Update 5/21

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: review all sight words

Reading: I can find the main idea of a story.  I can make a connection to a book.

Writing:  We can't wait to share our "When I was a Kindergartener I Dreamed" writing project with you!  These books will be coming home on Wednesday or Thursday.

Math: number partners, greater & less, mixed addition and subtraction, writing numbers 1-100

Monday: PE

Tuesday: Enrichment
Wednesday: Music

Thursday: Music

Last day of school: We will be having a beach day!  Please send your student with a beach towel, as we will be having a picnic together for lunch outside, and watching a movie and reading in our classroom on them.  If at all possible on this day, please send in a cold lunch.  Hot lunch will be served, but our picnic might be better with a cold lunch!

Dismissal will be at 12pm, and busses will run. 

Yearbooks will be sent home on Thursday.  Please check your child's backpack for important summer info, and report cards!

Homework:

• Please continue to read any choice of book for 10 minutes every night... this summer too! Make sure to talk with your child as you read.  Ask them what strategies they are using to figure out tricky words - we have LOTS of strategies, not just sounding out words! Have your child retell the story to you at the end, focusing on beginning, middle and end!   Ask your child if they can make any connections to the book - what does it remind you of?

Thank you so much to all families who attended our learning celebration!  I couldn't be more proud of these incredible students.  I have treasured having each one of your kiddos in my class this year, and I thank you sincerely for your support and for sharing them with me!  I hope you all have an amazing summer!

Lots of love,

Katee Mink

Update 5/14

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: review all + would

Phonics: long vowels, review of digraphs

Reading: I can sequence and retell a story with beginning, middle and end.  I can find the main idea of a story and tell 2 details that support the main idea.

Writing:  We are working on seeing ourselves as authors and using a mentor text to write about our dreams!  The books we are using are "When I Was a Boy I Dreamed" and "When I Was a Girl I Dreamed" by Justin Matott.  We are focusing on putting interesting details into our writing that really paint a picture for our readers to visualize. We can't wait to share this project with you!

Math: number partners, greater & less, mixed addition and subtraction, writing numbers 1-100

Monday: Enrichment

Tuesday: Art
Wednesday: Art

Thursday: Enrichment
Friday: PE

Monday: PE

Homework:

• Please continue to read any choice of book for 10 minutes every night! Make sure to talk with your child as you read.  Ask them what strategies they are using to figure out tricky words - we have LOTS of strategies, not just sounding out words! Have your child retell the story to you at the end, focusing on beginning, middle and end!   If the vowels are tricky in a word, ask them to flip the vowel sound (Flippy the Dolphin strategy) to it's long sound.  

Kindergarten Celebration, Friday, May 18 at 1:45pm in the cafetorium:

Our learning celebration is a little performance the students will be putting on for you!  We hope that you will be able to attend.  We will have refreshments to follow.  You are welcome to bring siblings and grandparents too, if you wish!

Looking forward to celebrating with you!

Have a wonderful week!

Update 4/30

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: review all

Phonics: long vowels, review of digraphs

Reading: Working on fluency and retelling with beginning, middle and end

Writing:  We are working on finishing our nonfiction animal research books, and adding a technology component.  We can't wait to share them with you!  

Math: review of teen numbers, addition and subtraction

Science: Making an scientific observation about our butterflies!

Monday: Enrichment

Tuesday: Art
Wednesday: Art

Thursday: No Specials
Friday: No Specials

Monday: PE

Homework:

• Please continue to read any choice of book for 10 minutes every night! Make sure to talk with your child as you read.  Ask them what strategies they are using to figure out tricky words - we have LOTS of strategies, not just sounding out words! Have your child retell the story to you at the end.  If the vowels are tricky in a word, ask them to flip the vowel sound (Flippy the Dolphin strategy) to it's long sound.  

Important dates to note:

May 3rd - Zoo field trip 

May 4th - Field Day

May 11th - Field Day rainout date

May 18th - Kindergarten Learning Celebration: Families are invited to attend as we celebrate a fantastic year in kindergarten!  Time: 1:45pm in the cafetorium.  

Zoo field trip:
Students will need a disposable sack lunch and drink.  It is supposed to rain, so umbrellas, rain jackets and tennis shoes or boots are encouraged!  Students will need an empty backpack or a small cinch backpack with them to carry their things.   We will be leaving at 9am and returning to school at 2pm.

If you would like to join us and did not sign up to be a parent group leader (these parents have already been notified), you can still join us if you would like! You will just need to arrive at the Zoo at 9:30am, pay your regular zoo admission and go to the school entrance to meet us which is between the polar bears and the tropical discovery.  We will arrive at 9:45 and head out to different parts of the zoo, so make sure to be on time to meet us!  Please send me a quick email if you want to join us. 

Field Day:

Field day will be in the afternoon for kindergarten from 12pm - 2:00pm.  Please send your student with a water bottle on this day.  If you purchased a field day t-shirt, your child will receive it on Thursday.

In the morning, we will also be sharing our genius hour/writing research projects about our animals.   Students will be sharing their projects from 8-9am.  Please feel free to join us during this time to see your child's learning!

Recess/Lunch: 10:20-11:00 - Lunch will be served as usual at school.  However, if you would like to have lunch with your child, you can choose to take your child off campus to lunch or have lunch with them in the lunchroom. If you take them to lunch, you will need to sign them out and return in time to be ready for field day at noon.  

Have a wonderful week!

Update 4/23

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: review all

Phonics: long vowels

Literacy Essential Question: Teamwork: What can happen when we work together?

Writing:  We are working on finishing our nonfiction animal books.  We can't wait to share them with you!

Math: number partners, review, Unit 4 test

Science: We are waiting to see when our butterflies will emerge!

Monday: PE

Tuesday: PE
Wednesday: Enrichment

Thursday: Music
Friday: Music

Monday: Enrichment

Homework:

• iPads will not be sent home for the remainder of the year. 
• Please continue to read any choice of book for 10 minutes every night! Make sure to talk with your child as you read.  Ask them what strategies they are using to figure out tricky words - we have LOTS of strategies, not just sounding out words! Have your child retell the story to you at the end.  If the vowels are tricky in a word, ask them to flip the vowel sound (Flippy the Dolphin strategy) to it's long sound.  

Important dates to note:

May 3rd - Zoo field trip 

May 4th - Field Day

May 11th - Field Day rainout date

May 18th - Kindergarten Learning Celebration: Families are invited to attend as we celebrate a fantastic year in kindergarten!  Time: 1:45pm in the cafetorium.  

Have a wonderful week!

Update 4/16

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: where, look

Phonics: long vowels, magic e, sight words

Literacy Essential Question: How can things in nature be used to make other things?

Writing:  We are working hard as nonfiction writers on our animal books!  We are using our thinking maps where we organized our information to write sentences about their animal's diet, appearance and habitat.  

Math: addition to 10, 3D shapes, word problems

Science: Our caterpillars are starting to make their chrysalises.  We are observing them like scientists!

Monday: Music

Tuesday: Enrichment
Wednesday: Art
Thursday: Art
Friday: Enrichment

Monday: PE

Homework:

• iPads will be sent home Monday and Wednesday to charge fully.  VERY IMPORTANT! PLEASE RETURN iPad charger and cord in the iPad bag this week when your child returns their iPad to school.  Mrs. McHugh will be taking inventory of all iPads, chargers, cords and iPad bags on THURSDAY.  This will be the last week that we will be sending iPads home.  
• Monday - Read the student's book, What is an Insect? Have your student show you the diagram, the caption, a word that has a long vowel with magic e, the ing brothers, and the ou sound!
• Wednesday - Math family homework: Go on a shape hunt around your house for 3D shapes!  Due next Monday.
• Please continue to read any choice of book for 10 minutes every night!

Important dates to note:

May 3rd - Zoo field trip 

(permission slip came home last Friday, due this Friday, pay on Jeffco Connect)

May 4th - Field Day

May 11th - Field Day rainout date

May 18th - Kindergarten Learning Celebration: Families are invited to attend as we celebrate a fantastic year in kindergarten!  Time: 1:45pm in the cafetorium.  

Have a wonderful week!

Update 4/9

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: play, has

Phonics: long vowels 

Literacy Essential Question: What do good citizens do? 

Writing:  We are using non-fiction books and pebblego.com to do research for a non fiction book of our own on an animal of our choosing!  We will be researching and and planning our writing this week.

Math: 3D shapes, number partners

Science: Living and non-living things.  What are characteristics of living things? How do they change?  You may have heard, we have very special caterpillars in our room that are growing like crazy!  They will be making their chrysalises soon!  

Today we also took a first look at the Standley Lake eagles and their new eaglets!  The kids were so excited to see one of the new babies!  I told them that I would make sure to send you the link if you want to view at home.  

Eagle Cam Link

Monday: Enrichment
Tuesday: PE
Wednesday: PE
Thursday: Enrichment
Friday: Music
Monday: Music

Homework:
iPads will be sent home Monday and Wednesday to charge fully.   On one of these nights, have your child show you our new app, Raz Kids!  They are able choose books to read, as well as read books that I assign to them.  Have your child read one book with you!

Please continue to read any choice of book for 10 minutes every night!

Important dates to note:

May 4th - Field Day

May 11 - Field Day rainout date

May 18 - Kindergarten Learning Celebration, afternoon. Families are invited to attend as we celebrate a fantastic year in kindergarten!  Time: 1:45pm.  

Have a wonderful week!

Update 4/2

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: too, help

Phonics: blends and digraphs, long a 

Literacy Essential Question: What can you do to help out at home?

Also, we will be doing some spring reading activities that also tie in writing, poetry, and math!

Writing: Early in the week, we will be writing about our Spring Break.  Later, we will continue with discovery reading and writing, where kindergarten authors explore non fiction books and learn about what non fiction writing looks like.   We will begin doing research for a non fiction book of our own!

Math: Subtraction, graphing, number partners of 10

Specials:
Monday: Music
Tuesday: Music
Wednesday: Enrichment
Thursday: Art
Friday: Art
Monday: Enrichment

Homework:
iPads will be sent home Monday and Wednesday to charge fully.  

Please continue to read any choice of book for 10 minutes every night!

Important dates to note:

May 4th - Field Day

May 11 - Field Day rainout date

May 18 - Kindergarten Learning Celebration, afternoon. Families are invited to attend as we celebrate a fantastic year in kindergarten!  Details and specific time TBA soon.  

Have a wonderful week!

Update 3/19

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: this, what

Phonics: blends and digraphs and the -ick word family

Literacy Essential Question: How do we depend on the sun?  (Tying in science!) We are continuing to read and write about the sun, earth and the moon.  We will be making a model of the earth's rotation to explain why we have day and night, as well as making a hypothesis about plants with sun and without sun.  We will also be working on our fluency by reading "Hey Diddle Diddle" with expression!

Writing: We will continue with discovery reading and writing, where kindergarten authors explore non fiction books and learn about what non fiction writing looks like.  We will be finishing our book about polar bears together with facts and a diagram!

Math: We are working on partners of 10 and greater than and less than.

Specials:
Monday: Art
Tuesday: Enrichment
Wednesday: PE
Thursday: PE
Friday: Enrichment
Monday, 4/2: Music

Homework:
iPads will be sent home Tuesday to charge fully.  

Please continue to read any choice of book for 10 minutes every night!

Talent show tryouts are Thursday.  If your child would like to participate in the talent show, the form needs to be returned to the office tomorrow. 

Spring break is next week!   School resumes Monday, April 2nd. 

Mark your calendars for Parent University, March 22nd 6-7:30pm!

Have a wonderful week!

Update 3/12

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: review of all sight words + said, want
Phonics: digraphs ck, wh, ch, th, sh, and stretching out CVC words

Literacy Essential Question: What do we see in the sky?  We are exploring, reading and writing about the sun, earth and the moon and how they rotate - a tie to our learning in science!

Writing: We will be starting nonfiction writing this week!  We will begin with discovery reading and writing, where kindergarten authors explore non fiction books and learn about what non fiction writing looks like.  We will be writing a book about polar bears together with facts and a diagram!

Math: This week we are introducing tiny tumblers and math mountains.  We are understanding how numbers and number partners work together in equations.  

Science:  What do we know about the sun?  What does the sun provide for living things?

We also have a hypothesis right now that a leprechaun is visiting our room!  We might be using our STEM skills and setting a trap for him on Thursday if he continues to visit!  I told kiddos that they can bring in items from home if parents approve and if they have a great plan for a trap on Thursday.  

Specials:
Monday: Enrichment
Tuesday: Music
Wednesday: Music
Thursday: Enrichment
Friday: Art
Monday: Art

Homework:
iPads will be sent home Monday to charge fully.  
iPads will be sent home on Wednesday to charge.  Reading Homework: There will be a poem about the earth & moon's rotations on Seesaw to read and do an activity.  
Please continue to read any choice of book for 10 minutes every night!

Class pictures are on Wednesday, the 14th.  Ordering information was sent in Friday Folders.

Friday is an early release day.  Dismissal will be at 12pm.  Lunch will be served and busses will run.

Mark your calendars for Parent University, March 22nd 6-7:30pm!


Have a wonderful week!

Update 3/5

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: said, want
Phonics: digraphs ck, wh, ch, th, sh, and stretching out CVC words

Literacy Essential Question: Where do animals live?  We will explore habitats this week!  We are also discussing March coming in like a lion and out like a lamb, and linking it to math, graphing, and literacy!  We sure have started March like a lion today!

Writing: We will be looking at mentor authors and noticing what great authors do when adding details to their stories. 

Math: This week we are working on greater or less and partners of 10.

Science:  We are continuing to explore needs and wants of living things.

Specials:
Monday: Art
Tuesday: Enrichment
Wednesday: PE
Thursday: PE
Friday: NO SCHOOL
Monday: Enrichment

Homework:
IPads will be sent home Tuesday to charge fully this week with reading homework.  
There is NO school on Friday for students!

Parent teacher conferences are March 8th and 9th.  Please bring any report card questions with you to the conference.  I am looking forward to sharing your child's amazing growth with you!  If you have not yet signed up for a conference time, please do so with this link:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080549a9a62eaaff2-mrs


Have a wonderful week!

Update 2/26

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: they, of
Phonics: digraphs ck, wh, ch, th, sh, and stretching out CVC words

Literacy Essential Question: How can we take care of different pets?  We are exploring responsibilities, and how this ties into our science learning about needs and wants.

It is also Dr. Seuss week!  We are excited to read and respond to Dr. Seuss stories and learn about this famous author.  We will be doing lots of rhyming and word family work as well!  Oh the places we go in kindergarten!

Writing: We will continue to focus on sentence writing and adding details to our drawings and writing.  We are challenging ourselves to write more than one sentence!

Math: This week we are working on partners of 10, equations, and numbers to 100!

Science:  We are exploring needs and wants of living things.

Specials:
Monday: Enrichment
Tuesday: Music
Wednesday: Music
Thursday: Enrichment
Friday: Art
Monday: Art

Homework:
IPads will be sent home Tuesday to charge fully!  They will also be sent home on Thursday evening to charge with reading homework.

Report cards will be sent home on Friday, so be sure to check your child's Friday folder. Please keep this copy of the report card at home, but sign and return the report card envelope.

Parent teacher conferences are March 8th and 9th.  If you have not yet signed up for a conference time, please do so with this link:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080549a9a62eaaff2-mrs

Have a wonderful week!

Update 2/20

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: have, these, said

Phonics: digraphs ck, wh, ch, th, sh, and CVC words

Literacy Essential Question: How are animals the same and different?

In our workshop time we will be learning more about the Olympic Games and writing as a digital author using the My Story app!

Writing: We will continue to focus on adding details to our drawings and writing.

Math: Students did an awesome job on our Unit 3 test!  I will be sending the test home in Friday folders.  Moving on in unit 4, we will continue to work on addition and subtraction, and number pairs, focusing on combinations of 10. 

Specials:

Tuesday: Art

Wednesday: Enrichment

Thursday: PE

Friday: PE

Monday: Enrichment

Homework:

IPads will be sent home tonight, Tuesday, to charge fully!  They will also be sent home on Thursday evening to charge with reading homework.  

Have a wonderful week!

Update 2/12

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: he, are, said

Phonics: digraphs wh, ch, th, sh, and CVC words

Literacy Essential Question: What would you find growing on a farm?

In our workshop time we will be reading more Tacky the Penguin books, as well as Valentine's Day books and responding on Seesaw to show our comprehension.  

Writing: We will continue to work on adding details to our drawings and writing.  We are working on writing 1 or more fabulous sentences with an uppercase letter to start, spaces between our words, and an end mark.  

Math: We have our Unit test this week that will cover 2D shapes, addition, subtraction, and teen numbers!  We are excited to move on to our next unit!

Specials:

Monday: Enrichment

Tuesday: Music

Wednesday: Music

Thursday: Enrichment

Friday: Art

Monday:Art

Homework:

IPads will be sent home tonight, Monday to charge fully and install the new update!  They will also be sent home on Wednesday evening to charge with reading homework.  Please continue to work on Valentines and Valentine boxes to send in on Wednesday morning! 

Have a wonderful week!

Update 2/5

Hi kindergarten families,

You may have noticed I have been giving you the schedule from Monday - Monday.  I will be sending out my weekly updates on Monday from now on.  I know that Sunday evening emails may get lost in the shuffle of the many emails in your box, and I hope to spend my Sunday evenings dedicated to my family, so I am changing them to Mondays!

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: are, there, said

Phonics: digraphs wh, ch, th, sh, and CVC words

Literacy Essential Question: How do things change as they grow? In our workshop time in the afternoon, we will also be studying Tacky the Penguin books and responding on Seesaw.  We will be noticing how the author Helen Lester writes, and using her as a mentor for our future writing.

Writing: We will be working on adding details to our drawings and writing.  We are working on writing 1 or more fabulous sentences with an uppercase letter to start, spaces between our words, and an end mark.

Math: Identifying groups of five and how they help us count larger numbers, breaking apart numbers for addition and subtraction, review teen numbers.  Next week will be our unit test!

Specials:

Monday: Art

Tuesday: Art

Wednesday: Enrichment

Thursday: PE

Friday: PE

Monday: Enrichment

Homework:

IPads will be sent home tonight, Monday to charge fully!  They will also be sent home on Wednesday evening to charge with reading homework.  Please continue to work on 100 day projects and valentines.  I sent out an email last night with details regarding both days.  Please make sure you have read it! 

Have a wonderful week!

Update 1/29

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: my, are, with, he, she, was, said

Phonics: digraphs wh, ch, th, sh, and CVC words

Literacy Essential Question: What can you find growing in nature?  We will also be making predictions about Groundhog Day!

Writing: We will finish publishing our how-to stories, and use a rubric to set goals as we finish!

Math: 2D shapes and how they fit together to make other shapes, sorting and classifying, teen numbers as well as addition and subtraction fluency through 5. 

Specials:

Monday: PE

Tuesday: Enrichment

Wednesday: Music

Thursday: Music

Friday: Enrichment

Monday: Art

Homework:

IPads will be sent home on Tuesday to charge fully!  Please have your child choose to do 10 minutes on the My Story app writing, or on Writing Wizard practicing letters, numbers or words.  Homework for the 100th day of school came home last Thursday, and is due Feb. 8th!  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Ralston Valley and Three Creeks Wish Week Spirit Week is this week!  Please read this letter explaining the Make A Wish we are participating in with Ralston Valley High School!  Our goal is to raise over $18,000 to sponsor 2 year old Porter, who has leukemia and his dreams to have a jungle gym in his backyard.  Ralston Valley also has other events for us to participate in - details linked here!

Wish Week Spirit Days:

Monday 1/29 - Crazy Hair Day

Tuesday 1/30 - Snowed in Day & Miracle Minute - send your child with your donation

Wednesday 1/31 - 80’s day

Thursday  2/1 - Green Day - Porter’s Favorite Color

Friday 2/2 - Super Hero Day

Have a wonderful week!

Update 1/22

Hi kindergarten families,

Highlights for this week:

Sight words: she, was, said, some

Phonics: digraphs ch, th, sh, and CVC words

Literacy Essential Question: How do we stay safe in bad weather? We will explore texts about the weather work on the comprehension skills of visualizing and finding key details in the story.

Writing: We will continue working on writing our own How-To stories!

Math: We are continuing to work on teen numbers as well as addition and subtraction fluency through 5.

Specials:

Monday: Enrichment

Tuesday: Art

Wednesday: Art

Thursday: Enrichment

Friday: PE

Monday: PE

Homework:

IPads will be sent home on Tuesday to charge fully!  Please try to log in to Wonders to have your child read their leveled book to you.  We have refreshed our brains after break and practiced logging in to Wonders at school, so your child should be able to tell you how to log in.  If you are unable to connect, please read a book at home.

Thursday: Reading folders will be sent home on Thursday with a book for your child to read to you.  Please sign and return on Friday. 

Book orders were sent home in Friday folders last week! Books always make great Valentines and new books are awesome motivators! Please order online with our class code: P7N6N

Ralston Valley and Three Creeks Wish Week Spirit Week is coming up next week.  Please read this letter explaining the Make A Wish we are participating in with Ralston Valley High School!  Our goal is to raise over $18,000 to sponsor 2 year old Porter, who has leukemia and his dreams to have a jungle gym in his backyard.  Ralston Valley also has other events for us to participate in - details linked here!

Wish Week Spirit Days:

Monday 1/29 - Crazy Hair Day

Tuesday 1/30 - Snowed in Day & Miracle Minute - send your child with your donation

Wednesday 1/31 - 80’s day

Thursday  2/1 - Green Day - Porter’s Favorite Color

Friday 2/2 - Super Hero Day

Have a wonderful week!