Carrot Seed, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff throughout the last couple of weeks. Now, we can “read” by retelling the story using the character’s voice and saying more and more of the story. Have your child practice reading a familiar book at home! They are great storytellers!

Writing: In writing, we have started to create books! Students are using packets of three or more pages to write about things they know about. First, they plan what they are going to write about by pointing to the page and talking through their book. Then, they draw and write! Later this week, we will be working with writing buddies that will ask questions about our writing; this will help students to look over their writing and start to think about revising. Finally, we will continue to stretch out words to label our work.

Math: I am excited to announce that we will be starting centers in math! Working in the centers will give students the opportunity to explore the math activities at their own pace and discover some concepts independently.
Students will rotate through centers focused on:
•Drawing pictures to represent numbers 1-5
•Playing memory with cards that have 1-5 numerals and dot patterns
• Building numbers using the purple, blue, and red tiles
   Here are what they look like!

•Students will look at a box full of objects. They will pick a card 1-10. If they pick a 7, they need to search to find seven of something in the box (i.e. 7 paper clips). This will help students visualize and group numbers

Word Study: We have four stations that students rotate around throughout the week. Although some of the centers may seem the same as last week, we have switched materials with the other Kindergarten class so that they are working with exciting new names, puzzles, etc.

1. Students are given cards with names and pictures of each student in the class. Students take ABC foam pieces and build their own names and friends’ names.
2. Students are working on ABC puzzles
3. We will build color words using cutout letters and color words!
4. Students are using magnetic letters and a large metal board to sort the alphabet.

Social Studies: After creating our hopes and dreams last week, we will create rules that will help us to reach our hopes and dreams. Many of the students said that they hope to read, write, or be great listeners! We have already compiled a list of ideas for our rules. We will sort, combine, and reword them so that we have positive rules to create a safe and friendly place where we can learn!

Here is our hopes and dreams board! 

Have a great week! Hope to see you at our first family night on Thursday. Email or call with any questions or concerns!

Molly 

September 12-16

Hello Kindergarten Families!

We are off and running this school year and we are doing a fabulous job getting to know the routines at school! I am having a great time getting to know each and every one of your special kiddos. Please remember to send your child’s writing folder and gym shoes to school if you have not already done so.

Upcoming events:
9/14: Picture Day
9/15:  International Dot Day! Wear something with polka dots to school
9/16: Fitnessswear Friday
9/16: Fox Cities Kids Fun Run
9/19-9/23 Safety Week
9/19: PSC Meeting
9/22: Family Night: Hot Dogs and How to Help


Reading: In reading, the students have been practicing the routine for getting ready for Reader’s Workshop. We are focusing on looking at the cover and thinking about how the pages in the book go together. We talked about using our fingers to search for all different things on the page. This week, we will talk about the importance of rereading. Readers reread by putting all the pages together, thinking more about the book and learning from the words in the book.

Writing: We are currently working on writing about topics we know about. Students are learning how to think of, visualize, and then put what they know about a topic on paper. We are working on adding more details and words to a page when we think we might be done. We will learn that writers might run into problems, like finishing a page or pens running out of ink, but strong writers are problem solvers and decide what they can do to keep on writing! We will be focusing on labeling pictures and stretching out the sounds in words to write them on the page.  When your child brings home their writing, you might ask what his/her book is about or ask him/her to show you where they tried to add labels to their pieces.

Math: We have been learning about many different tools that can be used for math including our eyes, fingers, red/blue counting tiles, and purple number tiles. These math tools can help us think about building numbers, showing numbers and quantities in different ways, and finding different ways to count objects. We have been reading Anno’s Counting Book, which encourages students to count, classify, and compare objects. I encourage students to be counting things all day every day. Help them notice things to count; setting the table is a great way to get kids counting!

Word Study: We have four stations that students rotate around throughout the week.

• Students are given cards with names and pictures of each student in the class. Students take ABC foam pieces and build their own names and friends’ names.
• Students are working on ABC puzzles
• There are I Spy books that focus on a letter on every page at station three.
• Students are using wikki sticks and large letter cards to create the letter of the alphabet. Wikki sticks look like bendy yarn. They are made of hand-knitting yarn and wax, so they stick to most surfaces. 

Social Studies: We have been learning all about what we need to do to make our room a safe and happy place to learn. We will be creating our hopes and dreams wall this week. Each student will pick one thing that they hope to accomplish this year, then we will be generating rules that will help us reach these dreams. These will serve as our classroom rules. I look forward to sharing a picture of our hopes and dream wall with you later this week!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail.

First week of Kindergarten!

Wow! What a great week it has been!

 Here are some of the highlights from the last couple days:

• Spent time getting to know our friends’ names 
• Explored the different areas and tools in our classroom
• Began our Reader’s Workshop. We have been reading privately and with a partner!
• Started our Writer’s Workshop. Ask your kiddo what strong writers do!
• Practiced counting and ordering numbers 1-10. We learned that we can use our eyes and hands as math tools too. 
• Participated in a school wide dance off. 

Notes:

• I will be posting our weekly blog starting next Monday. 
• The water bottles are an awesome way for us to cool off on these warm days! 
• Remember to send a quick note or email if your child is taking breakfast.
• Send your child's writing folder back once it is decorated.
• Remember to keep sending a snack with your child every day. 

These writers are working hard! 

                                 

We danced to the Macarena! 

Welcome Back!

Hello Kindergarten Families!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit with me over the past two weeks!  I loved meeting your families and look forward to a great year of learning with you and your children!   As the excitement and nerves about the first day of school start to happen, we wanted to keep you in the loop with a few tidbits and reminders!

First day: New Directions staff will be wearing purple shirts on the first day of school. This may help your child find us in the morning, although we will be keeping an eye out for them as well. We will all meet at the purple NDLC awning that faces the playground.

Snack:   All students should bring a SNACK FROM HOME each day.  Children can also bring a water bottle each day. It’s warm in our room so water bottles are helpful!

Rest: Students should bring a beach towel/small blanket to rest on each afternoon.  These will be kept at school in their lockers.

Breakfast:  Breakfast is available for children to eat in the classroom each morning.  The cost of breakfast is $1.45 and it will include milk.  Please let us know if you intend for your child to eat breakfast at school each day.  We want to ensure kids who need breakfast are getting it and no one takes it if/when they are not supposed to.

Folders: You will find a Take Home folder in your child’s backpack upon returning from their first day as a kindergartener. This folder should be emptied each night and returned each day.

Specials: Please remember to send gym shoes and art shirts if you have not done so yet!

Blog: Weekly updates, pictures, and upcoming activities will be posted here each week!

Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns!  Enjoy your last few days of summer!  I can’t wait to see you soon!!!