Supply List

KINDERGARTEN

1 - crayons, 16-ct box

10 - glue sticks, .21 oz

1 - hand sanitizer, 4 oz. bottle (girls)

1 - kleenex, 175-ct box

1 - markers, dry erase, 4-ct box

2 - markers, washable, 8-ct box

6 - pencils, #2 wooden, sharpened (yellow only)

1 - pencils, colored (12-ct)

1 - sanitizing wipes, 40-ct (boy)

1 - scissors, 5” blunt Fiskars

Donations of any of these additional kindergarten supplies now

or during the school year would be greatly appreciated.

- Brown paper lunch bags

- Dixie cups, plastic cups or Styrofoam cups

- Elmers white glue, 7 oz. bottle

- Napkins

- Paper plates, lightweight white, 9” or 6”

- Plastic forks and spoons

- Ziploc bags, gallon or quart size

Happy shopping!

Reading Readiness

I came across some helpful hints for parents with children who are getting ready to read. Hopefully, these will spark some new ideas for you and will help to get your child excited for Kindergarten!

1. Read to your child. Everyday. It should be an enjoyable activity.

2. It is a wonderful thing when a child wants to hear the same story over and over again. Read it until you have it memorized, and then read it many times more.

3. Talk to your child. Ask your child questions, even when they are too young to answer. (Always pause and give them time to answer.) Tell your child what your are doing. Provide a running commentary as you go about your day. Talk, talk, talk!

4. What difference can following numbers 1,2 and 3 make? Tens of thousands of words! Children are a blank slate, capable of learning ANY language in the world. Just imagine the vocabulary you can teach your child.

5. Sing songs that rhyme. If you can’t sing, then chant nursery rhymes. Rhyming is so important for hearing the ending sounds of words. Many children love silly songs and poems, and may create some of their own.

6. Alliteration is the beginning sounds of words. Find songs or poems with alliteration. Teach them to your children. “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Children will learn to hear (and feel with their mouth) the beginning sounds of words.

7. Sing the ABC song over and over again. Everyday. You can even use a small chart and point to each letter as you sing it. You would be amazed how many children think that “LMNOP” is one giant letter. Many children think that there is an “N” between Y and Z.

8. While reading a story to your child, ask questions about the story. “What color is the dog? Do you think the dog will ever get home? What will the dog do next? Did you like the story?” This builds comprehension and vocabulary.

9. If you think your child might not know a word, give it a definition. “Do you know what a spade is?” (Wait a little while for a response, even for non-talkers.) “Spade is another word for shovel. Do you see the spade?” Then point to the picture.

10. When reading a story follow the words with your finger. Left to right, return sweep, top to bottom, front to back. Let your child help to turn the page.

11. Talk about the front and back of the book. Talk about the author and illustrator. Are the pictures drawn, painted, colored or are the pictures photographs? This helps build print awareness.

12. Let children see you reading books, recipe books, magazines, and newspapers. Take children to the library. They will be able to see that words are important to you.

13. Talk about the print all around you. There is environmental print everywhere. You find print on cereal boxes, snack bags, signs and toys. The possibilities are endless, and this is another opportunity for print awareness.

14. Remember that letter identification and letter sounds will be learned when the time is right. Each child who can learn, will learn when they are ready.

15. Relax, read a book, and have a conversation.

Have a great summer!

We made it! The students of K-1 have done a wonderful job this year and I have enjoyed getting to know each of them. They have learned a lot and we had fun doing it!

Thank you to Michelle Wood for sharing her creativity and time on the Kindergarten scrapbooks! Thank you, again, to Michelle, Julie Worms, and Colleen Blanck for coming in to fill Friday folders. Thanks to everyone who has come in to read to our class, ate lunch with your child, or helped at a class party. The students love seeing you at school and volunteers like you make Shirley Hills a great place to work. THANK YOU!

Make sure you stop by in the fall and fill me in on what's new with your family! Have a wonderful summer!

Last week

M - Gym
T - Music
W - Art
Th - Gym, Last day of school
F - No school

Only 4 more days! It's amazing how fast this year has gone. We have been busy wrapping up projects, finishing books, and enjoying the nice weather! Here are a few notes for the week:

Monday and Tuesday - We will be cleaning out cubbies and lockers. Check your child's backpack for things that can stay at home.

Wednesday - We will be taking our last field trip to the Delano park. We will leave shortly after lunch and return to SH around 3:00. We do not need parent volunteers for this trip. The kids will get to play at the park for about an hour, we'll have a treat and then come back to school. I have sunscreen here that the kids can use, or if you prefer a certain kind please put some on your child in the morning or send it along in their backpack.
***The students will be bringing home their report cards and their Kindergarten scrapbooks.

Thursday - We will be cleaning up the room, taking down pictures, and saying goodbye for the summer!

Schedule for 5/18 - 5/22

M - Gym

T - Music

W - Art, Computer, 1st grade visit, All school picture

Th - Gym & Media (last time to check out books)

F -Music, Yearbook Signing party, Shark celebration in Media center

Our letter this week is Q (our last letter!) and new sight word is where.  The students have been introduced to each sight word at this point and over the next two weeks I'll be reviewing them will the class and assessing each student.  

On Wednesday the Kindergarten classes will be switching with the 1st grade students. Kindergarten students will be meeting with all of the 1st grade teachers for 20 minutes to hear about what they'll be learning in 1st grade!  

We will be taking our All school picture on Wednesday.  Please make sure to send your child to school with their Blue Ribbon shirt!

Have a great week!

Schedule for 5/11 - 5/15

M - Music
T - Art
W - Gym, Computer, Dog Bite awareness assembly
Th - Music & Media
F - Art

This week we will be working on the letter X and our new sight word is look. In math we will continue to practice addition.

Have a great week!

Poem in Your Pocket

Today Mrs. Williams gave each student a poem to keep in their pocket to help celebrate National Poetry month. Check out THIS site to learn more about the Poem in Your Pocket program. We'll be writing poems with our 4th grade buddies this afternoon!