Dirt!

What lives in the dirt? Is there air underground? Is water found in dirt?
Today, students got to play in the dirt and learn more about the small, and often microscopic creatures, that call underground their home. Many of these creatures are insects, invertebrates like worms, and animals such as moles. Plant roots also live in dirt. All these living things are decomposers: they survive by eating and breathing the water, air and minerals found in dirt. They help our gardens grow, and keep our underground ecosystem healthy. Have a conversation with your child about the amazing life thriving underground! Thank you Royce and Melanie for another fun and engaging 4 Winds lesson!

Thanksgiving Lunch

Thanksgiving Lunch will be served on Wednesday November 19th in the cafeteria.  Past tradition has been that families are invited to eat lunch with their child and their friends on this day.  More info to come regarding this special feast.

School Directory

School Directory Form Now Online

The ever-popular Union School directory will be published in November. Paper forms are going home this week and are due back at school byWednesday 11/5/14. This year, we are asking families with internet access to fill out the form online at http://goo.gl/forms/RW97k99Juc in order to save us time and decrease errors.

 

The directory provides the Union School community with families' contact information. It is intended for use only by UES families and staff, and only families that fill out the form are included. Participation is optional and families can include as much or as little contact information as they'd like.

 

-Parents Group

Wish List

Some people have been asking about classroom donations. On the side bar of our blog (you must go to the actual blog, not the email posting to see this) is our classroom wishlist.  We are always in need of a variety of supplies. Once items are donated or purchased, I will take them off. Please feel free to check this out and contribute items of need to our class.  Here is the list that can be found on the right side of the blog -------->

Soft Tissues

Duct Tape (all sorts of designs)

Card Stock

Hand Sanitizer

Sponges with scrubby on 1 side

Large Block Erasers (Pink)

Proud Moments

Throughout the day, I am lucky to capture so many proud moments that are experienced among your children. The light in their eyes, the smile on their face, and their enthusiasm and confidence in their new found skill is amazing to experience.  I wish I could capture each of these on film and share with you.  From tying shoes, zippering jackets, drawing a representational drawing, to reading a word and solving a math number sentence, or helping a friend with a difficult task and trying new foods, these children are growing and conquering new challenges from the moment they walk in the door.  The list of things these children accomplish goes on and on.  I feel so lucky to work with such a great group of kiddos who are learning each and every day! 

Buddy Interviews

On Monday, Kindergarteners continued learning about their buddy from Wendy's classroom.  Some students were even able to travel to the 4th grade classroom to work in their space.  The afternoon involved students "interviewing" one another. Questions helped spark conversation amongst buddies and to allow them to get to know one another.  (At times, your child's buddy may be absent.  In that case, they are paired up with another student.)  INQUIRE with your child what they learned about their buddy on Monday. What do they hope to do with their buddy this year? 

Guest Reader

Some parents have been asking about various ways they can help in the classroom.  I put together a menu of options for you to choose from if this is something that interests you.  This is optional, and by no means, should you feel obligated to find time out of your busy schedule to come help on a regular  basis.  If you would like, however, to just let me know when you have time to come in and support our learning or teach us something new, just let me know and we can arrange that.

We also have a guest reader option - which you can read about below.  Many parents and extended family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc) have found this to be a great way to engage with all the children. The schedule allows you lots of time to plan ahead and work around your needs. If another time works best, please just drop me a note!  On Friday mornings after morning meeting, we will have you in to read aloud to the class. This 5-20 minute block of time can be used by you to bring books of your choice in to share with us and share your love of reading. As students practice becoming independent fluent readers, they are still in need of models and mentors who can share their love and enjoyment of reading.  Please feel free to use this Wiki Space to sign up for a date that works for you. 

Sign Up Here for Guest Reader

Thanks!

Thank you for taking the time throughout the last week to meet with me at school. Every student has made progress academically and socially in these last two months and I cannot be more proud of each one of them.  It is always so important to keep the home school communication strong. I found it so valuable to hear your thoughts, concerns, and highlights from your child's experience thus far. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me, drop me a note, and if needed, we can arrange for another time to meet.  I am so lucky to have such a supportive group of parents. Thanks for all you do in your child's learning and helping to keep school a positive and fun place to learn!  

Pumpkin Day!

On Friday, October 31st we will celebrate Pumpkin Day. We have been learning about pumpkins and their life cycle this week and will conclude our studies with Pumpkin Day.  Please help your child dress in orange-colored clothing on this day to celebrate!

We will not be having a “Halloween” party or be changing into costumes. Please do not send your child to school with costumes or masks, etc.  Halloween can be a controversial holiday and many of our school families do not choose to participate in its festivities.

We will be doing many fun math, science, and art activities with our pumpkins. We will be weighing, measuring, rolling and floating our pumpkins. We will also be doing art projects and other fun activities!

You can help make our learning engaging and hands on by donating a miniature (ornamental), small, or medium-sized pumpkin for your child to use. If you would like to donate a pumpkin to our class as an extra, it would be appreciated.

Please send to school by Wednesday, October 29th.

BB day

Balloon and Book day was great fun last Friday. Students earned this special celebration after working so hard to earn hoots.  Children earn hoots by showing Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self-Control.  Thanks to all the families for helping your child (last minute) gather their favorite books to share with the class. Throughout the day, we played lots of balloon games and DANCED a whole lot with our balloons!








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Calendar

We continue to learn about the calendar each day and learn about patterns.  This months pattern was quite puzzling for awhile.  The students have now found 3 different patterns.  INQUIRE with them what they are (color, number, and direction).  We use the calendar for a variety of counting exercises, understanding more than, less than, and vocabulary such as yesterday, today and tomorrow.  

We also count the number of days in school.  Today marked the 37th day (picture taken last Friday...oops).  Counting by 10's can be a fast way for Kindergarteners to count to higher numbers.  

Reading

Every day students practice and review letter names and sounds, and then blend sounds to read words.  We continue to practice high frequency words that have appeared in many books your child is reading.  Each day, these skills are practiced and learning is extended through many word work activities such as listening for sounds in words during songs, sorting pictures based on sound, and practicing handwriting.  You can practice letters, sounds, and blending with consonant, vowel, consonant words at home.  More ideas will be sent home with you at parent teacher conferences.  Have fun!  

Each day, readers continue to READ, READ, READ.  WE LOVE READING!  Each day, students continue to learn and practice a variety of reading behaviors and are increasing their stamina every day.  During conferences you'll get a "book bag."  Inside this book bag are books your child has practiced over and over again.  I encourage families to help their child find their own book box to keep these books in and find time to read, read, read, EVERY DAY!  Have fun! 

Handwriting

In addition to learning how to hold a pencil and practice handwriting on paper, children have opportunities for more kinesthetic way. This week, students are working on proper letter formation through sky writing, floor writing, white boards, and gel boards. Most students have developed a habit of starting their letters from the bottom. During our handwriting time, we are trying to break this habit and learn the proper way of writing each letter - top to bottom. This fluid motion helps children in 2nd and 3rd grade to develop writing fluency. We spent some time working on our handwriting using the sky, plane, grass, and worm lines as guides to letter placement on the lines.

If you'd like materials on how to form each letter and to help your child at home, please inquire with me and I can send these home.

New Classmate

 We had a new friend join us all the way from Hawaii this week.  All friends have been a huge help and have welcomed him with open arms, a warm heart, and lots of smiles! Welcome! INQUIRE with your child what his name is! 

1,2,3...

The past few weeks during math, students have been focusing on number writing. The children are shaking those bugs right out of their markers and working diligently to make sure they don't get the "backwards bug!" We've been noticing that many of the numbers we've been writing lately have been backwards and we have yet to break the preschool habit of starting from the bottom.  INQUIRE with your child the songs we learned to help us form our numbers the correct way.  In addition to forming numbers - top down - we are working on counting forwards and backwards, subatizing, seeing groups of five, adding one more, using math hands, and seeing partners within numbers (3 and 2 are inside 5). If you'd like some extra ideas to help your child with number formation please see these ideas below.

Form numerals with playdough, wikki stix, etc.

Form numerals on geoboards using rubberbands

Make numerals in a container of sand

Write numerals on small chalk or dry erase boards

Make crayon rubbings over sandpaper numerals

Place shape erasers on premade outlines of each numeral

Rainy ECO

Despite the stormy inconsistent weather today, students prepared themselves for a rainy afternoon outdoors.  It was the perfect day to learn how to take care of ourselves for the outdoors.  Dressed head to toe in rain gear, we trekked up to Harrison Field with a buddy from Mrs. Bates' class.  The afternoon was shortened, due to the downpour, but much fun was had playing a "Father Tree" game about the life cycle of the tree and hearing a story from Larry in the woods in between the rain.  INQUIRE with your child what the oral story myth was all about!  

Conference time - NO SCHOOL

It was so great to see so many of you and your families at the open house.  Next week, we'll have conferences, and if you haven't signed up for a conference and would like to please follow the link below.

http://closterconference.wikispaces.com/home

Please click on the link below to sign up for your conference. When you get to the wiki, please use the table to sign up for a time that works best for you. Click the EDIT tab and then type your name into the box next to the time you would like for your conference. Once you have entered your name, click on the SAVE button. Please let me know if none of these times will work for you, and we can try to find an alternate time! I look forward to seeing you all again!

I look forward to sharing some more beginning of the year highlights with you.  

Celebration

100 HOOTS!

WOOHOO!

As a celebration for working so hard and earning 100 hoots, we are ready to celebrate.  Students have been showing Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self Control (C.A.R.E.S.) and have come up with a variety of ideas to celebrate.  Tomorrow, we will have a book and balloon party. Please have your child bring in 2 of their favorite books. I will supply some balloons for some  balloon related activities.

National Tie Day??

Buddy Class

Students were paired up with their buddies from Wendy's class on Monday afternoon. We'll meet every other week to play games, do projects, and learn from one another.  Each student was paired up with 1 or 2 big buddies and will keep this same buddy throughout the year.  INQUIRE with your child what your buddies name is and what connections they have with their buddy. We played 2 whole class games with our buddy class - one to learn more about each other and the other called, "Just Like Me" and then went outside to play a cooperative game, "Fishy Fishy, Cross My Sea."  Buddies then explored the lower playground together getting to know one another!  

Firefighter Presentation

Today, children learned some important fire safety skills. With a lesson from four Montpelier Firefighters, students learned what "is hot and what is not" by identifying items they should not touch because they could be hot, or start a fire. For example, coffee cups, lighters or matches are not for children to touch. The firefighters also demonstrated what a fire alarm sounds like when it is detecting smoke or a fire, and what to do - "get out of the building, and stay out of the building!" We even heard about what it is like for fireman to get ready to go to a fire. Because it's such a obscure and scary uniform that they wear -with all the gadgets and layers, your children received exposure to the outfit so in case of an emergency, they won't be scared if a firefighter comes to help!  Students were also able to practicing crawling low in case there was smoke and rolling in case there was a fire on their clothing.  Some students shared their "family fire plan" and others look forward to making one with you.  INQUIRE with your child what this may look like and then make a plan for your family in case there was a fire - where would you meet outside of your home?   INQUIRE with your child about the fire safety skills they learned, and how you might go about making your home safe from a fire.

Painted Ladies

On Friday afternon, after the bussers, car pick up, and after school friends left, our walkers found 2 butterflies in our butterfly home. The painted ladies had released themselves from the chrysalis late in the afternoon. Unfortunately, only a handful of friends experienced the release, but we're hoping for a few more next week!  If you read this over the weekend, please share with your child about the painted ladies making their presence in the world! 

Apple Day

Friday was coined apple day in our classroom.  We started the day peeling, slicing, and making apple sauce.  As the aromas from the crock-pot filled the classroom, children completed a variety of science learning about apples and the life cycle they have.  We strengthened our fine motor skills through a sewing activity, learned about graphing and making predictions in math, and read a variety of books that took us through and taught us about the life cycle of the apple.  Thank you to all those who contributed materials for our cooking project!