Weekly News: Q1W7 September 23-27

Hello, Kindergarten Griffins! 

As we are in the seventh week of school, your children have already accomplished so much -- we love watching them learn and grow each day. 

This Friday, our students will be taking a Written Phonogram Review quiz (WPR). Up to this point our students were circling phonograms read aloud for their quiz, with specific-colored crayons. NEW THIS WEEK, teachers will read aloud the sound(s) of a phonogram, and students will write the phonogram on their quiz paper. This week we will only be grading if they wrote the correct phonograms and one weekly focus point (this week is sitting on the baseline). They will be graded on producing the correct phonogram as well as forming the letter(s) correctly (handwriting). To help build their handwriting skills, we will have a weekly focus (i.e., phonograms sitting on the baseline or starting at the proper spot) that will be graded on each quiz. These quizzes will be a large component of their Spalding grade each quarter.

Thursday's homework will have 2 parts: 1) The regular handwriting practice (phonogram of the day). 2) A dictation sheet for Thursday's homework to prepare for Friday's quiz. Students will use the lines provided on Thursday's homework section and parents will keep the dictation sheet for themselves. Parents read (dictate) the phonogram sound(s). Your student will write the phonogram given, just once. Please help them correct it next door if they write the incorrect phonogram. Remember we do not erase in Spalding, so just cross it out and try again next door. 

At this point, we have learned 15 phonograms, so your daily phonogram review should be taking longer than it did in the initial weeks of school. It is imperative that students know their phonogram sounds very solidly, as our focus in the classroom will be shifting toward reading words based on our knowledge of the phonograms. Achieving automaticity with phonograms (being able to state the sounds without having to think about them) will be a key factor in your child's reading success! While practicing the cards, set aside the ones that are 'tricky' for your scholar and give them some extra attention. 

Library- please make sure your child brings their book back every week, so they are able to check out a new book each week. 

• KA and KB will go every Tuesday. 
• KC and KD will go every Wednesday.

Sweaters- As the weather starts to change, students may start to bring more sweaters to school. With the weather still warm, we are asking students leave their sweaters in the classroom; however, as it does start to cool off, it will be their responsibility to keep up with it.  We will give plenty of reminders to keep up with them and to remember them from their desks/cubbies at the end of the day.  Please double check that the inside of your child's sweater is labeled with their name, and preferably class/section.  

Snacks and water bottles- Reminders: Please make sure that your child's snack is one, small and healthy snack. We ask that the snack does not require utensils and that your child only drinks from their water bottle during this time (no juice).  Our snack times are short and having your child's snack packed separately in the backpack (not in their lunch box or a bento box) helps the 'grab and go' process, as well as easy unpacking it into the cubby in the morning.  Make sure to send your child with one reusable water bottle.  It is hot outside, and we do allow them to take it outside during their recess time, as well as use it during snack time/ lunch.

Looking ahead: 

• Please note that parent/teacher conferences will take place October 14-16, during Fall Break. Sign-up links will go live this Friday, September 27th. 

• Field Day shirt orders need to be placed by Friday, October 4th, or repurpose a previous year shirt from a sibling or friend.  In doing this, please make sure you have the right shirt for your child's section/class. Please follow this link, if you do not have a field day shirt: 24-25 Field Day Shirts (configio.com)

This Week

Math Skills

• Numbers to 10 (write, count, recognize, and order)
• Chapter 3 Mini Quiz Wednesday, September 25th. 

Language Arts Skills

• Spalding Phonograms: m, n, p, r
  
• Identify letter names
• Isolating sounds in words
• Identify phonogram sounds
• Identifying rhyming words
• Letter formation/pencil grip, writing phonograms on paper
• Distinguishing upper and lower case letters; naming letters

Grammar

• The Sentence Kingdom
• Fragments vs. Sentences

Literature

Why Do Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears?

Tug of War

• African folktales
• Identifying characters, setting, theme/plot
• Emotional Appeal
• Realistic vs. Make Believe
• Sequencing Events

Core Saying

Look before you leap.

Poetry

1,2 Buckle My Shoe

History/Science

• History: 
• Christopher Columbus/ Early Explorers
• Assessment on Wednesday, September 25th.
• Science: 
• Animals: Living and Nonliving, Habitats

Homework Reminders

• Be sure to read daily for 20 minutes; 100 minutes this week. Reading Logs will be collected on Monday next week. Please record on the Reading Log page. If you miss a night, please record 0 minutes and initial rather than leaving it blank.
• Spalding handwriting practice. One phonogram is practiced (5x per line) each night. Thursday also has 5 phonograms to practice hearing (dictation) and the student writes on their own.
• Memorize poem by Friday!

Upcoming Assessments

• Math (Chapter 3 Mini Quiz) - Wednesday, Sept. 25th
• History Assessment (Christopher Columbus) - Wednesday, Sept. 25th
• Spalding Phonogram Assessment (WPR) – Friday, Sept. 27th:  Students will write phonograms read aloud to them.

Upcoming Events

• Sept. 13 ~ Early Release
• Sept. 20 ~ Early Release
• Sept. 27 ~ Early Release; Spirit Day
• Oct. 4 ~ Early Release; End of Quarter 1
• Oct. 7 ~ Quarter 2 begins
• Oct. 11 ~ No School, Professional Development Day for Faculty
• Oct. 14-16 ~ Parent Teacher Conferences (sign-ups went out last Friday!)
• Oct. 14-18 ~ Fall Break
• Oct. 25 ~ Early Release; Spirit Day

Have a wonderful week!

Together for our children - The GHNO Kindergarten Teachers