BOOK-IT

Congratulations to Ethan, Jakob, Khenedi, and Rory. Their families read 10 books to them during the month of October, and they returned their record sheets by the end of the month. They have each earned a FREE personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut, in the BOOK-IT program. On Monday, November 1st, students took home a new record sheet for the month of November, so keep track of the books read at home and return the paper at the end of the month for a FREE pizza! (Yes, Homework Books can count.) Please see Mrs. Doiron if you have questions about this program.

Halloween Celebration

Thank you so much to the families who sent in treats for our students. They received treat bags with candy, stickers, pencils, glow-in-the-dark bracelets, erasers, rings, and so forth. Several parents also came to school on the afternoon of Friday, October 29th to serve cupcakes, chips, and juice. We appreciate the generosity and support of our families !!

Happy Halloween

We would like to introduce "Jack". Mrs. Doiron carved this jack-o-lantern on Wednesday with the children's help. Students helped pull the "guts" out of the pumpkin and separated the seeds, so we could toast them later. The class determined which shape we should use for the eyes and nose, and suggested the eyebrows. "Jack" has battery-operated candles inside, so we can all enjoy his glow. Mrs. Doiron toasted the seeds with salt in a toaster oven. Yummy ~ they were good!! Thank you to Rory and Sara, who brought some little friends for "Jack".

FIREFIGHTERS VISIT KINDERGARTEN

On Tuesday, October 26th, three firefighters from JFRD visited the Merrill Road Elementary School kindergarten classes. Students were able to go inside the fire truck, and see what a firefighter looks like in full protective gear. The firefighters explained that they have to learn many things in fire school, so they are able to do this important job. They encouraged our students to do their best in school and always follow the rules. Did you know that firefighters have rules that they have to follow, just like kindergartners do? Thank you to JFRD for sending these firefighters to our school!

Happy Dance

We are doing the "Happy Dance". Mrs. Doiron is proud of us for doing so well on our Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA). Please contact Mrs. Doiron if you wish to set up a parent conference to learn how your youngster did on the DRA. We are VERY pleased at the progress our class is making !!

RED RIBBON WEEK: I Picture Myself Being Drug Free

On Friday, October 22nd, we "Pictured Ourselves Being Drug Free". Here is a picture of our whole class on the playground, right outside our back door.

The Gingerbread Man

Ms. Cox, an intern from the University of North Florida (UNF) taught a lesson using our STAR book, The Gingerbread Man. The lesson focused on the characters in the story. After listening to the book being read aloud, and a discussion of the characters, students drew their favorite character from the story. The children were delighted when Ms. Cox gave them each a real gingerbead man cookie. Yum, yum, they were good !!

RED RIBBON WEEK: I Say NO by Wearing Red

On Thursday, October 21, we "Said NO by Wearing Red". Twelve students, plus Ms. Cox and Mrs. Doiron, wore red clothing to school.

RED RIBBON WEEK: We CAN Live a Healthy Drug-Free LIfe"

We had a food drive in conjunction with Red Ribbon Week. Thank you to Antonio, Jakob, Kylani, Rory, Sara, and Nayeli, who brought in non-perishable foods. They provided 30 cans/boxes/bags of food which will go to the Arlington Food Bank to help those who may not have enough food. Thanks for your help and support!

RED RIBBON WEEK: Go for the Goal, Be Drug Free

On Wednesday, October 20th, we wore our team clothes to "Go for the Goal and Be Drug Free". Seven children and Mrs. Doiron represented the Tampa Bay Rays, Marshall University Thundering Herd, University of Florida Gators, Florida State University Seminoles, Jacksonville Suns, Minnesota Twins, New Orleans Saints, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Fill the Hexagons

Ms. Best, an intern from the University of North Florida, taught a lesson on two-dimensional shapes. Students practiced putting shapes together to create new shapes. They played the game "Fill the Hexagons", where they rolled a game cube to determine which shape they could use - triangle, rhombus, trapezoid, or hexagon. Two students played together, each one striving to fill their six hexagons first. (Do you remember when you were in kindergarten? You probably just learned the shapes circle, rectangle, square, and triangle...) Our kindergartners sure are smart !!

RED RIBBON WEEK: Give Drugs the Slip

On Tuesday, October 19, 2010, we wore slippers to school to "Give Drugs the Slip". Nine students joined Mrs. Doiron in wearing slippers. We all enjoyed our comfortable feet!

Reading Logs

Did you know that our students write in their Reading Logs every day after Independent Reading? The children in our class sit in their "Work Spaces" and read for 8 minutes, then they go to their tables and write the title of one of the books they read in their Reading Logs. (This Reading Log is from a student who was in Mrs. Doiron's class last year.) Children might want to keep a Reading Log at home, too.

RED RIBBON WEEK: Put a Cap on Drugs.

On Monday, October 18, 2010, students were asked to wear caps or hats to school in an effort to "Put a cap on drugs." We were so happy that eleven children wore caps or hats to school.

Interactive White Board

We love our Interactice White Board ("Smart Board"). Only two of our eleven kindergarten classrooms have this new technology right now, so we are very fortunate to have it. We especially enjoy using it to write our Class News. Mrs. Doiron used to write this on chart paper, but now she types it on Microsoft Works, while the children watch the letters, words, and sentences on the Interactive White Board. Next, the Class News is printed out. These copies are saved and bound into a book at the end of each month. Then we push the "Show Board" button and the children can actually write on the projected Class News. Students have been circling words that they can read, such as "a", "for", "I", "it", "on", "of", "to", "the", and "we". Finally, the whole class practices reading the Class News, so students know what to expect during the day. Today's class news reads, "Today is Friday, October 15. We will stay in our classroom all day. We will do Math and Reader's Workshop. We will go to lunch and recess. We will read our STAR book. We will talk about fire safety and practice rhyming words. We will do Writer's Workshop. Ms. Brandon is coming to see us today."

"The Three Little Pigs"

On Thursday, October 7th, we went on our first field trip to the Jewish Community Alliance on San Jose Boulevard, with the other ten kindergarten classes from Merrill Road Elementary. We saw the play "The Three Little Pigs". JCA does a great job of presenting plays for small children, involving the viewers in singing, dancing, and the wonder of theater. Students in our class loved it when the "big bad wolf" chased the little pigs around the auditorium! They also liked the part when one of the little pigs was dancing instead of building her house of straw! When the play was over the characters came around to meet the children while they were eating their lunches. Mrs. Doiron was so proud of the class for their exemplary behavior on the field trip! Thank you to Mrs. Akins, Mrs. Barrera, Mrs. Molina, and Mrs. Smith, for chaperoning the field trip.