Happy Halloween!

On Wednesday of this week, we carved our class pumpkins.  The children helped clean out the insides with a big spoon.  Only a few kids actually put their hands inside to pull out the "goop" and the seeds (which always surprises me since that was my favorite part when I was younger).  Then we voted on what to carve our jack-o-lanterns.  The morning class decided on a cat face and the afternoon students wanted a bat.  We couldn't decide what to do with the little one so we left it alone.

Our Harvest Party was a success!  Thank you to all who helped out in the classroom and donated treats.  A class book will be coming home soon with pictures of the children in their costumes!

Have a great weekend and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Reminders

Reading money and nightly reading sheets are due tomorrow. If you turn your reading record sheet in, your child will be entered into a drawing to pick out the PJs and books we give away to children in need.

Tomorrow is also Bulldog Pride Day in the City of Green.  There will be a pep rally and bonfire at Green Memorial Stadium on Thursday evening at 7:30. S'mores will be served and there may be a special guest in attendance (If I find out who, I will let you know)!

Don't forget your costume for our Harvest Party at school tomorrow!

Candy Corn

Today we read a poem about pumpkins and the children practiced identifying beginning sounds in words. After identifying the beginning sound, we tried to say the word without the initial sound.  For example the first sound in Pumpkins is /p/. Take /p/ away and the word is “umpkin.”   This might be a fun game to play with words at home or in the car and it a skill children need to practice for Kindergarten.

We also used candy corn to help us count.  We had so much fun playing with words, that some of us ran out of time to complete the whole worksheet.  Your child can finish the worksheet at home and then eat the candy corn. It is just for practice so I do not need the worksheet back. J

Pumpkin Soup

This week we read the story Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper.  It’s a cute story about a Cat, Squirrel and Duck who live in a cabin in the woods and make pumpkin soup.  Each animal has a job when making the soup and everything is peaceful in the cabin until Duck decides he would like to stir (which is squirrel's job).  At centers today,  I had the children draw three things that happened in the story and I wrote down what they said.  Have your child tell you about the book at home!

If you would like to come in for the Harvest Party next Thursday, please let me know!  Thank you and have a great weekend!

Spirt Day

Thursday, October 21st is Bulldog Spirt Day. Wear your ORANGE and BLACK to school!

Don't forget about the Chili Supper on Friday at Green Middle School (4-7pm).  Tickets can be purchased at the door.

Harvest Party

Our preschool Harvest Party is on Thursday, October 28^th. Children are encouraged to dress up in costume that day as we participate in fun activities during centers.  I am looking for parents who are willing to volunteer in the AM from 9:20-11:40 and PM from 1:25-3:40.  I also like to have a special snack and drink for our party (AM-10 students; PM-7 students).  The AM snack is covered, but if you would be able to provide a drink or snack, come in to help, or both, just let me know.  You can write a note in your child’s notebook or just comment on this page.  I will keep the comments updated for you to view so you know what we have and what we need.

Thanks! Have a great long weekend. Go Bucks!

Absentee Ballots

We want to make it easy for you to vote and support Green Local Schools. An Application for Absent Voter's Ballot was sent home this week. They are due tomorrow (Thursday, October 14th). After completing the form and returning it to me, an absentee ballot from the Board of Elections will arrive in your mailbox before November 2nd.

Please support our schools!

If you need a new form or additional forms, please e-mail me (desmithkatie@greenlocalschools.org) and I can send you one today. Forms are due tomorrow.

Mail

There is a lot of mail coming home today.  Please check your child’s backpack for a big yellow folder.  Inside is an assessment called the Ages and Stages Questionnaire.  Please fill out the questionnaire as soon as possible. This is information that the state requires us to collect but it is also good information on skills your child should be developing at his/her age.  Please call if you have any questions.

Sign up sheets for conferences are mixed in there too, so be sure to look for that (unless I have already met with you this year).

Also in backpacks are the Scarecrows they made in art today! J

Music, Art and Movement

Miss Perritt and Mrs. Simmons are our specials teachers.  Mrs. Simmons teaches Art and Music class on Monday and Tuesday and Miss Perritt teaches Gym on Wednesday and Thursdays.  They make a great team and always prepare fun and developmentally appropriate activities for our preschool students.  Here is a link to view their Music, Art and Movement October Newsletter: http://www.greenlocalschools.org/157220311111424477/FileLib/browse.asp?A=374&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=59658

Calling All Colors

In your child’s mail today is a book that we worked on last week titled “Calling All Colors.”  We read each page together and then drew pictures of things that go with each color.  Please read the story with your child and ask them what they drew. You can also point out the rhyming words on each page and encourage your child to come up with more rhyming words.

Another color book will be coming home at the end of this week called “Mary Wore Her Red Dress” that your child can read to the tune of “wheels on the bus.” Enjoy!

The Mailman

Every Thursday we do an activity called Letter Mailbox.  I tell the children that the mailman comes and delivers new letters for us learn.  He puts the letter in our mailbox with items that begin with the same letter sound.  Today, the mailman brought us the letter T.  I gave the children clues about what things the mailman brought us that start with the letter T or /t/ sound.  The children had a lot of fun guessing the items (tomato, tiger, teeth, towel, turtle and turkey).  They also learned sign language for letter T and turtle.  So far we have learned S is for socks, M is for mouse, D is for duck and P is for pig!

Be sure to check out the news for next week.  We will continue to work on colors and shapes.   See if your child can identify different shapes and colors at home and outside!

On another note, I have not yet received the snack menu for October so the snacks are listed as ? on this week’s newsletter.