End of September in Kindergarten

Things continue to roll along.  We are getting ready for our transition from simplified centers to our real centers that will continue through the year.  Kids are divided into their "animal groups" and are getting used to rotating around the room each day.  We are switching our music and library times on Thursdays so that we will be able to walk to the park on Thursdays.  I have been meeting with reading groups several times per week.  All in all, it is beginning to feel like we have established our routines and can focus on learning.

We would love to have more volunteers in the classroom.  We would love more help walking our reading buddies to Chapman on Fridays from 11:00 to 1:00 and we would love help in the classroom with centers most days from 9:50 to 11:00.  In addition we would love help in the afternoons from 1:25 until dismissal.  Shoot me an email if you can help -- my email is rmelling@pps.net.

We are making our way through our snack supply.  Please think of us as you are shopping!  Keep in mind that we do have dairy and nut issues.

We have two weeks of relative normalcy -- no days off and no late openings; I intend to make the most of this!

This weeks themes:
Theme Book: Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip
Other Books:  Three Little Pigs & Apple Books
Letter study: Review S-Z
Writing: Family Words
Math: Shapes: shapes and probability
Song: This Little Light of Mine.

This week in kindergarten

This Wednesday is our first late opening  School will begin at 10:15.  All buses will run two hours behind schedule.  We teachers will be at the main campus for professional development.

Picture day is Thursday.  Have your child dress for posterity.

It was wonderful to have volunteers helping out on Wednesday and Friday.  Please let me know if you would like to help out in the classroom.  We could also use a volunteer or two on Fridays to walk with our reading buddies from the main campus to the Ramona and back.  My sense is that this would go from about 11:00 to 1:00.  

In general, this is a time of transition from the getting-to-know-you phase of kindergarten towards the well-oiled-machine phase.  I have a sense of who everyone is, individually and collectively, and they have a sense of how things work.  The crux of the biscuit, as Frank Zappa would say, is finding a way to combine our personalities and systems to produce a classroom that feels safe for everyone, is conducive to learning, and is joyful and fun.

This weeks themes:
Theme Book: Plaidypus Lost
Other Books:  Three Little Pigs
Letter study: Review K-R
Writing: More beginning writing process
Math: Shapes: square, rectangle, circle, square

Coming up:
September 21 - Late Opening
September 22 - Picture Day
October 3-7 Scholastic Book Fair at Chapman Main Campus

Reading buddies

Wednesday Assembly

Feel free to join us at our assembly on Wednesday morning at 8:30.  This week we will sing a song or two and celebrate everyone whose birthday falls in the first two weeks of September.  The assembly should be finished by 8:45.

Fire Drills

We will be practicing our fire drills today and tomorrow.  Today is a simple walk-through (no alarm) and discussion.  Tomorrow we will pull the fire alarm so students can get a feel for how the fire drill process really works.  When we have a fire drill, we will walk to our safe space on the (closed to traffic) road in front of the Abigail.

Students respond to fire drills in a variety of ways.  Before and after each of the first few drills we talk about why we have fire drills,  Inevitably there is confusion about the concept of drills versus real fires and there are lots of "what if" questions (what if there are four fires and the fire truck catches on fire?).  This is a great opportunity to discuss your child's worries (if they have any) and to broach the subject of fire safety at home.

This week in kindergarten

We have had a great start to the school year here at the Ramona.  We have been hard at work on establishing routines,  beginning the intellectual and academic work of the kindergarten curriculum, and, most importantly, getting to know one another and having fun together.

It was wonderful to see most of you at the Back to School Night.  If you missed it, be sure to check your child's backpack for an overview of the presentation.

One of the biggest challenges of our new space is that I see less of parents before and after school.  If you drop your child off in the morning, feel say hello! As always, please feel free to call or email with any quest concerns.

We would love to have volunteers starting this week.  Please let me know if you are available on Wednesday or Friday mornings from 9:50 to 11:00 (you are welcome to start earlier and help us on our walk to the park around 9:20).

We are planning or first week of "Switch" this week.  Your child should have Art with Ms. D'Aurora, Dance with Mrs. Leveille, and P.E. with Ms. Forst.

I do plan to send out an email this morning.  Please shoot me an email at rmelling@pps.net if you do not receive it.

This weeks themes:
Theme Book: Fix It Duck
Other Books:  Titch series by Pat Hutchins
Centers: Week 2 of Centers, first week of reading groups
Writing: Kindergarten writing paper, beginning writing process
Math: Shapes: square, rectangle, circle, square

Coming up:
September 21 - Late Opening
September 22 - Picture Day
October 3-7 Scholastic Book Fair at Chapman Main Campus

A great first day

We had a wonderful first day with lots of energy, lots of questions and lots of fun!  We went to The Fields Park twice, we read several books, we worked on learning "This Land is Your Land", we did a self-portrait, and we enjoyed our math workplaces and choice time.

We will have the same general structure tomorrow -- we will meet in the classroom and dismiss on the North Side.  Hopefully we will fit in an art project (line caterpillars) and more literacy, math and choice time.

Thank you again for sending such a wonderful bunch of students!!

First day choice time