Dear Parents,
K-207 is really getting ready to prepare for the Kindergarten Step-Up Celebration! We are so excited that this year we all will be going to Prospect Park for our celebration! The children will be singing some songs for all our guests to see and then taking part in a morning full of fun and excitement.
Our big day will take place on Wednesday, June 17! All the children must meet at the Tennis House at 9:00 am. We will be starting the ceremony at 9:30 am. The Kindergarten teachers will be meeting you and your children at the park. (If that is not possible for you, please let me know as soon as possible to discuss alternate arrangements.) All are invited, and we are asking that you provide your child with a picnic lunch for you and your family to enjoy. Just remember to bring a blanket to sit on.
We have lots of great things planned for the Stepping-Up Ceremony but we need your help! We are collecting $10.00 for graduation costs from each child. If any parent can contribute a little more to offset the cost for a child who cannot pay, it will be greatly appreciated.
We would like to coordinate the attire for each class. Class K-207 will be wearing RED! Please dress you child in a top (or dress) of this color and have him or her wear khaki bottoms (skirt or shorts)
Many familes continue the Stepping-Up celebration by taking their child out after the ceremony. Children just love this special day with their family! Even though I will miss them tremendously, this is fine, as long as you sign your child out before you leave. Do not leave the park with your child without letting me know. This is a very busy day...so you really need to get my attention.
I hope that you have received the notes and directions to the Tennis House. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TENNIS HOUSE IS NOT NEAR THE TENNIS CENTER - THE TWO ARE LOCATED IN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE PARK! If you do not have the directions to the Tennis House, please let me know.
Now down to the academic part the notice. Here is an overview of what the children will be learning throughout June. Yes, parents...we are still working!!!!
Reading Workshop: Theme-Based Reading Clubs. We started this unit by gathering books related to a variety of topics such as families, insects, friends, birthdays, and so on. We have grouped these books by themes and children were partnered in each club by a theme they want to study for a week or so have worked within a basket of books gathered on that topic. The purpose of these reading center units is to support thoughtful reading (and deep comprehension) of just-right books.
Writing Workshop: Authors as Mentors. We are using Donald Crews as our mentor and have taken a look at many of his books for inspiration. Some of these books include Freight Train, Big Mamas, and Parade. We are mimicing some of his writing crafts such as labeling, using patterning, and zooming in on the moment. The children are writing across many pages and the work is really astounding!
Word Study: We have been working on phonological awareness during May and now into June. The children are learning to hear the middle sounds in words and to hear sounds in sequence. We are also focusing on common spelling patterns (consonant vowel consonant words), and continue to support children with high frequency word instruction.
Shared Reading: We are continuing to use shared reading as a place to demonstrate early reading strategies such as looking at the picture, getting your mouth ready for the initial sound, voice-to-print matching, and helping children anchor themselves to the text by finding sight words they know. During this time, I am also modeling what to do or say when readers get stuck on hard words.
Social Studies: Playgrounds. We will continue to take many walking trips to playgrounds, and incorporate our playground study during choice time. Choice time will be a bit longer (one hour several times a week) and some centers will be: playground design and construction (in the block area) experimenting with various materials for playground building (in the science area) and sculpting playgrounds (with clay or playdough) in the art area, designing of playgrounds (in the dramatic play center).
Math: I have introduced the use of the hour hand to estimate time on an analog clock. I am teaching the children about the $1 and $10 bills and reinforcing coin names, values, and exchanges. Later, the children will play “missing number” problems, and work with addition and subtraction stories.
DESPERATELY NEEDED:
CLEANING SUPPLIES - FANTASTIC, WINDEX, ETC.
GOO GONE (VERY IMPORTANT)
LARGE PLASTIC BINS WITH TOPS!!! (IMPORTANT)
SPONGES
PAPER TOWELS, PAPER TOWELS, PAPER TOWELS
ONE LARGE BUCKET
BROOM
IF ANY PARENT CAN HELP WITH A FEW OF THESE SUPPLIES...I WOULD BE SOOOO GRATEFUL.
Thank you in Advance.
More to Follow.... I am getting sadder by the day!
Fondly,
Mrs. Graham
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Thank You
Dear Parents:
I want to thank you coming to today's Spring Celebration. The children did an amazing job with their poems and songs. I really loved it and hope that you did as well.
I know that you also had to be so happy reading your children's Book of Poetry. When I was putting the poems in the book, I could not believe how many poems they had written. The poems the children recited were poems from our Shared Reading for the several weeks before the celebration. They love reciting them. Copies of the poems are now in their Shared Reading notebooks. Have the children recite them to you while they point to each word. It is amazing how well they are reading.
The children just loved writing their poems. The writing unit of study on Poetry teaches children to explore, and savor language, valuing voice and repetition, sounds and onomatopoeia (even if they never heard any of these terms before). The children in Class K-207 learned to read and write with an ear, appreciating and revising the pace and rhythm of words, and they learned to care not only about their topics, but also about how they write about those topics. Poetry can teach children to deliberately craft their language, trying things on the page on purpose, hoping to create special effects.
Poetry can also encourage young children to see the world with fresh eyes. They write what the see. Children can learn to see with their hearts, to show their feelings by pretending and imagining with language. The children in Class K-207 learned to have fun with words…to be daredevils and gymnasts with language.
For any parent who was not able to come to the celebration, their book of poems is currently on display outside our classroom. Please take a moment to come by and take a look.
Thank you to for all the food and goodies. The Children were so happy to see so many of you. Also...thank you for all your support. I know that on any occasion I could call any number of you to come by and help me. You are a great group of parents! I will miss you next year.
Fondly,
Mrs. Graham
PS: Kindergarten Graduation - June 18 in Prospect Park.... More to follow!
I want to thank you coming to today's Spring Celebration. The children did an amazing job with their poems and songs. I really loved it and hope that you did as well.
I know that you also had to be so happy reading your children's Book of Poetry. When I was putting the poems in the book, I could not believe how many poems they had written. The poems the children recited were poems from our Shared Reading for the several weeks before the celebration. They love reciting them. Copies of the poems are now in their Shared Reading notebooks. Have the children recite them to you while they point to each word. It is amazing how well they are reading.
The children just loved writing their poems. The writing unit of study on Poetry teaches children to explore, and savor language, valuing voice and repetition, sounds and onomatopoeia (even if they never heard any of these terms before). The children in Class K-207 learned to read and write with an ear, appreciating and revising the pace and rhythm of words, and they learned to care not only about their topics, but also about how they write about those topics. Poetry can teach children to deliberately craft their language, trying things on the page on purpose, hoping to create special effects.
Poetry can also encourage young children to see the world with fresh eyes. They write what the see. Children can learn to see with their hearts, to show their feelings by pretending and imagining with language. The children in Class K-207 learned to have fun with words…to be daredevils and gymnasts with language.
For any parent who was not able to come to the celebration, their book of poems is currently on display outside our classroom. Please take a moment to come by and take a look.
Thank you to for all the food and goodies. The Children were so happy to see so many of you. Also...thank you for all your support. I know that on any occasion I could call any number of you to come by and help me. You are a great group of parents! I will miss you next year.
Fondly,
Mrs. Graham
PS: Kindergarten Graduation - June 18 in Prospect Park.... More to follow!
Monday, May 18, 2009
SPRING CELEBRATION - Formerly "The Mother's Day" Celebration!!!!
Dear Parents:
PLEASE JOIN CLASS K-207 FOR A CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF OUR BEAUTIFUL MOTHERS. THIS IS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS BUT WILL BE FUN. WE WILL BE PERFORMING SOME OF OUR FAVORITE SPRING POEMS.
BRING YOUR CAMERAS!!!
WHEN: Friday, May 22, 2009
TIME: 9:00 A.M.
WHERE: CLASS K-207
*Too many wonderful things going on in Class K-207 – not enough time in the day!!!!
Fondly,
Ms. Graham and Class K-207
PLEASE JOIN CLASS K-207 FOR A CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF OUR BEAUTIFUL MOTHERS. THIS IS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS BUT WILL BE FUN. WE WILL BE PERFORMING SOME OF OUR FAVORITE SPRING POEMS.
BRING YOUR CAMERAS!!!
WHEN: Friday, May 22, 2009
TIME: 9:00 A.M.
WHERE: CLASS K-207
*Too many wonderful things going on in Class K-207 – not enough time in the day!!!!
Fondly,
Ms. Graham and Class K-207
Thursday, May 14, 2009
What is Happening?????
Dear Parents:
As you know, the Kindergarten Classes will be going on a trip to the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, BMCC, 199 Chambers Street, New York, New York on Friday, May 15, 2009 to see The Paper Bag Players perform in the show “Make A Little Room For Me!” for a 10:30 a.m. performance. We will be leaving the school at 9:30 a.m. and will be going by school bus. I am very sorry that we are only allowed to take 2 parent volunteers.
This is due to the fact that there is a limited amount of room in the theatre. I have sent notices to the parents chosen for the trip. For any parent who paid for the trip and is not a volunteer, I will return your money. I am so sorry. I love having parents come with us. Since one of my children is not coming, I was allowed to take three parents. I have chosen parents who have never come on trips with our class. I think this is fair. We will return to school after lunch and I have decided that I would order and pay for pizza for the class for lunch when we return. So we will be having a pizza party!!! Therefore, do not bring lunch for your child.
Also...if the weather permits, we will be going on a walking trip to the public library on Tuesday May 19th. We will be going to the Windsor Terrace branch. We are due there 1:00 p.m. We are scheduled to have the children being read to by one of the librarians. For the children who filled out applications, we will also receive our new library cards and be able to take out books. If your child already has a library card, please bring it in. I am presently holding several library cards for the children who gave them to me previously. Please dress your child appropriately. We will return to the library in a few weeks where the children will return their books to the library. We will also visit the playground for our playground study on our way back from the library. This is a fun walking trip and if any parent would like to come, I would be happy to have them.
I am getting pretty sad that the year is almost over. As many of you know, I have two of my own children graduating from school - one from high school and one from middle school. Yet, combined with my own children moving on in life, I have become very attached to all my children in K-207. I think I am going to be a basket case at the end of June. I love your kids like they are my own so I am not only losing my first child who is on his way to college in August but 21 others..... I am emotional even thinking about it!!!
Thank you for all your support!
Ms. Graham
As you know, the Kindergarten Classes will be going on a trip to the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, BMCC, 199 Chambers Street, New York, New York on Friday, May 15, 2009 to see The Paper Bag Players perform in the show “Make A Little Room For Me!” for a 10:30 a.m. performance. We will be leaving the school at 9:30 a.m. and will be going by school bus. I am very sorry that we are only allowed to take 2 parent volunteers.
This is due to the fact that there is a limited amount of room in the theatre. I have sent notices to the parents chosen for the trip. For any parent who paid for the trip and is not a volunteer, I will return your money. I am so sorry. I love having parents come with us. Since one of my children is not coming, I was allowed to take three parents. I have chosen parents who have never come on trips with our class. I think this is fair. We will return to school after lunch and I have decided that I would order and pay for pizza for the class for lunch when we return. So we will be having a pizza party!!! Therefore, do not bring lunch for your child.
Also...if the weather permits, we will be going on a walking trip to the public library on Tuesday May 19th. We will be going to the Windsor Terrace branch. We are due there 1:00 p.m. We are scheduled to have the children being read to by one of the librarians. For the children who filled out applications, we will also receive our new library cards and be able to take out books. If your child already has a library card, please bring it in. I am presently holding several library cards for the children who gave them to me previously. Please dress your child appropriately. We will return to the library in a few weeks where the children will return their books to the library. We will also visit the playground for our playground study on our way back from the library. This is a fun walking trip and if any parent would like to come, I would be happy to have them.
I am getting pretty sad that the year is almost over. As many of you know, I have two of my own children graduating from school - one from high school and one from middle school. Yet, combined with my own children moving on in life, I have become very attached to all my children in K-207. I think I am going to be a basket case at the end of June. I love your kids like they are my own so I am not only losing my first child who is on his way to college in August but 21 others..... I am emotional even thinking about it!!!
Thank you for all your support!
Ms. Graham
Monday, April 27, 2009
Playground Inquiry Study
Dear Families,
I am sorry that I have not written in quite some time. Where does the time go? I have been actively getting ready - sadly - for the end of school and the graduation of your beautiful children from Kindergarten and the stepping up to First Grade. Believe me they are ready!!! I am so sad because I would love to keep them all in Kindergarten forever!
A couple of notes....we are in the midsts of our new unit of study in Social Studies this month. We started investigating Playgrounds! The Kindergarten teachers have worked extensively with a staff developer, Renee Dinnerstein, on using the Reggio Emilia approach to investigate new topics. We will continue to collaborate with her over the next few months.
As part of our study, the children will be visiting playgrounds, interviewing contractors, looking at blue prints of playgrounds, and designing our own maps and blue prints of playgrounds. The children will be encouraged to ask questions and think creatively throughout this study.
Some ideas we have for this unit are for the children to design their own playgrounds, visit various playgrounds in the neighborhood, and even create a family “playground memory journal.” We are also going to be comparing photographs of playgrounds and looking at playground catalogues. We will be actively using the Smartboard in the classroom to think and design our very own playground. Please let us know if you have any photographs or pictures from magazines or the internet of playgrounds. If anyone is or knows any landscapers or architects who could come into the Kindergarten classes to discuss how playgrounds are built, please let us know!
On our way to the library last week, we visited several playgrounds and played for a long time in the Windsor Playground near library. I think all the children were exhausted when we returned to school - I know that I was. Thank you to Gracie's mom and Kevin's mom for coming with us on that day. They were very very brave.
I am so excited that on Wednesday we will be visiting the studio of Tom Otterness. Mr. Otterness is an American sculptor whose works adorn parks, plazas, subway stations, libraries, courthouses and museums in New York - notably in Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City and in the 14th Street/8th Avenue subway station - and other cities around the workd. He was the first artist ever to have contributed a balloon to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - he made a giant Humpty Dumpty suspended in an upside-down tumble, as though he might have jumped from one of the swanky Central Park West rooftops. His style is often described as cartoonish and cheerful but tends to carry a political punch! I love that!!! His sculptures are filled with multiple meanings. The main theme of his work seems to be the struggle of the little man against he capitalist machine in a difficult and strange city. If you want to know more about him and view a few of his sculptures, I suggest that you view his website at www.tomotterness.net.
My main concern for this trip is that we will be going on the F train to Carroll Street. Although it is only four stops on the subway, I need my parent volunteers (I will not go without at least 10 volunteers - which I think that I have) to be very very proactive. Each parent will have and be responsible for two children - their own child and another child that I will assign to them. You need to be very focused - not only on your own child but the second child. I do not want any cuddling of your child and need complete attention on both children. You MUST be holding the hands of both children on the subway platform and throughout the trip!!!! I cannot stress this enough.... but the safety of all children is my absolute MAIN CONCERN. I am going to be extremely strict on this issue and need your complete cooperation. I know that I am being rather extreme but the volunteers need to understand that it is not only about their own children but their charges as well. I have never had an issue with my parents on trips but because this is a subway trip, I am a little more concerned than usual. I know that you would feel comfortable knowing that if you were unable to come on this trip that strict rules would be enforced. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. I am looking forward to seeing all of you.
Well...again I am still in school and was just advised that the school is about to be locked so I must leave now. Thank you all for your support.
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
I am sorry that I have not written in quite some time. Where does the time go? I have been actively getting ready - sadly - for the end of school and the graduation of your beautiful children from Kindergarten and the stepping up to First Grade. Believe me they are ready!!! I am so sad because I would love to keep them all in Kindergarten forever!
A couple of notes....we are in the midsts of our new unit of study in Social Studies this month. We started investigating Playgrounds! The Kindergarten teachers have worked extensively with a staff developer, Renee Dinnerstein, on using the Reggio Emilia approach to investigate new topics. We will continue to collaborate with her over the next few months.
As part of our study, the children will be visiting playgrounds, interviewing contractors, looking at blue prints of playgrounds, and designing our own maps and blue prints of playgrounds. The children will be encouraged to ask questions and think creatively throughout this study.
Some ideas we have for this unit are for the children to design their own playgrounds, visit various playgrounds in the neighborhood, and even create a family “playground memory journal.” We are also going to be comparing photographs of playgrounds and looking at playground catalogues. We will be actively using the Smartboard in the classroom to think and design our very own playground. Please let us know if you have any photographs or pictures from magazines or the internet of playgrounds. If anyone is or knows any landscapers or architects who could come into the Kindergarten classes to discuss how playgrounds are built, please let us know!
On our way to the library last week, we visited several playgrounds and played for a long time in the Windsor Playground near library. I think all the children were exhausted when we returned to school - I know that I was. Thank you to Gracie's mom and Kevin's mom for coming with us on that day. They were very very brave.
I am so excited that on Wednesday we will be visiting the studio of Tom Otterness. Mr. Otterness is an American sculptor whose works adorn parks, plazas, subway stations, libraries, courthouses and museums in New York - notably in Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City and in the 14th Street/8th Avenue subway station - and other cities around the workd. He was the first artist ever to have contributed a balloon to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - he made a giant Humpty Dumpty suspended in an upside-down tumble, as though he might have jumped from one of the swanky Central Park West rooftops. His style is often described as cartoonish and cheerful but tends to carry a political punch! I love that!!! His sculptures are filled with multiple meanings. The main theme of his work seems to be the struggle of the little man against he capitalist machine in a difficult and strange city. If you want to know more about him and view a few of his sculptures, I suggest that you view his website at www.tomotterness.net.
My main concern for this trip is that we will be going on the F train to Carroll Street. Although it is only four stops on the subway, I need my parent volunteers (I will not go without at least 10 volunteers - which I think that I have) to be very very proactive. Each parent will have and be responsible for two children - their own child and another child that I will assign to them. You need to be very focused - not only on your own child but the second child. I do not want any cuddling of your child and need complete attention on both children. You MUST be holding the hands of both children on the subway platform and throughout the trip!!!! I cannot stress this enough.... but the safety of all children is my absolute MAIN CONCERN. I am going to be extremely strict on this issue and need your complete cooperation. I know that I am being rather extreme but the volunteers need to understand that it is not only about their own children but their charges as well. I have never had an issue with my parents on trips but because this is a subway trip, I am a little more concerned than usual. I know that you would feel comfortable knowing that if you were unable to come on this trip that strict rules would be enforced. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. I am looking forward to seeing all of you.
Well...again I am still in school and was just advised that the school is about to be locked so I must leave now. Thank you all for your support.
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
Sunday, March 22, 2009
WOW...What a week!
Dear Families:
We have been having such a wonderful time doing our family interviews. The children's questions are amazing and some of them really stump the interviewees. The children are so comfortable asking their questions to our parents and as I look at the children during the process, I cannot believe that they are only five and six years old. It is so amazing!
I enjoyed meeting most of you during the parent teacher conferences on Thursday. I always have so much to tell you about your wonderful children and enjoyed doing so. I never think that 10 minutes is enough time but I think that I kept on schedule (give or take 5 minutes). As always, my door is always open. If you need to speak to me further, just let me know.
The culmination of our week was our Grandparent's Day on Friday. I cannot tell you how much fun and interesting this day was. The Grandparents who came were Grandparents to all the children. They talked with them. They read with them. They loved them like they were their own. It was such a wonderful sight. We had each Grandparent (and Godfather) talk about their school experiences and I asked the question - "Do you remember your Kindergarten teacher's name?) Unfortunately, only one did... Yet when I asked "Did you have a teacher who made a difference in your life?" I was so impressed and touched with their responses. I was only sorry that I did not have a video to capture the moment. It was so touching. The morning ended with Jack Bowen's grandfather - who came in from New Jersey - read the book "Grandfather and I" to the entire class. It was a real special moment. I wish you were all there to have seen it.
I want to let you know that on Tuesday I will not be in class but will be at Teacher's College to attend a Workshop entitled - Getting Kids to Grow Ideas As They Read and As They Think Across Books. For most of us, reading a book is all about coming to care for a character. Once we've finished the novel, what remains in our minds are the characters. For Kindergarten children, stories people their lives. Your children come to us already caring for and identifying with characters. The characters may come from a cartoon on television, from read-aloud books, or from pop cultures, but one way or another most children already know what it is to care about a character. From this workshop, I will be able to really teach your children to develop close relationships with more characters, and show the children that caring about characters can change the way they read, think, talk and write about books. One of comments from our Grandparents that I heard over and over again was that they could not believe that Kindergarten children were reading!! It is truly amazing how well your children are reading and as a teacher it is a joy to teach them. These workshops help me, and all our teachers, become better teachers to your children.
On Wednesday, March 25th...we are going Bowling! This trip is the culmination of our Family Study. We are going to Maple Lanes in Bay Ridge. This will be a great opportunity for all kindergarteners to play, and learn together - about bowling and each other! Bowling is a great sport to build coordination, upper body strength, patience and learn spirit. We will be leaving at 9:30 a.m. from School. We will take a school bus to arrive at Maple Lanes (1570 - 60th Street) at 10 a.m. We will play up to two games and have a pizza lunch at the alley! If you have not returned your authorization and money for the trip ($12.00), please do so immediately.
Coming up....
Trip on Friday, May 15th, to Tribeca Performing Arts Center to see The Paper Bag Players perform in the show "Make A Little Room For Me!" If you have not returned the permission slip and money for the trip ($9.00), please do so immediately. The money is due to the performers on April 3rd.
New Social Studies Unit... Playgrounds. We will be working with a Social Studies Staff Developer - Renee Dinnerstein - on this inquiry-based children-centered project. Renee was a former teacher at PS 321 and was, in fact, my daughter, Alexandra's Kindergarten teacher. She worked with the Kindergarten teachers last year on our Social Studies Unit and is a wonderful asset to P.S. 154. We will be having many trips to various playgrounds around Brooklyn...so get ready!
I think that is enough for now. As always, I love working with your children and am getting a little sad that the time seems to be going very fast.
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
We have been having such a wonderful time doing our family interviews. The children's questions are amazing and some of them really stump the interviewees. The children are so comfortable asking their questions to our parents and as I look at the children during the process, I cannot believe that they are only five and six years old. It is so amazing!
I enjoyed meeting most of you during the parent teacher conferences on Thursday. I always have so much to tell you about your wonderful children and enjoyed doing so. I never think that 10 minutes is enough time but I think that I kept on schedule (give or take 5 minutes). As always, my door is always open. If you need to speak to me further, just let me know.
The culmination of our week was our Grandparent's Day on Friday. I cannot tell you how much fun and interesting this day was. The Grandparents who came were Grandparents to all the children. They talked with them. They read with them. They loved them like they were their own. It was such a wonderful sight. We had each Grandparent (and Godfather) talk about their school experiences and I asked the question - "Do you remember your Kindergarten teacher's name?) Unfortunately, only one did... Yet when I asked "Did you have a teacher who made a difference in your life?" I was so impressed and touched with their responses. I was only sorry that I did not have a video to capture the moment. It was so touching. The morning ended with Jack Bowen's grandfather - who came in from New Jersey - read the book "Grandfather and I" to the entire class. It was a real special moment. I wish you were all there to have seen it.
I want to let you know that on Tuesday I will not be in class but will be at Teacher's College to attend a Workshop entitled - Getting Kids to Grow Ideas As They Read and As They Think Across Books. For most of us, reading a book is all about coming to care for a character. Once we've finished the novel, what remains in our minds are the characters. For Kindergarten children, stories people their lives. Your children come to us already caring for and identifying with characters. The characters may come from a cartoon on television, from read-aloud books, or from pop cultures, but one way or another most children already know what it is to care about a character. From this workshop, I will be able to really teach your children to develop close relationships with more characters, and show the children that caring about characters can change the way they read, think, talk and write about books. One of comments from our Grandparents that I heard over and over again was that they could not believe that Kindergarten children were reading!! It is truly amazing how well your children are reading and as a teacher it is a joy to teach them. These workshops help me, and all our teachers, become better teachers to your children.
On Wednesday, March 25th...we are going Bowling! This trip is the culmination of our Family Study. We are going to Maple Lanes in Bay Ridge. This will be a great opportunity for all kindergarteners to play, and learn together - about bowling and each other! Bowling is a great sport to build coordination, upper body strength, patience and learn spirit. We will be leaving at 9:30 a.m. from School. We will take a school bus to arrive at Maple Lanes (1570 - 60th Street) at 10 a.m. We will play up to two games and have a pizza lunch at the alley! If you have not returned your authorization and money for the trip ($12.00), please do so immediately.
Coming up....
Trip on Friday, May 15th, to Tribeca Performing Arts Center to see The Paper Bag Players perform in the show "Make A Little Room For Me!" If you have not returned the permission slip and money for the trip ($9.00), please do so immediately. The money is due to the performers on April 3rd.
New Social Studies Unit... Playgrounds. We will be working with a Social Studies Staff Developer - Renee Dinnerstein - on this inquiry-based children-centered project. Renee was a former teacher at PS 321 and was, in fact, my daughter, Alexandra's Kindergarten teacher. She worked with the Kindergarten teachers last year on our Social Studies Unit and is a wonderful asset to P.S. 154. We will be having many trips to various playgrounds around Brooklyn...so get ready!
I think that is enough for now. As always, I love working with your children and am getting a little sad that the time seems to be going very fast.
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Parent As Enrichment Partners/Family Celebration/Publishing How-To Books
Dear K-207 Families,
Boy…we are really busy in Class K-207 this month. I know how much you would like to have the children read their How-To Books to you and we missed that opportunity last Friday because of the change of date for Parent As Enrichment Partners. So.... I am having the kids read one of their famous How-To books to you this Friday, March 13th during Parents As Enrichment Partners. They are very excited about this.
As you know, we have begun our Family unit in social studies, and the children are exploring what it means to be a family. We have been preparing for family interviews, and have several interviews already scheduled. (Two interviews are scheduled on Friday AFTER Parents as Enrichment Partners.)
We have been listening to stories about a variety of families. In K-207, we celebrate the fact that each of us comes from different backgrounds and we each have unique and wonderful differences.
After our quick publishing party, we would like you to join us on Friday, March 13 for an interactive family activity. We will be making family mobiles, and we’d like you to help! We will be cutting out pictures that we drew of different family members (ie: a mom, a dad, a sister, a brother) and hanging the family on wire hangers for all to see!
We are looking for donations of wire hangers to use for these mobiles. Please send them in any time this week. Also, please let us know if you will be joining us on Friday for our Publishing Party and Parents as Enrichment Partners Family Celebration.
I will be sending home a hard copy of this letter on Monday but if you can join us in making the family mobiles, please comment on this post. Thank you for all your support.
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
Boy…we are really busy in Class K-207 this month. I know how much you would like to have the children read their How-To Books to you and we missed that opportunity last Friday because of the change of date for Parent As Enrichment Partners. So.... I am having the kids read one of their famous How-To books to you this Friday, March 13th during Parents As Enrichment Partners. They are very excited about this.
As you know, we have begun our Family unit in social studies, and the children are exploring what it means to be a family. We have been preparing for family interviews, and have several interviews already scheduled. (Two interviews are scheduled on Friday AFTER Parents as Enrichment Partners.)
We have been listening to stories about a variety of families. In K-207, we celebrate the fact that each of us comes from different backgrounds and we each have unique and wonderful differences.
After our quick publishing party, we would like you to join us on Friday, March 13 for an interactive family activity. We will be making family mobiles, and we’d like you to help! We will be cutting out pictures that we drew of different family members (ie: a mom, a dad, a sister, a brother) and hanging the family on wire hangers for all to see!
We are looking for donations of wire hangers to use for these mobiles. Please send them in any time this week. Also, please let us know if you will be joining us on Friday for our Publishing Party and Parents as Enrichment Partners Family Celebration.
I will be sending home a hard copy of this letter on Monday but if you can join us in making the family mobiles, please comment on this post. Thank you for all your support.
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
Monday, March 2, 2009
Do You Believe That We Had a SNOW DAY!!!
Dear Families of K-207,
HAPPY SNOW DAY!!!!! I don't know about you parents, but I felt just like a one of the children today when I got up early and heard that schools were closed. I was so happy and excited as I am sure all the children at PS 154 were. It brought me back to my early childhood when - as children - my brothers and sisters couldn't wait for days like today. The last snow day for public schools occurred in 1996 when my seventeen year old son, Brendan, was in Kindergarten! Today was a day for children to go to Prospect Park and enjoy the last days of winter. After listening to the Mayor today, he told the children out of school that they better do their homework because schools will definitely be open tomorrow... Good things have to come to an end - I guess.
Some important news....
The Kindergarten classes invite your child’s extended family to join us for a
Grandparents AND
Special Family AND Friends Morning
Friday, March 20 - First Day of Spring!!!!!
8:40-9:20 am
This month, the kindergarten classes will be studying our families. As part of our Family Study, we invite your child’s grandparents, or members of your extended family (including special friends of the family) to join us in the classroom on Friday, March 13th. The morning will be a lovely time for grown-ups to read to children in small groups. Children will also have the opportunity to share some of their work from our Family Study and to show their classroom to these important adults in their lives!
• Our Family Study & Family Interviews in Class:
We will be learning more about one another’s families, reading more family stories and exploring the question of what it means to be a family. As part of this study, children will be learning about the concept of an interview as a means to gather information about our families. We will begin these family interviews next week. We would like to invite an adult from each family to sign-up to come into the classroom to be interviewed by the children. Interviews will take place from approximately 9:10-9:25 each day of the week. Please respond at your earliest opportunity with the morning that can work for you.
I would just like to say how proud I am of your children. They are becoming Readers, Writers and Mathematicians!! I see such a big growth in each and every one of them. They are very independent! The children are reading for 30 minutes without stopping and writing for 30 minutes or longer everyday! They are so excited about school and are eager to be in the classroom every single day. I am so happy that everyday each child knows what his or her morning job is and goes about their routines without help from me. These children will certainly be ready for first grade.
I will soon be posting the pictures from the Chinese New Year field trip at Pacificana Restaurant. I am missing my UBS cord. We all had a great time though! The children got to eat a variety of dishes such as lo mein, egg rolls, and fried rice. There was a Lion Dance performance, and even a pretend sword fight for the children to watch! It was one of our best trips and the children and parents who came really had a great time.
For Parent as Enrichment Partners on March 6th, the children will be publishing their How-To Books. The books are great and so interesting! Your children really have taught me so many interesting things. I have learned to make a mini fruit shake, how to brush my teeth, how to blow dry my hair and how to read and do math. The children love to write these books and I am sure that you will love hearing them next Friday.
On March 4th at 1:00 p.m., the FAMOUS drummer - Anthony Pinciotti - will be working with Class K-207 in our classroom doing a DRUM CIRCLE. Anthony and his wonderful wife, Annette Taconnelli, were parents in my classroom last year. Their son, Salvatore, is now in first grade. Last year, my class had a drum circle with Anthony and I asked Anthony if he would be willing to do it again this year (and for every year that I am at the school). He could not say no to me. It was wonderful last year and I expect it to be just as wonderful this year. I invite any parent who would like to listen to their children's music to come and join us. You will be amazed at the performance.
The kindergarten teachers are also planning to take the children bowling at the end of our Family Unit and hope that you will join us on that trip. We are also planning a trip to a theatre in Tribeca the beginning of May to see the Paper Bag Players. Time is really flying. Every year, I say to myself that this is the best class and that I will never have another like it. Yet, with every class that I have, I love them just as much and maybe even a little more.
Parent Teacher Conferences will be happening soon so I hope to see all of you there. More on dates and times later this week. The session is for 10 minutes. If you need to see me for a longer period of time, please arrange another date and time. I will be very happy to accommodate.
Thank you for the opportunity to teacher your children.
Fondly,
Mrs. Graham
HAPPY SNOW DAY!!!!! I don't know about you parents, but I felt just like a one of the children today when I got up early and heard that schools were closed. I was so happy and excited as I am sure all the children at PS 154 were. It brought me back to my early childhood when - as children - my brothers and sisters couldn't wait for days like today. The last snow day for public schools occurred in 1996 when my seventeen year old son, Brendan, was in Kindergarten! Today was a day for children to go to Prospect Park and enjoy the last days of winter. After listening to the Mayor today, he told the children out of school that they better do their homework because schools will definitely be open tomorrow... Good things have to come to an end - I guess.
Some important news....
The Kindergarten classes invite your child’s extended family to join us for a
Grandparents AND
Special Family AND Friends Morning
Friday, March 20 - First Day of Spring!!!!!
8:40-9:20 am
This month, the kindergarten classes will be studying our families. As part of our Family Study, we invite your child’s grandparents, or members of your extended family (including special friends of the family) to join us in the classroom on Friday, March 13th. The morning will be a lovely time for grown-ups to read to children in small groups. Children will also have the opportunity to share some of their work from our Family Study and to show their classroom to these important adults in their lives!
• Our Family Study & Family Interviews in Class:
We will be learning more about one another’s families, reading more family stories and exploring the question of what it means to be a family. As part of this study, children will be learning about the concept of an interview as a means to gather information about our families. We will begin these family interviews next week. We would like to invite an adult from each family to sign-up to come into the classroom to be interviewed by the children. Interviews will take place from approximately 9:10-9:25 each day of the week. Please respond at your earliest opportunity with the morning that can work for you.
I would just like to say how proud I am of your children. They are becoming Readers, Writers and Mathematicians!! I see such a big growth in each and every one of them. They are very independent! The children are reading for 30 minutes without stopping and writing for 30 minutes or longer everyday! They are so excited about school and are eager to be in the classroom every single day. I am so happy that everyday each child knows what his or her morning job is and goes about their routines without help from me. These children will certainly be ready for first grade.
I will soon be posting the pictures from the Chinese New Year field trip at Pacificana Restaurant. I am missing my UBS cord. We all had a great time though! The children got to eat a variety of dishes such as lo mein, egg rolls, and fried rice. There was a Lion Dance performance, and even a pretend sword fight for the children to watch! It was one of our best trips and the children and parents who came really had a great time.
For Parent as Enrichment Partners on March 6th, the children will be publishing their How-To Books. The books are great and so interesting! Your children really have taught me so many interesting things. I have learned to make a mini fruit shake, how to brush my teeth, how to blow dry my hair and how to read and do math. The children love to write these books and I am sure that you will love hearing them next Friday.
On March 4th at 1:00 p.m., the FAMOUS drummer - Anthony Pinciotti - will be working with Class K-207 in our classroom doing a DRUM CIRCLE. Anthony and his wonderful wife, Annette Taconnelli, were parents in my classroom last year. Their son, Salvatore, is now in first grade. Last year, my class had a drum circle with Anthony and I asked Anthony if he would be willing to do it again this year (and for every year that I am at the school). He could not say no to me. It was wonderful last year and I expect it to be just as wonderful this year. I invite any parent who would like to listen to their children's music to come and join us. You will be amazed at the performance.
The kindergarten teachers are also planning to take the children bowling at the end of our Family Unit and hope that you will join us on that trip. We are also planning a trip to a theatre in Tribeca the beginning of May to see the Paper Bag Players. Time is really flying. Every year, I say to myself that this is the best class and that I will never have another like it. Yet, with every class that I have, I love them just as much and maybe even a little more.
Parent Teacher Conferences will be happening soon so I hope to see all of you there. More on dates and times later this week. The session is for 10 minutes. If you need to see me for a longer period of time, please arrange another date and time. I will be very happy to accommodate.
Thank you for the opportunity to teacher your children.
Fondly,
Mrs. Graham
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
What's Happening?????
Dear Parents:
I am sorry that it has taken so long for me to post on my blog but I could not get into the blog for a few days and had to figure out what was going on.... Anyway, when things work, it is wonderful but when things break down....boy... it is extremely frustrating. I am happy to be up and running again. So.... Happy Chinese New Year....Happy 100 Days of School....Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Vacation Week!!!!
Tomorrow is the 100th Day of School. Do you believe it? It is so hard for me to believe.. Your children are doing amazing work and have matured so much these last 99 days. As a teacher...it makes me so happy to see all of them love school and enjoy every subject and to be reading and writing and doing difficult math problems everyday. The children in Class K-207 will certainly be ready for the rigors of 1st Grade. We have been doing a lot of work on our math curriculum getting ready for the 100th day. We made links with construction paper and the children figured out that it would take ten links to get to 100 if each link was 10. The links are outside and inside the classroom for all to see. Today we worked on the question - How many hands does it take to get to 100? The children of Class K-207 - with the help of Gracie's mom - painted their hands and grouped by 5's to find the answer. Do you know how many group of 5's make 100? Come look at the painted hands in our classroom. We also read the book - Emily's First 100 Days of School by Rosemary Wells and learned the song - 100 Bottles of POP on the Wall. Our shared reading is a poem entitled 100 days and it is to the tune of Ten Little Indians. Ask your child to sing it to you. We looked at some the 100 objects that your children brought into class - and looked at Ms. Graham's 100 pencils - and counted them by 5's and 10's. We realized that today our straws are grouped by 9 tens and 9 ones and that tomorrow - our big day - our straws will be grouped as 1 one hundred - 0 tens - and 0 ones. Very exciting stuff!!! We will be having a small celebration tomorrow in our classroom in celebration of the 100th day. It is also an Open House for the school - so tomorrow will be very hectic.
I would like to remind you that the Kindergarten Classes will be going on a walking tour of CHINATOWN SUNSET PARK on Friday, February 13, 2009 and will be having lunch at Pacificana Restaurant, located at 813 55th Street, Brooklyn, NY. We will be having an authentic Chinese lunch and will be seeing the Lion Dance. The children will be leaving the school around 9:40 a.m. and will walk around the Chinatown neighborhood – if the weather is appropriate - where we will see many live creatures – turtles, crabs, etc. Lunch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. This is the Year of the Ox - 4707. Have a healthy appetite. The food is very good. Even though we were supposed to only bring 5 parents, I have included an additional four parents to come along - since they have not been on trips with the class before. My parent helpers are:
Adelaide's mom
Andrew's dad
Clea's mom
Dzevad's mom
Emily's mom - I am very happy that Emily's mom can join us. She is also a public school teacher and - as a mother myself - I know how hard it is to miss your child's school events and this is the first time she was able to come.
Grace's mom
Kevin's mom
Lucas' mom
Unni's mom
As parent helpers, this goes without saying, that we need to watch all the children in the class and not just our own. Thank you in advance. This lunch will also serve as our Valentine celebration. There are not enough days in the week!
I hope that you all have received our Kindergarten Newsletter for February. Here is an overview of what your child is learning this month.
Reading Workshop: This is a new unit of study where the children are story detectives. They are noticing and defining patterns in their texts and using these patterns to help them read their books.
Writing Workshop: This is also a new unit called How-To Books. How-To Books are types of procedural writing. Each of your children will be a teacher this month! It empowers the children to get them to think about what they know how to do really well. I have had a mix of How-To's - from Jack Bowen's "How to Hug Sam" - where the ingredients that he needs are fingers, hands, Sam and ME! to Flynn's - How to Walk on Ice - where the ingredients are Flynn, boots, ice and a fence (in case he falls down!!! They are all hilarious. Please have a conversation with your child about all of the things that he or she knows how to do, make or play! It is important that you child be able to teach us how to do or make something step-by-step.
Bed Time Stories: Our Winnie-the-Pooh study has been a great success so far! Pooh has watched the Super Bowl, been to Karate and met a lot of new friends. The children are so excited about this unit.
Word Study; We are learning so many sight words. I will be giving each child a word wall list to bring home so that they can study it over the break. Ask them about the Word Wall Fairy who visits our class sometimes!
Shared Reading: We are reading Big Books and the children are getting familiar with all the sight words and patterns. It is really exciting.
Social Studies: We are continuing to explore our fire unit. Each kindergarten class is taking a slightly different approach to the study. Our class is now in the process of making a fire truck.
Math: We are skip counting by 2s, 5s and 10s. We are playing addition Top It with our classroom playing cards and will be making symmetrical Valentines Day Hearts. We are very busy in math!!!
That is all for now. As always, if you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Check out this great literacy website: www.starfall.com. The children love it.
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
P.S. For all concerned....I am happy to report that Mrs. Rice's escaped SNAKE - who she had for only one day before he took off from her classroom - was found safe and sound in the ART ROOM!!!! (slithering down two flights of stairs during the night!!!) Luckily...the snake was found by one of Mrs. Rice's Students and NOT Ms. Kelly - who probably would have had a heart attack if she came face to face with him.
I am sorry that it has taken so long for me to post on my blog but I could not get into the blog for a few days and had to figure out what was going on.... Anyway, when things work, it is wonderful but when things break down....boy... it is extremely frustrating. I am happy to be up and running again. So.... Happy Chinese New Year....Happy 100 Days of School....Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Vacation Week!!!!
Tomorrow is the 100th Day of School. Do you believe it? It is so hard for me to believe.. Your children are doing amazing work and have matured so much these last 99 days. As a teacher...it makes me so happy to see all of them love school and enjoy every subject and to be reading and writing and doing difficult math problems everyday. The children in Class K-207 will certainly be ready for the rigors of 1st Grade. We have been doing a lot of work on our math curriculum getting ready for the 100th day. We made links with construction paper and the children figured out that it would take ten links to get to 100 if each link was 10. The links are outside and inside the classroom for all to see. Today we worked on the question - How many hands does it take to get to 100? The children of Class K-207 - with the help of Gracie's mom - painted their hands and grouped by 5's to find the answer. Do you know how many group of 5's make 100? Come look at the painted hands in our classroom. We also read the book - Emily's First 100 Days of School by Rosemary Wells and learned the song - 100 Bottles of POP on the Wall. Our shared reading is a poem entitled 100 days and it is to the tune of Ten Little Indians. Ask your child to sing it to you. We looked at some the 100 objects that your children brought into class - and looked at Ms. Graham's 100 pencils - and counted them by 5's and 10's. We realized that today our straws are grouped by 9 tens and 9 ones and that tomorrow - our big day - our straws will be grouped as 1 one hundred - 0 tens - and 0 ones. Very exciting stuff!!! We will be having a small celebration tomorrow in our classroom in celebration of the 100th day. It is also an Open House for the school - so tomorrow will be very hectic.
I would like to remind you that the Kindergarten Classes will be going on a walking tour of CHINATOWN SUNSET PARK on Friday, February 13, 2009 and will be having lunch at Pacificana Restaurant, located at 813 55th Street, Brooklyn, NY. We will be having an authentic Chinese lunch and will be seeing the Lion Dance. The children will be leaving the school around 9:40 a.m. and will walk around the Chinatown neighborhood – if the weather is appropriate - where we will see many live creatures – turtles, crabs, etc. Lunch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. This is the Year of the Ox - 4707. Have a healthy appetite. The food is very good. Even though we were supposed to only bring 5 parents, I have included an additional four parents to come along - since they have not been on trips with the class before. My parent helpers are:
Adelaide's mom
Andrew's dad
Clea's mom
Dzevad's mom
Emily's mom - I am very happy that Emily's mom can join us. She is also a public school teacher and - as a mother myself - I know how hard it is to miss your child's school events and this is the first time she was able to come.
Grace's mom
Kevin's mom
Lucas' mom
Unni's mom
As parent helpers, this goes without saying, that we need to watch all the children in the class and not just our own. Thank you in advance. This lunch will also serve as our Valentine celebration. There are not enough days in the week!
I hope that you all have received our Kindergarten Newsletter for February. Here is an overview of what your child is learning this month.
Reading Workshop: This is a new unit of study where the children are story detectives. They are noticing and defining patterns in their texts and using these patterns to help them read their books.
Writing Workshop: This is also a new unit called How-To Books. How-To Books are types of procedural writing. Each of your children will be a teacher this month! It empowers the children to get them to think about what they know how to do really well. I have had a mix of How-To's - from Jack Bowen's "How to Hug Sam" - where the ingredients that he needs are fingers, hands, Sam and ME! to Flynn's - How to Walk on Ice - where the ingredients are Flynn, boots, ice and a fence (in case he falls down!!! They are all hilarious. Please have a conversation with your child about all of the things that he or she knows how to do, make or play! It is important that you child be able to teach us how to do or make something step-by-step.
Bed Time Stories: Our Winnie-the-Pooh study has been a great success so far! Pooh has watched the Super Bowl, been to Karate and met a lot of new friends. The children are so excited about this unit.
Word Study; We are learning so many sight words. I will be giving each child a word wall list to bring home so that they can study it over the break. Ask them about the Word Wall Fairy who visits our class sometimes!
Shared Reading: We are reading Big Books and the children are getting familiar with all the sight words and patterns. It is really exciting.
Social Studies: We are continuing to explore our fire unit. Each kindergarten class is taking a slightly different approach to the study. Our class is now in the process of making a fire truck.
Math: We are skip counting by 2s, 5s and 10s. We are playing addition Top It with our classroom playing cards and will be making symmetrical Valentines Day Hearts. We are very busy in math!!!
That is all for now. As always, if you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Check out this great literacy website: www.starfall.com. The children love it.
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
P.S. For all concerned....I am happy to report that Mrs. Rice's escaped SNAKE - who she had for only one day before he took off from her classroom - was found safe and sound in the ART ROOM!!!! (slithering down two flights of stairs during the night!!!) Luckily...the snake was found by one of Mrs. Rice's Students and NOT Ms. Kelly - who probably would have had a heart attack if she came face to face with him.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Happy New Year - 4707 - Year of the Ox!
Dear Parents:
HAPPY NEW YEAR - 4707 – Year of the Ox! The Kindergarten Classes will be going on a walking tour of CHINATOWN SUNSET PARK on Friday, February 13, 2009 and will be having lunch at Pacificana Restaurant, located at 813 55th Street, Brooklyn, NY. We will be having an authentic Chinese lunch and will be seeing the Lion Dance and – hopefully - a Kung Fu Martial Arts show. We will be leaving the school at 9:30 a.m. and will walk around the Chinatown neighborhood – if the weather is appropriate - where we will see many live creatures – turtles, crabs, etc. Lunch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. The cost of the trip is $9.50 per child. Parent volunteers will also cost $9.50. Please send in the permission slip and payment as soon as possible since we have to advise the restaurant of the number of people attending prior to the date. Permission slips will be going home on Monday. Of course, for any parent who is unable to pay, please speak to us privately and arrangements will be made. No child will ever be left behind for inability to pay. If any parent can contribute a little more to offset the fee for a child who cannot pay, it would be greatly appreciated.
Each class will be allowed to take 5 parent volunteers. We will take the first five parent volunteers from that list who submit their form to us. It is so great that we have so many parents who want to go on the class trips with the children and we are sorry that we cannot take each one of you. There will be many more trips and the parents who did not get a chance to go on the last bus trips will be on the top of the list for our next bus trip.
Thank you for all your support!
Ms. Graham
HAPPY NEW YEAR - 4707 – Year of the Ox! The Kindergarten Classes will be going on a walking tour of CHINATOWN SUNSET PARK on Friday, February 13, 2009 and will be having lunch at Pacificana Restaurant, located at 813 55th Street, Brooklyn, NY. We will be having an authentic Chinese lunch and will be seeing the Lion Dance and – hopefully - a Kung Fu Martial Arts show. We will be leaving the school at 9:30 a.m. and will walk around the Chinatown neighborhood – if the weather is appropriate - where we will see many live creatures – turtles, crabs, etc. Lunch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. The cost of the trip is $9.50 per child. Parent volunteers will also cost $9.50. Please send in the permission slip and payment as soon as possible since we have to advise the restaurant of the number of people attending prior to the date. Permission slips will be going home on Monday. Of course, for any parent who is unable to pay, please speak to us privately and arrangements will be made. No child will ever be left behind for inability to pay. If any parent can contribute a little more to offset the fee for a child who cannot pay, it would be greatly appreciated.
Each class will be allowed to take 5 parent volunteers. We will take the first five parent volunteers from that list who submit their form to us. It is so great that we have so many parents who want to go on the class trips with the children and we are sorry that we cannot take each one of you. There will be many more trips and the parents who did not get a chance to go on the last bus trips will be on the top of the list for our next bus trip.
Thank you for all your support!
Ms. Graham
Monday, January 19, 2009
IT'S A NEW DAY!!!
Dear Families:
I hope that you all have enjoyed your day off and are looking forward tomorrow to the inauguration of our 44th President of the United States. As I was getting my coffee this morning, I came across a group of young teenagers who - in honor of Martin Luther King Day - made January 19th a national day of community service. Their motto was that Martin Luther King Day was a day ON, not a day OFF! On this cold day they were collecting books and school supplies for students at P.S. 41, the Francis White School in Brownsville, Brooklyn, where half the school's students live below the poverty line. The idea came last month when the Obama campaign organization invited people to organize house meetings to discuss the kind of change people want to see in the next four years and how to make it happen. Each group was asked to mark MLK Day (January 19), the day before Inauguration Day, by taking some kind of service project in their community. This group decided to help this Brooklyn public school. They asked for pencils, crayons, glue, glue sticks, notebooks, reams of copy paper, writable CDs or DVDs, sports equipment, puzzles, inexpensive calculators, inexpensive plastic individual CD plays. I personally was very touched by this - especially knowing how lucky all of us are at PS 154. It touched me in such a way that I felt that I too had to do something to help our community - that if one person helps another person who then helps another person - we can make a difference. Giving of ourselves is very contagious. Therefore, I am going to use this experience to think very carefully - hopefully with some help from our parents - about what we can do in Class K207 - as a community - to help some of our unfortunate friends. I don't know what this could be right now but I would love to open up a dialogue with the children about how fortunate and blessed we are and how others are less fortunate than we are and what should we do to help this situation. As a parent, I know that it is never too early to start children thinking about what they could do to help their fellow man. Any ideas, would be appreciated. YES WE CAN!
I am also writing to let you know that I will not be in class tomorrow. I would love to say that I will be in Washington but that is not the case. I am attending another workshop at Columbia Teachers College for a course entitled - Prediction, Prior Knowledge, Study of Pattern Books. These workshops are extemely helpful for the teachers and we come away learning so much. We bring back to our school the knowledge of what we have learned during the day and then are able to have staff meetings to discuss the children in each class and what we can do as teachers to help support each and every child in our classes. It is always good to have other viewpoints. I will be back in school on Wednesday.
To give you a heads up, a few trips are planned:
* January 27th - Walking trip to the Firehouse in Windsor Terrace. (Weather permitting)
* March 3 - Paper Bag Players - Staten Island.
* February - Chinatown Walking Trip - Bus to Sunset Park Chinatown, walking trip through the neighborhood - Lunch at a Chinese restaurant for Chinese New Year (More on this later)
We have a new student in our class. Her name is JiJei Ju. She is adorable and will be a wonderful asset to our classroom community. The kids have made her feel very welcome when she arrived on Friday - which is a wonderful compliment to you as parents.
Thank you for all your support.
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
I hope that you all have enjoyed your day off and are looking forward tomorrow to the inauguration of our 44th President of the United States. As I was getting my coffee this morning, I came across a group of young teenagers who - in honor of Martin Luther King Day - made January 19th a national day of community service. Their motto was that Martin Luther King Day was a day ON, not a day OFF! On this cold day they were collecting books and school supplies for students at P.S. 41, the Francis White School in Brownsville, Brooklyn, where half the school's students live below the poverty line. The idea came last month when the Obama campaign organization invited people to organize house meetings to discuss the kind of change people want to see in the next four years and how to make it happen. Each group was asked to mark MLK Day (January 19), the day before Inauguration Day, by taking some kind of service project in their community. This group decided to help this Brooklyn public school. They asked for pencils, crayons, glue, glue sticks, notebooks, reams of copy paper, writable CDs or DVDs, sports equipment, puzzles, inexpensive calculators, inexpensive plastic individual CD plays. I personally was very touched by this - especially knowing how lucky all of us are at PS 154. It touched me in such a way that I felt that I too had to do something to help our community - that if one person helps another person who then helps another person - we can make a difference. Giving of ourselves is very contagious. Therefore, I am going to use this experience to think very carefully - hopefully with some help from our parents - about what we can do in Class K207 - as a community - to help some of our unfortunate friends. I don't know what this could be right now but I would love to open up a dialogue with the children about how fortunate and blessed we are and how others are less fortunate than we are and what should we do to help this situation. As a parent, I know that it is never too early to start children thinking about what they could do to help their fellow man. Any ideas, would be appreciated. YES WE CAN!
I am also writing to let you know that I will not be in class tomorrow. I would love to say that I will be in Washington but that is not the case. I am attending another workshop at Columbia Teachers College for a course entitled - Prediction, Prior Knowledge, Study of Pattern Books. These workshops are extemely helpful for the teachers and we come away learning so much. We bring back to our school the knowledge of what we have learned during the day and then are able to have staff meetings to discuss the children in each class and what we can do as teachers to help support each and every child in our classes. It is always good to have other viewpoints. I will be back in school on Wednesday.
To give you a heads up, a few trips are planned:
* January 27th - Walking trip to the Firehouse in Windsor Terrace. (Weather permitting)
* March 3 - Paper Bag Players - Staten Island.
* February - Chinatown Walking Trip - Bus to Sunset Park Chinatown, walking trip through the neighborhood - Lunch at a Chinese restaurant for Chinese New Year (More on this later)
We have a new student in our class. Her name is JiJei Ju. She is adorable and will be a wonderful asset to our classroom community. The kids have made her feel very welcome when she arrived on Friday - which is a wonderful compliment to you as parents.
Thank you for all your support.
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
Thursday, January 8, 2009
WINNIE-THE-POOH and PARENT AS ENRICHMENT PARTNERS
Dear Families:
Please join Class K-207 in launching our new Winnie-the-Pooh study unit tomorrow morning - January 9th - during Parent as Enrichment Partners at 8:45 a.m. We will launch our study by reading Winnie-the-Pooh books with the children. I have many copies of various Winnie-the-Pooh books in the classroom. Yet, if you have a favorite one that you and your child would like to read, please bring it along. There's no formal presentation....just reading with the kids. The children are excited about this new unit - as all the Kindergarten teachers are. GRACIE is lucky number 1 to bring Winnie and our class journal home with her tomorrow. Hope to see all of you here!
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
Please join Class K-207 in launching our new Winnie-the-Pooh study unit tomorrow morning - January 9th - during Parent as Enrichment Partners at 8:45 a.m. We will launch our study by reading Winnie-the-Pooh books with the children. I have many copies of various Winnie-the-Pooh books in the classroom. Yet, if you have a favorite one that you and your child would like to read, please bring it along. There's no formal presentation....just reading with the kids. The children are excited about this new unit - as all the Kindergarten teachers are. GRACIE is lucky number 1 to bring Winnie and our class journal home with her tomorrow. Hope to see all of you here!
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
Monday, January 5, 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WINNIE-THE-POOH STUDY
Dear Families:
Happy New Year!!! I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the WONDERFUL and GENEROUS class gifts that I received and for all the many many other gifts. You all were overly generous and I thank you so much. I opened the gifts on Christmas with my family and it seemed like the gifts were just endless. Thank you again. Teaching your wonderful children is a gift enough!!!!
I am excited to announce that Class K-207 will be beginning a new fun unit in our classroom. We are calling it "Winnie-the-Pooh's Journey." We all know Winnie-the-Pooh as a strong childhood image - a sort of iconic figure when we were younger. Children love Winnie and friends and they seem so excited to be incorporating Winnie-the-Pooh into our Kindergarten class.
For this study, we have a stuffed Winnie-the-Pooh and have made a Winnie Journal. The journal consists of: a map of Winnie's home, the Winnie-the-Pooh directions, the history of Winnie-the-Pooh, pictures of Winnie & friends, Winnie-the-Pooh recipes and more. More importantly, there are pages for the children to write about their Winnie-the-Pooh experience or "adventure." Each week, a different child will take home Winnie-the-Pooh. They will include Winnie in their activities and will treat Winnie with kindness and respect. During this week, your children will write in their journal about their time with Pooh. The culmination of this project will occur in the Spring - where we all go to Prospect Park to find Winnie's home in the Hundred Acre Woods and have a class picnic.
This segment will help children learn the concept of friendship and how important it is to share experiences with one another. This will be a way to teach them about responsibilities. With an adult's help, they will learn to be a little more responsible by caring for Winnie.
During our read-aloud in the classroom, we will be reading the classic children's story - Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. The world was introduced to this portly little bear in 1926. Along with his young friend, Christopher Robin, Pooh delighted readers from the very beginning. His often befuddled perceptions and adorable insights won the hearts of everyone around him, including his close group of friends. From the energetic Tigger to the dismal Eeyoor, A. A. Milne created a charming bunch both inspirational and entertaining. These simple creatures often reflected a small piece of all of us: humble, silly, wise, cautious, creative, and full of life. I know that your children will be delighted with Pooh's adventures as we were when we were children.
I am asking that the parents keep an eye on Winnie. The purpose of this assignment is really to have fun. I certainly do not want to add any extra burden on you. The children in past years just loved this assignment and really looked so forward to the day when they could take Winnie home. I pick the names of the children from a hat each week - so it is pretty random. Every child will have the opportunity to take Winnie for one week. Winnie will be given them on Friday and MUST be returned the following Friday! It is important that Winnie is returned on time because the next child really looks forward to his/her week. On the Friday that Winnie is returned, the children share their adventures at Morning Meeting - reading their journal entries and looking at the pictures you take of them and Winnie and Pooh.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to speak to me. Thank you again for all your support!
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
Happy New Year!!! I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the WONDERFUL and GENEROUS class gifts that I received and for all the many many other gifts. You all were overly generous and I thank you so much. I opened the gifts on Christmas with my family and it seemed like the gifts were just endless. Thank you again. Teaching your wonderful children is a gift enough!!!!
I am excited to announce that Class K-207 will be beginning a new fun unit in our classroom. We are calling it "Winnie-the-Pooh's Journey." We all know Winnie-the-Pooh as a strong childhood image - a sort of iconic figure when we were younger. Children love Winnie and friends and they seem so excited to be incorporating Winnie-the-Pooh into our Kindergarten class.
For this study, we have a stuffed Winnie-the-Pooh and have made a Winnie Journal. The journal consists of: a map of Winnie's home, the Winnie-the-Pooh directions, the history of Winnie-the-Pooh, pictures of Winnie & friends, Winnie-the-Pooh recipes and more. More importantly, there are pages for the children to write about their Winnie-the-Pooh experience or "adventure." Each week, a different child will take home Winnie-the-Pooh. They will include Winnie in their activities and will treat Winnie with kindness and respect. During this week, your children will write in their journal about their time with Pooh. The culmination of this project will occur in the Spring - where we all go to Prospect Park to find Winnie's home in the Hundred Acre Woods and have a class picnic.
This segment will help children learn the concept of friendship and how important it is to share experiences with one another. This will be a way to teach them about responsibilities. With an adult's help, they will learn to be a little more responsible by caring for Winnie.
During our read-aloud in the classroom, we will be reading the classic children's story - Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. The world was introduced to this portly little bear in 1926. Along with his young friend, Christopher Robin, Pooh delighted readers from the very beginning. His often befuddled perceptions and adorable insights won the hearts of everyone around him, including his close group of friends. From the energetic Tigger to the dismal Eeyoor, A. A. Milne created a charming bunch both inspirational and entertaining. These simple creatures often reflected a small piece of all of us: humble, silly, wise, cautious, creative, and full of life. I know that your children will be delighted with Pooh's adventures as we were when we were children.
I am asking that the parents keep an eye on Winnie. The purpose of this assignment is really to have fun. I certainly do not want to add any extra burden on you. The children in past years just loved this assignment and really looked so forward to the day when they could take Winnie home. I pick the names of the children from a hat each week - so it is pretty random. Every child will have the opportunity to take Winnie for one week. Winnie will be given them on Friday and MUST be returned the following Friday! It is important that Winnie is returned on time because the next child really looks forward to his/her week. On the Friday that Winnie is returned, the children share their adventures at Morning Meeting - reading their journal entries and looking at the pictures you take of them and Winnie and Pooh.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to speak to me. Thank you again for all your support!
Fondly,
Ms. Graham
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