Kindergarten Newsletter
KNEWS 19 2008-2009 January 12, 2009
Just A Reminder
The collection for the SPCA will end on Tuesday, January 13. Thanks to all who have already sent in a donation of dog food, cat food, rabbit food, rabbit bedding, towels, blankets, cat litter or a monetary donation.
Field Trip
The children in Kindergarten and Grade 1 will take their first Field Trip on January 21. We are going to the National Liberty Museum. A Permission Form will be in the Communication Envelope next week.
Additional information will be given then.
Milk Orders
If you would like your child to get milk at lunchtime for the second half of school, please send in a note with your child’s name, kind of milk (white or chocolate) and a check for $30 in an envelope marked Milk Money. I will, in turn forward it to the teacher who orders milk for the school. Thanks!
Catholic Schools Week
We will celebrate Catholic Schools Week during the week of January 26-30. During the week, we have many exciting things planned for the children and a few for parents. Keep a look out for a brochure on CSW which will be coming home in the Communication Envelope shortly.
Skills For Growing
We have begun Unit 4: Growing Up Drug Free. This is an important part of the overall positive prevention framework for Skills for Growing. It is intended to strengthen the protective factors that safeguard young people from harmful behaviors, and reduce the risk factors that increase the likelihood of harmful behaviors. This unit focuses specifically on helping children gain the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to grow up healthy and drug-free.
The main focus is wellness with emphasis on taking personal responsibility for good health. The children will learn how their bodies work, the difference between healthy and unhealthy behaviors, ways to stay safe around unknown or dangerous substances, and the importance of turning to trusted adults for help with questions and concerns. Skill development is focused on building responsibility, making wise choices, and problem-solving skills.
Animal Habitats
This week we will be learning about animal families and habitats. If you are looking to read some stories with our theme, try Hard-To-See Animals by Allan Fowler (Children’s Press). The spectacular photography shows how different animals use their unique coloring and shape to blend into their surroundings.
You can also use Do Pigs Have Stripes by Melanie Walsh. This book asks children to answer questions and make predictions about animals. The Salamander Room by Anne Mazee, helps to develop awareness of things animals need. Watch Us Play by Meila Ford helps to identify baby and adult animals.
Another Wonderful Mini Course
Thank you, Madeleine Griffin! Madeleine gave a great mini course about animal groups. The children enjoyed a story, they saw pictures of the groups and they even danced. Thanks again, Madeleine.
New School Notes Format
Beginning next week, our format for our Kindergarten Newsletter on the web will change. You will access the Newsletter in the same way: go into the website,
click on Classroom Capers and Kindergarten. Click on Notes from Mrs. Reifsnyder. That will take you in. You will need to request again … to be notified. The new system will not know who was listed in the old system (actually, I don’t either) so if you want to be notified when the notes change, you will need to reregister for notification. The new system is a little more fancy, gives more concise ways to navigate and allows for some additional freedom in editing. It still allows for e-mails to go directly to me from the site.
Good luck and have fun navigating!
Make It A Day ON Instead of OFF
We, at SGS, have been invited to participate in the First Annual
Martin Luther King Day Assembly at Springfield High School on Monday, Jan. 19th. They are asking for canned food donations and dry foods to donate to Philabundance. Sister Theresa would like to generate a lot of enthusiasm regarding this. Our collections will begin immediately (Monday and run through the week, including that Monday morning.) The idea is to meet at St. Gen's on that morning, (Jan. 19) and bring all of our donations to the High School and participate in their assembly! This is a great community service project and example to our children about giving back to their own community.
The following is an example of what is needed:
6th- 100% fruit & veg juice (shelf stable, cans or plastic bottles only)
7th- canned/shelf stable tuna or macaroni and cheese
8th- canned pork & beans/ baked beans or canned chili
(excerpt from Mrs. McDonnell’s notes from the Home and School Board Meeting held 1-08-09)
A Birthday Thank You from Diane
I love celebrating my birthday with my kindergarten children. I never know what the day will hold. Well, this year, it included lots of posters, angels, balloons, flowers, cookies and milk, beautiful hand decorated donuts, real donuts and even a Stanley Cup (which I'm saving for when the Flyers win the CUP). Thank you to each and everyone of you for making my birthday so much fun. You and your children will always hold a special place in my heart.
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One-On-One Assessments for Second Trimester --
The children need to know:
Religion Questions up to and including the week
January 28..
Patterns: AB, ABB, AAB, AABB, ABC, ABBC,
Telling time to the hour and half hour
Matching sets with numerals to 20
Story problems
Identification of numerals to 20
Writing numerals to 20
Rhyming words: identification and decoding
Words with opposite meaning
Upper/Lower case letters (just the ones
studied until then: Mm-Tt-Ss-Rr-Pp-Cc-Aa-Ii-Bb-
Nn-Dd-Hh-Gg-Ll-Ff
Identification of initial/final sounds in words
Listening Comprehension:
main idea in a story and
story setting
Large/small motor skills
Writing Upper/Lower case letters
Following 2-3 step directions
Personal Info, i.e.,name, address, telephone
number (including area code)
Identifying CVC words taken so far (with /i/
and /a/ in the middle)
Phoneme (sound) blending:
/b/ /i/ /g/ = big
Syllabication (how many syllables in a given
word)
High-frequency words:
I-a-go-we-like-the-to-on-my-you-have
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Mini Courses
During the course of the year in kindergarten, parents, family, friends are invited to come to our classroom to share their time and talent with the children. These mini courses are based on our weekly themes. A mini course is a 20 minute presentation with endless possibilities. Listed below are the themes we will work on this year. If any catches your eye, maybe you could come into class and share with the children.
Kindergarten Weekly Themes 2008-2009
Week of: Theme: Mini-Course:
Sept. 08-12 All About Me
15-19 School/Baptism
22-26 Alike/Different
29-03 Exploring New Things M.Smigiel
Oct. 06-10 Fire Prevention Week
13-16 Apples/Seasons
20-24 Fall Festivals
27-30 Halloween/Cats
Nov. 03-07 The Five Senses
10-14 Real/Make-Believe
17-21 Native Americans
24-26 Giving Thanks
Children are encouraged to bring in some of their “price possessions” to share with the class. Just to make it interesting we are going to create imagination with “My Favorite Things” by categorizing our “things” according to our weekly theme.
Show and Tell is always totally optional. It takes place first thing in the morning. If the children forget to bring in Show and Tell objects they can participate the following week.
ON BRING IN
12-05 Things that remind me of my
family
12-12 Something that reminds me of
my friend
12-19 Things I can sort or Something
that reminds me of one of the
Seven Sacraments
12-23 Christmas things
1-09 My favorite kind of animal
1-16 Things that remind me of a
place where an animal lives
1-23 Things that remind me of
different kinds of weather
1-30 Something that reminds me of
Chinese New Year
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Kindergarten Snack List
December
05 Tristan Loftus
12 Sister Theresa
19 Chloe Griffin
23 Christmas Snack/Lunch Mrs. Reifsnyder
and Mrs. Dembowski
January
09 James Doran (birthday)
15 Corinne Smith
16 Hannah Cherry (birthday)
23 Bella Santangelo
30 Chloe Griffin (birthday)
February
06 Claire Cotton
13 Elise Smigiel
20 Laura Bowden
27 Katie Keown (birthday)
March
06 Bella Santangelo (birthday)
12 Olivia Smith
20 Tyler Bunting
27 Gabriela Cejas
April
03 Will Guckin (birthday)
08 Colin Higgins
17 James Doran
24 Gwen DeLeo
Below is a list of supplies that are needed for the classroom during the school year. If you can help us by sending in some of these, we would be grateful:
-- facial tissues
-- 5-7 oz. paper cups
-- paper napkins
-- Swiffer Duster Refills
-- plastic zip-close bags (all sizes)
-- magazines/catalogues(all sizes/kinds for cut/paste
projects)
-- paper towels
-- pump hand soap and refills
-- waterless antibotic soap and refills
-- Lysol liquid all-purpose cleaner
-- large manila and business-size out-dated "company
logo" type envelopes
-- Xerox paper -- used on one side, usually discarded
at the office
-- duplicating paper for classroom use
-- canned/bottled juices and water
-- Clorox Wipes
-- single-serve packaged snacks(for children who forget
to bring their snacks) or for times whe we "need"
an extra treat!
Week of September 08
1. Who made us and will never stop loving us?
God made us and will never stop loving us.
2. Does God love us just the way we are?
Yes, God loves us just the way we are.
Week of September 15 :
3. When do we become members of God’s Christian
Family?
We become members of God’s Christian Family when
we are Baptized.
4. What does the priest use in Baptism that reminds us
of new life?
Water reminds us of our new life.
Week of September 22:
5. Whom does God love?
God loves all people.
Week of September 29:
6. Who gave us our guardian angels?
God gave us our guardian angels to watch over us.
7. What saint proved his love for God by giving up
all he had to serve Goc, he loved animals and his
feast day is October 4?
Saint Francis loved God, he loved God’s people and
he loved animals.
Week of October 06:
8. What did Jesus teach his friends to do?
Jesus taught his friends to pray.
9. Where can we pray?
We can pray anywhere.
Week of October 13:
10. What is God’s law of love?
God wants us to love him and to love our neighbor.
Week of October 20:
11. What is the Church?
The Church is the family of people who believe in
Jesus.
Week of October 27:
12 What name do we give to people who have lived a
good life, loved God, died, and now live in heaven?
We call them Saints.
Week of November 03:
13. Why did God give us our five senses?
God gave us our five senses to enjoy His creation.
Week of November 10:
14. Why did God give us the gift of Jesus?
God gave us Jesus because He loves us.
Week of November 17:
15. Whom did Jesus tell us to love?
Jesus told us to love one another.
Week of November 24:
16. On what special day do we remember God and give
thanks?
Thanksgiving is a special day to give thanks.
Week of December 01:
17. In what season in the Church do we wait to
celebrate Christmas?
Advent is a season of waiting.
18. What Saint had a special love for children, gave
all he had to the poor, and celebrates his feast
day on December 6?
Saint Nicholas loved God and had a special love
for children and celebrates his feast day on
December 6.
Week of December 09:
19. How can friends share God’s love?
Friends can help each other, have fun together,
and be nice to each other.
Week of December 15:
20. What are Sacraments?
Sacraments are signs of God’s love
Week of December 22:
21. Who is Jesus?
Jesus is God’s Son.
22. When is Jesus’ birthday?
Jesus’ birthday is Christmas Day
Week of January 06:
23. Who made all the animals?
God made all the animals.
Week of January 12:
24. What does God want us to do for animals?
God wants us to take care of animals.
Week of January 20:
25. Who gives us the gift of happiness.
God gives us the gift of happiness.
Week of January 26:
26. To what Church do we belong?
We belong to the Catholic Church.
27. What is the best prayer of the Church.
the Mass is the best prayer of the Church.
Week of February 2:
28. What special word means “Praise the Lord?”
Alleluia means Praise the Lord.
Week of February 09:
29. Whom did Jesus care about.
Jesus cared about everyone.
Week of February 17:
30. Who made the sun?
God made the sun.
Week of February 23
31. What do we do during Lent?
During Lent, we try to work especially hard to
listen to the words of Jesus.
32. What is the first day of Lent called?
The first day of Lent is called Ash Wednesday.
Week of March 2:
33. What are the Stations of the Cross?
The Stations of the Cross tell the story of Jesus
giving his life for us.
Week of March 09:
34. Who gave us water?
God gave us water.
Week of March 16:
35. Who helped Jesus to grow and become strong?
Mary and Joseph helped Jesus.
36. Who helps you to grow and become strong?
ur families help us.
Week of March 23:
37. What is the name of the book that tells us about
God’s love for us?
The Bible tells us about God’s love for us.
38. What special prayer did Jesus teach his friends?
Jesus taught his friends the Our Father.
Week of March 30:
39. What did Jesus teach people?
Jesus taught people about God.
40. Who came to Jesus for help?
Anyone who needed him came to Jesus for help.
Week of April 6:
41. Why did Jesus die for us?
Jesus died for us to prove his love for us.
42. What is the name of the week before Easter?
The week before Easter is called Holy Week.
Week of April 14:
43. On what day did Jesus come back to life?
Jesus came back to life on Easter Sunday.
Week of April 20:
44. What name did God give to the land?
God called the land, earth.
Week of April 27:
45. At Mass, what happens to the bread and wine?
At Mass, the bread and wine become Jesus’ body
and blood.
Week of May 4:
46. Who is Jesus’ Mother and our Mother in heaven?
Mary is the Mother of Jesus and our Mother too.
47. Name a special prayer to Mary.
The Rosary is a special prayer to Mary.
Week of May 11:
48. Who are the three persons in the Blessed Trinity?
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit are the three persons in one God.
49. What is prayer?
Prayer is talking to God.
Week of May 18:
50. What prayer did Jesus teach his friends?
Jesus taught his friends the Our Father.
51. What day did Jesus go back to heaven?
Jesus went back to heaven on Ascension Thursday
Week of May 27:
52. When is the Church’s birthday?
The Church’s birthday is Pentecost Sunday
53. What special prayer did Jesus teach His friends.
Jesus taught His friends the Our Father.
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