Mrs. Finotti's K1 Blog

K1 Visits Miss Sadie

2010-07-10T23:18:00.003-04:00

I just found this class picture & realized I'd forgotten to post it on our K1 Class Blog. This group shot was taken on the morning we did our walking trip to the Knox Pubic Library. On our way back to school we took a little side trip & stopped to visit my puppy Sadie. During the month of May she rode to Knox with me each morning where I dropped her off at a friend's house to spend the day.
Now that school is out, Sadie & I have been very busy doing some of our favorite things... learning to swim, running errands, "chillin" on our deck w/GIANT ice cubes, & picking up/chewing tree limbs that fall in the yard.
I hope your children are having a fun summer vacation as well. Is everyone remembering to practice their flash card words & counting to 100 every now & then? I'd hate for anyone to forget all the things they learned in Mrs. Finotti's Kindergarten class over their summer break!!

And just in case you haven't heard the news - it's official. I'm now retired ... as of the end of our 2010 school year.
My entire life has evolved around the Keystone School District starting first as a Keystone student myself many years ago & now ending with 35+ years as a Keystone teacher. Who could have ever guessed that??
Teaching will always be in my heart & even in retirement I'm taking on a different kind of teaching job... training Miss Sadie!! I'll certainly miss the students & my faculty friends at Keystone, but plan to stop in for plenty of visits. Take care, everyone, & be sure to say "Hello" when you see me in places other than school!!

BrainPop Jr. - Games

2010-06-07T18:15:00.000-04:00

Here's another good computer site from Mrs. Wit................. free educational games for the K - 3 crowd!! http://www.brainpopjr.com/games/

Summer Activities - I Can't Think of Anything To Do!!

2010-06-07T18:09:00.000-04:00

K1 Parents:
I'm posting this "Summer Activities -- I Can’t Think of Anything To Do!!!" list but will also send a copy of it home in your child's report card. I hope your child has fun with this little list. Maybe your family can add more ideas to it!!

1. Eat breakfast with your other hand.
2. Count cars as they go by.
3. Find 2 toys that you no longer use & give them to charity or donate them to a
hospital play room.
4. Try to draw your face by sitting in front of a mirror.
5. See if you can name a word for each letter of the alphabet.
6. Make some paper bag puppets, alone or with a friend. Put on a puppet show.
7. Count backwards from 15 to 1.
8. Sing the “Wheels on the Bus” song.
9. Count the number of windows, doors, and rooms in your house.
10. Eat a celery stick with peanut butter.
11. Write your ABC’s in upper & lower case letters.
12. Find a toy or game you haven’t played with in over a month. Use it!!!
13. Ask someone if you could be of help to him/her.
14. Ask someone to read you a story.
15. Sing the “Little Teapot” song.
16. Say something nice to everyone you meet.
17. Name 5 things you like to do. Then, do one of them.
18. Let some people know how much you like them without saying it.
19. Look at your baby book then draw a picture of what you’ll look like now.
20. Sing the “6 in a Bed” song.
21. See how many words you can name in 3 minutes that begin with D. (or pick any
letter)
22. Learn a new word and what it means.
23. Sing the “Little Boy Blue” song.
24. Touch your nose with your big toe.
25. Find 3 throw-away items and make something with them.
26. List all the things you can think of that are green. (or pick any any color)
27. Find a neat hiding place and eat your lunch there.
28. Wear a funny hat all day!
29. Put a pencil between your toes and write your name.
30. Make a new friend.
31. Have someone put any 10 items on a tray, show them to you for 1 minute, then
take them away. Try to name all 10 items. No peeking!!
32. Sing the Alphabet Song.
33. Name all your relatives – grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
34. Play the “I See Something” game.
35. Count up to the largest number you can.
36. Think about Mrs. Finotti and guess what she is doing during her summer vacation!!

Classroom News

2010-06-07T18:07:00.002-04:00

If you are looking for computer activites for your child(ren), be sure to visit our Keystone Elementary Home page. Check out the Student Stuff link along the left side. This site has many wonderful, educational, & safe websites linked there. You can find anything from ABC practice to counting practice sites on this page.
I know your child(ren) will enjoy visiting this page!!!

Thank You ......... K1 Parents!!

2010-06-07T18:04:00.000-04:00

Dear Parents:

Thanks for all your help, patience, understanding, guidance, treats, gifts, & support throughout the 2009 - 2010 school year. I have really enjoyed working with your child & watching him/her grow. It has been a productive year that has certainly gone by quickly! Enjoy the poem below – it holds a wonderful message. Thanks again for everything! Have a great & safe summer with your child. I'll be looking for all my kiddos this summer as we encounter each other @ the grocery store or where ever our paths may cross!! As far as the big question about retirement... I'll know for sure after the 21st of June. :)
Thanks again,
Melanie Finotti

I dreamed I stood in a studio
And watched two sculptors there,
The clay they used was a young child’s mind,
And they fashioned it with care.
One was a teacher: the tools she used
Were books, music, and art.
One, a parent, who worked with a guiding hand
And a gentle, loving heart.
Day after day the teacher toiled
With touch that was deft and sure,
While the parent labored by her side
And polished and smoothed it o’er.
And when at last their task was done,
They were proud of what they had wrought;
For the things they had molded into the child
Could be neither sold nor bought.
And each agreed he would have failed
If he had worked alone,
For behind the teacher stood the school,
And behind the parent……… the home.
- Anonymous

Math Arcade on Fun Brain

2010-06-07T18:00:00.000-04:00

Mrs. Witkowski, our Instructional Technology Specialist, is always on the lookout for good educational activities & this one is super! Math Arcade is a great website to help students practice math facts and skills. This might be a little difficult for some K1 kids, but I'm sure there are a few who will be able to do these activities soon or with a little help from an adult. If you have older children, this website is great for them as well!!
There is enough variety on the site to keep kids interested. The game board atmosphere gives students a goal to complete - they have to successfully play all 25 games to reach the end. Students can progress through the site based on their math ability. Math Arcade would be a great site to bookmark so your child can access it throughout the school year. I've added Math Arcade to the "Favorite Links" area on this blog!

BCC - School Science Clips

2010-06-07T16:24:00.003-04:00

Check it out... another interesting computer site from Mrs. Witkowski. The BCC science clips are a collection of science related activities & games for students who are 5 - 11 years old. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/5_6.shtml
Students can grow virtual plants, experiment with pushes & pulls, hearing & sound, forces & movement, electricity, rocks & soils, simple machines, light, solids & liquids, friction, habitats, life cycles, changing states of matter, reversible & irreversible changes, forces, & much more. The site is organized well, by age group, & has several activities at each level.

Fish World - Computer Game

2010-05-28T08:21:00.003-04:00

Younger children will enjoy creating their very own fish tank where they can add starfish, crabs, & turtles. This is a great game for kids learning to use the mouse or for kids who just want to be creative. http://www.prongo.com/fishtank/

Our Day at the Erie Zoo

2010-05-28T08:07:00.004-04:00

Our trip to the Erie Zoo on 5/27 was a GREAT one as you can see by the smiling faces!!! The weather was a little on the HOT side, but all-in-all we had a wonderful day.
The children & parent chaperones had the chance to see rhinos, giraffes, penguins, monkeys, reptiles, & many other animals.
My biggest thanks to all the K1 parent chaperones...Amanda Ashbaugh, Shawna Bish, Heather Cosper, Shana Heeter, Jimmy & Kim Smith, Bobbi Wolfgong, Crystal Watkins, and our super duper bus driver/parent chaperone Amanda O'Neil!! Your help on this special day was greatly appreciated; I know your child was very excited to share this Zoo day with you! I hope you all had as much fun as your child did.

New Computer Site - Check It Out!!

2010-05-25T08:15:00.002-04:00

This looks like a good one to check out..."www.mrnussbaum.com - A thousand sites in one!! Welcome to http://www.mrnussbaum.com/ is an interactive website designed specifically for students in grades K - 8. On this site you will find dozens of interactive games, activities, worksheets, and teacher tools that pinpoint essential skills. MrNussbaum.com was created and developed by a teacher!" I looked at it a little & saw where you can search for skill areas in a specific grade level, but I didn't see alot for Kndergarten. One thing to remember..... your child will soon be entering 1st grade, so you may find more skills on the 1st grade level.

K1 Visits the Fire Hall - Walking Trip # 2

2010-05-24T08:21:00.003-04:00

All of the Keystone Kindergarten classes were invited to visit the Knox Fire Hall on May 20th for a tour of their fire station.
The children learned about the different types of fire trucks & what each one does, they saw the radio control room, & saw demonstrations of the differnt kinds of tools fire fighters use during rescue/fire fighting situations. As a special treat, the children had the opportunity to actually get inside 2 of the fire trucks to have a look around!!
During the visit, the children learned never to be afraid of a fire fighter when he is dressed in his special "gear" & to never hide from fire fighters if they are trapped in a burning house. Another very important lesson the children learned was to stand way back from fire trucks because the drivers will not be able to see them if they get to close to the fire engine.
Coming up later this week.... our visit to the Knox Public Library.

Words We've Learned in Kindergarten

2010-05-14T08:49:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe - after today, we only have 13 days of school left until summer vacation!! With that in mind, Sadie Lou & I've composed an updated list of words your child has used on our CircleTime Chart throughout the “K” school year. For a fun & challenging activity, make flash cards & practice these words with your child! Keep practicing them throughout the Summer, so your child will remember these words when they pop up next year in First Grade!

WORDS WE’VE LEARNED IN “K1”
a - and - are - Art - August - black - blue - boys - children - Computer - days - December - do - for - Friday - go - good - girls - green - Gym - has - he - Hello - helper - Hi - I - is - it - kids - learn - Library - listen - look - March - May - Monday - morning - Mrs. Finotti - Music - November - October - of - orange - our - red - said - see - September - she - special - the - that - Thursday - to - today - Tuesday - was - we - weather - Wednesday - white - with - yellow - you - 2009 - 2010

And while I'm at it, here is a listing of other things your child has accomplished n Kindergarten...

* Doing a great job using my "KidWriting" skills
* Counting to 100 (or higher)
* Writing my numbers 0 - 20 (or higher)
* Zipping, buttoning, & learning how to tie a shoe
* Recognizing & naming the value of a penny, nickel, dime, & quarter
* Saying & writing my phone number
* Saying & writing my initials
* Saying & writing my first, middle, & last name
* Saying my home address
and
* Walking a "low" balance beam, bouncing & catching a ball atleast 5 times, galloping, skipping, & hopping

Walking Trip # 1

2010-05-11T08:00:00.002-04:00

Coming up this Friday... Our 1st of 3 walking trips. We are going to the Post Office. Please be sure to dress your child for the weather of the day & make sure they are wearing comfortable shoes for walking.

All About Bunnies

2010-05-05T08:07:00.004-04:00

In Kindergarten, we have just completed a hands-on Science Unit called "All About Bunnies". During our unit, we explored how rabbits look, what they eat, how they communicate, where they live, and of course, how to care for a pet rabbit! We wrapped up our study on Tuesday with a classroom visit from a real rabbit named Valentine!

The class is pictured wearing the masks we made to show different breeds of bunnies.

May Events

2010-05-04T13:25:00.001-04:00

Hi Parents..........

Just wanted to give you a quick reminder post about 4 upcoming special Kindergarten events that will be taking place during the month of May.
On Friday (May 14) we'll be taking our first walking trip to the Knox Post Office from 2:15 - 3:15PM. Please remember to send in an envelope with the correct postage by Thursday May 6th. The children will be writing a note to a classmate & mailing it during our visit. It should be an exciting time when you tell them ... you've got mail!

On May 20th, we'll be walking to the Knox Fire Hall & on May 25th we'll be taking our final walking trip to the Knox Public Library. The exact times for these trips haven't been determined as yet. There are no alternate dates scheduled for any of the walking trips, so if the weather is rainy that particular trip will be cancelled. If possible, we'll see if there's a chance to rescedule the visit.

Thursday (May 27) is our "big" field trip to the Erie Zoo. There is no rain date for this trip, so we'll be going rain or shine. Zoo information handouts have already been sent home. I hope you paid close attention to the information about lunches & the time to be at the school to pick-up your child.

For all these trips, (Zoo, Post Office, Fire Hall, & Library) please be sure to dress your child for the weather of the day & make sure they are wearing comfortable shoes for walking.
If you have any questions about this information, please give me a call or send an email.

Meet ..... Miss Sadie

2010-05-04T12:38:00.004-04:00

My husband & I are "new" parents! We brought home the newest member of our family last week... a 9 wk. old minature Teddy Bear English Goldendoodle puppy named Sadie.
The fast approaching end of our school year now has some added excitement for me - middle of night trips outside along with hours of fun & doggie games every evening.
I'm sure my retirement days will be busy ones now that I have this little buddy to keep me company!

An Afternoon Down on the Farm

2010-05-04T10:49:00.006-04:00

As a culminating activity to our Farm Unit, all 5 sections of Kindergarten had the opportunity to spend an afternoon at the Gene Smith Farm near Strattanville.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith told the children a little bit about their farm, the animals, & the crops they raise. As we toured the farm, the children got to see beef & dairy cattle, baby pigs, chickens, & a horse. Also, as a special treat, each child got their picture taken as they sat on the driver's seat of a big John Deere tractor!!
It was a wonderful day "down on the farm" & we greatly appreciate Mr. & Mrs. Smith letting us all come for a visit!

IXL MAth & 101+ Web Resources

2010-04-21T07:46:00.003-04:00

Thanks (again) to Mrs. Witkowski, our Technology Specialist, for these sites. Even though your child is only in Kindergarten, both sites look like keepers!! Bookmark them now ... IXL Math would make a great site to use during the summer to review skills learned this year & to get a jump start on what's coming up next year. The 101+ Web Resources site may not be something your Kindergarten child is ready for now, but it looks especially interesting... might be of interest to older children or even yourself!

IXL Math - IXL Math is a helpful math site that provides all of the math skills (pre-K thru 6th grade) that are learned in a particular grade level. Students can click on each skill to receive a set of practice problems. This resource appears to be helpful and parent-friendly. This would make a great site for summer reviewing! :)

101+ Web Resources for Students - 101+ Web Resources for Students is a great listing of different sites for students. The sites are organized by topics such as Almanacs, Encyclopedias, and Style Manuals. It is a good site to share with your students as a starting point for them when doing research or needing help.

K1 Kids - Candid Pics

2010-04-19T14:12:00.000-04:00

It's time to check out the "K1 Kids - Candid Pics" section to see a few new classroom photographs.

SOS - Help for Parents

2010-04-19T14:11:00.000-04:00

Recently, I heardd about an excellent book on behavior management called SOS Help For Parents by Dr. Lynn Clark, Clinical Psychologist. I was intrigued enough to check out the author's website to see if there might be some ideas I could use with my students.
If you are interested in learning some behavior management tips to use with your child(ren), visit http://www.sosprograms.com/index.html to see video clips of parenting methods and skills that Dr. Clark describes in his book.
Also, check out the Child Behavior link at the top for chapter samples. There are many good ideas listed for: Ways of Increasing Good Behavior, Major Methods for Stopping Bad Behavior, & Helping Your Child Express Feelings. This might be just the book for us all!!!
You might also visit http://www.freebehaviorcharts.com/charts/#chart for free behavior charts to print off & use at home.

Old to New Crayons

2010-04-19T09:01:00.000-04:00

Looking for something to do with old crayons........... Save those broken crayon pieces & make a fun new colorful and chunky crayon for little hands. Place paper muffin liners into a muffin tin. Peel the paper off of the old crayon pieces & place the crayons into the muffin liners being careful not to fill them too full. Heat the crayons in a 200 degree oven until complete melted. Cool and remove.

2 More Computer Sites

2010-04-19T08:59:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Mrs. Witkowski for locating these websites.

Education.com An Education & Child Development Site for Parents Parenting & Educational Resource - This is a great website for parents - click on the link for your child's grade - there is a wealth of informational topics to peruse. Education.com also has reproducible worksheets designed for preschool through fifth grade students. The worksheets can be searched by grade level or by topic. Each worksheet is available in pdf format for free.

The Official Eric Carle Web Site - Did you know that THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR recently celebrated its 40th anniversary? Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of literally millions of children all over the world and has been translated into more than 47 languages and sold over 29 million copies. Since the Caterpillar was published in 1969, Eric Carle has illustrated more than seventy books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote, and more than 88 million copies of his books have sold around the world.

Welcome... Miss Reddinger

2010-04-19T08:56:00.006-04:00

Have been hearing about a new "teacher" in K1? A few weeks ago, we welcomed a new "student teacher".
Ms. Dawn Reddinger comes to Keystone from Clarion University. Earlier this semester she worked in Mr. Bowser's 4th grade classroom. So.... now it's our turn to help her learn how to be a great Kindergarten teacher!!

April Newsletter

2010-04-12T08:06:00.000-04:00

I can't believe April is here already & what's even more surprising.........there are only 37 days of school left until summer vacation!! We have a very busy end of school coming up with lots of activities & field trips scheduled. Many of the field trips involve walking to local community places, so please be sure your child wears comfortable walking shoes & dresses for the weather of the day. If the weather is cold, please send a jacket!! So far, the Erie Zoo trip is the only one scheduled so be watching for updates on the other trips.
- Farm Field trip - not yet scheduled - bring an old pair of shoes
- Erie Zoo trip - May 27
- Knox Post Office - not yet scheduled - permission slips coming soon
- Knox Public Library - not yet scheduled - permission slips coming soon
- Knox Fire Company - not yet scheduled
Academically, please practice & reinforce the following skills at home. These are the areas I will be checking during the final grading period:
- listens to directions & then follows them promptly
- works independently
- recites the alphabet in sequence (say the letters not sing them)
- knows all 26 uppercase & lowercase letters & their beginning sounds
- knows all sight words (practice these every night!!)
- writes & recognizes numbers 0 - 20 & counts to 100
- names penny, nickel, dime, & quarter
- knows phone number starting with area code
- knows 911 address
- tells time to the hour
- large motor skills include walking on the balance beam - bounce/catch ball - gallop - skip - hop - fine motor skills include zipping - button - tie my shoe - improved cutting & coloring
Another area to focus on when helping your child is "KidWriting". Ask your child to illustrate a picture & write a sentence or 2 about their picture. When they finish, go over the sentence(s) & print adult words directly below their "kid" word. Finally, make sure their sentence(s) begin with a capital letter & end with the correct punctuation. KidWriting is a very important skill - please continue to practice this skill throughout the summer vacation!!!

Earth Day

2010-04-12T07:45:00.002-04:00

In honor of upcoming Earth Day, on 4/22, check out Ollie's World. It's a fantastic place to begin the celebration early. Ollie's World - Interactive sustainability resource for kids Here students will learn about the 4 R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink as they apply to the 5 action issues of waste, water, energy, air, and biodiversity. The site is packed full of games, puzzles, information and projects.

St. Patrick's Day & "Go for the Greens" Day Information

2010-03-16T12:50:00.006-04:00

We'll be celebrating St. Patrick's Day on Wednesday, March 17th. We'll center our day around some "green" activities. On the 17th, the children may wear green clothing & bring something "green" for Show & Tell.

There has been a sight change in our "green snack" plans due to the Beauty & the Beast afternoon assembly on the 17th. The entire elementary school will be walking over to the high school to see a small portion of the musical. The "Go for the Greens" snack day has been moved to Thursday, the 18th. I plan on providing a green drink to go along with our green snacks. If you volunteered to send in a "green" snack item please send it to school (cleaned/cut/sliced) with your child or they may be dropped off in the Office on the 18th.

Thanks again (Mrs. Horne, Mrs. Knight, Mrs. Cosper, Mrs. Smith, & Ms. Heeter) for providing our yummy green snacks on March 18th!

Primary Games

2010-03-16T12:45:00.000-04:00

A couple more websites:
http://www.primarygames.com - A fun place to learn - free games for kids!

Johnnie's Math Page - Fun Math for Kids and their Teachers - Johnnie's Math Page is the site to find fun math for kids, math games, and even a little math homework help. Interactive math activities from across the web have been organized by topic to make math learning enjoyable and interesting. For parents and teachers, you will find math lessons and math worksheets as well as links to other math teaching resources. For those who like a challenge, you will find free math games in the math puzzles section.

March Newsletter

2010-03-05T22:47:00.001-05:00

The school year is moving along rapidly & I find it hard to believe your children have completed over 114 days of school! Recently, you may have heard that Mrs. Finotti was gone for "lots" of days. My husband & I traveled to southwest FL last week to spend time visiting with family & soaking up the 70 degree weather. It was a heavenly change from our cold PA weather!!! While at the beach, we collected all kinds of shells to make surprise bags for my kiddos - ask your child to show you their shell bag.

This week we are celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday. Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement & creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated & spend more time reading do better in school. On Tuesday, we had special Kindergarten readers - thanks to Mr. Dan Williams for stopping by to read some pretty cool stories to our class as well as the other 4 Kindergarten classrooms! On Thursday, we visited the SMILES Center for a "Seuss-irific" Celebration. The children participated in some great science experiments, listened to a story read to them by the Cat in the Hat, spent time in the Seussville Sports Arena & had some quiet time for reading on their own. Thank you SMILES, for a super morning filled with loads of fun activities!!! A great time was had by all!

In a few weeks, we'll have a new student teacher joining our class. Ms. Dawn Reddinger from Clarion University will be spending the next 8 weeks learning all about Kindergarten.

The 3rd grading period ends March 31st. Please continue practicing sight word cards attached to your child's folder every night. 4 new word cards will be added to the folder rings next week. Other skills to practice at home: saying first, middle, & last name - recognizing/writing numbers through 20 - counting to 50 - identify ordinal numbers first to fifth place - know your phone number - make sure your child can zip, button, & snap, & finally... please start practicing how to tie shoes.

We'll be celebrating St. Patrick's Day on Wednesday, March 17th. We'll center our day around some "green" activities. I plan on providing a green drink to go along with our snack. Also, on that day, the children may:

wear the color green
bring something "green" for Show & Tell
bring a green treat (green grapes, celery, peppers, broccoli, green sugar-free Jello Jigglers, etc). If you plan to provide a treat, please keep in mind the school's nutrition policy. Also, please send a note to let me know if your child is bringing a Snack treat. (If any type of candy, pop, or baked goods are sent to school, they will be returned with your child.) Treats may be dropped off in the Office on the 17th or may be sent in with your child on that day.

Other dates to keep in mind for this month.......

March 10 - parents w/a child entering Kindergarten next Fall will meet at 7PM in the gym
March 11 - Gym Show
March 14 - Daylight Savings time begins
March 16 - Good Touch Bad Touch Program - afternoon
March 17 - High School Musical Assembly - time TBA
March 23, 24 & 25 - new Kindergarten student registration appointments
March 30 - grading period #3 ends
March 31 - Make-up Day - yes, school is in session

If you would like to schedule a conference, please contact me. And as always... thanks for all your help & support, everything you do at home helps your child do & be their best in school!

Read Across America & Dr. Seuss

2010-03-05T13:43:00.005-05:00

On Thursday, March 4th, the Keystone Kindergarten children were treated to an extra special event. We visited the SMILES Center in Knox for their "Seussirriffic Celebration". The children had tons of fun doing activities that involved following directions, observing, using manners, talking about different kinds of transportation, & listening to Dr. Seuss stories. For more Dr. Seuss activities, you can visit http://www.seussville.com/ & to see more pictures of our great adventure... check out the K1 Kids - Candids Pics slide show.

Teddy Bear Clinic was a BIG Success

2010-03-04T13:14:00.002-05:00

The Keystone Kindergarten children had a wonderful time participating in the Clarion Hospital Teddy Bear Clinic on February 18th.

The clinic was designed to ease children's anxieties about going to the hospital. The Nurses, EMT's, 911 technicians, and other professionals talked to the children about making a 911 phone call, seat belt safety, & shared some simple medical tools (blood pressure cuff & stethoscope). During the clinic, the children also had the opportunity to "bandage" their favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal.

This event was a great way to create a fun, non-threatening environment to help our Keystone Kids feel more comfortable in a hospital situation!! For more pics of this special day, look at K1 Kids - Candid Pics!!

2010-03-04T12:04:00.003-05:00

Thanks again to Mrs. Wit, Keystone's Instructional Technology Specialist, for finding these great educational sites. These sites are not designed for just Kindergarten, so if you have older children there may be things for them as well.
Math Playground
Welcome to Math Playground, an action-packed site for elementary and middle school students. Practice your math skills, play a logic game and have some fun!
:: e-Learning for Kids ::
A wealth of resources categorized by grade level (K-6) and subject area. "Free education for children globally."
http://www.littlebooklane.com/
Reading resources for K - 1.
Children's Stories Free Audio Books Online Audio Stories
Online Audio Stories is an impressive collection of free audio stories online. The audio books are all free and downloadable. The online version of the story includes accompanying text for students to follow along with. The short stories will transport students on a fun adventure of listening to fairy tales and classics. The extensive collection includes stories by Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, Brothers Grimm, Tales of Time, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Bronte, Aesop, Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, Joseph Jacobs, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, William Blake, Oscar Wilde, Louisa May Alcott, Hans Christian Andersen, William Shakespeare, and many more. The stories are read with excellent voice, inflection, and timing, making them a joy to listen to.
Professor Garfield Foundation: Internet Safety and You
Internet Safety with Professor Garfield is offering lessons on online safety, cyberbullying, and coming soon: fact or opinion and forms of media. Each lesson is composed of three parts, watch, try, and apply. In the “watch” section, students watch a video starring Garfield and his friends. The video teaches an important Internet safety lesson. In the “try it” section, students are given a chance to play a game that checks for understanding and redirects thinking if students missed a concept. In the “apply it” section, students help a character from the video to make wise Internet safety decisions.

Mrs. Finotti & "Abe" Lincoln

2010-02-18T21:41:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday, February 17th, the boys & girls in K1 discussed President's Day while reading our TIme For Kids newspaper. The children were interested to learn that if alive, Abraham Lincoln would be celebrating his 101st birthday this year & that our first president, George Washington, was even older than Abe Lincoln.
We talked about what it might have been like to grow up in 1809 & discussed the differences from their childhoods (toys, home life, & school) to a child's life in 2010. We also learned about Abraham's love for reading. Did you know he once tried to read a book while plowing the field for his father? George Washington also lived on a farm & we learned he liked to study. Did you know Math was his favorite subject?
Last winter, while visiting the Pittsburgh Auto Show, I had the opportunity to meet an Abraham Lincoln impersonator. When I told him my Kindergarten class would love a picture of him, he was happy to pose with me!

Buddy Bingo

2010-02-15T12:33:00.003-05:00

On Friday, February 12th, our 5th grade Buddies came for their third visit. We had a great time playing Valentine Bingo. We love it when our Buddies come to see us & our time together goes by so quickly!! Check out our K1 - Candid Pics for slides of K1 Kids & our Buddies.

Pinky Dinky Doo

2010-02-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

Pinky Dinky Doo is another great find from our Computer Specialist, Mrs. Witkowski. This awesome website is for pre-k through first grade students only. The site is based on a PBS show of the same name. The website has fun activities for kids to take part in including word games, story podcasts, videos, and a place for students to create their own story podcast. Pinky Dinky Doo loves making up stories and teaches students that every story has a beginning, middle, and end. The stories are often full of metaphores and similes and often have a great message for kids too. Every story also has one giant fancy word like “collaborate” or “gracious” teaching students rich vocabulary as well.

Online Flash Cards

2010-02-03T08:21:00.000-05:00

Here is another computer site that might be beneficial for your child & any older children in the family. I haven't had time to personally play with this website or completely check it out, but when I heard about this I immediately thought this could be a great way to make flashcards for all the words we have learned in Kindergarten this year. These words were posted in an earlier entry.
Flashcard DB provides students with two excellent study methods. Students can create their own flashcards or you could create a set of flashcards for students to study.

Free Online Flashcards with Spaced Repetition: FlashcardDB

Parent Website

2010-02-03T08:18:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Kinderteacher!

This link is for parents................ there are all kinds of activities listed for you to do with your child. Mrs. Critchell's Kindergarten is a website filled with great ideas for Kindergarten teachers as well as parents of Kindergarten students.
According to the homepage, Linda Cricthell was a teacher for 36 years with ten of those years spent in Kindergarten classrooms. Mrs. Critchell's Kindgarten is very well organized with activities and lesson ideas categorized by months and by major holidays.
In addition to resources for teachers, Mrs. Critchell's Kindergarten has great resources for parents of Kindergarten students. The parent page has activities students can do at home to develop fine motor skills as well as educational craft activities. The parent site also has a list of educational websites that Kindergarten students can use at home.

ABCya!!

2010-02-03T08:15:00.000-05:00

Thanks again to Mrs. Witkowski for finding this great educational website!! I'm adding it to my favorite links section & you can also find it on the Keystone Elem. web page at the Student Stuff link listed under Fun & Games. ABCya! is a leader in free & exciting computer activities for elementary students to learn on the web. All educational computer games and activities were created or approved by certified teachers! Activities are modeled from primary grade lessons and enhanced to provide an interactive way to learn. The activities incorporate content areas such as math and reading while introducing basic computer skills. Many of the kindergarten and first grade games are equipped with sound to enhance understanding. You can also find great elementary holiday activities here! Holiday activities available in grade level sections! http://www.abcya.com/index.htm

100th Day, Valentine's Day & Teddy Bear Clinic

2010-02-03T08:13:00.001-05:00

Lots of things are 'a happening this month...

We will be celebrating the 100th day of school this Tuesday if the snow doesn't get us again!!! Your child will be bringing home a note today (2/3) w/directions (& suggestions) about bringing in a 100 collection share with the class. Please make sure this "collection" will fit inside their backpack!

We will celebrate Valentine's Day on Friday, February 12th & on Thursday, February 18th, all Keystone Kindergarten children will participate in the "Teddy Bear Clinic" presented by the Clarion Hospital.

Information on the Teddy Bear Clinic was sent home last week & Valentine info went home on 2/2. Please be sure to check your child's folder for all these important papers. A class list for making Valentine's has been provided as well as a few simple instructions about this special day.

As always, if you have any questions about the above mentioned events, please email or give me a call @ home.

100th Day Information

2010-02-02T13:39:00.002-05:00

100th Day of School........ Woooo Hoooo!!!

On Tuesday, February 9, our class will be celebrating the 100th day of Kindergarten!! Each day at Circle we count together and talk about how many days we have been going to school, so this 100th day will be very special! I am planning on doing some fun math & reading activities to help us celebrate.

Please help your child find 100 of “something” to share with our class on that date. Make sure the 100 items are contained in a bag and will fit into your child’s backpack. (Examples: toothpicks, pennies, cotton balls, buttons, mini marshmallows, paper clips) We are looking forward to seeing and sharing everyone’s collection!

Please check your child's folder on 2/3 for a hard copy of this information.

2010-02-02T13:36:00.002-05:00

In your child's folder on 2/3, you will find a blank Valentine’s Heart traced on cardstock. Please help your child color (using crayons, paints, or ??), decorate, & cut out their Heart as a family “home” project. Yes, you are being encouraged to help your child complete this project!!
Be as creative as you like using assorted glitters, 3D items, pictures from magazines, noodles, or ??? for decorations.
Please return your family “Heart” project by Tuesday, February 9th. Thanks for all your help & support at home.

Valentine's Day - Information

2010-02-02T13:34:00.002-05:00

Our Valentine’s Day Party will be held on Friday, February 12th. We will celebrate by trading Valentine cards, playing some games, and sharing treats. (No Valentine box is needed – we’ll make Valentine holders in school.) You may begin sending your child’s Valentine’s to school after February 10th.
If you would like to donate a special treat to help us celebrate, please be sure to keep the school’s nutrition policy in mind. Also, remember - do not send in candy for Valentines Day, even if it is part of the Valentine (a lollipop or a smartie). Treats may be sent to school with your child or dropped off in the Office on the 12th. If you have any questions about the nutrition policy, please contact the school office.
Please check your child's folder on 2/2 for a hard copy of this information.

Thanks You,
Melanie Finotti

Our Valentine Class List
Please have your child sign their name on each card & print their classmate’s names on the envelopes, so they can read the names & pass the Valentines out themselves. This is a great opportunity for them to practice printing & to recognize their classmate’s names!! Don’t try to do all this in one night – it might wear them out!!

1. Mariah 9. Hannah H.
2. Tahara 10. Bryan
3. Nicholas C. 11. Cooper
4. Kadence 12. Andrew
5. Xander 13. Hannah S.
6. Derik 14. Nick W.
7. Kiara 15. Sabrina
8. Gunnar

Book Fair

2010-01-21T12:29:00.006-05:00

There is another "buy" night for our Book Fair on Tuesday, January 26th from 6 - 8PM. Did you know the Boxtops for Education coupons (found on many food products) are worth 10 cents each @ the Book Fair? In other words, 10 Boxtop coupons equals $1.00. If you have Boxtop coupons @ home, you may want to use them or mix them w/money to pay for the books your child would like to purchase at the Book Fair. Also, please note the CATS Carnival is coming in February. Your family will be able to redeem Boxtops for Education when you attend the Carnival.

Teddy Bear Clinic

2010-01-19T11:49:00.002-05:00

Clarion Hospital is holding a special event for the Keystone Elementary Kindergarten children on Thursday, February 18th. This event, "Teddy Bear" Clinic, was designed to ease children's anxieties about going to the hospital. The nurses who conduct the clinic create a fun, non-threatening environment to help the kids feel more comfortable around nurses and stethoscopes!
The Teddy Bear Clinic consists of 4 stations. The first station is a children's video about going to the hospital. While visiting station 2, the children will see a puppet show about safety presented by the emergency medical service staff. At station 3, the children will make get well cards for hospital patients & learn how to call for help from the 911 emergency dispatchers. Finally, station 4 will be the actually "Teddy Bear" Clinic. For this station, your child will need to bring a small stuffed bear (or other stuffed animal) - please make sure this item will easily fit inside their backpack. At this station, nurses will help your child take their Bear's heartbeat, blood pressure, height & weight. The goal is to make your child more comfortable with these instruments. The children will also be invited, but not pressured, to have their heartbeats, blood pressures, heights & weights measured, too.
Sooooooom on February 18th, please send your child to school with a teddy bear for the Teddy Bear Clinic. If you have any questions about this special event, please feel free to contact Karen Hazlett @ her office (226 - 1321).

QuietTime Materials

2010-01-14T14:02:00.000-05:00

Your child will be bringing his/her QuietTime cloth materials home this weekend (not plastic mats) to be laundered. Please wash the items & return them to school on Tuesday. We repeat this process about once a month, so follow the same procedure each time.

Vocabulary Words to Practice

2010-01-14T13:56:00.000-05:00

This is a list of words we have used on our CircleTime Chart throughout the “K” school year. For a fun & challenging activity, make flash cards & practice these words with your child, but please don't add these words to the word card rings. Keep practicing them as well as the flash cards in your child's folder throughout the school year (and Summer), so your child will remember these words when they pop up next year in 1st Grade! :)

WORDS WE’VE "LEARNED" IN K1

a - and - Art - August - Boys - cloudy - cold - Computer - days - December -

foggy - Friday - go - good - Girls - Gym - Hello - Helper - Hi - hot - is - it - kids - Library

- listen - look - Monday - Morning - Mrs. Finotti - Music - November - October - Our - rainy - September - Special - sunny - the - Thursday - to - today - Tuesday - we - weather - Wednesday - windy - 2009 & 2010

January

2010-01-14T13:35:00.001-05:00

We are off to a great start since coming back from the long, long Christmas vacation! Our second grading period ends on the 20th with report cards following on the 27st. We are almost halfway through our Kindergarten school year!!! The K1 Kids "lost" their yellow cards last week - be sure to ask your child what this means.

We will also be starting a new incentive program soon at the begnning of the 2nd semester. Each day, your child will earn a "ticket" if he/she doesn't flip any cards. At the end of the day (or the next morning -time permitting), we'll draw 1 ticket & the winner picks something special to do for the next day. I won't be telling them about this program until 1/22, but anytime after that you can ask your child to tell you about the special "things"!!

Also, coming up in February, we'll be starting a 10 week program titled "2 Good 4 Drugs" presented by the Clarion County Drug & Alcohol Administration. Additionally, in early February, we'll celebrate our 100th Day of School ............. more info about these activities will follow.

Finally, academic skill areas to focus attention on at home for the upcoming 3rd grading period include: reciting the full names (first, middle, & last), saying the alphabet in sequence as well as their phone number, counting outloud to 50, identifing ordinal numbers first to fifth place, & visually recognizing numbers 0 - 20, naming ABC letters & sounds taught to date (Aa, Nn, Dd, Ss, Mm, Ii, Tt, Cc, Oo, Ff, Rr, Pp, Ll, & Uu upper/lower case) as well as all the colored sight word cards (the - a - my - that - and - I - is - said - & the following words not yet on their rings..... we - are - you - have) attached to your child's folder. Please continue reading the take-home books over & over & over!! I ask the children to read them 3 times to someone at home, but it shouldn't end there. If they struggle with reading, they need more practice & should read their book more than just 3 times. I strongly suggest you save the books & read over a couple of them each evening to help your child review what they know. Be sure to "track" each word with a finger & remember.......... practice makes perfect!!!

Motor skills (Large & Small) to practice include: walking on a balance beam, hopping, galloping, & bounce/catch a ball 5 times. zipping, buttoning & more improved coloring & cutting skills.

Lastly, remember the upcoming Book Fair from 1/20 - 27 & the scheduled Act 80 Day on 1/18 - NO SCHOOL for kids on that day.

Storynory

2010-01-13T07:47:00.002-05:00

Thanks again to Mrs. Wit for finding....... Storynory.
Storynory is a collection of FREE audio books for kids. There is a mixture of new stories, fairy tales, and specially adapted myths and histories. Each week, since November 2005, a new audio story has come out. Search stories by newest additions, original stories, fairy tales, classic authors, educational, or junior stories. The stories can be subscribed to as a podcast in iTunes, through their iPhone/iPod touch app, via email, or RSS feed. Story Nory also offers the text to accompany the audio so that kids can read along. Check out: http://storynory.com/

Pat Yourselves On the Back

2010-01-12T13:22:00.003-05:00

Now here's something to get excited about.................
every student in K1 returned their Library book today!!! Yippee Skippy, not one person forgot their book @ home. I can't even remember the last time we had a perfect "return" day. I'm pretty sure we just may have made Mrs. Colantonio's day! :)
Parent's please note this on your calendars - due to the Act 80 Day on January 18th, our Library visits on Day 4 will now move to Wednesday afternoons unless we miss a day of school due to bad weather or a scheduled day off.

Happy New Year

2010-01-07T20:53:00.005-05:00

Best Wishes for a great 2010!! Now that our Christmas Break has ended & school is back in session, you may be hearing......... Mrs. Finotti is missing. I didn't tell the children, but just before Christmas break I had surgery on my left hand. I spent my vacation sporting stitches, a cast, & trying to do everything one-handed. Ugh - that's not so much fun!!!
Yesterday, the stitches came out & the cast is no more, but for another month or so I'll be stuck wearing a brace of sorts on my left hand. I'm looking forward to returning to school on Monday & can't wait to see my kiddos once again!
I would like to extend a big thanks to Ms. Jaime Weeter for all the work she's done during my absence; I truly appreciate knowing I left my students in capable hands.

K1 & Our 5th Grade Buddies

2009-12-21T15:55:00.008-05:00

Today was "Game" Day for K1 & our 5th grade Buddies. We played all kinds of games ...... Cooties, Ants in Your Pants, Don't Spill the Beans, Checkers, Zingo, Go Fish, Perfection, Memory & some of the kids even did a big Santa floor puzzle. Of course, our Buddies did lots of explaining about the rules, but it seemed as if a good time was had by all!! For more pics of "Game" Day - check out the Candid Kids slide show.

Polar Express Pajama Day

2009-12-18T14:46:00.004-05:00

Friday, December 19th the Keystone Elementary Kindergarten children celebrated "Polar Express" Day. We had a great day watching the Polar Express movie in our pj's & eating a special snack of chocolate milk & a Christmas cookie. Also, as a special surprise, all the children got a chance to sit on Santa's lap & whisper their special Christmas request in his ear. Santa also insisted on having his picture taken with every child, so parents .......... be on the watch for a little surprise coming your way.
To end our day, the children heard a special reading of The Polar Express by author Chris Van Allsburg. I'm sure your child will have lots of things to share about this fun day!!!

Hans Wilhelm's Holiday Books

2009-12-15T10:31:00.000-05:00

Three years ago I went to the PA Kindergarten Conference in Harrisburg & was priviledged to attend a session with author Hans Wilhelm, one of America's foremost author/illustrator of children's books.
Recently, I received an email from Hans announcing he has added some new Holiday Books to his website. The books are totally free and can be enjoyed on your computer, powerpoint, smart board, or can even be printed out for your children.
Go to http://www.childrensbooksforever.com/ and click on "Holiday Books". Click on the book's image and it will open up the story. Hans has a super collection of free books for children of all ages on his website. To learn about this author of more than 200 children's books, go to: http://www.hanswilhelm.com/hans-pages/about-home.html

Reminders........

2009-12-15T10:11:00.003-05:00

Just a few Christmas reminders...............
1) Friday, Dec. 18th is Kindergarten's Polar Express Pajama Day. Your child should bring warm pj's to school that day to change into. The children may also bring a pair of slippers & a robe if they wish. The children will change back into their street clothes at the end of the day before leaving for home.We will be enjoying a "train ride", a special reading of The Polar Express by Chris VanAllsburg, & watching the Polar Express movie.
2) Kindergarten Gift Exchange:
$5.00 limit - Girls buy a gift for a girl & boys buy a gift for a boy. Print on the gift To: a Girl or a Boy and From: your child's name. You may start sending exchange gifts to school anytime now, but please have gifts at school no later than December 18th. Our party will be on December 22nd which is also KES Movie Day. The children in grades K - 3 will be watching a Christmas movie in the morning. K1 will do our class party & play some Christmas games in the afternoon.
If you would like to send a treat, please remember to follow the school’s nutrition policy. We've already had Christmas pencils & play-doh sent in for party treats.
Due to the economic hardships we are all experiencing, the Kindergarten Staff would like you to know teacher’s gifts are not necessary. If you feel inclined to give a gift, please consider purchasing a gift card @ Walmart or the Dollar Store for your child’s teacher to purchase classroom supplies.
3) On December 23rd, we have our school-wide Christmas Assembly in the morning. We're also having a 2hr. early dismissal that day. The first group of children will be dismissing around 1:30PM.
4) School resumes on Monday, January 4th.

Christmas Trees & Polar Express

2009-12-02T15:04:00.001-05:00

On Friday Dec. 4th, the children will be bringing home a blank Christmas tree on cardstock. Please help your child color, decorate, & cut out the tree as a family “home” project. Yes, that means I want you to help your child complete this family project. Be as creative as you like using assorted glitters, 3D items, pictures from magazines, noodles or ??? for ornaments. Please be sure to put your child's name on it & return your family tree project to school by Wednesday, December 9th.

Also, don't forget Friday, Dec. 18th is Kindergarten's Polar Express Pajama Day. Your child should bring warm pj's to school that day to change into. The children may also bring a pair of slippers & a robe if they wish. We will be enjoying a "train ride", a special reading of The Polar Express by Chris VanAllsburg, & watching the Polar Express movie.

Once again.......................... thanks for all your help & support at home. :)

PS – for another fun family activity to do with your child ……… visit http://www.northpole.com/ and use the puzzles & activities link. We will be using the computer lab to do many of the activities from this site. Decorate a Snowman, Trim a Tree, Concentration, & Puzzle Swap. Also, there is a great Recipe link on the site, too.

Christmas Gift Exchange & Party Information

2009-12-02T14:58:00.002-05:00

Kindergarten Gift Exchange -- $5.00 limit
Girls buy a gift for a girl & boys buy a gift for a boy.
Print on the outside whether the gift is for a girl or a boy, and whom it is from.

You may start sending exchange gifts to school on December 15th, but please have gifts at school no later than December 18th. Our party will be on December 22nd. If you would like to send a treat, please remember to follow the school’s nutrition policy.

Due to the economic hardships we are all experiencing, the Kindergarten Staff would like you to know teacher’s gifts are not necessary. If you feel inclined to give a gift, please consider purchasing a gift card @ Walmart or the Dollar Store for your child’s teacher to purchase classroom supplies.

Winter Snow Boots & Shoes

2009-12-02T14:56:00.001-05:00

Please be sure your child brings his/her shoes in their backpack on days they wear winter boots to school. Putting their shoes into their backpack can become their responsibility. Their feet get too hot and sweaty wearing snow boots the entire day.
Also, please explain to your child the reason why they need to take off their boots when they get to school. Many times the children tell me they didn’t bring any shoes, but yet I discover at Dismissal time they actually did have shoes in their backpack.
Thanks for your help and support at home.

December

2009-12-02T14:27:00.001-05:00

It is hard to believe we've been in school a little over 3 months or as the children will tell you - 61 days!!! Time has just flown by & I hope you are seeing the fruits of our labor!!
We have been working very hard visually recognizing/writing numbers to 10, counting to 30, learning ordinal terms to 10 (first, second, third, up thru tenth), recognizing/learning sight word flash cards on our folders (the - a - my - that - and - I - is - said ....& soon we'll be adding 4 new words: we - are - you - have), recognizing/learning the sounds of letters taught ( Aa - Nn - Dd - Ss - Mm & Ii), & reciting the alphabet in sequence. These skills are all critical areas to focus on at home.
The second grading period midterm is Dec. 9th, so that means we are about 5 weeks away from our next report card.
I am sending home 3 letters today - look for information about the Christmas party/gift exchange, Polar Express Day, & a note about boots in your child's folder. Just in case they don't reach you, I will post each letter on this web page under the heading "Classroom News".
Important December dates to keep in mind:
- 10th is K1's Santa's Workshop Day
- 16th is Ms. Stegich's last day
- 18th is the Kindergarten Polar Express Pajama Day
- 22nd is our classroom Christmas Party
- 23rd is the last day of school before Christmas vacation - on that day, we'll be having a 2 hour early dismissal so please plan accordingly.

ABCya

2009-11-23T14:09:00.002-05:00

Under the Favorite Links column on this web page, I listed the website ......."ABCya". From Favorite Links, click on the link to go directly to this website or click on the link in today's post. http://www.abcya.com/index.htm
On the main screen, click on Kindergarten to find activities for students ages 5 - 6. The website has activities that cover grades K - 5 for those of you with older children.
Today during Computer Lab, the children visited this site & explored some of the different educational &/or fun games. There are many many educational activities as well as just for fun activities your child can complete on ABCya, but you may have to work with them the first few times until they have learned how to do/play each activity. This is a great site with tons of activites for computer time at home. :)

Motivation Station & WatchKnow

2009-11-19T12:02:00.009-05:00

Another thank you to Mrs. Wit, Keystone's Instructional Technology Specialist for finding 2 new technology goodies........ I hope you can find the time to explore these 2 sites.
Motivation Station--Parent Corner From Discovery Education, a free web site for parents with interactive content. Ideas for motivating students.
WatchKnow - Videos for kids to learn from. Larry Sanger, co-founder of Wikipedia, has launched a new web site designed to gather and organize educational videos for students ages 3 to 18. The site, WatchKnow.org, currently features more than 11,000 videos across 2,000 categories on subjects such as math, science, and history. The nonprofit site features new software, developed specifically for the site by Sanger, that allows wiki-style collaboration among users.
Also, in case you haven't heard ............ Mr. Ryan Smith was recently hired by the Board of Directors for the Elementary Tech job. Ryan is a CUP graduate & actually did his student teaching 2 years ago with Mr. Turk in 6th grade & Mrs. Riley in Kindergarten. We are very happy to have Mr. Smith join the KES Staff.

News Flash.....

2009-11-18T08:11:00.002-05:00

Hot off the Press ....
The students & staff of Keystone Elem. will be having a 2 hour early dismissal on Wednesday, November 25th. School does not resume again until Wednesday, December 2nd.
Additionally, there will also be a 2 hour early dismissal on the last day of school before our Christmas break. School will resume again on January 4, 2010.
Be sure to mark this information on your calendar!!

Medication at School & Excuses

2009-11-16T13:06:00.002-05:00

Parents................ With cold & flu germs coming at us from all directions, please take a few minutes to review the online Student/Parent Resource Guide (pgs. 25) @ http://www.keyknox.com/elem/PDF%20Files/handbook.pdf for complete information on student medication. Our school nurse is on duty in her office full time. She should be contacted in case of accident or illness. I have included a very small portion from the guide specific to medication below. Due to Pennsylvania State Laws and Regulations the school nurse is no longer able to administer ANY medications from home WITHOUT a doctor’s order and a parent
signature. (this includes over-the-counter medications, throat lozengers, and prescriptions.) A form is available in the nurse’s office or can be found on our website. All medications
(including over-the-counter and prescription medications) should be taken at home if at
all possible. Also, when your child is sick, you can find an excuse form on the Keystone Elem. Home Page under the "Forms" link. Please print an excuse form or write the excuse on paper & send it in with your child on their first day back to school from being absent.

Practice Makes Perfect

2009-11-16T12:57:00.000-05:00

True to the old saying - practice does make perfect! As I mentioned in a previous post, the children must count to 30 by the end of the 2nd grading period. At home, please look for things to count - windows or doors in your house, shoes in the closet, silverware in the drawer, or ask your child to help unload the dishwasher & count the number of spoons or forks, or plates, or bowls, or......... you get the picture, it could go on endlessly!
Another fun activity is counting dry cereals, M & M's, or mini marshmallows. Pour them into a bowl, have your child count out a certain number of pieces & if they count them out correctly they can eat the items; this might be a neat bedtime snack activity. If your child is struggling, start this activity by counting with them & gradually encourage them do the counting alone.

November

2009-11-16T12:54:00.000-05:00

This month we are doing lots (and lots) of things with numbers. We have been practicing reading, writing, & ordering numbers 0 - 5 and will soon add numbers 6 - 10. This grading period we will be counting out loud to 30 as well as practicing visual recognition & writing numbers to 10. You can help at home by practicing/reviewing these skill areas.
Other skills to practice are: reciting the ABC's in sequence, identifying right & left, visually recognizing the upper & lower case letters covered so far this year, & practicing the word cards attached to your child's folder. These word cards should be practiced daily!!
Please continue to sign & return the little Reading take-home books each week. We read the book together several times in class. As a homework assignment, everyone is to read to "3" at home & get signatures of everyone they read to. An important part of the assignment is remembering to bring the signed take-home book back to school the next day. Please remind your child to put their "signed" book back into their folder. When the book returns home again (w/a sticker to show I've seen it), please continue to practice reading it throughout the weeks. It is very helpful to have your child place their pointer finger on each word as they read it.
Now that colder weather is heading our way, please practice with your child so they are able to zip, button, or snap their own coat. Practice makes perfect, so work at this until they are successful. One other reminder, please label all boots, hats, & mittens/gloves; often when I hold up lost items..................no one wants to claim them!!
Finally, I've been really busy helping the children understand how it is not Mom or Dad's fault when they forget to bring Library books, take-home Reading books, or etc. to school on the designated day........ maybe you've been hearing this story at home. You would be surprised how parents get blamed when their child forgets something!! I kindly remind them it is their folder, their backpack, or their Library book (not Mom or Dad's), so it is also their responsibility to put needed books & papers inside to be returned to school. Yes, they are only 5 or 6, but teaching responsibility is a necessary lesson & ultimately will help you!! Please support this important concept & reinforce it at home.

Tips for "K" Parents

2009-11-10T14:54:00.003-05:00

Becoming involved in your child's education pays off in many ways. Parent involvement strengthens schools & shows your children that you value learning. Research shows that students whose parents are involved in their education are more likely to do better in school & go on to attend college.
You, as a parent, will benefit directly by taking an active role. You'll meet other parents & quickly learn the ins & outs of your child's school. Check out the link below for ways to become active & make a difference in your child's education.
http://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/802-11-tips-for-kindergarten-parents

K1 Talks "Turkey" With Room 209 Buddies

2009-11-10T13:39:00.003-05:00

Last Friday, K1 was finally able to meet our 5th grade Buddies! We've had numerous other meetings planned, but have had to cancel all of them for one reason or another. Mrs Bunch & her 5th students from Room 209 visited in K1 to help us tackle a pretty intense (for Kindergarten) art project.
Our 5th grade buddies assisted as we cut & assembled lots of small pieces for a Thanksgiving turkey. While I led the activity, Mrs. Bunch snapped lots of candid pics to share with our families. To see great pictures of hardworking kids & Buddies, please visit Mrs. Bunch's Class Web link @ http://bunch209.blogspot.com/. Stay tuned for future monthly Buddy events!!

Red Ribbon Week Activity

2009-10-28T16:12:00.008-04:00

On Tuesday the entire school participated in some activities that we can all do to keep our bodies healthy. Everyone went outside to do different activities @ five minute stations. Station 1 w/Mr. Nellis involved stretching our muscles - Station 2 w/Mr. Smith was keeping beach balls in the air - @ Station 3 with Mrs. Hogue & Ms. Myers we did the Limbo - Station 4 w/Ms. Space we sang If You're Happy & danced the Hokey Pokey - Station 5 w/Mr. Clark involved running, jumping & jogging in place - @ Station 6 w/Mr. Rembold & some 6th grade helpers we danced & moved to music & @ Station 7 w/Mrs. Wingard we learned how to do the Chicken Dance!! What a great time we had, but boy were we tired by the end our 7th station.

Here are just a few pics of the children participating in healthy "fun" activities. Be sure to check out the picture of Ms. Myers & her cool hair! Other pics will be posted in the K1 - Candid Kids Picture Show.

Welcome .... Ms. Stegich & Conference Day News

2009-10-28T11:35:00.005-04:00

We welcomed a new CUP student teacher to our classroom this week. I'm sure you'll be hearing lots of things about Ms. Stegich. She'll be helping & working in K1 thru mid-December. If you are stopping in for a conference on Nov. 13th, be sure to say hello to her.

On the topic of Conference Day, parent letters will be coming home soon. If the Nov. 13th date doesn't work with your schedule, please contact me to arrange a conference on a different date. I plan to start conferences by 7:30AM that day for those parents who want to meet before work.

Pumpkin Carving Day, Oh My!!!

2009-10-28T08:23:00.012-04:00

A special thanks to Mrs. Smith & Mrs. Wolfgong for donating 3 great pumpkins for us to carve! Thanks also to Mrs. O'Neil, Mrs. Switzer, & our new student teacher Ms. Stegich for helping us carve pumpkins this week. Each group designed their pumpkin's face & then the adults got busy with their knives! It was fun to see the children pitching in to scoop out "pumpkin goo" & then separate the seeds from the goo. Last night, I baked all the seeds with a little oil, salt, & cajun spice. We'll be taste testing pumpkin seeds tomorrow - Yummmmm- O!!!!

Enjoy the before & after pictures from our great pumpkin carving event.........

Free eBooks

2009-10-20T08:07:00.002-04:00

http://www.wizz-e.com/home.php Thanks to Mrs. Witkowski, our Instructional Technology Specialist, for finding this web site. Wizz-e is a kids interactive e-book website. It provides free children's electronic books (although not all the books are free), preschool games & children's activities.
Both Puss-in-Boots as well as the Elves and the Shoemaker are free to play online or download to your computer. The stories can be read to students who may struggle with reading on their own. Students can also choose to read the story independently without sound. At the end of each e-book is a quiz that checks for comprehension.
Wizz-e also has a few games that students can play online including puzzles and hidden picture hide and seek. Bookmark & check back at this site often as it looks like more things are being added.

Self-Concept

2009-10-19T12:59:00.000-04:00

It is important for children to feel good about themselves in order to learn and do their best. In fact, it is important for all of us to feel good about ourselves in order to do our best work.
Here are a few ideas for helping your child feel good about himself or herself. See if you can add more ideas to this list................
1) At the dinner table, have everyone say one good thing about each person at the table. Try to do this at least once a week.
2) Tell your child one thing he or she does that makes you proud.
3) Put your child’s papers on the refrigerator door so that everyone can admire them.
4) Brag about your children in front of the grandparents ~ they love to hear things about their grandchildren!

Have a good week. Continue to enjoy your child at home as much as I do at school.

Saving Your Child's School Work

2009-10-19T12:58:00.001-04:00

I came across a great idea in the October Real Simple magazine & thought it would be worth sharing with K1 parents. A woman from Idaho wrote when her children brought home school artwork she hung each piece on the refrigerator & with the child standing beside the artwork, she snapped a photo. In doing so, she & her children could part with the original work while standout pieces of artwork were framed & displayed. Later, the snapshots were placed in photo albums for future reminiscing.
This sounded to me like a very clever idea as well as a great way of organizing your child's schoolwork. I know we mom's would like to save almost everything our child does at school, but it soon proves to be impossible. I sure wish I had thought of this idea when my children were growing up. If so, my husband & I would have 3 less boxes & way more extra space in our upstairs closet!

Red Ribbon Week & Halloween

2009-10-12T12:26:00.011-04:00

A few weeks back, I posted students were encouraged to wear sports or team jerseys instead of costumes on October 30th for the Team Up Against Drugs Parade. I originally posted students weren't to bring costumes to school on that day. Since that time our directions have changed. The information listed below will clarify some questions that have risen about Red Ribbon Week & Halloween.................
For Friday of Drug Free Week & the K - 4 parade.......... if students wear sports team apparel they may wear it all day. If they choose to wear traditional Halloween attire (without weapons, of course) on Friday of Drug Free week, they will be permitted to change into their costume later in the afternoon before the parade. If your child plans to change into a Halloween costume, please help them practice dressing themselves as I won't be able to help each child get dressed. The parade will be the culminating activity of the "Team Up Against Drugs" theme.
Also, I would like to carve a couple pumpkins in class & then roast the seeds to eat on Friday. Does anyone have a pumpkin(s) to donate? If we get more than 1 pumpkin, I’ll be looking for volunteer(s) to come help us carve them. If you are able to donate a pumpkin &/or come in to help us carve a pumpkin, please write a note to let me know what you are able to do. I plan to carve pumpkins on Tuesday, October 27th.
If you have questions, please send a note in your child’s folder or email.

Fine Motor Skills.....

2009-10-05T12:46:00.005-04:00

Calling all K1 Parents..............

Colder temperatures have arrived & I need some help from home. Please work with your child to help them master the zip, snap & button skills. Many of the children are having difficulty snapping or buttoning their jeans/pants as well as their jackets & coats. If you take a few minutes each evening to practice these fine motor skills, this will be a tremendous help to me as I'm doing an amazing amount of these 3 things every day!!!
Also, anytime you feel your child is ready, tackle the "tie your shoe" skill. It will be slow going at first, but practicing a few times each evening will lead to success --- eventually!! I've tied so many shoes since the beginning of school, I'm beginning to dream about inventing a self-tying shoe!
Thanks for all your help & support at home. :)

October Newletter

2009-10-03T16:50:00.004-04:00

We're off to a great start this year. Can you believe we have been in school 23 days already? The children (& I) are getting into the groove & have a routine pretty well set.
We had a lot of fun this week sharing the Fall bags. The children found loads of unique things & were excited to share their items.
Thanks also for helping your child read his/her take-home book each week & seeing they are signed/returned to school the next day. As I stated in the explanation letter, these little books should be saved & reread often.
I'm also looking for a medium sized pumpkin to cut into a jack-o-lantern & then bake the seed so we can do a taste test. If anyone has a pumpkin to donate, please contact me.
October 1st was midterm for our first grading period. Report cards will be distributed the 2nd week of November. Report card skills areas are: counting to 20, appropriate coloring skills (staying inside the lines & filling in "ghosty" spaces), using scissors properly, recognizing sight words, knowing the upper/lower case letters Nn, Aa, Dd & the sounds they make, naming shapes, reciting (not singing) the alphabet in sequence, printing first name, observing school/classroom rules, & following directions. You can help at home by practicing any skill areas your child may show as a weakness.
Upcoming important dates:
Oct. 7 - Walk at School Day - we'll be walking on the High School Track so please make sure your child wears their sneakers.
Oct. 22 - Open House 6 - 7PM
Oct. 26 - 30 - Red Ribbon Week - watch for handout on events for this week
Oct. 28 - Apple Crunch Day - we'll be tasting a variety of apples during this week as well as making apple crafts.
Oct. 30 - Halloween party @ school
Nov. 13 - Parent Conference Day - parent letters will be sent home at the end of the month to schedule a conference appointment. If you are unable to meet on that date, contact me to arrange a different time. I plan to start as early as 7:30AM for those of you who would like to meet before work.

Cold & Flu Season: Q & A's

2009-10-03T16:49:00.000-04:00

With the cold and flu season fast approaching, here is some important info from our school nurse......... keep this in mind for you and for your family.

1) Why do colds and the flu increase in the Winter?
The reason has nothing to do with the temperature, at least not directly. Cold weather itself does not cause these illnesses, but people are more likely to stay indoors and spread germs to one another when it’s cold outside.

2) When should I stay home from work or keep my child home from school?
It is important to stay home when you are most contagious. For colds, you are contagious the entire time you have symptoms, but you are most contagious right after you contract the cold, before you even have symptoms. For the flu, adults are most infectious from the day before symptoms start until about the fifth day of symptoms.

3) When should I see my doctor?
If you experience complications such as high fever, shaking chills, chest pain with each breath, coughing that produces thick, yellow-green mucus, or if your symptoms do not go away as quickly as you would expect them to, see your doctor.

4) How can I avoid passing my cold or flu on to my family?
There are many steps you can take to try to avoid spreading germs to the people around you. Always cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Sneeze or cough using the "Dracula" method - bend your arm & cough/sneeze into the bent area. If using a tissue to cover a cough/sneeze, throw used tissues away immediately. Wash your hands often, especially after you sneeze, cough, or touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Keep your distance from others — don’t kiss, hug, or stand so close to someone that saliva might get on them when you talk. Make sure someone is disinfecting household surfaces and items frequently, including children’s toys.

5) Is it OK to get a flu shot when I have a cold?
Yes, you can get vaccinated when you have a cold as long as you are not feeling very sick and do not have a fever.

Reading Take-Home Books & Sight Words

2009-09-23T18:17:00.003-04:00

Your child is bringing home a take-home book (The Gift) Thursday in their folder. The children & I have read this book several times together at school. Last week's book was ....... The House.
For homework, each week the children are to read their book to 3 people. The can read to mom, dad, older brothers & sisters, babysitters, or grandparents. As your child reads their book, please make sure they use their pointer finger to "track" each & every word.
When they finish reading, please sign your name on the front cover & return the book to school the next day. If you don't have 3 people at home to read to, your child may read the book to someone twice & that person can place a #2 after their signature.
When the take-home book returns to school, your child earns a sticker. The take-home book will then be sent back home again. Once he/she accumulates 5 stickers, a small prize will be earned. I hope you'll save these small books & read them frequently for review & practice; by year's end, your child will have a collection of about 25 small books.
Also, you'll notice a ring attached to your child's folder. These cards are the sight words we are learning in school. The cards will stay attached to the folder for you to practice at home. As I introduce new words, additional cards will be added to the ring.
If you have questions about these assignments, feel free to call or email. Thank you for all your help & support at home with these two new important assignments.

Conferences

2009-09-22T08:03:00.000-04:00

"Eye to Eye" Conference:
Mornings 8:30 - 9:00 AM
Afternoon 1:15 - 1:40 PM

"Ear to Ear" Quick Phone Conference:
Morning 8:15 - 8:45 AM @ 797 - 1251
Afternoon 1:15 - 1:40 PM @ 797 -1251
Evenings 7:00 - 10:00 PM @ 226 - 8057

Reading Tips

2009-09-22T08:02:00.000-04:00

Easy Things To Do At Home To Raise Readers......

When you snuggle with your child & read books or stories, you stimulate all the senses at once & make the reading experience pleasurable. This creates a positive association with reading. Start with short reading sessions and increase the length as your child's attention span grows. As you are reading, point to words in the text with your finger. By doing this, you are helping to train your child's eyes to automatically follow words & symbols in a left to right progression. Also, encourage your child to predict what might happen next as the story begins to develop.(Scholastic Parent & Child April/May 2001)

Tips from the Office of Commonwealth Libraries - PA Dept. of Ed
Read to your child every day. Make it a special time when you both can relax, snuggle and enjoy books.
Build a home library and fill it with your child's favorite titles.
Sing nursery rhymes and finger plays to introduce an awareness of speech sounds and patterns.
Visit your local library on a regular basis and borrow a wide range of books and audio materials. Take part in activities the library provides for young children.
Use words to describe aloud what you are doing or what you see around your house and community.
Learning depends on repetition. It is good when children ask for favorites to be read again and again.
Encourage your child to "read" picture books to you.
Be a good role model by reading for enjoyment and information yourself.
When reading aloud, use lots of expression, different voices and sound effects when appropriate. Make sure your child can see the pictures easily.
Read books that play with language such as poetry, tongue twisters, rhymes, and riddles.

Healthy Tips

2009-09-22T07:57:00.000-04:00

I am very concerned with keeping your child healthy especially with the H1N1 threat. As you know, young children are often sick, especially when they first start school. At school we study healthy habits so the children will become aware of things they can do to help stay well. Let me share some of the ideas I have been teaching the children at school. Please talk about these things at home also.
1. Wash your hands before eating and after going to the bathroom. We also sanitize our hands each day as we leave the cafeteria, enter & exit Special Classes, & before eating Snack.
2. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze using the bend in your arm. Ask your child to demonstrate this “new” method & adopt it yourself!!
3. Do not use other people’s combs/brushes or wear other children’s hats.
4. After blowing your nose, always throw the tissue in the waste basket.
5. Except for your toothbrush, put only things to eat or drink in your mouth.

I’m sure you tell your child many other important healthy tips at home. Encourage your child to share these ideas with me.

Oh Boy....... We Have Butterflies!!

2009-09-21T07:53:00.020-04:00

Thanks to Sabrina & her mom & Nicholas & his grandfather.......... Oh boy, do we have caterpillars!! 18 of them to be exact, all munching & crunching away on milkweed leaves. After a week or so, each caterpillar began to make its chrysalis.

For the past 2 weeks, we have been anxiously watching & waiting to see each light green chrysalis turn "dark". When we checked today, Sabrina had 2 butterflies just emerge this morning - their wings were still wet! Once their wings have had time to dry, we will set them free. Sabrina has 6 more "dark" chrysalis, so we'll soon be seeing many more Monarch butterflies emerge! Nicholas's chrysalis are still in their light green stage, but any day they should be turning "dark".

During this Butterfly unit the children have learned about the Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly and how it hatches from an egg to a caterpillar, weeks later the caterpillar makes a chrysalis, & after 2 weeks or so, it becomes a beautiful Monarch butterfly. By the end of this great learing experience, we'll have released 18 Monarch butterflies back to nature so they may migrate each fall and spring to and from Mexico!!

Red Ribbon Week & Halloween

2009-09-15T13:35:00.006-04:00

Red Ribbon Week (Oct. 26 - 30) is fast approaching - this year the theme for the week is "Team Up Against Drugs". KES has been planning a variety of educational activities for the week to help educate our students on the dangers of drugs & alcohol.
The final day of Red Ribbon Week falls on October 30th. I want to give you lots of advance warning about a change that is happening this year. Our school has decided to do something a little different to celebrate the end of this special week. On the 30th, the students are being invited to dress in costume according to our Red Ribbon Theme. In place of traditional Halloween costumes, students are will dress in their favorite sport or team apparel.
So get those Steeler jerseys, hockey shirts, cheerleader uniforms, or Keystone sports clothing ready for parade day. You can assist at home by helping your child think about what sport or sports team they want to dress like.

Computer Sites

2009-09-15T08:00:00.002-04:00

Thanks again to Mrs. Wit, our Instructional Technology Specialist, for finding this cool Math website. Check it out!!! http://iplaymathgames.com/
iPlay Math Games is an outstanding collection of printable math games for grades k-12. Math games can be searched by grade level or skill. These math games are printable pdf files and can be played with common items (dice, cards, and other manipulatives). iPlay Math Games helps students build math skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percents, algebra, long division, measurement, graphing and exponents, problem solving, puzzles and games, geometry, probability, reasoning, logic, numeration, patterns, and counting.

Responsibility

2009-09-14T19:20:00.001-04:00

Your child is learning to do important things at school and at home. Much of our school day is spent developing responsibility. The children are given jobs to do (Special Helper, Messenger, & Snack Helper) in our classroom that help to make the school day run smoothly. I encourage you to give your child jobs to do at home to help your home run smoothly. Some of the things you might have your child do are:

1) Set the dinner table. You will need to demonstrate how to do this and then have your child
follow your example.
2) Help take the dirty dishes from the table to the sink or dishwasher.
3) Put his/her own clothes away in the proper place after they have been washed.
4) Feed the pet(s).
5) Help a younger brother or sister get dressed or find a toy.

You probably have lots of other ideas that are even better than my suggestions. The important thing is for your child to do the tasks regularly and well. Tell your child when you are happy with the way he/she is doing a job.

Communication Skills

2009-09-14T19:14:00.001-04:00

An important part of growing up and being able to learn in school is the ability to listen, understand, and follow directions. We work on these important parts of learning & call all of this..... Communication Skills.

You, as parents, can also use important communication skills at home. Here are a few suggestions.
1) Listen to you child. The more you stop and listen, the more your child will talk and learn.
2) Watch television or read a book with your child and talk about what you are watching/reading.
3) Tell your child one of your favorite stories. Children love to hear their parents’ favorite stories.
4) Laugh a lot with your child; it is good for both of you.

Practice Papers

2009-09-14T19:07:00.000-04:00

Each time we do a practice worksheet/activity in K1, I place extra copies on the bottom left hole in our cubbies. If you are looking for extra practice papers to use at home with your child, feel free to stop in K1 & help yourself to any of these extra papers. As with anything, extra practice can always help. :)

Flip Card Behavior Chart

2009-09-09T08:11:00.003-04:00

K1 has 5 classroom rules & we're working hard to remember as well as to follow these rules.
Rule 1. Eyes are watching.
Rule 2. Ears are listening.
Rule 3. My mouth is quiet unless I am called on.
Rule 4. I keep my hands to myself.
Rule 5. My brain is turned on.

The entire Kindergarten class at Keystone Elem. uses the Flip Card Behavior Chart. By the end of this week, we'll be 2 weeks into our school year. The children have had time to learn & understand these classroom rules, so I plan to start enforcing these rules more strongly beginning 9/14. Below, I have listed a detailed explanation about the Flip Card Behavior Chart & how it is used in Kindergarten.

Each day the children start out fresh with a Green Card. A Green Card means "I'm doing fine!! If your child is spoken to about his/her behavior, they'll flip their Green Card to a Yellow Card. The Yellow Card means they've received a behavior warning. I talk to your child abouat what they've done wrong & at this point nothing else happens. These Yellow Cards will disappear around December or so & the possibility of getting a warning will no longer be an option.
If your child is spoken to about his/her behavior a second time, they'll flip the Yellow Card to a Red Card. Once on a Red Card, they miss 5 minutes of our 30 minute PlayTime.
If your child is spoken to about his/her behavior a third time, they'll flip their Red Card to a Purple Card & miss 10 minutes of PlayTime.
If your child is spoken to about behavior again during the day, they'll flip the Purple Card to a Blue Card. At that time, a note (or phone call) will be sent home letting you know what kind of "behavior" day your child had at school.
As parents, you can help at home by reinforcing the importance of good behavior at school & encouraging your child to behave properly.

Campbell's Labels & BoxTops for Education

2009-09-08T08:57:00.004-04:00

Keystone Elementary saves Campbell's Soup labels for Education & Boxtops for Education. We would greatly appreciate you, & all extended family members, saving these labels for our school. When saving Campbell's labels, send in the small picture with the Campbell's kid holding a pencil (just above the UPC mark). Boxtops for Education coupons are the small rectangular shapes usually found on the box top or bottom area. These BoxTop coupons may also be used as money at the Book Fairs held here at school.
Keystone's CATS organization collects & tallies the labels & redeems them for educational supplies. Please help support our school with these labels! For more information on the CATS organization &/or how you can get involved, visit the KES Home Page & click on the CATS link.

Birthdays

2009-09-08T08:47:00.003-04:00

If your child is celebrating a birthday during the school year, please contact me prior to the birthday, so arrangements can be made if you plan to do something special. We like to eat sliced apples, bananas, fish/graham/saltine crackers, gummy fruits, single sugarless popsicles ................. just about anything that can be served easily & quickly.
When providing treats, please remember the Keystone Wellness policy concerning sugar and baked goods.If you would rather send in a "non-food" treat, the children always enjoy receiving things like birthday pencils, bookmarks, stickers, & etc. The party supply area at local stores always carry many different choices.
One final note, please do not send birthday party invitations to be passed out at school unless you are inviting the entire class. Birthday treats are always a welcome surprise, but please note.......... sending a birthday treat is absolutely optional!

K1 birthdays:
September 22 - Xander
October 11 - Kadence
October 22 - Derik
December 29 - Andrew
February 15 - Hannah H.
February 17 - Nicholas C.
March 1 - Tahara
March 24 - Sabrina
April 7 - Cooper
April 17 - Nick W.
May 4 - Hannah S.
May 5 - Gunnar
May 18 - Mariah
May 27 - Bryan
June 29 - Kiara

September in K1

2009-09-08T08:37:00.003-04:00

We are working very hard learning how to be good listeners & follow directions. To help the children learn about acceptable behavior, the Kindergarten teachers use a flip card Behavior Chart. I explained the details about the Behavior/Citizenship Chart at our Back-2-School Nite & plan to do a blog entry about the Behavior Chart in a week or so when I am ready to start using it in our classroom.
We are also practicing how to write our names. At this point, I am not concerned as to whether the children are using all caps or a combination of caps & small letters to write their names. One academic goal for the first grading period is to print your first name. By December & after we've had time to cover some of the lowercase alphabet letters, I will expect the children to start writing their names with a capital at the beginning and small letters for the rest of their name. If your child is unable to write his/her first name, please begin practicing with them at home for 5 - 10 minutes each evening. You may teach them either way - all capital letters or first letter capital & the rest of the letters in lower case letters.
A 2nd academic goal for the first grading period is to count to 20. It would be helpful if you & your child practice counting things at home. Possible ideas for things to count: number of doors, windows, stairs, or chairs in your house, bites it takes to eat an apple, a cookie, or a bowl of cereal, or counting the number of shoes in your closet. There are so many things a child can count - the ideas are endless.
Finally, some other academic goals your child we be working to accomplish this first grading period are: reciting the alphabet, recognizing upper & lower case letters that have been taught as well as their sounds, recognizing & naming 8 colors, holding & using scissors correctly to cut on a line, and coloring inside the lines as well as filling in all white "ghosty" spaces.
To help your child progess & gain self-confidence about their school work, you can help at home by practicing these skill areas.

Kindergarten Info A - Z

2009-09-01T08:10:00.005-04:00

ABC's - As the school year progresses, we will learn the alphabet letters & their letter sounds. We focus on learning both lower case & uppercase letters & how to write them. I do an alphabet knowledge assessment on your child every nine weeks.

Absences/Attendance - Excessive absences hinder your child's progress. Please make a strong effort to have you child in school everyday. Regular attendance is absolutely necessary & essential for your child to make the most of his/her education!! However, when your child is absent, a written excuse (with your signature) stating child's name, date of absence, & reason for the absence should be sent to school in your child's take home folder within 2 days of the absence. These notes are kept on file in the Office. Official excuse forms may be found on the Keystone Elem. web page under "Forms" or gotten from the teacher, or you may write an excuse on paper from home.
Be sure to include all the information listed above & mark "K1/Finotti" on the top of every excuse.
Please be aware once a child misses more than 15 days of school, the district will request a statement from your physician for any further absences. If a physician's statement is not received, the absence will be unexcused and illegal.

Arrival - Arrival time is 9:00 AM. Students are not to be in the building before that time. If your child is here before 9:00AM, they must wait in the front lobby until the adult monitor dismisses them. Any child who arrives at the school after 9:20AM will be marked Tardy.

Assessment - We use many different instruments to assess students in Kindergarten. These assessments help me identify areas of difficulty for your child. Report card assessment is done every nine weeks.

Backpacks - Each child should have a backpack to carry to & from school everyday. It should be large enough to hold the plastic pocket folder that I will give your child. Please be sure to check your child's backpack daily! I often find papers & art projects from previous days still inside folders. When we pack up at the end of a day, it can be very hard getting everything to fit inside their backpacks, especially if it's already full from previous days. Please note, your child's backpack should be empty except for their folder - do not bring pencil boxes, tablets, toys, or other items from home.

Behavior/Citizenship - The entire Kindergarten class is using a flip card Behavior/CItizenship Chart. Each new day the children start out fresh with a Green card. The Green card means "I'm doing fine!" If a child is spoken to about behavior, they flip their Green card to a Yellow card. The Yellow card means they have received a behavior warning - at this point nothing happens. The Yellow card will eventually disappear after a month or so & the possibillity of getting a behavior warning will no longer be an option. If a child is spoken to again about behavior, they flip the Yellow card to a Red card. Once on a Red card, they miss 5 minutes of PlayTime. If a child is spoken to another time, they flip the Red card to a Purple card & miss 10 minutes of classroom PlayTime. If a child is spoken to again, they flip the Purple card to a Blue card & a note from the teacher (or a phone call) will be sent home letting the parents know what kind of "behavior" day their child experienced. As with anything, I am always more lenient at the beginning until we get to know each other & the children understand my classroom rules. Once we have a few weeks of school under way, I will start enforcing things more strongly. At home, I hope my classroom parents willl reinforce the importance of good behavior at school & encourage their child to behave properly at school.

Birthdays - Check the Birthday page for more information.

Book Clubs (Scholastic/Trumpet) - From time to time, students will be able to order paperback books from book clubs. I will send book order forms home for you & your child to look over. These book clubs charge very reasonable prices & it is a great way to help foster your child's love for books & reading at home. The books purchased earn our classroom bonus points which I use to get free items &/or more books for our classroom. Although students are not required to order books, I feel it is important to give everyone the opportunity to make a book purchase if they want to do so. If your child orders a book(s), please follow these guidelines: Do not send cash - classrooms will only accept checks payable to the book club!!! Make your check payable to the name of the book club at the top of the order form. (ex: Scholastic/Trumpet)
Never make your check payable to Keystone Elementary or myself. Put your order form and check in an envelope. Be sure to have your child's name on the order form. Write your child's name & the name of the book club on the outside of the envelope. If ordering from more than one book club, put each order in separate envelopes.

Breakfast - Research shows that children who eat breakfast learn better than those who don't, so please be sure your child is eating a good breakfast daily. At Keystone, breakfast is optional.
If your child is eating breakfast at school, I need a note stating that fact. If I do not receive a note from you, your child will not go to breakfast. The cost for breakfast is $.75/day or $3.75/week. The cost of reduced breakfast is $.30/day, or $1.50/week, or $3.00/10days. The money can be paid weekly or monthly.
When sending breakfast money, enclose it in the money envelope provided & write your child's name and "K1" on the outside lines. If you need money envelopes, please have your child ask for one or send a note requesting envelopes.
Your child should report to their classroom & sign in. The classroom aide will then escort children to the cafeteria, assist them while they are eating, & escort them back to our classroom.
You will find a copy of the monthly breakfast & lunch menu on the Keystone Elementary Web Page or on the link below.

Breakfast Menu - http://www.keyknox.com/elem/menus.htm

Buses - Riding the school bus is a privilege and improper behavior is not tolerated. Your child will receive lessons & instruction on proper school bus behavior. Please talk about good bus behavior at home & remind them you expect them to behave properly on the bus.

Calendar - Please check the Keystone Elementary page for information on monthly activities.

C.A.T.S. - Community Action Teams for Students is the parent/teacher organization at Keystone. This group does many things to help our school including sponsorship of fund raisers to help pay for playground equipment, student transportation on field trips, & etc. Now that your child is in school, we hope that you join C.A.T.S. & become an active member! If you see a C.A.T.S. member, please thank them for purchasing the wonderful new Reading/Writing Center easel for our K1 classroom.

Change of Clothes - Unfortunately, accidents happen at school, so it's helpful for us to have a change of clothes for your child to put on. Please send an extra pair of pants, shirt, & socks in a platic bag labeled with their name. If your child needs to change clothes, we will take them to the Nurse's Room to change. If no clothes have been sent to school for your child, you will be called to bring in a change of clothes for your child.

Classroom Website - K1 has a classroom website - look for it on the KES Home Page. Our website is listed under Class Webs "K1 - Mrs. Finotti's Kindergarten Class". Please share the KES web address (http://www.keyknox.com/elem/) with your family & friends, so they can see what your child is doing in school.

Clothing - See: Dress Code

Communication - Communication between home & school is most important. If you need to talk to me, please call the school or my home, send a note in your child's folder, or email. I will get back to you as soon as I can. See also: Conference page for more information.

Computers - The children do visit the school computer lab. Your child will be taught the proper way to use a computer and how to use the educational software.

Conferences - Check the Conference page for more information.

Dismissal - "Walker" Dismissal is at 3:35 PM at the main entrance. If you are picking your child up, wait for them at the front doors ~ please be prompt. See also: Transportation Arrangements
Remember to park in the place reserved for Parent Parking - do not park in the front of the building as our school buses will be lining up in that spot. If friends or family members are picking up your child, please share this information with them. Also, remember, if a friend or family member is picking up your child at school, I must have a note from you stating who that person will be.
If an emergency comes up after your child has left for school, you may call the school and discuss this with the Office Personnel.

"Bus" Dismissal - is at 3:38 PM or when all the buses have arrived back at the elementary school. During the first 2 weeks of school, we use 6th grade helpers to escort your child to his/her bus. After that, they will be able to walk to their bus by themselves.

Dress Code - Dress your child in comfortable clothing that is appropriate for Kindergarten. Keystone has a dress code that is enforced. Please refer to the Student/Parent Resource Guide under the heading "Dress Code" for more specific details. Also, it is always a good idea to label all coats, sweatshirts, & sweaters.

Early Dismissal - At times, during the winter months, when the roads & weather are especially bad, Keystone School District dismisses early. If you think there is a possibility that school might be letting out early due to inclement weather, please tune in to the local radio stations or check the Keystone Elem. web page.

Email - I can be reached by email at school or by phone at home. My email address is:
mfinotti@keyknox.com. There is also a link to my email on the About Me page.

Emergency Cards - Your child has an emergency card on file in the Nurse's Office. At least two working phone numbers are required in order to contact parents in case of illness or emergency.

Field Trips - The children take 3 or 4 educational field trips during the school year. A permission slip will be required for each trip. If I do not receive a parent signed permission slip, your child will not be permitted to go with the class on that trip.

Fire Drills - Your child will participate in frequent fire drills throughout the year. We practice the procedures before our first fire drill so your child will be prepared.

Folders - See also: Take Home Pocket Folders

Fund Raisers - Keystone participates in a C.A.T.S. Food fund raiser to raise money for various school things such as field trips, & etc. It is not required that your child participate, but we hope that your child takes part.

Guidance Counselor - Our school guidance counselor, Mr. Shawn Kelly, is always available to students and their parents. If you have a concern you feel Mr. Kelly could help with, please call the school office & they will put you in contact with him.

Handwriting - In Kindergarten, we learn to write both upper & lower case letters. Also, please practice helping your child print their name @ home.

Homework - Your child will have occasional homework assignments in to teach them to be responsible students & to prepare them for other homework assignments in future years. Possible homework assignments might be bringing in a pictures of a certain color object, pictures of objects that begin with a particular alphabet letter, return a Library book on Libraby Day, or to bring back a paper that is to be parent signed.

Instructional Aide - Mrs. Diane Kurtzhals, Mrs. Shelli McHenry, & Mrs. Christie Jordan are the Instructional Aide for the "K1" classroom. They help with many different things around the classroom, but their primary responsibility is to assist the children when a need arises.

Illness - Please do not send your child to school if he/she has a temperature. If you have any question about when not to send a sick child to school, please refer to the Student/Parent Resource Guide under the Nurse's Office/Health Service section. If your child becomes ill while at school, you will be called by the school nurse to come & get your child. We will use one of the two phone numbers listed on their emergency card to contact you. See also: Nurse's Office

Library - We have a Library class on Day 4 every week. Please make sure that your child returns their book on Library Day, so they can get a new book during their visit. Be careful to put these library books in a safe place as lost or destroyed book will have to be paid for by you. Make a habit of putting your child's Library book right back in their backpack as soon as you have finished reading it. If your child wants to hear the story again on another night, you'll know right where to find it!

Lunch - The cost of regular priced student lunches are $1.60/day, or $8.00/week, or $16.00/10days. Reduced student lunches are $.40/day, or $2.00/week, or $4.00/10days. Please send in lunch money by the week or month & monitor when it is time to send in additional funds, so your child's lunch/snack account doesn't go into the negative.

Lunch Menu - http://www.keyknox.com/elem/menus.htm

Newsletter - Please check the Newsletter link from time to time for important information concerning thematic units, current or upcoming classroom activities, &/or announcements.

Notes to Parent/Teacher - Be on the lookout for notes from the Office (& from me) to come home in your child's take home folder. If you have notes or messages for me (or the Office), please place them in the same folder & tell your child to give them to me when they arrive at school.

Nurse's Office - Crystal Bowser is our school nurse. If your child becomes sick or gets injured at school, she will care for them until you can pick them up. Our classroom aide will escort your child to the Nurse's Office. Mrs. Bowser also administers all medications to students during school hours. If you have any question about when not to send a sick child to school, please refer to the Student/Parent Resource Guide under the Nurse's Office/Health Service section. See also: Illness

Parent Volunteer - Check the Parent Volunteer page for more information. We enjoy having parent helpers from time to time.

Party Days - We celebrate various holidays or events throughout the school year. If you wish to donate a treat or drink for a "K1" classroom party, please contact me ahead of time. (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter). Please remember to refer to the Keystone Wellness Policy concerning sugar treats.

PlayTime - Your child has a daily PlayTime. This is an important part of the curriculum as it fosters social, emothional, & gross-motor development. Weather permitting, we go outside to the playground or during rainy/wintery days, the designated PlayTime takes place at stations around our classroom. Please be sure your child is wearing sensible shoes, a jacket, or sweater when the weather turns chilly.

Pledge of Allegiance - Each day during CircleTime Activities, we recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Please practice the words with your child.

Questions - Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's education. I will make every effort to meet with you to discuss your questions or concerns.

Report Cards - Keystone School District is on a nine-week grading period; your child will receive a report card each nine-weeks. At that time, if you wish to speak with me about your child's report card, please contact me by email, phone, or note to schedule a parent conference.

Restrooms - We have restrooms right outside our classroom and your child is allowed to go when needed. Unfortunately, accidents will happen & when this does, it's helpful for us to have a change of clothes for your child to put on. Please send an extra pair of pants, shirt, & socks for your child in a plastic bag labeled with their name. We will take your child to the Nurse's Office to change their clothes. If no clothes have been sent to school, you will be called to bring a change of clothes for your child.

Rules, Rewards, & Consequences - Our classroom has rules. The children are expected to keep their hands, feet, & objects to themselves, follow directions the first time given, raise hands & wait to be called on, & treat others with kindness. The reward for following these rules will be verbal praises. The consequences for not following the rules will be verbal warnings, behavior flip cards, time-out chair, parent contacts, & principal contact. I believe my students thrive on positive praise & recognition. I strive for consistency & will start the school year with clear expectations, however my behavior management plan may change as the year progresses. I work hard to create an environment of friendship & respect in my classroom. I teach my students that life is about choices & I expect them to make appropriate choices. I believe all students have the right to learn in a safe & productive environment. I make it a priority to provide the best education for each student in my care.

Show & Tell - Throughout the school year, we will have Show & Tell. I will let your child know when we are having a Show & Tell Day & at that time only, they will be permitted to bring in a toy or something special to share with the rest of the class. Please help your child practice telling you about the special item because he/she will do this in front of our class. See also: Toys & Misc. Items

Snack - In accordance with Keystone's Nutrition Policy, the children eat a "healthy" snack each day provided by the school. Students may not bring snack or juice from home, unless their is a medical reason & can provide a doctor's excuse. The cost of this Snack is $.40/day. Parents may send in Snack money by the week or by the month. Place the money envelope in your child's take home pocket folder. Please monitor this closely so you know when it's time to send in additional funds. Please do not let you child's Lunch/Snack account go into the negative. If you do get a snack note/bill letting you know your child owes money, please pay the bill promptly. If you need a Snack money envelope, send a note and an envelope will be sent home in your child's folder. Please note, the Snack is not a part of the free & reduced lunch program.

Snow Day/ 2 Hour Delay - Please check the Keystone Web Page or listen to the local radio & television stations for announcements about delays &/or cancellations. On a "delay" day, please remember breakfast is not served. In case of a cancellation, the special class your child was scheduled to have will be held the next day we return to school. School days missed due to inclimate weather are made up during special days built into our school calendar.

Special Helper - Each child will have an opportunity to be the Special Helper many times during the school year. On their Special Helper day, they will wear a badge, help with CircleTime Activities, be Line Leader, & do other little things to help me. At the end of the day, the Special Helper receives a gumball from the classroom gumball machine!

Take Home Pocket Folders - Your child will be given a pocket folder which will serve as our school-to-home communication link. Please check your child's folder nightly. It will contain important information such as letters from the teacher/school, finished class work, etc. A pocket folder is an easy way to communicate information to and from the classroom. Please place Snack Money, parent notes (such as an excuse for absense, transportation changes, medical concerns) or any other information you want me to know in the Take Home Folder & send it with your child. The pocket folder should be returned to school each day. This is a great organizational tool to help aid your child in their success at school!

Toys & Misc. Items - Please encourage your child to leave all personal items such as toys, etc. at home. Our classroom is filled with lots of things to keep us busy. Toys from home that get broken or lost result in sad feelings! As the year progresses, we will have specified days where students will be able to bring in special items/toys for Show & Tell.

Transportation Arrangements - If there is a transportation change, at any time during the year, I must have a note from the parents about the change. (Example: someone else is picking up your child for the day or if your child is not going on the SMILES bus and you will be picking them up at school that day). If an emergency comes up after your child has left for school, you may call the school and discuss this with the Office Personnel. If your child thinks he/she is being picked up or riding a different bus and there is no note, your child will be sent home on their regular bus. See also: Dismissal.

Volunteers - We often use volunteers ~ parent involvement is so important. By expressing an interest to volunteer, you are letting your child know you are interested in their education. If you are willing to volunteer, please send a note or personally contact me. I will then contact parents to serve as volunteers within our classroom when needed. If you are busy during the day because of work but want to be involved, you can still volunteer. Many times classroom activities require advance preparation which can be done at home. If you are willing to help prepare things at home, do cutting or stapling, I would be extremely appreciative!

Yearbook - You will have a chance to buy a black and white school yearbook. The order forms are sent home during the winter months (February?) & yearbooks arrive in time for the end of the school year.

ZZZZZ's - Your child should get plenty of rest each night. Kindergarten aged children require 10 - 12 hours of sleep a day; it is important for your child to be alert and ready to learn each day. Set a bedtime for your child & be consistent about getting him/her to bed on time.

Change of Clothes

2009-08-31T21:48:00.000-04:00

Keystone Elementary School wants you to send in a change of clothes (pants, shirt, shoes, underwear, & socks) for your child to have in case of accidents or emergencies as soon as possible. Please send the spare clothes to school in a ziplock bag labeled with your child's name.

If your child has an accident & no spare clothing is available, parents will be called to bring in a change of clothes. The nurse's office is unable to provide clean clothing for your child.

Special Classes

2009-08-31T21:46:00.001-04:00

Day 1 - Art with Ms. Space
Day 2 - Music with Mrs. Nesta
Day 3 - Classroom Activity or Computer Lab
Day 4 - Library with Mrs. Colantonio
Day 5 - Physical Education with Mr. Nellis

Daily Schedule

2009-08-31T21:30:00.002-04:00

9:00 - 9:25 AM Morning Activities - children arrive & sign in. Some children go to breakfast while
others work @ table activities focusing on a specific skill area or free play.

9:25 - 9:45 CircleTime - activities included during this time are: Songs, Pledge of
Allegiance, Calendar, & Weather Wheel

9:45 - 10:35 Language Arts

10:40 - 11:20 Restroom & Lunch

11:30 - 12:00 Recess & from 12:00 - 12:30 StoryTime & Drinks/Restroom - 12:15 - 12:45 Monday - Thursday there will be
Reading Intervention for students who need additional help

12:30 - 1:00 QuietTime

1:10 - 1:45 Special Class
Day 1 - Art
Day 2 - Music
Day 3 - Classroom Activity or Computer Lab
Day 4 - Library ..... please remember to bring your Libraby book
Day 5 - Gym

1:50 - 2:10 Snack Time (& Restroom as needed)

2:10 - 2:30 Math

2:30 - 3:30 Center Activities

3:35 Walker Dismissal
3:38 Bus Dismissal

Wish List

2009-08-31T21:21:00.006-04:00

We really appreciate parents' donations to our classroom, and are often asked "What do you need"? Listed below are some items that are beneficial to your children. You may donate these items at any time during the year. If you see an X beside the column that means we currently have enough of that item. Thank You!!

- soft tissues/Kleenex
X absorbent paper towels
X pump hand sanitizer - the kind that doesn't require water
X spray Lysol
- Clorox disinfecting wet wipes
X Ziploc bags - sandwich & snack sizes
- Ziploc plastic storage bags - quart & gallon sizes
- crackers or pretzels
X books - "gently" used or new
X craft supplies - assorted glitters/wiggle eyes/foam letters & shapes/ etc.

2009 - Thumbs Up & a special thanks to the Cullan & Nicholas's families for their generous donation to the children in K1!!! Whoooohoooo!! Thanks also to Andrew & Sabrina's families for donating pumpkins to carve.

About Me

2009-08-23T11:53:00.003-04:00

Education:
Keystone High School - Class of 1971
Bachelor of Science in Education @ Clarion State College - December 1974
Masters of Education @ Clarion State College - August 1976

I began teaching Fourth grade at Keystone Elementary in January of 1975, moved to Developmental Kindergarten in 2004 & finally to the last stop in my teaching career....... full-day Kindergarten in 2008. My husband, Dennis, and I live in the Shippenville area. Our son, Ryan recently received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy & has begun his career at a UPMC clinic on the South Side in PGH. Our daughter, Krista and son-in-law Ben, live in Denver, CO, but are currently living/working in Guatemala for the next year. In my free time, I enjoy spending time on the phone talking to my kids, reading, buying & selling on eBay, & knitting.

I feel parents are an important & essential part of the educational program! I value your communication and support from home. If you have any special concerns, please send a note in your child's folder, email, or call me at home (814-226-8057 after 6PM). Also remember, you may contact me to schedule a conference at any time for any reason.

K1 Visits the Farm!!

2009-05-04T13:16:00.002-04:00

Kindergarten had a great visit to the Griebel Farm last week. We had a chance to feed baby calves, pet baby goats, bunnies, & kittens, & we learned all about the milking machine that milks the cows twice a day. We loved our day at the farm. I hope you enjoy the slide show designed by our student teacher, Ms. Gault.

Dress Code

2009-04-27T15:11:00.002-04:00

With the sudden arrival of nice weather, please be reminded Keystone School District has a dress code. All families received a copy of the school's handbook at the beginning of the year - please refer to the handbook if you have questions concerning the school's dress code. You can also find this handbook on the school web page listed under the very first link on the Parent section.

Behavior "Incentive" Plan

2009-03-27T13:50:00.000-04:00

Beginning Monday, March 30th, 2009 we will be implementing an additional behavior system. The behavior cards will still be used but, we will also begin using "money". The colored behavior cards will continue to focus on the serious issues while the money will focus on minor infractions. Every Monday, your child will begin the week with 10 cents. Throughout the week, students will have the opportunity to earn more money or they may lose money, depending on their behavior.
At the end of each week, the children will count the money they have earned. Depending on the amount, they may have the opportunity to redeem their money for a small prize. Throughout the week, we will emphasize the ways to earn and lose money. This is a great way to give students extra reinforcement on their money skills while giving them something to work for each week.
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions and again..... thanks for your help & support at home.

A New Experience..........."Wordle"

2009-03-23T14:32:00.004-04:00

Today, during our computer lab time, the children tried something totally new. We visited a website called Wordle. Each child typed in our 20 sight words & created a "wordle" collage & then printed a copy of the collage to share with their family.
This was a great lesson and gave everyone a chance to practice learning how to spell our sight words & how to locate the letter keys on the keyboard. If you would like to let your child show you what they learned today, please visit http://www.wordle.net/create. They can create a new wordle collage by typing our sight words from the ring attached to their folder. One child even experimented making a wordle collage with the names of family members. This is a great site to use with older children in your family or in future years for learning spelling words & vocabulary terms.

Recipes - Gak, Oobleck, Silly Putty, & Flubber

2009-01-21T08:02:00.004-05:00

You & your child(ren) might enjoy trying one of these recipes on a boring weekend. I haven't personally tried them all but the ones I have tried were fun, but a little messy!!!

Gak Recipe
Ingredients:
· 1 cup Elmer's glue
· food coloring, your choice of color (optional: coloring can stain!)
· 1 cup liquid starch
Pour glue and coloring in plastic container. Stir until color is thoroughly mixed in.
Add starch a little at a time, stirring with a spoon or kneading with your fingers as mixture thickens. Keep stirring until mixture holds together like putty. Test with your fingers: if too sticky, add more starch in small amounts until mass is smooth and rubbery.

Oobleck Recipe
It acts like a liquid until pressure is applied.
Ingredients:
2 parts cornstarch
1 part water
food coloring (optional, as could stain clothing and skin)

Amy's Flubber Recipe
Needs 2 bowls.
Mix thoroughly
1 1/2 cups very warm water
2 cups Elmer's glue
food coloring (optional, as could stain clothing and skin)
In a separate bowl, mix thoroughly:
1 1/3 cups very warm water
2 level teaspoons Borax
Mix the contents of the two bowls together kneading until it is fully combined. Discard any remaining liquid

Borax (Flubber) Recipe
Put 3 T. of water into a ziploc bag.
Add 1 T. of white glue.
Add 2 heaping T. of Borax (laundry detergent). It must be Borax.*
Shape into a ball. If the mixture is too sticky, roll the ball in a little bit of Borax. Enjoy stretching this elastic substance.

Silly Putty Recipe

This will bounce and pick up pictures from the paper just like the name-brand stuff.
Add: 1/2 cup water to 1/2 cup Elmer's glue (Not School Glue!)
Mix and add 3 drops of food coloring (optional)
Make Borax solution: Take 2 tablespoons borax (You can buy this at a grocery store or online) and add to 1 cup of water and stir. Add 1/2 cup of Borax solution to water and glue mixture
Stir and store in a plastic bag - mix well. Add food coloring if you wish. Let it dry about an hour. When ready, it will be smooth and rubber-like. Store in an airtight container.