Dear Parents,

     We've had a great week learning about our community.  Review our definition with your child: A community is a group of people who live, work, and play together.  We need many kinds of workers to make up a community.  Thank you for working on your home safety plan.  We will continue learning about communities made up of friends and families.  Friends and families share work, play, meals, fun times and hard times together.  We make friends at school and in our neighborhoods.  Talk at home about neighborhood activities and how your family is a part of that community.  Our class is like a family in the community of Garrison Mill.  Porter's Pups are proud to be sharing the work and play here at school.  The Fall Festival was a great example of our school community working and playing together. 

     Next week, we will also spend some time learning about Christopher Columbus and how America is our country.  This will give us the opportunity to introduce maps and begin looking at the larger world around us.  Throughout Oct., Nov., and Dec. we will continue to learn about the concept of living in a city, state, country, and world.  This takes time to develop an understanding. 

     In Phonics, the letter sound of the week will be "I".  This is our second vowel and we will continue to blend a consonant/vowel/consonant to make a word.  Play auditory discrimination games out loud to see if your child can tell you what sound a word starts with.  Practice writing it together.  There is a great website to practice sounds and beginning reading skills: www.starfall.com Check out the fun games and stories.

     In Math, we have been counting and counting.  We have practiced the concept of more, less, and equal.  Students are learning how to order numbers from 1-30.  Today, we introduced the concept of estimation by comparing sets of objects to a set of five.  We  looked to see if it looked like more or less than five, and then estimated its amount.  This next week, we will begin careful practice in numeral writing  It is important to practice numeral writing correctly just like handwriting of letters. 

     Picture Day will be next Tuesday, Oct. 14.  We are scheduled for pictures early that day.  Pictures will be taken only for pre-paid orders.  You will receive the order form and envelope for money on Monday.  Please return on Tuesday if you want your child's picture taken. 

     Wednesday, the 15th is an Early Release day.  School will be dismissed at 12:20 and we will be eating lunch at 9:45.  Friday, the 17th will be our next High Touch High Tech program.  Our lunch will be changed that day to 10:36. 

     Have a great weekend.

     Sincerely,

     Denise Porter

Specials next week:

M-Art, T-PE, W-Music, Th-PE, F-Music

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL $22*
Nov. 1st price increast to $25*

On-line ordering available at:  http://www.myyear.com
*Note:  cost includes taxes.  Does not include 1x $1.75 processing fee per transaction, multiple items per order allowed.  Be sure to print & keep your confirmation for proof of payment.

ORDER FORMS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE CREDENZA OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE.

   Dear Parents,

     We've had a fun fall week.  We have had many activities and stories this week to explore seasons, changes in our world, apples and leaves.  The next few weeks will include lessons about Family, Friends, and neighborhoods.  Gradually, the children will learn how their community is made up of many different groups of people who live and work together.  Our Social Studies standards include specific community workers and related health and safety procedures.  Please go over the Home Fire Prevention plan information that was sent home today with your child.  We will be discussing safety rules, but will need your help to make a family plan that fits your home.  Your child will need to be able to tell about the family "meeting place" and what you've done at home for prevention.  They should be able to demonstrate "stop, drop, and roll" and tell why they should do it in case of a fire. 

     In Phonics, our letter of "A".  This is an important sound because it will enable the children to read and write "consonant/short a/consonant" words which gives them experience in word blending and decoding.  Then they can begin to read and spell word families such as: cat, rat, hat...can, man, fan.  Keep practicing and reviewing the red and orange rainbow words as well. 

     We have started our new Math unit on numbers 0-5.  This may seem very simple, but there are several key concepts that must be mastered to get a good foundation for addition and subtraction.  We will be learning the concepts of: more than, fewer than, equal to, counting on, counting forwards and backwards, making sets and comparing sets.  This will be the time also to work on proper numeral formation.  Whenever your child writes letters or numerals at home, please model and expect proper formation so that they will develop correct habits.  It takes a lot of practice.

     I hope that everyone is coming to the Fall Festival and Fun Run this evening.  The "Dunk Tank" challenge is on.  I don't mind getting wet, but just wish they'd heat up the water a bit.  Hope to see you there. 

Have a fabulous fall weekend.

Sincerely,

Denise Porter

Specials next week:

M-Art, T-PE, W-Music, T-PE, F-PE

Dear Parents,

     Fall is in full swing here in the classroom.  We have had many activities and stories this week to explore seasons, changes in our world, apples and leaves.  This next week, we will continue our fall unit and include some fun apple activities.  Please have your child bring 1 of their favorite kinds of apples to school on Monday.  We will compare, describe, sort and graph our apples, cut and make apple print patterns, have an apple tasting time to graph our favorite thing made from apples and make apple pizzas on Friday. 

     In Phonics, our letter of the week will be "C".  Please continue to review and reinforce all of the letter sounds that we have practiced so far.  See how many words your child can name that begin with a particular letter.  I tested everyone on their "red rainbow" words this week.  You will know when your child can read all 10 of them when they bring home a congratulations slip.  Please mix up these words when you practice at home.  Some children have memorized the red list of words in order, but do not know them out of sequence.  It's ok to concentrate on just a few at a time if your child cannot handle all 10.  Take it slow until they gain confidence. 

     In Math, we will begin our next unit on Numbers 0-5.  This will include the concepts of more, fewer, equal and counting on.  We will also begin our formalized numeral writing practice.  Using one to one correspondence when counting is the main strategy for keeping track while counting and comparing sets of objects.

     October Homework Calendars will come home this next week.  Please return September calendars some time next week.  Your efforts at home to work with your child will enhance their learning and give them much needed support for success in school. 

     Our "We Deliver" school system has begun.  This is an in-school mail system for children and families to correspond.  You will receive information on Monday about how to address a letter when writing to your child and mailing it at school.  Please feel free to write to your child and mail it in the front lobby mail box.  They all love to receive mail!  You can also send a letter in the daily folder and I will drop it in the mailbox for you.  You must address it with their name, 100 White Water Way, Happy Gap, Ga 30001.  It should also have a "pretend" stamp in order to go through our mail system correctly.

     Remember that next Friday, Oct. 3 is the Fun Run and Fall Festival from 5:00-8:00.  Be sure to make plans for your family to attend.  This is a fun school community event.  It's also Spirit Day and Silly Socks and Sneakers Day.  

     Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Denise Porter

Specials next week:

M-Art, T-PE, W-Music, T-PE, F-Art

Dear Parents,

     We really enjoyed the High Touch High Tech program at school today.  There were hands-on activities to explore and experience all of the five senses.  They learned about making observations and predictions in Science.

     Fall is about to arrive and the leaves are beginning to turn.  We've started our fall unit with "Colors" and will continue the next couple of weeks with activities about "Fall and Apples".  Everyone has done very well this week learning to read color words.  They should be able to look and listen for the first letter sound and visually match the color words.  In writing, they will be able to add color words to the simple sentences that they are beginning to form.  (Ex.- I see the red leaf.)  I will be testing the "red rainbow" words this coming week.  Please help your child to identify these words in simple books that you may read together at home.  We want them to know the words by sight, but also in the context of a story. 

     In Phonics, our letter of the week will be "M".  Through our phonics program, we are using "key" pictures and motions related to letters and sounds to help reinforce each letter sound.  Ask your child to show you the key letter motions for t, b, f, m, & n.  (Ex. "B", bat, B)

     In Math we will continue our unit on patterning.  This coming week we will set up Patterns Stations with many open-ended pattern activities.  Your child is learning to copy, create, extend,  and transform patterns from one set of objects to another.  Eventually, they will learn to figure out "what's missing" within a pattern.

     Our class was very proud this past week for earning a popcorn party at lunch time for good behavior during the first six weeks of school.  Reinforcing your child's good behavior at home is such a help to us at school.  Please discuss often your expectations for your child's behavior at school.  We work daily to practice good listening skills, self-control and trying your very best in your work.  Be sure to take the time to view your child's work with them and comment on the strengths that you see in their progress.  This will strengthen the home/school connection and help your child see their progress at school as very important. 

     Congratulations on your fabulous Sally Foster Sale!! Our class had the highest % of participation in the whole school!! I even go some nice prizes for your great work.  Thanks so much.  Total sales raised $52,000 for Garrison Mill.  Way to Go!

     Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Denise Porter

Specials next week:

M-Art, T-PE, W-Music, T-PE, F-PE

Dear Parents,

     We've had a great week with our "Me and My Senses" unit.  Thanks for sending in some tasty tidbits for us to explore tastes.  The High Touch High Tech program next Friday will be a great way to reinforce these experiences with additional hands-on activities.  Many children have been able to give their personal information and have their names on our special posters.  Keep working at home to practice. 

     Next week, our Senses unit will include "Colors".  We will learn how to read color words, mix primary colors to make secondary colors and read lots of fun books about colors in our world.  The following week, this unit will continue as we introduce "fall" and the colors of the seasons.  Check your child's folder for a simple "color collection" homework to be brought in on Monday.  We will sort objects by color and make classroom posters for each color.  Remember that these items will not be returned.  Do not send items that you need back. 

     In Phonics, our letter sound of the week will be "N".  You can play games at home or while riding in the car by listening for specific letter sounds in words or looking for the "letter of the week" in print.  We have been practicing the "red rainbow" words this week.  I can tell that many are working on them at home as well.  I will be assessing these in two more weeks.  Everyone who can read the words, will have their "pup" posted on the red stripe of our class rainbow.  Some children will need a lot of repetition and practice to memorize these words.  Your support at home is needed to reinforce what we are doing here at school.  Help your child to be a word detective and find these words in stories that you read together.  Each week when you receive "little books" that we have read in class, save these and give your child the opportunity to practice with you at home several times.  These are easy, predictable readers that will build sight vocabulary, picture clue strategies and confidence.  Young readers need lots of repetition.

     In Math, we are still working on patterns.  The children will use the sorting skills that we've been working on to copy, create, and extend patterns using colors, shapes, sizes, rhythms, and movements.  Have fun at home looking for patterns in clothing and on objects.  Create rhythm patterns by clapping, snapping or tapping.

     Everyone is working very hard to accomplish their "centers" each week.  All who finish their work, earn a trip to the class "treasure box" on Friday.  We are always in need of donations to refill the treasure box.  If you have any small trinkets that you'd like to donate from your own toy boxes at home, we would love to have them.  Happy meal toys are great.  As it gets closer to the holidays, you'll want to clean out those drawers to make room for new things. 

     Congratulations for your great Sally Foster Sales.  We had several winners from our class that will be invited to the "Pump It Up" party for high sales.  Thank you for your prompt return of field trip forms and performing arts donations.  We are still collecting Performing Arts donations for the Cobb County sponsored cultural arts programs that we have here throughout the year.  Your support is greatly appreciated and allows us to do so many wonderful things here at GM. 

     Remember that next Tues. Sept. 16th is an Early Release Day.  Students will be dismissed at 12:30.  We will be eating lunch at 9:45 that day.  We'll have snack in our class around noon.  Be sure to get out and vote for the SPLOST Election.  This is vital to our school system.  Have a great weekend. 

Sincerely,

Denise Porter

Specials next week:

M-Art, T-PE, W-Music, T-PE, F-Music

Dear Parents,

     We've had a great week enjoying our "favorite things" in our All About Me unit.  We will continue next week with Me and My Senses.  Please take note of the home projects that came home today in your child's folder.  We will continue working on personal information.  If your child is having difficulty memorizing their phone no. or address, try putting it to a little tune and singing or tapping it out with a rhythm.  Be sure to show your child the numbers on the phone and on your mailbox so that they really understand what they are reciting.  Look for the street sign on your street and talk about everyone else that shares the same street with you.  Show them your address on mail that comes to your house.  There were two simple assignments for next week.  One is the "texture" homework and the other is for our "tasting party".  We will explore our senses in several ways this week and culminate with the High Touch High Tech program on the 19th.  Please continue to send in your permission slips for that.

     In Phonics, we will be working with the letter and sound of "f".  We will also spend time working with the "red rainbow" words.  We have a Word Wall in our classroom with those words posted.  Each time we need to write one of those words, we will use the Word Wall as a model.  Please keep working on the words at home.  This will help your child in the beginning reader process as they learn more and more words by sight. 

     In Math, we have begun our unit on Patterning.  We are using many different manipulatives to explore ways to put a series of objects together.  We will begin to name patterns using letters of the alphabet. For example: a red, blue, red, blue, red, blue pattern would be called an AB pattern. 

     We have been doing super in our Sally Foster Sales.  Our class earned a treat again this week for most sales in Kindergarten.  Be sure to finalize your order and get it turned in this next week. 

     Our parent volunteers started this week.  We appreciate everyone's help so much.  The children are beginning to settle into a routine and will soon know how to follow our daily schedule with more ease.                                     

     Have a great weekend.

     Sincerely,

     Denise Porter

Specials next week:

M-Art, T-PE, W-Music, T-PE, F-PE

Dear Parents,

     I hope you enjoyed the Newcomer's Ice Cream Social this week, that you are feeling very welcome and that your child is enjoying Garrison Mill.

     We will begin our next unit called "All About Me" this next week.  Please work with your child at home to practice their birthday, phone number and address.  Even when your child is able to recite this personal information, they will need continual practice and review to maintain it.  We will also begin to explore the Five Senses and how they impact our learning.  Many of our Science objectives include the scientific process.  The children will experience learning through all of their senses and practice observation and investigation skills.  Literacy skills will be ongoing throughout each theme.  You will receive a note on Tuesday about our upcoming High Touch High Tech (in-school) field trip about The Senses.  This is a great hands-on science program that will compliment our unit very well.

     In Phonics, we will be working with the letter and sound of "b".  As the children are introduced to writing the lower case letters, I will encourage them to begin using these new letters in their everyday writing.  There are many concepts of print that we are working on such as 1-1 word tracking, knowing the difference between letters, words, and sentences, reading from left to right, and using picture clues to help you understand what you are reading.  Please continue to review the different poems and songs in your child's poetry notebook each week.  This will help them with these skills.  They are not expected to read these on their own, but will need your assistance. 

     In Math, we are finishing up our unit on sorting and will begin our next unit on patterning.  Students will learn to identify, create, extend, and transfer patterns from one representation to another using actions, objects, and geometric shapes.  While extending a given pattern, they will be able to recognize similarities (such as color, shape, teture, or number) in different patterns. 

Have a great weekend.  Here are a few reminders for next week:

• Family Movie Night- Sept. 5 (6:30)
• All Sally Foster Orders due- Sept. 5
• We're collecting BOX TOPS for Education- Clip and send in any day
• Poetry Books and Kinder Keys should be returned each Monday

Sincerely,

Denise Porter

Specials next week:

M-Art, T-PE, W-Music, T-PE, F-Art

Dear Parents,

Thank you for coming to our Open House evening this week.  I really enjoyed meeting you as I am still getting names and faces established.  I know we gave out a lot of information and forms for you to sift through.  If you have any questions about anything I did or didn't cover, feel free to ask.  Please return the school forms and forms for the Room Moms as soon as you can.  We will be notifying Center Volunteers soon.  Thank you for the many donations that you have sent.  They are greatly appreciated. 

     Next week we will continue our first unit of study with Classic Stories.  We will be reading The Little Red Hen, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk, and the Tortoise and the Hare as our main books.  These stories will help to teach characters, setting, story sequencing and retelling.  By using the nursery rhymes and these stories which are very familiar to the children, we are able to help them make a good picture to text connection and have been practicing following text with 1-1 correspondence.  They are also developing the necessary phonemic awareness of sound blending and listening for rhymes.  Work with your child to practice naming a word that rhymes with another word. 

In Phonics, we are working on visual recognition of letters, sequence of the alphabet and matching capital to lowercase letters.  After establishing this basic understanding of the alphabet, we will begin work with letter sounds.  Even though many children already know their letters, this will be a systematic way to practice beginning sounds, spell new words, and learn how to write the letters in the D'Nealian handwriting style.  Next week's letter of the week will be "T".  We will also begin to build a sight word vocabulary by adding one or two new words to our Word Wall each week.  Please use the Rainbow Word List I gave you to practice the "Red" words first.  We will introduce and work with these words for several weeks and I'll let you know when we'll be "Reading the Red Rainbow" to place your child's name up on our class rainbow when they can read the red list words. 

In Math, we are beginning a unit on Sorting and Classifying.  Your child will first learn to identify attributes of an object such as its color, shape or size.  Then we will work on sorting into groups with similar attributes.  Children need to be able to identify the "sorting rule" like: "I am sorting by size".  Your review at home is always of benefit. 

Your child brought home their Poetry Notebook this week.  Please read the letter of explanation inside.  Your child should return the notebook every Monday to get new poems for the week.  This is a great way to reinforce many skills that we are working on in class.  They are very excited about using fancy pointers to track print.  We will be sending home several other little books and pointers to practice with at home.  Be sure to save them all and reread often.

Our KinderKeys keyboard program will start next week.  A folder will come home explaining how you can help your child get comfortable with the computer and using a keyboard.  We will also be going to the Computer Lab next Thursday for our first visit. 

Here are a few reminders that I did not get to at Open House:

• One small snack daily is sufficient for snack time.  Sending a few items daily is confusing to them and they're not sure what to eat.
• Resting towels need to fit into our cubbies.  Large mats are very difficult to store and won't fit into book bags on Friday to take home weekly.
• Bookbags need to be large enough to fit daily work (usually 8 1/2 X 11) plus lunch boxes, towels, coats and poetry notebooks.  If your child has a very small bookbag, please consider a larger one to help them carry their things to and from school. 

Be sure to joing the GM Family Fun next Thursday 8/28 for the Newcomer's Ice Cream Social.  Hope to see you there.  Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

Denise Porter

Specials next week: M-Art, T-PE, W-Music, T-PE, F-Art