Kindergarten End of the Year Notices

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