Starfish Gazette May 5, 2014

Hi Starfish Families,

 I just can't believe we have reached the month of May.  Each day seems to fly by faster than the day before. 

  We have been busy working on the movements and songs for our Musical, Friendly Neighborhood Helpers!  We are very excited for our performance on May 20th.  We will be performing at 9:00 A.M. for the primary grades and 6:30 P.M. for the family performance in the Cafe.  The kids have been working so hard and are very excited to be on stage!

The Starfish Cast for Friendly Neighborhood Helpers

Narrators: Hayden Bergeron and Hailey O'Kane
Crossing Guards: Madison Pethybridge and Charles Currier 
Fire Fighters: Thoren Kersten-Guiler, Caelum Forgy, Brody McRae, and Anna Gunn
Mail Carrier: Brayden Ream
Plumber: Alex Tull
Chefs: Kiera Roberts, Grace Weed, and Maggie Meckel
Garbage Truck Fans: Taylor Gunnell, Andrew Halepis, and Aidan Shaw
Grocer: Lhana Richard
Dentists: Oliver Sharrocks, Maya Learner, and Eleanor Currier

 We are learning about:

• adding three numbers
• learning the -igh pattern in our reading and writing
• Telling time to the hour and half hour
• Add expression into our voice and movements for our musical
• what 2nd grade readers look like and sound like
• Reading across genres about one topic
• adding multiples of tens
• practicing our sight words in our writing 
• weather
• plants
• writing non fiction All About Books
• how Scientists write about their experiments

Note about Telling Time: We are reviewing both analog and digital clocks this week to the hour and half hour. I do expose them to understanding the minute hand beyond the half hour.  I encourage your child to work on the IXL time sections for homework this week and for the remainder of the school year.  Telling time can be a challenging concept and often needs a lot of practice to build confidence and mastery.  The kindergarten section of time is most appropriate for the starfish.  I recommend choosing that tab first to practice telling time.  Anytime you can incorporate talking about time with your child, both on analog and digital clocks would be helpful.  Talk about your daily routines and the times you normally do things around the house.  (Eating dinner, bedtime, waking up, getting off the school bus).

The last 6 weeks of school are a sprint to the finish.  Please mark your calendars with these important dates. 

Upcoming Events

• SMS Wellness Walk on Wednesday, May 7th at 1:30 pm  (You are welcome to join us!)

• SMS Bike to school day Wednesday May 7

• Early Release on Wednesday, May 14th at 12:50 (Teacher In-Service)

• Starfish Perform Friendly Neighborhood Helpers (9:00 A.M School Performance and 6:30 P.M. Family Performance)

• Volunteer Appreciation - Thursday, May 22nd (An invitation will be sent home.)

• May 23 SPCA visits our class

• No School on Monday, May 26th (Memorial Day)

• Grandparents Luncheon/Author's Share on Monday, June 2nd

• Field Day - Thursday, June 5th VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

• Last Day of School - Tuesday, June17th

   

   

   

  Upcoming Starfish Volunteers:

   

  Mystery Reader: 

   May 7th Mr. Bergeron @ 11:10

  May 9-Mr and Mrs. Goodrich @ 11:10

  May 13- Mrs. Gunnell @ 2:30

  May 21- Mr. Learner @ 2:30

  May 28th- Mr. Gunn @2:30

  *if you have not had a chance to volunteer to be a mystery reader or would like another chance before the end of the school year, please email me @ mrochford@sau16.org.  We can try to fit you in! 

   

  Center Volunteers:

  May 12th Mrs. Bergeron @ 1:30

  May 13th Mrs. Shaw @ 1:30