week of April 25, 2016

Math- We officially started our Step Up to Grade 1 Math and it is going pretty well.  The class is so excited to be doing “first grade math” and we also sent home the information for the Prodigy Math that we set up in school and can be done at home.  If you need more information on either, please let us know.

Science- We are also done Science and will be reviewing some of our Key Concepts that we taught this year.  They include, but are not limited to: hibernation, migration, life cycles of plants, butterflies, frogs, etc., metamorphosis, living and non living, weather/calendar, and Earth/sky.  We will continue to have Weekly Readers each week to review Science and Social Studies topics.

Reading- Our new story is “This is the Way We Go to School” and we will be working on Drawing Conclusions.  We will review the literary features of Plot.  Our Amazing Words are: cable car, horse and buggy, Metro line, trolley, skis, vaperetto.  We will be learning about how children around the world go to school.  This is the last story in Unit 5 and we will be starting Unit 6 (our final unit) next week. 

Phonics/Grammar- Our letters this week are Yy like in Yellow and Qu like in Queen.  We will be identifying both letters at the beginning of words.  Please continue to review all sight words.  We will be reviewing verbs for action words in sentences.

Handwriting/Writing- We will continue to write sentences and respond to prompts.  We will continue to review the rules of: capital at the beginning, 2 finger space between words, punctuation at the end, and make sure it makes sense. 

Important Information

Graduation information will be coming next month.  Please continue to check your child’s folder and clean it out each night.  There will be a lot of notes, newsletters, etc as the year begins to wind down.  If you are missing something or need more information for anything, please contact us.

Important Dates

Monday, April 25- Day 10

week of April 11, 2016

Week of April 11, 2016

Math- Topic 13 is the last topic in the Kindergarten book and we will then be working on the Step Up to 1st Grade and the class is so excited!  We will also be reviewing some of the topics that were taught earlier in the year.  In Topic 13, we will be: sorting, classifying, counting, and categorizing data.  We will be looking at: same and different, sorting by one attribute, sorting the same set in different ways, sorting by more than one attribute, real graphs, and picture graphs.

Reading- We will be reading: The Little Engine That Could We will be sequencing the story and looking at the plot.  Our amazing words are: engine, passenger, mountain, tracks, roundhouse, valley.

Phonics/Grammar- Our new letters is Uu like in Umbrella and Unicorn.  We will be identifying them in the medial and initial position in words.  We will also be reviewing Nouns and writing letters to someone.

Handwriting/Writing- Our Handwriting for this week includes:  Review of Frog Jump Capitals, review of lowercase that look the same as their capitals (Cc, Oo, etc.), words with the diver letters, sentence builders, phone numbers/addresses.

Our 5 Star Writing Checklist we use to double check our sentences is listed below:
*Capital letter to start my sentence
*Punctuation to end my sentence
*Use finger spaces
*Use neat handwriting
*My sentence makes sense

Important Information

***On April 16 and April 17, the NSE PTO will be hosting a Chinese Auction at the Elementary school for a fundraiser.  Thanks for all of your donations!

***Our practice packets went home this week.  Any time that you may have extra time at home, feel free to practice these Kindergarten skills.  They include: writing words, counting to 100, writing a dictated sentence, nonsense words, segmenting words, and letter/sounds.  If you need any more information or tips, please feel free to contact us.

Important Dates

April 11- Day 10, Computers, On Monday, April 11th please join us in cheering on the Elementary to show their school spirit for the PSSAs! Grades K-6 students and staff are welcomed to dress down in school colors to show their NSE spirit! Students in grades 3-6 will be getting the opportunity to shine on their PSSA tests to show what they have learned and accomplished during their years at NSE.

Students and Staff may wear jeans, sweatpants, or shorts, along with a Spartan T-Shirt or dress code approved shirt.

**Students must wear regular dress code approved clothing for the remainder of the PSSAs, unless they have gym class.


April 12- PSSAs start

week of April 4, 2016

Week of April 4, 2016

Math- Our last few lessons in Topic 12 will be: More Comparing by Height, Comparing Capacities, and Comparing by Weight.  We will be taking the Topic 12 assessment at the end of the week and then be moving on to Topic 13. 

Science- We are tracking our seed growth in our science experiment.  Monday is the last day of the experiment and all 3 beans sprouted a little bit!  We will be looking at how people change, plants and animals that live on land, and plants and animals that live in water, and learning about an engineer that made soil for space!  We will be taking our Science assessment at the end of the week as well. 

Reading- We will be reading: Trucks Roll!.  We will comparing and contrasting in the story.  Our amazing words are: trailers, haul, truckers, cabs, steering wheel, headlight.  We will be reviewing poems and different types of literature.

Phonics/Grammar- Our new letters is Uu like in Umbrella and Unicorn.  We will be identifying them in the medial and initial position in words.  We will also be introducing prepositions.

Handwriting/Writing- We have completed our Handwriting book and now we will be working on reviewing our diver lowercase letters, road safety signs, sentence spacing, and review of numbers 1-10.

Our 5 Star Writing Checklist we use to double check our sentences is listed below:

*Capital letter to start my sentence

*Punctuation to end my sentence

*Use finger spaces

*Use neat handwriting

*My sentence makes sense

Important Information

***On April 16 and April 17, the NSE PTO will be hosting a Chinese Auction at the Elementary school for a fundraiser.  Please send in any donations for our basket as soon as possible.  Thanks for your participation.  Thanks for those of you who already sent in your donation!

***Our practice packets went home this week.  Any time that you may have extra time at home, feel free to practice these Kindergarten skills.  They include: writing words, counting to 100, writing a dictated sentence, nonsense words, segmenting words, and letter/sounds.  If you need any more information or tips, please feel free to contact us.

·        Graduation pictures will be taken on Wednesday, April 6^th

·        Every student will have their picture taken as part of the class photo even if you aren’t buying a package

·        Every student needs to wear a white collared shirt

·        Girls should not wear their hair up high since they’ll be wearing caps

·        When selecting a background, please note that, boys will wear a blue gown with a red cap, and girls wear a red gown with a blue hat

·        Thank you for your cooperation with Kindergarten Graduation pictures!!  It really makes the day run efficiently!

Important Dates

April 4- Day 10

April 6- Graduation pictures, please see info. Above

April 8- United States projects due, please see info. That was sent home

week of March 28, 2016

Week of March 28, 2016

Math- Our new topic will be Topic 12, Measurement.  Our essential question is: “How can objects be compared by length, height, capacity, and weight.”  Our new vocabulary will include: longer (than), shorter (than), as tall as, taller (than), lighter (than). 

Science- We have been talking about Spring and all of the important things that happen in that season.  We also spent some time exploring the topic of bees and how they help the Earth.  We will be comparing and contrasting Plants and Animals and how they grow and change.  We will be observing the life cycle of the frog and butterfly and the different stages of both.

Reading- We will be reading: Mayday! Mayday!.  We will be comparing the cause and effect in the story.  Our amazing words are: rescue, yacht, mechanic, pilot, sailor, shimmering.  We will be finding rhyme and identifying question marks and using capital letters.

Phonics/Grammar- Our new letters is Xx like at the end of Fox.  We will be identifying them in the final position in words. 

Handwriting/Writing- Our 5 Star Writing Checklist we use to double check our sentences is listed below:

*Capital letter to start my sentence

*Punctuation to end my sentence

*Use finger spaces

*Use neat handwriting

*My sentence makes sense

Important Information

***On April 16 and April 17, the NSE PTO will be hosting a Chinese Auction at the Elementary school for a fundraiser.  Please send in any donations for our basket as soon as possible.  Thanks for your participation.  Thanks for those of you who already sent in your donation!

***Our practice packets went home this week.  Any time that you may have extra time at home, feel free to practice these Kindergarten skills.  They include: writing words, counting to 100, writing a dictated sentence, nonsense words, segmenting words, and letter/sounds.  If you need any more information or tips, please feel free to contact us.

·        Graduation pictures will be taken on Wednesday, April 6^th

·        Every student will have their picture taken as part of the class photo even if you aren’t buying a package

·        Every student needs to wear a white collared shirt

·        Girls should not wear their hair up high since they’ll be wearing caps

·        When selecting a background, please note that, boys will wear a blue gown with a red cap, and girls wear a red gown with a blue hat

·        Thank you for your cooperation with Kindergarten Graduation pictures!!  It really makes the day run efficiently!

Important Dates

March 28- Day 10

April 1- Tentative report card distribution, please sign and return the envelope as soon as possible

week of March 21, 2016

Week of March 21, 2016

Math- After our Topic 10 review and assessment, we will begin Decomposing Numbers 11-19.  We will learn to break the numbers 11 to 19 into parts made up of tens and ones and some further ones.  We will also write number sentences to show how we broke the numbers into parts.  Our new math words include: double ten frame and set. 

Science- Our last science Chapter is Plants and Animals and it will include the essential question of: How do plants and animals grow and change during their lives.  We will see how people grow and change too.  We will learn about how some plants and animals live on land and some that live in water.  Our vocabulary will include:  babies, parents, puppy, seed, tadpole.

Reading- We will be reading: Max Takes the Train.  We will be comparing the realism and fantasy in the story.  Our amazing words are: plane, subway, ferryboat, jetway, tunnel, sidecar.  We will be listening to a poem and identifying rhyme.

Phonics/Grammar- Our new letters are Jj and Ww like in Jet and Water.  We will be identifying them in initially in words.  We are speaking using the pronouns I and me. 

Handwriting/Writing- We are now through all of the capital and lowercase letters.  We are now working on various language arts activities.  They will include such topics as: poems, greetings, sentences, missing letters, and printing letters in a word.

Important Information

On April 16 and April 17, the NSE PTO will be hosting a Chinese Auction at the Elementary school for a fundraiser.  Please send in any donations for our basket as soon as possible.  Thanks for your participation.

Please continue to practice the sight words and letters and sounds along with numbers and counting.  A quick review makes a big difference!

Important Dates

March 20-   1^st day of Spring

March 21- Day 6

March 25-   No School

week of March 14, 2016

Week of March 14, 2016

Math- Our new topic that we will be starting is: Topic 10, Composing Numbers 11-19.  Our lessons include: making 11, 12, 13, making 14, 15, and 16, making 17, 18, and 19 and looking for a pattern.  Our number writing to 20 is looking fabulous and keep up the good work with counting to 100!  We review using a number line and addition and subtraction daily in our Math Meeting.

Science- Our science questions include: What do living things need?, How are animals alike and different?, How are plants alike and different?.  We will also be looking at different types of science in our backyard, or our playground that we can see from our window. 

Reading- We will be reading: Abuela.  We will be comparing the different settings in the story.  Our amazing words are: abuela, flock, airport, adventure, city, harbor.  We will be listening to a poem and identifying rhyme.

Phonics/Grammar- Our new letter is Ee like in Elephant.  We will be identifying initial and medial Ee in words.  We are speaking using the pronouns I and me. 

Important Information

On April 16 and April 17, the NSE PTO will be hosting a Chinese Auction at the Elementary school for a fundraiser.  Please send in any donations for our basket as soon as possible.  Thanks for your participation.

Please continue to practice the sight words and letters and sounds along with numbers and counting.  A quick review makes a big difference!

Important Dates

March 13- Daylight Savings time begins

March 14-18- Kindergarten Registration

March 17- St. Patrick’s Day

week of March 7, 2016

Week of March 7, 2016

Math- We will continue topic is Topic 9 and the essential question is: “What are the different ways to make a number?”  We can use objects to show numbers: 8, 9, and 10 in two parts.  We can write number sentences to describe numbers 8-10 into 2 parts.  We will also make graphs using real objects or pictures to answer questions.  We will continue to add and subtract, use a 10 frame, and compare/contrast greater and fewer.  This topic is off to a great start!  Keep up the good work!

Science- We are completing Living and Nonliving Things.  Our first essential question for Living and Nonliving Things is: “What can you tell about living things?”  Our vocabulary words for this chapter include: nonliving, living, needs, fur, feathers, scales, rough, smooth.  We are looking forward to spring coming so that we can move our season chart as well as look forward to some nicer weather!

Reading- We will be reading: If You Could Go To Antarctica.  We will be classifying and categorizing in the story.  Our amazing words are: Antarctica, icebergs, seals, continent, penguins, whales.  We will be listening for story elements of character as well.

Phonics/Grammar- Our new letter is Ee like in Elephant.  We will be identifying initial and medial Gg in words.  We are constantly reinforcing capital letters are only for the beginning of sentences, beginning of names, and important words.  The rest of the letters should be written in lowercase.

Important Information

On April 16 and April 17, the NSE PTO will be hosting a Chinese Auction at the Elementary school for a fundraiser.  There was a flyer sent previously as well as a preorder ticket form.

Please continue to practice the sight words.  We will be assessing them this week.  Thanks!

Important Dates

March 7-11- Newspaper in Education Week, please see papers in your child’s folder

March 7- Day 6, PTO Meeting at 6:30

March 10- PTO Fundraiser Pick up 4-7 pm

March 14-18- Kindergarten Registration