JK Newsletter
January 17, 2016
What about handheld devices?
Playing outside is great for kids. Reading with kids is just the best! Working puzzles, playing board games, playing cards, make believe… these are wonderful ways to encourage your child’s development.
Limiting screen time is a recommendation for kids. That said, I also live in 2016 with you all and my house is full of handheld devices. So, in that spirit… let’s embrace the best of what’s out there. Don’t get me wrong… we’ve spent plenty of time at my house playing Angry Birds, but my children have also found great educational apps that help them learn their vocabulary words, practice spelling words, memorize math facts, learn their state capitols, etc.
Here are some recommendations for apps that are fun AND educational…
This is an excellent app for working on letters and numbers—and includes a handwriting practice component. How many times would you like to do some handwriting or letter and number work, but you don’t have piece of paper or pen? Well, if you have your iPhone/iPad, you can get that done with this app.
http://spinlight.com/apps/alphatots/
This app is also a great way to practice those letters by playing games! It is available for Apple and other handheld devices.
http://pbskids.org/apps/super-why-app.html
This app also includes a component that helps children practice completing a rhyme. This a critical skill for children to practice and one that we work on in class. I’ll start a familiar nursery rhyme and when I come to the end of the 2nd line, I won’t say that last word. The children shout it out.
Countries and Cultures field trip - January 29, 9 -10 am
The children will be in groups of 2-3 students and will visit each table/country with a passport that they will get stamped to be certain they've made their way around the world.
Before our field trip, we'll locate these countries on a world map and bake some sugar cookies that look like the earth to take to our hosts as a, "thank you."
Community Helpers Luncheon - January 21, 12:00 - 12:30 pm
(JK - hosts and provides soup, K - provides paper products, 1st - bakes brownies, 2nd - helps 4th grade make sandwiches, 3rd - provides chips and drinks, 4th - works with 2nd grade to make sandwiches.On Wednesday, JK will make our contribution... a Rainbow Vegetable soup).
We have already received 20 RSVPs and expect that we might receive more! We serve the soup and sandwich lunch out of JK, but each lower school class has several community helpers come and eat with them in their classroom.
Nooners, can you please plan to stay until 1:00 on Thursday to participate in this program? You'll need to pack a lunch, as we only prepare food for our guests.
Vanilla extract bottles
Classroom Needs/Wants
2 Grymes Traditions
What are Declamation Days?
Declamation Days are an important tradition at Grymes. Each class, beginning with the Kindergarten, takes the stage for one assembly period and recites poems that each child has memorized. The poems get longer as the children get older. By sixth and seventh grade, the declamations are a performance art.
We will attend the Declamation Days of the younger students and will consult with the teachers of older classes regarding the length of their poems before we make our decision as to whether or not we will attend.
What is the Variety Show?
Directed by parents and faculty, this fun event takes place early in the spring and features acts and performances by many students. It is a fun family evening.
The practice schedule is as follows: Initial Meeting 1/27 from 3:30-4:30. Practice: 2/1, 2/8, 2/10, 2/17, 2/22 from 3:30-5:30. Mandatory Dress Rehearsal on 2/24 from 3:30-5:30. Please attend the initial meeting if you are interested. The Variety Show will be held on Friday, February 26, at 6:00pm.
Contact information
Email: kkeating@grymesschool.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/grymesschool.org/junior-kindergarten/
Phone: 540-764-0753