K-C News
March 3, 2017
What you really need to know
Our Math Coach, Mrs. McKenna is looking for feedback on our math backpack program. Please note, backpacks are beginning a second round so each family will get one again before the year is out. The materials and skills have been updated to challenge and engage children and families. Your feedback is much appreciated. Please send comments my way ASAP!
Our guest reader volunteer list runneth over! We have recently enjoyed story time with Colin's dad Terry, Steve Waller (local children's book author of the story Pond Monster), Jake's sister Alexa, Molly's sister Madi, and Atticus's sister Sailor. More sibling guest readers to come soon...
Our Spring conference sign ups are LIVE on Bloomz. You should have received an alert inviting you to make an appointment on one of our last four NO AM K days (3/30, 4/11, 5/ 4 or 6/7). Please sign up soon so I can prepare for our discussion about your fabulous kid!
Thursday 3/9: EARLY RELEASE AT 12:15 (Kindergarten walkers dismiss by 12:05).
Send in dismissal forms by Wednesday!
Peruse your book order flyers for March (there's a cool Math and Science flyer to look through) and submit orders online by this Friday, 3/10.
Coming Attractions
Note that our last day of school will now be Monday, June 19 instead of Thursday, June 15, due to two snow days.
Early Release at 12:15
Thursday, March 9
NEEDHAM UNPLUGGED NIGHT
The highlight of this year’s program will be a no-homework, no-sports, and no-activities night for Needham Public School Students on March 9, 2017.
Parents can play their part on March 9th by getting home from work no later than dinnertime, canceling/rescheduling any night meetings, and thinking about making this night a special time for the entire family. In addition, there will be no town-related meetings and virtually no community, school, or religious meetings held on that night.
No AM Kindergarten, Spring Conferences
Thursday, March 30
No AM Kindergaten, Delayed start for grades 1-5
Tuesday, April 11
What we've been up to.
- In math, we have been working on recognizing and writing numbers all the way to 100. We are also learning the symbols for plus and equals and have started to practice sums for numbers 1-5.
- As if mastering number sense and basic operations weren't enough, we are also learning to measure relative weight with balance scales and are practicing lots of math vocabulary (heavier, lighter, more, less, same/equal, longer, shorter, taller, volume, length, height, and width) so we can compare objects and draw conclusions.
- Our sight word knowledge is spectacular and our CVC decoding skills are shaping up nicely. Try finding sight words or simple CVC words in books at home. Your kids can read them!
- We celebrated Read Across America this week by learning about Dr. Seuss and enjoying many of his famous stories. And who doesn't like to rhyme? So we've been doing that too!
- We wrote a book with our third grade reading buddies based on the story Green Eggs and Ham.
- It's that time of year to review our letter and number shapes to make sure we are forming them correctly. Students are getting lots of encouragement to use resources around the classroom to self-check for accuracy.
Links of the week.
Practice comparing weights on a balance scale.
https://www.turtlediary.com/game/heavy-and-light.html
Sort the nuts into equal groups for Horton and the Kwuggerbug. You divide each color group of seeds EQUALLY to succeed.
http://m.seussville.com/horton-kwuggerbug/index.html
Practice reading CVC words with a monkey!
http://www.literactive.com/Download/live.asp?swf=story_files/hanging_monkeys_US.swf
Preview one of our next stories: The Sneetches
The things kids say. For real.
After demonstrating an addition problem with big hats and little hats (in the visual style of Dr. Seuss), I introduced the next challenge by showing pictures of cartoony eggs and ham (in the visual style of Dr. Seuss) for the students to count and add. So the eggs are fried egg-style with a round, wavy edge and a circle inside. The hams are those bone-in, drumstick-looking things that nobody ever really eats, do they?
Anyway, Not thinking that the illustrations were subject to any creative interpretation, I just forged ahead...
Student 1: Why are we using flowers and meat?
Mrs. Cohen: Is there a Dr. Seuss book called Green Flowers and Meat?
Student 2: Green Eggs and Ham!
Student 3: It looks like flowers to me.
I just couldn't stop laughing at that.
Maybe you had to be there.