April 20, 2012

Dear Families,
  
This week the kindergartners learned about that sneaky silent e at the end of words that makes the vowels say their names.  They are excited to code more words, and they are noticing vowel – consonant – e words in their Daily 5 books.  Since Earth Day is on Sunday, we read books about Earth Day and made posters that told different ways we can help save the earth.  The boys and girls decorated VIP Days invitations.  Each child decorated two.  If your family needs more than 2, please let us know and we will give you more.  Notice the RSVP slip at the bottom of the newsletter.  Please fill this out and send it back as soon as you can so that we know how many treats to make and how many chairs to reserve for this event.

Five of the chicks have stayed in the classroom while the other ten chicks went home to Ryan Hosek’s house.  It is amazing how quickly the chicks grow and change. Check out the kindergarten blog for pictures.  The address is http://northtamak11.blogspot.com.  You can also find a link called Kindergarten News on the Elementary portion of the North Tama website.
The kindergartners continued Daily 5 this week.  The boys and girls worked through each Daily 5 center everyday we were able to schedule Daily 5. Because of our crazy schedule, some days we worked in the centers longer than others. Many of the kindergartners are becoming more independent readers and writers.  For many, Daily 5 makes the morning or the afternoon go by really quickly!  The students LOVE learning how to read and write new words.

During Daily 5 the boys and girls have enjoyed going to the Traer Public Library to use the TumbleBooks.  TumbleBooks read the story to the child while highlighting the words.  There are SO MANY titles to choose from!  Nonfiction stories are also available.  If your family is interested in this site go to www.traer.lib.ia.us and click on the TumbleBooks icon on the left hand side.  This is a free site!

Please check with your kindergartner on the condition of his/her pencils at school.  Some need replaced!  Some pencils need to be replaced by families because the eraser is worn down or the pencil is too short. Please send pencils with erasers on them so that if your student makes a mistake he/she can easily erase it. 

Sharing for next week is free choice.

The kindergartners continue to work with the green, yellow, and right light system.  We start every day on green.  (Green is great!)  If the class is loud or isn’t following directions as a group, the green will turn to yellow.  (Yellow is a warning.)  If the boys and girls work hard and begin listening and following directions we can move back to a green.  If they do not, we move to red.  (Red is BAD!)  If the kindergartners get to red, they eat snack silently.  If they get two in a day, they eat snack silently AND put their heads down on their tables for a few minutes. Our goal again is to have 5 days in a row without any YELLOWS.  Check with your kindergartner on how close we are to reaching the new
goal.

Please put extra socks in your student’s backpack.  Kids that wear sandals and flip flops to school like to wear socks with their gym shoes to p.e.

Round up week will be April 30th – May 4th.  Kindergarten students stay home that week so that we can get to know the future kindergartners.  Please mark your calendars and arrange for child care that week.

VIP Days (formerly known as Grandparent Days) have been scheduled for May 10th and 11th.  Your child will get to invite special guests to come to school and watch a short program in the classroom, enjoy a special snack, and check out our room and school.  Students may invite grandparents and/or special friends to attend.  We encourage students to invite people other than parents if that is possible.  If no other guests available, then parents are welcome to be the guest.  We CANNOT accommodate all of the kindergarten parents AND the special guests in our classroom.  The guests choose which day they will attend.  Invitations were decorated this week.  Fill out the rsvp note that is at the bottom of this newsletter.  Families will need to fill that note out and send it back to school so that we have enough chairs and snacks ready!

Enjoy the fantastic spring weekend!
   
Mrs. Turner and Mrs. Daugherty
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____________________________________________
(Kindergartner’s Name)


________ guests will be attending on Thursday, May 10th
(number)

________ guests will be attending on Friday, May 11th
(number)

Please return by Friday, May 4th!