Friday, August 9th

We've completed our first full week of Kindergarten! It was a fun and busy week! Please read all of the following announcements.

Rest Mats - Rest mats were sent home today. After washing the rest mat, let your child practice rolling it up independently. Several students need my help to roll their mat every day, which is causing us to be late to recess. Practicing at home will help this improve. Please return the rest mat on Monday. Thank you!

Math Papers - As you've noticed in your child's Daily Folder, we started our Big Ideas Math Curriculum this week. We are learning to count objects and write the number that represents that amount. If you noticed your child had difficulty writing 2, 3, 4 this week, it would be a great idea to work with your child on this at home. Also, if it looks like the number was written hand over hand with support, please work with your child as well.  I have 15 students and cannot get to all of them for the additional support.  Thank you for your help at home. 

Letter Experts - All students will take a turn being a Letter Expert. We started this on Monday. When it is your child's turn, please follow directions on the note that comes home. You will need to email me a picture that begins with your child's letter sound by 1:00 the day before your child presents to the class. 

August Challenge - Fine Motor Skills - Please set a timer for no less than 10 minutes each day and give your child opportunities to write letters and numbers with pencil, draw pictures of people with pencil, color pictures with crayons, and cut paper with kid scissors. Sit with your child as they do these activities and provide encouragement as needed. If these activities are difficult for your child, please allow them to also play with playdough, lace beads on a shoelace, and pick up small objects with tweezers. These activities will help your child build the muscles in their fingers, which leads to improved handwriting. If you complete this challenge each day of August, please email me at the end of the month to let me know they met the challenge. Your child will receive FOUR Good Time Tickets. 

Kindergarten Color Week - We will be learning about primary and secondary colors beginning on Monday. We would love to have the students wear the color of the day beginning Monday. Click this link for all the details: Kindergarten Color Weeks

Finally, if you haven’t done any of the following, please go ahead and do so: 
1. Send $8.00 for the Scholastic News
2. Write a note to me about your child (directions were sent home at Open House).
3. Finish All About... slide of your child. It was emailed to you last Saturday.
4. Sign up for text messages: Text @cmiller24 to 81010
5. Connect to your child’s Seesaw account - see post from last week
6. Put a complete change of clothes in your child’s backpack.