Much to be Thankful For

Thank you so much to all the families who came to visit with us today! The students really enjoyed sharing pumpkin pie and our video with you. Our class does have much to be thankful for and if you weren't able to join us this afternoon, you can still check out the video and today's pictures below. I hope each one of you has a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable break. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Gobble, Gobble!

As the autumn leaves continue to change, so do the students in my classroom. We've only been in school for 63 days, yet these 'superheroes in training' have learned so much! With Thanksgiving just a few days away, we've been participating in several turkey related activities.
Today was no exception as the students were read to by a real author. His name is Chris Francis and he lives in Canada. Through video, the students listened as Chris read us one of his books titled, Mr. Pancake Turkey. It was a great book and inspirational to my class since we just wrapped up Narrative Writing where we learned all about the elements of a good story. It was so nice of Chris to take the time to share the story with our class! You can check out more of Chris' work at http://www.francisart.com/
We also decided to try a bit of turkey drawing ourselves. Check out these super gobblers!

Chocolate Milk!

We have entered into a new genre of writing called Functional Writing. Students are learning how to give directions and create pieces of writing that tell "how to". They use transition words (first, next, then, last) to keep their steps in the correct order and create detailed pictures with labels.
Today the students learned how to make chocolate milk by watching each of the steps expertly demonstrated by their teacher (hahaha). Then the students had a chance to follow the steps and make their own chocolate milk. After they wrote about "How to Make Chocolate Milk", they were able to drink their delicious creations.
Who knew writing could be so yummy?!

Diamond D Ranch

Friday was our first field trip of the 2012-2013 school year. The students excitedly boarded the buses, dressed in their new, blue shirts, bursting with anticipation. Diamond D Ranch held many surprises and adventures for the students. We began with a wagon ride into the cow pasture where the students fed the cows and felt their long, rough, slobbery tongues. Throughout the day we fed goats, took care of a pony, had fun on the bouncy houses, went on a barrel ride, took a lunch break, rode horses, and fed some very hungry fish. The students were exhausted after the long day and the bus ride back to school was quiet as most of the students drifted off to sleep. Check out these pictures of our fun day!

Literacy Pumpkin

Awesome! A big thanks goes to Mrs. Porter who came in and helped create this fantastic fish with the students as well as everyone who came out to Super Learning Night and voted for us. We will be celebrating our first place with a Fall snack party. Yummy!

Fall Festival & Super Learning Night

We can't just learn, learn, learn all the time! :-)


So, once in a while we like to throw some fun into the mix. Last Thursday our school hosted Super Learning Night where students did various activities with Math, Reading, Writing, and Science. They also got to read with a super dog, win books on the book walk, buy pizza and cupcakes, and vote on their favorite literacy pumpkin (we're still waiting to hear who the winners were).

Our class also had a fall festival that Thursday where we let our creativity run wild! The students got to paint a pumpkin with a face like their favorite book character, create a fuzzy spider, decorate (and eat!) a delicious cookie, and practice their sight words while coloring a fall masterpiece.

Thanks to the parents who helped with the activities and who sent in supplies to make our fall festival a success! 

Omega Man

On Friday, October 19, all the students at New Berlin were introduced to Omega Man. A real superhero who uses his powers to stop bullying! Omega Man taught the students to be dream makers, not dream breakers. He showed off some of his strength by lifting up a few students with a rod, bending that same iron rod with his mouth and bare hands, and ripping a phone book in half.
All the students were thoroughly impressed and walked away from the presentation remembering what it means to be a true HERO - Helping Everyone Respect Others.

Fall Dance

The students came to school with their toes tapping in anticipation of today's Fall Dance. Most of the students attended after school and had a great time partying with their friends, singing, and dancing to the tunes they love with a live DJ! They also had a chance to support the school by purchasing candy, food, and wrist bands. What a fun afternoon!

Oh October!

October is often known as dental hygiene month, book month, and pizza month. We’re celebrating these by kicking off the Book It! program sponsored by Pizza Hut. Each month, your child will receive a coupon for all the reading they accomplished the previous month. Take this coupon to your local Pizza Hut to pick up a free one-topping personal pan pizza for your super reader! Of course, don’t forget to brush your teeth when you’re done! J

League of Extraordinary Readers

The students were excited and ready to take on the world as we soared into this year's Reading Kickoff. Principal Reese dressed up as Super Woman and we had Dynamite Dave from the Boosterthon and Super Champ all leading out to help the kids get motivated to meet their reading goals. For kindergarten the goal is 45 books each 9 weeks with a grand total of 180 books by the end of the year. Students who meet their reading goal each quarter will get a Super Champ dog tag and little paw charms to add onto it with each goal that is met. Students who reach the yearly goal will attend the Reading Celebration at the end of the school year. The student who reads the most books by the end of May will also get a special prize. So don't forget to log the books you read with your child in the back of the agenda. We want all the students to join the League of Extraordinary Readers!

Superheroes in Training

The students have seven days of school under their superhero belts now and they are quickly becoming experts on following the classroom rituals and routines. Behavior is a part of your child's grade, so thank you for encouraging them to follow directions and always try their best!
We have quite a few events coming up so don't forget to check and sign your child's agenda daily. Homework will be sent home on Mondays and will be collected from the agenda each Friday. I have some great pictures from the first week of school and I will post them as soon as the county sends us our code of conduct books which contain the media release form.
I hope your little superheroes are coming home each day excited about school and I look forward to seeing everyone again for our Open House on Thursday, September 6, from 6:00-7:30pm.

First Day!

Wow! We had quite a first day in kindergarten. Our day was a non-stop blur of learning about each other and about our classroom rituals and routines. We created self portraits, read stories, played with playdough, practiced our writing skills, explored math manipulatives, and somewhere found time to eat lunch and play outside for recess.
Dismissal was a little hectic due to the severe thunderstorm that decided to pass through, but everyone made it home safely and hopefully happy with their first day.
Please remember to have your child wear his or her transportation tag (the green one they came home wearing today) back to school tomorrow. Kindergarten students need to wear this back and forth each day for the first two weeks of school.
Your child also received his or her agenda today. This is our primary method of communication. Please take some time to look through it and get familiar with the set up. The clear pocket in the front is for sending things back and forth and in the back you will find your child's reading log. Go ahead and start filling it up with all the good books you read at home! If you (or your child) is reading chapter books, each chapter can be written down as one book on the log. Today's date is marked with a colored paperclip. Please make sure you check and sign this portion of the agenda daily.
We have an exciting year planned and I'm looking forward to another great school day tomorrow. :-)

Welcome to Kindergarten!

Hello and welcome to my classroom blog! I hope each of you had a fantastic summer.

It's hard to believe that another school year is already beginning. This year we are using our superhero powers to show our students that Nothing Can Stop NBE Super Learners. Your children are going to set out on a journey that will forever change who they are. Like Clark Kent into Superman or Selina Kyle into Catwoman, your children will learn that they too have the superpowers to become anything they want to be. We will take risks, work hard, try new things, and (of course), have fun!  :-)

See you soon!

Summer Break!

It is hard to believe that your children have already completed kindergarten!
We have had such a great year learning and growing together. I hope each of you enjoy your summer and continue to practice and read with your children at home. A successful first grade year depends on your children retaining the information they learned in kindergarten! So don't forget to look for ways to turn everyday experiences into learning moments.
You have been a great support this year and I know you will continue to help your children flourish and succeed. Have a great summer break!

Field Day & Safety Day

Today was quite an eventful day for our kindergarten students (and teachers)!
We started with Field Day and the students were able to participate in relay races, play with hula hoops and bouncing balls, explore the first grade playground, catch each other in freeze tag, push each other on scooters, and enjoy three different inflatable courses. It was quite a morning of excercise!
After lunch, a little rest, and lots of water, we headed into our safety day rotations. The students had a chance to learn about many different ways to stay safe from various professionals that I invited out to our school for this special occasion. The police officers taught us about personal safety and staying away from strangers. The lifeguards talked about staying safe in the water, beach, and sun. The health volunteers showed us how to avoid poisons and take care of our bodies. The coast guard talked about staying safe on boats and what to do in an emergency situation.  The animal safety guests talked about how to take care of and stay safe around wild and domestic animals. The fire fighters taught us the importance of not playing with fire and having a plan in case there is a fire in our home.
Click the picture below to see some of the fun we had during safety day!

Safety Day

Beat the FCAT!

Although it may seem that FCAT and kindergarten have nothing to do with each other, at New Berlin, we believe all the students should be involved in the upcoming FCAT. Our goal is to support our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders as much as possible as they prepare for next week's FCAT testing.
After the intermediate grades completed their FCAT Pep Rally this morning (complete with real cheerleaders and a middle school band and drumline), they marched the halls for our annual FCAT parade. The primary grades made inspirational posters, stood in the halls cheering, waving pom-poms, and encouraging our friends with smiles and high fives! 
Each primary class also paired up with an intermediate class to provide a little extra dose of support. Our class created note cards, bags filled with various pieces of treats, and a friendly reminder: "Don't fall to pieces... Shoot for Success!"

March is Magnificent

March has always been one of my favorite months - and it's not just because of my birthday! :-)
I love how the plants begin to flower, the trees turn vividly green, and the weather begins to warm up.
At school, March is just as beautiful. The students seem to shine and really show growth during this time, both physically and in their academics. Boys and girls who couldn't write their names a few months ago are blossoming into incredible authors and brilliant thinkers!
March also means that our school year is nearly through. Spring break provides a refresher for students, teachers, and parents and prepares us for our final quarter. As we venture into these last 45 days of school, don't forget to continue to practice daily with your children. Many new and exciting concepts will be introduced and it is important for the students to continue to receive support at home and at school.
Happy Spring!

Dr. Seuss

Friday, March 2nd, was Dr. Seuss' birthday. Our class celebrated this day by reading his classic book Green Eggs & Ham. Of course, we couldn't just read the book, we had to try some ourselves! Most of the students were a little nervous to eat something so green-looking. But, that Sam-I-Am can be pretty convincing! So, each one of us took our fork and our first hesitant bite.... YUM! As it turns out, we like green eggs and ham just as much as the characters in the book.
Today, on our field trip, the students received a special treat as they arrived at JCA and experienced the magic of Dr. Seuss' stories coming to life! We even had a chance to meet some of the actors and hear some of the less familiar, yet interesting stories, written by Dr. Seuss.
We also celebrated the life of Dr. Seuss by painting our own cat in the hat pictures. Stop by the classroom sometime to see our artists' great work!

Munching on the Moon!

In science, we have been learning the differences and similarities between the night time and day time skies. One of the things the students noticed was that the moon can be seen sometimes during the day and sometimes during the night. We decided to do a little exploring to discover how this happens. The students were astonished to find out how our earth orbits around the sun and how the moon orbits around the earth. Once they understood how the moon reflects the light from the sun as it orbits, they were able to understand how we can see it at different times.
Today we discussed the different phases of the moon. Since the moon is too far away for us to do any hands on learning, I decided to substitute the moon with a Little Debbie Star Crunch! The students used their "moon" to create the different phases of our moon. We started with a full moon (uneaten), then a gibbous moon (only a sliver missing), followed by a quarter moon (or half), after that a crescent moon (the one that looks like a smile), and finally a new moon (all gone). Who knew learning could be so delicious?!

Remarkable Readers!

We are already half way through the 3rd quarter and the students are really beginning to shine. One of the things they are most proud of is how well they are reading. Click on the pictures below to listen to these remarkable readers!


DeMarcus and Allison


Archer


Logan


Maria


Abby

Happy Valentine's Day

Love is in the air!
The students were so excited to share their love with each other today by creating cards, passing out treats, sharing smiles, and giving lots of hugs. Each student decorated a Valentine's bag and then took it home packed with all kids of goodies.
I hope each of you have a wonderful evening filled with fun and reminders of how much you are loved.



Happy Valentine's Day!

A Delightful 100th Day

Today marked our 100th day of school. The students came in bursting with excitement this morning, wondering what wonderful things were planned for the day. Though we still did most of our typical school activities, we mixed in some fun ways to celebrate this special occasion.
For Reader's Workshop we read a book called 100th Day of Scohol, by Melissa Schiller, which taught the students about several ways another classroom celebrates this unique school day. Then each of the students made a pair of 100th day glasses - some of them even decorated their glasses with 100 things, like 100 stripes. During Recess the students practiced counting to 100 by 1's, 5's, and 10's as they made their way around the field, trying to see whose 100 steps would take them the farthest.
The highlight of the day was our 100th day snack bags. 10 pieces of 10 different treats! The students had to count each treat carefully and record it on their 100th day paper to be sure that they had the right amount of each item. Once the counting was complete, the students watched a video for Health that counts by showing pictures of people at each age starting from 1 and ending at 100. Their favorite part was they were able to eat their snacks until the video reached 100.
Our class even had a special surprise at lunch when our principal, Mrs. Reese, and our vice-principal, Mrs. Polydore, came to eat lunch with them and brought some pizza snacks and colorful pencils! This was a reward that they earned for following directions in the cafeteria and it sure fit in nicely with our already fun-filled day!



A big thank you goes out to all the volunteers who helped by sending in supplies and those who helped with our snack bags!

Little Scientists

January is a big month for Science, both in our classroom and across the school. In kindergarten, the students begin to learn about the scientific process by taking part in a class science project. Our class decided to explore bones!

We began our experiment by observing six small chicken bones. The students concluded that these were just as hard as our own bones. We placed two of them in a container with vinegar, two of them in a container with water, and two of them in an empty container. For the next few days we carefully observed each of the bones and recorded what we saw taking place. The students didn’t notice much change and, by the third day, all of the students were predicting that bones will always be hard.

Our class was amazed when, on the fourth day, the bones in the vinegar had become bendable. We learned through research that bones contain a very important mineral called calcium, which helps to make them hard. Even though our initial predictions were off, we were able to conclude that bones can be made to bend if they do not have enough calcium in them to keep them strong and hard.



Your little scientists also learned about makeing ooblek and mixing colors during our Dr. Suess Science Day!

Christmas Party

The excitement was high as the students walked into class on Thursday, December 15. They had eagerly been awaiting our Christmas Party since the day they learned about our secret gift exchange. The presents were piled high around our little tree and the smiles were wide as our festivities began.
After a delicious pizza party, the students began the rotation of Christmas crafts. They decorated mini-gingerbread marshmallow men, made pattern bead candy canes, created a picture frame ornament, designed a paint swirl ornament, and even mixed up a delicious blend of ingredients for some reindeer food!
Once we had the room cleaned up we began our secret gift exchange. The students came up one at a time to get the gift they had chosen for their friend and call him or her up to open it in front of the class. What a joy to see the excitement on their faces as they learned first hand that it is better to give than to receive!


A BIG THANK YOU goes out to all the family members who came out to help make our day a huge success!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!