Coles Ferry Elementary

May 14, 2012

Dear Families,

Thank you so much for the wonderful gifts and foods you showered the teachers with during Teacher Appreciation Week.  You made us feel so special, and I wanted to take a moment to thank you for being such a wonderful group of parents this year.

Language Arts – This week, we will continue our Wild West adventure with Jack and Annie in “Ghost Town at Sundown”. While students are in literacy centers, I will be working on reading strategies and end-of-the-year assessments.

Math – We will work on skip counting by 10’s and 5’s, place value, number line word problems. We will also review previously taught skills through our fun games – Farm Game, Stackers, Place Value, and Guess My Number.

We had beautiful weather for our Field Trip to the Park this past Friday. Thank you to parents who were able to come to the park and help keep an eye on our active boys and girls.

Don’t forget library books are due!

The kindergarten talent show is this Friday, May 18^th. Last day to try-out for Mrs. Martin is tomorrow! We have some great talent in our room.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Friday, May 18…Talent Show, 8:05a.m.

May 21…Fun Day at School, Please wear bathing suits under clothing. All two-piece bathing suits require a t-shirt. Send extra clothing to change into because we will be getting wet. Don’t forget underwear and towels to dry off! Also, your child may want to wear shoes appropriate for running and apply sunscreen before coming to school.

Kindergarten Graduation, Please send your child to the classroom at 5:30p.m. as you enter the front of the building. Then, sign-in and proceed to the gym. I ask that you do not sit in the classroom chairs. These are reserved for the children. The ceremony begins at 6:00p.m. We will sing a couple of songs and receive diplomas. Then, we will walk back to the classroom. Afterwards, please come by the classroom to get your child and diplomas. I am estimating the ceremony will last until approximately 7:00p.m.

May 23…Celebrate Summer Birthdays and Awards Day, 12:45p.m.

May 24…PROWL Celebration (for children with good behavior) and End of the year Rodeo party – wear your cowboy/cowgirl outfits for a Rootin’ Tootin’ Good Time, LAST FULL DAY OF SCHOOL

May 25…Teacher Workday, No School

May 26…Report Card Day 7:30-10:15a.m.

Have an outstanding week!

Mrs. Dawn

April 30, 2012

Dear Families,

What a wonderful trip to the zoo last week!  The weather could not have been more perfect.  The children had an awesome time and were so excited about all of the animals they were able to see.  Thank you so much to our parent volunteers that helped make this day so special!

Language Arts – This week, we will finish up Dolphins at Daybreak and will begin learning the background knowledge for our final Magic Tree House study…cowboys!!!  We will be traveling to a ghost town in the wild, wild, west in Ghost Town at Sundown.  On Wednesday, we will have a “cowgirl” come to talk to our class about horses, barrel racing, and the rodeo.  Yeehaw!!!  During Literacy centers, the children continue to complete tasks to help with language skills while I work with small groups in individualized reading and work on end of the year assessments.

Math - We will continue working with place value, addition, subtraction, and the number line.

Please remember that school is closed this Friday while teachers attend a professional development day.

In your child’s folder today, you will find a permission form for our field trip to Don Fox Park.  Throughout the year, we have been walking laps around the playground in order to reach our goal of 20 miles.  Classrooms that reach their goal are treated to a field trip to the park!  We will walk to the park on May 11^th.  There is no cost to attend.  If you would rather your child bring a sack lunch from home, please indicate that on the permission form.  Otherwise, a sack lunch from school will be ordered and deducted from their lunch account. Please sign and return these forms to school as soon as possible.  We would love for you  to join us and play!

Important Upcoming Dates:

May 4…Stockpile Day, No School

May 9…Muffins with Moms, 7:30a.m.

May 9…Writing Assessment

May 11…Walking Field Trip to Don Fox Park

May 18…Talent Show, 8:05a.m.

May 21…Fun Day at School

May 21…Kindergarten Graduation, 6:00p.m.

May 23…Awards Day, 12:45p.m.

May 24…PROWL Celebration (for children with good behavior)

May 25…No School

May 26…Report Card Day

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Dawn

April 23, 2012

Dear Families,

Language Arts – We are encountering some interesting ocean creatures while reading about Jack and Annie in The Magic Tree House Dolphins at Daybreak. We have come across giant starfish, clams, dolphins, jellyfish, coral, and more. Morgan LeFay once again needs Jack and Annie’s help in this story. She is need of help to solve a riddle in order to get more books for the library in Camelot. Ask your child to tell you about the riddle in the book we are reading. During Literacy centers, the children continue to complete tasks to help with language skills while I work with small groups in individualized reading.

Math - We will continue the numeral game with the tens triangle and introduce several new math games that help with place value, addition/subtraction and number line.

Homework – No more written homework for the rest of the year! YAY! It would be a fantastic idea for your child to practice the sight word list I sent home a few weeks ago.  Let me know if you need another list or would like any additional activities to do at home.

The ZOO trip is Thursday – Thank you so much for returning the zoo permission slips and monies for our trip this Thursday. IF YOU HAVE NOT RETURNED YOUR CHILD’S PERMISSION SLIP TO THE ZOO, I AM SENDING ANOTHER ONE HOME TODAY.  PLEASE RETURN IT TOMORROW!!! Just a few things to remember…Please have your child wear comfortable clothes appropriate for walking long distances (no sandals or flip-flops). Coles Ferry t-shirts would be nice if you have one. You may want to apply sunscreen before coming to school. If you chose to send your child’s lunch, please make sure it is in a disposable bag with their name written on it. No need to send backpacks to school on this day, just your sweet child. It’s going to be a great memory for them. If you are planning to go with us to the zoo, please plan to stay when you drop your child off Thursday morning. I need help loading lunches and coolers. I could use parents to take boys and girls to the restroom as well. We hope to leave promptly at 8:15a.m. and will be gone all day.

Thank you for having your child wear tennis shoes to P.E. every day. This makes Mr. Cushing very happy and ensures your child’s safety. Students he feels are going to be unsafe will be asked to sit out of activities.

Important Upcoming Dates:

May 4…Stockpile Day, No School

May 9…Muffins with Moms, 7:30a.m.

May 9…Writing Assessment

May 11…Walking Field Trip to Don Fox Park

May 18…Talent Show, 8:05a.m.

May 21…Fun Day at School

May 21…Kindergarten Graduation, 6:00p.m.

May 23…Awards Day, 12:45p.m.

May 24…PROWL celebration (for children with good behavior)

May 25…No School

May 26…Report Card Day

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Dawn

April 16, 2012

Dear Families,

Wow!  This is such a busy time of year!  I learned so much at my curriculum training last week.  I can’t wait to get started with our new games and activities!

Our next adventure begins!  We will be traveling to the ocean with Jack and Annie as we read The Magic Tree House Dolphins at Daybreak.  As your child writes chapter summaries, we will be compiling them into a book of our own.  Your child will bring this book home to share with you at the end of our study.  Please encourage your child to read this story back to you and others in your home.  The most important and easiest thing a child can read is his or her own writing.  We will also be starting a joke book in our class full of riddles.  I hope you enjoy listening to your child read these!

In Math, we will begin several new games that revolve around the number line and place value.  Your child will be learning about tens and ones, quantity, addition, subtraction, penmanship, and more.

Homework Magic Tree House Writing Response:  On the back of this week’s homework page, we will be thinking about our story, Dolphins at Daybreak.  Please have your child “Draw a dolphin and write one fact about dolphins.” This homework is due on Friday.

Several permission slips for the Nashville Zoo have already been returned.  If you have not returned your child’s permission form, please do so as soon as possible.  I need these by Friday in order make lunch plans with the cafeteria.  I also need to know which parents will be attending the field trip with us so that I can divide groups of children evenly.

Thank you for having your child wear tennis shoes to P.E. every day.  This makes Mr. Cushing very happy and ensures your child’s safety.

Important Upcoming Dates:

This Friday…Homework Folders due

April 26…Field Trip to the Nashville Zoo

May 4…Stockpile Day, No School

May 9…Muffins with Moms, 7:30a.m.

May 11…Walking Field Trip to Don Fox Park

May 21…Fun Day at School

May 21…Kindergarten Graduation, 6:00p.m

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Dawn

April 2, 2012

Dear Families,

We are all enjoying The Magic Tree House Midnight on the Moon. We are halfway through the book.  We can’t wait to see if Jack and Annie can find the things they need to help rescue their friend Morgan LeFay.  We will be learning more about space this week. In addition, we will also spend some time during our Science/Social Studies block doing some Easter activities.

In Math, we will be exploring how addition and subtraction problems can be written vertically and horizontally.  We will be using jelly beans for Math this week!  If you would like to send any small candy items, gummy bears, goldfish, cereal, etc. for us to use to practice addition and subtraction, we would definitely enjoy them!  Thank you!

Homework Magic Tree House Writing Response:  On the back of this week’s homework page, we will be thinking about our story, Midnight on the Moon.  Please have your child “Design a spaceship and write about it.” This homework is due on Thursday.

In your child’s folder today, you will find our permission slip for the Nashville Zoo on April 26^th.  We are so excited about our visit!  Please complete the entire form, sign the bottom, and return it to school as soon as possible.  The cost is $7.00.  Please let me know on your permission form if you plan to attend.  Parents who wish to attend are certainly welcome but will be asked to drive their own vehicles or carpool with other parents due to such limited bus space.  Please note that each car will be required to pay $5.00 to park at the zoo.  The cost for adults is $8.00.

Please remember to send in money for your child’s graduation cap.  The cost for the cap is $7.00.  These have to be ordered well in advance of graduation.  The deadline for ordering your child’s graduation cap is Thursday, April 5^th.

Our Spring Book Fair is in full swing in the Library.  The last day to visit the Library is the morning of April 5^th.  We hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity!

Mr. Cushing has asked that children wear tennis shoes to P.E. each day.  Flip flops can be unsafe when running and doing physical tasks such as climbing the rock wall in the gym.  Mr. Cushing may ask children to sit out at a station if he feels that your child’s safety is an issue.

Important Upcoming Dates:

March 28-April 5…Spring Book Fair

April 6…Good Friday, No School

April 26…Field Trip to the Nashville Zoo

May 4…Stockpile Day, No School

May 9…Muffins with Moms, 7:30a.m.

May 11…Walking Field Trip to Don Fox Park

May 21…Kindergarten Graduation, 6:00p.m.

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Dawn

March 5, 2012

Dear Families,

Wow!  What a wild end of the week we had!  Our Read Me Day plans had to be altered due to our early dismissal for the weather.  Thank you so much for all of the supplies to make our day so special and for your understanding throughout the early dismissal.  We wanted everyone to make it home safely!

We will continue our Math games and activities and increase the difficulty level within each.  Addition and subtraction are such difficult concepts for kindergartners.  We will be working on these skills for the remainder of the year so the children will be ready for first grade!

This week, we will begin learning the background knowledge for our next Magic Tree House book on Space.  We are looking forward to learning about our world and universe!  This is one topic that children of all ages find fascinating!  We will be using stories, models, websites, and “The Magic School Bus” to learn about space.  We will do some cool experiments as well!  We will be writing about space all week.  Hopefully, the children will remember this knowledge so that we are ready to start our next Magic Tree House book as soon as we return from Spring Break.

We have been busy finishing up report card assessments during Literacy Centers.  I am so proud of the children’s accomplishments have learned and can’t wait to see what they will learn by the end of the year.  It is very important for you to sign and return your child’s report card on Thursday so that it won’t get misplaced over Spring Break.  Thank you!

Magic Tree House Writing Response on Homework:  On the back of this week’s homework page, we will be thinking back to The Magic Tree House The Knight at Dawn.  Please have your child “Draw a castle and write about it.”  This homework is due on Friday.

Thank you so much for the dry erase markers and construction paper!  We appreciate your support of our learning so much!

Important Upcoming Dates:

March 7…Report Card Day

March 8…PROWL Celebration (note change in date)

March 9…Kindergarten Awards Ceremony, 12:45p.m.

March 12-23…Spring Break

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Dawn

February 27, 2012

Dear Families,

This week in Language Arts, we will continue our journey back in time to the Ice Ages. Jack and Annie are stranded in the Ice Age in their bathing suits!  We can’t wait to find out how in the world they will get back home!  We are having a ball during our Write Along time learning tongue twisters and riddles.  The children are very dramatic with their riddles and love to make others smile.  Many have brought in riddles from home.  I am so excited for the children to be reading the word patterns we have been learning.  Last week, I was using a powerpoint to teach about the Ice Age.  I couldn’t get through reading the slides because the children kept finding word patterns within it that they could read!  I told them that we had created reading monsters, and we all laughed!  What a wonderful problem to have!  This week, we will be reading and discussing some great books and websites about winter, heat, fossils, as well as extinct and endangered animals during our Science and Social Studies block.

The children are enjoying the Stackers game in Math.  It is a game in which the children take turns being the architect and the builder.  The architect looks at a card with a tower on it and directs the builder how to build the tower in the picture without the builder seeing the card.  When the tower is complete, they are able to check their work (tower) together.  The children learn to listen and follow directions and position words such as left, right, in the middle, in between, and on top of, front, and back.  That is a great deal of skills to learn in one game!  We are also learning a lot in our Two Card Mystery Numeral Game that deals with addition and subtraction.  If you have the chance to watch your child answer the mystery question, please encourage them to use the manipulatives nearby to help them solve the problem.

Homework: Some of you have written a question mark on the top right section of the homework where it asks your child to write a Magic Tree House Writing Response.  This is the space each week where you will learn what your child should write about.  On the back of this week’s homework page, please have your child draw and write about “How you think the Earth looked during the Ice Age.”  This homework is due on Friday.

Don’t forget that we need dry erase markers and colored construction paper!  Thank you for your generosity!

There is a special note inside your child’s VIP folder today regarding Read Me Day.  We are doing something different this year.  Each kindergarten classroom will be a Dr. Seuss story station that the children will rotate through for a story and extension activity.  Please let us know how you can help by signing the sheet and returning it to school tomorrow.  Thank you!

Important Upcoming Dates:

March 2…Read-Me-Day and Dr. Seuss birthday, Dress up like Cat in the Hat or wear all black. We will make hats together at school.  Also, BoxTops and Campbells Soup Labels are due on March 2^nd.

March 7…Report Card Day

March 9…Awards Day and Prowl Celebration

March 12-23…Spring Break

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Dawn

February 21, 2012

Dear Families,

What a wonderful celebration we had with the ones we love on Valentine’s Day! Thank you for all the party foods, sending in valentine cards and making mailboxes/bags and all of the sweet gifts to me. I am such a lucky girl to have such wonderful people in my life.

This week in Language Arts, we travel back in time to the Ice Ages. Jack and Annie (our characters) will adventure into a time of the woolly mammoth and sabertooth tiger. We will also read and discuss some great books about presidents this week during our Social Studies block.

Math is a time for us to use our skills through games. When children are playing math games, they don’t realize how much they are really learning. The games we play are Stackers, Numeral Game, Number Hopscotch, Tally Game, Guess My Number with subtraction and addition, and Farm Game. They love this time of day.

Homework: On the back of the homework page please have your child write about “What the Ice Age looked and felt like.”

There is an Earth Day t-shirt order form in the folder if you are interested in purchasing. Due date: March 2^nd.

Our class is running low on a few supplies. We need dry erase markers. We use these several times a day which have caused us to have only a few left. If you would like to donate to your child’s class, this is something we could definitely use. I really like black best, but any color is appreciated. We also need more packages of assorted color construction paper for our Writing Center. Thank you for considering these.

Important Upcoming Dates:

This Friday, February 24…Jump Rope for Heart money due

March 2…Read-Me-Day and Dr. Seuss birthday, Dress up like Cat in the Hat or wear all black. We will make hats together at school.

March 7…Report Card Day

March 9…Awards Day and Prowl Celebration

March 12-23…Spring Break

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Dawn

February 6, 2012

Dear Families,

I apologize for my absences last week. My husband was in the hospital, and Mrs. Amy has had the flu. Hopefully, everyone is on the mend now, and we can get back on schedule. Despite these setbacks, we have created a pretty magnificent rainforest in our classroom and can’t wait for you to see it! Thanks, Mrs. Courtney, for all of your help in this transformation!

This week in Language Arts we will finish The Magic Tree House #6 Afternoon on the Amazon with Jack and Annie. Ask your child about the two clues Morgan LeFay left. In addition to your child’s writing, you will also notice work being sent home. This new work includes our work products from Literacy Centers. The form on top is each student’s Learning Plan they must follow throughout the week. At the bottom of this sheet is your child’s work goal. We meet weekly in conferences and discuss review/discuss work completed and together decide what we can do to make it even better than before. We read our goals before entering centers to help us stay focused on the goal at hand. Can you believe our five and six year olds are goal setting? I am so very proud of them!

We will continue with our math games to help us with number concepts. The children love The Farm Game. Have them tell you the rules and how it’s played.

We have a lot of love letters displayed in our hallway. If you have not written one yet, please let your child know how much you love them by jotting them a quick note.

Please remember to return Homework folders on Friday and to be working on your child’s Valentine box! Also remember to be collecting the items for the Valentine Penny Hunt! We have only received one person’s bag of candy thus far and just a few pennies. Thank you so much!

If you need another class list to make Valentine’s, please let me know. I did want to let you know that we found out late Friday afternoon that David is moving away to another school beginning today. It is always sad when our friends leave our classroom and leave an empty place in our hearts.

Important Upcoming Dates:

This Thursday…Principal Appreciation Day

This Friday…Homework Due, Send a Ziplock bag of pennies (boys) or a bag of individually wrapped candy (girls) for our Valentine Penny Hunt

Next week:

February 14…Bring Valentines, Valentine Boxes/Bags

February 20…Presidents’ Day, No School

March 2…Read-Me-Day and Dr. Seuss birthday, Dress up like Cat in the Hat or wear all black. We will make hats together at school.

Have a blessed week,

Mrs. Dawn