Speech & Language:  This week we will practice the blend of /st/.  We will make a stop sign and our snack of string cheese will be contributed by Charlotte.

Homework will be due on Thursday this week due to the Friday holiday.

We will not be sharing this week.  Please take a look at the April sharing topic and plan for April!

This week we will me Letter Person Y.  Ms. Y has a yodeling yawn and the children always enjoy learning about yodeling!  Y is sometimes a vowel, but not always, so we will talk about that too.  We will continue to work in our Sight Word books, practicing reading the sentences that go with each sight word.  We will work in our rhyming books, Alphabet Dictionary and write in our journals.  The children are getting very independent in the morning, coming in, starting their "perfect printing" page and reading the color words to figure out what color to use.  This independence had helped them gain confidence!  The children have been gaining fine motor skills and strength using the letter punching cards each day. 

We will continue working in our math journals.  Many children are now able to read the directions and complete the tasks independently.  We work together to figure out problem solving strategies and different ways to figure out how to solve math problems using pictures to illustrate the number question.  We continue to use manipulative materials and math games to develop number concepts.

Thank you to Maribel and Josefa for gathering items for our Auction Baskets and to all of you donating wonderful items.  We will be beginning to work on our Classroom Creation, an art project that all of the children will help to create. It will be auctioned off in the live auction at the event on April 28th.  I look forward to seeing you all there!

Our schedule this week will be:
Monday-Science Spin magazine
Tuesday-Speech & Language, P.E., gardening
Wednesday-Art, Yoga, Council
Thursday-Homework Review, P.E.

Speech & Language:  This week we will practice the blend of /ch/.  We will make giant (paper) chocolate chunk cookies and our snack of cherries will be provided by Zachary.

Sharing:  The Piglets will share this week.

Speech & Language:  This week we will practice the blend /sn/.  We will make toilet paper roll snakes and our snack of snow peas will be contributed by Coco T.!

Sharing:  This week the Tiggers will share.

Lucky:
As the fun holiday of St. Patrick's Day approaches, we pause to think of how very lucky we are in Room K.  We have an involved and loving school family.  We have amazing parent volunteers that enrich our classroom in many ways and we have a wonderful, kind, caring group of students who have been lucky enough to begin life-long friendships in Room K.  Ms. Sammantha, Ms. Youmna and I are enjoying watching the children learn a grow every day.  They are beginning the enjoy writing and it has become a preferred activity during Free Choice for many children.  They are motivated to read and are making great strides on Raz-Kids and reading books in class and at home.  They are developing strong work ethics and are determined to complete classwork neatly and on time.  Watching the children develop the internal desire to learn and do their best work is one of the perks of teaching.

Thank you!
Thank you for the wonderful Women's Day stories.  We had good discussions and each child read his/her story to the class.  Please take a look at the display of stories in the window to see for yourself!

Thank you to Vikki, Pearl, Jamie, and Josefa for volunteering to help the children plant oak trees during Friday Science.  The children planted four trees behind the lower-level building and each group named their trees.  It will be fun to watch them grow along with the children!

Thank you for supporting your children's learning by encouraging good study skills habits at home, reading with your children, providing character developing extra-curricular activities, healthy meals and supporting your children in so many ways.  It shows!

Thank you for being an integral part of our wonderful school.  You are the foundation of a strong school community!

Spellcheck:
This week, on Friday, we will have our annual Spellcheck test.  This is a fund raiser for the school, but the words selected are basic, grade-appropriate words.  Please help your child study and learn all of their words.  Each TK/Kindergarten child who gets 100% on the test will get a ribbon.  Please be sure to pledge and turn in the pledge sheet.  Your involvement is evident to your child and they are proud to support their school and show their knowledge.

Celebrating International Women's Day, March 8th
According to the United Nations: "International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities."

With this in mind, we will be celebrating in Room K on Wednesday.  World-wide there will be many events, demonstrations and celebrations.  Many are participating in "A Day Without Women" by striking.  I will be at school with the children bringing understanding to the powerful role women play in our world.  We will complete a special writing assignment at home (sent home Monday-return on Wednesday) and share our stories and pictures with the class. 

Sight Word Books
This week we will be beginning to work in our sight word books.  Each day we will learn three new sight words and practice reading sentences using the words. By the end of school the children will have a book of 100 sight words to practice over the summer!

Printing Practice
This week we will begin new printing practice pages.  I will teach the children how to complete these and to do their best work.  The following week, these will be "morning work" beginning at 8:00 (or when they arrive at school) the children will work on these pages while classical music plays.  They will have time to work on the page during the first hour.

Letter Person
This week we will me Letter Person V-who loves vegetables!  We will practice the letter, sound and