Welcome to the 2014-2015 School Year!

Families, we all made it through our first week of school together---woohoooooo!!!!!! This is such a proud accomplishment and I am so happy to see my students taking well to one another already as well as with myself.

We are learning basic, but VITAL routines and procedures. One routine that I look forward to each day is having morning meeting with the class. This is where we greet each other, have discussions, sing songs, and read our morning message. It sets the foundation for the day and sets a positive tone.

Guided Discoveries
You will notice yellow caution tape blocking off some of my materials. I told the boys and girls that we are learning how to properly care and use our toys and manipulatives. The first material we got to do a guided discovery with was pattern blocks.

What's a guided discovery? I model how to respectively use a material, and then ask the students what they noticed about how I used the material. Then I ask a few students to model for the class, and again ask the class what they noticed about how the materials were handled. Once this discussion is held, the whole class has the opportunity to use the material.

Carter is building a tower.

Makenna made a smiley face.

Olivia C. is sorting hers by color.

Savannah made a lion.

We were able to do a few more guided discoveries later in the week with other toys.

Crazy pipes

Ball connectors

Lincoln logs

Foam blocks

Guided discoveries aren't just for toys! We learned how to use crayons, pencils, and glue sticks as well.

Using crayons

With the crayons, we colored a "First day of kindergarten" picture. I emphasized writing their names on their paper FIRST, taking their time, and staying inside the lines.

We also colored name tags for our Word Wall and hung them up.

Using glue sticks

We created Rainbow Names where students tore colored construction paper and glued them onto the letters of their names. With the glue sticks, I told the class that a little bit goes a long way, to keep the glue stick part up only a little bit (some kids get "twist happy"--where the glue part gets super high and snaps off) and to make sure the cap snaps shut, I know these things are so automatic for us adults, but for kindergartners, they NEED this modeling and practice! 

Using pencils

We used our pencils to trace different dotted lines. "Start high in the sky then go down to the ground."

Reminders

For the first couple weeks of school, I give students stickers because they are learning our school expectations and getting used to the routine of things. I have been checking orange take-home folders and parents, I have to say that you have been doing an amazing job signing and emptying out your child's things! You rock!!!!! This is such a huge communication tool that helps you see how your child is doing and let's you know what's going on in the week. 

I had one student ask me if different colored stickers mean different things. The answer is no. Stickers are stickers regardless of what color they are--if they get a sticker, it means they had a good day. If they had a rough day, they get a colored X. I tend to write a little note as well specifying what the issue or situation was.

With dismissal, students are learning and catching onto our dismissal routine. No worries if they have misplaced or don't wear their yellow bus tag since I have a checklist of where each student needs to go and have learned their names; however if your child still has the tag, continue wearing it to school. Thank you for your help with this!

I hope you all had a very restful weekend....Lots of sleep is crucial in kindergarten so they are ready to go!!!!! Here's to next week, our first FULL five day week together.