December 2006 Homework

1. Practice writing your first nd last names three times. Use colors!
2. Play a memory game with a friend or family member.
3. First Sunday in Advent. Discuss your family's Advent traditions.
4. Review the ABC's and their sounds.
5. Look at ten things around you; say the first letter of each word.
6. St. Nicholas was a helper to children. Pray for children who have less than you.
7. Count as high as you can by one's, 5's, 10's.
8. Immaculate Conception of Mary. Pray for peace and healing.
9. Read a favorite book with a partner. What happended at the beginning, middle, end?
10. Second sunday of Advent. How can you prepare for the coming of Jesus?
11. Write the numerals from zero to ten (0-10). Cut them apart, mix them up, then put them in order again.
12. Our Lady of Guadalupe. Pray for peace and healing. Pray for mothers and unborn children.
13. Review all the sight words.
14. Practice hopping, skipping, and jumping.
15. Practice reading the color words. Draw a colorful Christmas picture.
16. Make up a story about a visit to the North Pole. Write and draw.
17. Third Sunday in Advent. Sing a song to prepare for the coming of Jesus.
18. Practice tying shoelaces. Practice ordinal numbers (first through thenth).
19. Write the ABC's on cards; mix them up and put them in order again.
20. Make AAB and ABB patterns using dry cereal, beans, etc.
21. Make a Happy Birthday card for Jesus.
22. Play a board game with a partner.
23. Volunteer to do something helpful (with a smile) for someone else.
24. Fourth Sunday in Advent. Read about the first Christmas. What would it be like if you were there?
25. Merry Christmas! Sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. Sing other Christmas songs, too.
26. Write a "Thank You" note for a gift you received.
27. Review all the school-wide learning expectations. Do you know any of the subheadings?
28. Feast of the Holy Innocents. Write and draw about a treasured Christmas gift.
29. Review your phone number, address, and birthday.
30. Practice writing the sight words. Use colored pencils, markers, chalk, etc.
31. Sunday withing the octave of Christmas. Have a happy, healthy, holy new year.

Kindergarten Newsletter 11/27/06

Welcome back to school. I hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving Holiday. We begin another busy month on Friday.

Thank You
Thank you to the families who helped with our Pilgrim and Indian “Feast”. We enjoyed our time together.

Homework Calendar
Please turn in the November homework calendar on Friday, December 1st. The December homework calendar goes home this week.

Hungry
The Advent season begins next Sunday, December 3rd, kindergartners will focus on two community service projects. We will collect donations for the American Cancer Society and we will provide extra lunches for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The students are asked to bring an extra sack lunch each Friday for the next three weeks (Dec. 8th, 15th, 22nd). I will send reminders in future Kindergarten Newsletters.

This Week
This week we will :
read with our 7th grade buddies
discuss the season of Advent
work with the letter Kk
work with the sight word me

Advent and Christmas Stories
Do you have a favorite Advent or Christmas story? Your child is encouraged to bring in treasured Christmas books he or she may want to share.

Angels
Remember, kindergarten girls will lead the school in a meditation on angels on December 13th. Please see my previous blog for more information.

End of the Second Quarter!
The second quarter ends Friday, December 21st. I will be testing students between now and then. If you plan to be away during this time please let me know in writing so I may test all students.

Please pray for peace!


God bless you and have a great week.

Kindergarten Girls Lead Advent Meditation 12/13

Greetings Kindergarten Families,
On December 13th the girls of both kindergarten classes will share a meditation on angels during morning prayer. There will be a few speaking parts, but all the girls will recite the Angel of God prayer together. I ask that all the kindergarten girls dress as modest little angels as they will represent the "Heavenly Host". Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Kindergarten Newsletter 11/13/06

Welcome back! I hope you had an enjoyable three-day weekend.

Conferences
"Thank You!" to all the kindergaten parents. I was happy to talk with all of you. Your love and dedication to your children is inspirational.

Themes and Topics
The letter of the week is Cc /k/ as in cat.
The sight words are no and on.
This week we will focus on the first Thanksgiving and our own Thanksgiving traditions.

Important Dates in November
11/15: Thanksgiving Dinner/Program at St. Patrick's Parish Hall.
11/16: Indian/Pilgrim Thanksgiving snack.
11/17: Thanksgiving prayer service at 8:15 am in the auditorium.
11/20 - 11/24: Thanksgiving Vacation

Reminders

The prayer of the month is The Act of Contrition. A copy of the prayer went home in the November family envelope.

Continue to review the abc's and both lists of sight words regularly.

Please check the Student Handbook regarding details such as uniforms, dress codes,etc.

Fall Program Reminder
Our Lady of Mercy School's Thanksgiving Dinner and Fall Program is Wednesday, 11/15. My class will perform that evening. Please bring your kindergartner to the Parish Hall on Yosemite Ave. by 5:45 pm. I ask that your child wear something red.

Please pray for peace.

God bless you!

Kindergarten Newsletter 11/06/06

Thank You
The Mass in honor of All Saints Day went very well. Thank you to Mrs. Jenkin who sat with the kindergartners during Mass while I assisted with the singing.


Children as Responsible Citizens
The students are growing, maturing, building memory skills, and are developing a sense of personal responsibility. You can help your child by allowing him or her to fulfill his or her daily classroom duties by himself or herself. Each morning the children should turn over their own name cards, hang up jackets, put away lunch kits, submit important papers, and complete other tasks by themselves. Keep in mind, however, that kindergartners still need assistance with the lunch/milk sign-in sheet. It is amazing how quickly the children learn and become responsible when we establish daily rouitines.

Conferences
Congerences start today and run through Thursday. I look forward to meeting with you and I appreciate your promptness as I have only 15 minutes to meet with each of you.
Dismissal is at 12:30 pm through Thursday for students in the enrichment program. This allows the teachers time to prepare for the conferences.

Themes and Topics
The letter of the week is Ww.
The sight word is said.
We will continue to prepare for the Fall Program. Please refer to last week's blog for more information.

Friends Book
The students will take turns with our Friends Book. It is a scrapbook containing pictures of each child and some of our many activities. It will be updated throughout the year. Each child will have opportunities to bring the book home, share it with the family and return it to school the following day. It is very important the the children return this book to school promptly as all the kindergartners look forward to their turns to take home this book.

Important Dates in November
11/06 - 11/09 Parent/Teacher conferences & Book Fair
11/09 Veterans Day Program at 8:15 am in the school auditorium
11/10 Veterans Day -- No School
11/15 Fall Program/Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Patrick's Parish Hall. See last week's blog for more information.
11/16 Mrs. Poole's class (as Native Americans) and Mrs. Mill's class (as Pilgrims) share a Thanksgiving snack.
11/17 Thanksgiving Prayer Service at 8:15 am in the school auditorium.
11/20 - 11/24 Thanksgiving Vacation.

Advent
Advent, a time of joyful and prayerful anticipation for the coming of Jesus, begins Sunday, December 3rd. Kindergartners will put their faith into action this Advent by bringing in extra lunches for the St. Vincent de Paul Society and by raising money for the American Cancer Society.

God bless you and have a great week!