December 17

Hello Parents!
I have enjoyed my first days with Mrs. Troyer's kindergarten!  I am having fun getting to know your children and the kindergarten routines😊!  Now that I am able to make updates to the blog, I will fill you in on all the fun things that have been happening!

First, the classroom has a magical visitor from the North Pole!  Our Elf on the Shelf finds a new place in the room each day to observe class behavior and then by night, he reports to Santa.  The children voted to name our elf, Whisper.

 


TRICKY WORDS
I have introduced the following tricky words so far:  you, your, come, some, said, here.  I hope everyone has received copies of these words to add to their ring.  Thank you for helping your child practice these new words!

READING
Our focus lately has been on recognizing important "clue" words in stories that help a good reader know the sequence of events in fiction and nonfiction stories.  Some of these words are:  first, next, then, last or finally.  We are also working on fluency in our reader's theater story, Baby Animals.

MATH
In math, we have worked on patterning and on giving our patterns a letter name such as abab, aabb, abcabc.  Children chose two colors and created an aabb pattern with Froot Loops cereal to make a candy cane ornament to hang on the classroom tree.  Children especially liked eating the extra Froot Loops!

Each child measured objects around the classroom with a tongue depressor and compared the lengths of the various objects.  Children enjoyed measuring elves with a ruler of candy canes and weighing and comparing objects with a pan balance.

PAM HOLZ
Pam visited the class this week to read the story, Stranger in the Woods, and to help children make bird feeders from dry bread, shortening and birdseed.

HOLIDAY CUSTOMS
Children are learning of various holiday customs and traditions.  After discussing Christmas in Mexico, children made their own poinsettia to display in the hallway.  We have discussed or will discuss customs in England, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Holland and Denmark.  Children made a tissue paper wreath, danced to the song, Buon Natale, heard the story, Strega Nona, and learned several Christmas songs and rhymes.  Ask your child to perform the following:
Where is Santa?
Here is the Chimney
There's a Little Elf
Dear Old Santa
Here is the Wreath

POLAR EXPRESS PJ PARTY
Please remember that your child may wear PJs for our PBIS celebration on Monday, December 21.

WINTER PARTY
We will have our class party on Tuesday, December 22.  Children will decorate their own Christmas cookie with frosting and sprinkles, make a gingerbread boy/girl foam ornament and play a game before the early out.  All students and staff will also sing Christmas carols in the gym on the 22nd.😊
Have a great holiday break and a very happy new year!