Welcome new kindergarten friends! You are the Class of 2030! I cannot wait to meet you. I am busy setting up the classroom and attending teacher meetings. We are almost ready for you to come to school. You will be an Ox Ridge Owl! I look forward to meeting everyone on Thursday. We will read a story, talk about what you need for Friday and take a tour of the school. Parents will be in the cafeteria.
Parents, please note, if you have not sent in a photo of your child, do so ASAP. Your child's head should be about an inch high/wide in the photo. I have most of yours, but some are missing. If you are not sure, feel free to email me:
shenry@darienps.org
See you soon!
Monday, August 28, 2017
Friday, June 16, 2017
Newsletter 6/16/17
Look at us! We're FIRST GRADE ready!
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What a blast we had this week. Enjoy some of our theme day photos below. THANK YOU for teaming with me this year! I am so proud of this class; everyone has grown in leaps and bounds! Please feel free to have your child keep in touch with me over the summer via school email. I will be checking it every so often and I promise to write back! Wishing your kindergartner and you a wonderful summer,
Fondly,
Sandy Henry
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| Making Flag Day necklaces |
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| Reading on Beach Day |
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| Collecting Team Autographs on Baseball Day |
Friday, June 9, 2017
Newsletter 6/9/17 and Field Day Fun!
We're getting close to the end! It's a lot of fun and games from here on- along with some learning...
We read a lot of books this week: about first grade, camping and fathers. We spent time reading our favorite stories and choosing our reading partners. We added a camping poem to our Book of Poetry and read to our stuffed animals on camping day!
Our narrative writing unit is done. Did you see your child's story come home? The students have grown so much as authors! Amazing. We wrote about camping and made cards for Father's Day.
We are making a Summer Reading and Writing Journal, making plans to keep working this summer. Look for it coming home and please use it this summer.
In math this week, we learned how to conduct an organized survey. First, we surveyed the class to see our favorite spring activity. Then, we made surveys of our own: thinking of a survey question, collecting and keeping track of data (see photos).
In Second Steps this week, we learned some calming down strategies. When I feel angry or sad or scared, I can use 3 steps to calm down: stop, name my feeling, and take belly breaths. This lesson is helpful for everyone! Look for Second Steps papers that went home for more information.
We visited the first grade teachers on Wednesday and asked them a lot of questions. Some friends were nervous about going, but everyone agreed that they felt much better after.
We decided to name Friday "Finally Field Day Friday" because we had waited for it so long! The sun was shining and we had a blast!
News & Notes:
We read a lot of books this week: about first grade, camping and fathers. We spent time reading our favorite stories and choosing our reading partners. We added a camping poem to our Book of Poetry and read to our stuffed animals on camping day!
Our narrative writing unit is done. Did you see your child's story come home? The students have grown so much as authors! Amazing. We wrote about camping and made cards for Father's Day.
We are making a Summer Reading and Writing Journal, making plans to keep working this summer. Look for it coming home and please use it this summer.
In math this week, we learned how to conduct an organized survey. First, we surveyed the class to see our favorite spring activity. Then, we made surveys of our own: thinking of a survey question, collecting and keeping track of data (see photos).
In Second Steps this week, we learned some calming down strategies. When I feel angry or sad or scared, I can use 3 steps to calm down: stop, name my feeling, and take belly breaths. This lesson is helpful for everyone! Look for Second Steps papers that went home for more information.
We visited the first grade teachers on Wednesday and asked them a lot of questions. Some friends were nervous about going, but everyone agreed that they felt much better after.
We decided to name Friday "Finally Field Day Friday" because we had waited for it so long! The sun was shining and we had a blast!
News & Notes:
- Please see the Theme Day note sent home to prepare your child for each special day next week.
- Hope to see you at our classroom celebration (project, snack and play) from 2-3 pm next Wednesday. All parents are invited!
- Next Friday, 6/16, is the last day of school and a half day.
- Please let me know if your child will be leaving any earlier than next Friday.
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| A student survey about mussels |
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| Recording data in our surveys |
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| Visiting First Grade |
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| Our class survey |
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| Enjoying the Ox Ridge Band |
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| Mr. Warble playing a focusing game |
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| Happy Campers! |
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| Team Henry! |
Friday, June 2, 2017
Newsletter 6/2
Our "Character Clubs" continued to meet this week to read series books about a favorite character. Each club worked together at the end of the week to make a character trait web, which we've hung in our hallway. Ask your child about her/his character and see the photos below.
In Writing Workshop, our narrative pieces became even better as we worked on elaboration techniques. Everyone tried to describe small moments within their stories with greater detail. We were also very aware of needing to end sentences with punctuation and begin new sentences with a capital letter.
In math this week we worked on counting and keeping track of larger quantities, making a representation of a set of data and seeing one-to-one correspondence between that set of data and the representations we made. We all chose to represent our data using various strategies, so we shared our ideas.
We wrapped up our study of geography by playing the best game! Mr. Warble labeled the room with north, south, east and west and we used the class map that we made, along with these directions, to guided a partner to a hidden object. Students were choosing to play this game during Choice Time all week long. It was wonderful to overhear: "Turn west and walk straight", and then squeals of delight as the objects were found.
We had Infinite Roots, an African percussion group, visit our school on Thursday. Wow! They were amazing! They formed a band of students and everyone danced to the African rhythms. Reed and Julianne were chosen to be in the band! See the photos below.
On Zoo Day, we sang zoo songs, read zoo books and added zoo animals. We even created a zoo animal from the numeral zero! Finally, we had quiet time reading our favorite books to our animals. What a fun day!
News and Notes:
In Writing Workshop, our narrative pieces became even better as we worked on elaboration techniques. Everyone tried to describe small moments within their stories with greater detail. We were also very aware of needing to end sentences with punctuation and begin new sentences with a capital letter.
In math this week we worked on counting and keeping track of larger quantities, making a representation of a set of data and seeing one-to-one correspondence between that set of data and the representations we made. We all chose to represent our data using various strategies, so we shared our ideas.
We wrapped up our study of geography by playing the best game! Mr. Warble labeled the room with north, south, east and west and we used the class map that we made, along with these directions, to guided a partner to a hidden object. Students were choosing to play this game during Choice Time all week long. It was wonderful to overhear: "Turn west and walk straight", and then squeals of delight as the objects were found.
We had Infinite Roots, an African percussion group, visit our school on Thursday. Wow! They were amazing! They formed a band of students and everyone danced to the African rhythms. Reed and Julianne were chosen to be in the band! See the photos below.
On Zoo Day, we sang zoo songs, read zoo books and added zoo animals. We even created a zoo animal from the numeral zero! Finally, we had quiet time reading our favorite books to our animals. What a fun day!
News and Notes:
- Book sleeves due on Monday. Please return all books for summer inventory.
- 6/5 FIELD DAY (hopefully!) 1:45-3:15 pm
- Please check your child's theme day sheet (or post below) in preparation for the next 2 weeks!
- all parents invited to our end of year celebration on 6/13 from 2-3 pm for a craft, a snack, and some free play with your child.
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| A bunch of clubs' character trait webs! |
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| Character research in a club |
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| Learning an African dance |
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| "Infinite Roots" |
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| Making a representation of a set of data |
Friday, May 26, 2017
Newsletter 5/26
We began a character study in reading workshop this week. Every partnership is reading books on the same character, examining that character's traits in each story. We are understanding our characters by what they say, do and think, not just external factors.
We are returning to writing narrative texts in Writing Workshop, but now everyone's stories are so much more detailed! We began our unit by making a plan for our story, using a five page packet of paper. After writing for a few days, we re-read our stories to make sure that everything "looked right" and "sounded right".
We were busy doing math assessments all week long! Everyone worked really hard.
In phonics this week we studied the "QU" combination of letters.
In Social Studies, we made a map of our classroom with it's own key and we also talked about Memorial Day.
Our pupae have become adult ladybugs! We watched them crawl all over our Ladybug Land and eat raisins. Then, on Friday, we set them free!
News & Notes:
We are returning to writing narrative texts in Writing Workshop, but now everyone's stories are so much more detailed! We began our unit by making a plan for our story, using a five page packet of paper. After writing for a few days, we re-read our stories to make sure that everything "looked right" and "sounded right".
We were busy doing math assessments all week long! Everyone worked really hard.
In phonics this week we studied the "QU" combination of letters.
In Social Studies, we made a map of our classroom with it's own key and we also talked about Memorial Day.
Our pupae have become adult ladybugs! We watched them crawl all over our Ladybug Land and eat raisins. Then, on Friday, we set them free!
News & Notes:
- Have a great Memorial Day weekend! Look for the whole Henry family at the parade and the Post 53 Food Fair!
- Book sleeves due on Tuesday.
- We will be having ZOO DAY next Friday, 6/2. Have your child bring a small toy zoo animal to school.
- Kindergarten Field Day- 5/31, 1:45-3:15 Stop by for a bit to watch or stay for the whole thing!
- ALL PARENTS INVITED to our end of year celebration on June 14th from 2-3 pm. We will be doing a craft, enjoying a treat and then some free play time with your child. Save the date!
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| Mr. Warble reading a book |
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| Studying characters |
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| Our pupae are adults! They are eating raisins. |
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| Freeing the ladybugs! |
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| Our class map |
Friday, May 19, 2017
Newsletter 5/19/17
What an exciting week we've had!
We began the week going to the Library for a CompuChild activity. We built LEGO robots that plugged into our computers and moved! So cool. We also learned about the stages of a ladybug's life cycle. Our ladies came to us as larvae, but now we have many pupae in our Ladybug Land! We are hoping they'll be adults when we return to school on Monday. We made ladybug crafts in their honor.
On Tuesday we edited our persuasive writing piece and read books while searching for blends and digraphs. We also went on a digraph hunt around the room. Point out digraphs to your child while reading! We are speedy at our addition facts, but needed a bit of subtraction support this week. We also learned about "landmarks" in our geography lesson today. Ask your child about landmarks in Darien!
On Wednesday we did a math Exemplar and read ladybug books. We also played "I Spy" for symbols on various maps. Perhaps you've heard of the colors on our classroom thermometer. We watched it rise from green to yellow and even to orange this week (see photo below).
On Thursday we celebrated the end of our persuasive writing unit. Your child's piece is in his/her backpack today. Please ask to see your child's piece and give him/her a lot of praise! Please send your child's piece back to school by next Wednesday.
Friday we did an intense writing assessment and then relaxed by playing games with our volunteers! Thank you to Mrs. Donzeiser, Mrs. FitzPatrick and Mrs. Morgan for coming in. Friday afternoon we had a blast visiting the Maker Faire with our 5th Grade Buddies.
News & Notes:
We began the week going to the Library for a CompuChild activity. We built LEGO robots that plugged into our computers and moved! So cool. We also learned about the stages of a ladybug's life cycle. Our ladies came to us as larvae, but now we have many pupae in our Ladybug Land! We are hoping they'll be adults when we return to school on Monday. We made ladybug crafts in their honor.
On Tuesday we edited our persuasive writing piece and read books while searching for blends and digraphs. We also went on a digraph hunt around the room. Point out digraphs to your child while reading! We are speedy at our addition facts, but needed a bit of subtraction support this week. We also learned about "landmarks" in our geography lesson today. Ask your child about landmarks in Darien!
On Wednesday we did a math Exemplar and read ladybug books. We also played "I Spy" for symbols on various maps. Perhaps you've heard of the colors on our classroom thermometer. We watched it rise from green to yellow and even to orange this week (see photo below).
On Thursday we celebrated the end of our persuasive writing unit. Your child's piece is in his/her backpack today. Please ask to see your child's piece and give him/her a lot of praise! Please send your child's piece back to school by next Wednesday.
Friday we did an intense writing assessment and then relaxed by playing games with our volunteers! Thank you to Mrs. Donzeiser, Mrs. FitzPatrick and Mrs. Morgan for coming in. Friday afternoon we had a blast visiting the Maker Faire with our 5th Grade Buddies.
News & Notes:
- Last Scholastic book order deadline is TODAY by 3:45 pm.
- Book sleeves due on Monday.
- Kindergarten Field Day- 5/31, 1:45-3:15 Stop by for a bit to watch or stay for the whole thing!
- ALL PARENTS INVITED to our end of year celebration on June 14th from 2-3 pm. We will be doing a craft, enjoying a treat and then some free play time with your child. Save the date!
- See post below for special theme days in June and what your child needs to do each day.
- We will be having a high school intern, Mr. Warble, begin volunteering in K next Monday. We are so excited to welcome him back to Ox Ridge and back to my class! Yes, he was in my kindergarten years ago...
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| LEGO fun at CompuChild |
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| Our robots kicked a ball! |
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| Our outside thermometer is almost in the "orange"! |
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| Our pupae |
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| I Spy symbols on the map |
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| Connect 4 with addition |
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| Our larvae |
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