It's the end of May....already?

I don't know about you, but I feel like these past few months have flown by!

Homework This Week
Due to the holiday weekend, there is no homework this week:-)

Kindergarten Celebration
Save the date...Thursday June 27th @ 1:00 2:00pm. More details to come soon. Please note, this will be a celebration and not a graduation (no caps and gowns).

End The Year Data
As the end of the year approaches, myself and Ms. Gardner will be collecting data on the kiddos that include running records (reading levels), sight word mastery, and math skill mastery.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to begin running records with the kiddos and I cannot tell you how amazing it is to hear the kiddos reading and using their strategies....using sight words, sounding out words, using the pictures, chunking words, skipping unknown words and coming back to them later. Music to my ears......

Specials This Week and Next
Thursday: Music
Friday: Curriculum Focus

Next week-
Monday: Media/Technology
Tuesday: PE1
Wednesday:PE2
Thursday: Art
Friday: Music

Reading, Writing, And Arithmetic
In reading, we continue to work on using the above strategies to read on grade level books. In addition, we continue to work on retelling these stories character, setting, problem/solution (for fiction texts) and main idea/details, facts you have learned (for non-fiction texts). This is especially important because your child's comprehension becomes a determining factor of your child as the move up in their reading levels.  Reading at home and talking about what you read is a perfect opportunity to practice this skill.
We have finished up our 'small moments' in writing, and are moving onto investigating how an author makes their writing more interesting (author's craft).
In math, we are finishing up our unit on representing/solving and creating equations for addition/subtraction stories and will move onto measurement later next week.

On a Personal Note
I want to take a moment and thank you for letting me be apart of your child's life this year. My Dad used to say to me that children are like flowers. You give them water, sunshine, a little fertilizer and then you have to stand back and watch them bloom. And although they are not 'my kids', getting to be a 'drop of that water' in their lives and watching them bloom over these past few months has been an honor. I will miss their smiles, hugs, and excitement for learning. However, I know they are prepared and ready for first grade. And I have no doubt they will continue to grow and reveal the beauty that makes them one of a kind.