Ms. Goldberg

 Mrs. Goldberg’s Kindergarten News

SEPTEMBER

The "letters-of-the-week" for September are M (week of September 8), S (week of September 15), and F (week of September 22).  We will be focusing on the numbers 0 through 5.  The themes for the month are Friendship, Children’s Names, and Growth and Change (ourselves, Monarch caterpillars, and blueberries).  Thank you for helping your child search for caterpillars and chrysalises and sending them to school!  The children have enjoyed observing them with magnifying glasses!   

Please send to school a baby picture of your kindergartner for our Growth and Change unit.  It would be helpful to have these in class by Friday, September 12. 

We will study the work of author-illustrator Eric Carle.  Please send to school Eric Carle books you would like to share with the class.
           
Wednesday, September 10, is an early release day for the District’s elementary schools. The children will be dismissed at 12:00 on this day.                                                

I welcome and encourage volunteering in the classroom.  I will hold two sessions for interested volunteers (parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends of our classroom families) on Wednesday, September 10 in the kindergarten classroom to discuss the specifics of the volunteer reading, writing, and math programs and to sign-up volunteers for specific dates and times to work in the classroom.  Interested volunteers should come at 3:30 p.m. or 7:00 p.m.
 
 We will be having morning and afternoon snack-times.  The children may buy milk or juice for the morning snack-time.  Please send a drink to school for the afternoon snack-time because the cafeteria is closed at this time.

Each day the children will leave the Kindergarten classroom to attend “specials.”   Specials include physical education ("P.E.") with Mrs. Dyer and music with Mr. Michaud on Mondays and Tuesdays, library with Mrs. Dinino on Wednesdays, art with Mrs. Marquis on Thursdays, computer with Mr. Rozett on Fridays, and Spanish with Mrs. Kugler on Wednesdays and Fridays.  Mrs. Dyer requests that sneakers be worn to P.E.  At library time, each child will receive a library book to take home.  The children must return the books one week later.  If you have not already done so, please send a large t-shirt to school to be used as an art smock.

I will be ordering books from the Scholastic Book Club this year.  Please take a moment to look over the selections in this month's Book Club News.  If you would like to purchase any of the books, check the appropriate box on the order form and return it to me with a check payable to Scholastic Book Club by Friday, September 12.  Please do not send cash--only checks are accepted by the Book Club.  The class order will arrive in two-to-three weeks.

The children have settled nicely into the Kindergarten routine.  We're off to a great start!

Mrs. Goldberg’s Kindergarten News

October

The “letters-of-the-week” for October are H (week of September 29), T (week of October 6), A (week of October 13), A in the middle of words (week of October 20), and P (week of October 27).  In math we will be working with numbers 0-10; counting forward and backward; exploring coins, measurement instruments, and rocker balances;  looking for patterns at school and at home; and engaging in daily calendar activities.  The themes for the month are My Body (Five Senses), Fall Season, and Fire Safety. We will also continue our September theme of Growth and Change (apples and pumpkins).
 
We will study the work of author-illustrator Denise Fleming.  Please send to school Denise Fleming books you would like to share with the class.

Joycelyn Roux, our school's guidance counselor, began visiting our class weekly in September and will continue through October.  We are focusing on making friends, kindness and caring, identifying and expressing feelings, and solving problems.  We will practice using “I” messages.  For example, “I feel [sad] when you [don’t include me in your game] and I want you to [let me play with you].”

Last week we began “Book Buddies” with Mrs. Washburn’s second grade class.  We will meet weekly throughout the school year.  Each kindergartner is paired with a second grader for the year.  In addition to engaging in lots of fun literacy activities together, kindergartners often develop special friendships with their buddies :)

 The elementary children in our District will be dismissed at 12:00 every Wednesday in October.

There will be no school for the children on Monday, October 13 (Columbus Day).
 
 We will go on a field trip to the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in Wells on Friday, October 17.  We will walk on the trails and use our five senses to experience this local estuarine environment.  Please sign and return the permission slip I sent home on Friday.

 “Pumpkin Day” will be on Friday, October 24.  On this day we will perform lots of pumpkin math activities and carve pumpkins!  The carved pumpkins will be donated to the Kennebunk Parks and Recreation Department for its annual community Halloween party on Saturday, October 25.  If you are willing to donate a pumpkin or help us carve, please let me know.

Please do not have your child wear his or her Halloween costume to school. 

 Please take a moment to look over the selections in this month's Scholastic Book Club News.  If you would like to purchase any of the books, check the appropriate boxes on the order form and return it to me with a check payable to Scholastic Book Club by Friday, October 10.  Please do not send cash--only checks are accepted by the Book Club.  The class order will arrive in two-to-three weeks.

Parents, thank you so much for helping your child complete the activities in his or her Weekly Home-School Folder.  Looking for the letter-of-the-week pictures at home connects home and school learning.  In addition, the children are enthusiastic about sharing their pictures and completed homework!  Also, thank you for your volunteer time during our literacy and math centers and your donations to the classroom!  I truly appreciate your support!

Mrs. Goldberg’s Kindergarten News

November
 

The “letters-of-the-week” during November are C (week of Nov. 3), L (week of Nov. 10), and a in the middle of consonant-vowel-consonant words (e.g. cat, map, fan) during the week of Nov. 17. 

In math, we will count forward and backward; count objects in a group; count-on from any number 2-20+; read numbers 0-15+; recognize and name geometric shapes; use concepts of greater and less to find a mystery number while playing the game Monster Squeeze; read and record numbers of pennies using the ¢ sign; generate, continue, and copy patterns; sort objects using various attributes; notice symmetry; create and solve number stories; and continue our daily calendar routine.

We will study Construction in our Science Companion program this month.  The activities in this study will encourage the children to explore, experiment, share results, and work together to solve problems.  The children will learn some basic information about building a house and a bridge; experiment with many different building materials; discuss various architectural features; learn about simple machines such as a lever and pulley; and experiment with what makes structures strong. 

Please let me know if you or someone you know has architectural or building experience and would like to visit our classroom to talk with or do a center activity with the children.  If you have any of the following items and are willing to share them with our class, please send them in for our science center: books about architecture, the building process, construction, machinery, bridges, and other relevant topics; pictures of architecturally interesting buildings; pulleys, levers, hard hats, tool belts, safety vests, and blue prints; or toy construction machinery such as dump trucks and backhoes.

Our construction unit culminates with student-built models of their own homes.  To prepare for this, please have your child sketch your home, paying attention to details such as height, style of roof, door and window locations, and the exterior material with which your house is covered.  Feel free to send in photographs of the interior and exterior of your house.  Please send your child’s sketch to school by Monday, November 10.

Wednesday, November 12, and Wednesday, November 26 are early release days. The children will be dismissed at 12:00 on these days. There is no school for students on Tuesday, November 11; Thursday, November 27; and Friday, November 28.

If you would like to purchase any of the books in the November Book Club News, please check the appropriate boxes on the order form and return it to me by Monday, November 10.  Include a check payable to Scholastic Book Clubs.

Thank you for your continued support and volunteer time!