It's a Jungle in Here!

For our Environment Theme Unit, we talked a lot about rainforest animals.  We decided to decorate our classroom to look like a tropical rainforest.

And in our rainforest, there are giant spiders, snakes, jaguars, butterflies, geckos and other wonderful, beautiful creatures, playing among the vines.

Isn't this world a wonderful place?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

We've been enjoying our thematic unit on environment.  We've been working hard to learn how to follow the three R's:

We know that we have to do our part to help make this world a better place.  We can choose to be wasteful, or we can choose to be green.

We want a clean and beautiful earth to grow up on.  We want to do our part to have a green attitude.  Please help us, by first setting a good example.

Owls

Earlier this month the kindergarten students were invited to a preschool presentation on owls.  We had the opportunity to learn more about these fascinating birds thanks to a very engaging wildlife biologist.

We saw different models of owls, including this great horned owl.

We learned about their feeding habits, how they hunt, and where they live.

We also got to hear the different calls that these four species make.

We'd like to say thank you to all involved for this experience!

Bird Seed Numbers

In Kindergarten this month we have been working hard on recognizing numbers one through five using recyclable materials.

Lest We Forget

Smartie Math

We recently completed a graphing activity in math that allowed us to explore color and number while teasing our tastebuds.  Students had a chance to open and graph a box of smarties based on the colors inside.  As a class, we then compared our graphs to see how they were the same and how they were different.  When we were done, we enjoyed our tasty treat!

Over The Shape Rainbow

One of our first kindergarten themes this year taught about colors and shapes.  In the report card coming home next week you will see a reflection of your child's progress in these areas.  Here are some fun ideas you can do at home to help reinforce your child's learning of these two basic skills.

1. Play "Eye Spy" for different colors.  This is a good way to pass time on a short road trip, and the world can be a very colorful place.

2. Play "Shape Treasure Hunt" looking for items of various shapes around your home.

3. Read brightly illustrated books, and have fun looking for different shapes and colors with your child.

Pizza Pie

To wrap up our nutrition unit, we made two types of pizza - one, from paper, had imaginary ingredients from each of the food groups, and will go in our memory books.  We had some fun ones - pizza's topped with strawberries, hamburgers, muffins, and chocolate milk, just to name a few.

The other was a more edible, and yet still had an ingredient from each food group.

Bread group - English muffin

Dairy group - cheese

Fruit group - pineapple

Vegetable group - tomato sauce

Meat group - sliced ham

Bon Appetite!

The Save the Earth Club

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle

Parents,

We are trying to help the children become aware of what they can do to keep our world clean and healthy.  A sheet has come on with different habits we can develop, along with boxes for checking off when these activities have been completed.

If your child can collect 30 check marks, they will receive a certificate that acknowledges their membership in the 'Save The Earth' club.

The children are very excited about what they can do to protect our earth.  I hope that you will help your child participated in this program.

Please send the chart back by November 30th or before.

Thanks,

Mrs. D'Agnone and Mrs. Thomson

Influenza

We've heard all about it on the news and other media - H1N1 flu is circulating, and as we get deeper into flu season, it will probably start affecting people in all areas of our community.  Here are some simple precautions our health authorities have suggested we can all begin practicing:

1. Wash hands with soap or hand sanitizer frequently.  Also keep regularly touched surfaces clean (such as door knobs, taps and appliance handles).

2. Cough and sneeze into your elbow.

3. Stay home if you are sick.  If you have any concerns about your symptoms, go see a doctor.

4. Learn more about immunization programs available, and decide if they are right for you and your family.

If your child develops any cold or flu symptoms, such as fever, coughing, sneeze and nasal congestions, aches or chills, please keep them home until they are symptom free for 24 hours.  

We are working hard to keep classroom surfaces and student hands clean and sanitized.

We hope that we can all continue to stay healthy and well!  Thanks for your support!

Halloween Fun

The eensy, weensy spider went up the haunted house,

He spied on the witch, but was startled by the mouse.

He fell through a ghost and landed on his web,

And up the haunted house no longer did he tread!

~ By: Mrs. Thomson

Welcome to our Halloween Theme Week in Raymond Kindergarten.  Here is a sneak peak at some of the spooky activities we enjoyed!  (Above are samples of our glittery handprint spider webs)

Some eery magic is at work as this center - some tracing paper, markers, and scary Halloween designs, and something exciting appears!

These little friends will fit in perfect with the trick-or-treaters!

Toenail of gecko, eyeball of squid, hair of a unicorn, and a werewolves tooth are just some of the secret ingredients in our Halloween dough!

And of course, nothing is sweeter at Halloween than candy!  Count for me - does the number of teeth in my mouth match my hat?

Happy Halloween!