This week so far and some news!

Help out at home by checking to see how your child is writing, coloring, drawing and let's fix it!

You might see your child come home with one of these. Your child is correcting their pencil grip.

At the end of last week we celebrated the end of our Small moment unit/Young Author's unit! This is a big feat for Kindergartners and all Alta kids alike. We do a lot of work around this story and the artwork. I let kids have a sneak peek at their published stories. They were so excited. You will see more of these stories in April when we have our Young Author's celebration night.

 

Sharing stories.

 This week is a big week in Elementary schools all over the country. We celebrate Dr. Seuss, his birthday, his stories and his silly self. Monday was crazy sock day. Anne Long (the district reading facilitator) read to our class. The kids love the idea of a mystery reader. When a mystery reader walks in, I shout "MYSTERY reader, Mystery reader" and they shout it back following by "come to the carpet, mystery reader!"....too cute.

Barb showed up today to read...a hard one...Fox in Socks! Such a tongue twister. Impressive.

 Stay tuned for more pictures of this very fun week. 

During Math we have been learning about the NUMBER grid. Kids brought home a grid last night.
We are learning how to use one for games, counting and adding and subtracting. We played Number chart online!

Click the link above to play it at home. 

Silly Hat Day!

Play place...just another day!

More hats!


News and such!
If you haven't brought in sunglasses for our upcoming math movie...please do by next Monday.

Did you notice the Handwriting paper that came home last night. I sent it with the ABC sheet so that you know how uppercase and lowercase letters go on the lines. Let me know if you have any questions. 

We are having a mini-math celebration on March 20th. Stay tuned for a time. I am wanting to do a little evening thing...would this work for all you parents?

March 21st I am out for Professional development and March 22nd I leave for Alabama to attend my brother's wedding. 

May 14th is the Kindergarten Screening for new incoming K's. Spread the word.

Lately...and some news!

Young Author's ART work begins!
After a mini lesson on Eric Carle style illustrations...students embark on paper making themselves.

It's a messy job..but someone has to do it!

Jackson Pollock in training!

Oh dear!

The last two weeks we have been studying CUBA and the culture there. We read Martina the beautiful cockroach and then acted it out! It was hilarious!

Acting

Bowing

Measuring. Kids have been learning the difference between their feet and standard feet. We measured objects all around the room with partners.

Did you see your child's duck stamp? They are hanging in the hallway. Come and check them out. Please send your entry form back to school by Friday.

Other news...

Letter of the week is H...remember to encourage your child to bring in sharing Wednesday or Thursday.

We have no school on Friday, March 1st due to parent/teacher conference week.

For the month of March we are going to embark on a Math goal. Our math goals are:

Master teens reading and writing

Counting by 2's, 5's, 10's and backwards from 20

+0 and +1 Addition facts

Please help out by bringing in a pair of sunglass for your child as soon as you can. We are going to be doing a mini math performance before Spring break.

I am excited to sit down with you this week during Parent/Teacher conferences to discuss your child's successes and challenges. See you soon.

Happy Valentine's day!

Short week and Valentine's party!

So....today is Thomas Edison's birthday AND we get to bring in a stuffed animal to school (reward for good behavior)! And tomorrow is Lincoln's birthday. And Thursday is Valentine's day. And Friday teachers have an inservice so kids don't have school. It's a busy short week.
Do you wanna know what we did today. We skyped BASHO Mosko! Are you wondering "who is Basho?"...well, check him out HERE! Starting this week we are embarking on a Whole school project that has language and cultural pieces. BAsho and friends will be visiting our school in April to write, record and make music videos. And in May we will have a huge school-wide celebration showcasing all grades performing either a song...skit...puppet show and their will be a unveiling of the music video...and we even hope to have a dj and dancing...stay tuned! Until then we are learning about the Latino culture in different parts of the world. This week is Cuba!

I also began lunch bunch last week with 2 kids. Every week I will be meeting with 2 kids to eat, talk and build a relationship with at lunch time. I am looking forward to this time with your children.

Thursday is PAPER making with Kindergarten and First grade. We will be working in groups to make paper for our young author's book. I need one more volunteer. Let me know if you can come from 8:30 -10.

The Valentine's party is also on Thursday. I try to keep this pretty simple. We will be doing a craft, delivering valentines, and having a gluten free snack. I do not need any volunteers.

No school on Friday.

We have "O" sharing from Wednesday - Friday. We work on vowels for 2 weeks. Remember to bring in sharing!

Things to know!

Parent/Teacher conferences are the last week in February. Please let me know if one day is better than another asap!

Monday is Presidents' day. We don't have school!

Feb. 21 is Avery's BETTER know your eagle!

What's up in the Kindergarten corral?

Hooray! Hooray! It's the 100th day today!

Look Mrs. Griffin!

We celebrated the 100th day and this Friday we are celebrating almost 4,000 eagle feathers by going to Badger Creek Sledding Hill. I am so excited for the kids. We went last year and it was so much fun. Remember to dress warm...and bring a sled!

During reading workshop students learn during the mini lesson time and then we have a practice time. Students are learning that READING should sound like talking...we call it Smoothy Cow! Smoothy cow reads smooth like yogurt...not bumpy like cottage cheese. Give this a go at home tonight with their homework books.

In our class we did a TEAM building activity and shared why we love our school. Kids had to write it down and them find a way to capture their idea in a photo. We hung them up in class. Come and check it out if you wish! I also started LUNCH BUNCH today (THURSDAY) too. LUnch bunch will meet on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Two kids will be invited each day to attend and we as a group can work on our relationship together. There seems to be less barriers up at this time. Today I ate with Chip and Bjorn...we had a picnic on the floor! It was awesome...I now know that Chips loves mint chocolate chip icecream and Bjorn will eat a kiwi with the furry skin on it....FUN!

Remember...every week we have LETTER sharing...help remind your child to bring something in either Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.

We have started a conversation around RESILIENCY in class...

Does your child know what being resilient means?

The ability to recover from misfortune or change.

 "Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it's less good than the one you had before."

Is your child resilient?

Good times in Mrs. griffin's room

Self portraits are up on the door...swing by and check them out. The kids did a great job!

Fun Friday was super fun...cause Mrs. Griffin brought in matchbox cars for the building science center...let's just say the boys were in Heaven.

The girls love paint and draw this year.

And Play-place is popular for girls and boys. I love watching the play...and listening in on conversations here.

Kindergartners have been working in their new workbooks for math...and busy with partner work. 

It has been a work in progress...learning to work, get along with and listen someone you did not choose to work with.

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Griffin Gazette and ALMOST February!

Hi there from Kindergarten. We have been very busy in here re-learning routines and practicing procedures. WE ARE GETTING there! I am so excited that the bumps are smoothing right out. The only bummer is that kiddos are still sick. I am making every effort to wash hands a lot and send home sick kids. Please help me by keeping sick kids at home.

This week in Reading:
We are still focused on text features in Nonfiction. We will be learning about facts versus opinions too.
This week READERS began their DAILY 5 chart journals. Each day we will take inventory of what we are doing during READER's workshop to become better readers.
The chart includes-
1. Read to self!
2. Read to someone!
3. Work on writing!
4. Work with words!
5. Listen to reading!

Kids are beginning to understand that they lead their learning. This is a great independent practice that we can monitor together. During this time I work with groups of students or one on one.
BIG READING STRATEGY that we learned today-
Cross checking (Do the pictures and/or words Look right? Do they sound right? Do they make sense? See Yellow reference form that comes home today.

Letter of the week is F!!! Sharing Wednesday - Friday
Snap word review- with, for, look and see

Writing workshop includes:
Stretching out stories
Adding details
Reading good READ alouds
Perfect printing
Sentence practice (capitals and ending marks)

Math includes:
Tally marks
Coin exchange (known as the raft game) exchanging 5 pennies for a nickel
Estimation
Standard versus nonStandard measurement

Other things to know!

MONDAY IS THE 100th day of school. Please bring a ziplock back full of 100 items for our  1ooth day trail mix snack. Some good ideas would be:

1. chocolate chips

2. Marshmallows

3. any kind of nut

4. raisins

5. pretzel sticks

6. m&m's

7. Dried fruits

8. yogurt rasins

9. sunflower seeds

10. pumpkin seeds

February 14th is VALENTINE's day. We will have a class party at 1:30. Please start prepping class valentines. Please make one for every child in our class. Feel free to make other student cards or teacher cards. 

Please bring in a tissue box, cereal box, shoe box or small box to school between now and February 11th. 

I will start volunteers February 12th. Please let me know if you are interested. 

Practice shoe tying at home!!! I have a great song if you want it. Let me know!