Mrs. Mayer's Gracefield Kindergarten Class

Fun Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Sun, 27 May 2012 16:15:00 +0000

Gracefield's annual Fun Fair is on Friday, June 15th from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. We hope that your family and friends can come to participate in the festivities.

At the Fun Fair they will again be featuring Classroom Basket Raffles. Our Kindergarten classes will be creating SUMMER FUN baskets. Each student is asked to contribute one NEW item that relates to this theme. Some ideas for our basket are: sand toys, water toys, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, balls, Frisbees, skipping ropes, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, etc. Please send in your one contribution to our basket by Mon. June 11^th.

We will also have a Dollar Store at the Fun Fair. We are looking for gently used movies, books, games, toys, etc. for the Dollar Store. Please bring to school any donations for the Dollar Store by Thurs. June 14th. Please mark your bag with "Dollar Store items".

Vet Clinic

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:22:00 +0000

The students have been helping me to create a vet clinic in our dramatic play centre. The students are interested in creating a waiting area and a veterinarian office. We have a doctor's kit of tools to examine the sick and injured pets. We have collected some stuffed animal patients (e.g., dogs, cat and bird) but would love to have some more. The students think that we need some white doctor's coats, pet magazines or books for the waiting area and tensor bandages to wrap the pets with. It would also be wonderful if we had some x-rays to examine on our new light table! If you can help us out by lending us anything that we can use in our vet clinic for a few weeks we would be very grateful!

Celebrity Day

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:10:00 +0000

The student council has challenged the students and staff to dress as a celebrity on Monday, May 28th. We can choose to dress as anyone famous, for example an athlete, musician or actor. Perhaps the easiest would be to wear a jersey of a famous athlete or a shirt with the name and/or picture of a famous musician (e.g., Hannah Montana).

Summer Heat

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:00:00 +0000

The Summer H.E.A.T. (Helping Everyone Achieve Together) program is a targeted strategy designed by the District School Board of Niagara to support students and families during the summer months. Through its two unique programs, "Kindergarten Kick Start" and "Funshine Kids", Summer HEAT is committed to enhancing student achievement by providing highly engaging research-based activities that build literacy and numeracy skills, opportunities for meaningful parent engagement as well as focusing on healthy lifestyle choices. Above all, Summer HEAT provides a camp style environment where students are continually encouraged and empowered to develop confidence, skills and self-efficacy that will help them achieve to their full potential during the school year.

Summer H.E.A.T. will provide:

Highly engaging, hands on, research-based activities that build or maintain literacy and numeracy skills during the summer months;
Meaningful opportunities for our youngest students to learn school routines, structures and social skills;
Experiential learning opportunities through field trips;
Model positive, healthy living choices by providing nutritional snacks and offering a wide variety of physical activities;
A wide variety of parent engagement opportunities such as a home reading program, assemblies that share useful parenting skills and ways to support their children at home as well as provide opportunities to volunteer.

Kindergarten Kick Start Program

The Kindergarten Kick Start program is for students entering junior and senior kindergarten in the fall. Learning focuses on letter, sound and number recognition, development of social skills, as well as participation in experiential activities that build knowledge and vocabulary. Daily physical activity and a focus on healthy eating is also part of the program.

Funshine Kids Program

The Funshine Program is for students entering grade 1 to grade 3 in the fall. Learning focuses on reading comprehension, the reinforcement of numeracy skills, development of social skills as well as participation in experiential learning activities that build knowledge and vocabulary. Daily physical activity and a focus on healthy eating is also part of the program.

Parent Engagement

Parents are required to participate in three parent engagement sessions as part of the program. The first is an orientation meeting on the first day of the program. During this time, parents are given information about program routines and expectations as well as the home reading program. The second session provides parents with the opportunity to work with their children on their literacy and numeracy skill development as well as providing resources for parents to reinforce these skills at home. Then final session is a celebration of the learning that occurred during Summer HEAT.

Summer H.E.A.T. – Registration

This FREE program will be running at three schools in St. Catharines: Edith Cavell, Connaught, and Lincoln Centennial from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., five days a week, from July 16 to August 3.

If your child is entering junior kindergarten up to grade 3 in the fall at one of our District School Board of Niagara schools, please feel free to apply to our Summer HEAT program. Students are expected to participate in all three weeks of the program from July 16 to August 3.

Please click on the link below to complete your online registration.

Summer H.E.A.T. Registration Form

All parents will be notified via email and/or phone as to whether or not their child has been accepted into the program by June 29, 2012.

Help Wanted

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Mon, 21 May 2012 23:10:00 +0000

In order to provide a clean environment for the children next year, I would like to clean and disinfect all of our many classroom toys . Beginning on Tuesday, June 12th, I am looking for parents to help me to clean and disinfect our classroom toys.

I am asking volunteers to:
**Clean one or more bags of toys at a time at home with dish soap or a small amount of bleach in the water.
**Clean one or more bags of wooden toys at a time at home with damp cloths (dipped in water with a small amount of bleach or dish soap) or disinfecting wipes.

It is very important that you spread out the toys on a towel and let them dry completely for one or two days before you return the toys to school. I will be packing the toys away in plastic bags when I receive them to ensure that they stay clean and do not get dusty over the summer.

If you are willing to help to clean our toys, please let me know by Thursday, June 7th. If I receive enough help, I'm hoping that we will finish cleaning all of the toys by the last day of school.

Thank you!!

Photos on Website

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:12:00 +0000

I have now updated our classroom website with photos from April and May.

Preparing For Grade 1

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:10:00 +0000

I have been starting to prepare the SK students for the transition to Grade 1. In April, we visited the Grade 1 classroom to become familiar with the classroom. The SK students have briefly met Mrs. Gibson. She will be the Grade 1 teacher next year. She is currently the LRT at our school. This week, the SK students have been working on writing letters to Mrs. Gibson to tell her about themselves. In May and June, we will have a few more visits in the Grade 1 classroom, visit with the current Grade 1 students to learn about what it is like to be in Grade 1 and have a couple of visits with Mrs. Gibson. During the month of June, the SK students will also go out for recess with the rest of the school instead of having outdoor play at the beginning of the afternoon. If you would like to meet Mrs. Gibson, she often does duty with me outside after school.

Full-Day Early-Learning Kindergarten Program

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Sat, 12 May 2012 18:50:00 +0000

For the 2012 - 2013 school year, Gracefield school will be having one Full-Day Early-Learning Kindergarten program. All JK and SK students will be together for a full day. Mrs. Mayer and Mrs. Jones (Early Childhood Educator) will be with all of the students for the full day. Our program will be guided by the new curriculum document developed by the Ministry of Education: Full-Day Early-Learning Kindergarten Program. I will be sending home this week a Full-Day Early-Learning Kindergarten Program flyer and a Playing is Learning flyer to our current JK parents.

Next year, Gracefield school will be using the Balanced Day Schedule. Our day will consist of:

Two blocks of outdoor play
Two nutritional breaks
Three blocks of time in the classroom/school

The children will have daily opportunities for:

Purposeful play-based explorations, investigations and activities
A variety of small-group, large-group and individual activities
A balance of self-directed and educator-directed or guided activities and lessons
Development in social, emotional, physical and academic skills (e.g., language, mathematics, science, the arts)

The students will also have weekly opportunities for:

Physical education classes in the gymnasium
Book exchange in the school library
The use of iPads, the SMART Board and the computer lab

Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Mayer look forward to a wonderful 2012 - 2013 school year with the Kindergarten children. We will communicate more information to you about our year in June and in August. Please contact us if you have any questions about the Full-Day Early-Learning Kindergarten Program.

Mabel's Labels Fundraiser

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Sat, 12 May 2012 18:09:00 +0000

We are having a Mabel's Labels Paperless Fundraiser on-line until October 31st to raise money for the Kindergarten classroom. Please tell your neighbours, friends and family members. Please keep in mind that orders MUST be placed at our personal web address www.gracefield.mabelslabels.com for our classroom to receive credit from your order. This year, with the money raised through our Mabel's Labels fundraiser, I was able to cover the cost of having the Club Rex dinosaur program visit both classes.

Mabel's Labels' personalized sticky and clothing labels are extra durable and will not come off in the dishwasher, microwave or laundry. They are ideal for students. With personalized text and choice of colours and icons, their products are as fun as they are practical.

*Tag-Mates: no sew, no iron, stick-on clothing labels
*Bag Tags: made of durable metal are great for backpacks
*Shoe Labels: fit inside small shoes and boots perfectly and really stick
*Skinny-Minis: are microwave and dishwasher safe and UV resistant

Just click HERE to view these and other great Mabel's Labels' products and place your order. It really is that easy!

Thank you in advance for supporting the Gracefield Kindergarten classroom!

Parent Appreciation Luncheon

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Sat, 12 May 2012 03:08:00 +0000

The staff and students of Gracefield school would like to honour all parents and volunteers with a parent & volunteer appreciation luncheon on Tuesday, May 15th from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the Gracefield gymnasium. Please email me ASAP if you have not returned the RSVP and would like to attend.

HorsePlay Niagara on Friday, May 11

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Mon, 07 May 2012 03:38:00 +0000

This is a reminder that we will be going on our year-end trip to HorsePlay Niagara on Friday, May 11th. All parents/grandparents who have volunteered to accompany us on our trip can ride with us on the bus.

Please remember the following:

Please arrive at school no later than 8:30 a.m. (we will be leaving at 8:45 a.m.).
We will be going rain or shine.
Please dress your child for the weather and conditions (e.g., sunscreen, hat, running shoes/boots, raincoat).
I will be providing a small snack and drink. Please do not send a backpack or snack to school.
The students will be dismissed at 12:30 p.m. from our Kindergarten door.

Reminder

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Mon, 07 May 2012 03:25:00 +0000

This is a reminder to please return the following ASAP:

HorsePlay Niagara permission form and money. If your child will not be participating - please send a note to inform me ASAP.
Parent Appreciation Luncheon RSVP. Please return the form and indicate if you will or will not be attending. This will help us with ordering the food for the luncheon.
Scholastic Book Orders. We will have only one more Scholastic Book Order this year that I will send home at the end of May.

Amazing Pattern Block Designs

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:58:00 +0000

Please watch this slideshow of the amazing pattern block designs that the JK and SK students created on their own!

Twin Day

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Monday, April 30th is Twin Day at Gracefield school. On this day, two students can plan to dress the same. You may want to start planning soon who your child will partner up with and what your child and his/her twin will wear. Twins do not need to be in the same class.

Pond Animals In Our Classroom

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:33:00 +0000

We have some pond animal visitors in our classroom for the students to watch and learn about. We have Mrs. Doyle's Betta fish, a frog that a student found in her backyard and two tadpoles. The tadpoles are from a local pond. One of them already has hind legs! We will keep the tadpoles in our classroom to watch them go through metamorphosis as they turn into frogs and then we will return the frogs to the pond that they came from.

Food for our Frog

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:21:00 +0000

Today we received a frog in our classroom. We will keep it in our classroom for a few days. He will need some bugs and worms to eat for the weekend. If you can find any live bugs or worms, please bring them to school on Friday.

Dance-a-thon

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 01:32:00 +0000

Gracefield School's 4th Annual Dance-a-thon will be on Friday, April 27th! We will be having a storybook/fantasy character theme. Students are encouraged to dress as a storybook or fantasy character (including Disney, super hero, Star Wars, pirate and animal characters). The students will be dancing for one hour to raise money for the equipment and expenses of extra-curricular activities. Students are asked to collect money from family, friends and neighbours. This is our major school fundraiser of the year. Sponsor sheets were sent home last week. Please return sponsor sheets and money to school by Friday, April 27th.

When helping your child to choose his/her outfit for the dance-a-thon, please keep in mind that it should be an outfit that he/she can easily move around in and will not get too hot in. If your child is wearing a costume, if possible, have him/her wear shorts and a t-shirt under it in case he/she does not want to wear the costume for the entire dance.

Dance-a-thon Schedule:
**10:00 - 11:00 a.m. - ALL Kindergarten Students
**12:45 - 1:45 p.m. - Grade 1/2, 2/3 and 3/4 classes
**2:10 - 3:10 p.m. - Grade 5/6 and 7/8 classes

On Friday, April 27th , afternoon SK students will be attending school in the morning (8:45 - 11:15 a.m.). Parents are welcome to dance with us in the gym from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Prizes will be awarded in each class for:
** Best dressed (storybook/fantasy character theme)
**Dance contests

Any parent or business willing to donate prizes would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Mrs. Mayer.

Glow-in-the-dark necklaces will be available to purchase on the day of the dance for $2.00 each to raise money to cover the cost of the prizes.

In the month of April, the students are learning various dances (e.g., Bunny Hop, Chicken Dance, YMCA, Macarena, The Limbo, The Twist, etc.) in class and during Phys. Ed. classes.

Geometry in April

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 01:28:00 +0000

In April and May we are focusing on Geometry in our math program. In April, we are focusing on two-dimensional shapes. We are discussing and comparing the properties (number of sides, length of sides, number of points) of various two-dimensional shapes (square, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, trapezoid, rhombus, parallelogram, circle). The students are sorting the various shapes according to their properties and constructing shapes with Chinese jump ropes. We also are discussing and exploring the relationships between shapes when they are combined (composed) or taken apart (decomposed). The students are using Pattern Blocks and Tangrams to explore the relationships between shapes. They are exploring how to compose and decompose shapes (e.g., we can make a trapezoid with three triangles) with Pattern Blocks and Tangram pieces. They also are creating pictures and fabulous designs with Pattern Blocks and Tangram pieces. I have posted some on-line Geometry games on the right side of the blog.

Drama Centre

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 02:57:00 +0000

Many SK students have expressed interest in changing the drama centre in our classroom into a Tim Horton's. We request your help in collecting items for our Tim Horton's drama centre. During your next visit to Tim Horton's, please keep your gently used Tim Horton's cups, bags, boxes, cup tray holders, Tim Cards, etc. and send them to school.

Many JK students have expressed interest in changing the drama centre in our classroom into a hospital or an animal hospital. In May, we will be asking for your help in collecting items for our hospital centre.

In April, we are learning about pond and sea animals. If you have any pond or sea animal items that we could explore in our classroom, please let me know.

Reminder

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:32:00 +0000

This is a reminder that students should keep their toys at home in order to avoid having their toys lost or broken at school. If students bring toys to school, I will be asking the students to keep their toys in their backpacks until they get home. Thank you for your support.

World Autism Awareness Day

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 23:34:00 +0000

Gracefield is joining Autism Speaks in celebrating World Autism Awareness Day on Monday, April 2nd and Light It Up Blue to help shine a light on autism.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurobiological condition that can affect the normal function of the gastrointestinal, immune, hepatic, endocrine and nervous systems. It impacts normal brain development leaving most individuals with communication problems, difficulty with typical social interactions, sensory difficulties and a tendency to repeat specific patterns of behaviour. There is also often a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interests. Individuals on the autism spectrum tend to have varying degrees and combinations of symptoms. Approximately 200,000 Canadians are living with autism.

Light It Up Blue is a unique global initiative to help increase and develop world awareness, knowledge and understanding about autism in order to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with autism. Students and staff are asked to wear blue on Monday, April 2nd to support Light It Up Blue and World Autism Awareness Day.

Reminders

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:14:00 +0000

This is a reminder that we are having Blast From the Past Day this Friday at Gracefield. If possible, please help your child to dress in some retro clothing.

This is also a reminder to PLEASE return your child's form ASAP for the Home Reading Program that will be starting on Monday, April 2nd. If you lost the form, I have posted it on the right side of the blog under: March Calendars, Newsletters and Permission Forms.

Kindergarten shirt orders were due on Monday, March 26th. The absolute last day to order the shirts is Monday, April 2nd. I will be faxing the order after school that day. If you have lost the order forms, I have posted them on the right side of the blog under: March Calendars, Newsletters and Permission forms. You can scroll down a few posts on the blog for information about the shirts that I posted on February 26th.

PLEASE also let me know if you are able to volunteer on Friday, May 11th from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. when all of the Kindergarten students will be going on our end of the year trip to Horseplay Niagara.

Our one week free trial for an on-line reading program, Raz Kids, is almost over. Please try the program at home with your child by Saturday, March 31st. I would appreciate feedback from parents on the program. Please refer to an email that I sent on Saturday, March 24th for access information.

Friday is Blast From the Past Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 02:58:00 +0000

Student council has chosen Friday, March 30th to be Blast From the Past day at Gracefield school. Students (and teachers) are asked to reflect upon the past by dressing in retro gear. Perhaps students could wear something that their parents wore when they went to school. Or, students can select a decade of their choice and dress according to the popular styles of that time such as the: sock hop 50s, psychedelic 60s or funky 70s.

Raz-Kids.com

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 17:57:00 +0000

I have signed my students up for a one week free trial of Raz-Kids.com. Raz-Kids is an on-line reading program with hundreds of animated leveled books. I have emailed parents this weekend with information on how you can access our Raz-Kids classroom at home. During this one week free trial, please have your child try the program at home. I would appreciate it if you could give me feedback on the program. If many parents like this program, then I may purchase it in the future. If you did not receive an email from me with information on how to access our Raz-Kids class, please email me.

Under the Assignment tab, students are assigned books at their reading level that they can listen to for modeled fluency (click on the ear) and read on their own (click on the eye). When students read books on their own, they receive pronunciation and vocabulary support by clicking on any unknown underlined words to hear the words. After students read and listen to the book, they are asked to take a quiz to check for their understanding of the book (click on the question mark). The students can click on the words of the question and answers to hear them read to them. The students then click on the letter to indicate their choice. If the students do well on their quizzes, they will receive a green check mark. If the students do not do well on the quizzes, they will receive a black check mark. The students are encouraged to read and/or listen to the books again and to do the quizzes again until they receive a green check mark. Please do not help your child to answer the question in order that the quizzes will show the students' true understanding.

An additional option available for the read on their own part of each book is the opportunity to record students reading the book. This recording is accessible by the teacher to listen to. If anyone has a microphone at home, I would love to hear this feature of the program. Please ask your child to record him/herself read a book and send it to me. The recording options (record, stop, play, new, send) are at the top of the book.

Under the Messages tab, I can leave messages for students/parents.

Under the Bookroom tab, students have access to all of the books for all of the levels. Students are able to also listen to, read and take quizzes for these books.

Under the Raz Rocket tab, students use earned stars to buy items from the Raz Rocket Catalog to personalize their rocket. This is the incentive part of Raz-Kids to keep the students engaged in the program. Students earn stars for every book read and listened to and for quizzes and assignments successfully completed.

The students earn:

10 stars for listening to a book
50 stars for reading a book
100 stars for passing a quiz
150 stars for a perfect quiz
200 stars for passing a read-only book quiz
300 stars for a perfect read-only book quiz
300 stars for recording themselves reading a book
500 stars for completing all of the activities assigned

Students can access the Raz Rocket Catalog by clicking on the blue star.

As students earn stars, they move up in rank:

0 - 499 stars for an Ensign rank
500 - 1, 499 stars for a Lieutenant JK rank
1, 500 - 2, 999 stars for a Lieutenant rank
3,000 - 4,999 stars for a Lt. Commander rank
Etc.

I am always open to trying new resources if they help my students to develop their knowledge and skills.

Thank you for your support in exploring Raz-Kids with your child.

Special Events in April, May and June

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs. Mayer) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:03:00 +0000

On the right side of the blog under Dates to Remember, I have posted the special events for April, May and June so that you can mark these dates on your calendar. I will send home more information a few weeks before each event.

Monday, April 23rd: Kindergarten students will have their 2nd Art Gallery workshop in the classroom (JK in the morning, SK in the afternoon)

Friday, April 27th: ALL Kindergarten students will attend school in the morning (8:45 - 11:15 a.m.) for our annual Dance-a-thon.

Friday, May 11th: ALL Kindergarten students will attend school in the morning (8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.) for our end of the year trip to Horseplay Niagara.

Friday, May 11th: The JK Orientation will be at 1:30 p.m. and at 2:30 p.m.

Friday, June 22nd: The SK Graduation will be at 2:30 p.m. in the gym.

Thursday, June 28th: We will have our annual Kindergarten outdoor fun day on the last day of school (JK in the morning, SK in the afternoon).

I will need parent volunteers on Friday, April 27th and on Friday, May 11th. Please let me know if you are able to volunteer for those events.