Happy Holidays!

We had a wonderful day in kindergarten! Today we decorated Gingerbread Houses!  The houses ARE NOT EDIBLE.  They are put together with hot glue which is toxic.  The gingerbread houses are for decoration only.  The children worked hard on their houses.  It was a lot of fun!  

I hope  everyone enjoys a wonderful holiday with friends and family.  Happy New Year!  We will come back to school on Monday, January 4.  See you then!

Wintery Wednesday

It was nice to see everyone after a snowy day at home on Tuesday.  This morning, we worked at centers.  We are wrapping up our Gingerbread Man unit.  The children were able to go to the library to check out books, but I ran out of time to pass them out.  I will send the library books home on Friday.  The children did not go outside for recess today because it was so cold.  Hopefully we can go out on Friday.  Please remember to send appropriate warm coats, gloves/mittens, and a hat on these cold days.  If your child does not have an appropriate coat, please let me know.  We have resources available that can help.  

At the end of the day, our 4th Grade Buddies from Mrs. Melaney's class visited our classroom.  We decorated pine cones.  These can be beautiful pieces of art for a table top, or you can add a string and  make it an ornament.  Either way, they are exceptional pieces of art!  

Friday we will decorate gingerbread houses.  We could use additional containers of frosting and candies.  Parents are welcome to join us.  

Message from the PTO

Parents and students,

Due to the snow day, the Holiday Shop will only be open on Wednesday and Thursday this week.  The classes who were already assigned shop on Wednesday will still shop on Wednesday.  The Tuesday students will now Thursday.  Thursday will also be a make up day for anyone who does not get to shop on Wednesday for whatever reason.  Students will still shop at the same time following their lunch period.  

Since we are now reducing the days to two days, we need more volunteers.  If you are able to help us out, even for a hour we would really appreciate it.  You can sign up through volunteer spot on the PTO webpage.  http://www.volunteerspot.com/group/12265581240127?utm_source=group-badge-volunteer-green

Thanks for your support,

Legacy PTO

Friday frenzy

What a busy week!  We have been reading different versions of The Gingerbrad Man and discussing how they are similar and different.   

Report Cards-I apologize for not letting you know sooner.  Report cards are available for viewing on Infinite Campus (https://ic.svvsd.org/campus/portal/stvrain.jsp).  If you do not know your log in information, you can contact Lynette Frank in the office and she can help you.  

Gingerbread Houses-Next Friday we will be decorating our gingerbread houses.  I am looking for volunteers to come in Monday and Wednesday to glue the graham crackers together.  If you can help, please let me know.  We did not receive a lot of Halloween Candy, so we will need to supplement with other goodies.  We need a couple of bags of M&Ms, mini marshmallows, waffle pretzels, stick pretzels, gum drops, candy mints, and several containers of frosting in a variety of colors.  If you can help with any of these, it would be greatly appreciated.  

Assessment-This week we also started the winter literacy assessment.  We are assessing letter recognition, letter sounds, rhyming words, beginning sounds, and concept of word (we talked about this assessment at conferences).  In January we will also assess the level each child is reading at.  I know this is a busy time of year, but it is really important to read with and to your child.  Most children are bringing books home for the Take-Home Reading program.  MyOn is an online option for reading books. 

Wiggly Wednesday

It was a short day, but we made the most of it.  We read The Gingerbread Man by Jan Brett. We compared and contrasted the two versions of the story we have read so far.  

After a fun recess on a beautiful afternoon, we met with out 4th Grade Buddies from Mrs. Melaney's class.  They helped us write letters to Santa,  if the children were not comfortable writing to Santa, we encouraged them to write to their parents.  The letters are absolutely adorable!  I will send them home soon.  

Please remember to send your child to school with an appropriate jacket each day.  We do go out for recess every day.  

Welcome Back!

It was so nice to see all of the children today!  We had a terrific day.  

Please remember that Wednesday is a late start day.  School starts at 11:30 and we will dismiss at 3:40.  The kids will eat lunch as soon as they arrive at school.  

Today and tomorrow are the last days to order from Art Works.  These projects are a treasure that you will enjoy for years to come!

Between now and winter break, we will do a number of activities around The Gingerbreead Man.  We will read several versions of the story and talk about how they are the same or differ.  Our unit will culminate with decorating gingerbread houses.  These are not edible houses.  Please send in any Halloween candy you are finished with.  We will use it to decorate the gingerbread houses.  

The picture below shows the Thinking Maps we did after reading The Gingerbread Man.  The first is a Brace Map which helps us think about the parts of something.  In this case we used it to think about the characters in the story.  The other Map is a Bubble Map.  We use it to think about how we would describe something.  In case we are describing the Gingerbread Man in the story.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Remember that we will not be in school next week because it is Thanksgiving Break.  Enjoy the time with friends and family!

We will return to school on Monday, November 30.  

I am still looking for leftover Halloween candy to decorate our Gongerbread Houses before winter break.  

Our Student Council is hosting a canned food drive.  If you would like to contribute, please send non-perishable food to school.  The class with the most donations will earn a pizza party!

Legacy also has a Mitten Tree.  Families are invited to donate new hats, gloves or mittens to the tree.  

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Halloween Candy

I'm still looking for extra Halloween candy.  We will use it to decorate Gingerbread Houses before winter break.  When you have had enough of the candy,  just send it to school.  

Pumpkin Pies!

It was a busy and exciting day in kindergarten!  This morning we made pumpkin pies.  Thank you to all the families that brought ingredients in, or offered to bring ingredients in for this project!  The kids helped combine ingredients and stir before putting the mixture in the personal pumpkin pie shells.  We made pies with Mrs. Doyle's class.  Ms. Rivera, in the cafeteria, let us put the pies in her fridge until we ate them this afternoon.  What a tasty treat!  I've included a few pictures below.  In case you'd like to make pies, here is the recipe:

1 small package of instant vanilla pudding

1/2 15 oz can of pumpkin pie filling

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Put the mixture in the pie shells

Makes 6 personal pies

After Muisc, we read Mr. Murry and Thumbkin by Karma Wilson.  After reading the story, we created a Double Bubble Map where we compared and contrasted the two characters.  I've included a picture of our work.  

Stay warm and dry.  I will see everyone back on Wednesday.  Please remember to send your child with a coat appropriate for the weather.  

Mid-week News

Happy Wednesday!  

A couple of weeks ago, I sent home a book order.  I would like to close that order out.  If you are interested in ordering, please bring the order in by Friday.  I will also send new book orders home next week.  Consider purchasing books for gifts or stocking stuffers.  If the book you order is for a gift, let me know and I will find work with you to deliver the book discretely.  

We will be making pumpkin pies on Monday, November 16.  We have all the ingredients we need.  Thank you!

We continued our work on nutritious food today.  The class was asked to sort foods by whether it was healthy or unhealthy.  They really focused on this activity and did a great job.  They also did some writing about healthy food.  This was more of a challenge for them.  We went to the library.  Some of the children were able to check out new books.  Many still had books at home.  Please remember that library books need to be returned before they can check out a new one.  

In the afternoon we worked on Lexia and went to the music room.  We also read If I Built a House by Chris Van Dusen.  In the book, the main character describes the magnificent house he would build.  After reading it, we created a Brace Map that lists the rooms we would include in a house our class would build.  Their ideas were fun and creative!  I've included a picture of the Brace Map below. 

The school's Lost and Found is getting really full.  If you are missing items, please come in and take a look.  After Thanksgiving, all items that are not claimed will be donated.  

Nutrition week

This week, we will have several activities to teach about nutritious food.  The kids were excited to start the day at centers where they made a puppet.  They have an apple for a head, a raspberry for a nose, broccoli for arms and corn for legs.  They are super cute!  Later this week, we will sort food into food groups and write about the kinds of food we like to eat.  

After art, we read a story called The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant.  After reading the story and talking about it, we made a circle map that includes what we know about the relatives in the book.  

Wednesday, we will go to the library and spend time with our 4th grade buddies!

Halloween Candy

When you have enjoyed Halloween treats, and as ready to clean them out, please send them to school.  We will use the left over Halloween candy to decorate Gingerbread Houses before winter break.  

Before Thasgiving break, we will make personal pumpkin pies in class.  We need a few ingredients.  

-Personal graham cracker crusts (found on the baking aisle at the store). 

-Instant Vanilla Pudding

-Cans of pumpkin pie filling 

-1/2 gallon milk

-Cool whip

-Forks

If you can help with any of these, please let me know.

Remember that Wednesday is a late start day, but Friday is a normal half day.

Happy Halloween!

Today was all about Halloween.  We had our Halloween party followed by recess.  After recess we read Five Little Bats Flying in the Night and There As an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat.  Tonight is the Legacy Trick or Treat Festival.  I will be there handing out treats to all the trick-or-treaters.  I hope to see you there!  You can register at the door, but the cost has gone up to $10.  

Monday News

This morning at centers, we listened to Bats Around the Clock and the children drew a picture of their favorite bat in the story.  We cut a Halloween picture apart and glued it back together before coloring it.  We read books about Halloween at the guided reding center, and weighed miniature pumpkins.  The large one weighed 60 cubes!

After lunch and time with Lexia, we graphed Autumn mix candy corn.  The children brought their candy corn home and are welcome to eat it.  I've attached some pictures of our graphing activity.  

Legacy is celebrating Red Ribbon Week where students are encouraged to say no to drugs.  We decorated our classroom door with boots.  The title on the door says, "Mrs. Pickett's Posse gives drugs the BOOT!"  As part of the celebration, students are encouraged to wear sports jerseys on Wednesday and hats on Friday.  

Wednesday will be exciting because we will meet with our 4th grade buddies to complete our bat stories!