Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Wow! Scientist Julia the Weather Wizard Came today!

    Weather Wizard, scientist Julia came today!

She brought many hands on activities for us to try and talked about a lot of weather terms and information.  We touched and tasted a cloud (made from dry ice and H20). We watched a hail storm (mini star pasta in alkaseltzer water). Experimented with thermometers in cold/warm water. Saw and touched a lightning machine.We made tornadoes with special tornado tubes. Then we got to explore instant "snow".  The class had a great time and learned a lot. We will continue learning about weather and seasons as we continue with our new IB unit "Change, change, change".

Thursday, January 20, 2011

January 20th

Weather wizards are coming next week! Our class is scheduled on Wednesday, Jan. 26th for a morning of weather experiments. Students need to bring a bagged lunch and drink as we will miss our cafeteria time. If you haven't sent in the $8.50 fee please do so as soon as possible! If anyone can help with donations for students in need we would appreciate that also.

100th Day of Kindergarten is coming Soon!
Today is the 89th day of school.  We would like each student and their family to create a collection of 100 things displayed as creatively as you want. Have fun! Your collection needs to be mounted and labeled with name and numbers on something like cardboard or even better foamboard for display. Keep the items small like: cotton balls, cereal, toothpicks etc. Warning glue needs time to dry, in the paste we've had items falling off due to wet glue! Due date for collections is Feb 4th or sooner.  On the 100th day of school we'll be doing special centers and will need supplies and extra helpers. Sign ups will be added to the blog. Hopefully if there are no more snow days the 100th day of school will be Feb. 7th.
Please help Joyner "Help heal Haiti"
We still need donations of shampoo and toothpaste for the health kits which will be put together on Character Ed night next week on Jan 25th. A group of Joyner teachers are going to Haiti over spring break to bring health and school kits, water filtration systems and school supplies.

Character Ed Night- Jan 25th 5:00-8:00
Free pizza dinner at 5:00
Activities begin at 6:15
Lots of fun activities for you and your family that will help our community. Activities include: making pet toys, kid's care kits, making musical instruments, making fleece blankets for newborns, packing meals for Back Pack Buddies and Help Heal Haiti projects.
Kindergarten is asked to donate juice boxes, shelf stable milk and breakfast bars for the projects.

I will be sending off Scholastic Book orders tomorrow. Please return all book order forms and checks written to Scholastic Books tomorrow.
Class Wish List
Firefly- Jan Bk & CD library $20
             Ten on the sled bk (2 copies) $8 total
             Happy Valentine Mouse (2 copies) $4 total
             We're going on bear hunt (2 copies) $8 total
              Penguins (2 copies) $6
Seesaw- Picture book and cd library $20
              63- Roar bk (2 copies)  $8 total
              35- Penguin bk (2 copies) $6 total
               84-you think its easy being a tooth fairy (2 copies) $8
        
2nd quarter ends Tuesday, Jan 25th, report cards will go home Jan 31st.

Starting soon "Reader's Workshop" program
Students will be bringing home student made poems and books to read to you from their book box to keep at home. They will then fill their box weekly with leveled and free choice books to read. 2-3 times a week they will  bring home a special "Reader's Workshop" bag, reading log, book to read to you and a homework journal. Before your child can take these home, please read and sign the reading contract that states that your child is responsible to take care of their book and bag. Lost or damaged books will cost $5 each and lost or damaged reading bags $5 When your child brings home the bag, have them read their book to you and fill out the reading log. Then have your child draw a picture about the book in their homework journal and write a sentence or two about the book. The sentence pattern from the book is a good model for beginning to write the sentence.  Some students will be able to write several sentences themselves. Encourage correct spelling for sight words and invented spelling using letter/sound knowledge for other words. There is a sight word list in their OTIS. We hope to start this program the week of Feb. 1st.


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Weather Wizards are coming!









The Weather Wizard is Coming!!


Kindergarten has planned for an “in-school science field trip. 
This field trip provides a fun, interactive,
hands-on experience for each child to learn about WEATHER!

The weather wizard will be visiting our classroom on Wednesday, January 26, 2011.

Our children will be taught weather concepts and then be given the opportunity to participate in related “hands-on” experiments.  The presentation will be conducted by a degreed scientist from hightouch high-tech: Science Made Fun!

The cost per child will be $8.50.

or send in a check/money order to pay for this in-school field trip.

Due to the timing of our weather wizard visit, we will be eating lunch in the classroom later than our cafeteria lunch time. Please send a bag lunch and drink on this day (it can be in a lunch box)