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!

Classroom News

This week we learned about bats.  We did an art project, wrote poems, and read about bats.  

Halloween-Next week we will do Halloween activities.  We will have a Halloween party on Friday during our center time (9:20-10:50).  Parents are welcome!  If you plan to come in, please send me an email and let me know so I can plan appropriately.  I would like for one of the activities to be decorating a Halloween cookie.  We need plain circle shaped sugar cookies, orange frosting, sprinkles, and candy corn for this activity.  If you are willing to do at any of these items, please let me know.  

Trick or Treat Festival-Remember to register for the Legacy Elementary Trick or Treat Festival.  It is on Friday, October 30 from 6:00-7:30.  Go to https://stvrain.revtrak.net/tek9.asp?pg=rw_program_reg. to register.  The cost is $7.50.  I highly recommend this event!  I will be here passing out candy and look forward to seeing you!

Halloween candy- after you have enjoyed the Halloween candy your children collect, if there are any left overs, bring them to school.  Just before winter break, we will use the candy to decorate "Gingerbread" houses as a culminating activity to our Gingerbread Man unit.  Thank you!

Picture re-take day is Friday, October 30.  

Late Start-The next late start day is Wednesday, November 4.  School will start at 11:30 and will dismiss at 3:40.  Friday, October 6 will be a normal 1/2 day in the morning.  

On Wednesday, we met with our 4th grade buddies from Mrs. Melaney's class.  The children worked together to write a story about bats.  We did not complete our stories, so we will meet again soon to finish them.    Here are a few pictures!

Wacky Wednesday

Our day started with centers.  The children practiced handwriting, journal writing, and small reading groups.  They also did experiments to see which fruits, vegetables, and household items would sink or float.  After centers, we finally got a chance to go to the library!  The kids were able to check out books if they had returned their book from last time.  

After lunch we worked on the iPads on the Lexia program.  We also did math centers for the second time this week.  We visited the music room for specials time.  While in the music room, the school practiced a fire drill.  The kids did a great job!  It was very loud and, for some, a little scary, but they exited the building quietly and calmly.  

We will not be at school on Friday, October 16.  It is a conference compensation day.  We will be back at school on Monday, October 19.  

Paper books

Today the children brought home the paper books we used during small group reading instruction. These books do not count towards the Take-Home Reading Program.  However, the kids should be able to read the books to you.  Each week we will use a different book for small group instruction.  Keep an eye out for them and ask your child to read it to you.  

Next week is a short week.  There is no school on Friday, October 16.  It is a conference compensation day.  

Don't forget to register for the Legact Trick or Treat Festival..