Saint Anthony School

Kindergarten

Ms. Lourdes Milan, M.A.  Teacher

Mrs. Lidia Guadarrama, Instructional Aide

Kindergram

3-8-2010

"Don't be afraid!  Stand still and you will see the Lord save you today.

~ Exodus 14:13

Starfall News

Week overview:

This week we will:

1. discriminate initial/medial /o/

2. practice phoneme substitution

3. work with initial/final digraphs /sh/, /th/, and /ch/

4. work with the following comprehension skills:

                   a. cause/effect

                   b. predict/verify

                   c. author's intention

New high-frequency words:        1. this        2. than

Social Studies

This week we will:

1. understand how people lived in earlier times and how their lives would be different today

Science

This week we will:

1. observe common objets by using the five senses

2. know water can be liquid or solid and can change forms

3. communicate observations orally and by drawings

Math

This week we will:

1. use direct/indirect comparison to sort objects by length

2. measure lengths using nonstandard units

Religion

Topic: Forgive Others

This week we will:

1. recognize that some things can be fixed

2. understand the need for forgiveness

3. learn that God wants people to forgive one another

Have You Heard?

1. Did your child tell you about our play One Fine Day?

2. Ask your child to share with you all he/she has learned about mammals and birds

3. Ask your child to tell you what do you call a group of:

a. fish

b. hippos

c. cows

d. wolves

4. Has your child told you that we have been praying the Rosary in class and playing a game called, Lent Fortune Cookie Game?

Coming Up

1. March 17th - wear something green with your school uniform (socks, ribbons, bow, etc.)

2. March 20th - Bring a book written by Bill Martin, Jr. to school (if you already have one at home)

Looking Ahead...

1. Kindergarten Easter Hat Parade -- Start getting ready for our HOME DECORATED hat Easter parade after we come back from the Easter break (DTBA).

2. Ag in the Classroom! - In April, Kindergartners will celebrate agriculture in the classroom week.  Your child will be asked to dress like a farmer one day during our Ag in the Classroom week.  I also would like to extend an invitation to family members who have a talent related to agriculture to come and share your knowledge with us.  Also, if you have a farm animal you can bring to our yard and show and tell us about it, we will be very excited.  In the past I have had a donkey, a pony, a pig, chickens, lambs, cows, horses, etc. visited our yard and enhance our wonderful week.  Please let me know if you would like to present during this week.

Have a wonderful week!

Kindergram

3-1-2010

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal."

~ Philippians 3:13

Starfall News

Week Overview:

This week the children learn about a very special muscle, the heart.  They discuss its location, feel it working to pump blood through their bodies, and experience the effects of exercise.  They also discover that exercise helps keep their hearts and bodies healthy and strong.

This week we will:

1. learn that exercise affects our hearts and bodies

2. write about exercising with Mox

3. distinguish nouns and verbs

4. learn about apostrophes

5. review word families

Recommended Literature"

1. One Fine Day  by Nonny Hogrogian

New high-frequency words:

1. of

2. were

Thanks for reading with/to your child every day for at least 20 minutes.

Science

This week we will:

1. seek information via observation, exploration, and investigation

2. show awareness of changes that occur in themselves and their environment

3. observe and describe similarities and differences in appearance and behavior of plants and animals

Math

This week we will:

1. learn to tell time to the hour

2. review chapter, "Money and Time"

3. assess chapter, "Money and Time"]

4. introduce the new chapter, "Measurement" -- a letter will be sent home on Friday

Religion

Topic: Good Choices

This week we will:

1. consider how rules keep everyone safe

2. realize that people help us make good choices

3. learn that Jesus tells everyone about God's rules

4. demonstrate how to follow God's rules

5. praise and thank Jesus for his help in making good choices

Has your child told you about all the special projects and special prayers we are doing in class during Lent.

Blessed Andre Clinic

Thanks to all the families who have sent $ to assist the clinic.

Have a wonderful week!

Kindergram

2-22-2010

"Kind mercy wins over harsh judgement every time."

~ James 2:13

Happy birthday, Mrs. Guadarrama!!!

Valentines

Thanks to all the families who shared valentines, delicious treats, etc. with me.  The children had a wonderful time.

Starfall News

Week Overview:

This week the children review mammal characteristics and learn about two more members of the mammal animal group, the wolf and  the fox, as they compare and contrast factual animals with fictional ones they meet in folk tales.  They also learn how to find more information on topics that interest them. 

This week we will:

1. meet Mox the Fox

2. learn short -o and /sh/

3.encounter Superhero h

4. write a class report together

New high-frequency words:

1. give

2. him

3. your

A list of all the high-frequency words has been sent home with your child.  Please review the words learned thus far with your child.  Your child will be assessed this month.

Science

This week we will:

1. reveiw characteristics of a mammal

2. introduce characteristics of a wolf

Religion

We continue learning about Lent and how to pray the rosary.  We are doing a decade of the rosary every day using the tape Mrs. Patrias donated to the class.  Thank you, Mrs. Patrias.

Math

We continue working with money.  We are learning the name and value of the coins.  As a challenge activity the children learned the names of the faces on the coins.  Thank you, Christopher for your presentation of who is on the dime.

Have a wonderful week!

Kindergram

2-15-2010

"So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love.  And the greatest of these is love."

~ 1 Corinthians

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Presidents' Day!

Ask your child to tell you all they learned about these two special days.

Starfall News

Week overview:

This week the children continue their study of the bird animal group as they review bird characteristics, meet fictional birds in the folk tale Chicken Little, and meet real members of the bird family in Penguin, Penguin and Backpack Bear's Bird Book.  They also discover "flightless birds" and study  various types of feathers and their uses.

This week we will:

1. review folk tales

2. learn final /k/ and /ch/ and medial /e/

3. dramatize Chicken Little

4.  learn about possessive nouns and editing

5. create their own "Bird Posters"

New high-frequency words this week: them, then, lay, play

A list of all the high-frequency words that we will learn in Kindergarten was sent home on Monday, please keep it in a safe place and review the words learned thus far with your child daily.

Thanks to all the families who have been reading together at home. 

Social Studies

This week we will:

1. distinguish land and water on maps and globes

2. locate general areas referenced in historical legends and stories

Science

This week we will:

1. identify major structures of common plants and animals

Religion

We continue our lesson on love and  loving actions.  Children exchange Valentines on Tuesday, February 16th.  There are 11 children in the Kindergarten class, please make sure your child brings enough for everybody.

Math

We continue working, learning, "shopping", and having fun with money.  Please allow your child to "experiment" with real coins (penny, nickel, dime) at home.

Some children brought coins to school today to "buy things".  We have a "Kindergarten Store" in our classroom.  Though I would love to sell 1/2 of the things I have :), this store is a pretend store and will be used as a Math learning center to learn the name and value of the coins.  There is no need for your child to bring real money to school.  However, your child can bring a $1.00 if he/she wants to get some Mardi Gra beads that the Student Council is selling (3 for $1.00).

This week we will:

1. measure the time of day as morning, afternoon, evening; day or night

2. use a calendar to solve problems

3. identify which of the two activities shown takes more time or less time

Have a wonderful-long weekend!

"Love is a circle whose shining span returns to the point where it began.  The love you give, sincere and true, curves gently, surely back to you."

~ R. H. Grenville

Kindergram

2-8-2010

"Be gentle with the young."

~ Juvenal

Picnic

Thanks to all the families who joined us on Friday for the picnic!

Starfall News

Week Overview:

The children will learn about airplanes and air travel through both fictional and nonfictional accounts.  They will meet the Wright Brothers who gave us the first "heavier than air" flying machine through their dream, hard work, and dedication.  The children will experiment with a balloon as they discover how airplanes fly. 

This week we will:

1. review homonyms and word families

2. discover the importance of maps and learn how to "read" them

3. learn the sound /ch/

4. meet Vincent van Gogh and learn how he turned his dreams into paintings

Recommended Literature:

1. Amazing Airplanes by Tony Mitton

New High-frequency words: look, from, find

Thanks for reading to/with your child every day for at least 20 minutes.

Social Studies

This week we will:

1. know triumphs in American legends via stories, historical texts

2. understand how people lived in earlier times, how their lives would be different today

3. identify traffic and map symbols

4. understand history relates to events, people, places of other times

Science

This week we will:

1. investigate ways things move (fast/slow)

2. notice push or pull changes the way objects move

Math

This week we will finish assessing chapter - Number Patterns and begin  the chapter, "Money and Time".  Please make sure your child is exposed to real money (coins).  I hope you followed the advice I gave you at the beginning of the school year and got your child a calendar.  If you did not do it then (August 2009) please get your child  a calendar soon so he/she can practice daily. 

This week we will learn the name and value of the penny, nickel, and dime.

Religion

This week we continue our lessons on LOVE!!!

Coming Attractions:

Check the February calendar for details

Monday, February 15th -- no school

Tuesday, February 16th -- Kinder students share valentines with classmates.  There are 11 students in Kindergarten.  Please make sure your child brings enough for everybody.  Please refer to note sent home last week.

Have a wonderful week!

Kindergram

Week of 2-1-2010

Happy Catholic Schools Week!

Happy Birthday!

Thanks for all the special birthday wishes!

A special thanks to Mrs. Guadarrama; Mr. and Mrs. Nicolette; Mr. and Mrs. Lebron; and Mr. and Mrs. Gilbertson for providing all the goodies for my birthday party!

We had a wonderful time!

Family Picnic on Friday, February 5th at the park.

Please come!

Pack your lunch and join us after you pick up your child at 11:00am.

Starfall News

Week overview:  This week the children learn about the bird animal group.  They meet several kinds of birds and come to understand bird characteristics through Backpack Bear's Bird Book.  The children will be introduced to a new Starfall character, Peg the Hen, and will meet fictional birds as they reexamine a popular folk tale. 

This week we will:

1. learn the sound of short -e

2. learn the ck digraph

write an informational newspaper story about birds

Recommended Literature:

1. The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone

New high-frequency words:  good, could, would,  what

Please review high-frequency words with your child daily.  An assessment of all the high-frequency words taught thus far will be done this month.

Science

This week we will:

1. observe and describe similarities in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals

2. identify major structures of common plants and animals

3. know stories sometimes give plants and animals attributes they do not really have

Math

This week we will:

1. continue counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s using a hundred chart

2. indicate positions of objects in the order of 1st - 10th (ordinal numbers)

3. use the problem solving skill to use a model to solve problems

4. review chapter 7, "Number Patterns"

5. assess chapter 7

Religion

Topics:

1. You Show Love

2. Catholic Schools Week

This week the children wil:

1. understand how to treat others kindly

2. understand that kind actions please others and God

3. learn to show love to others as Jesus did

4. demonstrate how to show love to others

5. talk about Catholic Schools and how lucky we are to be part of Saint Anthony School

Have a wonderful week!

"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face."

~ Victor Hugo

Kindergram

Week of 1-25-2010

"The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth."

~Chinese Proverb

Congratulations to the Poynor Family on the birth of their son Nicholas!

Starfall News

Week Overview:

This week the children will continue their study of mammals as they review how to tell the difference between living and nonlivng things, and how to compare and contrast plants and animals.

This week we will continue with :

1. digraph /th/

2. cvc words (ask your child what cvc words are)

3. high-frequency words:  they, there, that

This week we will:

1. write our own group stories

2. make Backpack Bear puppets

3. review cause and effect and folk tales

4. learn about the forces of push and pull

New high-frequency words this week: all, some

Remember to read to read with/to your child daily for at least 20 minutes.

I also advice that you get your child some writing paper and have him/her write 2 or 3 sentences daily about his/her day at school or any other topic of interest to your child.  Your child should remember to start a sentence with an upper-case letter, move from left to right, leave a finger space between words, end the setence with a punctuation mark, and use the lists of high-frequency words learned thus far and sent home weekly (which I hope you have been saving :).   You can also assist your child by preparing a dictionary together with all the high-frequency words learned thus far and other words your child ask you to spell for him/her.  Your child uses his/her own dictionary in class when doing writing work.  Your child is also asked to use "kidwriting" by sounding out words.  The adult will do adult writing by correcting the child's mistakes with the child observing the corrections being made.  Have fun!

Science

This week we will:

1. compare and sort objects by physical attributes. 

2. observe and discribe similarities and differences in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals

3. know there is a relationship between force and motion

4. undestand that all animals, including humans, have internal parts and external structures that function to keep them alive and help them grow and reproduce

Math

As you know by the letter sent home last week, we have started our new chapter, Number Patterns. 

We have been:

1. counting orally using a hundred chart

2. counting orally to 100 by 10s and by 5s

This week we will"

1. count orally by 2s

2. use the problem solving strategy find a pattern to solve problems

3. continue counting orally by 10s and 5s

4. use concrete objects to explore even and odd numbers

Please practice counting by 10s, 5s, and 2s with your child daily.

Religion

Topic:  The Holy Spirit

This week the children will:

1. think about characteristics of the wind

2. learn that the Holy Spirit comes to help

3. recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church

4. learn about the Holy Spirit

5. meditate on the role of the Holy Spirit

Have a wonderful week!