Students read their "Tails" book to 3 classmates and got autographs. Please ask them to read it to you several times this weekend, ensuring that they point to the words as they read them. In science, we discussed Spring weather, comparing cold and stormy weather to a lion and warm and sunny days to a lamb. For math, students assembles March calendars by putting the days of the week in correct order and numbering the calendar from 1 to 31. They marked 3 special days in March: Jaelyn's birthday on the 9th, St. Patrick's Day on the 17th, and the start of Spring Break on the 29th. Thank you all for being on time picking your child up from school today! I will not be at school on Monday because I'll be at an autism conference. Have a great weekend and I'll see you on Tuesday.

World Math Day

I'm just passing along information I received from a teacher's group:

World Math Day 2010 is coming quickly. Mark your calendars for March 3
and if you haven't already registered, you'll want to do so very soon.
Last year, almost 2 million students participated from over 204 countries
and answered 452,681,681 questions!

Who can participate? Any student aged 5 to 18!

What's it all about? Students play at home and at school against other
students all over the world in live games of mental arithmetic. Each
game lasts for 60 seconds and students can play up to 500 games,
earning points for each correct answer.

Where can I register? [See link below.] {Note: Registration is free.]
http://www.worldmat hsday.com/ 2010

Besides practicing our shared reading in sign language, we learned signs for forest animals. Mrs. Webber introduced the next three vocabulary words that go with our story, Annie and the Wild Animals: unexpected, growls, strategy. While she was teaching, I did a quick internet search of animal growls and played clips of real animals such as cheetahs and lions growling.

At journal time, students chose their own writing topic. Once they completed a sentence and a picture, they were allowed to show their page on the overhead projector for all to see. If you received the gift of some wilted flowers today, you can thank your little recycler who raided the garbage can. I had flowers left over from Valentine's Day, which I finally discarded. The students thought they were beautiful and rescued them.

Reminder: Tomorrow students get out of school at noon.

The Scholastic book order was just placed. The books should arrive in about a week. Thanks for your orders!

This week we have been reading the book, Fiesta, about a party with a pinata. We want to make a pinata of our own and talked about the types of items we would put inside it. We won't start making it until Friday, but a note will go home on Monday requesting students to bring small items for the pinata. If you're at the dollar store between now and Monday and see something appropriate, please send it to school. This morning in the gym there was a kickoff assembly for a fundraiser. Information was sent home with your child today about the butter braids that students may choose to sell. Brenda Binstock is in charge of the fundraiser and her name and phone number are at the top of the information sheet if you have any questions.

In Social Studies, I showed students the Kids Are Heroes website (see link below) and we talked about ways to be a hero that don't require a costume. We discussed the idea of having a toy exchange in which students would bring in toys they no longer play with to exchange with their classmates. If any of you would be willing to organize such a program, please let me know.

Students sorted animal pictures into two categories: tame (one of our vocabulary words) or wild.

Kindergarten superheroes...

Check out the new link below to see some real kids who are heroes.

I extended the date for placing an order with Scholastic.com. I'm sorry--I should have just given you all the username and password in the first place. User/class name: dewskinder Password: bookorders. If you haven't ordered online before, it's simple. Go to the class web page, click on Scholastic Book Orders, type in the username and password. You can view the catalog in a couple of ways. I think it's easiest to view it in the same order shown in the paper catalog that was sent home. You have to use a credit card to pay, and the books will be sent to school along with any other orders I place.

If your child talks about having to exercise tonight, we've been reading stories about superheroes. I think their favorite so far is Super Dog, about a dog who is small enough to fit under the belly of the cat who bullies him. He exercises, builds his muscles, and becomes a hero who helps others. In their journals, students wrote about what super hero quality they would like to have. Students also colored a superhero costume for themselves and glued a picture of their face to it. I'm going to decorate the bulletin board with our kindergarten superheroes tomorrow. I'll post a picture.

I forgot to mention in the newsletter that we have an early out at noon on Friday. If you want to place a book order, please return the form and money by tomorrow as I will place the order online tomorrow night (after American Idol-a girl's gotta have priorities). This week's vocabulary words are: growls, grumpy, imagine, unexpected, strategy, and tame. Our new sight words for the week are: have, one, and what.

This is Ryleigh's birthday and VIP week! Just a quick note to let you know that this week's newsletter has been posted to the bottom of the class web page.

Line Drawings

We spent the first half hour practicing handwriting. I used the overhead projector and demonstrated proper letter formation of each lowercase and uppercase letter, then students wrote the letters. I collected their papers to see who needs more practice. I taught the "color wheel" today. I gave each student a paper plate and showed them where to place the three primary colors. Next, they mixed colors to show what colors are created by combining the primary colors. I think they enjoyed it. Students read their mini book, In Winter, to three classmates. In the afternoon, we read two more Mo Willems books: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late. They really enjoyed those stories. I took students step-by-step through a line drawing lesson in which they drew a full body portrait. Next, they outlined their sketch in black marker and then filled in the drawing with watercolor paints. They turned out really cute. On Monday, they will add words to their pictures, describing the clothes they are wearing (in the painting). Have a great weekend!

We got a new student today!! Her name is Kadence and she fits in very well. Welcome, Kadence! We had sign language with Mrs. Hanson's class, in which students unscrambled sentences and then signed the sentences when we figured them out. We re-read A Little Bit of Winter, found problems within the story and named the solution that the character used in order to solve the problem. We re-read all the Mo Willems stories we heard earlier in the week. Students who didn't get to share their writing from yesterday had the opportunity to share today. Mrs. Webber taught the math lesson on temperature. She showed the students the level of the mercury when the temperature is hot (it goes up) and what happens when it's cold (it goes down). In their math journals, students drew 2 pictures of themselves: one in which they are playing outdoors on a hot day and one playing outdoors on a cold day.

The day was off to a strange start because I thought it was Thursday. I had the tables pushed aside so we'd have room for Mrs. Hanson's class to come in for sign language, waited, wondered, called Mrs. Hanson to see where her class was, and she reminded me that it was Wednesday, not Thursday. Oh, boy!! We learned a song about making friends, listening carefully to the words. Afterward, students took turns giving examples and NON-examples of ways to be a friend.

In the Mo Willems story we read yesterday, there was an epilogue, or what happened after the story ended. Today, after Leonardo the Terrible Monster, students wrote an epilogue, creating their own unique story ending. We had time to share a few of them.

Other reading groups are now working on reader's theater scripts so that each group will perform in the next week or so. We might take our show on the road, performing for other classrooms. Please participate in the two polls I've put in the right sidebar.

This morning in sign language, Mrs. Wheeler taught the students the signs for ocean animals and then students played an ocean animal Bingo game. We re-read our text talk book, A Little Bit of Winter, reviewed the first 3 words and learned the next 3 words. Mrs. Webber read Knuffle Bunny Too to students after lunch. At recess, the students included Mrs. Webber and me in a game of Freeze Tag. For math, students compared the weights of different objects using their hands and then a balance. We reviewed many mathematical concepts on the overhead and played musical chairs. One of the reading groups is working on a reader's theater play. Don't forget to practice sight words with your child nightly. They are listed to the right. Have a great evening! My daughter is playing in a band concert and will be leading the band tonight.

I read In the Rain With Baby Duck this morning and we were able to tie in some of last week's vocabulary. Baby duck is not an average duck because she does not like to get wet. The solution was for her grandpa to give her an umbrella and rain boots. We got out the mini white boards and practiced proper formation of the letters d and b, and we also practiced spelling some sight words. In math, we reviewed the concepts of empty and full, then watched the video of Strega Nona. Afterward, we played a math Bingo game to reinforce recognition of numbers 1-31. In math journals, students drew 2 pictures: one empty container and one full container. I read Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems, which the students loved! Great day, everyone!

P.S. I added 2 sight words to the list below: said and we

I'm sending home book order forms today. Orders will be due on Tuesday, Feb. 23. Email me if you need online ordering information.

This week's newsletter has been posted to the bottom of the class web site. As we will be doing an author study of Mo Willems this week, your family might enjoy visiting his web site at http://www.mowillems.com/.

Students passed out Valentine's cards this morning, ate one piece of their candy, then we quickly put everything into backpacks so nothing would get lost. We played a Valentine's game similar to Duck Duck Goose and colored a heart graph. The answer to the Hot Tamale estimation project is 550. Hunter had the closest answer of 567. Way to go Hunter!! He got to take the container of Hot Tamales home. We'll do more estimation projects so others have a chance to win a prize, too. In their journals, students wrote about a revolting meal. I won't go into any detail--they came up with some really disgusting ideas. I can tell they really understand their new vocabulary word! I read Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine. The students loved the story so much that they clapped at the end. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Book-It Event Advertisement

Calling all children, parents, and teachers - grab your books and pajamas because the nation's largest annual bedtime story event, America's Biggest Bedtime Story, is back by popular demand for the third year. BOOK IT!®, the reading incentive program sponsored by Pizza Hut®, is teaming up with children's author and Golden Globe-winning actor John Lithgow to invite readers to participate in America's Biggest Bedtime Story by logging on to www.bookitprogram.com on Thursday, Feb.18th. (Available all day beginning at 9 a.m. CST.)

For this year's event, Lithgow will share his book, Carnival of the Animals, and if more readers participate in America's Biggest Bedtime Story than in previous years, BOOK IT! will donate funds for 50,000 meals to Haiti Relief through the World Food Programme. The magic number was set last year when 197,972 participants watched Lithgow read his book, I Got Two Dogs.

The class is doing a fantastic job using their new vocabulary words, even the ones they learned last week. Their ability to absorb knowledge is impressive. We read Planting a Rainbow and related it to Eve Bunting's Flower Garden. Many of the same flowers were mentioned in both books. After lunch, students watched a Reading Rainbow video of Gregory, the Terrible Eater, the book from which we learned this week's vocabulary words. We learned that real goats are a little more fussy about what they eat than the character in the book. Tomorrow, students will write about a meal that they would find revolting.

In math, we worked on the concept of empty/full and holds more/holds less. Students worked in pairs to fill 2 different sizes of cups with objects of various sizes. They learned that you have to put a lot of little things or only a few bigger things to fill the cups. Correction regarding the estimation project: There were 140 candies per box, and I used 4 boxes. One reading group began working on a reader's theater that I wrote last night. When they feel confident, I will video tape them and post it here. I thought it would be fun for each reading group to have a script to perform and invite parents to watch, maybe on an early-out day, so we don't inconvenience you. Please post a comment below to let me know what you think.

Valentine's Day cards tomorrow-don't forget!

We had a presentation from Pediatric Dentistry this morning, which tied in nicely with our discussion on nutritious (one of this week's vocabulary words) and not nutritious foods. Students received a coloring book and toothbrush, but I forgot to give them their toothbrushes at the end of the day--oops!

We learned 3 more vocabulary words today: terrible, fussy, and appropriate. I felt confident that most students already knew or had at least heard those words. The estimation hint for today was that there were approximately 40 candies per box, and I used 4 boxes.

I'm attaching the minutes from the most recent PTA meeting to the bottom of the class web site, where you normally go to get class newsletters.

We were missing 5 students today! I hope everyone recovers soon, because you were missed! In sign language, we learned our new shared reading, The Hearts. Mrs. Webber taught the Text Talk lesson today. The 3 vocabulary words we learned are: average, revolting, and nutritious. Students will learn 3 more words tomorrow.

It was too cold to go out for lunch recess so both kindergarten classes met in my room for a Winnie the Pooh Valentine video. Afterward, we made a "love bug" (butterfly) craft. For our estimation project, I showed students the 4 empty Hot Tamale boxes it took to fill the jar. Someone wisely asked how many Hot Tamales were in a box -- that's tomorrow's hint...

The class made their Valentine card holders and they are now hanging in the hall, waiting to be filled. Please don't send cards until Friday, though--I'm worried about cards with candy attached disappearing before Friday. We read the book Flower Garden by Eve Bunting, about a girl buying flowers and making a planter box for her mom's birthday. We talked about flowers making people smile and reasoned that that's why people give flowers for Valentine's Day.

Our Text Talk book of the week is Gregory, the Terrible Eater. It's about a goat who refuses to eat garbage, like an average goat. Instead, Gregory craves nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, juice and eggs. His parents take him to a doctor who tells them to try introducing garbage gradually, which ends up working. It's a funny story with some fun vocabulary words.

Students estimated how many Hot Tamale candies were in a container. I told them that each day I will give them more information that will help them revise their estimates. I had planned on using Red Hots, but they were too expensive!!

The February 8 newsletter has just been added to the bottom of the class web page. (see link below)

Happy Friday! Please add the words "said" and "we" to your child's list of sight words to practice every night. This morning, students wrote a new ending to a story we've been reading all week. It was fun to hear the interesting twists they put on the story. For science, we talked about how matter changes form, from liquid to solid (cake batter to a cake) and from solid to liquid (melted chocolate). We used a hair dryer to melt ice. Students also held ice cubes in their hands and predicted which would melt the fastest, the cube in their hand or the one with the hair dryer pointed at it. We put cups of water outside, marked the water level on the outside of the cup, and hoped the water would freeze. We checked the cups at each recess, but it was not cold enough to freeze the water. In math, students used large paper clips looped together to measure items in the classroom.

If you have heard your child say the phrase, "Peace out, little diamonds," and have wondered where it came from, go to this site. The videos are made by a school counselor named Rusty May and we have recently started watching his daily, 1 minute message. http://www.schooltoolstv.com/index.php?option=com_hwdvideoshare&task=viewcategory&Itemid=80&cat_id=1

This morning, I introduced the concept of surveys. I didn't think about it at the time, but this could have led to a discussion about the US Census. Students made up a yes/no question, asked their classmates, and tallied the answers. We reviewed the vocabulary words: amusing, gumption, mimic, detest, snarled, and content. Students acted out some of the words and we watched an amusing video of a sheep demonstrating gumption.

Students earned enough points for a popcorn party on Tuesday, but since I was gone yesterday, we celebrated today. Popcorn is getting old with this bunch, so we had an ice cream party, instead. We had Fat Boy ice cream sandwiches with Cookies and Cream filling. Yummy! In math, students used plastic, connecting cubes to measure things in the classroom. We discovered that the student tables are 95 cubes long!

I appreciate all the pennies, Box Tops, and Campbell's soup labels. All of the above are still being accepted. Pennies will be collected through the end of February and the others are collected all year long. When our class has $20 worth of pennies, the students get to choose a new book for the library. I didn't have many pennies, but I put a bunch of spare change in our jar. ;)

For our 100th day of school, students colored badges which they had the option of turning into a belt buckle. We practiced our shared reading in sign language with Mrs. Hanson's class. We welcomed Mrs. Webber to our class and played a name game so she could learn our names.

Mrs. Hoy came back to teach 3 vocabulary words from the book she read to the class yesterday. If you hear your child using any of the following words, please comment to this blog: gumption, amusing, and mimic.

We made an art project today to show what we'd look like if we were 100 years old. We used crumpled paper towels for the face, drew features, and added jewelry with glitter and glue.

I made a cartoon on goanimate.com about some characters who weren't getting along and used it as a launching point to talk about social skills today. The students liked the cartoon and could relate to the message. I will put a link to the site so your family can make a cartoon if you want to. It's fun, free, and easy.

Tomorrow is the 100th day of school. If your child has not brought their 100 items to school yet, please send them tomorrow. Some examples of things that others have brought are: mini marshmallows, paperclips, rubber bands, pennies, and Hershey's kisses. Reading minutes are due tomorrow. I will be sending home a Pizza Hut certificate with the students who have turned in proof that they've read for 300 minutes during the month of January.

Mrs. Hoy read a fun story with the class, Edwin, the Emu. All week, she and the students will be delving deeper into the story and examining some vocabulary words. In math, we used a ruler to measure some flat items, and then brainstormed ways to measure the distance around a ball. They knew we'd have to find something bendable to do it, so we taped sheets of paper together. It turned out that the paper works the same way a measuring tape does. I asked the students to look for measuring tools at home. (They don't need to bring them, but just be ready to discuss what they found.) We talked about rulers, scales, and measuring cups. See what else you notice at home, on television, or on the internet. Have a great evening!