Welcome February!

Many people find the winter months to be bleak and boring.  Not in Kindergarten!  There is always something for us to celebrate. The month of February is no exception!   Our 100^th Day of Kindergarten has finally arrived and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Both of these special and important days bring many new opportunities for your child to build on their ever growing list of accomplishments.  Kindergarten-25 definitely IS 100 days smarter!!

Winter Wonderland

The January snow was a perfect backdrop to the many Read-alouds that K-25 enjoyed.  We read a variety of books by the beloved children’s author, Ezra Jack Keats.  The children especially loved A Snowy Day. This was their number one choice on one of our daily graphs.  K-25 also listened to and compared the two stories, The Mitten and The Hat.  These folktales were adapted and illustrated by Jan Brett.  The children enjoyed re-telling The Mitten using the mittens and animals that we made.  It was fun using our own mittens and gloves to practice skip counting by twos.  The Kindergarten windows and hallway are brightly adorned with the children’s paintings and “snowy day” pictures.  We continue with our Winter Wonderland theme as we move into February.

 100 Days Smarter, Valentine’s Day, We Love Jesus

Let the 100 Days Smarter in Kindergarten celebration begin!  “Zero the Hero” will be with us all day as we engage in the many planned activities.  He will have a special treat to share with us.  We will once again visit Miss Bindergarten’s classroom to see how they will celebrate their 100^th day of school in our Read-Aloud, Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready For The 100^th Day Of Kindergarten.  The Learning Centers are full of interesting and challenging activities for your child to explore.  For example, in the Writing Center, the children will be making 100 Day crowns and taking the Can you write your number to 100? challenge.  In the Math Center, the children will be hunting for 100 pennies in the sand table. They will also estimate which of the two jars holds 100 pennies.  “I wish I had 100____________” is the topic for a new class book.   Putting together a 100 piece puzzle is just one activity that your child will find in the Game Center.  In the Listening Center, the children will be following along to a reading of The Night Before The 100^th Day of Kindergarten.  We will also be practicing our sorting, counting and graphing skills using the 100 cans of food that your child is being asked to bring in to our classroom.  When we have completed these activities, our parish food pantry will welcome our donation.

February is the month in which we take the time to let those around us know how much we love them.  We will focus on our love for Jesus, as well as those that Jesus gave us to love and to love us.  We will make a handprint wreath to hang in our hang hallway as a reminder of our love for Jesus.

 America, Jesus Teaches Us To Pray

These are the main themes that will complete our month.  We will learn all about the great country in which we live.  Making our own American Flag, numbering the stars on the flag, constructing an individual book, Our Country and a God Bless America Musical Big Book are among the learning activities that K-25 will engage in.  As we approach the season of Lent, the children will be learning the prayer that Jesus gave to us all, “The Lord’s Prayer”.  Please reinforce this prayer in your homes.

  Extra, Extra Read All About It!

                                              New Reading Experiences in K-25!

Guided Reading

Next week, I will begin grouping the children into small groups for guided reading.  You will receive more information concerning this next week.  The children really enjoy being able to show off their emerging skills to their families!

Word Boxes

This is yet another  opportunity for your child to practice blending the letter sounds into words.  You will receive information regarding this at-home activity next week, as well!

Just a Reminder!!

We have completed all of our Jolly Phonics sounds.  It is very important that you continue to review these sounds everyday.  Your child does not know their sounds well enough if they hesitate or have to think about the given sound.  In addition, our Kindergarten sight words need to be reviewed frequently.  Not all 100 sight words are on our word rings yet, but your child is being continuously exposed to all 100 words everyday in our classroom.

I can’t stress enough the benefits that your child will receive later, for the time that you spend now with them.  These early years “set the tone” for the years to come in your child’s education.  I give this advice to you as a mother, not a teacher.  I feel that one of the reasons that my own children are doing so well in their studies today is because of the time and care I gave them in the early years of their schooling.  Research has shown that a child’s brain is like a sponge until the age of six.  We all have to work together to take full advantage of this fact and give as much as we can to our little ones.

Coming Soon!!!

           K-25 is Bananas For Reading!  (Mrs. McPartlin’s Reading Club) 

Looking Ahead!

• Wednesday, February 1, 2012 - Student Appreciation Day! (Hot Dog Day and Blizzards) No milk today!  Please bring a drink for lunch. 
• Thursday, February 2, 2012 - Happy Groundhog Day!  Kindergarten Pajama Party
• Friday, February 3, 2012 - St. Blaise Prayer Service @ 12:30 pm.
• Friday, February 10 2012 - Track-A-Thon Pizza Party
• Monday, February 13, 2012 - 100th Day of Kindergarten!
• Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - Happy Valentine's Day!
• Friday, February 17, 2012 - Teacher's Religious Retreat (No School)
• Monday, February 20, 2012 - President's Day (No School)
• Wednesday, February 22, 2012 - Ash Wednesday All Day In-School Retreat (Liturgy @ 12:30 pm.)
• Friday, February 24, 2012 - Palermo's Fun Lunch
• Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - Report Cards!

                               Mrs. Marjie McPartlin