Buggie Bungalow

Week in Review

2012-02-07T12:55:00.001-06:00

CAR RACING

Last Wednesday was the 100th Day of school. We celebrated by making a 100 piece snack, drawing 100 gumballs, and racing to get to the number 100 on a hundreds chart. My favorite activity had to be creating an image of what we would look like at 100 years old. They were too cute!!

We are beginning our unit on rocks, sand and soil. We will be talking about the properties of rocks... size, color, shape, and texture. We will discuss water clarity and the characteristics of sand and soil.

We will be delving into media literacy as well. We will be looking at commercials and advertisements to see how print, colors, sounds, and movement influence people to buy a product.

In math, we will be creating and studying graphs.

I have now finished with mid year assessments. I will be trying to get new readers distributed by this Friday.

KONA ICE

2012-01-31T12:31:00.002-06:00

Kona Ice will be here after school tomorrow.

The cost of snow cones are anywhere from $2-$5.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Week in Review

2012-01-27T12:04:00.001-06:00

This week we have been going outside for several of our lessons. Here is an overview of our learning fun.

1) Race Car Racing: We raced hot wheel cars along the sidewalk to see whose went the farthest and whose went the shortest distance. We are working on ordering length. From this activity, we will be extending into placing small objects in order from the tallest to the shortest.

2) Flicking Snowballs: We rolled up balls of paper and used a spoon to flick them. We looked at the distance and decided whose went the farthest distance and whose went the least distance. Later today we will reflect on the activity and practice ordering various objects by height.

3) Sun: We learned that the sun is our closet star. It is also our daytime star. It is made of hot gases. We wrote sun facts and painted a sun as well.

4) Clouds: We learned that the clouds can be in the sky during the day and during the night. The clouds provide shade. They change shape. The clouds make rain and snow. We went outside and drew the sky. We also created fluffy and wispy clouds using cotton. We recorded cloud facts.

We have been reading both fiction and non-fiction books and discussing the differences between the two. We have learned that fiction tells a story and non-fiction gives us facts.

We were unable to fly our airplanes today, so feel free to send in more airplanes on Monday. I only received 4 today, so I am in need of 112-15 more.

Don't forget that the 100th day project is due on Monday. I drew examples for the children today. Some examples include: glasses, bicycle, dog, tree and sun, flowers, etc. The sky is the limit. The more creative the better.

Have a peaceful and relaxing weekend.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Extra, Extra... Read All About It

2012-01-25T09:51:00.001-06:00

The next few weeks will be completing mid year testing. Please log on to Raz-Kids for your child's nightly reading. I will be unable to send home new readers until after testing has been completed.

Also, we will be using paper airplanes in a project about length. If possible, please send in a paper airplane or two by this Friday.

Don't forget that TOMORROW is picture day. Please send in your envelop in the morning.

We are collecting hot wheel cars, empty gift cards (no money on them), and various small objects for our math tubs. Please continue to send these items in for the remainder of the year. Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

PBS Kids Measurement Song

2012-01-23T13:38:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
indergarten Teacher
464-5365

Measurement Song

2012-01-23T13:31:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
indergarten Teacher
464-5365

Sid the Science Guy and Non Standard Measurement

2012-01-23T13:21:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Clean Up Song

2012-01-20T09:38:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Clean Up Robot

2012-01-20T09:36:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Tattling

2012-01-20T09:35:00.001-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

2D Shapes

2012-01-20T09:33:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Number in the 20s

2012-01-20T09:31:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Numbers All Around

2012-01-20T09:30:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

3D Shape Song

2012-01-20T09:29:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
64-5365

Chicken Count

2012-01-20T09:28:00.000-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Counting By 2s, 5s, and 10s

2012-01-20T09:26:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Count to 100

2012-01-20T09:23:00.003-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Teen Number Rap

2012-01-20T09:20:00.002-06:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

NEEDED

2012-01-09T08:29:00.001-06:00

I have been collecting USED gift cards for some time now. I finally have enough to use for a sorting station. Some stores have been very generous giving me old ones that they will no longer use. Thanks HOME DEPOT. We sort by shape, size, pictures, etc.

If you'd like to help our collection grow, please feel free. Here's all you have to do:

When you are out and about, ask the cashiers if they have any used gift cards that you can have for your child's class. Most stores are more than willing to part with these. Then, just send it what you get.

I will continue to collect gift cards for the remainder of the school year... may be even next year too. The children have loved exploring and sorting with this new station.

Thanks in advance for you help.

Oh, the other items I am looking for to sort are barbie shoes, glass stones... the kind that are flat on the bottom, and tiny figurines... go-gos, Polly Pockets, etc. I'd also be willing to take and tiny items you might have such as Bakugans, Squinkies, and ___. Sorry, I cannot think of the girl's equivalent.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Units of Study

2012-01-06T13:31:00.001-06:00

Mrs. Rodgers listed some really good information on the units we will be studying in the near future. Thought you might like to see it.

Below you will find the units of study for the next several weeks.

READING:

Poetry...

Most poetry has a regular beat that can be clapped.
Some poetry contains words that sound alike (onset-rime: c-at/b-at).
Some poetry contains words that begin with the same sound.
Some poems are nonsense poems, playing with sounds and language.
Poetry should create pictures in the readers/listeners mind.

Fiction...

When listening to or reading fiction, listeners and readers think about the main events happening in the story.
Characters in fiction stories can be make believe or can be based on actual people.
Characters in fiction stories behave in certain ways and have reasons for their actions.

WRITING:

Literary Texts - Poetry...

Authors think about the way words sound out loud as they write poems.
Authors of poems choose words carefully based on how they sound with other words.
Authors of rhyming poems choose words with the same middle and ending sounds.
Authors of poems that do not rhyme often use repeated phrases instead of rhyming words.

Literary Texts - Stories...

Authors of stories choose main events to keep their readers interested in their stories.
Authors of stories create characters who behave in interesting ways.
Authors of stories create characters who remind readers of themselves or of people they know.
Authors of stories have to make sure the characters have reasons for behaving in certain ways.

MATH:

We will continue problem solving for the next week and then begin our measurement unit.

Direct Measurement Comparisons – Length, Area, & Temperature...

Why do we measure?
What can we measure?
What data (information) do we get when we measure?
How do we use the information?

SCIENCE:

Seasons...

In what sequence do seasons occur?
How does what we see change from season to season?
How does what we do change from season to season?

Earth and Space - Weather & Climate, Objects in the Sky...

The weather is different from day to day.

The weather is different from season to season.

We can observe and describe the changing weather conditions such as temperature and precipitation.

Day and night happen in repeated sequence.

What we see and do changes from day to night.

We can observe, describe and illustrate objects in the sky including the clouds, Moon, stars, and the Sun, which is our closest star.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Week of January 3, 2012

2012-01-06T13:22:00.000-06:00

This week we began our unit on poetry. We are listening for sparkle words in the stories we read and trying to use some sparkle words in our writing. A sparkle word is a new to us, fancy word we would normally not use when writing. For example, raggedy, discovering, glittery, hoppity-hop, crisp, icy, etc. When you are reading together at home, take a moment to point out sparkle words in the stories you share.

In math, we are working hard on problem solving. The children are drawing out their thinking and sharing how they solved the problem.

For example, I have 12 snowballs. I throw 8 snowballs at dad. How many snowballs do I have now? The children should draw 12 circles on their page. Mark an X on 8 circles. Count the circles that have not been marked to get the answer of 4. Finally, they record 4 snowballs as the answer.

Next week, you will receive a practice page of word problems for the month of January. Please set aside a few minutes each week to complete a few problems with your child. Your child can use coins or beans as counters to manipulate before drawing out his/her thinking.

Oh, don't forget you have assess to Raz-Kids. Please allow your child to logon to read a variety of books on his or her reading level.

As always, thanks for your help at home.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

How Things Move

2011-11-06T19:05:00.000-06:00

We played.

We sorted.

We had fun. AND

We learned that some objects can move in more than one way.

Some objects move back and forth.

Some objects move round and round.

Some objects move up and down.

Some objects move in a straight line.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Patterning Stations

2011-11-06T18:56:00.000-06:00

Dotting with Bingo Dobbers

Creating a Number Grid Pattern

Using Legos to Pattern

This is indeed a pattern... gray, white, gray, white, gray, white.

Look at it in a circle and you will see how clever this is.

Patterning with Shapes and Colors

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

All About Apples

2011-11-06T18:49:00.001-06:00

We learned that apples float.

We used our senses to learn several properties of apples... hard, smooth, crunchy, green, etc.

We used a story map to retell the story, The Biggest Apple Ever.

The kiddos wrote their own web. They recorded as many properties of apples as they could remember

We drew pictures about apples and sorted them by the senses we used.

We created an apple with all the parts.

We learned about the apple life cycle.

I think applesauce was the biggest hit during the entire lesson.

Tammy Sanders Forest Creek Elementary Kindergarten Teacher 464-5365

Characters in a Book

2011-10-09T18:00:00.000-05:00

We have been learning about characters. A character is a person, animal or object come to life in a movie or book.

We have used several different methods to extend our learning:

character webs: all the things we know about the character
venn diagrams: comparing similarities and difference between characters
predictions: predicting character actions
& thinking about why we like certain characters.

Below, we wrote about our favorite character in the book, The Falling Leaves by Steve Metzger.

What I liked about my favorite yellow leaf was when the wind blew the leaf away.

I am drawing Red Oak. He falls in the mud.

Purple Beech

I am Purple Beech because I like mud.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Learning About Properties of Leaves

2011-10-09T17:47:00.000-05:00

The kiddos loved going on a leaf walk to collect tons of fallen leaves. After we returned to class, we discussed which properties of leaves we would like to write about. The class decided to record the color, shape and size of their leaves.

We copied the sight words IT and IS. The rest of the sentence was sounded out and spelled phonetically. The entire class did a fantastic job.

It is green.

It is big.

It is shaped like a heart.

It is brown.

It is big.

It is smooth.

It is brown.

It is small.

It is hand shaped.

On another day we learned about color blending through a simple science test.

What will happen when water is added to a leaf that has been colored yellow and red?

Why, you get orange of course.

This was definitely a favorite activity.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Sorting Properties of Objects

2011-10-09T17:37:00.000-05:00

We have been learning about properties of objects. A properties tells how something looks, sounds, taste, feels, or smells.

We sorted objects by properties.

Below you can see the different ways we sorted:

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Kindergarteners Going to College

2011-10-09T17:21:00.001-05:00

The twins wear opposing team jerseys.

College Bound Kinders

Even I wore a shirt from the college I attended.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

There was an Old Lady That Swallowed the Fly

2011-10-03T09:02:00.002-05:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

The ABCs Around Us

2011-10-02T17:27:00.000-05:00

Look for letters wherever you go.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

HELP US WIN

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

We are trying to win KONA ICE for the entire class.

Please sign up for PTA for Monday if you have not already.

We are in the top 5 classes with the highest percentage of PTA members.

Please download the form below and send to school tomorrow. The winner will be announced on Monday.

PTA Membership Form

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Seasons as a Pattern

2011-09-25T16:03:00.002-05:00

The seasons make a pattern: fall, winter, spring, summer.

Each kiddo selected a season and drew a picture. We took all of our pictures and created a pattern of the seasons. Feel free to check out our hallway display next time you are in the school.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher

464-5365

We All Can Read

2011-09-25T15:58:00.000-05:00

We have been practicing reading to ourselves. We are up to 8 minutes of NO talking during reading time.

I missed 3 of my little readers. I'll have to take their pictures this week.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

The Season of Fall

2011-09-25T15:45:00.001-05:00

We have been discussing seasons in particular comparing summer and fall. Below is a chart the class and I made together.

So far, we have completed our summer trees. The trees in summer have lots of green leaves.

Fall is a wonderful time of year. We learned several things about fall

different activities
kind of clothing worn
how the weather should change
& other characteristics the children may not have already known.

The children a goodbye to summer listing the activity they had the most fun doing.

We will be continuing our study of fall this week as well.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Body Shapes

2011-09-25T15:34:00.001-05:00

Triangles have 3 sides.

Circles are a curve.

Ovals are like circles stretched out long.

Rectangles have 4 sides...

2 are short and 2 are long.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Monday, September 26

2011-09-21T07:52:00.001-05:00

First Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser

Eat at the STONE HILL
Chick-Fil-A

on Monday from 5-8

earn money for our school

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Photos Tell a 1000 Words

2011-09-11T15:25:00.002-05:00

Thought I would share some of the learning going on through a picture story of sorts. Hope you enjoy!

Tammy Sanders

Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Pete the Cat

2011-09-11T14:17:00.003-05:00

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

FYI

2011-09-07T12:48:00.000-05:00

Sorry about not sending out the newsletter. The copiers have been down, but should be up and running this afternoon. Please do not worry about sending in the Five Senses homework until next Wednesday due to the delay.

Also, I have set up September book orders on Scholastic. Please check the sidebar for login information. Thanks.

Tammy Sanders
Forest Creek Elementary
Kindergarten Teacher
464-5365

Week in Review: 8-29-11

2011-09-05T19:39:00.001-05:00

We jumped into learning about science last week. We answered questions such as... What is science? What is a scientist?

We learned that scientist:
1. ask questions
2. explore
3. measure &
4. learn.

We will be finishing up this information this week.

In math, we played several counting games. Snap It is a really fun game that requires your child to problem solve to acquire the answer. Here's how you can play at home:

1. Gather 10 pennies.
2. Count the pennies together, so that your child "knows" there are 10. When counting, have your child touch each penny one to one. This is something I have noticed we need to work on.
3. Place the pennies in your hand. Put your hands behind your back and remove some of the pennies.
4. Show your child the remaining pennies.
5. Your child will need to figure out how many pennies are still behind your back.
6. Continue in this same manner until interest wanes. be sure to take turns with your child and allow him or her to hide the pennies as well.

In writing, we have been drawing pictures and labeling the pictures with beginning sounds. This week I plan to transition a few children into writing a sentence with beginning sounds. We will also work on adding detail to our pictures so that others know what what our story is about.

In reading, we are looking at books without pictures and telling the story orally. We are reading familiar poems such as Mary Had a Little Lamb by retelling the poem aloud while looking at the words. This week we are going to spend more time on our reading folders and familiarizing ourselves with the poems already in our notebook.

If you have any go-gos you would like to get rid of, I will gladly take them off your hands. I am needing them for a lesson in the next couple of weeks. Bet, you never knew that go-gos could be used to teach math.

Also, don't forget to send in the PTA volunteer sign up sheet with your email address on it. If you do not send it into school, I will not be able to give the information to our room moms, Janet Banister and Eva Padilla. This will be their main form of communications in regards to parties and other classroom news.

Goldilocks and the 3 Bears

2011-08-29T09:51:00.003-05:00

~Tammy Sanders

Color Changing Milk

2011-08-28T18:28:00.000-05:00

Please do not show this video to your kiddos. It is an activity I am going to do for our unit. Just wanting to keep a link.

~Tammy Sanders

Week in Review: August 23

2011-08-27T16:56:00.001-05:00

Even though this was the first week of school we had alot of learning taking place. Your kids are amazing by the way.

Of course, we had a unit on rules. We found out that rules are made to provide safety and an organized environment. We practiced going over our classroom rules every day:

RULE #1... Be kind.
RULE #2... Be safe.
RULE #3... Do your best.

At 5, having 3 rules is tough. But... by the end of the week, we were beginning to get the hang of it.

We also talked about being a "Bucket Filler." Did you know that everyone (and I do mean everyone... animals too) have an imaginary bucket that gets filled when that person or other people do kind things? I didn't know this at first either.

A nice thing can be anything from a smile to giving a compliment to even saying your sorry when you make a mistake.

Unfortunately, we had to learn about being a "Bucket Dipper" as well. A bucket dipper is someone who does something mean or unkind to another person. Guess what? When you dip someone else's bucket, your bucket gets dipped too. Not fun at all!

We decided we want to try to fill as many buckets during our time together as we can. I heard the children saying please and thank you and giving each other lots of hugs. I think bucket filling might just happen to be contagious... sorry;)

In math, we are really learning how to explore with math tools. In kindergarten, math tools often look like dare I say... "toys". We worked with plastic teddy bears, linking cubes, buttons, pom-poms, linking shapes, plastic animals, ribbons, etc. The kids had alot of fun. I think this might have been their favorite part of the day besides snack time.

On Friday, the kids really needed a more focused math activity, so we played a game. Each table had a bucket of linking cubes and a die. The first player rolled the die and collect the corresponding number of cubes. Play continued in this manner until one of the players reached 15 cubes, He/she was the winner and the game had to start over.

You would of thought I brought in the Wii with all the noise that ensued. Guess games are the way to go this year, huh?

We did so much this first week it is hard to narrow down what to share. The only other thing I can think of at the moment is school wide expectations. We are talking about voice levels:

0... no talking
1... whisper voice
2... quiet talking voice
3... loud talking voice
4... outside voice.

Most of the time we want the kiddos to use a level 2 voice. Using a level 2 voice is hard to get the hang of at first because everything we have to say is so exciting. Once the kids learn that you can hear each other better when everyone is talking more quietly they do great.

The other expectation that we have school wide is walking on the green line in the hallways with no talking. We still have a little more work to do on this one.

Overall, our first week together was great. You have wonderful children that are eager to learn. I look forward to getting to know them more each and every day.

~Tammy Sanders

Needed

2011-08-20T18:56:00.000-05:00

I am in need of 3-4 old floor lamps or table top lamps. I am not picky. Anything will work beautifully. I prefer to teach and work with the lights out, blinds opened, and lamps on. The atmosphere is much more calming and tends to relax the children.

Last year, the kiddos closest to the door would complain they needed just a bit more light, so I would often resort to turning on the fluorescent lights again.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

~Tammy Sanders

Classroom Photos

2011-08-20T18:52:00.000-05:00

My room is very simple. Not much in the way of decorations and not alot of extras. I could do alot more, but I like to allow the children to decorate with things they create. I have also found that the simpler the room decor- the more calm the environment.

My room is not set up for centers as I follow a traditional workshop format for reading and writing. Most of the time during reading and writing workshop that is all they are doing... reading and writing. I save word work for a completely different time of the day. This year I plan to have the kids come in and rotate through five activities at the beginning of the day before announcements. By Friday, they should have completed all their jobs.

Below are the pictures I have taken of my room this year.

Our Welcome Banner as Viewed from the Doorway

Thematic Reading Books & a Student Desk Area

Up Close of the Book Bins

Our Computer Station and My Book Storage

Circle Spot and More of My Storage

Calendar, Alphabet Chart, and Daily Schedule...

Yes, I use a real calendar. Pretty much that is it for calendar time.

Just Another View

Our Interactive Daily Schedule

My Thematic Units and Games

View from the Doorway

View From the Computer Station

If you noticed, there is no teacher desk in the room. I have a small area near our window that just happened to be a mess the day I took pictures. The table I use is half of one of the tables you see above.
Many children come in believing that because you are a teacher you know everything. I believe in working with the children as a facilitator and guide in their learning. I feel using the same desk as the children moves me one more step closer to being that facilitator in their eyes. It also lets them know I am learning along side them every day.

~Tammy Sanders

I Heart Meet the Teacher

2011-08-20T18:02:00.000-05:00

I loved meeting all the kiddos on Friday morning. I think Meet the Teacher might be one of my favorite days of the year. All the kids are so cute and so eager to come to school. Wait til they realize that kindergarten doesn't end on the first Friday. It comes as a shock to most of them. lol

Looking forward to seeing everyone on TUESDAY. Sorry if I said Monday. Don't know what I was thinking, but it is definitely TUESDAY.

Thanks again for stopping by.

~Tammy Sanders

Welcome to Kindergarten

2011-07-27T20:13:00.000-05:00

Hope you are enjoying a safe and relaxing summer. See you soon for the 2011-2012 school year.

Mark your calendars:

Kinder Parent Orientation

August 11

6pm

School Supply Drop Off

August 19

8am- 9am

First Day of School

August 23

Parent Night

August 30

6- 6:45pm

~Tammy Sanders

6 Ways to Practice Writing Your Name

2011-07-10T19:52:00.001-05:00

Name writing is an important skill for the beginning of kindergarten, but can be practiced from about the age of three. Any activity that provides a tactile approach will draw a child into the activity.

1.Rice and Sand Trays: Pour rice or sand into a shallow baking pan. I actually prefer to use the 9X9 foil pans. Write your child's name on an index card. Have your child use his/her index finger to trace the letters in the rice or sand tray. For those that are having trouble, you may want to place the index card in the bottom of the tray and have the child trace directly on the card.

2.Shaving Cream: Follow the same directions as for the rice and sand trays.

3.Rainbow Writing: Parent writes the child's name in pencil or pen first. The child traces his/her name with crayons using correct letter formation. Do this 3 times using a different color each time.

4.Play Dough Words: Have your child roll play dough into the letters needed to spell his/her name. Place letters in the correct order. Read name. Orally spell name. Then, write name on a piece of paper.

5.Magnet Madness: Have your child look at an index card with his/her name printed on it. Orally spell the word. Using refrigerator magnets, arrange the letters in the correct order to spell the word. Orally read and spell the word again.

6.Chalk: have your child use a small broken piece of chalk to write hie or her name on a chalk board. Use a tiny wet sponge piece to retrace the letters to erase them.

**Helpful Tip: Use broken crayons for handwriting practice. The smaller pieces help your child grip the writing utensil properly.**

~Tammy Sanders

Cuddle Up and Read

2011-07-10T15:17:00.000-05:00

One of the best ways to prepare your child for kindergarten is to cuddle up and read. Reading bedtime stories and hearing the flow of the english language is a great precursor for actual reading.

~Tammy Sanders

Welcome to Kindergarten

2011-07-08T12:16:00.003-05:00

~Tammy Sanders

Class Schedule

2011-07-06T14:49:00.001-05:00

arrive in cafeteria

enter classroom (unload backpacks & make lunch choice)

quiet choice time

calendar

read aloud

specials

reading & writing workshop

lunch

math & science

nap & snack

recess

quiet choice

read aloud

dismissal

SUMMER IS HERE

2011-05-23T08:32:00.001-05:00

Hope you are enjoying a safe and relaxing summer. See you soon for the 2011-2012 school year.

Mark your calendars:

Kinder Parent Orientation
August 11
6pm

School Supply Drop Off

August 19
8am- 9am

First Day of School

August 23

Parent Night

August 30
6- 6:45pm

End of Year Party

2011-05-23T08:28:00.001-05:00

This will be my last post of the school year... sigh. I am posting my summer information as soon as this post is completed.

I just wanted to let everyone know that our end of the year party is on Friday from 11:15-12:00. We will be eating pizza and watching a movie. Feel free to allow your kiddos to wear pjs on this day for a bit of added fun.

Thanks for a wonderful school year. I have truly enjoyed each and every minute of my time with your children.

~Tammy Sanders

Field Day

2011-05-16T13:20:00.000-05:00

Field Day is this Friday. Below are some important things to consider when preparing for this fun day:

Your child must wear tennis shoes.
Your child may wear a swim suit. Girls must wear a 1 piece and boys must wear a t-shirt.
Your child will need a towel and change of clothes. Please send these items into school in a plastic sack. This will allow your child to place his/her wet clothes in the sack and keep the backpack dry.
Apply sunscreen at home. No sunscreen will be applied at school.
Please arrive promptly at 7:35 as our first station begins at 8:00.
Lunch will be VERY late. Please provide your child with an extra large snack and water bottle. He/she will be very hungry after all of our fun.

Thanks for taking the time to ensure we have a fun filled day on Friday.

~Tammy Sanders

Fair Shares

2011-04-26T11:59:00.000-05:00

A fair share is when you share with someone and you get the same amount. Today your child will be coming home with 12 paper "cookies". Please have your child practice making fair shares. For example:

You have 12 cookies. 3 friends share the cookies. How many cookies will each friend get?

Practice several times using different numbers for the amount of cookies and the friends sharing them.

~Tammy Sanders

Reduce, Reuse Recycle...

2011-04-21T11:57:00.002-05:00

~Tammy Sanders

Week in Review

2011-04-08T13:05:00.001-05:00

This week has been so much fun. We have been learning about weather and telling time.

Each child created a wind stick to check the direction in which the wind was blowing. We stepped outside and watched a string move as the wind changed directions. We have also discussed clouds... what they are made of (water and ice crystals) and how they help us (rain, shade, etc.).

Today we went out into the garden for 1 hour. We shoveled soil and filled 2 1/2 planters with it. The planters we filled will become gardens for 3 classrooms. The children are very tired , but had a blast.

For telling time, we are mostly concerned with which activity takes more or less time. We did also discussed change over time... growing from seed to flower, the seasons, months of the year and days of the week. All of these things are ways we can tell the passage of time.

We have been working on inferencing in reading... making predictions as a story is read. We have been stopping during our reading and discussing what we think will happen next.

Another concept is synthesizing... how a person's thoughts on a story changes as the plot unfolds. We have used the story Sun Egg and One Rainy Day for this purpose. The children loved The Sun Egg... a story of a little elf that believed the sun had lost her egg and how the animals came to find out that the egg was indeed an orange.

~Tammy Sanders

Farmers' Market

2011-04-06T11:01:00.000-05:00

Farmers' Market TONIGHT

4-8 @ the Dell Diamond

The more attendance... the more likely this will become a weekly event.

I am going after work.

~Tammy Sanders

Water Bottles

2011-04-01T12:42:00.000-05:00

We are having a problem with water bottles. I had more than 3 water bottles spill today and more spills than that this week. The children are not placing the water bottles on the back counter as asked. We are also not securing the lids after drinking.

I am giving the children one warning from now on.

The consequence will be no water bottle the next day.

Not all classes allow water bottles. If this continues to be an issue, I will have no other choice than to request water bottles to be kept at home. It is very difficult and time consuming to get all the water out of the carpeting.

Thanks for your understanding. I think the children will remember to place water bottles on the back counter next week. ;)

Have a great weekend and enjoy the sun.

~Tammy Sanders

Updates...

2011-04-01T08:46:00.000-05:00

This weekend I will upload photos from our treasure hunt, as well as, pictures form our One Small Box activity.

We will soon have 2 terrariums in our classroom for the children to view. Many thanks to Rachel's grandma for providing these. She informed me that 40% off Hobby Lobby coupon are available on line.

We are still in need of one additional terrarium. We will be receiving the herb garden and strange plant collection. I am so excited to set these up for our classroom.

As of now, I have plenty of snack. I will let you know when we are in need of more.

Treasure Box: We are in need of many items for the treasure box. Any treasure box items are more than welcome.

Most of the children though are really excited about mechanical pencils. Those pencils that you have to take the plastic lead piece out of the bottom and move it to the top are a huge hit as well. They are always disappointed to know I have run out.

Thanks for all you do. I truly appreciate you.

Don't forget to return report card envelopes by Monday.

EMPTY BOWL PROJECT
Saturday from 11-3
@ First Methodist Church.

Buy a bowl to help the hungry.
Eat free soup provided by Chili's.

I plan on attending with my family.

~Tammy Sanders

Decisions...

2011-03-28T13:41:00.002-05:00

I have decided to not send home readers for the remainder of the year. You may logon to Raz-Kids to do the nightly reading. The reason I have made this decision is because in just a few weeks we will be doing end of the year assessments. By the time the children get new readers, it will almost be time to collect the readers for end of the year inventory.

If you are unable to logon to a computer to access Raz-Kids, please let me know. I want to ensure that your child has access to leveled reading materials.

I also wanted to let you know that your child is continuing to read in class daily. I am doing individual reading conferences during this time. I guess I just wanted to let you know that reading instruction continues until the last day of school. The only change is that I am no longer sending home the readers.

Thanks for your understanding.

~Tammy Sanders

Instructional Needs

2011-03-21T20:03:00.000-05:00

In the spring, kindergarten has a huge focus on plants. Our unit will begin in about 3 weeks. I plan on making mini terrariums with the class, but thought that a large terrarium for observation would be the perfect compliment to our activities.

If you would like to donate a terrarium to our class for observation, please check out the links below:

sensory dome

strange plants

carnivorous creations

culinary herbs

desert biome

Feel free to check out the linked sites and then, hunt down a cheaper find. Hobby Lobby does carry a few of the terrariums.

Thanks.

~Tammy Sanders

Hoe Down Fun

2011-03-21T19:52:00.000-05:00

~Tammy Sanders

Finding Shapes in Our World

2011-03-21T19:15:00.000-05:00

Before Spring Break, I took the kiddos out on a walk around the school. We spied 3D shapes everywhere we looked. Below are pictures of the 3D shapes we found.

Show your child the pictures and ask them to name the 3D shape. Is it a cone, cube, cylinder, or sphere? A few kiddos still call them cone, box, can, or ball.

cone

cone or cylinder depending on if you are counting he blue part or not

cylinder

sphere

tree trunk... cylinder

cube... or about a close as we got outside...

We talked about the fact that the sides actually should have been the same size.

cylinder

sphere

cylinder

cube... or at least pretty close

box... not close enough to call a cube

sphere

The kids had so much fun locating shapes in our environment. Consider talking a walk around the block to see what your family can find.

~Tammy Sanders

Mud Quest 2011

2011-03-11T18:27:00.000-06:00

I got an email from Round Rock Parks and Rec about this fun event. I am signing up my family. JJ doesn't want to do it, but I am signing him up to just in case. I think he might change his mind once he gets there.

Basically, it is an obstacle course run through the mud. Completely free and right here at Old Settlers' park. Check out the video. I was so excited after watching it.

~Tammy Sanders

Snow Cone Treats

2011-03-08T11:26:00.001-06:00

Kona Ice is coming after school on Thursday, March 10th.

$2 for a small

$3 for a medium

$4 for a large

Cash ONLY please.

~Tammy Sanders

NEEDED...

2011-03-07T13:45:00.000-06:00

We are still in need of a boo-boo monkey. I found the one I had at Old Navy for about $5.

We also need white construction paper. I am completley out. If I had 3 packs of the large white construction paper, I would have enough for the rest of the year.

Thanks.

~Tammy Sanders

Scrapbook March 2011

2011-03-02T16:35:00.000-06:00

I am having trouble downloading photos to my computer. Here are photos from the past that I have finally downloaded.

~Tammy Sanders

The Book Worm

2011-02-25T13:44:00.001-06:00

image taken by Ms. Davenport

The book fair was such a success that last week the entire kindergarten was able to watch The Book Worm. The children were mesmerized as the Book Worm went over how to handle books properly and then retold 3 wonderful stories.

The first was Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. The Book Worm used props to retell this story of magic and wish making. The second story was Kat Kong. The children laughed out loud the entire time. The cat was so silly it was hard not to. Finally, we heard the story of Mean Soup. This is definitely a book I would like to add to my collection. It is about a little guy who is having a rotten day and his mom has him help her make "mean soup". By the end of the story, the young man is no longer angry and gruff. Harrison did a fabulous job helping the Book Worm retell this story.

~Tammy Sanders

Family Game Night

2011-02-23T13:55:00.003-06:00

My family has had so much fun playing games lately. We are considering inviting another family over to have a game night with us. Snacks, good company and several board games going at once. The kids are sure to love it.

Games We Love:

Wildcrafts... Learn medicinal uses for herbs while working with your family to gather berries for Grandma to bake a pie. cooperative game

Orges & Elves... Help the elves collect gems for the royal family. cooperative game

Mancala... Move gems around the board and try to to collect more than your opponent.

Pentago... Move marbles around a square. Spin one square and try to make 5 marbles in a row. Great strategizing game.

Othello... My boys love this game though I have yet to play.

Cathedral... Place more buildings in the medieval city than your opponent to win. Watch out because your opponent will try to block the land from your access.

Shut the Box... Roll the dice. Add up the total. Flip down tiles that equal the total. Be the first to flip over all 12 tiles to win.

When it comes to purchasing games, I am a bit picker than I use to be. I use to go with mass produced favorites like Candyland and Monopoly. Though I still love these tried and true favorites, I have been having fun looking for more unique games to try.

I didn't think my boys would like cooperative games, but cooperative games have become a favorite at my house. Cooperative games are when the players work together to win or lose as a team. Working together toward a common goal has helped the boys to get along a bit better. The aggressiveness that was present before has lessened tremendously. We do still play competitive games though. I think there is lot to be said for both winning and losing. These are both important life skills.

Another thing I am quite fond of is games made from natural materials like wood. If at all possible, I choose wooden games over plastic or paper/cardboard ones every time. It is more earth friendly. The quality is better and the texture of the game itself is so much more inviting.

Games I'd Like to Try:

Handy... Balance balls between the hands of players. Drop a ball and the hilarity begins.

Chocolate Fix... Sudoku on chocolate.

Knot So Fast... Tying knots and speed will let you when this game. Perfect for the family boyscout or camper.

Pop Belly... Feed the pigs til they pop.

Walk the Dog... Collect dogs, but watch out for the dog catcher.

The Secret Door... Use clues to figure out 3 treasures behind the hidden door. cooperative game

Enchanted Forest... Go on a treasure hunt through the land of fairies. cooperative game

Castle Panic... Defend your castle against monsters. cooperative game

I can't wait for another holiday, birthday, etc so we can get one of the games above. I must say Handy will probably be the next purchase as it is both cooperative and challenging. I know I will hear tons of belly laughs when the balls start to drop and roll all over the place.

~Tammy Sanders

Needed...

2011-02-18T15:10:00.000-06:00

We are in need of a new boo-boo monkey.

Our monkey sprang a leak and had to be thrown away. You can get several different animal boo-boo thingies (Is that even a word?) at Old Navy for about $5. We used our monkey every day for anything from a bumped toe to a tummy ache. It had magic powers. Just ask the kids. It cured just about anything.

Thanks again for all you do.

~Tammy Sanders

Week in Review: 2-14-11

2011-02-18T15:05:00.001-06:00

This week we finished up our Solar System research. Each child completed a non-fiction book about the solar system. I think you will be impressed with the final product. I know I am.

We also reviewed length and finished up area. Length for kindergarten is simple: Which object is longer? Area is what covers more... what covers less.

Next week, we will begin a unit on patriotism. We will be learning about several patriotic symbols as well as 2 famous past presidents.

Oh... If your child is on broadcast, it is for the entire week. Your child will need to arrive before 7:30 and sit outside the nurse's office on the bench. If your child arrives late, he/she cannot be on the broadcast that day. Thanks for your understanding.
Enjoy your weekend.

~Tammy Sanders

February 21st

2011-02-18T15:00:00.002-06:00

February 21st is now a SCHOOL DAY. Please arrive at school at your normal time. Thanks.

~Tammy Sanders

Student Led Challenge

2011-02-18T10:20:00.000-06:00

If your child would like to participate in a student led challenge, please read below. The challenge is due on Friday. Since this is a student created challenge do not feel obligated for your child to participate.

The Challenge...

Go outside at night and look at the sky. Create a picture of the night sky as you saw it... specifically the constellations. Bring the picture to school on Friday.

The student created ribbons for all winners and has a stamper to stamp all participants. He wants to make sure no one is left out and everything is fair... no hurt feelings.

So, go check out the night sky. You might just find a wonderful sparkly picture among the stars.

~Tammy Sanders

Simplicity Parenting Book Club

2011-02-18T09:05:00.005-06:00

Our Small Challenge

I have linked above to the Simplicity Parenting Blog. We are going to begin piggy backing on their weekly small challenges. This week I challenge you to...

Find a place for everything in 1 room of your house.

Which room in your home has the most clutter?

I am going to focus on my kitchen. The kitchen seems to be a catch all for my home. I come in and place my purse and school stuff on the counter. I have a box lid that contains who knows what... every little randomness that is in the kitchen that doesn't have a permanent home.

This weekend I am going to find a place for all this junk. I am also going to finally get rid of all the sippy cups and toddler plates that I have held on to for no good reason. Simplifying my kitchen and decluttering the space will make for a more inviting entrance to my home every day. It will also act as a calming effect during daily candle light dinners.

What small change can you make?
What can you conquer in a short amount of time that will reap the largest benefit?

Simple Reading

If you are reading along, please read up to page 74 in the book before next Tuesday. We have been discussing decluttering toys. You will see a comprehensive list of toys to discard as well as the reasons behind getting rid of so many playthings.

During our meeting this week, one mom mentioned getting rid of 3 large trash sacks full of toys. Her daughter has yet to even notice. I know personally my kiddos became much more engaged with the things they did have when the choices were limited to a select few items.

The next section we read will be on organizing the items you have left to make room for more imaginative play.

During this meeting, we also discussed creating simple traditions:

reading a story in bed by dimmed light or candle flame... creates a sense of calm and gets the body ready for sleep
candle light dinners... again creates a sense of calm, but also signals the beginning and ending of "family" meal time
assigning themes to weekly dinners... gives the child a sense of comfort and predictablity
following a nightly schedule... provides a structure and the predictablity to an otherwise hectic, fast paced childhood.

There are so many more traditions that can be created. These are just a few. Feel free to share your own traditions as a coment to this post.

Questions to Ponder

Where would I like to create a sense of calm in my home?

What can I do to declutter and simplify this space?

How can I enlist the help of my family to create the environment I so desire?

How can I find a place for everything and make this known to my family?

~Tammy Sanders

Valentine Day Success

2011-02-14T13:55:00.000-06:00

Our Valentine Party was a huge success. Thank you to Mrs. Saulters, Mrs. Kloubec, and Mrs. Fievre for volunteering.

I also wanted to thank each of you for my wonderful valentine cards, flowers, painted pots, and water bottles. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Hope you have a love filled Valentine's Day this evening with your families.

~Tammy Sanders

Dictation 3

2011-02-14T09:01:00.002-06:00

Dear Parents,
For the phoneme portion of the dictation, I will orally say the sound/s the letter or letter combination produce. Your child will be expected to record the letter/s that the sounds represent.

For the sight word portion of the dictation, I will orally say the sight word. Then, I will use the sight word in a sentence. Your child will be responsible for recording the sight word onto his/her paper.

Attached you will find several ways to practice sight words at home. Please choose 3 different choices and complete before Friday.

For the sentence portion of the dictation, I will orally say the sentence 3 times. Then, your child will be responsible for recording the sentence onto his/her paper. I will continue to repeat the sentence word by word to assist as needed.

Thanks of your assistance at home.

Phonemes (sounds)

*The words represent the sound/s I expect the children to know.*

1. b (bat)
2. f (fish)
3. w (wagon)
4. j (jello)
5. q (quarter)

Sight Words

1. are
2. have
3. is
4. was
5. they

Sentence

Are you sure they have a pet?

~Tammy Sanders

Tips From Kim John Payne

2011-02-12T16:15:00.000-06:00

Tried to embedd the video and was not able. Here is a link to a 5 minute video with Simplicity Parenting author Kim John Payne.

To see more video clips, check out the Simplicity Parenting Blog.

~Tammy Sanders

Cookin' with the Kids for Valentine's Day

2011-02-12T10:55:00.000-06:00

image source

Valentine's Day is Monday, so why not bake up something this weekend in honor of this special day. From cookies to pizza, I am sure your kiddos will have a blast experimenting in the kitchen... especially when their creation taste so darn good.

So, what are you waiting for? Choose a recipe and get cooking with the kids.

Valentine Cookie Pops... Perfect for kids to help make.

Sweetheart Strawberry Banana Pancakes... Who wouldn't eat this cute heart shaped pancake? Plus, it is a healthier alternative.

Heart Shaped Pizzas... Use ready made dough or make your own. Before topping the pizza use a large cookie cutter or a knife to cut the dough into a heart. Top as usual and bake.

Nutella Stuffed French Toast... Too good to be true. Nutty, chocolaty goodness all rolled into one.

Lemon Cranberry Muffins with Chocolate Chips... Little bits of red show through these yummy homemade muffins.

Peppermint Hershey Kiss Cookie... This pink and white cookie is perfect for Valentine's Day. The chocolate kisses adds the final touch of yumminess.

Happy Valentine's Day.

~Tammy Sanders

Simplicity Parenting Book Club

2011-02-10T13:31:00.000-06:00

The Simplicity Parenting Book Club met on Tuesday. We began talking about "Soul Fever"... when someone has a problem of the heart so to speak. The book suggest that a soul fever is very real and should be treated much the same as a physical illness. Without taking care of a soul fever, the problem only escalates.

Simple Reading:
For the next meeting, we will have already read all chapters through Environment. We brainstormed ideas on how to simply a family playroom:

First, get rid of the broken and noisy toys.
Next, have your children go on an overnight sleepover. During that time, dump all the toys into a large pile. Get rid of half. Then, get rid of half again. The book gives specific suggestions on the kinds of toys to keep.
Finally, pack up most of the toys you have kept and select a few appropriate toys to begin with. Place like items into baskets and group on a shelf.
Rotate toys as the need for new item arises.

Question to ponder...

Next week, we are going to discuss taming down the art supplies.

What toys does your child play with most often?
Did you keep some active toys and some quiet toys?
Do the toys do all the work or can your child use his/her imagination?

If you think that you would be able to attend the book club if we met at 5:30 instead of the current time, please email me and let me know. I am considering moving the time on Tuesday to allow more parents to attend.

~Tammy Sanders

Tomorrow is PJ Day!!

2011-02-10T13:17:00.000-06:00

Friday, February 11, 2010 is PJ Day.

We have gotten our button jar filled AGAIN. Yay.

On a different note... We have been discussing listening and following directions. The children have been very rambuncious lately no doubt due to the weather and not being able to play outside as often. Please talk to your child about the importance of listening and following directions.

~Tammy Sanders

Things are Back to Normal

2011-02-07T14:07:00.000-06:00

I think things are finally back to normally. I have had several days with 100% attendance and my family seems to be healthy. Whooo hoooo!!

Please look for a newsletter and homework to come home with your child today. It has some important updates.

I hope you will consider attending the Math & Science Night on Tuesday from 5-7. It should be alot of fun. The children can roam the various tables and play age appropriate games related to math and science. You can also check out the Book Fair at this time as well.

I usually bring my boys and even the younger one has fun.

I guess that's it. Enjoy your week. I look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming Valentine Party on February 14th.

~Tammy Sanders

Pictures from the Past

2011-01-31T19:31:00.001-06:00

My computer had crashed and now will not download photos for some reason. urgggghhhh... I have finally decided to use my husband's computer so I can share some of the events of the last couple of weeks.

These are the star ornaments used in Russia to adorn holiday trees. The kids loved tying on the ribbon and adding all the glittery touches.

Our ice castle in all its glory. It took only 2 days to melt completely. It usually takes about a week. I think the fact that we had a couple really cold days and the heat was on so high made the difference. The children enjoyed learning about the scientific process during this activity.

During our unit on Winter and snow, the children made tons of beautifully, creative snowflakes. We learned that all snowflakes have six sides, but no 2 snowflakes are ever the same.

Since so many of the children in our classroom have not experiences snow I purchased Grow Snow from Hobby Lobby and let them play with it. They loved the cool texture, but were disappointed it wouldn't form a snowball.

I think that's it for now. I love this time of year and all the activities that come with it. I can't wait to get back to school and continue our research on space.

~Tammy Sanders

Just to Let You Know

2011-01-31T19:19:00.000-06:00

I will return to school on Wednesday regardless of the health of my household. My husband will be able to stay home at that time if need be. I have missed all of your children and I am very ready to see them again.

Since I have not been at school for about a week, I am not sure of what has been sent in for school and what has not at this point. If you are donating for the 100th day snack or for the valentine bag craft, please send the items to school tomorrow. My apologies if they are already there.

Also, if you have not donated snack or dixie cups now is the time. If we have not received donations, snack should almost be gone by my return.

Thank you for understanding and being patient during my absence. The flu is no fun especially when it is a kiddo. Hopefully, my youngest does not catch it as well. I am ready for routine and normalcy to return to my home and classroom.

Thanks again and see your children bright and early Wednesday morning on my return.

~Tammy Sanders

Snacks Needed

2011-01-27T14:30:00.000-06:00

We are in need of snack and Dixie Cups. Snacks the kids are requesting:

fruit snacks with 10% fruit juice
dry cereal
cheese its
animal crackers
popcorn
pretzels
real fruit roll ups
dried fruit like banana chips or pineapple.

Please send in as soon as possible. We will need new snack for Monday.

Thanks.

~Tammy Sanders

Playground Measurement

2011-01-26T13:31:00.000-06:00

Today we went out to the playground and measured various items. The children got to pick 4 things of their choosing to measure. For example: the length of the slide, the distance from the playground to the trikes, the perimeter of the fence line.

The excitement was contagious. You could see kids scattered around using their feet to measure everything.

The next time you head out to the playground with you family consider the following ideas:

locate shapes and keep a count of how many of each you see... tallies are a great way to do this
practice jumping rope while reciting skipping rhymes... Cinderella dressed in yella went upstairs to kiss a fella. Made a mistake. Kissed a snake. How many doctors did it take? 1, 2, 3....
using a seesaw or homemade balance scale to determine which object is heavier... Place an object on either end of the balance scale. The side that goes UP is lighter. The side that goes DOWN is heavier.

How can you use math on the playground?

What ideas do you have for math time fun?

~Tammy Sanders

Simplicity Parenting

2011-01-25T18:57:00.004-06:00

The second meeting of the Simplicity Parenting Book Club was today. We discussed our one small change that we implemented last week. As a group, we accomplished alot:

lessened the amount of adult conversation that was being heard at home... the benefits are already being noticed by one mom in only a week
organized the family art table by simplifying the available supplies... the children are showing more creativity as they play
implemented a daily schedule to enhance the rhythm of the home... the house has run more smoothly with less stressful interactions among family members
toys have been cleaned out and decluttered... the new organization has given a new life to old favorites and destressed the clean up process
laundry has been sorted and donations are bagged... still more to go on the laundry issue, but it is definitely much better.

Simple Reading:

We are still waiting for our books to arrive, but it should be any day. Feel free to meet with us next week in the PTA Portable at 3:00. Don't have a sitter? Bring the children with you.

Simple Ideas:

Here are some ideas to keep you busy until we begin our reading:

weekly meal planning: Designate a theme for each day of the week & stick to it. This makes meal planning a snap. For example: Mexican Monday, Italian Tuesday Chicken Wednesday, etc. You have tons of freedom, but less stress on coming up with ideas.
organize your To Do List: Divide one piece of paper into several boxes. Label each box as needed. For example: grocery list, appointments, must do, need to do, etc. Cross off items as you finish. On Sunday night, write a new list including any items that you did not complete. No need for several calendars or organizers. Plus, a sheet of paper can go anywhere tucked in a pocket.
create a routine: What part of your day is most hectic? mornings? evenings? dinner time? How do you want that part of your day to run? What feeling do you want to achieve? Think about some simple things you can implement to bring about the change you want.

Let me know if you are reading along with us by commenting on my posts. This will help you stay involved with the group. If you leave an email address, I will write back and share some things I have tried with my own family.

Question to ponder...

What is the most stressful part of my family life?

What small change can I implement to help make that part of my life run more smoothly?

Think simple.

I implemented making lunch in the evening to take something off my son's morning to dos. It has worked out in everyones favor.

I also created a schedule of events for my kids to follow both in the morning and evening. It is a daily rhythm that keeps the boys on track and helps to lessen stress from too much.

It has the added benefit of peace of mind. My peace of mind. I am no longer having to repeat request over and over. I can refer to the board and have the boys take it from there.

~Tammy Sanders

Get Your Garden Growing

2011-01-24T09:58:00.000-06:00

Planning a garden for the spring? If so, it's time to get it ready. This is a great activity for the entire family. Turn off the tv and get outside.

Simple Steps to a Great Garden:

Using a shovel, hoe, or hand trowel loosen and break up the soil. You will need to go down to a depth of around 6-12 inches. If your kidlets are helping you out, you may want to prepare the soil a bit before they join you to deter frustration... especially if your soil is as hard as the stuff in my backyard.
Add organic material to the soil. Mix it in really well. Try to level out the bed as much as possible.
Sprinkle a slow release fertilizer on top of the soil. Mix the fertilizer with the soil only going about 2 inches deep.

There you have it. A simple way to prepare your soil for springtime planting. Plus, a fun way to unplug and get active with the family.

Source
~Tammy Sanders

Simplicity Parenting Book Club

2011-01-19T08:13:00.005-06:00

The first meeting went fantastic. Feel free to join us next week at 3:00 on Tuesday in the PTA portable. This week our goal is to make one small change toward simplifying our home.

Simple Reading:

We do not yet have the book. SO... Our goal is to implement one of the ideas below and share how it has impacted our family.

Simple Ideas:

have your kiddos make their own lunch the night before (Is it okay for the sandwich to look less than perfect? Is your child okay with eating the sandwich the way he/she made it? More than likely the answer is yes.)
tame down those art supplies (How many different materials do you need out on a daily basis? Can you store some and take them out when requested?)
get rid of broken or noisy toys (Does the toy get played with? If not, throw it out.)
weed through the clothes (Do we really need 10 pairs of pants?)
pare down video games (Save electronics for on the weekend. Have your child go outside and play or play with toys he/she hasn't used in awhile.)
team up on laundry (Is it okay for laundry to not be folded perfectly? Is your child capable of putting away laundry on his/her own?) Make laundry folding and putting away a family event with everyone taking care of themselves.

Again, feel free to join us next Tuesday. We would love to hear your ideas.

If you are unable to attend the meetings due to work, feel free to read along with us. I will continue to post what we are reading, our ideas and a summary of our meetings here on Buggie Bungalow under BOOK CLUB.

Let me know if you are reading along with us by commenting on my posts. This will help you stay involved with the group. If you leave an email address, I will write back and share some things I have tried with my own family.

Question to ponder...
What one small change can you make this week... right now and stick with it?
~Tammy Sanders

Afternoon Song

2011-01-14T09:46:00.000-06:00

~Tammy Sanders

Good Morning Song

2011-01-14T09:40:00.001-06:00

~Tammy Sanders

Grandma's Delicious Hot Cocoa

2011-01-10T12:12:00.000-06:00

Today we read The Mitten by : Jim Aylesworth. It is a story about a young boy who goes out into the snow and looses the new mitten his grandmother knitted for him. Soon there after, animals begin using the mitten as a place to keep safe and warm.

I will not spoil a good story. If you want to find out just how the story ends, you will have to read the story for yourself to see.

You Will Need:

1/4-1/2 sugar*
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup of steaming water
21/2-4 cups of lowfat milk*
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
marshmallows or whipped cream

*More sugar and less milk make a rick, thick cocoa. More milk and less sugar make a light, delicious cocoa.

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, salt, and water.
Over medium heat, constantly stir the ingredients until the mixture is just above a boil.
Add the milk to the mixture and continue stirring. When all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, remove the saucepan from the burner. Stir in the vanilla.
Pour hot cocoa into your favorite mugs. Top with marshmallows or whipped cream.

Makes 2-4 cups of hot cocoa.

~Tammy Sanders

Important...

2011-01-10T08:40:00.000-06:00

My computer crashed big time this weekend and still not in operating order. I was unable to get my newsletter typed before this occurred.

Please read all pasts post until you reach the post titled: Insta Snow. This will ensure you are up to date with the information that is important for this week.

Thank you for your understanding.

Oh, don't forget to bring in the ice for the ice castle in the morning.

~Tammy Sanders

Story Sack

2011-01-09T18:57:00.000-06:00

A Story Sack is a wonderful way to get your family involved in creative story telling. All you need are a few materials and alot of imagination.

Here are some items to consider:

a small sack, bag, or bucket in which to store your items
small toys or house hold items
nature items such as rocks, pinecones, sticks, etc.
seasonal items such as handcut snowflake, icicle ornament left over from your tree decorations, jingle bells, etc.
bits of string, strips of material
sewing odds and ends (buttons, lace, etc.)
the choices are endless.

How to Use the Materials in Story Telling:

Decide if each person will choose an item or if one item will be chosen.
Have the oldest person begin the story weaving the use of his/her item amongst the details.

*If using one item, pass the item along to each individual as new people add to the story. If using more than one item, each person should add his/her item into the story as the story is continued.

The above description is only one way to use a Story Sack. You should create your own family traditions all the way.

~Tammy Sanders

NEEDED...

2011-01-07T14:10:00.000-06:00

We are in need of treasure box items. The children made sure I was aware of it today. If you are able to donate items to the treasure box, I would greatly appreciate it.

Please send items to school in your child's backpack. The next time we pull from treasure box is next Friday. The children will be thrilled if they have a variety of exciting new items to choose form.

Many thanks.
~Tammy Sanders

Dictation Information: 1

2011-01-07T13:01:00.001-06:00

Below is a letter and homework that will be going home on Monday. Just wanted to give you a heads up.

Thanks for all you do.

~Tammy Sanders

Dear Parents,

For the phoneme portion of the dictation, I will orally say the sound/s the letter or letter combination produce. Your child will be expected to record the letter/s that the sounds represent.

For the sight word portion of the dictation, I will orally say the sight word. Then, I will use the sight word in a sentence. Your child will be responsible for recording the sight word onto his/her paper.

Attached you will find several ways to practice sight words at home. Please choose 3 different choices and complete before Friday.

For the sentence portion of the dictation, I will orally say the sentence 3 times. Then, your child will be responsible for recording the sentence onto his/her paper. I will continue to repeat the sentence word by word to assist as needed.

Thanks of your assistance at home.

Phonemes (sounds)
*The words represent the sound/s I expect the children to know.*

1. a (bat and apron)
2. e (set and even)
3. i (lip and ice)
4. o (hop and open)
5. u (sun and unicorn)

Sight Words
1. me
2. the
3. like
4. and
5. my

Sentence

I like my cat and dog.

INformation for You

2011-01-07T08:52:00.000-06:00

Next week begins middle of the year district testing. Please make sure your little one eats a good breakfast and gets plenty of sleep.

Due to this testing, I will not be able to do reading groups. Reading groups will resume as soon as all testing is completed.

Please login to Raz-Kids and have your child read from the provided leveled readers. Remember that your child's password is his/her first name.

Also, I will begin to send home a list of phonemes (letter or letter combinations that produce sound), sight words and a dictation sentence... on Mondays. We will have a dictation test over this information in class on Fridays.

The children will be allowed to use the word wall to locate words and copy the print. My goal is not to see how many words I can stump the children on, but more to give the children a formal chance to use a word wall to help them to spell words correctly. The more a word is spelled correctly through the copying of print the more likely the word is to be memorized for further use. Hope this makes sense.

Have a wonderful weekend loving your family.

~Tammy Sanders

Ice Experiment

2011-01-06T08:37:00.001-06:00

Want to challenge your child at home?

Here is a simple activity to get your child's brain thinking.

Materials Needed...

several pieces of ice
a large bucket
a piece of string
salt shaker

Directions...

Place all materials in an area that can get a bit messy and wet.
Pose the question: How can you pick up a piece of ice with just one string?
Allow your child to experiment. Note: To pick up ice with a string, sprinkle salt on the ice and lay the string in the salt. If you use enough salt, the string will adhere to the ice as the ice melts and refreezes due to the application of salt.
After your child has figured out how to solve the question, ask: How did the string stick to the ice? What did you do? Why do you think that worked? etc.

I hope your child will have lots of fun with science in your hands on home.

~Tammy Sanders

Insta Snow

2011-01-06T08:30:00.001-06:00

UPDATE: I little birdy told me you could get Insta Snow at Micheals or Hobby Lobby.

*Think I might have to go check it out this weekend.*

Many children that have never left texas have seen very little snow (if any). Insta snow sounds fabulous. Insta snow is a powder that when added to water makes tons of artificial snow. you can purchase it for as little as $5 or as much as $25 depending on how much you want to make.

Check out this video to see what all the crazy is about.

~Tammy Sanders

Simplicity Parenting Book Study

2011-01-06T08:23:00.000-06:00

Change of Date:

Book Study will begin January 18th from 3:00-4:00.

This book has changed the way I think about parenting.

*Flier to go home today in Thursday folders.*

~Tammy Sanders