Families! We had a jam-packed week,
and the next week doesn't look like it is going to let up much!
Please look at this (hopefully) complete list of this week's events.
Monday: Family fundraiser night at
Sunnyside McMenamin's. Show up at a time that works for your family
between four and closing. Mention you're with Cascade, and 50% of
your purchase goes to the school! I'll probably see you there if you're there
after 6:30.
This is also the last day to return
order forms for the class published book we have been working on.
Thursday:
1. Field trip to see the Bad Kitty
play downtown. We will be gone in the morning, but back in time for
a later lunch. We will arrange for hot lunch, if you would prefer to
have your child eat school lunch. Please send your child with an
easily portable snack, as we will be eating it on the trip (i.e.,
non-resealable yogurts and apple sauces don't work that well).
2. Dr. Seuss' birthday celebration:
students may dress up as a favorite literary character if they would
like. They should bring the book the character is found in, and be
prepared to tell us about the character and book. The outfit/costume
should also allow for regular learning and movement, AND be something
they can handle wearing to the play :D.
3. Family Reading Night! Sign up for
some fun literacy-based activities! Come in your book-inspired
costume if you like. Two sessions will be held: one at 6:30 and one
at 7:00 (we encourage you to go to both!). At 7:30, please join us
for birthday cake and an exhibition bout of Battle of the Books,
students vs. teachers. The link to the signup is in the Falcon Flash
and in a past email from me.
Upcoming week:
Riggs:
We will continue our study of spelling
words and phonograms. Homework should work like this now:
1. Practice new spelling words three
more times, one time each in each remaining quadrant of the Riggs
paper that is brought home each evening.
2. Practice any highlighted spelling
words, at least three times each, on the copy of the list of spelling
words brought home each evening.
3. Practice the new phonogram a
handful of times.
It's a lot, but it shouldn't be taking
more than ten minutes' of solid, thoughtful work. Thank you for your
support in your kindergartener's journey down the spelling and
writing road to reading and thinking !
Saxon math:
We're still trucking along!
Core Knowledge:
We are wrapping up our study of living
things and their needs. Next up: elements of art. We will learn
about some famous artists, their work, and what goes into making art
in various media.
Life skills:
We're working on problem solving in
social situations: what does it mean when an adult says "use
your words"? Kindergarteners are also continuing to learn that
even if something was an accident, they still need to apologize and
try to make things better ("I'm sorry, it was an accident. Are
you ok?").
Week in review:
In addition to lots of Riggs and math,
we were busy on field trips and other exciting and important work!
On Monday, we visited the Oregon Humane
Society:
We learned how to meet a dog safely and
politely.
We learned how to give treats to dogs
safely.
We learned what kinds of animals are at
the humane society, and some reasons they might be there.
We visited a new park with a new play
structure (and the nearby Head Start program to use their bathroom,
too!).
Our kindergarteners were wonderful
listeners and represented their families and their school very well.
On Friday, we had a full day of working
and learning on campus. Thank you to the parent volunteers who made
our centers a success!
Students learned about different kinds
of birds' nests, and then worked together to make their own nests.
Kindergarteners also went on a nature
"walk" to explore living and nonliving things on our
campus, digging in the dirt and finding all sorts of critters.
After studying some animal tracks,
kindergarteners made their own plaster of paris prints.
Students learned about the plant life
cycle and planted some seeds we will nurture at school and see what
happens.
Finally, they worked on their pages for
the published class book. Please remember to send your order forms
back by Monday!
