In your child's folder on Friday, you received a letter telling you about "Star Student." The letter introduced you to a new home-school project we’d like your
participation in. To connect home and school learning, you will get to
help your child in preparation for their Star Student Week. During the
next few months, your child will have an entire week to be the, “Star
Student!” While your child is the Star Student they will be honored
with a different activity or event. This project will integrate our
social curriculum with literacy and math learning.
On the Friday before your child is the Star Student, they will be given a special star container to bring home for the weekend. Over the weekend, they are to use its contents to complete the activities, and fill the box with all of the items listed below. Please make sure what they choose fits into the Star Box, and nothing extra.
On the Monday of your child’s week, please return the Star Box (completed) with your STAR KINDERGARTENER! The following events/activities will happen on each day.
On the Friday before your child is the Star Student, they will be given a special star container to bring home for the weekend. Over the weekend, they are to use its contents to complete the activities, and fill the box with all of the items listed below. Please make sure what they choose fits into the Star Box, and nothing extra.
On the Monday of your child’s week, please return the Star Box (completed) with your STAR KINDERGARTENER! The following events/activities will happen on each day.
MONDAY- Stuffed Animal and Journal
In the Star Student Box ,there will be a stuffed animal and journal inside. With your help, you and your child will work together to write and illustrate (photos, magazine cut outs or photographs are fun mediums for illustrations, too) something your child did with the animal during the weekend. PLEASE RETURN THE ANIMAL AND JOURNAL TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY INSIDE THE STAR BOX FOR YOUR CHILD TO SHARE WITH THE CLASS. This activity connects what your child is learning at school and extends that learning into his/her home!
TUESDAY- C.A.R.E.S. and ME!
Also in the Star Student box, you will find a questionnaire about C.A.R.E.S. Please help your child fill out and prepare the questionnaire, making sure it is placed in the Star Student box on Monday. On Tuesday, they will have a chance to share and we will celebrate their individual C.A.R.E.S. efforts.
WEDNESDAY- Favorite book
Please help your child choose a favorite book from home that they have read. Remember, reading in Kindergarten may be 1.) reading the words, 2.) reading the pictures, and or 3.) retelling the story. Take time to find out what strategies your child knows at this point in Kindergarten and help them prepare a personal/family favorite to share with the class. The special book will remain in the box until Wednesday.
THURSDAY- Letter from Parent or Family Member
Please write a letter to the class telling us how special your child is to you. Send the letter in a sealed envelope with your child inside the Star Box on Monday. I will read the letter to the class on Thursday. The content of the letter is up to you, however, here are some ideas: Describe a special or funny story about your child for the class to hear; write a silly or serious poem about your child; tell us some neato’ things we may not know about your child, or write about why you are proud of your child. Included in the Star Student box, please send in a baby picture for your child to share with their class community!
FRIDAY- Estimation Jar
One of the goals of the Kindergarten curriculum is to provide an opportunity for children to estimate. The “Estimation Jar” is a chance for children to estimate, compare, count, and enjoy the world of numbers. It also provides practice in making and checking predictions, while learning the concept of place value. Please help your child choose a number of small items that will fit into the, “Estimation Jar.” Have your child count exactly how many items are in the jar using the 100’s chart (please keep in box) found in the Star Student Box and write down the number on a separate note to attach to the bottom of the jar. PLEASE, NO MORE THAN 100 items. Encourage your child to keep the number of items in the jar a secret. At school, the class will try to estimate the actual number of items in the jar. Then the actual number will be revealed. We will compare the guesses to the actual number. Next, we will count and group the items by ten to further practice place value. PLEASE be sure to return the estimation jar in the Star Student Box on Monday. Some suggested items are: marbles, dice, cotton balls, seashells, rocks, crayons, ziti pasta, etc. Please be sure each item is no smaller than a dice! Before estimating we will pull out a handful to count to use as a guide in making educated predictions.
Have fun working with your Star Kindergarten Student on this special activity. Please contact me with any questions at all. If you need to switch with a peer from your child’s class, please contact that family or let me know how I can be of help. A schedule can be found below.
In the Star Student Box ,there will be a stuffed animal and journal inside. With your help, you and your child will work together to write and illustrate (photos, magazine cut outs or photographs are fun mediums for illustrations, too) something your child did with the animal during the weekend. PLEASE RETURN THE ANIMAL AND JOURNAL TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY INSIDE THE STAR BOX FOR YOUR CHILD TO SHARE WITH THE CLASS. This activity connects what your child is learning at school and extends that learning into his/her home!
TUESDAY- C.A.R.E.S. and ME!
Also in the Star Student box, you will find a questionnaire about C.A.R.E.S. Please help your child fill out and prepare the questionnaire, making sure it is placed in the Star Student box on Monday. On Tuesday, they will have a chance to share and we will celebrate their individual C.A.R.E.S. efforts.
WEDNESDAY- Favorite book
Please help your child choose a favorite book from home that they have read. Remember, reading in Kindergarten may be 1.) reading the words, 2.) reading the pictures, and or 3.) retelling the story. Take time to find out what strategies your child knows at this point in Kindergarten and help them prepare a personal/family favorite to share with the class. The special book will remain in the box until Wednesday.
THURSDAY- Letter from Parent or Family Member
Please write a letter to the class telling us how special your child is to you. Send the letter in a sealed envelope with your child inside the Star Box on Monday. I will read the letter to the class on Thursday. The content of the letter is up to you, however, here are some ideas: Describe a special or funny story about your child for the class to hear; write a silly or serious poem about your child; tell us some neato’ things we may not know about your child, or write about why you are proud of your child. Included in the Star Student box, please send in a baby picture for your child to share with their class community!
FRIDAY- Estimation Jar
One of the goals of the Kindergarten curriculum is to provide an opportunity for children to estimate. The “Estimation Jar” is a chance for children to estimate, compare, count, and enjoy the world of numbers. It also provides practice in making and checking predictions, while learning the concept of place value. Please help your child choose a number of small items that will fit into the, “Estimation Jar.” Have your child count exactly how many items are in the jar using the 100’s chart (please keep in box) found in the Star Student Box and write down the number on a separate note to attach to the bottom of the jar. PLEASE, NO MORE THAN 100 items. Encourage your child to keep the number of items in the jar a secret. At school, the class will try to estimate the actual number of items in the jar. Then the actual number will be revealed. We will compare the guesses to the actual number. Next, we will count and group the items by ten to further practice place value. PLEASE be sure to return the estimation jar in the Star Student Box on Monday. Some suggested items are: marbles, dice, cotton balls, seashells, rocks, crayons, ziti pasta, etc. Please be sure each item is no smaller than a dice! Before estimating we will pull out a handful to count to use as a guide in making educated predictions.
Have fun working with your Star Kindergarten Student on this special activity. Please contact me with any questions at all. If you need to switch with a peer from your child’s class, please contact that family or let me know how I can be of help. A schedule can be found below.
| Week Of: | Closter’s Class | |
| January 7th, 2013 | Finn/Owen | |
| January 14th, 2013 | Elke/Alex | |
| January 21st, 2013 (will begin Tuesday) | McKenzie/Lucas | |
| January 28th, 2013 | Bella/Calvin | |
| February 4th, 2013 | Tatum/Rye | |
| February 11th, 2013 | Stella/Rowan | |
| February 18th, 2013 | Juliet/Ian | |
| March 6th, 2013 (Wednesday-Tuesday) | Adri/Declan |
