IMPORTANT MAY DATES:
MAY 6TH: May Crowning-Noon Dismissal-No hot lunch
MAY 8TH: Mother’s Day Picnic-Please meet in the
classroom at
MAY 22nd: Grandparent/Very Important Person visitation day-Noon Dismissal
MAY 25th: Memorial Day-No school
APRIL/MAY CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES:
MATH: We have been focusing on addition. We will begin
subtraction on Friday, April 24th. Please practice both addition and subtraction
at home. Don’t forget to review the value of penny, nickel, dime and quarter.
RELIGION-We are focusing on the Resurrection and
signs of New Life.
Phonics/Reading Readiness:
We have covered a great many of our sounds. As a result, we have
continued to work on our word and sentence dictation. In addition, we are
writing stories using story prompts and creative writing. Just a reminder: When
the children are writing their own stories we do not focus on the
spelling. The children are encouraged to sound out the words and spell them on
their own. Focusing on the spelling at this point in their writing will inhibit
their creativity. When doing story homework, please let them write their own
sentences. They can be 2 or 3 sentences.
Please remember to review the sight words with your child. The back of the reader gives new words that
your child will encounter in the story and words previously introduced. Please
go over them before your child reads to you. We have covered the following
sounds: c-o-a-d-g-m-l-h-t-i-j-k-p-ch-u-b-r-f-n-s-e-sh-th-w-wh. In the next few weeks,
we will cover the following beginning sounds: y-v-x-z.
SCIENCE: The children
will be working on a unit dealing with insects. We will be focusing on the life
cycle of the caterpillar. The children will observe several caterpillars as
they grow and change into butterflies. We will learn many new words that relate
to this exciting project. (Chrysalis, cocoon, larva,
butterfly, caterpillar, pupa).
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
1.
Please label
all money that your child brings to school.
It helps a great deal if your child’s name and what the money is
designated for are written on the front of the envelope. If your child is
purchasing hot lunch, please write their choice of food on the envelope. Please
do not use Ziploc bags. They tend to open in the backpack and money may get
lost.
2. Please make sure that your child knows
when he/she is purchasing hot lunch. It eliminates confusion and the children
getting upset at lunchtime. It will also be helpful if your child knows in
advance that their dismissal has been changed. I know this frequently happens
in the middle of the day. In that case, please make sure to e-mail me at tgronert@shgschool.org. We check the
e-mail prior to dismissal so that we are aware of changes and can inform your
child. If you know in advance, please write a note. We cannot rely on a child
coming in the morning and telling us since several children would like to
switch their own dismissal J.
Writing Folder: These homework assignments are separate
from the packet given out on Monday. The children complete the handwriting
assignment and return the folder and activity the following day.
Some parents have had questions about the list of sight words. These are in the
folder for the children to use on his/her own when completing the work.
**** Please note: The children have been doing several
writing activities. Now that we are in our third trimester, we are focusing on
using the appropriate lines and writing neatly in the class and on our homework.
We appreciate it if you could reinforce this at home.
The following are some activities that you may do with your child to
enrich their reading skills.
1.
Using the sounds covered, have your child write
three letter words. Add sight words to create sentences. Glue sentences on ½
sheet of paper and illustrate. Combine the pages to create a booklet. If your
child would like to share these projects with the class, please feel free to
send them to school.
2.
Write three letter words on index cards using the
sounds already presented in class. On a separate card, write the letters and
then cut them apart. Have your child put the letters back together to create
the word written on the first card. If you have the word on one card and the
letters that have been cut apart, this activity will be self checking for your
child. If also enables your child to use
different senses in learning to read.
3.
Children enjoy manipulating objects when they learn.
Using poker chips (which may be purchased at the dollar store) put a sticker on
each chip with a letter. Dictate a word to your child and have him/her put the
chips together to create the word. Another way to present this idea is to make
clay or play dough letters.
4.
***Review the sight words frequently.
5.
When your child reads to you, try using a tracking
device so that your child understands that letters make sounds, sounds combined
make words and words combined make sentences. In addition, your child learns
that reading is done left to right.
Children love to use small flashlights to follow along the words. We
currently use stars glued on popsicle sticks and
outlined in silver glitter to follow words in our books.
6.
Have your child “paint” a word on the sidewalk.
Dictate a word and have your child paint the word using water. Try sidewalk
chalk.
Sight Words:
The following are sight words that we are covering in class:
Red blue yellow green orange
Is black brown white purple
It be am see like
I a the one two
Can Three four five to
My on go get did
Like look had and of
Six seven eight nine got
Play said liked
Twelve not as are be
Big little can for too
them they
saw he she
we was off got
him her
-at word family: bat, cat, etc.
-an word
family: fan, tan, etc.
-en word family: pen, wren
-et word
family: wet, set, get
When we are using the word families,
we are including consonant blends when we “create” our words such as wren,
then, that.
NUMBER
FORMATION RHYMES
1 Straight line down and then you’re done,
That’s
the way to make a one.
2 Around the track, then come back.
That’s
the way to make a two.
3 Around the tree, Around
the tree.
That’s
the way to make a three.
4 Down and over, Down once more,
That’s
the way to make a four.
5 Skinny man ate a lot of ice cream and
got a fat tummy. He was embarrassed, so he
put a hat on top. Another rhyme for 5 is down and
around, hat on top and five is a clown.
A second
rhyme for 5 is: Down and around, hat on
Top and
5 is a clown.
6 Stick and a loop do the tricks,
That’s
the way to make a six.
7 Across the top and down from heaven,
That’s
the way to make a seven.
8 Make a “S” and do not
wait,
Go back
up to make an eight.
9
That’s
the way to make a nine.
10 Straight line down and around again,
That’s
the way to make a ten.
CALENDAR FOR 2008-2009
AUGUST
26-27-28-29: Orientation-Your child will attend class from 9:00-11:00 on
one of the days listed. This will give him/her the opportunity to get
acquainted with the teachers and classroom in short groups.
28-Back to School Night for Preschool-Grade 5 beginning at 7PM
29-Noon Dismissal, Labor Day Weekend begins
SEPTEMBER
1-School Closed: Labor Day
26-School Closed-Professional Development
OCTOBER
6 and 7-
School Closed: Archdiocesan Professional Development
10-After lunchtime-Parent Visitation for grades K-2
24-Noon Dismissal: Kindergarten and grade 1 conferences
NOVEMBER
26-Noon Dismissal
27-28-School Closed for Thanksgiving
DECEMBER
1 thru 5-Santa’s Workshop-Schedules will be sent home with your child.
You are welcome to come and shop with them during their designated time.
4-Progress Reports go home
9-Noon Dismissal-Parent/Teacher Conferences 1:00-4:00
11-Christmas Program (
19-Noon Dismissal, Christmas Holidays
JANUARY
5-School Reopens following Christmas Holidays
19-School closed: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
26-Catholic Schools Week Begins
27-Parent Visitation Day
FEBRUARY
13-Noon Dismissal
16-School Closed for President’s Day
MARCH
2- School Closed-Professional Development
6-Progress
Reports go Home
16-School
Closed-Early Prevention Screening
APRIL
3-School
Closed-Faculty Retreat
8-Noon
Dismissal-Easter break begins
20-School
Reopens
MAY
6-Noon
Dismissal-May Crowning
22-Grandparents/Very
Important Person Day-Noon Dismissal
25-School
Closed-Memorial Day
JUNE
5-Kindergarten
Celebration-9am