Polar Express

We came to school in jammies then started our day by listening to the Polar Express as a school over the intercom.

The Kindergarten classes were set up to be stations. 

We made elf hats and did a photo booth.

Made a Polar Express snack at a table made to look like a train.

Played bingo 

Made Reindeer Food.

We had a great time

Rocks Rock!

Thanksgiving Supplies

Thanksgiving Supplies

We have many Thanksgiving events happening the next few weeks. We are in need of some supplies for our entire Kindergarten to ensure these activities occur which will create a fun and meaningful impression of Thanksgiving.

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b044badae2ba31-thanksgiving1

Red Ribbon Week

Here are the theme days for Red Ribbon Week to support and promote a drug free lifestyle.

Names

We are a few weeks into Kindergarten and it's a great time now to begin exploring our names. We have many fun and learner driven activities planned. We graphed the number of letters in our names today. We also began working on using an uppercase only at the beginning of our name and followed by all lowercase. Writing letters from the top down is also a focus as well as pencil grip.

We will be creating graphs and class books as we explore names. We will be using playdough,markers to practice writing and create alliteration writings, complete name puzzles and share information found in special homework.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes: http://youtu.be/t2pCR8YHszM

Marek Class  Graph

Crawford Class Graph

Collins Class Graph

Williams Class Graph

Orange Splot

We like to celebrate each others differences. The Orange Splot House is a book that helps illustrate this to students. Students then placed their own orange paint onto little white houses. The next day once they have dried students decorate their homes with crayons. Each home is uniquely their own. We like to have the students cut out the houses when done to practice the skill of cutting.

Pete the Cat

As a grade We have used Pete the Cat to discuss colors and read color words. Classes completed a cutting and listening activity this week.

5 to 4

Many of you may of noticed that a class list for Mr. Mika could not be found. Our kindergarten enrollment was not as projected by the district, so he has been moved. Mr. Mika was a great addition to our school and grade level and will be missed. He has returned back to Negley Elementary to and will continue to teach kindergarten and impact the students of Hays CISD.

Grant Awarded

In May our Kindergarten Team worked together writing a grant for items to help us meet the needs of our students this coming year. We have many new Math standards and we believe the best way for students to learn is with physical objects to manipulate and explore. We are excited to learn A+ Federal Credit Union accepted our request. As team we are thrilled that we will have new materials to enhance our students learning.

SeaWorld

We were once again overwhelmed with the amazing parent support. We had 105 adults attend and 98 kindergarten students representing Carpenter Hill at SeaWorld. Thank you to the families who experienced the day with their child or who took on an extra friend.

Our kindergarten students had a great time experiencing the sights, smells and sounds of SeaWorld. We spent weeks prior gaining knowledge and learning facts about the animals and their habitat we would observe.

We received many comments from parents expressing their amazement at the depth students knew about the animals. Thanks for helping us get to Sea World and letting your child experience this amazing learning day.

Work Hard Play Hard

The gals of kindergarten relaxed together on a Friday after a fun week of teaching.

Plants Needs

We have written what we think a plant needs to survive before having a full discussion. At the end of the week we will draw and label again what we have learned.

Fair Shares

We learn about fractions with the idea of Fair Shares. We use words to describe this as equal, equal parts, half, one half. We even introduce the 1/2 symbol to students. 

Here is a fun Fair Shares Link to practice:

 

School Walk for Diabetes

CHES School Walk for Diabetes is this Friday, March 7 during specials.  Remember to bring your donation envelope to specials on Friday and turn in to the coaches.  Be sure it has the student's name and teacher name. Remember to bring an additional $1 for the photo booth.  Might want to put the extra dollar in a pocket, baggie, or envelope.
Don't forget to wear tennis shoes.  Students will run/walk laps outside for 20 minutes, then rotate to the gym for fun stations.

THANK YOU.

Coach Mangrum and Coach Castille

Technology in Our Lives

We will be discussing and illustrating how technology has changed how we do things. Please help our kindergarten students understand this by posting on our Wall:

Technology in Your Life

Created with Padlet

USA Symbols

Our kindergarten has been learning about symbols that represent The United States of America!
We are discussing, learning facts to write and creating likenesses about:
 The American Flag
George Washington
Abraham Lincoln
Bald Eagle
Liberty Bell
Statue of Liberty

We have enjoyed listening to connections students have made as a result of President Day being in February, the Olympics, family travels or pictures students have seen.

Many students are showing an interest in history as a result of such focused attention on these great symbols that represent our country.

If in the area please come by to see the writing hanging in the hallway done by our great KinderKids!

Estimation Station Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are Needed~

Our Kindergarten is looking to raise money for our Sea World entrance fees and supplies for students in May. We will be hosting an Estimation Station on February 6th and 7th. We are in need of volunteers to help set up the display containers and area, collect tickets and money from students in the morning in the front of the school.

Thank you so much for taking the time to help,

CHES Kindergarten Teachers and Students



Estimation Station Parent Team

In addition we are needing the following items for our Estimation Station:
We have these assigned to certain classes to bring, but in reality we really just need the items.


Large Gumballs (Marek & Williams)
Valentine M&Ms (Mika)
Small Conversation Hearts (Collins)
Gummy Worms (Crawford)
Dimes (all classes)

Penguin Webcams

Here are some penguin webcams we have been watching while learning about these fascinating birds.
Sea World Webcam

California Academy of Science Webcam

Frozen Planet Discovery Channel

Animal Planet Penguin

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Sea World Donors Choose

Let the countdown begin!!  Kindergarten is going to Sea World!! If you haven't heard, our trip last year was phenomenal and we have been looking forward to going again this year.  We are scheduled to go on May 8th. More information will come once the date approaches.

Due to budget restrictions, we can not utilize the school buses.  Because of our very generous friends and families last year, we were able to fully fund 2 charter buses to transport us to Sea World.  In order to make this trip possible again, we need your help!  Please follow the link below.  It will take you to our "Donor's Choose" website where we have set up the opportunity for you to donate towards the cost of the buses.  For the next 7 days, until January 16th, Disney is offering a match of your donation.  Upon check out, please enter the code DISNEY.  This code must be used in order for the match donation to apply.

Sea World or BUST! - Click HERE!

Please feel free to forward this email to relatives, friends, colleagues, businesses or anyone else that you think would like to help us out.  Our goal was met quickly (in less than 24 hours) last year because so many of our families shared this opportunity with others.

Thank you so much for your support!  This trip was so exciting last year and we would love for these children to experience it also!

Please let us know if you have any questions!!  Sea World...here we come!!

If you would like to make a donation straight at school just let your child's teacher know. We can use this money for student fees into SeaWorld.