Week Fifteen

Hey there! Happy Holidays!! Make sure you check out Cambridge Academy's gingerbread tree, in the front office, and help out a family in need this season.
Other announcements...
We will no longer use our reading logs. They have served their purpose in helping the kiddos establish a healthy - nightly reading habit!
PTO meeting Tuesday at 6:00.
Fresh Fruits and veggies available online only through Green Bee!!!!!!
Go to: http://greenbeeco-op.com/

Reading:

• Whole Group Study- the letter 'u'
• Continued Reading Groups, Fun Packets, and Centers

Math:
Chapter 7 objectives...

• Compare Capacity.
• Compare Area.
• Compare Temperature.

Language Arts:
Objectives...

• Make words mean more than one by adding -s.
• Sequence pictures in order of events.
• Illustrate sentences by following directions.

Needed...

• Clorox wet wipes
• Elmers liquid white glue

Thank you Thank you Thank you!
Draw a picture and use inventive spelling to write a sentence about the picture.

Week Fourteen

Thanks to everyone for the success of our Thanksgiving Feast! I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving of your own. This time of year is so fun for me, I am looking forward to all of the fun things we'll be doing over the next few weeks. Oh and how bout that Christmas program?! I have to say our class was the cutest bunch of elves I've ever seen!

Here's a little of what we're up to this week...

Reading:

• Whole Group Study- the letter 'h'
• Continued Reading Groups, Fun Packets, and Centers

Math:
Chapter 7 objectives...

• Compare length
• Order length
• Compare weight

Language Arts/ Writing:
Objectives...

• Identify naming words- nouns
• Identify action words- verbs
• Identify Rhyming words.
• Identify opposites.

Up and Coming...

• PTO Meeting tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m.
• Get familiar with the Green Bee fundraiser, it's amazing. I will certainly participate! For more information, check take home folders.
• Cambridge is instituting "Pizza Fridays"! You may now choose to purchase pizza for your child's Friday lunches. To participate, submit money on Thursday and send your little one with a drink on Friday. A flyer on Pizza Fridays will go out tomorrow in take home folders.

Wish List...
Elmers liquid glue bottles

Thanks for everything :)

Week Thirteen

Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you to everyone for your support at International Night! It could not have been a success without all of your contributions. I had such a good time and hope you all did as well.

Reading:

• Whole Group Study- the letter 'E'
• Continued reading groups, fun packets, and centers

Please reinforce with your kiddo 'E' vs. 'I' sounds!

Math:
Chapter six objectives...

• Express whole numbers 0 to 20
• Count forward and backward to 20
• Identify numbers which are one more or one less than a given number to 20

Language Arts/Writing:
Objectives...

• Identify that special names are to be capitalized. This includes names of people, places, and things.
• Use knowledge of letter sound relationships to spell words with some consonants and few vowels.

Announcements...

• 50 Cent Friday is back on! Please send your kiddo with money in a labeled ziploc or envelope.
• Show and Tell this Friday.
  
• Next Monday is our holiday program!!!! Children should be at Skyline high school by 6:00.

Thanks :)

Wee Twelve

It's here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! International Night is this Friday night from 6:00 - 8:00. Bring your family and bring your friends!
I still need...

• Help cooking (I'll provide the recipes)
• CASH
  
• Basket Donations (we already have chalk, bubbles, a large rubber ball, and sand forms)
• Newspaper
• 3o minute shift takers to run the various activities at International Night

Because of the shortened week, we will not be introducing any new content. This week will consist of review and prep for International Night.

Good News! Our Tadpoles have grown back legs. Whoop. Whoop.

Reading:

Reviewing previously learned letters
Please read the word list in the homework packet every night!

Math:

Taking our chapter five test
Reviewing previously learned concepts

Thanks! Please continue to support our class with International Night.
Mrs. Allen

Week Eleven

Thanks to everyone for the help and support throughout our Halloween celebration! We had such a fun day! All of Kindergarten got to parade around the school, in and out of all of the classrooms just to show off their costumes. And we made... ghost suckers, Q tip skeletons, Candy Corn pictures, Masks, Pumpkins and so much more. It was a blast!
They're heeeeeeere! The tadpoles arrived last week, and our class is absolutely enjoying them. Over the next 3 to 4 weeks we'll get to see the tadpoles morph into swimmer frogs! We have yet to name our three new class pets.
Send in those paper towell rolls, we're making some Australian inspried crafts!

Reading:

• Whole Group Study- the letter 'F'
• Continued reading groups, fun packets, and centers

Please read the story and/or word list sent home with your child at least once every night

Math:
Chapter 5 Objectives...

• Construct simple displays of data using objects or pictures

Language Arts:
Objectives...

• Share ideas, information, opinions, and questions
• Follow simple directions

Up and Coming:

Each class at Cambridge Academy is completing a basket to be auctioned off at International Night. The baskets are dependent upon donations so if you'd like to help, our class's basket theme is outdoor play. We need jump ropes, cool balls, and anything else you can think of that children might love to play with outside. Anything you can give is, as always, greatly appreciated!

Scholastic Book Fair begins on Thursday and ends the 13th of this month.

Send in soup labels, the deadline will be here shortly!

PTO Meeting tomorrow at 6:00 p.m.

Thanks for everything :)

Week Ten

I hope that everyone had a fun and relaxing break! I thought about your kiddos a lot. I really missed them! So, over break our walls were extended to the ceiling. Today we enjoyed an atmosphere that was well... quieter :) Our field trip to Schnepf Farms was a success, thanks to everyone for being so supportive and cooperative. We will be enjoying a Halloween party this Friday, be sure to check your child's take home folder for further details! I really can't wait :)

Reading:

• Whole Group Study- the letter 'T'
• Continued reading groups, fun packets, and centers

Please read the story sent home ("Tag" or "Tug") with your child at least once every night

Math:

Chapter five objectives...

• Construct simple displays of data using objects or pictures

Language Arts:

Objectives...

• Share ideas, information, opinions, and questions
• Follow simple directions

Up and Coming:

Book orders due this Friday!
Picture orders due this Friday!

Wish List:
Hand Sanitizer

Thank you Thank you :)

Week Nine

Hey there!
Congrats to our class for winning the Friday Cambridge Cougar Pride Contest! AGAIN!!
Last week we enjoyed watching our Bean plants grow like weeds and learning about local plants right here in our community. The kiddos now know what a Palo Verde tree and a Mexican Bird of Paradise plant look like. Make sure you ask them about it the next time you are out and about in nature.
This week is going to be a little bit different...
This week is the start of our becoming experts on the country, Austraila.
Today we learned about the Great Barrier Reef (ocean animals) and made 3D maps!

Reading:

• Review (the "reading group, fun packet, center" block of time will be used to study Australia)

Math:

• Finish chapter four/ Review and take test

Wish List:
Glue sticks
Gallon #10 cans (food storage cans)
Tempera paint all colors
Wrapping paper cardboard rolls

Reminders...

• PTO Meeting tomorrow Tuesday October 6th @ 6:00
• Drop your kids off, with a sack lunch, at Schneffs farm on Friday

Thank you thank you thank you!

Week Eight

Hope all is well at home!
And speaking of home.... please practice reading the words, that I sent home today, several times a night. The extra practice at home is sooooo beneficial.
Mrs. Allen's class is on a roll as far as school spirit goes. We won the Friday Cambridge Cougar Pride contest a couple of weeks ago and I have just received word that we won the Krispy Kreme contest as well! We get a pizza party on Friday--- whoop. whoop. Don't worry about packing a lunch for that day :)
Regarding the field trip to Schneff Farms...
I am so excited!!!!!!
Please send payments (for your child and for yourself if you are coming) in by Friday. Sorry, you won't be able to pay at the door because Cambridge has to pay with a Purchase Order.
Regarding parent teacher conferences...
Parent teacher conferences are sooooooo important.
A final schedule will go out this week, please sign it to let me know that you are willing and able to come in at your allotted time.

Reading:

• Whole group study- the letter 'I'
• Continued reading groups, fun packets, and centers

Math:
Chapter four objectives...

• Identify and use numbers 6-10
• Order numbers 0 though 10
• Identify and use ordinal numbers

Language Arts:

• Participate in simple poetry and rhymes

A couple more reminders...

• Fridays are Cambridge Cougar Pride days so send your child in their Cambridge Cougar t shirt!. If your child does not have a Cambridge t shirt, solid black or solid gold shirts work just as well.
• Fridays are always show and tell days.
• Send in your box tops, we need em'.

Wish List....
Thanks for all of the paper towells :)
11 x 17 construction paper please

Thank you Thank you Thank you!

Week Seven

Hey there, happy week six!
Alright, now that we know a number of letters/letter sounds, we are beginning to blend. Please practice blending with your child using the words on the blend word lists that I send home. It is soooo beneficial when they get that extra reinforcement from you.
Constitution Day was a hit! We all wore red, white, and blue. We listened and danced to patriotic songs, we decorated star sugar cookies, we completed a flag craft, we played Constitution Bingo, and ate red, white, and blue foods! We had so much fun, thanks to everyone for the donations and support. Also, our class won the spirit award last week-- our class had the largest percentage of kiddos sporting the Cambridge Cougar shirt! If our class can consecutively win the spirit award each week for a month, we'll get a pizza party. So keep sending your kiddos adorned in school spirit on Fridays. If your child does not have a Cambridge Cougar shirt, they can still participate by wearing solid black or solid gold!

Reading:

• Whole Group Study- the letter 'L'
• Continued reading groups, fun packets, and centers

Math:
Chapter three objectives...

• Identify and use numbers 6-8

Language Arts:
Objectives...

• Share ideas, information, opinions, and questions
• Participate in simple poetry and rhymes

Needed...
In desperate need of paper towells!
11 x 17 construction paper

Week Six

Important Reminder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Let's Find Out" newspapers were not supposed to go home, please send them back to me. Sorry, we will be using them in the classroom.
We are still taking donations for the "Let's Find Out" newspapers. If you wish to donate, write a check in the amount of $4.39 payable to Heather Romm.

Reading:

• Whole Group Review- the letters; 'c', 'o', 'g', 'a', 'd', and 's'
• Continued reading groups, fun packets, and centers

Math:
Chapter Three Objectives...

• Identify and Predict Patterns

Language Arts:

• Identify first and last letter sounds in words

Up and Coming Events...

• Book Orders due Friday

Here's how to access ordering online...
Go here: http://www.scholastic.com/clubsordering

Username: mrsallenqc Password: bookorders

• Open House scheduled for the 15th cancelled until further notice

• Fifty Cent Friday EVERY Friday

Constitution Party this Thursday, in honor of Constitution Day! Make sure your child wears red, white, and blue. See the red flyer, sent home today, for more detailed information.
Needed... In desperate need of paper towells! Thanks to all our parent volunteers and everyone for the support :)

Week Five

Highlights of last week...
We had so much fun tracing and labeling our bodies for Science. Thanks to Mrs. Perkins and Mrs. Riley for their help there! In addition to the tracing and labeling, we played Simon Says for some extra reinforcement. I learned that Mrs. Allen is not very good at being the Simon says instructor. I (accidentally) told some tasks that were impossible to simultaneously complete... like "Simon says put your hands on your hips" then immediately after, "Simon says put your hands on your head"... I of course should have said "Simon says take your hands off your hips AND THEN Simon Says put your hands on your head". Whew did I hear some groans from the class, man those Kindergartners know their Simon Says! I learned my lesson.
We also enjoyed our class donation of ceramic Native American Pots! Thanks Liles family. The kiddos were able to each paint their own!

Reading:

• Whole Group Study- the letter 's'
• Continued reading groups, fun packets, and centers

Math:

Chapter three objectives...

• Comprehend concepts: over, under, top, middle, bottom, before, and after
• Identify Patterns

Language Arts:

• Identify first and last letter sound in words
• Differentiate between letters and words

Reminders...
I am currently working on setting up Scholastic book ordering online so that the orders, if you choose, may be processed via the internet. The ordering online system will be set up by the end of the week, I'll post (when it is set up) on how to access it. All book orders will be due by the 18th of this month.

Thanks to all our parent volunteers and everyone for the support :)

Week Four

Highlights of Last Week...
We now all know at least four letter sounds, "c", "o", "g", and "a". Soon, those who are not already blending, will be blending the four sounds... so any extra assistance on your end is greatly appreciated! Here's how you can help... while driving around in the car or even sitting at home, try looking around and finding things that begin with our reviewed letter sounds. Such as... "apple" for the letter sound "a", "cat" for the letter sound "c", "garbage" for the letter sound "g", and "olives" for the letter sound "o". If your children are those already blending, continued reiforcement is always appreciated.
One of my favorite times from last week would have to include introducing the concept of vowells. After my instruction of what vowells are, I asked the children to say the vowells as I pointed to them along our wall. Well... we tried this in various "voices", beginning with our "Kindergarten" voice. On our last "voice" I thought it would be fun to try sounding like a horse. As they all simultaneously recited the vowells in "horse" voice while shaking their heads, I couldn't help but crack up. Please ask your children to recite the vowells in "horse" voice, I promise you will laugh too :)

Reading:

• Whole group study- the letter 'd'
• Continued reading groups, fun packets, and centers

Math:

Chapter two objectives...

• Compare numbers 0 to 5
• Order numbers 0 to 5
• Identify and write numbers 0 to 5

Language Arts:

• Follow simple directions
• Share ideas, information, opinions, and questions

Reminders...
Mid quarter progress reports will be going home tomorrow, keep an eye out! Please make sure your children arrive on time. Please, please, please make sure I know you have your children before you take them at the end of the day. And... we do have a case of lice in the classroom, so please check your child's hair. Friday is noon release! Happy Labor Day weekend :)

Needed...

• Paper towells (and paper towell rolls)
• Magic erasers
• Glue sticks

Thanks Again :)

Week Three

Highlights of last week...
We successfully completed our first test! It was a math test and after all of the initial "What's a test?" questions and my initial "uh oh" reaction, all went well :) So congrats to our little ones for takin' it like a champ!
Science was a blast. Literally! We sent off Mentos rockets, and...well...attempted to send off Alka Seltzer rockets. The kids also enjoyed experimenting with the "sink or float" concept; we sat in a circle around our tub of water and everyone was awarded a chance to throw something in. One classmate even tested out their flip flop, it floated.
Mrs. Romm shared Native American artifacts with all of Kindergarten to enhance our learning regarding the early inhabitants of North America. Our class seemed to enjoy listening to the Native American music the most. I asked them to close their eyes, feel the music, then explain to us what they saw in their mind... and what colorful responses! Kindergartners are so imaginative. They saw themselves hunting buffalo, picking berries, and running through flower fields!
We ended our week with a yummy pizza party, celebrating every one's hard work. Thanks for the donations and support!

Reading:

• Whole group study- the letter 'A'
• Continued Reading groups, Fun packets, and Centers
• New center introduced: The Listening Center- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Math:

Chapter Two Objectives...

• To identify whole numbers 0-5
• To write numbers 0-5
• To understand one-to-one correspondence

Language Arts:

• To listen and respond to stories, poems, and nonfiction
• To identify vowels

Reminders...

Call the front office if your child is going to be absent (480) 981-3577.

Read the week's letter book EVERY night, then document on the reading log.

Show and tell EVERY Friday

P.E. every Tuesday, please dress your child accordingly.

The FIRST page of Homework due every Friday, I look to see that it has been done :)

Tutoring begins this week. I have chosen Thursday but will most likely continue tutoring on Tuesdays for the following weeks. I will notify you regarding your child's invitation to tutoring.

Needed...

• Printer Paper
• Paper Towel Rolls
• Glue sticks, we go through 'em like water :)

Thanks for everything!

Week Two

Hey there!
Let's begin with a few reminders...

CURRICULUM NIGHT on THURSDAY.
Show and Tell EVERY Friday.
Read and document reading the letter book (sent home on Mondays) EACH day THROUGHOUT the week.
Sign and return weekly progress reports.
Sign and return the FIRST (and only first) page of homework packets when completed.

Reading:

• Whole group study- the letter 'G'
• Continued Reading groups, Fun packets, and Centers

Math:

We will complete the second portion of chapter one.
Chapter 1 Objectives...

• To compare and sort objects.
• To construct simple displays of data using pictures or objects.

Language Arts:

• To follow simple directions.
• To recognize alphabet letters in both lowercase and uppercase.

Up and Coming Events...
Curriculum Night: Thursday, August 20, 4:30 P.M.
Cambridge T shirt Orders Deadline: Extended- Friday, August 21

Needed...
Tempera Paint (all colors)
Googly Eyes

And...
Thanks again for all of the support. I absolutely love my new job and hope that your children enjoy me in return! Weekly volunteers are still needed. The time of need spans 8:50-10:20. Please email me if you are interested: rachelallen21@gmail.com.

Week One

Hey there!
Congratulations, we have accomplished our first full week of Kindergarten! Independent work continues to be a struggle for our little ones but we'll get there.
Here's what's on the agenda this week...

Reading:

• Reading groups, fun packets, and centers (introduced this week)
• Whole group study- the letter 'O'

Math:
All math homework reinforces the current week's instruction.
Chapter 1 Objectives...

• To compare and sort objects.
• To construct simple displays of data using pictures or objects.

Language Arts:
Objectives...

• To follow simple directions.
• To recognize alphabet letters in both lowercase and uppercase.

Also...
Please be on the lookout for this week's homework packet, you can find it in the "To: Home" pocket of your child's take-home folder.
Make sure you are reading (documenting) the letter book, sent home each week, daily.

Up and Coming Events...

• PTA Meeting: Wednesday, August 12, 6:00 P.M.
• Cambridge T-shirt orders are due: Friday, August 14
• Curriculum Night: Thursday, August 20, 4:30-5:00 P.M. (I'll be sending out invites!)

And...
Thanks for everything. I really feel so grateful to have such wonderful, supportive parents my first year of teaching!

Our First Newsletter!

Alright, so this is the class blog. I'll be updating every Monday by 7:00 p.m.

Today is the 3rd day of school and we're off to a good start! While school is an adjustment, the kiddos seem to be loving it. Today, we enjoyed Armando's suggestion to walk (act) like a train all the way to recess. I laughed the whole way as I heard the students chant "chugga chugga choo choo" and "all aboard" in the background! It was very cute.
I sent off the take home folders today... please make and read the book in the "To: School" pocket with your child, then document it on the provided reading log.
Remember class begins at 8:00 a.m. while dismissal is at 2:15 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 1:15 on Fridays.
Volunteers: A schedule will be out soon!
Needs: I would love a donation of 11 x 17 construction paper for our art book.

Thanks to everyone for the supplies and support.

Love,
Mrs. Allen