Monica Wright

Newsletter January 27th

Another fantastic week in kindergarten, including a fun 100^th day celebration of 100 days of hard work!!

 

In science we started talking about matter. We have talked about the 3 states of matter and compared what things were made of.  We will do more sorting of matter next week.  We also will continue with our winter theme and talk about animals that live in cold places. 

 

 In math we will continue working on telling time.  We are telling time to the hour.  Please talk with your child about the different times of the day (morning, evening, night).  Keep learning those number words, too!

 

 In language arts we have begun to focus on the vowels.  Be sure when your child is writing in their homework journal that each word has a beginning sound, middle sound, and ending sound.  We need to make sure every word has a vowel in it…or it won’t be a word!  Great job with the homework journals.  Please try and write in them at least 3 times a week.  Be sure to put them in your child’s folder so they can proudly show us their work.  Please have your child put the date on their page as well. On days you don’t practice sentence writing you can use the journal to practice handwriting, number writing or anything that is on the homework calendar. 

 

 We have been looking at some blends and diagraphs in the classroom.  We have talked about sh, ch, th, sl, and gr to name a few.  Please point out these letters “working together to make a sound” when you are reading.  Be sure to be reading nightly with your child to increase their reading fluency.  I am very impressed with how well the kids are using all their reading strategies, keep these close by when you are reading at home to help them attack the words!  You may have noticed that fewer small books are coming home.  We are using many leveled readers in the classroom now that the kids’ reading has progressed.  Be sure after you read to ask your child questions about the stories.  Have them summarize the story by telling you what happened in the beginning, middle, and end of the story.  We have been talking about how good readers make predictions, ask questions, and read the pictures, as well as the words, in a story.

 

Mystery Readers needed for February, so let me know if you are interested! 

 

                       Letter of the Week: Kk

                Word of the Week: make    

                 Winston: Sydney               

Star Student: Lorelai         

Secret Sack:  Bella  

 (Secret sack comes home on Mon.

to be filled and returned on Tues.)  

       

                   Reminders:

1.   Every Thursday – Media Center visit

2.   Wed. Feb. 1^st – Pizza Hut Reading Logs Due (Write down 20 books you’ve read to receive your Pizza Hut coupon!)

3.   Thurs., Feb. 2^nd – Ident-A-Kid At Baker Elementary

4.    Fri., Feb. 10th – Valentine’s Bingo at Baker  Dinner at 6:30 pm and Bingo at 7 pm.

5.    Mon., Feb. 20^th – President’s Day No school

6.    Tues., Feb. 28th – Six Flags Reading Logs Due  No late reading logs accepted.

7.    PTSA is looking to fill their Executive Board positions for the 2012-2013 calendar.  Please contact April Morrell if interested. april.m.morrell@gmail.com

Newsletter January 20th

What a busy week!  Some of the highlights were our lesson with our school counselor, Mrs. Jones, working on computers during our media center time with Mrs. Hailey, a visit from a North Cobb High School student to read to us, and learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. 

 

 Next week in math we will begin our unit on time.  We will also continue counting and labeling sets from 0-30 and work on learning our number words.  Please practice writing numbers at home.  Give your child a piece of paper and count items in the house and let your child write the corresponding number and for practice. 

 

 Next week in social studies we will start learning our city, county, state, and country.  Please help your child learn these at home, along with their address.  These concepts are difficult for them to grasp and require repetition and memorization. 

 

 We will start a science unit on matter next week, specifically looking at the properties of objects in terms of what they are made of. 

 

 We will keep reviewing ending sounds in phonics and begin working on our vowels.  Continue to practice the sight words at home, next marking period each child needs to be able to read a minimum of 30 sight words.  In reading we are talking about the elements and sequence of a story.  When you read with your child ask them what happened at the beginning, middle and end of the story. We have talked about 8 reading strategies we need to try when reading.  I am sending home a list of these strategies for you to use with your child. When all the others don’t work we use the last one which is “Ask for help.”  One strategy not included in the list is to “use popcorn words.”  I tell the kids to see if the word looks like one of our popcorn words (sight words), that helps them figure the word out, too.  Please keep the reading strategy list close by when you are reading so the kids can refer to it. 

 

 The 100 days of school is next Friday, January 27^th.  Your child is bringing their “100th Day Baggie” home today.  Please count out 100 items of something (q-tips, elbow macaroni, cereal, etc.) and send it back in by next Friday.  We will do math and science activities with their “100th Day Baggie” items. 

 

 Don’t forget letter of the week homework is to cut out pictures that start with the letter of the week.  If you don’t have a baggie you can just put the pictures in your child’s folder. 

 

                    Winston: Orlando                    

                Star Student: Ridian                 

                Secret Sack:  Jenna 

Letter of the Week: Ll

Word of the Week(s): little, look

 

Reminders:

1.   Fri., Jan. 27th – 100 Days of School - Baggie of 100 items due.

2.   Wed., Feb 1^st – January Reading logs due  If your child reads 20 books they will get a coupon for a free Pizza Hut pizza.

3.   Fri., Feb. 3^rd – My progress reports will go home (since we just had report cards).

4.   Tues., Feb. 28th – Six Flags Reading Logs Due  Six Flags gives each child the opportunity to receive a free ticket to Six Flags by reading 6 hours and handing in their Six Flags reading log.  No late reading logs will be accepted.  You can turn them in early once you have completed reading the 6 hours.  (Any books read can be put on both the Six Flags reading log and the Pizza Hut reading log.)

Newsletter January 13th

It has been a GREAT week back.  Our theme right now is winter!  We are discussing things people and animals do in the winter. 

 

In writing we continue to work on our sentence writing with all the components of a good sentence – punctuation, finger spaces, capitalization, beginning, middle, and ending sounds in words, etc. Terrific job with the December homework writing journal!  The kids enjoyed sharing their fiction and non-fiction stories with their friends.  Next week we will start a nightly homework journal.  Thank you all for sending in the primary composition notebooks – I know they are not always easy to find. Ideally I would like the children to draw a picture and write at least one sentence every night.  I know sometimes this is not always easy to do with work and family activities.  Even if you write every other night it is a huge help.  You may even want to draw a picture one night and do the sentence writing the next night.  Or you may have a story that the children write over several days.  The more writing practice the better!  The kids really love to share their writing with me each morning when they come to school.  If you still can’t find a primary composition book just get a regular composition book (often found at the dollar store) and the kids can just draw their picture over the lines. 

 

 In math we have been working on counting and labeling sets 11-20, next week we will go up to 30. Please practice identifying numbers 11-30.

 

 In social studies we will discuss Martin Luther King, Jr. and the contributions he made to our country. If you haven’t begun yet please start teaching your child their address. This is a skill I really need your help with.  Thank you! 

 

Our 100^th day of school is quickly approaching.  On Friday, Jan. 27th we will be doing lots of counting and celebrating to mark our 100 days of hard work in kindergarten.  You will get homework the weekend before to count 100 things from home (pennies, cotton balls, buttons, etc.).  I will send home a baggie the Friday before to put your 100 items in. 

 

 I hope everyone had a restful vacation. January is the time when lots of the skills we have been doing in the classroom really start to click and the kids take off!  I am so excited to be starting off 2012 with your children!  J

 

                    Winston: Sofia                        

                 Star Student: Armani                

                Secret Sack: Connor

Letter of the Week: Ff

Word(s) of the Week: funny, find

 

                   Reminders:

1.   CORRECTION: I do not need a minimum of 10 students to do the Six Flags reading log.  Even if just one student participates he/she will get the free Six Flags ticket!!  However, I hope we will have the whole classroom participate!

2.   Thursdays – Media Center visits

3.    Mon., Jan. 16^th – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No school

4.    Fri., Jan. 27^th – 100 Days of School 

5.    If the temperature is 40 degrees or higher we will go outside for recess so please be sure to pack winter coats, hats and gloves.  Please label jackets.

6.    Please send back the signed white card from the report card and the brown envelope. 

Newsletter December 20th

Thanks for making our winter party a success!  Thank you for all the donations and for coming in to help out and spend time with our class. The kids had a GREAT time!  It was a wonderful way to end our first half of the year. 

Your child is coming home with a journal to use over the break.  Please read the letter regarding how to use the journal.  When we come back from the break please send your child’s journal back in for them to share with me.  The children’s writing has come so far, I would like them to continue with the great job they’ve done by practicing over the break.  They all really enjoy journal writing!  In January we will have journal writing for homework.  Please send in your child’s primary composition book if you have not done so already.  It should stay in their backpack so that I can check it. 

If you can’t find the primary composition notebook please let me know.  They can be found at Walmart, Target, School Box, and Office Max.  Remember it is the journal with space on the top of the page for a picture and lines on the bottom for writing.  

Please continue reading with your child over the vacation! 

When we return from the holiday we will focus on numbers 11-20.  Some kids are still having a hard time remembering to put the 1 first for the teen numbers. 

In social studies we will be learning our city, county, state, country and continent.  Please help the kids learn their address over the break. This will be assessed for the 3^rd quarter and can be tricky without practice at home. 

In phonics we will review beginning sounds and ending sounds before we focus on the vowel sounds. 

I sent home the requirements for the 3^rd marking period. 

Can’t wait to see what the next half of the school year holds for our class!

Winston:  none                       

Secret Sack:  none                  

Star Student: none

Letter of the Week: review

Word(s) of the Week: review

 

Reminders:

1.   Wed., Dec. 21^st – McTeacher’s Night at the Jiles Rd. McDonalds. 5-8 pm

2.   Dec. 23rd - Jan. 9th - Winter Break

3.   Tues., Jan. 10^th – December Book It Reading Logs due. 

4.   Fri., Jan. 13^th – Report cards sent home

5.   Mon., Jan. 16^th – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day  - No school

Newsletter December 16th

What a busy week!  There is a lot of excitement in the air as we get ready for our winter break and all the fun things that come with it! 

We have been tying in some holiday crafts with our holiday/traditions unit.  We have been comparing holidays and finding a lot of similarities between holidays (getting together with family, singing songs, having special foods, etc.).

I am thrilled with the improvement in everyone’s handwriting – they are getting much neater.  Handwriting does take practice so please practice letter writing at home.  Remember we never start a letter at the bottom of the page (only from the top or the middle) and letters with a hoop (or a circle) in it always go counter clockwise (except b and p are counter clockwise because you are pulling down first). 

This week in math we started working on math word problems.  We are focusing on drawing pictures of the “important” parts of the word problem to help us solve the problem.  We will do word problems throughout the rest of the year.  Next week our math lessons will be review.  We will review patterns, counting sets, comparing sets, word problems and money.  Keep practicing identifying coins and trading pennies for nickels and dimes. 

We will continue holiday traditions and customs next week too, but our big theme will be Gingerbread stories.  We will incorporate gingerbread activities and books, to go along with making gingerbread houses at our party!  The kids are all getting very excited about the party!

Winston: Mrs. Wright               

Secret Sack:  none                  

Star Student: none  

Letter of the Week: review

Words of the Week: one, two, three

Reminders:

1.   THANK YOU so much for sending in the items for the gingerbread houses.  I appreciate your help!   

2.    Tues, Dec. 20^th - Winter party will be from 10:00-11:00.  We will be making our gingerbread houses. Come by and help decorate!

3.    Tues., Dec. 20^th – Author, Diane Z. Shore visits Baker Elementary

4.   Wed., Dec. 21^st – Holiday McTeacher Night at Baker McDonalds

5.   Please send in PRIMARY journals as soon as you can.  Remember these are the journals with pictures at the top of the page and lines for writing at the bottom.  These will be used for journal homework when we return from the break. 

6.   Thurs., Dec. 22nd – End of the second quarter

7.   Dec. 23rd - Jan. 9th - Winter Break

8.   Tues., Jan. 10^th – December Book It Reading Logs due.  (It only takes 20 books to get your coupon!)

9.   Fri., Jan. 13^th – Report cards sent home

10. Mon., Jan. 16^th – Martin Luther King Day  No school

11. Thank you to the Mystery Reader volunteers.  I will let you know Jan. dates next week.

Newsletter December 9th

You all have been doing a great job reading the small Scholastic books to your children each night and returning the books the next day.  I hope to have everyone reading the books by the end of the month.  On the first day a small books comes home you will see a green paper explaining what to do in your child’s folder. Your child will not bring home a new book home until they have returned the previous book and plastic book bag. I send home books Monday through Thursday.  I read each book individually with the students, and eventually each of the 18 students will be doing the reading.  This can be time consuming for me, but I will try my best to always send home a new book as long as they have returned their book.  The kids really enjoy it!   When you are reading please have your child track the print with their finger when they are reading, this helps to make sure they are reading the words not just memorizing. 

 

 This week in math we revisited money and played some new money games.  Please practice identifying coins at home, including their value and trading pennies for nickels and dimes.  In math next week we will begin working with word problems, as well as reviewing other concepts from the 2nd quarter. 

 

 In our social studies unit we have been talking about different traditions/customs celebrated in our country.  We started talking about Christmas and the kids are very excited!  Thank you to those parents who told me the traditions they celebrate.  We will compare traditions and find similarities and differences between them. 

 

 At the beginning of the year I had asked for a primary composition book for each student.  Many of you sent in a regular composition book.  I am asking that you send in a primary composition book if you did not. If you sent in a regular composition book I will send it home when you send in the primary type.  A primary composition book has space at the top of the paper for a picture and lines for the words on the bottom half.  These books can typically be found at School Box, Walmart, Target, Walgreens, and CVS.  These are the same type of journals we use in the classroom.  In January we will be using the new primary composition books for homework journals.  Thanks for your help! 

 

 I need more mystery readers for 2012!  If you are interested please send me a note. Thanks!

 

The first half of the year is quickly coming to an end.  We will celebrate a great first half of the year with our Winter Party.  Thanks for helping with donations for our gingerbread houses!

 

Winston:Logan                                                            

Secret Sack:Orlando                   

Star Student: Bella   

Letter of the Week: Rr

Word(s) of the Week: run

 

                   Reminders:

1.    Thursdays are media center day.

2.    Dec. 1^st – 15^th – Baker Giving Tree/Gift Drive  Thank you to those families that have already donated items.

3.    Mon., Dec. 12^th – Stevie B’s Spirit Night (Woodstock,92 location)

4.    Fri., Dec. 16^th – Gingerbread donations due. Thanks for your help!!

5.    Dec. 12th - 16th Baker Relay for Life will be selling candy cane grams for $.50, stuffed reindeers for $3.00 (They come with adoption papers!), and polar bears for $1.00. All the money goes to the American Cancer Society to help with cancer research.

6.    Winter Party – Tuesday, Dec. 20^th  Our party will be from 10:00 -11:00 we will be making gingerbread houses.

7.    Wed., Dec. 21^st – Holiday McTeacher Night at Baker McDonalds

8.    Fri., Dec. 22nd – End of the second quarter

9.    Dec. 23rd- Jan. 9th - Winter Break

10.  Fri., Jan. 13th – 2^nd Quarter Report Card sent home

Newsletter December 2nd

It has been a terrific week back in the classroom.  The kids (and teachers) are well rested and working hard once again! 

Our social studies unit during the month of December will be traditions and customs.  We will talk about different customs celebrated throughout the month.  Thank you for letting me know what you celebrate with your family.  If you have not completed the form please do so and return to me as soon as possible. 

We finished up measurement this week in math and will do a review of money next week.  Money can be difficult for the kids so I want to spend extra time on it.  We will play many hands on games to review identifying the coins and their amounts, counting money, and trading pennies for nickels and dimes.  We will practice counting by 1’s, 5’s, and 10’s as well. 

I have begun sending home small Scholastic readers.  I only have one set that I have purchased and the books must be shared with all the students.  So, I am asking that you look in your child’s folder each night for a book.  Have your child read the book and send the book back in their special bag the next day so another student can take the book home.  Since I have one set for the entire class I am slowly introducing them.  Your child will not be able to take a new book home until the previous book is returned.  I will send home books Monday through Thursday.  I really need your help making this reading activity a success. Please keep track of the books.  Take them out to read and then promptly put them back in your child’s folder to be returned the next day.  Thank you!  The books are for your child to practice reading each night. 

In your child's folder on Friday was important donation information for our December class party.  We will be decorating gingerbread houses and are in need of donations.  Donations will be due Friday, Dec. 16^th.  Please return the form as soon as possible.  Thank you!

Winston: Ridian                              

Secret Sack: Trevor (sent home on Mon.)  

Star Student: Bella

Letter of the Week: Ee

Word of the Week: you

Reminders:

1.  Tues., Dec. 6^th – Baker Sparkles Skate Night 5:30-8:00 pm

2.  Thurs., Dec. 8^th – Baker Blood Drive 3:00-7:00 pm  Information went home this past Tuesday.

3.  Fri., Dec. 9^th – Progress Reports sent home.

4.  Dec. 12th - 16th Baker Relay for Life will be selling candy cane grams for $.50, stuffed reindeers for $3.00 (They come with adoption papers!), and polar bears for $1.00. All the money goes to the American Cancer Society to help with cancer research.

5.  Tues., Dec. 20^th - Winter Party  10:00-11:00 Come help us decorate gingerbread houses!

6.  Thurs., Dec. 22nd – End of the second quarter

7.  Dec. 23rd- Jan. 9th - Winter Break

8.  Fri., Jan. 13^th – 2^nd Quarter Report Card sent home.

9.  Thursdays are our media center day each week.  Please be sure to return books by Thurs.

Newsletter November 18th

Another awesome week in room 535! 

When we return from the break we will do a review of social studies standards from this marking period (Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Bald Eagle, Statue of Liberty, and Thanksgiving). 

In math we will continue with measurement.  We will review comparing and ordering by length, height, and capacity.  We will learn how to compare and order by weight, too.  Putting the objects in order (shortest to tallest, holds the least to the most, lightest to heaviest, etc.) is sometimes difficult.  Practice at home with household items (toys, cups, bowls, shoes, etc). 

The kids are doing great with their letter sounds.  For this marking period the kids need to know the 23 consonant sounds.  Short vowel sounds will be added 3^rd quarter. Practice blending the letter sounds with the phonics homework. 

I have sent home writing paper to be used over the break.  Please have your child write about something they did over the break.  I am not looking for correct spelling (if they do it's a bonus!), but phonetic spelling is important.  I want them to write down the letter sounds they hear.  Encourage them to write more than one sentence using finger spaces between words, a capital letter at the beginning and a period at the end.  Give lots of praise for their hard work.  When we return from the break they can share with the class.

The kids have had a great three months of school and are deserving of a nice, long break!  Mrs. Christian and I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We are so thankful for the 18 children we have the privilege to teach and spend our days with!

 Happy Thanksgiving!!

Winston: Connor                                                        

Secret Sack:  Logan (Sack comes home Mon.)     

Star Student: Jordan

Letter of the Week: Gg

Word of the Week: go

Reminders:

1.   Nov. 21st – Nov. 25th – Thanksgiving Break No school

2.   Thurs., Dec. 1^st – November Reading Logs due.

3.   Dec. 1^st-9^th – Baker PTSA Giving Tree

4.   Tues., Dec. 6^th – Baker Sparkles Skate Night  5:30-8:00 pm

5.   Fri., Dec. 9^th – Baker’s Relay for Life Date Night 6-9 pm.  Babysitting services for a movie night at Baker for a cost of $10 for 1st child and $5 for any others sponsored by Baker’s Relay for Life team.  Flyers going home today about it.

6.   Tues., Dec. 20^th – Mrs. Wright’s Class’ Winter Party  10:00-11:00 am 

7.   Reminder we go to the media center every Thursday.

8.   Thurs., Dec. 22^nd – End of 2^nd Nine Weeks (Repot cards sent home Jan. 13^th.)

9.   Fri., Dec. 23^rd – Mon., Jan. 9^th – Winter Vacation

10. Tues., Jan. 10^th – Student return to school

11. We go to the media center every Thursday.

12. If you are able to donate, we are in need of hand sanitizer. Thank you very much!

November 11th Newsletter

What a crazy week!  Looking forward to getting back to our regular schedule next week!

We had a wonderful visit on Wednesday from Firefighter Jacob!  He taught us how to get out of a fire safely and what to do if our clothes caught on fire.  He told the kids that their meeting place should be at the mailbox, so you might want to practice this in your fire escape plan.  He also told the kids that it was very important for them to learn their address in case they ever had to dial 9-1-1!  This will be one of the things I assess for the 3^rd quarter, but it is never too early to start working on it! 

This week in social studies we began to compare pilgrim children’s lives long ago with children’s lives today.  Next week we will continue with our social studies theme of Thanksgiving.  We also will work more with two of our country’s symbols: the Statue of Liberty and the Bald Eagle. 

We write daily in the classroom, each child learning to write based on where they are in the writing process.  Please talk with your child about things they can write about.  We are trying to make interesting stories, instead of simple “I see” sentences.  If you talk to them about ideas they can write about this will help them.  Talk about a trip you took, their favorite game to play, what you do as a family, etc.  

Next week we will start a new unit in math – measurement.  The children will learn to group objects according to common properties such as longer/shorter, more/less, taller/shorter, and heavier/lighter.  We will be comparing objects based on length, height, weight and capacity.  We will also continue to review shapes and counting and labeling sets.

It was so nice to see so many of you at the Friends and Family Lunch on Wednesday.  The kids were so excited to eat with you! 

Happy Veteran's Day!!

Winston: Myles                                Letter of the week: Bb

Secret Sack: Maggie                       Word of the Week: play

Star Student: Sofia

Reminders:

1.   Nov. 9^th – 15^th – Book Fair in Media Center  7:15 am – 2:45 pm 

2.   Mon., Nov. 14^th – Baker Spirit Night at Stevie B’s on Highway 92 in Woodstock from 4:30-8:30 pm.

3.   PTSA Food Drive – extended to Wed., Nov. 16^th.

4.   Nov. 21st – Nov. 25th – Thanksgiving Break No school

5.   Fri., Nov. 18^th – Next progress report sent home, since we just had conferences.

6.   Thurs., Dec. 1^st – Fri., Dec. 9^th – Baker PTSA Giving Tree

7.   Tues., Dec. 6^th – Sparkles Skate Night  5:30-8:00 pm

8.   Fri., Dec. 9^th – Baker’s Relay for Life Date Night 6-9 pm.  Babysitting services for a movie night at Baker for a cost of $10 for 1st child and $5 for any others sponsored by Baker’s Relay for Life team.  Flyers going home today about it.

9.   Tues., Dec. 20^th – Kindergarten Winter Party  10:00-11:15 am  A request for donations will be coming after the Thanksgiving break.  We will have a gingerbread house party!