STOCKINGS:

 

This afternoon, you will find a plain red stocking in your child's folder.  Over Thanksgiving break, please help your son/daughter decorate this stocking with items from around the house.  This project is optional, but I hope you will take a few moments to complete the activity over the next few days.      

Items that have been used in the past:

*crayons/markers

*cotton balls

*cereal

*candy

*glitter

*wrapping paper

*small beads

*stickers

Please have the completed stocking back at school on Monday, December 2^nd.  Also, be sure to incorporate your child’s name into the stocking design so we will be able to identify it.  These stockings will be displayed in our hallway during the month of December.  Thank you for participating!

 

CHRISTMAS PROJECTS:

 

During the next three weeks, our classroom will be busy with Christmas activities and projects!  We will be making a Tasty Christmas Tree, enjoying Polar Express Day, and so much more!  There are a lot of items we need to make these projects successful and enjoyable for your child.  These items include: 

Hot Cocoa Mix (in large 20 oz container)

Small Foam Cups

Mini Marshmallows

Waffle Cones (to decorate as Christmas Trees)

Mini or Original M&Ms

Tub of Icing (Green if available, if not get white)

WRITING:

Now that we have finished working on forming our letters with the Handwriting Without Tears program we have begun more independent writing. Most recently the students have been writing one sentence about a topic of interest and drawing a picture to match the sentence.  We have also been working on our letters to Santa this week and hopefully will finish those tomorrow. I will be emailing Santa each child's letter, which allows them to bring their letters home for you to enjoy and see how well they are doing in writing. The kids know I am emailing Santa and are excited to get to show their letters to their parents! If you want to mail the letters to Santa once you receive them, feel free! :)  Please be practicing sentence writing at home using sight words and sounding out any words s/he does not know. Thank you for your help!

MISS BERNIE:

 

The 62^nd Annual Miss Bernie Pageant will be held Friday, December 7 in the school cafeteria.  Mrs. Williams has been directing this pageant for the past several years.  All proceeds from the pageant go to supplies for our kindergarten classrooms and our PAT program. We use the money for classroom projects, last minute items for lessons or special occasions (ex. small supplies for the PAT Booth at the Bernie Fall Festival or items not donated for certain classroom events), special snacks, and so much more! If you would like to enter your child or know someone that does want to enter, please email me and request an application and send it back to me with the entry fee for that age category.  If not, please come out support our kindergarten and PAT programs by being a spectator and cheering on the contestants!

REMINDERS:

 - The food drive for the local food pantry is going on this week.  Please send in cans or boxed items to be donated to the less fortunate. 

- November 18-22 is American Education Week.  All week the students are encouraged to donate "Bucks to Better Kids' Futures." All donations will go to the Stoddard County Children's Home.  Also, this Friday is "Career Day." The students are encouraged to dress up as their chosen profession. 

SANTA AT THE BANK:

 We will be visiting Santa at the bank on Friday, December 6th.  A permission form will come home with your child this afternoon. 

HOMEWORK:
Your child will bring home at least one book per week to practice. These are simple, one page, front and back, paper books that should be practiced nightly. The books emphasize our weekly sight words and help your child become more familiar with them. So far, our sight words have been I, AM, THE, LITTLE, TO, A, HAVE, IS, WE, MY, LIKE, HE and FOR.

NOUNS!
We have been busy learning about nouns.  Ask you child to tell you what a noun is and to give you examples.  Check out this fun youtube video to reinforce the skill. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcXy6_Mqe54

NAME WRITING:
Please work with your child on writing his/her first and last name with a capital letter at the beginning and the rest of the letters lowercase. We use the Handwriting without Tears method for writing our letters. This teaches them to always start their letters at the top and gives catchy rhymes to help the students remember how to properly form each letter. This method helps the students develop neat handwriting. Earlier in the school year I sent home a form that gave directions on how to form each letter and number following the Handwriting without Tears format. Please reference that form when working with your child. Thanks for your help and enjoy your time as you help your child! Handwriting takes a lot of patience with little kids! Good luck!

TOM THE TURKEY!
Wow! You guys created some wonderful disguises for our turkeys. I will post pictures of them at the end of this month. Thank you for your hard work. The kids would stand in the hallway and stare at them forever if I would let them. :) They don't seem to get tired of the creative outfits the turkeys are wearing.

SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDERS:
Orders are due in class or online by Friday, November 8th.

Online Ordering Information
Web address: http://www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
Class Activation Code: GQVPR

Remember, Christmas is coming soon! If your entire order or only part of your order is for a Christmas gift, please write me a note.  I will contact you when the order arrives, and we can set up a time to meet so that your child does not see the gift.    

 

READING INFORMATION:

The "Family Times" you receive tells you exactly what we are doing in reading each week. Please read over the information and review the material with your child frequently. If your child is not mastering the material stated on the Family Times, continue to practice it more frequently until it is mastered.  Don't forget to practice the simple paper book too.  Those books use our weekly sight words, which are familiar to the boys and girls because we practice those words in class. 

SECRET WORD:
Have your child use the word "like" in a sentence three times and send it to school for a special treat.  Be on the look-out for new "secret words."  They will usually be sight words that your child has been working on in class.   

 RED RIBBON WEEK:

Monday, October 28th- “Put a Cap on Drugs” (Wear a hat)

Tuesday, October 29th– “Put Drugs to Rest” (PJ Day)

Wednesday, October 30th– “Drugs are Double Trouble” (Twin Day-dress the same as a friend)

Thursday, October 31st– “Drug Free Rocks” (Dress like a rock star)

Friday, November 1st– “Red Ribbon Day”( Wear red)

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES...

are this Thursday afternoon.  I hope to see you there!!!  Also, don't forget the students are out of school this Friday the 25th.

FALL PARTY AND HALLOWEEN INFO:
Costumes are not allowed at school on Halloween day or Fall Party day.  Thank you for your help. 

LUNCH AND BREAKFAST:

School Meals:

Breakfast is served from 7:45-8:10 each morning. You may pay lunch/breakfast money in advance (often times parents send in a check/cash for larger amounts such as $20 or $30). Our computer program will keep track of how much money you have paid and how much has been used by your child as each meal is charged. When you send money to school, please put the money in an envelope and label it as follows:

"LUNCH MONEY"

CHILD'S NAME

TEACHER'S NAME

AMOUNT

Brought Lunch:

If your child brings his/her lunch, please send food your child can open and prepare independently. Also, soda is not allowed in the cafeteria.

 

Learning about Animals is FUN

We have had a great time learning about animals during science.  Over the past few weeks we have talked about what animals need to live and the different characteristics of insects and reptiles. We discussed how an animal needs food, water, air and a shelter to live.  

The insects and reptiles were so fun and interesting to discuss.  The kids have learned that an insect has three body parts: head, thorax, and abdomen.  They also know that an insect has six legs and wings.  We have discussed how some reptiles have claws (lizard)  while others don't even have legs (snake).  The kids thought it was so neat how the snake's and lizard's skin colors help them blend into their environment.   

POSITIVE REWARDS  

When students are “caught being good,” they will receive verbal praises and may earn Sparkle on their behavior log. Some additional rewards are listed below.

Sticker Chart

Each time a student is recognized for a positive behavior, s/he will get to place a sticker on his/her individual sticker chart. Once all spots on the chart have been covered with stickers, the student will turn in the completed chart and receive a prize from the prize box.

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head

Whenever the entire class is recognized for a positive behavior, they receive a body part for a potato head.  Once both are completed, the class receives a popsicle party. 

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
Conferences are October 24th, between 1-7 pm.  You received a sign-up sheet already.  At this fall conference, we will review your child's progress and discuss ways you can help your child in kindergarten.  You will also receive your child's report card. 

Spirit Day

Every FRIDAY is “Spirit Day.” Please dress your child in Bernie Blue or a Bernie spirit shirt. If our classroom has the highest percentage of students wearing Bernie Blue, we receive the Spirit Stick for that week! Our kids really want to win that Spirit Stick!!! So, wear your Bernie Blue tomorrow!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDER:

Book orders are due online or in class by Friday, October 4th.