K1 Visits Miss Sadie

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

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!!

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

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!!

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

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

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

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

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!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOS - Help for Parents

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.......

1. March 10 - parents w/a child entering Kindergarten next Fall will meet at 7PM in the gym
2. March 11 - Gym Show
3. March 14 - Daylight Savings time begins
4. March 16 - Good Touch Bad Touch Program - afternoon
5. March 17 - High School Musical Assembly - time TBA
6. March 23, 24 & 25 - new Kindergarten student registration appointments
7. March 30 - grading period #3 ends
8. 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

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

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!!

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

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

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

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

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

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!!

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.