Check Out My Second Grade Blog

http://vanemansecondgrade.blogspot.com/

Summer Reading Suggestions

Please visit my new 2nd grade blog by clicking on "Van Eman's Second Grade Blog" below.  I have added a page for summer reading suggestions.  Happy Reading!!

Van Eman's Second Grade Blog

Through the eyes of the graduates... Slideshow!!! :)

Thanks so much for sending in your pictures.  I LOVE seeing the memorable moments you have captured for your child.  I would like to keep adding pictures so please keep sending them.  Enjoy!

End of the Year Videos

Please visit Mrs. Walker's Tiger Tales blog to see her newest videos from the school year and the new building.


You will love them. :)

Through The Eyes Of The Graduates!

Parents,


I would love to add pictures from your child's special day. I am looking for any picture that was taken before/during/after graduation.  Pictures can be of your family, your child and friends, your child and me... etc.  ANYTHING....EVERYTHING!!!


Thanks for your help with this final and special post for kindergarten.  


Take care and have a fabulous summer. :)


Email- vaneman_l@westcler.org

Goodbye To A Great Year!

To My Kindergarten Students, 


Tomorrow is graduation and I wanted to thank you for all your hard work this year.  Our classroom was filled with many moments that I will never forget.  I hope you enjoyed your time with me in kindergarten and have learned how to enjoy learning.  Get ready to smile, sing and most importantly shake it for the 3 Little Muffins.  See you tomorrow!

PJ Day TOMORROW

Please have your child wear their PJs tomorrow.  Thanks to everyone for their hard work on making good choices.  I can't wait for our special day tomorrow. 

Miss Farro's Final Week

This week Miss Farro will finish her UC requirements for her kindergarten placement.  The kids have enjoyed spending time and learning with Miss Farro.  We wish her luck next year as she begins her student teacher experience in a first grade classroom. Thanks Miss Farro for all your hard work.

Mimi's Final Visit

Trevor's grandmother, Mimi, made her final visit to the classroom last Monday.  The students enjoyed books about butterflies and butterfly treats.  Thanks Mimi for all your support with this project.  Trevor's classmates really enjoyed all your activities and books.

Our Last Week Together :(

I can't believe it is our last week until summer vacation.  This week your child will be bringing home items from the classroom to keep.  Please have your child bring their book bag EVERY DAY!!




Important Dates:


Graduation: May 27th- AM- 9:30-10:30     PM 1:00:200
Your child will be released to you after graduation to allow your family to enjoy the day together.


Picnic: May 28th- Normal School Hours
Please have your child pack a lunch to enjoy outside. 


****We are also looking for volunteers to help with face painting.  If you have any face paint at home or wouldn't mind purchasing some for the event please let me know.

Happy Mother's Day

Dear Moms,


HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!! I hope that you are enjoying your special day.  Thank you for raising such wonderful children...they are a joy to teach.  I hope you liked the cook book created by the children in your child's classroom.  There are some great recipes in there!  :)

No More Homework or Bag of Books

I can't believe that we only have 14 days until graduation. Where has the year gone?


Since your child has worked so hard all year on reading and homework packets, I have decided to stop homework and nightly reading.  Your child will be bringing home their Bag of Books folder tomorrow with books for them to practice during the summer.  Your child DOES NOT need to return these books, they are a gift from the 1st grade and Title teachers.

Graduation Information

Many of you have asked about ordering caps and gowns for graduation. All your child will need for graduation is a nice outfit. Our wonderful PTA will supply the tassel and the school will supply the cap.  Your child CAN take home their tassel as a gift but the cap will need to returned before leaving the ceremony. 








Important Information:
What: Kindergarten Graduation
When: May 27th              AM Graduation- 9:30        PM Graduation- 1:00
Where: Amelia Elementary Gym


Both ceremonies will start directly at their assigned times.  Please plan on arriving at least 30 minutes prior to the start of graduation to allow time for parking and finding a seat. Your child will be released to you after graduation to allow for your own family celebration.


Graduation Pictures:
This year we will be offering graduation pictures through Lifetouch.  A paper was sent home in your child's Wednesday folder with information about ordering. PLEASE DO NOT send money or your order form back with your child.  All ordering will take place through Lifetouch on the day of graduation.

Out of the Building

Hello PM Parents,


I am attending a workshop to create a kindergarten math journal and will be out during your child's session.  Please tell your child that I will see them on Tuesday. :)

Practice Lunch

Please remember to send in your child's lunch money for our practice lunch on Wednesday, May 19th. 

Menu:

Chicken Nuggets

Corn

Applesauce Cup

Milk

Lets Build Something Together!

On Friday, the AM students visited LOWE'S to make up their final missed school day due to snow.  While at LOWE'S the students created a 3D figure (a bird house).  The students LOVED IT! Each student got their own supplies, apron, hammer, and glasses.  It was so great to see the students dive into the project, hammering away and creating their own LOWE'S birdhouse. The Kindergarten Team would also like to thanks Ms. Bischof, Ms. Fite and Ms. Fuller for attending and helping the kids create a lasting memory.




The students also enjoyed having a picnic lunch and playing at a park.  They enjoyed the big slide, climber and the "big" monkey bars.

Our Butterfly Unit

This month the students investigated the life cycle of a butterfly. We observed daily and created a Butterfly Journal to document our learning.  It was amazing to see all the detail the students noticed from day to day.  We ended our study on Friday with 125 kindergarten students watching the butterflies be set free to explore their new home.

AM Field Trip and PM Field Trip... Drake Planetarium and Lego Lab

ALL of the Kindergarten students had a GREAT field trip to the Drake Planetarium and Lego Lab at Norwood High School. Tuesday and Wednesday were jam packed with fun and learning activities. We made simple machines at the Lego Lab then we were amazed as we REALLY saw the sun, moon and stars in the "night sky." The students have learned new and exciting information for levers, pulleys, gears, axels, and the wonder of making a machine that REALLY works. The next time they are out in the night, they will surely be looking for Orion, the Big and Little Dippers, and telling stories about the Constellations in the "night sky."

We Are Poets

For the last two weeks we have been working on creating poems.  The students have enjoyed getting their creative minds working and producing amazing pieces of writing.
                                                                  

                               AM Class Poem

PM Class Poem

             

Earth Day! What We Can Do To Save the Earth.

Today we learned about ways that we can save the Earth.  We used our SMART board to watch Moby the robot practice ways to keep our Earth clean and beautiful.  Next, we used starfall.com to read a book about cleaning up the environment.  During the book the students had a chance to touch items and move them into the different piles for recycling.  Finally, we created our own Earth and each student wrote ways that they can help save the Earth.  We had a great day!  HAPPY EARTH DAY EVERYONE!


What can you do to help save the Earth? Leave us a comment...we would love to read it.

Want to watch our learning videos at home?  Click on the links below. Happy Learning!

Brain Pop Jr.- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Starfall- Every Day Is Earth Day!

PBS Kids- Earth Day 2010

Our First Skype Guest Reader!

This week the AM and PM students were surprised by Mrs. Morris from the Village School in California. The students LOVED the book about the life cycle of a butterfly and seeing Mrs. Morris.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, Mrs. Morris for taking part in our Guest Reader program.

We can't wait to share our poems with you and learn new information from your tadpole frog study. 

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Guest Reader

On Monday, we were lucky to have a first grader guest reader. He read the book he created in class about the different colors of fish. Thanks so much for sharing your book, we loved it. Great job!

Save the Date...Kindergarten Graduation May 27th.

I can't believe this year is almost over and your child will soon be a graduate!  Below is  important information about the graduation. 

Kindergarten Graduation is set for Thursday, May 27th. The AM Graduation will be at 9:30 a.m.  and PM will be at 1 p.m. Both graduations will start exactly at the time above so please make arrangements to be here at least a half hour early to find a parking spot and seat.

We will have a slide show of the year in Kindergarten for parents to enjoy while you wait. After the ceremony, refreshments will be served and then you can take your new GRADUATE home early to celebrate all their hard work this year. 

Reminder...Monday PERMISSION SLIP/S and MONEY DUE!

I can't believe that we are getting so close to our field trip/s. Parents, please remember that your child needs to have the permission slip/s and money in to me by tomorrow.  We need to make bus arrangements and finalize plans for the trip.  If you need support with the admission please let me know and we will get something worked out.  Your child will not be able to attend the field trip without their permission slip and money returned.  If you lost your permission slip, you can print it out from the blog.  Please visit the Field Trip Information label on the side of the blog and it will direct you to the post. I can't wait for your child to experience this interactive field trip.

Kindergarten Has School Spirit!

The kids had a great week showing their school spirit and support for their older AE tigers.  Below are our classroom photos from this week.

Fancy Friday AM 

Sweat Pants AM

                          

Fancy Friday PM

                                                   
                                                             AM Class Hat

 

Fancy Friday PM

Sweat Pants Day PM

Hat Day AM                    

                     

Hat Day PM

Kindergarten Students Show School Spirit And Pump Up 3rd Graders for the OAA Test

This week is the OAA spirit week for the entire school! 

Please encourage your child to dress up for the themes and cheer on their fellow AE Tigers.

Spirit Week Days:

Monday- Spirit Wear

Tuesday-Put a Hat on the OAA (your favorite hat)
Wednesday-Don’t Sweat the Test-(wear sweats)
Thursday-Sock it to the Test (wear your silly socks)
Friday-Fancy Friday (dress in your very best!!)

All 3 kindergarten classes decorated posters and wrote words of encouragement  to pump up the 3rd grade students.  We know they will do a great job....GOOD LUCK 3rd Graders!

Field Trip Reminder.... Money and Permission Slip Due This Week.

The cost of the field trip is $8.00 per child. This includes admission to the Planetarium and the Lego Lab. Please send your child’s money to school on or before April 16th. It is extremely important to send the correct amount of money along with the signed permission slip in an envelope marked with your child’s name. PLEASE, SEND CASH ONLY! WE WILL RETURN CHECKS.

AM Parents:
Please remember to also send in the LOWE'S permission slip along with the Planetarium/Lego Lab permission slip.

We Like To Learn With Jelly Beans

During Math and Writing last week we worked with jelly beans. In Math, the students had a great time sorting, adding, graphing and counting.  In Writing, the students enjoyed making predictions about the taste of jelly beans and writing about their findings in their Jelly Bean Taste Testing Journal.

Easter Bag Hunt

All 3 kindergarten classrooms enjoyed an Easter Egg Hunt on the Thursday before spring break. The students loved spending time with each other and finding their Easter Bag!

AM Students

PM Students

Principal For the Day Guest Readers

After selling the most cookie dough during a fundraiser, two 4th grade students joined Mrs. Walker on the Thursday before spring break to be the Principal for the Day. Both of the guest principals were wonderful guest readers and helpers! Thank you principals.

  

PM Field Trip Information

Dear Parents,


      It is time to start preparing for the field trip! The kindergarten classes will be going to the Drake Planetarium and Science Center (at Norwood High School) on Wednesday, May 5th. We will be visiting the Planetarium and the Lego Lab. Due to the length of our trip, your child will spend the entire day at school. Since your child will be at school all day on May 5th your child will NOT COME TO SCHOOL TUESDAY, MAY 4th..

    Your child will be leaving school at approximately 8:45 a.m. and return to school a little later than their usual lunchtime. Therefore, we are asking that you make sure your child eats a good breakfast before coming to school. Your child will need to bring a sack lunch and a drink to eat when we return to school.
   
     Since your child will be coming to school in the morning on May 5th, you can call the bus garage at 513-752-4020 to get the approximate time the bus will pick up your child in the morning. If you choose to bring your child to school on that day, he/she will have to be here no later than 8:20 a.m. If your child is late, he/she may miss the field trip. We cannot hold the buses to wait for any students that are late. Please mark you calendars with this information since it is a change from your child’s normal schedule.

     The cost of the field trip will be $8.00 per child. This includes admission to the Planetarium and the Lego Lab. Please send your child’s money to school on or before April 16th. It is extremely important to send the correct amount of money along with the signed permission slip in an envelope marked with your child’s name. PLEASE, SEND CASH ONLY! WE WILL RETURN CHECKS.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Cut on the line above and place this permission slip in your child’s money envelope.
I give my child, __________________________________, permission to go on the field trip with his/her Kindergarten class on Wednesday, May 5th.

______________________________________
Parent/Guardian’s Signature

Please indicate below the arrangements you have made for your child after school on the field trip.

________ I will pick my child up at school at 2:50.

________ My child will go to their usual destination no change will be made.

AM Field Trip Letter- Drake Planetarium and Lego Lab and LOWE'S

Dear Parents,
    
      It is time to start preparing for the field trip and our make up days! The kindergarten classes will be going to the Drake Planetarium and Lego Lab (at Norwood High School) on Tuesday, May 4th along with a field trip to LOWE'S to build 3D objects on Friday, May 7th. Due to the length of the field trips, your child will spend the entire day at school on Tuesday (on field trip to make up 1st snow day), Wednesday (at school to make up 2nd snow day) and Friday (on field trip to make up 3rd snow day).

     Your child will be leaving school at approximately 8:45 a.m. and return to school a little later than their usual lunchtime. Therefore, we are asking that you make sure your child eats a good breakfast before coming to school. Your child will need to bring a sack lunch and a drink to eat on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

     If you choose to bring your child to school on these days, he/she will have to be here no later than 8:20 a.m. If your child is late, he/she may miss the field trip. We cannot hold the buses to wait for any students that are late. Please mark your calendars with this information since it is a change from your child’s normal schedule.

     The cost of the Drake Planetarium field trip will be $8.00 per child. This includes admission to the Planetarium and the Lego Lab. Please send your child’s money to school on or before April 16th. It is extremely important to send the correct amount of money along with the signed permission slip in an envelope marked with your child’s name. PLEASE, SEND CASH ONLY! WE WILL RETURN CHECKS.

     The LOWE'S field trip will be free! You will still need to fill out a release form for LOWE'S along with a permission slip for the school. Your child will need to return BOTH forms in order to attend the field trip. All students will leave the field trip with a 3D object and LOWE'S a apron. We are very excited about this free opportunity provided by LOWE'S.

                                                                                                                                Thank You,                                          

Kindergarten Teachers

We Have Reached 21000 visitors!

WOW!! Thank you so much for visiting my classroom blog. I NEVER thought it would be this successful. We will continue to learn and post our thinking from Room 206 frequently. Thanks again for making this 21st century technology tool such a success. :)

Don't Forget Your Bag of Jelly Beans!

This week we will be learning with jelly beans.  Please send in a bag with your child on Monday. Thanks for your support with this special project.