Sliding Into First

We started the year off with the poem "Now" written by Prince Redcloud.  We end the school year with our own version of the poem "Now" written in the style of Prince Redcloud.  One hundred and eighty days goes by quickly when you are having fun.  Every day in Room 115 was full of learning, fun, new challenges and hard work for every member.  Thank you so much for supporting, loving and celebrating Room 115.  I appreciate your generous words, time, and resources that you provided and shared with us.

Kindergarten is such a special year, phsically, socially and academically.   Check out the changes from the beginning of the year until  now.



Room 115 will be celebrating all summer with our June and July Birthdays.  So many good things are in store for these outstanding summer birthdays.  Thanks for letting us pretend it was your birthday and celebrate that very important day!
Sometimes in life things need to be freshened up.  We freshened up the instruction of Room 115 this week with dads taking over.  Our focus was on paper airplanes.  How much fun to fold and experiment with paper. To quote "Z" at the end of  the lesson, "That was awesome!"  Thanks to the dads for taking time away from their day to teach, answer questions, help us fold and fly, encourage and smile with us.

  
We got a head start on celebrating Father's Day.  Dads are so important in our lives and we had great fun turning our dads into Super Dad!  I'm not giving away the entire secret:  there is a very special message on the back of these portraits.

And now to the conclusion, the hardest part to write.  Thank you so much for sharing your greatest treasure with me.  At 3:10 tomorrow, a piece of my heart will leave when that last child exits the classroom.  I've learned so much this year from every child in Room 115.  I am a better teacher because of those very special twenty children.  The way the parents of Room 115 came together to support me is how every classroom should be in the United States.  I encourage you to read with your child every day this summer (even on weekends) and limit the screen time.  Please feel free to contact me if I can ever be of assistance  to you (everything from answering educational questions to helping you find your missing dog in the middle of the night!)  One hundred and eighty days ago, we knew it would happen.  We knew that Kindergarteners turn into first graders.  As you can tell, Room 115 is ready to slide into first. Keep in touch and have a wonderful time in first grade!   To quote "Z" from earlier in the week "That was awesome!"  Thanks for a wonderful school year!  I love you all!

Photos from the Big Show

Mrs. Wright  is a first grade teacher at Blount.   As a favor to the Kindergarten teachers, she took photographs of the Kindergarten End of the Year Celebration. The slide show below is her free gift to us.  Enjoy the photographs.  Please visit Mrs. Wright's website http://ameliawrightphotography.com/kindergarten-celebration-blount-elementary/ and leave her a comment.

Near the End

I can't figure out why I've postponed updating the blog this weekend.  It is either because my family's activities made it seem like it was summer or I'm dreading saying goodbye on Friday.  The good news is I forgot my camera at school on Friday so I will post one more time later this week.

Nancy's Italian Ice will be at school tomorrow for $1.00.

Report cards will be issued at 3:00 on Friday.  If your child will not be at school on Friday, please send a stamped self addressed envelope so that I can mail it on Friday.

The big show and the Room 115 celebration was absolutely precious.  Thank you so much for supporting  our classroom.  I thought you might like to see how the family portraits were made. Enjoy.


Now here is a sneak peek with a much better photographer behind the camera.  Mrs. Wright plans to give me a disc of the photos on Tuesday.  I will upload Tuesday night to my Picasa web albums for you to view and grab:  Sneak Peak Photos from the Big Show .   Obviously I like any photo that contains the yellow shirts but my favorite is the last photo of all you guys with your cameras.  (Note:  Once Mrs. Wright saw me taking a photo of you guys, she turned her camera on you guys too...sooooo  technically that photo was my idea!)  Spend a little time and check out Mrs. Wright's photography website at www.ameliawrightphotography.com

The children loved making the puppets.  I loved watching them learn how to manipulate the arm.  Maybe time will stand still and Friday won't come.
 

Back in the fall I had a little bit of trouble with paper airplanes.  I talked with the students and told them the last week of school  we could make paper airplanes.  I forgot about that conversation but two weeks ago, a little voice in the classroom politely reminded me of it.  Since we have dads who are experts on airplanes I've asked for reinforcements this week in helping to make paper airplanes.  We could always use more help so if you are interested in helping Room 115 make paper airplanes on Wednesday afternoon, please contact me by Monday night so that you can get in on the planning.

We are going to have a busy week full of learning.  I am keeping structure in Room 115.  The week will probably go by fast when I want it to slow down.  Like I said last Friday,  this has been a great story and I'm sad for the final chapter to be read.  But I'm so glad I was part of the story. 

Look for one more post later this week.  Thanks so much for loving Room 115!

It Is Almost Here....

Our hard work is about to pay off.  The Kindergarten Celebration is this Friday at 9:00.  Immediately after the Kindergarten Celebration will be a Celebration of Room 115.  As you can see by our tally chart, we are up to 67 people in our classroom (now 21 of those people are always in room Room 115!).  That number will still grow because we have not heard from every family yet.  If you are planning on staying for the Celebration of Room 115, please write a short note to the class so that we can be prepared for you.  We have several surprises for you and the child's drawing in the slide show is a teaser.  Our classroom celebration will be a very sweet time and I'm sure there will be a few tears that will fall from parents.

Please dress your child on Friday in the yellow field trip t-shirt with a khaki bottom:  shorts, skort,  or pants.  If your child does not have any sentimental attachment to the yellow t-shirt, I will be happy to take it off your hands next week for those days next year when an emergency yellow t-shirt is needed.

I can't tell you the perfect place to sit to get the best seat for the Celebration in the lunchroom but I can give you some details.  If you are facing the stage, our class will be standing on the far right. After the program, each child will walk across the stage to shake Mrs. Green's hand and receive a certificate.  The hand shake photo opportunity will take place on the right hand of the stage.  Our class is the first class to be presented to Mrs. Green.  The children will walk to the library and stay there until every class has received a certificate.  Then we will return to the stage for a class photo opportunity.  Our class will be the last class brought up on the stage for the photograph.  After our group  photo opportunity, we will return to Room 115 for a celebration of our classroom.

You will not be allowed in the library to take photos of your child or say hello.  Please stay seated in the lunchroom and be respectful watching the entire grade level get their certificates.  

If you are checking older students out for the program in the lunchroom,  you may want to check them back in to their regular classrooms for the Room 115 Celebration.   It looks like we will have a big crowd in Room 115 and space may become an issue.  A crowded classroom probably will mean a hot classroom so just be patient and enjoy the personalities of Room 115.  Do not send back packs on Friday because of the room setup, our cubbies will be blocked!

For those of you that want to get there early to get a good seat, there is a slideshow that will start at 8:30 for your entertainment.  The slide show is 15 minutes so it will repeat at 8:45 and the show begins at 9:00. 

I have only heard from one family about time constraints.  Let me know if you have a certain time you need to be back at work and I will work around your schedule.

If you are checking your child out after the celebrations, I will need a slip of paper from the office.  I cannot release a child without you going through the proper procedures.  Thanks for understanding.

Last week was a very busy week for birthdays.  We had three real birthdays and one pretend summer birthday. (Remember I will have a summer birthday slideshow in next week's blog posting.)  Check out the boys that had birthdays last week!  I am so lucky that I get to work with such happy young men!
 

This week, we will be finishing up secrets for the celebration, working on subtraction and continuing to read.  I sent out emails on Friday about your child's word wall word assessment. Even though our celebration is Friday. We will still be learning in Room 115 all the way up until June 8!  Contact me with any questions or concerns.

We Have A Secret!!!!

You see this very happy face.  This very happy face is working very hard on our project for Room 115's Celebration that will be Friday, June 1 immediately following the Kindergarten Program.  If you plan to attend the Room 115 Celebration, please write a short note this week to the class telling them how many people will be coming to the Room 115 Celebration.  The children will love to keep track of the number of people attending our celebration.  Your note will make sure  that we have plenty of food and chairs available for the celebration.  Our celebration in the classroom should be over by 11:00.  If you need to return to work earlier then please let me know and I will make sure your child goes first in our program.  Several parents have asked if they may check their child out after the program to spend a special afternoon with your almost first grader. The answer to that question is yes.

Please enter our classroom cautiously during the next few weeks.  The children are protective over our projects and do not want to ruin the surprises we have for you.

I will begin testing Word Wall Words on Friday.  I hope to finish on Friday but it may run over into next week.

Nancy's is tomorrow for $1.00.

The library is closed for the remainder of the year so please turn in all library books.  I have AR books in the classroom so your child can continue to take tests up until the end of the school year.

The children have their final DIBELS testing on Tuesday.  Our class is scheduled to go at 8:30 so  please be on time so that we can have a normal start of the day.  

There was reading homework this weekend.  Please make sure your child is able to read all reading homework in a manner that he/she talks.  We are really working hard to read like we talk.  If your child is reading in a choppy manner then practice, practice and practice those reading homework sheets.  Reading fluently comes with practice, practice and more practice.  We will have reading homework right up until the end of the school.  School doesn't end in Room 115 until Friday, June 8.

Please start saving empty food containers and sending them into school this week.  We are going to have a little store set up in our classroom for dramatic play purposes.   We already have a cash register and I'm bringing in a grocery cart this week.  If you have canned food, open from the bottom so that it looks like it has never been opened.  Anything you can purchase at a grocery store is perfect just please clean out any containers.

Forty-eight out of the fifty states have adopted the Common Core Standards.  Alabama will be implementing the standards beginning next year.  (States had the option of implementing this year or next.)  If you are curious about the standards click Common Core Standards.  Scroll to the middle of the page and you will see Read English Language Arts Standards or  Read Mathematics Standards.  Click to open and then click on the desired grade level.

 This month is full of birthdays!  Happy, happy birthday to this special six year old.  I am so lucky to work with this outstanding young man.  (We are celebrating the summer birthdays during the next three weeks.  I will have a special slide show for summer birthdays in my final blog post.)

No school on Monday in observance of Memorial Day.

Our poetry journal this week will be about jiggly teeth which we have a lot of in Room 115.  The final poem will come home on June 1.

We are down to our final rolls of paper towels if somebody would like to donate a few rolls.  Thanks for always supporting  Room 115 and loving the members!  Contact me with any questions or concerns.

Thank you...Thank you...Thank you!!!

The big news from last week was the letter X was missing from our wall alphabet chart.  We looked in the room and theories floated around about what happened.  A problem solver in the class even drew a picture to act as substitute wall card until we found the original.  On Friday, we followed some clues and located a treasure chest.  Once opened....viola...we found our missing wall card and cookies shaped in the letter X.  We decorated the cookies as we celebrated our investigations of all twenty-six letters of the alphabet.  For the rest of the school year, we will be reviewing letters/sounds/word wall words.  This week we are investigating the short and long sounds of the vowels.


On Monday, I'm sending home a sheet of paper that needs to be turned in on Tuesday.  The information that needs to be filled out is needed to start on a very special project.  The letter is bright yellow and can be found in the return to school section of the binder.  This is for our end of the year secret that will be unveiled on June 1 during the Room 115 celebration.  If you have not done so, please send in $5.00 to offset the cost of materials for the end of the year secret.

Monday is Nancy's Italian Ice for $1.00.

May 18 is the last day for library books.  Read them and return them and get a new book before this Friday.

Poetry Journals did NOT make it into book bags on Friday so look for them on the 18.

Did you check Friday's binder for your final Mother's Day surprise? The children have been busy for several weeks working on all of your secrets.  Please know how much they enjoyed making secrets for you.  Be sure to ask your child how the painted flowers were made on the vases.


Thank you so much for the lovely surprises, sweet treats and cards of appreciation for Teacher Appreciation Week.  I can't imagine there is a teacher in the United States that had more surprises than me.  When I was in college, a professor taught me to every day  ask myself "What did you do today as a teacher that was really great and worked?"  Then he told me to ask "What did you do today as a teacher that needs to be improved?"  Every single school day since my first day in the classroom, I've reflected on those questions.  Please know that I've had sleepless nights where I thought about each member of Room 115 and came up with a plan of action to further your child's Kindergarten learning.  Your children are part of my heart and I do not look forward to June 8.  I am very humbled by the outpouring of support you gave me last week and the entire school year. Please know that I appreciate your generosity.

Fiesta!!!

May has a lot to celebrate and we are prepared and ready.  We have five May birthdays and three July birthdays to celebrate in the upcoming days.  The June birthdays will be celebrated the last week of school. Throw in Mother's Day and the Big Show on June 1 and it makes for a great month to celebrate Room 115.

This week we will be investigating the letter Xx as in "X on the x-ray."  Word Wall words are say, came, up.  There is a little bit of concern because our alphabet card for the letter X has disappeared.  Stay tuned for the rest of this story!  This is the last of our introduced alphabet letters and word walls.  Beginning the week of May 14, we will be reviewing all sounds and word wall words.

Monday is Italian Ice for $1.00.  Library is also Monday so be sure to return library books.

To prepare for Friday's Crafternoon Cinco De Mayo theme, we made a paper quilt of a star pinata.  Don't forget this summer to keep a stash of  construction paper, scissors, glue, markers, crayons and a roll of tape available for creations.

We are practicing for the Kindergarten End of the Year Celebration on Friday, June 1 at 9:00.  Then stay for the Room 115 celebration immediately after the program.  We have a very special project (that will make you tear up and keep forever) that we are working on.  Please send in $5.00 by this Friday to offset the cost of the materials.

Be sure to look in book bags on Friday afternoon not only for our poetry journals but also for several items for Mother's Day.  We have had a fun time thinking of our moms as we work on our projects.

There will be no reading homework on Tuesday night due to the fact that reading groups on that day will be working on some very important writings for Mom.

What a fun time we had at our last Crafternoon!  It was certainly a wonderful time to celebrate the fun that comes with May.  Thanks to all the parents that assisted in the classroom and those that sent in money to provide for the supplies.  Our classroom was such a busy place!  Thank you, thank you, thank you for loving Room 115.

I will be out of the classroom on Monday.  Mrs. Owen is scheduled to substitute that day so I know the children will be well taken care of and working hard.

The school is participating in several events this week to benefit the community and our school.

We went to an assembly last Tuesday sponsored by the American Red Cross.  They talked about the different parts that make up blood.  They made Kool-Aid as a reference.  Here is the lesson if you want to use it the next time you make Kool-Aid. (I'm sure your child's middle school science teacher will be pleased that your child already knows the parts/responsibilities of the blood.)   The Kool-Aid was the red blood cells.  Red blood cells are the oxygen in the blood.  The sugar was the white blood cells.  They fight off being sick and kills germs.  The water was the plasma that helps the blood circulate.  The ice was the platelets.  Platelets help you to stop bleeding.  The Blount blood drive is this Monday from 1:30-6:30 at Grace Pointe Church (across the street from the school).

Join us Tuesday, 8 May at Marcos Pizza (Vaughn, Taylor Rd) from 5-9 for Blount's Spirit Night!! 

10% of all of the Blount student's/teacher's orders for the evening will go to Blount Elementary! 

Here's the GREAT part!!  You can earn an End of the Year pizza party for your class. 

This is what you need to do:

1. Order your pizza from Marcos (Vaughn/Taylor Rd) for pick-up, delivery or take-out

2.  Make sure you tell them your teacher's name (Don't worry if you have more than one Blount student

just tell them all your children's' teacher's names.

Marcos will keep track the orders and Mrs. Janet will announce the winning teacher it at the end of the week.

Contact with me with any questions or concerns.