Mrs. P. Kok's P. Chicks

Next Week

2011-05-17T18:28:00.001-07:00

Please check this writeboard, password: imagine, for next week's schedule of events and for items to donate.

Thanks!

Spelling Words and Update

2011-04-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

We are in the homeward stretch of the school year and still going very strong!! Our final unit has begun, Inventions, Innovations, and Discovery. The girls are eager to learn and excited about all the learning it could possibly entail. We are also reading Roald Dahl's novel The BFG and they are very excited about it!

Our spelling test from last week should be in your little darling's clear folder today. We are still struggling to apply the rule, but the girls are determined to become better spellers and want to try a similar approach again with the new spelling list. So, there are three IB unit vocabulary words to learn: invention, creativity, and discovery. The spelling rule that will be learned and applied is: words that end in 'ch', 'sh', 'x', 's', 'ss', and 'zz' need an 'es' added to the end when made plural. Examples are buzzes, catches, boxes, and buses.

This Friday, April 22 is another PE Dress Down Day. If your daughter would like to wear something other than her uniform, she may donate $2 to the PE department to do so.

Spring Break

2011-04-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Spring Break is next week! There will be no school April 4-8. A spring break homework packet will come home today in clear folders. It is optional. Also, spelling tests will come home today. I was very disappointed in the results of many of the tests. Please be sure you and your little darling understand that with the exception of the unit words, the other words will be skill based and the specific words will be unknown prior to the test. THERE WILL BE A RETEST ON Friday, April 15th. Please be sure that your little darling studies for the retest. HAVE A GREAT BREAK!

Update, Spelling Test, and Homework

2011-03-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

A few notes:

The copier was down today and homework was unable to be copied. Hopefully, it will come home tomorrow. The front page can be accessed via the homework link.

There will be a spelling test this Friday, April 1st.

This week's spelling test will be a skill based test, not all a specific list. There will be three IB unit words: scarcity, advertisement, and barter. The skill will be adding -ed or -ing to verbs. The girls will need to know to double the final consonant on short vowel, single syllable words such as hop to hopped or hopping, sled to sledded or sledding. There will also be words that have a final 'e' and it will need to be dropped when adding the suffix. I would suggest giving mock tests after some practice to prepare your little darling for Friday's test. (The root words will be encodeable words.)

Please be sure that you and your little one are in the brainstorming process for the final project. They will present their chosen project on their assigned day in May.

Thanks to those who attended the Auction on Saturday night. Congrats to the Caldas Family on their winning bid of our fabulous bench!!!

Spring Break, April 4-8: no school

We have really been enjoying our time in the computer lab each Monday morning! We work on various technology terms and skills. At this time, your little darling should be using two hands on the keyboard (this will make formal typing easier), know how to use the caps lock, number lock, and tab keys, able to minimize, maximize, and close windows, and use Microsoft Word to type and save a file.

STAR reading assessment was given and Diagnostic Reports will come home in the clear folders.

There are NO more mystery readers signed up for the remainder of the school year. This really is something that the girls look forward to each week. Please reach out and see if there is someone you know that would be willing to come read to the P. Chicks!!!

Weekly Update

2011-02-25T05:34:00.000-08:00

Info to Know

We need Junior Achievement volunteers!! Our next unit, Trade, fits JA's lessons perfectly! There are five prepared, easy lessons, one for each week. If you are willing to take on teaching one or more and taking a quick training from Mrs. McConnell, please let me know!
Six Flags Reading Logs are due on Tuesday, March 1. Please complete 360 minutes of reading, record, and turn in the log to receive a free Six Flags ticket for the summer!
Our Class Social will be on Saturday, March 5 @ the Atlanta Food Bank. We will be delivering the non-perishable items we collected for the 100th day, taking a tour of the food bank, and eating lunch afterwards at West Egg Cafe. If you are able to attend beginning at 10:15, please email Tamara Caldas so she can notify the Food Bank of how many to expect.
Please be sure to sign up for a conference time on the writeboard.
We are in need of one calculator. If you are able to donate one, thank you!
Don't forget our first grade girls' book swap. There are lots of great books to share!

Academic Update

Our week has been focused on finishing our Weather unit, including finishing our Knowledgeable project presentations. We took our spelling test, completed 3/4 of our math test, and started our new unit, Trade.
Next week: more on Trade, complete the math test, two half days, computer lab, no reading groups, and new spelling words

Conference Sign Up

2011-02-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

Conference dates are Wednesday, March 2 & Thursday, March 3. These conferences will be student led with the girls discussing their strengths and weaknesses along with a review of work that has been kept in their portfolios. Please check out our writeboard to sign up for a time.

Thanks!

Class Social

2011-02-17T08:09:00.000-08:00

We are having a class social!! Saturday, March 5th @ 10:15 we will visit the Atlanta Food Bank to deliver our 100 cans we collected for the 100th day. We will also take a tour of the Food Bank. Then we will dine out together at the West Egg Café, 1100 Howell Mill Road afterwards. Thanks to Tamara Caldas for this great idea and setting it all up!

Address and Directions

A Quick Update

2011-02-13T18:37:00.000-08:00

Thanks to those who have signed up for items from the writeboard for the 'Pal'entine's Day celebration! I'm sure it will be a wonderful day!
The girls were quite sad about the missing mystery reader last week. Please check out that writeboard and sign up! They love the guessing and mystery!
Re-enrollment paperwork and lunch menus are due on the 18th.
PTA meeting on Tuesday night @ 6:30.
Last week's spelling words were chosen mostly by the girls. Please sign and return them. The next list will focus on plurals ending with -y and requiring changing the -y to -ies.
This week we will wrap our Weather unit with group assessment projects before our three day Winter Break, Feb. 21-23.

Weekly Update

2011-02-07T06:29:00.000-08:00

News to Know

We are still missing three books from the Henry County Library. The combined cost of the three missing books is $76.91. Please, please, please double check your books at home for the missing titles: Up North, Down South: A Book About Map Skills, Magic School Bus Blows Its Top, Annie and the Wild Animals
This Thursday, February 10 is our school Math Fair from 5-7 pm. We need four student classroom volunteers to be present for thirty minutes to be a first grade math ambassador at our tables. If your little darling is willing please let me know ASAP.
Our Make-Up snow day will be on two current half days. They will become full student days: March 16 & May 25.
Last week's math homework was mis-paced. We are working on lesson 5.8 today and will finish this week with lesson 5.10. Please review the corresponding homelinks from last week's homework this week.
The next Boxtop submission deadline is February 21. Keep clipping, saving, and submitting!
Student Council will be selling carnation valentines this week for Valentine's Day delivery. They can be purchased during lunch for $2.00.
Don't forget Scholastic Book Orders are online and available until February 16th. Our online class activation code is GLFVV.
We are participating in "Pennies for Patients." Your daughter should have brought home a small collection box on Friday to collect them.
THE SPELLING TEST THIS WEEK WILL BE ON THURSDAY!
Valentine's Day is Monday, February 14th. We will have a 'Pal'entine's Celebration in the class on Monday to celebrate friendship. Please have your little darling working on her 'Pal'entine's Day cards to exchange on that day. Also, we will have a special partner snack (please check the writeboard) and make a 'mailbox' in class. Please be looking at home for a container to decorate here at school; send those in on Friday or Monday.

Chinese Lunar New Year

2011-02-01T09:06:00.000-08:00

In celebration of the New Year, the girls may wear a red shirt on Thursday with uniform bottoms or red Chinese clothing. If you have any questions, please shoot me an email

Weekly Update

2011-01-31T08:26:00.000-08:00

News to Know

Tomorrow is the 100th day of school! Please send in items you might have signed up for our special snack and five canned food items for our 100 item donation. It should be a fun day!
Re-enrollment forms are due February 18th to the main office staff with all requested paperwork.
Tuesday, February 1st there is a PTA sponsored dine-out @ 5 Seasons brewery. Please come out to support the school, check out some of our own Chinese dancers, and taste some yummy brew made by our IB Parent Unit of Inquiry group.
Congrats to our classroom Spelling Bee winners Kara & Jayla! Good luck on Tuesday in the school Bee!
Tomorrow I will check reading logs in agendas for Book It! Please be sure that January's reading has been recorded.

Academic Update

Last week, we completed a Language Arts cumulative test. It was sent home in the clear folders on Friday. Please review it with your little darling, sign it, and return it if you have not done so already.
Last week we dove into the water portion of weather. We learned the definition of precipitation as well as examples. We also discussed the water cycle and the three states of matter. There were a lot of new words and vocabulary. Also, it was great to do a couple of experiments on our own as well as with the traveling field trip from High Touch, High Tech: Weather or Not?! In math, we worked a lot with place value, comparisons, digits, and had explorations. Did you know that we should always work our ones place first? Reading groups got back on track focusing on fluency, expression, and comprehension. We are still working on reviewing and editing our writing to be sure to include a title, topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a conclusion. IT WAS A BUSY WEEK!!
This week will discuss weather prediction, meteorology, and weather tools. We will focus on being reflective, fair, and compassionate. In reading groups, we will focus on the main idea, so please discuss that when reading at home. In math, we will continue to add and compare two digit numbers and number stories.

100th Day!-UPDATED

2011-01-26T19:43:00.000-08:00

The 100th day of school is Tuesday, February 1st! I have many ideas for that day, but want the girls to narrow them and choose their favorites. I am sure that they will want to have the 100 piece snack mix so I have created a writeboard of items we will need. Please send them in on Monday so they can be prepared for Tuesday's celebration.

Also, I am thinking of a donation of 100 items. I want the girls to have some ownership and decisions, but please be prepared. (guidance will probably be towards 100 canned goods) Also, is there someone that would be willing to deliver these to a food bank? The girls agreed to the 100 canned food donation. Tonight they are supposed to figure out how many can they will each need to bring for 23 people to have 100 cans.

Here are some 100th day activity websites:

Starfall Interactive 100th Day ebook
Count Along to 100
Splat Square
Give the Dog a Bone-my personal favorite!

AR testing

2011-01-25T12:12:00.000-08:00

AR testing can now be done at any time. The weekend restrictions have been disabled! Have fun and happy reading!

Just Announced:IWIA Spelling Bee!

2011-01-25T08:08:00.001-08:00

Today a short list of possible words will be sent home to study for the Spelling Bee. We will hold a short Bee in the classroom on Monday. The top two spellers from our class will compete in a K-3 Bee on Tuesday. So study those spelling strategies and good luck!

Weekly Update for the New Year

2011-01-21T07:32:00.000-08:00

We are back on track for the New Year, despite the crazy, icy start to our schedule! Here are new links, info, and updates.

Info to Know

We can now take AR tests at home! Click here to go to the website to test at home. Remind our little darlings to do their best and take testing seriously. If you need a user name and password reminder, shoot me an email.

Please be sure to review the Unit 4 math tests that are in your little ones clear folder with them. Sign and return the test on Monday.

Thank you to all that returned the intention form for the Rising First Grade chats! These will happen on Thursday, January 27 @ 4pm for the telephone conference and @ 4:30 for the on-campus conference.

Our class will be partnering with Mrs. McConnell's class to start a book swapping club. Look for a flyer early next week!

Please go to the writeboard via the webpage to sign up Mystery Readers! The girls really love to have the clues and a person come to read to them and so far we only have one person signed up!

Academic Update

This week we have finished our math assessment for unit 4. Check out our tests and review concepts which we might have struggled! We worked on creating paragraphs/stories with a topic, supporting details, and a conclusion. Creating the conclusion is the hardest for us! Also we reestablished our daily routine, especially center time where we demonstrated that we can balance doing our best on assignments with time management. We also discussed various weather words, rainbows, and MLK.

Next week: review of place value (from this week), greater than, less than or equal to, explorations, weight, precipitation, the water cycle, creating cohesive stories and paragraphs, proofreading our writing, STAR testing

On a personal note, I shared a secret with the girls this week....please ask them to share it with you!

Weekly Update

2010-10-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Info To Know

Please be sure your little darling has 20 dimes for her math tool kit. We need these this week for our 'Dimes' lesson.
Please return your picture packages. Remove the pictures that you wish to purchase and return the unwanted pictures to school.
Stone Mountain permission slips are due by Wednesday, November 10th.
Thanks to all of the awesome volunteers that make all of our classroom endevours possible!! Field trip chaperones, daily volunteering within the classroom, at-home task takers, supply donations, room parent, class photographers...the list is endless. THANK YOU!!
No poetry notebooks came home because we didn't have sufficient time to complete this week's centers and have-tos. These will continue next week and include a second poem. Look for 'Lunch Box' & 'Vote for Me' next week.
We are collecting tote bags, backpacks, and reusable lunch bags for the people of Haiti. Please send these in as you can.

Academic Update

This week our field trip was tiring, but so AWESOME! We were able to see an expansive recycling center and international market. Our healthy snack was really enjoyed by all...the pomegranates were the overall favorite! This week we also learned more strategies for solving addition and subtraction problems. We can use the number grid and number line to help us and see patterns when using frames and arrows. Also, we worked with clocks to tell time to the half hour. We have begun our writing of our class book with heroes as our topic. We have brainstormed, written a rough draft, and are in the beginning stages of revision. Also, we learned about proper and regular nouns.
Next week we begin creating our partner dioramas. We have enough shoeboxes; now the girls will need to brainstorm ideas and bring items to place within them to show what they have learned in Nature's Needs. This will be a main focus of our week. We will also continue the revision process for our book pages and continue the same centers and have-to labs, as we didn't have enough time to complete them this week. In math, we will continue lessons using frames and arrows, introduce the dime, and use our calculators.

Quick Weekly Update

2010-10-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

School is closed next week, October 11-15 for Fall Break. Enjoy the beautiful weather and time off.
Use the AR website to check if books your little darling is reading at home can be tested. Upon our return, we will be able to test on any AR books read.
Thanks to our Pumpkin Patch chaperones and Pumpkin Math volunteers! It was great to learn so much about pumpkins!
Next week in our PYP unit will be humans and their needs!
Please sign and return the report card envelope only! Keep the enclosed documents.
Don't forget to return the red homework and poetry notebooks on Monday, Oct. 18th!
DeKalb Farmer's Market permission slips and monies are due NO later than Tuesday, Oct. 19th....that is the week of our return from fall break!!!

Weekly Update

2010-10-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

News to Know

Wednesday is a Half Day with Noon Dismissal. We eat lunch on half days so please be sure to send your daughter with a lunch.
Tuesday is our first field trip to The Pumpkin Patch. The P. Kok Pride should wear jeans, our new t-shirts, and comfortable walking shoes. Please also pack a lunch in all disposable containers. Our next trip will be to the Farmer's Market at the end of the month. Permission slips and info will come home on Tuesday.
There will be no reading groups this week due to the field trip and noon dismissal on Wednesday.
We will need help on Thursday afternoon for Pumpkin Math! If you are able to help us out on Thursday from 12:30 - 2:00 please let us know.
Book It! has begun! Our first grade reading goal is to read at least 20 minutes for at least 25 days/nights in each month. This should be recorded in the agenda on the monthly page.
Our school nurse is in need of first aid supplies. If you have items to donate, please send them in and we will forward them or you can contact her directly. pamela.hobbs@imagineschools.com
Each Wednesday is Chinese Book checkout day. Thanks to Mr. Cook for making our needed CDs!
We will be gardening twice per month with Joel Gerber our gardener-in-residence! I think the girls might benefit by having a large, old over sized shirt at school for 'messy' days (art, too). Please send those in, labelled.
Scholastic Book orders are due on Tuesday.
Silly Socks may be worn on Monday.

Week Seven Update

2010-09-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

Info to Know

Field trip permission slips and money are due Tuesday! Please let me know if you need another slip. Late slips and money will not be accepted.
Phoenix of the Month: Cydney has displayed respect for others. Congrats!
We are slowly launching our Accelerated Reader (AR) program. This program allows for the girls to choose books within their reading range, read them, and then take a comprehension test on the computer. They took their first test on Friday on their reading group book. Look on Monday for an info sheet for parent access. If you are able to level some books, either at home or at school, please let us know!
Please be sure to return the forms distributed at Parent-Teacher conferences. They were due on Friday, Sept. 24.
Your little darling should have brought home her orange vocabulary notebook. Please review it with her, help her place her pages in it, and return it on Monday.
Does anyone have a play cash register we can use? I would like to set up a "classroom store."
There will not be a bi-weekly progress report this week due to report cards being issued next Friday, October 8.
Half day--noon dismissal--Wednesday, October 6
Thanks to Shannon, Willow's mom, for getting our t-shirt order together AND getting them donated!! Thanks to Holly, Gigi's mom, as well for getting the ideas and thoughts together in the artwork! I am SO excited to see them!
Shannon has also created a writeboard for classroom volunteering. Check it out! If there are other times you would like to volunteer, please let us know! We can always use help!

Academic Update

Last week we began our Nature's Needs unit. We discussed the difference in living and non-living things, what we already know, and what we want to learn. In math, we began counting coins (nickels & pennies), making trades, and explored some new math tools.
This coming week we will begin our inquiry of plants. The girls are very interested in how leaves change, planting, and why we need plants. We will define and expand our vocabulary learning about photosynthesis. In math, we will write number models (number sentences) and have our unit two assessment at the end of the week. If you want to help us, we are even going to try to plant on Friday..should need extra hands.

Weekly Update

2010-09-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

Info to Know

Class Social: Tomorrow, Saturday, September 18 at the Kok Lakehouse! I know the girls are VERY excited about this. Please bring life jackets, if you have them, drinks, swimming attire and accessories, camp chairs, and whatever you signed up to bring. Looks like we are expecting 54 according to the Evite RSVP! When you get on Ernest Gibson Road look for the white with orange writing 'Peter Kok' signs. Those will make the tricky part easy! Parking might fill up fast so you can also park on the road at the top and walk down to the Par-tay! Don't forget your sunscreen!
Poetry Notebooks are supposed to come home every Friday. If your little darling forgets to bring hers home, please help to remind her. This year there are more responsibilities on the girls...I don't hand them these; I just remind them to take them home. Once they are home, they will need help putting them into their notebooks and sharing them with you. Your responsibility is to sign and date each week, only once, letting me know that you have seen them. The new poem for this week was Crayons. The poetry notebook should then come right back to school.
Picture Day is Monday, September 20. Please wear uniforms and a smile. All girls will be photographed for the yearbook on Monday.
I should know by Tuesday when we are expecting to have SAT 10 results.
Please return permission slips for the Pumpkin Patch, a signed copy of the STAR parent report, and the other two forms from parent conferences.
NUT day Friday, September 24.

Academic Update

This week was so off-schedule, but the girls did very well with the out-of-the-ordinary days! We completed our PYP unit, Heroes, with some very amazing displays of knowledge! Also, the caring projects were very diverse and thoughtful. Everyone did an awesome job! We also learned about clocks, reading them to the hour, and discussed the importance of labeling units of numbers. Can your little darling tell you why knowing how to read the clock is important?

Next week, we begin our Nature's Needs unit!! In this first week, we will discuss what we want to learn and review living and non-living. In math we will explore rulers, length, and dominoes, examine the penny and nickel, and learn how to count them. PLEASE SEND IN 10 NICKELS for your daughter's math tool kit by Tuesday. In writing, we will create a class story to demonstrate and practice the writing process and reading groups will restart. Back on track and starting fresh! It should be a great week!

Scholastic Activation Code

2010-09-15T07:59:00.001-07:00

If you are wanting to place an online book order (the easiest way), please use the link to the Scholastic Book Club under Class Links. Register for your own account and use the class activation code: glfvv.
Thanks and Happy Reading!!

Quick Reminders & Notes

2010-09-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

Please come join me at the PTA meeting tonight!! 6:30—childcare will be provided!

Tomorrow & Thursday are NOON dismissal days! After-care will be available. Lunch WILL be served!

Please practice with your little darling her middle name(s). Many don’t know how to spell them and they are very curious!

Wednesdays are media days! Please be sure to return the IWIA library books tomorrow. This could be a reminder to put in the agenda!

Scholastic Book Order Flyers and books ordered last month came home today! Please look over the flyers and order online via the class blog link!! It’s only $1.00 to build your reader’s at home library!!

Weekly Update

2010-09-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

News to Know

Wednesday, Sept. 15 & Thursday, Sept. 16 are half-day noon dismissal days to allow for parent conferences. Students will need lunch and After-Care will be available. Please let me know if your daughter will have out-of-the-ordinary dismissal plans.
Please be sure to sign up for a Parent-Teacher conference on our writeboard.
IWIA is a Title One school. Further information will be forthcoming.
Picture Day will be next Monday, September 20.
Our first PTA meeting will be Tuesday, September 14. (First of only four this year!) Please join the PTA--it would be great to have 100% participation!!
Thanks to all that participated in the PTA fundraiser!
Caring Projects are due this week.
Our class social is this weekend! If you haven't gotten the evite, please let me know. We are looking forward to it! If you have any extra child life jackets, please bring them along!
Please be sure to open agendas to the current date when returning each day in the clear folders.

Academic Update

Last week: peaceful heroes, number grids, number combinations of 10, unit labels, vowel combinations
This week: clocks, telling time to the hour, explorations, pennies, PYP IB unit wrap-up & assessment, caring projects
There will be no reading groups this week due to our irregular schedule.

2010-09-09T06:41:00.001-07:00

Please check the writeboard to sign up for a parent conference. See your email for the password. These are scheduled for the half days (noon dismissal), September 15th and September 16th.

Mini-Weekly Update

2010-08-30T19:11:00.000-07:00

Just some thoughts and info I wanted to share:

Today our Caring project sheets came home. Please be sure you have one and let me know if clarifications need to be made. These are due the week of September 13th.
Highlights magazine ordering slips also came home in the clear folders. Please be sure to check yes or no and SIGN before you return. With either answer we receive free gifts!
Homelinks for math this week are out of order. We completed lesson 1.12 today, will complete 1.13 tomorrow and lesson 1.11 on Wednesday.
Spelling tests will come home tomorrow. Please be sure to sign and return.

Thanks and here's looking forward to a great week!!

I'm Back!!

2010-08-30T06:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all of your patience and understanding during my absence! I missed the girls and I am glad to return!

Weekly Update

2010-08-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

Info to Know

N.U.T.(No Uniform Today) Passes were send home for purchase this past week. If you would like to purchase, please return in a labeled envelope. Please note that these are the ONLY days that when purchased the girls can "dress down." The days are on the P.Kok Pride calendar.
Spelling tests are every other week. We will have our first spelling test on Friday, August 27. The girls are responsible to learn these words at home and if they would like to learn two extra bonus words they may choose any two words. They should remember these for the test.
Poetry Notebooks are supposed to come home every Friday. Please be sure to review these with your little darling, initial, and date then return them no later than Thursday.
So far our class has the best attendance of all the first grade classes!! Let's keep up that attendance and on-time arrival percentage. I hear a party is in the future of the class with the best record!!
During my absence this week, please try to use the agenda or paper notes, for any pertinent information for the substitute. My email access will be limited.
Please allow your daughter to bring a water bottle that seals well to class. Hydration is key to optimum brain activity!
If you are able to commit to volunteering for one hour per week during our reading groups, 1:10 - 2:10, please let me know. I would like to make a consistent volunteer schedule for that time!

Academic Update

This past week we continued with our study of heroes. We discussed community heroes, how they impact a community, and how community heroes around the world do the same. Did you know that all heroes are not human? In math, we learned and played some new games, Top It and Bunny Hop. We reviewed sight words, sounds, and what makes a sentence. Reading groups went really well and almost everyone remembered to take home and return their books!
Next week, SAT 10 testing, tally marks, calendars, and tall tales!! Do you think the girls will be able to distinguish real from imaginary heroes?

Weekly Update- 1st Edition 2010 School Year

2010-08-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Academic Update

Our first week was absolutely fabulous! All the girls looked great in their uniforms all week, they bounced right back or learned quickly the classroom routines, and jumped right into learning! Here are some highlights from this week and the upcoming week!

This past week we created our class agreements: 1-To be polite, 2-To be safe, & 3- To have fun. We signed that we would all commit to follow these over the course of the year. In math, we took a quick assessment to see what we already know and what we will need to work on in first grade. We also discussed many math routines for calendar and weather, number sequence in the number line and the hundreds chart, and applied our discussions to create and explore our own versions. Come see examples on our bulletin board outside the classroom! In IB, we began our first unit, Heroes. We read some stories to see if we could identify and define 'heroes,' agreed on a definition and recorded it in our vocabulary notebooks, and compiled a list of what we want to learn about heroes. We also took a one minute sight word to test, completed three have-to labs, and used our agendas to self-evaluate each day and the week. It was really a great and productive first week of school!
Next week, we will start looking and discussing everyday heroes like those in our community, add to our vocabulary notebooks, and have a full week of have-to labs. We will begin reading groups, begin reviewing sight words and sounds we have already learned, and have a spelling list. In math, we will begin using our math tool kits (PLEASE SEND IN TEN PENNIES), get our math journals, and play a few math games.

Info to Know

Thank you for all of the supplies, support, and help to make our first week a success! The girls were amazing!!
If you haven't signed up for a snack day in August, please do so. We will go to a regular schedule in September. The password for the writeboard is "imagine."
Use of folders: Please read and if you have any questions, please ask!!

Red: Homework--will come home Monday (or the first day of the week). Should be completed at your convenience or as directed and all returned on the following Monday.
Purple or Pink--Poetry Notebook--will come home on Friday (or last day of the week). Should be reviewed with your daughter, initialed & dated, and returned before Thursday (preferably on Monday)
Orange--Vocabulary Notebook--will come home sporadically; return the following day
Blue--Working On It folder--for in-class use to house assignments in progress
Green--It Goes Home folder--folder to take home assignments and projects; when it comes home, please empty and return the following school day
Yellow--Chinese--for use by the Chinese teacher
Clear--Home/School Communication--most important folder; used to house agenda and important school documents, must be returned everyday, no exceptions

Agenda Usage: As of now, we are using the agendas to record our self-evaluation of our day, communicate any teacher or parent information, and display a sticker to show we had a good day. Parents please sign everyday. Also, a paper clip is placed on the monthly calendar page. Please use this page to record nightly reading. You can choose to color the book, write the number of pages read or write the number of minutes read. As the year progresses, we will use the agenda for more....actually starting next week with recording our spelling words.
Please send in your summer reading log.
Sign up for PTA!! Let's be one of the first classes to have 100% participation. Thanks to those that have already signed up!!

Dates to Know

Monday, August 16: PTA Dine Out @ Morelli's
Week of August 23: Mrs. P. Kok absent
August 16 - September 3: IWIA Fall Fundraiser
September 11: Atlanta Dragon Boat Festival
September 14: 1st PTA General Meeting @ 6:30

Monday Morning Reminders

2010-08-05T06:17:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 9th will be our first day of the 2010 - 2011 school year!! Here are some friendly reminders:

-The school day begins at 8:00 sharp! That means the girls need to be in the classroom ready to begin instruction by 8:00. Please aim to be through carpool by 7:55.

-Please send your daughter's agenda with her name in it on Monday. If you have not purchased one ($6), please do so as soon as possible, we will be using these as our home/school connection.

-Please write a note, email, or tell me personally, your daughter's transportation plans for the first day and week on MONDAY.

-Please review and practice your daughter's new carpool number. The better they know them, the smoother carpool will run.

-For ease of all the supplies coming, please place them in one large bag labeled with your daughter's name. Labelling of individual supplies is unneccessary.

-Snack will be provided by me on the first day of school. Please check the writeboard to sign up to bring snack for a day for the remainder of the month.

-Carpool will begin in the afternoon @ 3:00. It will end promtly @ 3:30.

-Finally, be sure to get a good night's rest and yummy, heathly breakfast!

*I can't wait to see everyone on Monday!!*

It's Almost Time!!

2010-07-31T07:12:00.000-07:00

Happy August!! (well it's REALLY close)

Next week, our school building opens to teachers for moving, classroom set-up, and pre-planning for the 2010-2011 school year. I was hoping to move into our new room sooner, but new floors were only finished on Friday!?! So I am calling for all hands on deck! I could REALLY use some help moving from the old classroom to the new one. (Wasn't that one of the perks of looping....parents said they would help me move???) The proposed agenda from administration states that teachers can work in classrooms in spurts so here are some times throughout the week:

Monday:
9:30 - 10:30
12:00 - 2:00

Tuesday:
9:00 - 11:30
3:00 - 4:00

Wednesday:
9:00 - 11:00
3:00 - 4:00

If you are able to come help, please let me know. Shoot me an email or give me a call. On Monday, I will be moving from one room to the other and this will be when I need the most help.

Thursday is meet and greet! Come see our new room and tell me all about your summer!
9:oo am - 12:oo pm: Last names A -L
1:oo pm - 4:oo pm: Last names M - Z
If you are unable to come during your slot, please let me know and we can arrange another time.

Thanks and I am REALLY looking forward to the new school year!

Mrs. P. Kok

2010-11 School Supply List

2010-06-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

Mrs. P.Kok’s First Grade Supply List

In order for our students to be successful, there are suggested supplies for their daily activities. The girls will need these during the first week of school and should be brought to the classroom in one labeled bag for ease of drop-off. The supplies used frequently (pencils, crayons, glue) will need to be replenished periodically. Our classroom is a community in which we share our items to meet the needs of the ENTIRE class.

Supply List

Full change of clothes in zip top bag with your daughter’s name clearly marked. This is needed due to unforeseen accidents such as spills in the lunch room or if she gets sick. This doesn’t have to be a school uniform, but something similar to the uniform would be helpful.

4 glue sticks
2 packages of 24 count crayons
8 jumbo or 24 count #2 pencils
8 or 10 count washable markers
2 primary writing journals
1 package of antibacterial wipes
1 package of baby wipes
1 bottle hand sanitizer
2 boxes of tissues
4 plastic two-pocket folders (one red, blue, green, & yellow)
1 plastic 3-prong folder (purple, pink, or orange) for poetry notebook
1 backpack (no wheels)
1 pencil box (5x7-- must fit in cubbie for math tool kit)

We would greatly appreciate any donations that you would be able to send to our class!! Below are some wish list items.

Zip top bags (assorted sizes: snack, quart, sandwich, gallon)
Extra rolls of paper towels, hand sanitizer, or boxes of tissue
Extra pkg. antibacterial or baby wipes, pencils, or crayons
Multi-cultural crayons
Multi-cultural paint
blank index cards
dry erase markers
cookie sheets
“Green”/environmentally friendly all-purpose cleaner
heavy duty magnets
white paper plates
erasers
white paper lunch bags
reams of copy paper
card stock (white or colored)
construction paper
gift cards (office supply stores, grocery stores, Wal-Mart, Target, book stores)
recess equipment (jump ropes, balls, etc.)
adopt-a-classroom donations
small disposable drinking cups
“magic erasers”
clipboards
sponges with/without scrubbing side
liquid hand soap

Thank you for supporting our classroom!!

It's Our Last Week of Kindergarten

2010-05-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

We have made it!! It's our last week and boy, it's slam-packed with fun!!

Please adhere to special dress or default to the school uniform when in doubt. Here is this week's attire schedule:

Monday: safari clothes
Tuesday: Party Dress for the Unbirthday Celebration--close-toed shoes with no heels
Wednesday: Field Trip to the zoo--shorts or jeans and school shirt, comfortable walking shoes, hat, sunscreen---small backpack for each girl to carry her own extra water bottle and lunch
Thursday: Stepping Up ceremony: UNIFORMS!!
Friday: School Spirit Dress: jeans and school shirt

Please keep Poetry Notebooks at home to enjoy for years to come!

Please return looping letters to the front office by Wednesday morning, so that class lists and preparations for next year can be made.

Thanks so much in advance for all of the donations for this week's activities!! We are a team and I really appreciate all of the support!! Check the writeboard for further items needed or info!!

Please be sure to bring clear folders and backpacks everyday!

Upcoming Stuff!!---just in case you haven't seen the writeboard

2010-05-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

Week of May 17th-Book Fair

-All books are 1/2 price!

-We will hopefully visit the book fair following Field Day on Tuesday to make our lists. Students may then bring in money to purchase on Wednesday or Thursday or may go with their parents before or after school.

Tuesday, May 18th-Field Day

-Please dress your child in her yellow Field Day t-shirt, shorts and tennis shoes. You may also want to apply sunscreen to your child before she comes to school and send a labeled hat or visor.

-We will eat lunch when we return to school. We will have water on-site (thanks to parent donations)!

Monday, May 24th-Story Safari Day

-Students may wear "safari gear" (camouflage, brown, green or tan clothing along with secure shoes) and should bring their favorite book (labeled please).

Tuesday, May 25th-1/2 Day and UnBirthday celebration

-A special treat will be provided for all of our unbirthdays!

Wednesday, May 26th-Zoo Trip

-Please dress your child in her IWIA logo t-shirt, shorts and tennis shoes. You may also want to apply sunscreen to your child before she comes to school and send a labeled hat or visor.
-All students need a disposable bagged lunch. Please pack an extra bottle of water!

Thursday, May 27th-Step Up Ceremony

-Students need to be in uniform.

-The ceremony will start at 10:00 in the MPR.

-A potluck lunch will be held following the ceremony. Please sign up to bring an item on the writeboard.

-Students may be checked out from the Main Office following lunch.

Friday, May 28th-Reduce, Reuse, Remember Day & Report Card Day

-Students may wear dress down attire.

-We will be finishing our memory books, playing lots of games and packing up classroom items.

-Please remember to send a backpack so that items can securely be brought home and look for your child's report card in her clear folder.

Weekly Update

2010-05-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

Info to Know

On Friday a looping letter was sent home. Please return it as soon as possible so that class lists can be created for next school year. I am so excited to stay with the P. Chicks in first grade!!
There will be no more sight word testing this school year. Congrats on all of the hard work over the year learning these!
Book Fair--this week the final book fair for the school year is taking place....it was announced to be a Buy One Get One Free fair, but will now be a Half Off fair!! Come check it out!
There is no Spring Concert for Kindergarten classes. They will be performing at the Step Up ceremony on Thursday, May 27th! Please be sure to RSVP so we can plan accordingly. Also please check the class writeboard to sign up for items to bring to the potluck lunch that will follow.
Field Trip permission slip and money to attend the Zoo trip is due on Friday. If you would like to chaperone, please let us know!
Field Day is Tuesday!! Please be sure to dress your little one in comfortable bottoms, a field day (or yellow) t-shirt, and tennis shoes. Don't forget to apply sunscreen!! We will have drinks for during the events.
Thank you so much for all of the toiletry, etc. donations for the Shoeboxes!! I heard that we have been one of the most supportive classes of this cause!! Monday morning will be the last time to drop off all donations.

Weekly Update

2010-05-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

Info to Know

A big thank you from both Mrs. Burnette and I for the wonderful showering of gifts of appreciation this week! We truly feel appreciated and loved!
Please check the class writeboard for end of year activity information and sign-ups!
Field Day permission slips were due today. If your little one has not returned this today, please send in at the beginning of next week.
Reading groups have ended for the school year so that end of year assessments can be taken.
Kindergarten Step-Up Ceremony invitations came home on Thursday. Please note that appropriate dress will be school uniforms. Also, please email to RSVP.
Please return all library, Chinese, and class books so that there will no holds on report cards, etc. Also, please be sure to pay all fines, afterschool charges, and lunch charges.
A big thank you goes out to our chaperones that accompanied us to Farmer Redd's Community Garden. We couldn't be as successful without all of the parent support we receive.

Academic Update

This past week we continued our "Making A Change" unit. We studied the third stage of life for various species: butterflies & darkling beetles-pupae, humans-teenagers, chickens-adults, plants-flowers. We made a plant model and then labelled it. We learned the sounds for soft c & g, used a pan balance, looked at the differences in the $1 and $10 bills, and learned many new vocabulary words.
Next week: vowel sound review, more practice with money, create an obstacle course, stage four of life cycles, various partner activities

Weekly Websites

It's Official!!

2010-05-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

This week I announced to the girls that I will be looping up to first grade with the girls! I have asked Dr. Hormes and she has agreed that I will be teaching the P. Chicks in first grade! I am so lucky and excited to continue to move and grow with our little darlings! Here's to another GREAT school year!

Weekly Update

2010-04-19T17:13:00.000-07:00

Info to Know

Our baby chicks are here and we have named them!! Marshmelloe and KeyKey are there given names after much thought and class wide voting. Come by to check them, our worm farm, the caterpillars, and our plants out!! Lots of life cycles we are observing!
CRCT is being administered this week in grades 1-8. Please be mindful of the testing by having your little darling to school on time. Also, please no parent volunteers until next week...enjoy your week off!
Due to the testing, there will be no reading groups. The girls were able to select a book to use at home this week. Please return the books by Friday.
Lunch menus came home; please be sure to return them by the due date.
Our field trip to Farmer Redd's is on April 30. Permission slips must be returned by Wednesday!
The Kindergarten Step Up ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 27 @ 10:00 am. Please pencil this into your calendars and keep you ears perked for info for our own class reception and luncheon that will follow the grade-level ceremony.
As of now, all the info I have for field day is the date: Tuesday, May 18. As information is given to me, I will forward it to you!

Academic Update

Last week: We began our new unit, "Making A Change." We wrote about what we know already about how things grow and change and then we wrote about what we want to learn. Our chicks came and we sure do love to observe and write about them! We also planted some flower seeds and prepared our worm farm. In math, we made clocks, learned about the hour and hour hand, practiced the "counting on" strategy, and learned a place value game. We really are focused in determining the many types of literature and then classifying it by its purpose: informative, persuasive, and narrative/entertainment. We learned the sounds the final -y can make and more sight words! It was a busy week!
This week: We now have our worms, our plants have sprouted, and the chicks continue to grow. This week's focus will be the first stages of life. We will focus on eggs, seeds, and how those become embryos and fetuses. (please help your little darling with her understanding of reproduction) In math, we will learn about the dollar bill, reinforce our knowledge of function machines, and make a few graphs. Finally, we will learn the sounds of -igh and -ight and have explicit vocabulary instruction.

Weekly Websites

Practice making compound words.
Play Earth Day games.
Virtually grow plants and take a quiz.

Welcome Back!!

2010-04-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, everyone enjoyed a safe and relaxing Spring Break! The girls seem rested and excited to be back. Only seven more weeks....how the year flies by!!

Info to Know

PTA meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, night starting @ 6:30pm
Dine Out next Tuesday, April 20...more info to come

Academic Update

This week we begin our final IB unit, "Making A Change." We will study the life cycles of various plants and animals, including having chicks, butterflies, and mealworms in our class! We will observe changes, classify living and nonliving, and similarities and differences. It should be an adventure!
In math, we will reinforce place value, tell time to the hour on both digital and analog clocks, use the "counting on" strategy, and introduce function machines. In language arts, we will learn the sounds of -y at the end, new sight words, and various forms of literature and their purposes.

This Week's Websites

Living and Nonliving learning game
Place Value Machine
Set the Clock

Weekly Update

2010-03-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

News to Know

IWIA's third annual auction will be held on Saturday, March 27. More info on the school website. Look forward to seeing you there!
Spring Pictures are on Monday!! THESE MUST BE PREPAID!! Students may dress tastefully out of uniform. There will be class group photos made....these must also be prepaid.
Field Day t-shirt orders are due on Friday, April 2! Please fill out and return the order form as soon as possible.
Thursday will be our April Fool's celebration! We will have a mixed-up, silly day filled with silly literature, silly names, and silly dress. The girls may wear mixed up creations such as bathing suits over pajamas or mismatched socks with mismatched shoes or crazy headwear. Please be mindful that shoes and clothing must be safe for play outside. (no flip-flops or Crocs)

Academic Update

The girls did a great 'job' this week earning money! They were so excited to pay with their hard-earned money for our cupcake decorating. We will continue to earn money until the end of the year continuing the concepts we began to explore of spending and saving. Also this past week, we discussed goods and services, wants and needs, and bartering. In language arts, we completed our persuasive letters and categorized nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Math concepts this week were number scrolls (seeing how high we can write numbers in a grid), place value, addition and subtraction, and number sequence.
Next week: April Fool's & Easter, our IB unit, It Takes a Village final assessments, writing genres & purposes, patterning through weaving, and more number combinations

Weekly Websites

Learn about April Fool's Day traditions around the world
Play a variety of transportation games
Work on reading comprehension

Weekly Update

2010-03-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

News to Know

Please be sure to send in nut free, healthy snacks. It is also VERY helpful if you provide them individually packaged. We generally eat our snacks outside and it is sometimes difficult to portion them in a timely manner. Your help is appreciated.
Please encourage your little darling continue to work hard on her 'have-to' assignments. These assignments and expectations are given at the beginning of the week. I would really like to see the girls stretching themselves to go 'above and beyond' on these!
Reading books that come home throughout the week should be returned each day in the clear folders. I serve at least two groups each day, but try to get to more if time permits. Please read the book and discuss it at home to support our classroom learning.
Spring Pictures will be March 29. Students may wear spring or alternative clothing. Please still be mindful that appropriate footwear is required: no open toes or flip flops.
Field day will be May 12. T-shirts may be purchased for $6.85, cash or check. Please return the order form with the size indicated by April 2. The kindergarten color is yellow.

Academic Update

This week we begin our week of trade and economics. We are earning money for good choices in our 'jobs' to spend at the end of the week to purchase a treat. We can each purchase a cupcake and the decorations based upon the amount of money we have earned and saved. We will also be focusing on nouns, verbs, and adjectives, persuasive letter writing, and fluency in our reading. In math, we will play the plus/minus game, create number scrolls, put numbers in order, and practice addition.
If you would like to donate items for our special activity on Friday or volunteer to help us, please let us know. We will make our purchases to decorate @ 2pm.

Websites for the Week

Begin talking about smart financial choices while playing Mad Money
Help your child learn more about coins and their value
Sort nouns and verbs
Check out some community helpers

Weekly Update

2010-03-16T10:29:00.000-07:00

News To Know

Wednesday is St. Patrick's Day. Don't forget to have your little one wear at least one item of green!
We are creating a sticker collection! Please allow your little darling to bring some in to add to the class collection.
Spring Pictures will be March 29. More info to follow.
Class Books came in! They are amazing! Thanks for your support!
Be sure to sign your little darling's book authorization so that they can bring home the reading group book for the week.
We are still missing a few signed report cards. Please be sure to return a signed copy as soon as possible.
Townhall Meeting being hosted by the IWIA Governing Board, March 23 @ 7pm in the MPR
Don't forget to recycle paper at school! The red dumpster near the pond earns money once per quarter based on the weight of recycled paper. So bring your newspapers, magazines, junk mail, etc! No cardboard.
Academic Update
Last week: Our "It Takes a Village" unit continued with an exploration of types of and uses of transportation. We learned the definition of transportation and vehicle, sorted vehicles, and classified vehicles by movement types. We created a great list of vehicles and read many books about transportation. On Friday, we had a paper airplane contest! In math, we started focusing more heavily on reading, writing and solving number stories, comparing 2D and 3D shapes, worked more on coin exchanges and started our class collection. (Please keep saving stickers!) Our literacy lessons focused on opposites, homophones and homonyms, and the sounds for dr and tr.
This week: We'll be building more understanding of how communities function through learning about community helpers and how people earn, save and spend money. We'll also be learning more about St. Patrick's Day, and imagining what our future careers will be. We will also learn about the quarter, build 3D shapes, build addition skills, learn about place value and learn about "name collection". In literacy, we'll look for things we'd like to change around our school and write persuasive letters, explore r-controlled vowels and compare and contrast sight words. We'll also be focusing on the attributes of patience and appreciation this week.

Mid-week Update

2010-03-03T14:23:00.000-08:00

Please remember that tomorrow, Thursday, March 4, is an early release day. Noon dismissal. It is also Crazy Hat and Socks day!!
Ice cream sales have begun in the cafeteria. If you would like to send ice cream money with your child you may do so. The prices range from $.50 - $1.00. The girls will be responsible for their own money and will have to finish their lunch, at teachers’ discretion, to purchase the ice cream.
Friday we will have our Reader’s theatre performance and farm celebration. We will be celebrating our new found knowledge with Mrs. Kraften’s boys with homemade bread, jam, eggs, and bacon. It should be much fun!
March 13^th is the First Annual Health Fair sponsored by the Butterfly Club. If you are interested in helping, please let us know.
Since we are currently in our “It Takes a Village” unit, we would like to see if there are any members of our Pride that would like to come share with the class. In the upcoming weeks we will be learning about community helpers. If you have an interesting career or talent and would be willing to come share with us, please let us know!!
Next week, we have an activity planned that will require magazine pictures. If you have any magazines that you would let us cut up and recycle, please send them in.
If you would like to schedule a conference for next week’s conference, please contact me. These are optional.
The class auction project is almost complete! A big thank you to Holly Fisher for her hard work putting the girls' work together. Also, thanks to Kristy and Shannon for their assistance with it! Don't forget your items to donate! There are monetary prizes!! You can find forms in the office or contact Eileen Pruitt eileenp216@gmail.com

Weekly Update

2010-02-28T15:04:00.000-08:00

News to Know

Thursday is a noon dismissal day. It is also FTE count day!! Please be sure that your little darling is at school. They may wear crazy hats and/or socks. We will eat lunch prior to dismissal.
Saturday, March 6 will be the school's Lunar New Year celebration. Check the school's website for further information.
Beginning next week, the girls will not need resting towels or blankets. As we prepare for first grade we have a decreased need for them.
Trimester II report cards will come home on Monday, March 8.
Parent/Teacher conferences will be held on Wednesday, March 10. There will be no school for students. Please contact me if you need to schedule.
This past week the girls checked out library books from the school library. If they chose to do so, they could bring them home. Please be sure they are returned each week on Tuesday, our media day.

Academic Preview

This upcoming week we will take our learning of communities to the farm! We will learn about the variety of farms, their products, how those products are transported, and end our week with a farm fest!! We will celebrate Dr. Seuss with his birthday on March 2. In math, we will use calculators to practice skip counting, discuss further dividing groups in half, build our map skills, and continue our patterning. It should be a fun and exciting week!

Weekly Update

2010-02-20T12:57:00.000-08:00

Info to Know

We are glad to be back in our classroom! Thank you so much for all of your support during our transition time. Thanks for all of the donations and your time! We couldn't have overcome it all with out all of the support!!
Please return all family surveys by Tuesday. Thanks to all that have already returned them.
Next week is Winter Break. No school on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.
I'm Going On a Bear Hunt at-home projects are due on Monday and Tuesday.
There will be no sight word testing this upcoming week. Testing will resume on Friday, March 5.
Poetry folders will come home on Tuesday.

Academic Update

With our shortened four day week, we accomplished a lot! We began our new IB unit, It Takes a Village, on communities. We began discussions about what is a community, what and who are in a community, and what we would like to learn about communities. Hopefully the girls are continuing these discussions at home with questions and inquiries. In math, we talked about even and odd numbers and practiced counting by 2s, used clues to identify blocks in the "Read My Mind" game, divided groups in half and compared numbers to find the larger and identify how much larger. Ask your little darling what a half is? We also read about President's Day, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington. Our literacy for the week focused on the oo, ee and ea combinations, homonyms and homophones, and completing the class book.
Next Monday and Tuesday, we will continue our learning from this week and focus on presenting our projects.

Weekly Update

2010-02-06T08:46:00.000-08:00

News To Know

Friday, February 12th we will have our Pal-entine's Day celebration. Our focus will be friendship, partner activities, and cooperation. The kiddos may bring pal-entine cards (unaddressed please for ease in distribution) and a decorated container to collect their pal-entine cards. We will need a few donations. Please check the writeboard. Thanks in advance.
We are almost ready to move!! Tentatively, we are scheduled to move back into building B beginning on Friday with class resuming there on Tuesday, February 16th. If you are able to help us move on Friday afternoon or Monday, please let me know.
No school for students on Monday, February 15th, President's Day
No school February 24,25,26--Winter Break
Please return the Family Surveys that were sent home this week by Friday, February 12th. They can be returned to the front office or in the clear folders.
The Chinese New Year celebration has been postponed to Saturday, March 6.

Academic Update

This week we explored the grasslands of the world through stories, pictures, books, drawings, and a "safari". We learned about the grasslands around the world such as North America's Great Plains, Africa's Savannah, Serengeti and Kapiti Plain, the Steppes of Asia and the Pampas of South America. We listed grassland animals and then decided which region we could find them in, created a great grassland mural, talked about camouflage, and explored the predator/prey relationship. We also inspected the penny and nickel, began making exchanges between those 2 coins, looked at 3D shapes around the school, discussed the difference between 2D and 3D shapes and played several games with the number grid. For our literacy learning, we continued alphabetizing, analyzed words for the ch and th sounds and worked hard on our sight words. We also worked in reading groups on various skills such as short vowel sounds, alphabetical order, story recall and use of apostrophes.

Next week we will wrap up our "Going on a Bear Hunt" unit with a review of the biomes we studied and 2 assessments that will ask students to match animals to habitats and to create a food chain for a chosen habitat. We will also measure time, create individual graphs from surveys, look at the dime, continue our comparison of 2D and 3D shapes and exchange pennies, nickels and dimes. Our themes of compassion and creativity will continue through an exploration of friendship and discussions of pivotal African Americans.

Weekly Update

2010-01-30T07:15:00.000-08:00

News to Know

Progress Reports for the second trimester were in clear folders on Friday. Please review and keep for your records. If you have any questions or did not receive one, please let me know. Also, please keep in mind the continuum is directly related to the mastery of the kindergarten standards for the whole year. There are many science, humanities, and math standards that we have not covered yet in the school year.
When your little darling comes home with a good choices slip, please keep this to cherish at home; there is no need to return it!
If you are volunteering in the classroom during labs, literacy labs are in the morning from 8:45-9:30 am and learning labs are in the afternoon from 12:00 - 12:45 pm. Thanks so much for committing your time to help us learn!
Our new snack calendar was in the clear folder on Friday. Please remember until our return to Building B, no refrigerated snacks and individually packaged snacks are very helpful.
Monday is the first school day of the month. Please return the red homework folder on Monday with completed monthly homework packet.

Academic Update

This past week we learned a lot about the very large biome of the ocean! We also discussed many of the smaller biomes within it like coral reefs, sea floors, and beaches. In math we continued with measurement, tally marks, attribute blocks, and created a class pets graph. And of course, the 100th day!! It was so much fun creating necklaces and crowns, sharing our 100 projects, and working with the 100s grid. Thank you so much for all of the donations and help! It was a great success!

Next week: grasslands, /th/, /ch/, number grids, Groundhog day, & continuing our class book!

Classroom News

A big thank you to all of our classroom volunteers! Alexis' mom and dad, Alexa, Sadira, and Shoshanna's dads, Robyn, Reagan, and Sophie's moms! Also, for the 100th day donations!!
Thanks to Kameron's family for the CD player donation! We now have a listening center again!

Weekly Update

2010-01-24T15:32:00.000-08:00

Info to Know

Reenrollment forms were due on Friday.
Bi-weekly progress reports came home on Friday. Next week, mid-trimester reports will come home on Friday.
Thursday is the 100th Day of School. We are in need of some donations. Please check the writeboard to sign up.
Our listening center is no longer working. We really need a small CD/tape player. Please check to see if you might have one that you no longer need.

Academic Update

This week we focused on the desert biome. We made a list of desert animals, compared the desert and the rainforest, and discussed the connectedness in the biome. We also learned about MLK and his peaceful crusade. We wrote thank you letters to our crossing guard, Ms. Barnes and reviewed compound and rhyming words. In math, we played riddle games, talked about tally marks, and exchanged 1s, 5s, and 25s in the Raft Game,
Next week: oceans, 100th day, alphabetizing, Uu, & graphing

Classroom News

Congrats to Sadira, Gigi and Kameron for being selected for the Chinese performance!
Please remember to send individually packaged and non-refrigerated snacks while we are in our temporary home.
Thanks to Kameron's dad and Meghan's grandmother for attending the field trip to the Puppetry Arts with us! It was a great show! Also, thanks to Sophie's mom for her help on Friday during literacy labs. We are looking forward to the return of our regularly scheduled volunteers.
Please check the writeboard for needed items for the 100th day!

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

Well, we've made it to 2010 and boy did it come in with a bang! Snow day and a flood!!! Thanks must go out again to all of you who encourage, support, and appreciate all that is going on in our current situation! We couldn't do it all alone! Overall the girls (and boys) are doing great with the new "classroom" and are learning lots! Here are some important updates and news you will need to know!

Info to Know

Our field trip to the Puppetry Arts Center has been rescheduled for Wednesday, January 20. Please be sure to pack a lunch for your little darling on that day and have them wear their uniforms.
Our class weekly progress report will come home next week due to the recent schedule of events.
Scholastic Book order forms came home this week. Please look through them and place an order. You can place orders online or return them to school in an envelope in the clear folder. Don't forget the books for $1.00.
Re-enrollment forms are due in the front office by January 22nd. If you have questions please check the school website or with the front office.
Our class book is now being written by all of the girls!! We are so excited to have a "real" published book!! If you have not returned your order form to get your very own copy, please do so soon, you still have time!!
Poetry notebooks came home today; please review this with your little darling, sign and return on Tuesday.
Lunch menus also came home today. These must be return by the due date on the calendar for your little darling to receive lunch. Be sure your child's name is on the menu!

THINGS TO NOTE DURING OUR TEMPORARY RELOCATION

I can't access email as readily as before. If there is a change in transportation or other important information, please send a note in the clear folder in the morning (best) or call the front office throughout the day (for an emergency). I will try to check my email at least once during the school day and in the afternoon/evening. For non-emergency information this is still the best form of communication.
For ease during snack time, we would like to request individually packaged snacks. Pre-packaged or packaging small (about 4oz) portions yourself, at home, is great! Also sending individual juice boxes or bottles of water, if you so choose, would also be appreciated. Also, please no snacks that require refrigeration.

Academic Update

Last week we introduced our new IB unit, Going On a Bear Hunt! It is our unit on exploring various parts of the world and the various habitats. We studied polar/Arctic locations first; we moved onto rainforests; next we study deserts. Ask your little one if they can tell you about some of the animals that reside in each.
We have introduced the letter Qq. What sound does it make? How is it written? What words can we find that begin with it? Next week: Zz
In math, we have discussed measurement. We began measuring with non-standard units, our feet, and then moved onto the standard unit, the foot. We used calculators to subtract, counted by fives, and completed a 100s grid! Next week: pennies, nickels, & using clues to find a number or shape
In reading, we focused on fact vs. fiction as well as prediction. What is a compound word? Ask your little one if she knows. Reading groups will resume next week.

Classroom News

Snack schedule this week: T-Madeline, W-Gigi, Th-Meghan, F-Alexa
We need a new listening center. If you have a small "walkman" cd or tape player, please let us know.

Weekly Update

2009-12-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

One more week till our break!! Hope you are staying warm with the cold weather!!

Info to Know

Yule Forest field trip is rescheduled for this week, Wednesday, December 16. Please be sure to check the weather to dress appropriately. Also, be sure to pack a lunch in all disposable containers.
Winter Music concert: Monday @ 9 am--the girls may wear holiday sweaters or dresses with closed toed, flat shoes; short reception (10-15 minutes) will follow in the classroom
Friday will be our Polar Express Day! Please see the flyer in your little darling's clear folder for further info. If you have the Polar Express video, please let us know.
Puppetry Arts field trip permission and money MUST be turned in by the due date, Wednesday, December 16 in order for tickets to be purchased.
Chinese book checkout is only on Wednesdays. Only one book may be checked out at a time.
The Middle School Butterfly Club is sponsoring a toiletry drive. If you have items to donate, please send in by Friday.

Academic Update

This past week we learned about Kwanzaa and Byram! We made kinaras, mekakas, zawadi, and painted pictures of mazao. We were so thankful to Mrs. Tanyildiz for coming and teaching us about Byram. Through our learning we are really starting to notice similarities in many celebrations!! We continue to learn about letters and sounds and sight words. Also in math we used attribute blocks for sorting, practiced more word problems, and started our party planning.

Next week we will conclude our IB unit. We will learn about Christmas, read How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Polar Express, complete our unit assessment, and make gingerbread men. We will also continue to plan and then execute our party.

Classroom News

Thanks to Mrs. Tanyildiz for being a guest speaker in the classroom to teach us about the Turkish celebration of Byram! Thanks also for the special treats!
Thanks to the Caldas family for arranging for our Hanukkah speaker! Ms. Abby was awesome and we all loved our dreidels.
If you would like a winter break packet, in addition to the homework calendar, please let me know.
Please check the writeboard for needed items for making gingerbread cookies and our holiday party on Friday.

Weekly Update

2009-12-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

News to Know

Yule Forest Field Trip, Tuesday, December 8--please be sure you pack your little darling a lunch in all disposable containers; also dress in layers appropriate for the weather!!
Noon dismissal, Thursday, December 10
Book Fair, December 7 -11, Media Center
Winter Concert, Monday, December 14 @ 9 am Multi-Purpose Room--followed by short reception in the classroom -- see note below
Ms. Post would like for the girls to be recognized for all of their hard work in preparing for the concert. I will be hosting the parents in the classroom for a short reception following the concert. If you would like to donate reception items, please let me know.
IB Parent Night, Wednesday, December 15, time TBA---more info to come

Academic Update

This past week we continued our IB unit, Cultural Celebrations! This week we studied the celebration of Hanukkah. We learned the symbols of the celebration, how to look at a menorah to see what night was being celebrated, how to make and eat latkes, the meaning behind the celebration, and how to dance the traditional dance, the hora. It was a fun-filled week of learning.
Next week: Kwanzaa, Byram
Sight word testing will be on Monday....we didn't have a chance on Friday...

Classroom News

Thanks to Willow's dad for making our beautiful, new Poetry Box to store all of our large poems!!
Thanks to all who have been donating your items and time to our celebrations!! They wouldn't be possible without everyone's help!!
If you placed a book order online with Scholastic and you would like your books to be a surprise, please let me know and we will make arrangements!

Weekly Update

2009-11-17T13:30:00.000-08:00

My, oh, my! How out of sync and irregular our school schedule has been!! Thanks to all for toughing it out and trying to be on top of it all. Thanks to those who came to conferences!! It was nice to share and discuss all of the things that all the girls do so well! I will not blog before the holidays unless absolutely needed....so have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving break!

Info to Know

Today's homework packet covers the holiday break. There will be no additional homework sent next week. Please keep the red folders at home and return them on Monday, November 30. On that day you should return: November's homework calendar, November's Book It recording form, and the Thanksgiving Family Project.
Parent Info meeting tonight @ 6:30 pm in the MPR
Chinese Book checkout will be on Wednesdays. Please send the Chinese book back each Wednesday to get a different book. If your little darling hasn't checked out a book, let us know and we will get you a permission slip to do so.
LUNCH FORMS ARE DUE TOMORROW!!
Fridays are IWIA School Spirit days. Students may only wear a school spirit shirt or uniform shirt with jeans. This will be enforced as part of the uniform policy.
Yule Forest permission slips are due on Tuesday, December 1. If you have lost you copy, please let us know....we will send a replacement.
Scholastic flyers came home today! Books make a great holiday gift. If you would like these books to be kept a secret, let me know! Online orders of $10 from each flyer will receive a free book (up to $5) for your little darling to choose! What a great deal!! And online orders get the class free books too!! See the link.....user: pkokpride.....password: wearereaders
The Butterfly Club will be selling "Thankful Grams" during lunch on the 18th - 20th. The cost is $2.00 for each goodie bag.

Academic Update

Last week we discussed the Hindu celebration of Diwali. We learned the reason for the celebration (the return of Rama from rescuing Sita), many of the traditions of the celebration (decorating homes with rangoli, diyas, gift giving, and house cleaning), and where and who celebrates it. Dr. Hormes came to share her Diwali experiences with us!! It was really neat! We played a dice addition game, strengthened our word-attack skills, and worked on rhyming skills.
This week we are learning all about Thanksgiving. Most of the girls seem to have a knowledge base of how it is celebrated now, so we will explore the origins of the holiday and culminate our learning with a re-enactment of the first feast with Mrs. Kraften's and Mrs. Barnes' classes next Tuesday. You should have a note for a small donation for your little one to bring for that feast. We will be cooking on Monday and Tuesday and then feasting on Tuesday afternoon. If you can volunteer, please let us know.... Also, we will decorate our door with "I Care" messages to demonstrate our self-respect and respect for others in response to a lesson taught by Mrs. Frederick with the book I'm Sorry, learn the Top It game, create a turkey glyph (a picture to convey information), and work with the letters Xx and Ww!

Classroom News

Check your little darling's folder for their donation for our feast....if you have questions or concerns, please contact us as soon as possible. If you can volunteer, let us know!
Bank Day was sponsored last year by Chase Bank. Students could open a savings account and deposit money weekly into the account. If you think that you and your P.Chick would be interested in this service, please let me know. If there is a valid interest, we can look further into starting this again this school year.

Ooops!

2009-11-09T11:35:00.000-08:00

Ooops! We forgot to send Poetry Notebooks home on Friday! Please review the poem with your P.Chick, sign, and return.

Also, check out the pics from our Panola Mountain Field Trip on the Snapfish account! If you don't know the login info, please email me directly for this info!

Here's looking forward to a great week!!

Weekly Update

2009-11-07T13:57:00.000-08:00

News to Know

Report cards were in your little darling's clear folder on Friday. Please keep the original copy. Sign and return the second pink stickered copy.
Thanks to Mr. Cook for copying our Chinese CDs! The checkout system will begin in the upcoming week!
There is no school on Thursday, November 12 or the following Monday, November 16!
Don't forget to send in your money and permission slip in an envelope for our Yule Forest field trip.

Academic Update

We began our new IB unit, Cultural Celebrations, this past week! We began discussing why do people celebrate, what do they celebrate, and what is a tradition.
Next week: Diwali, teen numbers, graphing, and games, and the letter Oo

Classroom News

Thanks continue to go out to all of our classroom volunteers! We really appreciate and love all of the help and support inside and outside of the classroom.
HELP! We are in need of a Poetry Box! We would love to have a wooden box to hold the large posters of our weekly poems. If you are handy and willing, please contact Mrs. P. Kok for details.
Please discuss the proper usage of markers with your P. Chick! We seem to get a bit artistic on our bodies with them?!?!

Weekly Update

2009-11-02T05:58:00.000-08:00

News To Know

Please keep the bottom portion of the weekly progress reports only returning the signed top portion. This is full of important information for you to know!
Reader Challenge update: Thanks to those who signed up! I am so excited to see all of those who are up for the challenge! Mrs. Kraften will be contacting you via email with further information. Copies of the reports can be downloaded via our blog activities links.
Scholastic order deadline has been extended until Monday afternoon @ 3:30pm
On Friday, in your little one's green folder (fingers crossed), there should have been a sheet of pumpkins. The objective for this assignment was to have the pumpkins placed in order based on their capacity. This was assessed and is an example of an assignment used to assess your child's knowledge of a standard. It is recorded into the GKIDS database. GKIDS is the Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills. It is standard based. If they have mastered the standard, there was a check on the assignment. If there is still room to grow, there was a check minus. Assessment is ongoing throughout the entire school year.
We have a scrap paper box in our classroom that the girls use for free drawing or writing. Most of these papers have something printed on one side and the opposite side is blank for the girls. If something comes home that looks questionable, like lesson plans, work that seems too difficult, budgets, lots of Archstone paperwork (thanks Mrs. Stanford), don't worry! It is just scrap for the girls!
Please remember field trip monies must be cash only!! No checks will be accepted.
Portraits need to be returned. These are past due.
Noon dismissal this Thursday.

Weekly Update

2009-10-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update....

Readers Challenge: commitment paper came home today. This is optional and the book reports are on one of our blog's activity websites.
The girls are not consistently bringing their red homework folders on the first day of each week or their resting mat/towel. Please help them with this responsibility.
Wednesday is our field trip to Panola Mountain! Please remember to dress your little one for the weather and pack a lunch in disposable containers only (NO lunch will be provided by the school).
Sign up for parent-teacher conferences on the class writeboard.
Please review address and phone number with your little darling...we are assessing this week for the first trimester.
This week we are working on the letters Bb & Kk, day and night, pumpkins, and sequencing. We are also wrapping our "My Place in the World" unit.

Oh, my goodness!!

2009-10-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

Wow, I haven't blogged in some time!! I am so sorry about that! There has been so many inconsistencies with sickness, fall break, etc. But here is some general info and updates to get things caught up.

News to Know

Field trip permission slips and money were due yesterday for our Panola Mountain field trip. If you have not sent those in, we are resending the paperwork. It must be turned in tomorrow to ensure a space for your little darling on the trip. Don't forget to pack a lunch next Wednesday for the trip in disposable containers!
With the arrival of the cooler weather we are wearing sweaters, coats, jackets, gloves, hats, etc. Please be sure that these are all labeled so that in case they are misplaced, we have a better chance at recovery!
Noon dismissal on this Thursday, October 22.
Lunch menus MUST be turned in for November on Thursday as well.
Saturday is the IWIA International Festival from 3pm - 6pm. Please see the school website for more information.
Parent teacher conferences are on Thursday, November 12. Check the writeboard soon for a time slot.
We are low on tagboard (a bit thicker than posterboard, but thinner than cardboard). We use this for templates and stencils. If you come across pieces we can recycle into use in the room, please send it our way....you might come across it as support in a package, dividers in paper, the back of a notebook, etc.

Academic Update

We are now writing our first and last names on our assignments. Please continue to use the handwriting practice sheet at home with washable markers.
This week we are continuing with our "My Place in the World" IB unit. We are focusing on living or non-living and rocks and soils. Also, we are continuing our learning of fall with a focus on apples. We will even have a taste test on Friday to see similarities and differences between different varieties. We are working on the letters Ll and Hh, their sounds , and formations and main idea in reading groups. In math, we are reinforcing patterning, number writing, matching numbers to corresponding sets, and graphs.
Next week: Bb & Kk, pumpkins, day and night, and our field trip to Panola Mountain
Sight word testing will be completed today for last week and on Monday for this week. No sight word testing on this Friday.....next Monday. Then back on regular schedule.

Class News

Thanks again go out to the volunteers that have been helping in the classroom. Your time and talent is greatly appreciated!
Thanks to all of those who participated in the Sally Foster sale! WE WON THE $50 PRIZE for the highest percentage of participants!! YEAH!!
Please be reminded that IWIA does not accept checks for field trips, etc. Please send cash only!
We have been working on alternatives to tattling in the class. We encourage the girls to solve their problems on their own by talking to their friend first, telling them what they don't like, or ignoring the problem. They should try these before coming to a teacher.

Weekly Update

2009-09-25T13:24:00.001-07:00

What a short, interesting week. I hope this finds everyone drying out and safe from the flood. Due to our short week, there was not a weekly progress report sent home.

Info to Know

Scholastic Orders are due on Friday, October 2nd. Username: pkokpride Password: wearereaders

The magazine that came home yesterday is for your reading pleasure. Hopefully, we will receive these on a regular basis. There is lots of valuable information in it!

Sunny D is running a promotion for free classroom books. Please see the participating products and send in the intact UPC code. 20 UPCs = 20 class books

VALID PRODUCTS INCLUDE:
Bottles: 128 oz, 96 oz, 64 oz, 48 oz, 20 oz and 16 oz
6 PACK OUTER WRAPS: 11.3 oz and 6.75 oz
24 PACK OUTER WRAPS: 11.3 oz and 6.75 oz
8 PACK OUTER WRAPS: 6.75 oz
CARDBOARD CASES: 12 packs 6.75 oz bottles, 12 or 24 packs 12 oz cans
1, 2 & 3 LITER BOTTLES

a handwriting website has been added to the activities links. Check it out! You can print handwriting practice sheets for anything you can type!
The school is having a "Change for Change Drive" next week. Monies collected will go directly to the Red Cross. A flyer with more info will come home on Monday.

Academic Update

Sight word testing is completed each Friday. If your daughter is ready to test on an entire list of words, please send me a note or email to test by Friday morning. She must know them well; read them within 3 seconds each.
Addresses were tested this week. Your little darlings should know their house number, street, city, state, and zip code. We will check this again next week. Thanks to those who already know this valuable information in case of emergency.
IB news: This week we concluded our All About Me unit with our at home project presentations and in-class assessment collages. They are all displayed in the hallways. Be sure to come check them out!! They are SO awesome! Next week we start our new unit, My Place in the World. We will discuss our state, maps, and Johnny Appleseed.
ELA: With the short week, we continued with reading groups all focusing on our "tool kits." Ask your little darling about the tools that she has in her belt to help her read. (sounding out words, looking at the pictures, and sight words) Next week: the letters Nn and Dd
Math: Shapes are all around us! See how many your family can find in and around your environment. Next week: numbers up to 20, writing numbers, coins, and patterns.

Classroom News

Thanks again to our classroom volunteers!!
Snack (and Show and Tell) this week:

M: Cleo T: Reagan W: Kymani Th: Willow F: Campbelle

Ooops! A Late Weekly Update

2009-09-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

Oops! With all that has been going on, I forgot to blog last week! Here are a few quick updates:

-Scholastic orders came home last week. Please check them out and go online to order or send in your order with payment. These are due on October 2nd.
-We hoped you enjoyed the books on which we have been working hard! Your little darling should be able to read these to you!
-Thanks to all the donations for the Chinese books....we should have a class set soon!
-Thanks also to all the volunteers that are helping out in the classroom on a regular basis! This makes our work and learning so much better!!
-There will be no additional homework packet this week due to the short duration....also there will be no weekly progress report.

Let's Try to Clarify Homework

2009-09-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

I know that there is still some confusion about homework....when does it come to school? In what folder? Let me try to help.

The purpose of homework is two-fold: (1) to provide responsibility to the girls each night and (2) to be a tool for parents to extend classroom learning at home providing meaningful activities. It is NEVER meant to be frustrating or a burden.
Reading and discussing what is read each day is the most important part!
Homework travels to and from school in the RED folder on the first day of each week.
On the first Monday of the month, a monthly homework calendar will come home. It should stay at home until the end of the month. Please complete the activities at your leisure and check them when complete.
Activities that should be returned in the clear folder for special assignments will be clearly marked on the calendar. Otherwise do not return homework in the clear folder.
Math homelinks will come home as we reach the coordinating lesson in the weekly homework supplement. They can be completed at anytime in that week.
If you have further concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Class Schedule

2009-09-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

Mrs. P. Kok’s Schedule

7:45 - 8:10 Morning Labs
8:15 - 8:30 Morning Meeting (includes calendar)
8:30 - 8:45 Literature Read Aloud
8:45 - 9:15 Language Arts/Reading
9:15 - 10:00 ELA Labs
10:05 - 10:45 Specials
10:55 - 11:20 Lunch
11:25 - 11:45 Math
11:45 - 12:45 Centers
12:55 - 1:30 Chinese
1:30 - 1:50 Snack/Recess
1:50 - 2:20 Rest Time
2:20 - 2:45 Review of the Day
2:45 - 3:00 Pack Up & Dismissal

Weekly News

2009-09-11T14:39:00.001-07:00

Despite the short week, we accomplished a lot! Five senses, fun stickered water bottles, more superstars....read all about it and have a restful weekend.

Info to Know

Picture Day- Wednesday, September 17--this will be the picture made for the yearbook. Uniforms should be worn.
Wednesday, September 24-- All About Me! Home project is due--see clear folders

Academic Update

IB: Our IB unit, Me, Myself, and I, is coming to a close. This week we talked about our five senses. We created another book that will come home next week displaying our learning. Without our five senses, it would be difficult to learn! Next week: personal safety and culmination project.
ELA: This week we used the letters that we have learned thus far and began to blend them into words. We also talked about rhyming and the -am family. We continued to learn more sight words, wrote in our journals, and really enjoyed learning our poem, "Me." Next week: more blending, the -at family, and last names
Math: Calendar skills have so much math integrated into the routines. We skip count by five's, practice place value, patterning, and counting. This week we also worked on counting down from 10 to zero, collecting data and analyzing it, and patterns. Next week: number sequence, matching numbers to sets, and our body weight and height.
In the clear folders, you should find the information and instruction sheet for the at-home IB project for this unit. Please review and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
Check out the new websites added to the blog! Lots of fun stuff for adults and kids!
Here is a website on the Five Senses http://www.iit.edu/~smart/essijea/lesson2.htm

Classroom News

Water bottles and rest blankets/towels came home on Friday. Please wash them and return them on Monday. This is imperative for every one's health during the cold/flu season.
The volunteer schedule has been made and distributed for regularly scheduled volunteers. Please check it and provide feedback as needed. If you are not on the regular schedule, we still would love to see you! Please let us know in advance so that we can best prepare to use your time and talent to its fullest potential. The background scanner in the front office is up and running! Just bring in your driver's license to be scanned the first time you volunteer.
Thanks to this week's volunteers!!
Books are in.....look for them in your little darling's backpack on Monday! Thanks again to those who ordered!! Free books for the classroom are ALWAYS appreciated!
Check out the links on the side of the blog.....good websites and info
Snack: M-Sadira, T-Shoshana, W-Kameron, Th-Madeline, F-Gigi

This Week's News and Info

2009-09-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

Info to Know

No School on Monday, September 7 for Labor Day.
Curriculum Night & PTA meeting: Tuesday, September 8 @ 6pm PLEASE plan to attend the curriculum portion from 7-8 pm in the classroom. This is a parent only night.
Picture Day: Thursday, September 17 (please reference the flyer in the clear folder)
Sally Foster fundraiser ends on Friday, September 11. Remember the class with the highest number of participants receives a $50 gift card for school supplies.
Progress Reports came home on Friday. Please review and return only the signature slip on Tuesday.

Academic Update

The first part of this past week, we spent catching up from my absence. We completed our shape and color books and stamped our covers. They should come home in the first part of the upcoming week.
ELA: We are reviewing the letters we have already introduced (Cc, Mm, Pp, Rr, Ss, and Tt). We love using our letter charts with our pictures to write words in our journals. We using Cc word stamps to make patterns. Also, we continue to read books and discuss characters, beginning, middle, and end, and predicting. We will make our Aa chart on Tuesday and begin blending words and learning about the -am word family. Also, next week we will meet in our small reading groups and focusing on how to sound out words.
Math: This past week we talked a lot about patterning. Ask your little lovely what a pattern does? We displayed the patterns outside on our bulletin board. Come check it out. Also, we used "math words" to talk about finding a partner using strips of paper. We found our partners because the strips were the same length, width, had stickers on the end or in the middle. Use "math words" at home to help with directions and descriptions of objects. Next week, we will continue to talk about patterns, coins, and numbers 0-10
IB unit: We continue to draw and make a book for our Super Star of each day. Also, we talk about manners, feelings, and using our words to make good choices. Next week will be all about our five senses and completing our second book "All About Me."

Class News

Thanks to our first in class volunteer, Mr. Banks, Alexis's dad. I know that many of you are waiting on your background check from PTA. I am hoping that at Tuesday's meeting we will find out more info.
Also thanks to Mrs. Stanford, Caroline's mom, for providing all the girls with water bottles and stickers to decorate them. We will use them in the classroom and send them home on Friday's to be handwashed. I know that the girls are quite excited about them!
Poetry notebooks are back on track this week! Please review it with your little one....this week's poem was a bit harder to memorize...and return the notebook before Thursday.
Thanks so much to all that placed Scholastic Book orders! The response was awesome and I can't wait to order all the free books for our classroom!

Volunteering

2009-09-01T18:51:00.000-07:00

Okay folks! Now that we are well on our way with learning the class routines and having a general understanding of expectations in the classroom, we would love some additional help!

In order to volunteer in the classroom, you must have a clear background check. You can do this in a few ways:

Use the office system. Pay $10 in the front office and scan your driver's license.
Provide a copy of a recent background check.
Complete a background check at City Hall East.

Once you have a clear background check, please email me to let me know days and times you are available.

We will need help during learning labs in the morning (9:15 - 10:00) and afternoon (11:45 - 12:45) with monitoring and assistance. If you are not available for these specific times, there are many other items to be completed. There are filing tasks, set-up tasks for learning labs, and general clerical tasks.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Library Check Out

2009-09-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

Today we had our first opportunity to check out library books! Here is some basic info and guidelines from Ms. K:

Each girl may check out one book at a time. Books must be returned prior to checking out another.
Books are checked out for one or two weeks.
Our media (library) day is Tuesday.
Each girl is responsible for her book. If it is lost, the book must be paid for in full prior to receiving a report card.
Late notices will be sent every other week.

Thanks and enjoy!

Getting Back on Track

2009-09-01T04:52:00.000-07:00

So I have returned and we are getting back on track from my two day absence. I think the girls missed me as much as I missed them!! Here are a few quick notes and reminders.

Scholastic Book Orders are due on Wednesday. Please place your order online or turn in your paper order form in tomorrow's clear folder.
Next Tuesday, September 8 @ 7pm there will be Curriculum Night held after the scheduled PTA meeting. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE plan to attend! This is the time to ask, ask, ask questions and find out more specifics about how our classroom works, the expectations for the year, grading policies, etc. This is a parent only event.
Trimester Progress Reports will come home this Friday. Please be sure to review and return the signed slip. If you have not returned last week's weekly report, please do so.
No school Monday, September 7! Labor Day holiday

Family Directory

2009-08-25T10:59:00.000-07:00

Family directories are coming home today! A big thanks to Sadira's mom, Lisa, for compiling the info and Caroline's mom, Anne, for making us color copies! If you see a mistake, please let me know and I will pass along the change.

Also, check out the snapfish account! Thanks Lisa Bobb!!!

Weekly Update

2009-08-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the later than usual blog. I am aiming to blog regularly on Thursdays (fingers crossed).

Our second week was another joyful and successful week! I am so please to be teaching a classroom full of angelic geniuses!!

Info to Know

Sally Foster Fundraiser starts today. Please look in your little darling's backpack for more info on this school wide fundraiser. There is a class competition! The classroom with the highest percentage of sellers will get a $50 Target gift card for school supplies. So if each girl only sells one item we will have 100%....the highest percentage possible!
Thursday, August 26 will be a half day with dismissal at NOON. Please make arrangements for your daughter to arrive home safely.
September lunch calendars came home on Friday. Please remember that lunch is a pre-pay program only! Please send in the lunch calendar with your little darling's selections by Friday with payment.
Scholastic Book Club orders also went home last week. We have some online orders up already!! Check out the link. Orders are due by Wednesday, Sept. 2.
I will be absent on Thursday and Friday out of the country. I have let the girls know, but please bear with them and the sub if things seem slightly out of whack. Due to this, there will not be any sight word testing this Friday.

Academic Update

ELA-Last week, we worked on Rr and Tt, our 5 sight words, and our first poem. Did you enjoy the Poetry Notebook? We also wrote in our beginning journals and volunteered for sight word testing on the orange list. This week: Pp and Cc, 5 more sight words, 5 more superstars, and the beginning of reading groups.
Math-We worked on our calendar routines and answered daily survey questions using tally marks and counting by 5s. We are almost finished with our first book "Shapes and Colors"! This week: We will work on personal information make a birthday graph, practice writing our phone numbers, and talk about the parts of an address. Look out for a pattern necklace!!
IB Unit, Me, Myself & I-Last week we discussed our body parts and how we are all different, yet special and unique. Next week: our "Me" book, respecting others, and manners.

Class News

Thanks to Lisa Bobb (Sadira's mom) for organizing the class social! It was so much fun and it was nice to have an informal time to meet! Also, thanks to all for the donations towards pizza, drink, and other yummy vittles!
Thanks also to those parents that are helping in smaller, but very important roles (copying, creating, cutting, typing)! I love being able to send home "projects." I feel very supported!
We are working on getting a Snapfish account to share pictures of the girls via a password protected site....keep your eyes peeled for more info!
More thanks to the continued supplies and donations! Some immediate items we could use: old cell phones, play food, one small pillow. Also, please be sure to check out the Adopt-a-Classroom site. It allows for monies to be deposited into an account for our class to purchase classroom supplies such as construction paper, printer ink, and manipulatives through school and office supply stores.
The resting fairy visits good resters each day. The girls are collecting "Resting Fairy Rewards" to visit the Treasure Chest. Each Friday, they may redeem five tickets for a visit. Due to my Friday absence, the Treasure Chest will open for the first time this Wednesday.
Snack this week: T-Grace, W-Cleo, Th-Reagan, F-Kymani

First Weekly Update

2009-08-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

We have made it through our first full week! I have truly enjoyed the first week and getting to know your little darling! Please be sure to check the blog every week and comment as needed. Here you will find important information, academic updates, and news to share.

Info to Know

Clear folders came home on Friday. This is a very important tool for our communication. This folder will come home everyday for the remainder of the school year. Some days it might be full of information and papers, and some days it may be empty. Either way please check it and have your little P Chick return it everyday. It is also a tool for you to send me any important information; notes about pickup, excuses for illnesses, etc.
Blankets and towels also came home on Friday. We napped all week on the floor.....turns out there is enough room! Please launder and return a small, comfy towel or blanket that can be stored on the under cubbie hooks.
Change of clothes update! I feel guilty keeping a change of uniform in the classroom. It is however necessary to keep a change of clothes at school for accidents. If you would like to have the uniform returned to use in the weekly rotation, please send in an alternate set of clothing that is in similar style and colors to the uniform. Once there is a replacement, the uniform will be returned.
Folders: We use folders for a variety of tasks in our classroom. Color coding helps with organization and memory. I apologize if your P Chick is not using the folder that you specifically sent in. In trying to unload and organize all of the supplies, I forgot to label the folders. I have made sure that all of the girls have a folder and when it comes time for replacement, I will provide those. Sorry for the mistake. Please see below for the use and coding of the folders.
-green: take home folder--used for the girls to transport work and papers; should be returned to school empty
-yellow: Chinese--used for Chinese class; may come home when needed
-blue: "I'm Working on It"--used in the classroom for work; should be kept at school
-red: homework--taken home and returned on Mondays
-clear: home/school communication--sent home and returned every day
-pink/purple/orange: poetry notebook--sent home on Fridays; returned before following Thursday; to be reviewed, initialed, and dated with/by parents
Lunch is from 10:55 until 11:20. Please help us by not sending food requiring a warm up, as there is not access to a microwave for students. Also, practice opening containers at home so that your little darling can be more independent at lunch. This will help for a smoother lunch period.

Class News

Please fill out and return the info sheet that you would like to have included in the class distribution list.
Class schedule will be posted this week.
PE is on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please be sure your P Chick wears her privacy shorts on these days under her dress.
Please be on the lookout for info for our first class social. This will provide a great opportunity for our class to meet and interact to set off a great year.
Thanks to all that have signed up for jobs on the class writeboard. I will be in touch soon with more info.
Snack this week: M-Madeline, T-Gigi, W-Meghan, Th-Chanel, F-Annabell

Academic Updates

This past week we began our Shape and Color book. We will continue until complete and send home our first Kindergarten book! Please ask your P Chick to read it to you!
Mm and Ss were our first two letters! Next week we will study Rr and Tt.
Homework will begin this coming week. It will come home in the red homework folder on Mondays and should be returned the following Monday.
Sight words for last week were: a, at, I, like, & am
Sight words for next week are: me, go, in, see, & the
Our IB unit is Me, Myself, and I.

It's Great to be a P Chick!

2009-08-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

Well the first day of IWIA kindergarten was AWESOME! I am so pleased and excited about our school year; I can barely contain myself. Today we worked on learning basic routines and behaviors, created our classroom agreements (1. Be polite. 2. Be safe. 3. Have fun!), met our Chinese and art teacher, and read some fun stories. We enjoyed our lunch in the classroom, visited the upper playground for recess, and explored some of our learning labs. What a fun, learning-packed day! Please be sure to talk everyday about what we are learning; it helps you stay connected and your P chick recall a variety of important concepts.

I am so thankful to the generosity of all our "pride" for the bountiful school supplies! I have sorted and stored them. Unfortunately, I know that the school supply list online does differ slightly with my requirements so there might still be items you are still rounding up. If you are having difficulty finding large pencils, you can send in a cash donation or donate on our adopt-a-classroom website; I can purchase a class set.

You should find a folder in your P chick's backpack. Inside you will find a few important letters of valuable information and some forms to complete. These are forms for me within the classroom. I appreciate you completing them and returning as soon as possible. This folder will serve as our daily communication folder for the first weeks of school. Anything that you need to send to me should come to school in this folder and anything I need to send home to you will come home in this folder. PLEASE CHECK AND RETURN IT EVERYDAY!!

A few other notes:

Please be sure to label with permanent marker sweaters, backpacks, towels, blankets, lunch boxes, and any other individual items. There are many girls that have identical items and it becomes difficult to determine their owners if they aren't labeled.
Lunch menus should be returned with payment as soon as possible.
Please help your P chick memorize her carpool number. This will help ease the carpool process. It will get smoother!
Nametags should be worn everyday until further notice. These help the girls with their carpool numbers and identify them to new teachers.

Thanks to all for a successful first day! I look forward to the short 179 more!

Mrs. P Kok

August Snack Calendar

2009-08-04T19:33:00.000-07:00

Please be sure to send in 24 Nut free snacks (see suggested snack list) on your daughter's assigned day.

August 10th: Alexis
August 11th: Jasmine
August 12th: Sadira
August 13th: Shoshana
August 14th: Kameron

August 17th: Madeline
August 18th: Gigi
August 19th: Meghan
August 20th: Chanel
August 21st: Annabell

August 24th: Layla
August 25th: Grace
August 26th: Cleo
August 27th: Reagan
August 28th: Kymani

August 31st: Willow

Welcome to Kindergarten!!

2009-08-04T18:53:00.000-07:00

I am SO excited for our new year to begin! Please check here for valuable information and weekly news about our classroom.