FEBRUARY BOOK ORDER:
Your child came home with a couple of Scholastic book order catalogs today. You can still send in your order/money in your child's blue folder or you can follow the steps below.

Here’s how it works:
1. SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the "Don't have a User Name and Password?" link, then register for your own username and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation: GQVPR . This code ensures that your order is sent to me. Or LOGIN at the link above with the username and password you previously used order.
2. SELECT the books you would like to order from over 500 titles available online...and take advantage of online-only specials and discounts.
3. SUBMIT your order to me online by the due date. Your credit card payment will go directly to Scholastic’s secure server, and the books you ordered will be delivered directly to our classroom for your child to take home.

February's Book Order is due next Wednesday the 23rd, before 3:00 pm.

Science: Today we reviewed what we have learned about "Animal Adaptations." After a quick review/discussion in class, we visited the lab to watch a video. The video was from Discovery Education's United Streaming website. This site allows me to search for videos that contain information related to what we are learning in class-- similar to YouTube, except educational. More than likely, every Tuesday from now until the end of the year, we will visit the lab and watch a science video. The videos really help the students understand that what they are learning in class actually occurs in real life and in the world all around them. The public cannot view the videos we watch from Discovery Education because it is by subscription only. However, I am sure you can find appropriate videos for your child to watch by searching for them online. Some search words you could use include: plant life videos, animal habitat videos, animal adaptation videos, landform videos, volcano videos, etc. Ask your child what s/he is most interested in learning about in science and go from there. Good luck!

The Book Fair has been cancelled and will not be rescheduled at this time. Sorry!

Don't forget to send your child's Valentine's Day Box to school before our party on Monday. If you don't get a chance to make one at home, we will have extras here at school. Also, I sent home a class list to help your child label individual valentine's cards. If you need another list, let me know.

School-Wide Patriotic Music Program: Just like last year, Mrs. Lanpher is organizing a school-wide music program that will be performed near the end of the year. There are a lot of expenses that come with putting on the show, such as props and sound equipment. We ask that you donate any amount you are willing to our music program to help offset some of the costs. We appreciate Mrs. Lanpher for volunteering her time and effort into making this year's program a success. Mrs. Lanpher does not have to do this each year, but knows how much the community enjoys it. Please support her and donate.

It is time for a new secret word. The word is "go." Please have your child write his/her name on a piece of paper, along with the secret word three times, and bring the paper to school. Your child will receive a prize just for doing it!

Landforms, Rocks, and Volcanoes: We have been learning all about the earth in science. The kids have really enjoyed learning about mountains, hills, plains, deserts, oceans, volcanoes, rocks, and so much more. Today we watched a real volcano erupting. The students also saw how volcanoes are formed and what happens to the earth after one erupts. It was such an amazing learning opportunity! Ask you child what she/he learned about volcanoes today!

Today we celebrated our 100th day of school. It was an exciting day, and the kids were all smiles as we completed each activity! Pictures will be in the upcoming newsletter and on our class website.

Here are some of our activities…
1. We made the number 100 out of Twizzlers and Oreos
2. Dotted the gumball numbers 1-100
3. Made and wore 100 fruit loop necklaces
4. Designed 100 pieces of honeycomb for a bumble bee
5. Found 100 pieces of candy hidden in the classroom
6. Stayed still and silent for 100 seconds
7. Ran a race for 100 seconds
8. Counted to 100 and wrote to 100
9. Watched 101 Dalmatians
10. Tomorrow we will make journal entries about our favorite 100th day activity

Ask your child what his/her favorite activity was today. I am sure s/he will have plenty of things to tell you! If you have time, have your child journal about today’s events. First, have your child draw a picture of the activity and then have him/her write about the picture. Encourage your child to use sight words they are familiar with to form sentences. Good Luck!

Secret Word
There is a change for the Secret Word requirement....When you see the "secret word" have your child write his/her name on a piece of paper and use the secret word in a complete sentence. Help your child start their sentence with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark. Then, bring the sentence into class. Your child will receive a treat just for bringing in the secret word. The secret word is "they." I am eager to see which kids bring in the secret word!

Valentine's Day Items

In the next few weeks, we will be using Valentine's candy during math. If you would like to donate, we specifically need Candy Hearts (as shown below). They can be in individual boxes or in one large bag. We will be classifying the candy by color and creating graphs. Of course, we will also get to eat them!!!

Run, Run, as Fast as You Can. You Can't Catch Me...

...I'm the Gingerbread Man! Today the Gingerbread Man will visit our class. Ask your child what happened! It is sure to be a day full of laughter as the Gingerbread Man escapes from our classroom, runs around the school, and even loses a few limbs. However, we will eventually catch and eat him! Pictures will be posted soon on my website under January pics.

A Great Way to End the Week!

This afternoon we explored some of our class Christmas presents from Angelina. Initially, each child received a small plastic ball. These balls were animals and dinosaurs that would expand once placed in water. They were all different colors and the kids didn't know what their colored ball would turn into until they placed them in the bucket of water. The students were so excited as they watched them expand. It was a fun way to end the school week!

Don't forget to find time this weekend to practice some of our kindergarten skills. If you look back on the blog from a few weeks ago, you will see many of the kindergarten skills listed. They are also on my website.

No school Monday, so see you Tuesday!

Union Pacific wants you to route the steam excursion!

Click on the Excursion Adventure picture to vote for the train to make its way through Dexter! We are less than 1,000 votes behind the winning route!

What's been going on?

We are back on track for our second half of the school year. The kids are busy working hard and are grasping concepts very quickly.

• Science: We have started studying life science. This means we have already learned animal and plant science. If we have time at the end of the year, we will go back and do more experiments related to plants and animals. Our final unit will be physical science, and we should begin that in a few months.
• Math: Every Monday we take time to write to 100. Many of the kids have made it to 160! If the child makes it to 100, he gets to add a sticker to his sticker chart. If he fills up both the front and back side of the handwriting paper (usually to 160), he gets two stickers on his sticker chart. When he fills up his chart, he gets a prize! Hopefully, the stickers are incentives to the kids to work hard and make it to 100! However, if your child does not write to 100 in class, she may finish it at home and return it to school the next day. Then, your child will still get a sticker on her chart. Also, if you practice at home, your child should be able to write to 100 by herself within 30-40 minutes. If she can not do that, keep practicing! She will get it!
• Reading: Keep practicing those sight words. At first quarter conference I gave each of you sight word flash cards. Please practice these as you have time. You would be amazed how much easier it is for your child to read when she knows a few extra sight words. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Things to Practice over Break

Things to Practice

Identifying and writing numbers 1-100 (without a guide)

Identifying a penny, nickel, dime, and quarter and what it’s worth

Recognize geometric shapes in student’s environment
(dice= cube, ball=sphere, soda can= cylinder)

Telling time to the hour

Sounding out/blending three letter words (i.e. cat, pig, Pam, etc)

Practicing sight word flash cards until all have been mastered

Naming numbers 1-31 (parent writes a number and student can name it)

Writing sentences that include capitals and periods

Reading the nightly reading book and weekly phonics readers until they are read fluently

Christmas Party Day!

Today has already been a fun-filled day! We are about to watch The Polar Express and enjoy hot chocolate. Later on, we will have our party, eat all of our treats, and they will get to open their gifts from me. Thank you to those that sent gifts for me and gifts for the class. The kids were excited about each one of them and were happy I could receive some gifts too. They are already asking to play with some of the games and toys the parents sent today. I know it will be great to start out the second part of our year with new things to do! You all are so generous, and it is such a blessing to have caring and supportive parents. Also, I have been receiving some "Secret Words" here at school. Be looking for another one after break! Enjoy your Christmas and Remember the Reason for the Season. :)

Love- Mrs. McGarity

Secret Word Reminder

Don't forget...the secret word is look. Have your child write it three times on a piece of paper, along with his/her name, and bring it to school. Your child will get a small treat for doing this. :)

Letters to Santa

The students wrote letters to Santa last week. I have typed them up exactly as they were written and they will be published in local newspapers. Also, I have told the kids that I will be emailing the letters to Santa, so they will get to bring home the actual letters they wrote. I hope you enjoy them and keep them for years to come. Here are the letters, as they will appear in the newspaper:

Der Satu,
I wot a Noo DS and a Pupe that walks! I have bin god at Scol!
Love,
Kaylee

Der Santu,
I wat a Beyblades Launcher and a Hotwels Ras Trac! I like yo!
Luv,
Tristan

Dear Santa,
I want a Fier Breven Dragin and a Haw to Tran Your Draggan Play Set and a little Jon Daeer Gatoor!
Love,
Joel

Der Situ,
I wot a Iron Men Set and a Gtor and Brd Gams! I ben gid at scl!
Lovu,
Gabriel

Der Santu,
I wut Nrf Guns and a For Welr! I like a Rasr Drifter to!
Love, Hunter

Der Santu,
I wut a Razr Driftr ad Bakugans! I am a good boy.
Lov,
Tucker

Der Sant,
I wuld like a Nuo Car an a Citjun! I like yoo Santu!
Luv,
Leslie

Der Satu,
I wut Beyblades Launcher and Battl Set!
Luv,
Zach

Dir Sant,
I like Papr Gam and a Batl Set! I have bin a god boy!
Lv,
Trey

Der Santu,
I wunt a Fur Real Friends, a Barbie, and a Sit and Spin!
Love You,
Deandrianna

Der Santu,
I wunth Papr Jamz, Aqua Sand, and a Magic Fabric!
Love you santa!
Giana

Der Santu,
I wut Nrf Gns ad a Pikup Truk! I like a Razr Driftr.
Luv,
Nathan

Der Santa,
I wat a Nrf Blastr and gatr golf. I wat a Unicorn ????,
Love, Caitlin

Der Santu,
I wunth Paper Jamz, Aqua Sand, and a Magic Fabric!
I love you Santa,
Gabby

Der Santu,
I wunt a Barbe Swim Pool and Barbe Townhwse!
Lucenda

Dir Santu,
I wt a Video Camru an Mome Wolcg Gigl Dog! I am exsit for Crismas!
Lve,
Draven

Der Sant,
I like Toy Stre Cr and a Bayblads Batl Control!
Lv,
Braedon

Dir Santu,
I wat a Dans Gam and a Dol with a Kamr! I love u Santu!
Love,
Angelina

Dir Santu,
I like Papr Jams and a Rolr Kostr! I am a god boy!
Luv,
Logan

Nightly Reading Books

Don't forget--I will log when I read with your child on the back of his/her behavior log (either on M/W or T/Th). Please note when you read with your child on the back of the behavior log also. Please place the decodable reader in your child’s blue folder every night. This way it will be there for us to practice in class. Thanks for your help!

December Book Order

If you are ready to order from Scholastic for this month, go ahead and visit the Scholastic website and take a look around. I will be sending the paper book order form home Monday and it will be due back in class or online by December 10th (Friday). If I get the class orders submitted on that Friday, we will have them before the kids leave for Christmas break. Also, if you are ordering items for your child that are for a surprise Christmas gift, send me a note or an email, and I will keep the Christmas items in my classroom until you can pick them up from school.

Here is the information to access the website:
1. SIGN UP at www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the "Don't have a User Name and Password?" link, then register for your own username and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation: GQVPR . This code ensures that your order is sent to me. Or LOGIN at the link above with the username and password you created for the September book order.
2. SELECT the books you would like to order from over 500 titles available online...and take advantage of online-only specials and discounts.
3. SUBMIT your order to me online by the due date. Your credit card payment will go directly to Scholastic’s secure server, and the books you ordered will be delivered directly to our classroom for your child to take home.

Communication Arts Skills for Second Quarter

These are the communication arts (reading, writing, language) skills your child should have mastered before we leave for Christmas break. Please be practicing these at home.

* New this Quarter
1. Sight Words (see complete list below)
2. Color Words
3. Write First and Last Name (capitalize and spell correctly)
4. Write Letters
5. Identify all Letters of the Alphabet
6. Letter Sounds
*7. On a Book…locate title, pictures, author and illustrator

Math Skills to Practice

These are the math skills your child should have mastered before we leave for Christmas break. Please be practicing these at home.

Second Quarter Math Skills
* New this Quarter
1. AB Patterns
2. Positional Words
(above, below, front, behind)
3. One-to-One Number Correspondence
4. Recognizing Written Numerals
5. Counting
6. Shapes
(triangle, square, circle, oval, hexagon, rectangle, diamond, trapezoid, rhombus)
*7. Coins: Penny and Nickel (identify and know value)
*8. Sort Objects
(size and other attributes)
*9. Describe Passage of Time
(today, tomorrow, yesterday)

School website is updated!

I have updated my Bernie school website with pictures from November. Click on the link at the top, right hand side of the blog to go directly to my site.

Stockings

If you did not get a chance to decorate the stocking over break, it is not too late! Just send it to school as soon as you get it finished. We already have some neat ones hanging in the hallway, and the kids really enjoy looking at each others creations. The kids have been very creative on their designs! Great job so far! I am looking forward to seeing many more good stockings.

Thanskgiving Break-- Stocking Activity

Don't forget about Thanksgiving Break. It is November 24th-26th (Wed-Fri). I have sent home a large red stocking and would like for you to decorate the stocking with your child over break. Be creative and use items from around your house (candy, beads, crayons, glitter, markers, stickers, noodles, ribbon, cotton, etc) to make the stocking unique. Please send these back to school on Monday the 29th so I can display them in the hallway. I hope to see some creative stockings.