Hello Kindergarten Families!

Spring is in the air and students are excited about the warm weather.  Students are growing at a rapid rate and we will continue to review safety rules and guidelines for the classroom and playground.

The Book Swap on Wednesday was a success.  Students had fun turning in their books and swapping them for another book.  Thank you for participating.

On Monday, we will begin our unit on the "ocean".  This is our last unit for the year. The unit involves learning about ocean animals, habitats, and what animals and plants need to survive.  We will compare ocean habitats (seashore, tide pool, deep sea etc.) as well as write an ocean animal report.  The cool projects will be displayed on 5/16 at Open House.  Please mark your calendars for this special evening with your child.  We will transform our classroom into an OCEAN habitat.  You're going to love it!

In Writer's Workshop, students will continue to edit their opinion writing.  The students will think about how to make their writing better by getting feedback from their peers.  Students will practice reading their story with a partner and giving feedback to their partner.  At the end of the week, students will make a title page for their writing.

In Reader's Workshop, we will have a grand conversation on a book called, "All My Stripes", and students will learn to make insightful comments and ask questions about the book. The book with teach us how to embrace not only who we are, but how to embrace others who are different or do things in their own brilliant way. It is a great book!

In Math, we will continue to focus on fact families and decomposing numbers to 10.  Students are still confused when they see 5=3+2 (decomposing) versus 3+2=5 (composing).  Please practice decomposing at home using different strategies such as number bonds, drawings, objects etc.

Next Thursday, we will learn about Henry Matisse and students will make a cool art project for their "art portfolio".  

As a reminder, there is no school today due to an SBC Day.

Mark your calendars:

Open House - May 16th

No School 5/27 - Memorial Day

Kindergarten Promotion Ceremony - 5/28 at 10:45

End-of-the-Year Kindergarten Party- 5/29 9:30 at Rio Park

Have a wonderful weekend,

Cathy Werner

Kindergarten Update 4/8 - 4/12

Hello Kindergarten Families,

I hope you enjoying your spring break! Here is what happening when we come back in April.  We will only have 9 weeks left!

Our theme will be plants and insects.  We will continue identifying parts of a plant and begin to learn parts of a insect.  Students will discuss what plants need in order to grow and make a book about the life cycle of a plant. We will read the " Grouchy Ladybug" and the children will make a cute double facts ladybug.

Art History:  We have completed both our Van Gogh"The Starry Night" piece and our Picasso"Portrait" piece.  This week we will learn about Georgia O'Keefe and study her beautiful art pieces of magnified flowers and we'll create our own.

Word Wall Words: first, out

Math: Students will be talking about repetitive numbers and how this is called multiples.  We will be working on word problems with multiples and use pictures to represent the answer.  Also, we are still discussing and comparing  both solid and flat shapes.

A fun reminder is our Rio del Mar Auction held  on April 13th from 5-10 at Seascape Golf Course! If you have never been, I sincerely encourage you to go! It is a great opportunity to get together with friends while raising much needed funds for our school! Many thanks to our Parent Alliance President Jen Christensen for chairing this event! I also am so proud the efforts of my own classroom community! Thanks you Mary Sandman for handling the the classroom baskets as well as the many of the donations to be auctioned off! Special thanks to you all for coming together and donating so many fantastic items for our class basket! Special thanks to Kristi Boudreault our talented Room Mom for organizing the items in such an creative way! I know it will be a very popular basket to bid on! Many thanks to you all for treating me to a ticket! I look very forward to seeing you  all there!

Reminders:

Auction is April 13 from 5-10 at Seascape Golf Course!  (See you there!)

April 17th (Book Swap)

April 19th (No school for students)

Looking ahead: 

In May, we are going to have a STEAM Day (all science).  We will have presenters and guest speakers and participate in engaging science experiments.  

Our presenter is hoping to have some items donated for this fun science event. Please send in containers (yogurt, egg cartons, amazon boxes, cereal boxes, etc.) Please send in items whenever you can.  

Thanks!

Have a wonderful spring break!

Ms. Werner

Kindergarten Update 3/26 - 3/29

Hello Kindergarten Families,

     Thank you all for being so generous and donating all the goodies for our Kinesthetic Learning Auction Basket. It is simply Incredible! Next week, the class baskets will be on display in the library on Wednesday, March 27- Friday, March 29th before and after school.  Please come out and get an early sneak peek at these wonderful baskets .  Also, if you haven't purchased your tickets for the Auction, please do so soon.  We need to get a headcount by April 1st, and the ticket prices go up! Tickets can be purchased on our website.

   This week is our last week of school before Spring Break.  We will continue to talk about animals that are oviparous (animals that come from eggs).  We will  also complete some fun art projects and writing activities about oviparous animals. 

Language Arts/Reading:  We will be talking about syllables and root words.  Students are learning to identify the "root word".  Then, we will be discussing the suffix/endings like (ing, ed).  When we read books, students will be identifying these words. Students will be learning to read longer multiple syllable words. 

Math:  We will continue to talk about solid shapes(3D shapes).  They will be building and comparing solid shapes. Students will also be adding and subtracting word problems.  We will be learning to show missing addends. 


Coming up!!!
Talent Show-Friday, March 29
Spring Break- April 1-5
Auction-Saturday, April 13
SBC day- Friday, April 19
Authors' Fair- May 4th

Have a lovely weekend,

Ms. Werner

Kindergarten Update 3/18 - 3/22

Dear Kindergarten Families,

We are so excited about the first day of spring which falls on March 20th!  We will talk more about "spring" and the many changes that happen during this wonderful  time.  

 

Word Wall Words:  "one", "as"

In Writer's Workshop, students are having a great time writing their opinion about their favorite dessert.  Students are adding reasons to support their opinion.  It's so much fun to read all of the stories!  Please continue to work on writing at home.  

In Reader's Workshop, students will practice reading books at their level and predicting what's going to happen next. 

In math, students will work on counting on and using the number line to solve problems.

In science, we will discuss what it means to be oviparous (animals that hatch from eggs) and do fun and engaging activities around them.  

We will start our famous artist study next week.  The first artist we are going to study is Picasso.  Students will create their own art based around this artist.  Students will display their work at Open House.

Report cards went home yesterday. I am so proud of the growth each child has shown! Way to go Kinders! Keep it up!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Don't get pinched.

 

Reminders:
Class Baskets are due March 22
Spring Break starts March 30th. 
School resumes Monday, April 8
Class baskets displayed in Library for families to bid on April 8-12
Auction is Saturday, April 13

Enjoy your weekend,

Ms. Werner

3/11 - 3/15

Hello  Kindergarten Families,

Next week, we will continue to talk about the weather.  We have been memorizing the poems for each type of cloud formation.  We will also do some fun activities with Leprechauns since St. Patrick's day is Saturday March 17.  I'm Irish.  I will be showing the map of Ireland and where my family are from. As you know, we Irish call it St. Paddy's Day. We'll learn to do a little Irish jig.

Word wall word: because

Writers workshop: We will begin opinion writing. We will discuss  what we think is the best desserts.  The children will be taking a survey to see what the class thinks is the best dessert. Then they will try to persuade the class into thinking  that their favorite dessert is the best. In a model writing, students will write how to eat a chocolate coin.

Readers workshop: Our teaching point will be how to read long words.  I will be discussing syllables and how to break a word up into syllables.  Some students say  that they can not read a long word.  The tool is how can you shorten the word to make it less scary.  

In math, we will continue designing shapes and talking about shapes.  Students will be playing games, drawing, shaping, and comparing shapes.

Reminders:

Report cards go home March 15

Class Baskets are due March 22

Spring Break starts March 30th. 

School resumes Monday, April 8

Class baskets will be displayed in Library for families to bid on April 8-12

Auction is Saturday, April 13

Have a great weekend,

Cathy Werner

March 4-8

Hello Families,

Wow, it is March!!! It is almost spring!  We will be talking about the weather and different types of clouds.  We have many books and poems that we will be reading.  

In Writer's workshop, we will be starting our new unit in opinion writing.  They turn out very cute because we ask them to write about if they have opinions on what we could change at school.  One year, our students helped get the track in the upper playground get fixed because so many wrote about it.  

In reader's workshop, students will be introduced to being a super reader.  Students will be show their powers by looking around the room and other places to identify familiar words.  Then, they will use pointer power to point to words as they read.  Then students will be asked to read with a partner.

word wall words: little, girl  (please practice past words (said, this, that, come, feet)

In math: Students will be identifying solid and flat shapes.  We will identify and compare shapes using vocabulary words like face, sides, corners etc.  Students will be making different sizes of shapes.  We will also continue to add and subtract with word problems.

This year the theme for our Auction is "Monopoly".   This is our biggest fundraising event to raise money for our school to have special assemblies, math festivals, supplies for classrooms, programs for education, etc.   In order for all classes to help, we are creating a class basket themed "Learning Sensory/Play dough".   Kristi, our room parent, has already sent an email in regards to donating to this basket.    Anything with Sensory/Kinesthetic themed would be great.  We need all donations in by March 22!!! We will be selling the baskets at the Auction and they will be displayed in the Library the week before the Auction.  Please make an effort to donate to the basket, join us for the auction on Saturday, April 13th and have a great time meeting many other families!!!!

Reminders:

Rio Community night at Santa Cruz Warriors: Friday, March 15

Report Cards March 15

Class basket donations due March 22

School Auction on Saturday, April 13th

Thank you and have a great weekend,

Ms. Werner

Feb. 25-March 1

Hello Families,

This week, we are celebrating on of our favorite author, Dr. Suess!!! His birthday is March 3. Read Across America is March 2.  We will be having activities in math, reading, art, and science that are themed with Dr. Suess.  Students who want to dress up daily to match the book we are reading that day.  Also, students can bring in a book to share of Dr. Suess.  We will dress up on Friday with our hats and bow ties.

Monday: Dress up in stripes for "The Cat in the Hat"
Tuesday: Dress up in green for  "Green Eggs and Ham"
Wednesday: mix and match (backwards, inside out, etc.) for "Wacky Wednesday"
Thursday: something red or blue for "One fish Two fish Blue fish Red fish"
Friday:  Crazy socks "Fox on Socks"

Word wall words: want, feet

Writers workshop: Finishing up our "How to" book and celebrating on Friday with our buddies.

In Math:  In counting collections, students are exploring grouping of 2's, 5's, 10's, and other grouping.  Please practice at home.  Also, we have been discussing "place value" and counting the 10 way.  For example: for 12 it is 1 ten two.  This is to help with placing the ten in the correct place.

In Readers workshop: We are focusing on sounding out words instead of guessing.  You can use clues with the pictures to identify each letter in the word.

Thanks to the parents who helped with the Math Festival!  The class had a great time exploring the different math activities.

Thanks for walking students to the upper playground in the morning.  It has been very cold in the mornings, so please send jacket or sweatshirt to school.

Next round of sharing for "Star of the Day"!! Something about spring.  Put it in a bag with 3 clues and their name.

Have a great week,
Ms. Werner