Mrs. Caffrey's Blog

May News

Dear Kindergarten Families,
Yikes! It's May already! First of all, we would like to thank each of you for giving us the opportunity to teach, learn, and grow with your child this year. We really had a great time! We can't get over how much the children have grown ~ academically and physically! We are truly going to miss each and every one of them. They have become our very "best buddies!" Our month of May is of course busy! Here's a Sneak Peek:
Religion: Feeling, Bible stories, Mary
Reading: Review the name, shape, sound and sign for all letters of the alphabet, all word wall words, practice blending sounds into words
Math: Review numeral recognition, addition, introduce subtraction
Social Studies: Mexico, buying and trading
Science: Butterflies, introduce anatomy

Dates to Remember:
Monday, May 3rd ~ please return zoo permission! *send fiesta goodies!
Wednesday, May 5th ~ Mother's Day Tea ~ 1:00
Thursday, May 6th ~ Fiesta Fun!
Friday, May 7th ~ May Crowning ~ 11:30 dismissal
Friday, May 14th ~ Planning Day NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, May 19th ~ Zoo Trip!
Monday, May 31st Memorial Day! NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, June 2nd ~ End of the year program ~ 1:00 in church
Thursday, June 3rd ~ Clean Up Day/Ice Cream Social
Friday, June 4th ~ Last Day of School!
9:15 mass and 10:30 dismissal

*children should dress in Sunday best for end of year program!

Hola Kindergarten Familias ,
We are enjoying up our "Friends Around the World" unit. Since Wednesday, May 5th is Cinco de Mayo, Mexico will be our final destination. We would like to celebrate the unit with a Mexican Fiesta! Our Fiesta will be on Thursday, May 6th since we are performing our fashion show on May 5th! We will be having tacos with all the trimmings (OR plain - -whatever your child would prefer) chips and salsa. The teachers will supply the taco meat and are hoping that you would be so kind to send in the following circled item by Monday, May 3rd :

10 juice boxes
1 pkg. shredded cheddar cheese
1 pkg. shredded iceberg lettuce
1 container sour cream
1 jar of salsa
1 jar mild taco sauce
1 bag of tostito chips
30 large heavy duty paper plates
1 pkg. napkins
1 Pkg. of taco shells

Since we will be having our Fiesta in the afternoon you do not need to send a snack on this day - unless of course your child does not like our "Mexican Menu." Each child will be receiving a little surprise at the end of the Fiesta! It should be a great day!

Adios! Gracias!
The Kindergarten Señoritas

Mom, You Are Invited...

What: Mother's Day Tea and Fashion Show

Where: Our Classroom

When: Wednesday, May 5, at 1:00

Why: Because We Love You!

*If you are unable to attend, please try to send someone (ex. Dad, Grandma, Aunt, Neighbor, ect.) Younger brothers and sisters
are more than welcome!

________________________________________________________________________ ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

Please sign and return by Friday, April 23rd .

Name: ___________________________

_____Yes, I will be able to attend on Wednesday, May 5th

_____Sorry, I won't be able to attend.

_____ I can't attend, but someone will come in my place

Mother's Day Tea and Fashion Show

Dear Parent,

We would like to have a fashion show during our Mother's Day celebration. Your child may wear anything they would like to show off for their classmates and Moms! For example, a child may choose to wear a dance costume, a favorite dress-up outfit, a baseball/football uniform, ect. Please discuss this with your child and complete the bottom of this page. Fill in the bottom as you would like it to be read for the show. Have fun with it!

Thank you!
The Kindergarten Teachers
*children may wear their outfits to school on fashion show day!

Please return by Thursday, April 29th

Child's name ________________________________________

What your child is wearing _____________________________

Describe why this outfit is special and why they chose to wear it.

(you may use the back of the paper)

Dear Kindergarten Families,

Happy, Happy Spring! The months are moving so quickly in kindergarten and the children are growing like weeds!

The following are a few of the activities planned for this short month:

Religion: New Life in spring, Butterflies, Bible stories, and a tour of the church provided by Father Bob!

Reading Skills: Name, shape, sound and sign for letters Jj, Ww, Xx, and maybe Uu!
Word wall words: what, said, was, red, yellow, blue, orange, green, purple, brown, pink, black, white and gray.
Phonics skills ~ blending sounds into words.

Math: exploring shapes and addition

Science: New Life and butterflies

Social Studies: Italy, Mexico and Cinco de Mayo

Art: Spring!

Things to practice at home: Letter/sound recognition, word wall words, blending sounds into words, numeral identification 0 - 31, addition facts to 10, counting to 100

Mark your calendars for upcoming important dates!

Zoo permission slip and $10 fee due on May 3rd! Zoo trip May 19th!

Mother's Day Tea and Fashion Show Wednesday, May 5th at 1:00.

Kindergarten end of the year program will be Wednesday, June 2nd at 1:00 in the church. Children will report to school at the regular time and will be dismissed after the program. Children should dress up in Sunday best for the program, no jeans, please!

Dear Kindergarten Families,

Please be aware that we can only take parents who have completed virtus training for our field trip. Please check our website to get the information. www.sjfschool.net
You must:
1. Complete the CANTS form - print from our website, sign, and return to school
2. Sign the Code of Conduct form-also available on our website
3. Complete the online background check. Please follow directions on website.
4. Attend a Virtus Training session: www.archchicago.org (for info)

Thank You!

Dear Kindergarten Families,

We had two "shavees" for St. Baldrick's Day! Shannon did Locks For Love. And some Daddies who were brave enough to let their children shave them! We cheered for the hair cuts, danced with the D.J., and had lots of fun for such a good cause! Thank you!

Officer Jean from CPD talked with us about staying safe. We will all wear our seatbelts and never again ride in the front seat until we are 13 years old!

We visited the book fair. They have some darling books! The book fair will be open all week if you would like to stop in.

With Earth Day coming up and our book fair in full swing, we were excited to meet an author! Tim Magner from Green Sugar Press talked with us about our earth and taught us about recycling. Mr Magner loves dirt and worms! Now, I used to think worms were pretty yucky. I still don't want to touch one, but I am very interested in all that our worms do for our earth! They are actually very cool! (Just to talk about and watch...not to touch!)  Mr. Magner has some beautiful books that encourage environmental awareness in a fun way.

Spring seems to have forgotten about the lamb, but at least there's no snow! Easter will be here and then time really flies! The kids are growing like weeds and making me proud every day.

March Madness in Kindergarten

Dear Kindergarten Families,
March promises to be a very busy month in kindergarten. We will be making our way around the world as we learn a little about Ireland, Italy, and China. The following are a few of the activities we have planned during March:

Religion: Lent, Stations of the Cross, New Life, Bible stories, friends/friendship, St. Joseph and St. Patrick

Reading: Name, shape, sound, and sign for letters: Ll, Gg, Ee, and Jj
Blending sounds into words/word wall words
New word wall words: here, go, from

Math: Time, money, addition

Art: Spring, Easter, Friends around the World

Social Studies: Introduction to map and globe skills. Friends in Ireland, Italy, and China. Chinese New Year! Year of the Ox!

This is such a fun time to be a kindergarten teacher! The children are growing and learning so much! We can really see the huge steps since the beginning of our school year! It will be grand to welcome and celebrate spring!

We would like to thank you for making this such a happy and successful year for us. We truly appreciate all the time that you have spent practicing word wall words and phonics skills along with number recognition and adding skills! It makes such a big difference! THANK YOU!
Sincerely,
The Head Leprechauns

Lenten Activities for Kindergartners

Because the concept of giving something up for the entire season of Lent can be more than overwhelming for small children, here is a calendar with daily activities that your child can do for Lent. We like to think of Lent as a season to think about God, to show love and friendship to others, and as a way to say "thank you" to Jesus.

Feb 17: Ash Wednesday. Go to church today.
18: Smile at everyone you meet today!
19: practice printing your first and last name
20: clean up your room without being told!
21 : Sunday. Go to church and say "thank you" to God.
22: draw a picture for some one special
23: don't eat any candy today!
24: hang up your coat and put away your shoes!
25: help with the dishes today!
26: hug everybody in your family today
27: share a book with your brother, sister, friend
28: Sunday. Go to church and smile!
March 1: draw a picture for Daddy today!
2: make your bed as soon as you get up!
3: no cookies today!
4: ask your Mommy if she needs any help today!
5: Go to bed as soon as Mommy and Daddy say!
6: Ask Daddy if he needs any help today.
7: Sunday. Go to church and say "hello" to your neighbors!
8: call your Grandma or Grandpa on the phone-love them!
9: clean your room without being told!
10: set the table for dinner tonight.
11: clean up your toys!
12: show your best manners all day long!

13: Give your family extra hugs and kisses today!
14: Sunday. Smile at everyone today!
15: do something extra nice for someone in your family
16: help clean up after dinner!
17: Happy St. Pat's Day! Wear green! Wish everyone luck!
18: draw a picture for Mommy today!
19: Happy St. Joseph's Day! Wear red today! Be kind!
20: first day of spring! Draw a spring picture!
21: Sunday. Go to church and say "I love you" to God.
22: no video or wii games today!
23: be extra kind to your siblings and parents today
24: clear the dinner table tonight
25: no candy today!
26: ask your Mommy if she needs any help today
27: no cookies today!
28: Palm Sunday. Get a palm from church.
29: clean up your toys without being told!
30: do something extra nice for someone in your family
31: draw a picture! Give it to someone special.
April 1: today is Holy Thursday. Tell Jesus you love Him.
2: today is Good Friday. Be extra quiet and say a special prayer to Jesus.
3: Ask your Mommy or Daddy to help you remember all the things you did to show love and kindness during Lent. Try to remember to do kind things even when Lent is over.
4: Today is Easter! Enjoy it with your family!

Plan B: Take a few ideas that you like from this calendar, add some of your own family ideas. Put these on small pieces of paper, fold them up and put in a bowl. Each day your child can draw a paper from the bowl for his/her Lenten activity for the day.

Dear Kindergarten Families,

A hundred thanks for the fun 100th day celebration! All of the Grandmas and Grandpas looked great! We had a 100 year old parade and counted 100 steps from everywhere around the whole school!! (that's A LOT of steps AND a lot of counting!!) We made a train of 100 unifix cubes. It was longer than Carter! It was even longer than Mrs. Foran!! Mrs. Caffrey is ALMOST 100 unifix cubes tall. (She's the tallest person we could find) When she put her arms up, she was taller!

We had fun answering 100 silly questions and did funny 100 day work! We hopped 100 times!!
Whew! We clapped 100 times (and that made our hands sore!) There are 100 fun things we did! And of COURSE, we ate the gorp stew! YUM! Thank you for helping make our celebration so much fun!

Now it's time for our next celebration! Valentine's Day! We will celebrate on Friday, February 12th. Children are invited to bring Valentines for our class.
30 children

Please do not write names on the cards. Children may also bring a wrapped treat if you wish.

February News

Dear Kindergarten Families,

February promises to be a busy month in Kindergarten. (aren't they all??!!) Our new theme is "Friends Around the World." This theme will carry over since the world is a big place and we would like to incorporate St. Patrick's / St. Joseph's and Cinco de Mayo in our plans! The following are a few things that we have planned:

Religion: Friends around the World, I can Love, Valentine's Day and Bible Stories

Reading: Name, shape, sound and sign for letters: Ff, Oo, Hh, Ll, Gg and blending letter sounds into words.
Word wall words: are, that, do, and number words one through ten.

Math: 100th day activities, review measurement, time, money, geometry, and addition skills using manipulatives and touch points.

Art: Groundhog Day, Friends around the World, President's Day, Valentine's Day

Social Studies: Friends around the World, President's Day, Groundhog's Day

Dates to remember:

February 5th ~ 100th day of school! Dress up to look 100 years old!

February 13th ~ celebrate Valentine's Day! Children are invited to pass out Valentines to entire class. PLEASE do NOT put names on envelopes! Children may bring a WRAPPED treat if you wish.

February 15th ~ President's day ~ No School!

February 16th ~ Mardi Gras!

February 17th ~ Ash Wednesday

February 24th ~ Report cards!

Whew!

(Chinese New Year will be celebrated during March because our schedule is just too busy!!)

Thank You! The Kindergarten Queens of Hearts