The Kindergarten Corner February, 2014

Saint Ann Catholic School

Report CardsStudents received their first report cards on Friday! Please SIGN and RETURN the report card in your child’s folder as soon as possible. Thank you! As always, please email if you have any questions!

Phonics Mid-Year AssessmentYour child’s January Phonics Assessment is complete and going home today! It details where your child is, and where we are going with him or her.

ReadingWe celebrated Kk for Kite and Ll for Leaves, but the snow days foiled our plans to make crafts! We are hoping for no more snow days so we can do a craft or special activity for each letter from here on out! This week: Mm for mouse! Students will make a pet mouse out of felt, and will practice writing Mm within lines, and the words, ‘Mom’ and ‘me’. Every group is enjoying Guided Reading groups, in which they work on LR’s, phonics, and writing at their level. We hope to also enjoy stories about mice this week, one of my favorite animals!

MathStudents practiced Telling Time and using a clock, and learned the difference between analog and digital clocks. We enjoyed games about Even and Odd numbers, graphing, and using a number grid. We introduced skip-counting by 2's and 5'sNext up: counting to 100 by 1's, 2's, and 5's! Please practice counting to 100 by 1’s with your child at home. Students will have an introduction to money and coins (penny, nickel, dime, quarter, half-dollar, and dollar coin)!

Religion

Students learned about Jesus’ Baptism! We discussed how He was baptized by his cousin John the Baptist, and the miracle that took place. We see the entire Blessed Trinity during Jesus’ Baptism. God the Son is the one being baptized. The children can act out how the sky RIPPED OPEN and the Holy Spirit flew down onto Jesus as a Dove. Then God the Father’s voice boomed, “This is my Beloved Son. I’m pleased with Him. Listen to Him.” Please ask your child to retell this important part of history for you! We discussed our shock that just a few years later the people forgot this miracle and didn’t believe that Jesus really is God the Son! We also learned about our own Baptisms. We looked at pictures on our Epson Projector, and learned that three things happen when we are Baptized: 1. Jesus washes away our Sin, even Original Sin. 2. We receive Grace, which helps us to share in God’s Life, and 3. We become part of God’s family. We become adopted sons or daughters of the King of the Universe! Next up, we will learn about the Miracles of Jesus! This week, we will learn about how Jesus changed water into wine at the Wedding at Cana! Jesus did this first miracle even though he didn’t feel ready because His mom (Mary) told him to. This is a lesson to us, that we can pray to the Mother Mary, and ask her to ask her Son for us! Sweet Mother Mary, intercede for us!

Social Studies Students learned

about Martin Luther King Jr, his, “I have a Dream” Speech, and the

‘March on Washington’. We talked about appreciating God's creation. During Catholic Schools Week we made cards to show our appreciation for our school, our world, our teachers, our principal and pastor! Next up: a study of Winter and what it does to our world! We will learn about animals that hibernate, and will soon begin learning about the United States and other countries with a Flat Stanley project!

Science Students reviewed the terms and concepts we have studied so far in science. We reviewed using our senses, pumpkin observation, popcorn observations, how things work (such as how does a corn kernel POP?). They learned how to identify symmentric things! We talked about things that are symmetric and created by God, like butterflies, and things that are not symmetric, like a single hand! Students look forward to returning to the Science Lab this week.

Hundred Day Celebration! We are sending home the 100 Days of School Party information! Students are welcome to come dressed as a 100-year old person! This is a special tradition. Please see the flyer for more information.

Valentine’s DayValentine’s Day is on a Friday this year! Please send your child’s Valentines on that day (not early). They can be store-bought or handmade. You are most welcome to attach a candy or treat (no nuts!) to each valentine. Our class list is below. Try not to forget your teachers!

God Bless you, Ms. Cat and Ms. Z

Valentine’s Day List (Writing First Names are fine, as long as you write the letter to differentiate between our three Jacks and two Julias!)

1 Collin Berke  2 Lena Breville  3 Genny Cribb  

4 Jimmy Cribb  5 Jack D. Dunagan  6 Jacob Geisler  7 Jack G. Greco  8 Nick Hearne  9 Delaney Hughes  10 Ellis Jones  11 Christian Larson  12 Joe Lazzari  13 Natalie Lyle  14 Tim Machion  15 Jane Markowicz  16 Julia M Mathis  17 Julia P Pedone  18 Genevieve Renaud  19 Olivia Reynolds  20 Sebastian Villalobos  21 Jack W Woda  22 Ms. Cat Kindergarten  23 Ms. Z Kindergarten  24 Ms. Therrell Principal  25 Mrs. Karinshak School Secretary  26 Mrs. Howell Office Assistant  27 Ms. Chapman Art Teacher  28 Ms. Mestas Music Teacher  29 Mr. Cantafio PE Teacher30 Mrs. Herrington Library Teacher31 Ms. O’Brien Spanish Teacher

32 Mrs. Cortes Computer Teacher