I love spending time with your children during the Christmas season! Their excitement is contagious. I pray that God will be glorified in all of our celebrating and that we hold him at the center of it all. As next weekend is Christmas, I will not be sending a newsletter. We’re heading out of town to be with family very early Saturday morning. Below you’ll find a summary of how we spent the past week and what I look forward to doing with your child this coming week. Before going back to school in January I’ll send an email with a few reminders. May you have a very blessed Christmas!
Important Dates
December 18: Jingle Jog 10:30-11:00
December 18: Kindergarten PJ day! Send slippers or cozy socks but NO stuffed animal friends
December 18: Kindergarten sledding 2:50- please see my note below
December 21: 9:00 am Christmas Chapel- everyone is welcome!
December 22: Christmas Party in our classroom 10:30-11:45am
December 22: Christmas offering $ due (optional)
December 22: Christmas Party in our classroom 10:30-11:45am
December 25-January 5: Christmas Vacation
January 9: Our student teacher arrives!
Reminders
- New Spanish Incentive: This past week the kids earned the last letter of the surprise word. Each time they speak great Spanish, we uncover a letter. After that we began a new incentive plan. The kids work together with the friends at their table to speak only Spanish. When I hear them speaking Spanish to each other they earn 2 pom pom balls. When they speak Spanish to me they may earn 1 pom pom ball. On Fridays, we count the total and the table with the most earns a surprise. Friday it was something from the prize box. I pray this change helps your child stay motivated to speak Spanish, especially as we move toward requiring Spanish only between classmates in January.
- Student Teacher: I’m very excited to welcome a student teacher from Hope, Matiana Madruno to our class beginning January 9! This is something I’ve never done before. As a teacher, I’m looking forward to learning from Matiana as well as showing her what a day in kindergarten looks like. As someone who loves your child, I’m looking forward to having another person in the room to support and love on your child. When Matiana arrives, I’ll ask her to share more about her background and introduce herself to you. Please let me know if you have any questions!
- Nativity Scene Project- Shoebox: Tuesday, December 19 each child will need an empty shoe box (with the top too.) This will be the stable. I’m so thankful for everyone who has supported us in this project- cutting out fabric, collecting tp tubes, helping in the classroom. donating supplies, and more. THANK YOU!
- Jingle Jog and PJ Day: Each year ZCS students run for 12 minutes around a gym to raise money for our sister school in the Philippines. Our class will run on Monday, December 18th from 10:30-11:00. This is an event that many parents love to come watch as their will be lights, music and running kiddos! We have a kindergarten tradition to run the jingle jog in our pajamas! So please send your child to school in their cozy clothes (but remember they will be running for 12 minutes!) and slippers. We will use our gym shoes while running, but your child may wear slippers in the classroom. (FYI our library time is usually 10:55-11:10. We will be heading straight to the library after Jingle Jog. I hope you’re able to enjoy a new library book over the break!) Questions? Please ask! 🙂
- Kindergarten Sledding: The ZCS sledding hill is a highlight for many students 1st grade and above. As a Kindergarten grade level we decided that Kindergartners will not go sledding with the whole school. This helps us ensure that our little ones have fun and stay safe. On Monday afternoon at 2:50 I would like to give the kindergarteners their very own chance to sled. Is your child gone on Monday afternoons? You are welcome to come back with your child and sled with us if you’d like. Please make sure your child has all of their snow clothes on this day!
- Snow Clothes: The time of year has arrived! Thank you for continuing to send warm clothes with your child. I have a few pointers/ideas for you:
- If your child is particular about his/her snow clothes (wants their pants tucked into the boots, or gloves tucked into their coat) please work on these skills at home. You may not believe it but by Christmas break most kindergartens can dress and undress 100% independently. 🙂 I can tell you are working hard with your kids! Please continue the great work! Enjoy playing outside over Christmas break!
- Please send snow clothes each morning in a reusable bag, just like what we use for our beach towels. This gives them something to put wet and dirty clothes into at the end of the day. With that, please be sure to check that bag EVERY night. Take out the pants, hats, and gloves, and let them dry out. The worst is when a child opens the bag for morning recess the next day and finds WET clothes from 2:30 pm the day before.
- Unless you bring your child to school by 8:25 am, there is NO need to dress your child in their snow pants before school. They do not need them on while riding the bus… unless you are using them for an added layer of warmth. 🙂 Most children who ride the bus do not have time to play outside before the 8:40 am bell rings.
- If you are going to send inside shoes to school (different from their gym shoes) please have them be slip on shoes. We take our shoes on and off at least three times a day, and unless your child knows how to tie their own shoes, this is tricky. Consider a pair of crocs, slippers with a hard sole or a velcro shoe. Thank you! 🙂
- Christmas Offering: ZCS decided (a few years ago) to forego the traditional gift exchange between students in the classroom. Instead, we are asked to find someone/something local to contribute to this Christmas. All kindergarten money will go to help a ZCS family in need of some basic items this Christmas. Please consider sending $2 to help with this cause. If you choose to donate just send an envelope labeled “Christmas Offering” on the front. Thanks for helping your child be a blessing this Christmas.
Phew! I think that’s all of the reminders! Thanks for reading them! If you have any questions, please let me know!
Curriculum
Bible: We continued to learn about the Christmas story one character at a time. This week we made Jesus, a shepherd, and one of the wisemen. I love seeing Christmas through your child’s eyes! This coming week we will finish our nativity projects. Please be sure that your child as a shoe box on Tuesday! They will be so excited to put the final touches on and show it to you at home!
Lucas 2:6,7 Mientras estaban allí así que dio a luz a su hijo primogénito. Lo envolvió en pañales y lo acostó en un pesebre, porque no había lugar para ellos en la posada.
Luke 2:6,7 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Literacy: We continued to explore adjectives. This coming week we’ll learn how to change adjectives to describe more than one thing. We’ll also complete some of the “es” and “Ll” activities we missed on our snow day last week.
- Read aloud: Sueños
- Vocabulary Words:
- nacer- to be born
- el barco- boat
- profundo- deep
- navegar- navigate
- la sirena- mermaid
- Word wall word: es (is)
- Phrase of the week: Vamos a recoger.
- Letter of the week/handwriting letter: Ll
Math: We continue to master numbers 1-10. This coming week we’ll look at numbers greater than 10 and practice finding groups of 10 within the bigger numbers. I’m also planning on opening a couple new Christmas math centers which we’ll be working on in the morning one day this coming week. This is special because most of the time math centers are an afternoon activity.
Writing Workshop: We finished our “Me gusta ____” (“I like ____”.) lists and every kindergartener made a list of things that they can do- “Yo puedo ____.” This coming week I’m looking forward to closing our unit on labels and lists with a writing celebration. Each child will pick a favorite writing piece to publish. Then we’ll have a “gallery walk” and share our pieces with our classmates.
Exploring God’s World: We continued to explore earth materials. This coming week we will talk about needs and wants. I love doing this mini unit at Christmas time. It’s such a great reminder of the way God provides for us!
Up in Lights: Conrad was Up in Lights this week! His daddy came to show us a loader and the kids loved taking turns climbing inside! We love you, Conrad! You are an amazing friend!
