Monthly Archives: March 2019

A Week in review: March 18-22

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So at the Arnold house we are all into the March madness basketball tournament and having loads of fun with it, and I think in school as well we have hit a bit of March madness! We have been working so hard trying to get as much done as possible, as well as fighting some illnesses, but we are almost there! Spring break is just around the corner. I encourage you to help your child finish this upcoming week strong!

Also, I wanted to let you know that I thought your children did an incredible job at our music program on Tuesday evening. Their joy and enthusiasm is so contagious!

Thank you all for your effort to have them there on time and looking AMAZING!!

Important Dates:

  • March 27: March is Reading: Beach day *dress in bright colors or beachy clothes (no    swimsuits)
  • March 29-April 7: Spring Break
  • April 26: Field trip to Critter Barn-more information coming in the days ahead

Curriculum:

 Bible: This week we concluded our study of the miracles of Jesus, learning about Jesus walking on water, feeding the 5,000 and raising Lazarus to life. I love the discussions we have during our Bible time. The theme with the miracles of Jesus has been a discussion of how amazing our God is! With a God like this we know that we never have to fear what may come!

Word Wall Word: who-we also talked about how the “wh” makes a different sound than just a ‘w.”

Daily 5: We were able to do 6 rounds of Daily 5 this week! We are all becoming better readers and are continuing to learn to use context to help us figure out words we don’t know. We also took a brief break from writing books during our Daily 5 to writing words we saw around the room! The kids did a great job with this!

Phonics: we added –ad to our list of word families and we also listened to words and divided them up to hear the first phonological sound and the string of letters that make the final sound (onset and rime). For instance c –at or  c –ake , then we practiced writing them on our white boards.

Math: This week we have totally focused on our teen numbers. We are working on grasping the idea that the 1 at the beginning of the teen numbers stands for 10!

Writing Workshop: We are continuing to learn about small moment stories and some of their characteristics. Ask your child about my example (hint: Treyton made a really big mess in my kitchen!) We then thought of messes we made and talked with a partner about ideas for our own stories. Next week we will begin the writing process!

Up in Lights: This week Sam DePoy was up in lights. Sam’s mom came and shared about him and his whole family was able to join him for lunch. Sam’s favorite colors are blue and yellow and his favorite song is Hail to the Victors. Mrs. Arnold had a little bit of a hard time with that 😉  Sam has a great sense of humor and we are so blessed to have him in our class!

Afternoons: We were able to enjoy quiet time, playtime, art and recess as well as math centers and Daily 5. One afternoon we also helped the 4th graders with their survey for their annual Market Day!

A week in review: March 11-15

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Your children have been working so hard as we push towards spring break! We are continuing to learn not only how to be good students but also good friends and classmates. It has been fun to watch friendships evolve over the last few months. Today I saw two children helping and encouraging one another during playtime and then go share what they did with other classmates. What a blessing to watch them grow and mature! Praying you all had a great week and that in the few week left before spring break that our class can remain healthy and finish March strong!

Important Dates:

    • March 19: Elementary music program-more information below-6:15
    • March 20: March is Reading: wear stripes like Waldo!
    • March 27: March is Reading: Beach day *dress in bright colors or beachy clothes (no swimsuits)
    • March 29-April 7: Spring Break

Additional Reminders

Tuesday is our first participation in the Spring Concert at Community Reformed Church in Zeeland. Here are some important reminders:

  • The program begins at 6:15, so please arrive at 6pm.
  • Please bring your kindergartner to me on the stage no earlier than 6.
  • The order of Kindergarten classes on stage from left to right is similar to our Christmas Chapel KA – KB – KC – KD – KE *We are KA
  • When our portion of the program is finished, please come to the stage to bring your Kindergartner home or to your seat if you are staying for the second concert with the older students.
  • Please remember that if you do not have a child participating in the second concert, you do not have to stay. Seating is usually limited at these concerts.
  • Students are asked to wear something “nice, clean, and bright”

Curriculum:

Bible: This week we were able to study three miracles of Jesus including filling nets with fish, healing the blind and healing the leper. We talked about how most of the lepers who were healed did not come back to thank Jesus and how important it is to remember to be thankful for all we have. We were also able to tie this in with our chapel with Joel Tanis and the book Lulu and the Long Walk. We discussed how much we have to be thankful for, even things that we don’t think about such as clean water. We then did a chain prayer where everyone thanked God for something. It was beautiful to hear every child pray and give thanks to our God!

Word Wall Words: it and in

Daily 5: This week we continued to work in our leveled library books and are continuing to work on strategies to help improve our reading. This week we worked on using the words around a word to help decipher that word! Everyone should be coming home with a new book and don’t forget to practice their blending cards!

Phonics: This week we added –ap to our list of word families. We also practiced reading a note from me to see how words are put together in a certain way to make sentences.

Math: We used unifix cubes to make towers of ten and then added some more on the side to practice making teen numbers! We then used this knowledge to make and answer math equations.

Writing Workshop: I introduced “small moment” stories to the class by writing a story of my own and then discussing and brainstorming what makes it a “small moment” story.

Handwriting: lowercase v, w, and t

Interactive Read Aloud: This week we read some stories from the Frog and Toad books. We discussed what a narrator is and listened for the narrartor in the stories.

Up in Lights: This week Adelyn Hunderman was Up in Lights. Adelyn’s mom came to share about her including bringing some of her favorite music from the movie The Star.  Her brother also came and had lunch with her. We also read Adelyn’s  ABC book with some great pictures of “little” Adelyn! Adelyn’s bubbly personality and willingness to help is such a blessing to our class!

Afternoons: We were able to enjoy art, quiet time, playtime, recess and snack as well as Daily 5 and math centers!

A Couple Pictures from Sports Day

    

Week in Review: March 4-8

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It was great to meet with so many of you for conferences on Tuesday night. I appreciate all your support as we work together to make your children successful. Your children are such incredible blessings!

We had another busy week in kindergarten which was highlighted by our comfy/flashlight day. We had so much fun reading in the dark as well as singing This Little Light of Mine. Looking forward to next week and maybe a bit warmer temperatures!

Important Dates:

  • March 13: March is Reading: Waldo goes to the Game *wear sports gear
  • March 14: Chapel with artist-illustrator Joel Tanis-more information below
  • March 19: Elementary music program-more information below-7:30
  • March 20: March is Reading: wear stripes like Waldo!
  • March 27: March is Reading: Beach day *dress in bright colors or beachy clothes (no swimsuits)
  • March 29-April 7: Spring Break 

Additional Reminders:

  • On March 14 we will be having chapel at 11:00 in the media center with Michigan artist-illustrator Joel Tanis. We will be selling Dan and Joel’s book, Lulu and the Long Walk. A form should have come home last Friday if you are interested in purchasing the book. These forms are due in the office by March 12.
  • On March 19 we will have the opportunity to take part in the Spring Elementary Music program. This is new for the kindergarten classes this year. The following is the information from our music teacher Ms. Kristin Baron:
  • Our Spring Elementary Music Program is quickly approaching! Mark  your calendars for Tuesday evening, March 19, at Community Reformed Church in Zeeland. Two short performances will be held: K/1/2nd grades at 6:15pm, and 3/4/5th grades at 7:15pm. Families who do not have students at both levels do not need to stay for both events as there will be transition time.

Curriculum:

Bible: We are continuing our study on the miracles of Jesus. This week we learned about Jesus calming the storm. We discussed how amazing Jesus is and the power He has to do things no one else can.

Word Wall Word: on

Daily 5: This week everyone was able to meet with me once and should have a new book in their book bag. We are starting to work on harder books and it is fun to watch them rise to the challenge. Our highlight was reading books in the dark with our flashlights!

Phonics: This week we continued our study of word families working on the –an family.

Math: This week we worked with tangrams. We learned that we could put different shapes together to make new shapes.

Writing Workshop: This week we made our final four page pattern book and we will be working on creating “small moments” books in the weeks ahead.

Interactive Read Aloud: This week we read Rosie’s Walk and learned about foreshadowing.

Up in Lights: This week Audrey Plantenga was Up in Lights. Her grandpa and grandma from Indiana were here and brought her lunch one day. Her mom came in too and shared all about her! Audrey is so full of life and such a fun girl and we are so happy she is in our class!!!

Afternoons: This week we enjoyed the normal quiet time, playtime, recess, and art as well as some Daily 5 and some movement activities after a day without outdoor recess!

Week in review: February 25-March 1

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It’s hard to believe that it is March already! It was nice to have a full five day week and have the students back with a more consistent schedule. I am so excited to see all of the growth that has occurred in your children since the beginning of the year and am looking forward to talking to many of you during conferences. Please look carefully at this week’s letter as there are a lot of fun things coming in the days ahead!

Important Dates:

  • March 5: Optional Parent Teacher Conference
  • March 6: March is Reading: Waldo at Night *Wear pajamas and bring a flashlight
  • March 13: March is Reading: Waldo goes to the Game *wear sports gear
  • March 14: Chapel with artist-illustrator Joel Tanis-more information below
  • March 19: Elementary music program-more information below-7:30
  • March 20: March is Reading: wear stripes like Waldo!
  • March 27: March is Reading: Beach day *dress in bright colors or beachy clothes (no swimsuits)
  • March 29-April 7: Spring Break

A Few Additional Reminders:

Big and exciting news: We will be welcoming a new student, Daisy, to our class on Monday!

On March 14 we will be having chapel at 11:00 in the media center with Michigan artist-illustrator Joel Tanis. We will be selling Dan and Joel’s book, Lulu and the Long Walk. A form should have come home on Friday if you are interested in purchasing the book. If you can’t find the form please let me know and I will get you another. The following is some information about how this idea started:

My name is Jill Koning and I am a ZCS mom with kids in 4th, 2nd and preschool. I had an idea that I wanted to pass onto you both for a chapel at ZCS perhaps in March or when it would work for you. My husband and I recently joined a committee for Blood:Water Mission in the Holland area. Blood:WaterMission helps African organizations to address their water HIV/AIDS issues in their communities (bloodwater.org). As a committee we are wanting to raise awareness and support in the Holland area. Joel Schoon- Tanis, a local artist, is also on this committee and has a passion for this mission. He is going into several local schools in March (reading month) to not only promote reading but more importantly to speak about using our gifts to help others. He illustrated a book called Lulu and the Long Walk” by the lead singer of Jars of Clay, Dan Haseltine, who is one of the co-founders of Blood:Water Mission. They are selling the book and 100% of the money raised will go to helping communities in Africa. Joel would love to return to our school and speak about loving and serving others through our gifts and perhaps draw a bit too. We would love to send home a note to the parents with the opportunity to purchase the book ($20) and all the money will go directly to Blood:Water to those in need of clean water.

On March 19 we will have the opportunity to take part in the Spring Elementary Music program. This is new for the kindergarten classes this year. The following information is from our music teacher Ms. Kristin Baron:

Our Spring Elementary Music Program is quickly approaching! Mark your calendars for Tuesday evening, March 19, at Community Reformed Church in Zeeland. Two short performances will be held: K/1/2nd grades at 6:15pm, and 3/4/5th grades at 7:15pm. Families who do not have students at both levels do not need to stay for both events as there will be transition time. More details to come!

Curriculum:

Bible: This week we began our study of the miracles of Jesus. We started with learning about His first miracle, turning the water into wine. We talked about how amazing it is that OUR GOD can perform miracles and He still does to this day!
I also introduced our new Bible verse Luke 7:22b:

“The Blind will receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the good news is preached to the poor.”

Word Wall Word: on

Daily 5: This week we continued to meet in groups with me as well as working on writing, reading to self, reading to someone, listening to reading and word work. Everyone should have one new book in their book bag to practice reading over the weekend. My hope is that very soon we will be able to do additional rounds of Daily 5 and each student will be able to bring two books home.

Phonics: This week we listened to the book, “A my name is Alice” and the students thought of words that began with the first letter of their name. They then practiced writing them and drew pictures to match!

Math: This week we worked on counting on from 5 and drawing circles in a ten frame format to represent numbers.

Writing Workshop: We made pattern books all on our own this week and most of us reached 4 pages! We also learned about surprise endings and added some fun last pages to our books!

Handwriting: This week we worked on uppercase J

Interactive Read Aloud: This week we read the book, A Chair for my Mother, and learned what a flashback is in a story. We also talked about flashbacks in our lives.

Up In Lights: This week Leah Russcher was Up In Lights. Her mom came to share about her and all three of her sisters ate lunch with her! Leah is such a joy to have in class and her smile is the best! We are so glad you are in our class Leah!

Afternoons: This week we continued to enjoy art, play time, quiet time, and also were able to write a class book about 100 day and attend our kick off to reading month chapel!