Science Fair

If you and your child are interested in being part of the science fair (this is totally optional) please look on the JBD website for more information athttp://www.deyes.vbschools.com/

March Update

Tomorrow is World Math Day!!

Tomorrow is World Math Day.  Rainbow Valley will be playing with children their age from ALL over the world answering math questions.  Please try to allow your child to practice their math skills tonight in preparation for tomorrow's event.

Keeping Healthy

I was amazed this evening to see on the news the information about whooping cough in Chesapeake Public Schools.  We DO NOT HAVE ANY CASES IN JOHN B. DEY.
However, let's keep it that way.  We have had many ill children as colds and the flu have been going around.  Please help us in reminding the children how to CATCH THEIR COUGH OR SNEEZE correctly.
http://www.sfcdcp.org/sneeze.html


Mr. K., our P.E. teacher talk to the kids today about how far a cough and sneeze can travel. WOW!  Were the kids amazed when they saw just how far by counting how many feet! 
We want to see all of our kindergarten friends each day. Thanks for helping in keeping them healthy and happy. :) 
http://www.wvec.com/my-city/chesapeake/2-cases-of-whooping-cough-at-Chesapeake-school-116824598.html

Moving right along...

In Rainbow Valley we just finished a Social Studies Unit on Famous Americans.
We started a new unit today in science on force and motion and magnets.
Today we experimented with learning about force and motion. We also discussed postion words that your child is required to know and understand.  Above, below, left, right, under, over.  You can also visit the Foss website to learn more about force and motion in kindergarten. Your children may also like to check out this site.

Discussing what changes we can make to make the ball slow down.

http://www.fossweb.com/

Adjusted Dismissal/PJ Day

Today is a half day of school.  That means the morning class arrives @ the normal time and will be dismissed @ 10:00.  The afternoon class arrives @ 10:00 and will be dismissed @ 12:00.  
Today is school wide PJ Day. There is no P.E. on half days.

Numbers, numbers, numbers!

We are asking our Kindergarten Friends to write their numbers 0-100 in order.
We also call out random numbers 0-100 and ask them to write them.
We have been assessing who knows their address and phone numbers too!
Please continue to provide opportunities for your children to practice.
Thanks!

Kindergarten Is Fun!

Today we learned about Betsy Ross. The children listened to patriotic songs as they created their own personal flags.  They had to include on their flags five things that represented them.We also enjoyed Calculator Math. We practiced reading and dsplaying numbers on them.

World Math Practice

Our Kindergarten Friends are using their math computation skills while playing World Math.
Please allow your child to show off their skills to you at home as often as possible.

Using counting blocks to find the answer.

Computing

Counting carefully

100%

Fun Friday Math, Math, Math

Today we reviewed our coins and their values.  The children created their own special coin with their picture on it, gave it a value, and a "born on" date. 
They are displayed outside of our classroom.

We also practiced ADD EM' UP today in preparation for World Math Day and First Grade. 
Here is a great song we learned as we practiced creating and solving number stories.
http://www.youtube.com/user/HarryKindergarten#p/u/13/O_ccOKla2DA

E-mails

If I had your E-mail address I added you into our voicethread E-mail list. If you are receiving E-mails from voicethread that is why.  You can respond to your child's work using your voice and or video clip.  As I see these coming in I will be sure to share them with the kids. They will be really surprised.  

Staying Healthy In The Morning Class

Writing Journals

We hope that you are enjoying reading your child's writing journal.  Please remember they are due back tomorrow Friday, February 18th.
Thanks so much!

BIG THANKS!

Thank you to each family who so kindly took part in donating supplies for our classroom during the month of February.  The children are enjoying using everything the games, Legos, school supplies, and the jump ropes. :)  I will be incorporating the new educational music cd's into our daily lessons.  Music certainly makes learning fun and memorable. 
Your kindness and generosity is appreciated very much. 
Thank you for making our classroom a true learning community.  Our Rainbow Valley Community is top-notch thanks to you!  
-Mrs. Chiaverotti :)

Our President's

Today we learned about Abraham Lincoln.
The children learned many fun facts about this brave man. 
One of our kindergarten friends pointed out that President Lincoln was much like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. because "they both wanted things to be fair for people."  Great connection!
Here is a great site we enjoyed singing along with you may want to sing along at home as well!
http://www.youtube.com/user/HarryKindergarten#p/u/0/sDJB0QbT32A

Today's Learning

Today in kindergarten we had the opportunity to log onto World Math Day and set up our avitars and play the game during our computer lab time.We also learned about George Washington through listening to a bookflix book and doing a fun puzzler at the end. We discussed that George Washington was known as 'The Father Of Our Country," he fought in a war, he was the First President Of The United States, and he was born on February 22nd in Virginia.  We talked about other facts about him, but these were the "most important."
Today, we read a great book called The Important Book. This book helped our kindergarten friends see how authors use details.  I explained to them that great authors always closely observe the world around them and notice tiny details about things. 
After reading the children were asked by the author ( ;) WINK!) to create a new page for the book.  Each child was given an object, and they were asked to write about the importance of the object.
They did a SUPER job!

Valentine's Day Fun In Rainbow Valley

We had lots of fun today!

Reading Our Valentine's



This is so exciting!



Delivering Our Valentines





Reading our daily message

Enjoying our special treat.

Love Is In The Air...

Dear Parents,
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow. Please send in your child’s valentines without names on the envelopes. We have 22 students in the morning class and 20 students in the afternoon class. 
Please send in a bag or a shoe box so that your child has something to store their Valentine's in. 
 Thanks!

100th Day Celebration

Today we celebrated the 100th Day of School.  We know that we missed yesterday and that today should have been the 99th Day.  We talked about this with the kids so that they understand. :)
We had tons of fun reading, writing, and counting all about 100. 

This table discovered that counting by 1's to 100 take a long time!

We can count to 100 and make a pattern!

Hey!Next time let's count by fives!



'I can show you how to make your sentence make sense."




What will you buy with $100.00?



Pointing to my words helps my partner see what I am reading!

SCIENCE FAIR

Attention all Kindergarten Friends!
Are you signed up for the Science Fair?
Science Fair is a fun way to have fun will experimenting and learning!
SCIIENCE FAIIR IIS COMIING!!


What will your experiment be?!

Visit the Science Fair nook in the library or

check out these cool websites for ideas:

http://www.blogger.com/goog_1447163828


http://www.blogger.com/goog_1447163828


http://www.blogger.com/goog_1447163828


http://education.wes.army.mil/clubhouse/experiments.cfm

Be part of the fun on Tuesday, March 15, from 6:30-8:30 pm!

Dear Parents,

The John B. Dey PTA Sponsored Science Fair is an exciting event that

encourages students to think like young scientists. Conducting an experiment

using the scientific method has many educational benefits. Students develop

skills in creative thinking, problem solving, writing, and organizing a

presentation. Though optional, we encourage every child to participate. After

returning their registration sheets, students will be given specific instructions

for the steps to be taken in preparing their science projects. Most of the work

will be completed at home; however, some teachers may choose to work on

projects in school as well.

We ask that you encourage your children and monitor their progress along the

way. Your guidance is key to a successful project, but be careful that you

don’t end up doing the experiment yourself, no matter how much fun it would

be! Please complete and return the attached Science Fair Registration Sheet

by Friday, February 18th so that your child’s scientific discoveries can begin!

Mandy McCall 747-9367 mandymccall@verizon.net

Angie Hetherington 481-5922 rhetherington1@cox.net

Science Fair Co-Chairs

Staying Healthly In The Afternoon Class is Important to Us~

Valentine's Day

Dear Parents,


Valentine’s Day is almost here and we are getting very excited. Please send in your child’s valentines without names on the envelopes. We have 22 students in the morning class and 20 students in the afternoon class.
Please send in a bag or a shoe box so that your child has something to store their Valentine's in.
 Thanks!

Thursday Night Word Study Homework

I am posting this a day in advance so that every family can prepare. :)
Thursday homework  your child will for the second week complete a writing sort for word study homework.  Please choose 6-10 of their words/picture cards to write.  
First your child will set up their paper with their header letters. Then you will call out the words/picture cards without showing them and they will write the correct word spelling it the best that they can under the correct header.  Please don't help them with the spelling.  We are encouraging sounding out.  
If you see that your child is having difficultly with the feature IE writes that under wh that is your key to see that they need to review some more.  :)
Further explanation of this is on the Word Study Homework sheet.
Example:                
sh                   wh                       th
she                 what


Thank you for making learning fun!

Mark Your Calendars!

Many of you have asked if you could know ahead of time of school wide events.  Sure!  Here you go!

Feb. 6 - Literacy Night/PTA Storyteller 6 p.m.

Feb. 10/11 - Qdoba and Skinny Dip Spirit Night

Feb. 10 - Buffalo Beach Spirit Night 4-8 p.m.

Feb. 18 - PTA Pizza/Bingo Night 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 23 - Adjusted Dismissal - K  10 a.m. and PM-12PM

Feb. 25 - Bakers Crust Spirit Night 5-9 p.m.

You have also asked how does the spirit night help John B. Dey? Great question.  Mrs. Capwell purchases many, many educational tools that are used in the classrooms.  For example, every kindergarten class received a Being A Writer writing kit.  We use these daily to teach our lessons.  

Just some food for thought....wouldn't it be super if your child could have a classroom that has IPADs for every child?  I sure think so.  

Please attend spirit night!  :)  Every dollar helps to make learning fun!

Homework Notices

Please make sure you read the assignments that your children are being asked to complete. 
In word study the directions are clearly spelled out on the assignment sheet and the same in math.  :)

February Newsletter

Parenting Seminar

February 17~The Secret Of Parenting: From Toddlers to Preteens (For Parents)


Parent Connection, in partnership with CHKD and Kohl’s Cares Family Forum, presents this free workshop on the secret of parenting. Learn an easy but powerful technique that offers specific solutions for all of the most difficult problems of parenting- tantrums, backtalk, getting kids to bed at night, getting them off to school, sibling fighting and much more. Dr. Wolf’s method of parenting will dramatically reduce the fussing that takes the pleasure out of parenting. Call 263-1936 to register.

Time: 7-9 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Location: Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters

601 Children's Lane

Brickhouse Auditorium, 2nd floor

Norfolk , VA

What is a treasure?

Today we read a story called Treasures of the Heart.  We talked about what a treasure is.  Some said, something you find in a chest and it is golden, it is buried under the ground, it is love, my Mom is a treasure. All of these answers are correct.
After reading the story the children wrote about their special "Treasure of Their Heart."

We love writing anywhere we want to!

Creating Lasting Memories...

We have been talking about memories and our feelings in class.
We read a great non-fiction book called Feelings, and we shared a time where we may have felt like the person in the story. We also read a great story entitled Wilfred Gordon MacDonald Partridge, and we discussed what is a memory. 
Through the story we learned that a memory can be as precious as gold, something that makes you laugh, something that makes you sad, something from long ago, and a memory can be warm. 
The children then created their own four square memory box. This was AMAZING to watch them write and draw about their memories.
Beginning tomorrow the children will be using their pictures that we asked you to send in and write stories to go with their "memories."

Word Study Homework

This week your child will begin a writing sort for word study homework.  Please choose 6-10 of their words/picture cards to write. 
First your child will set up their paper with their header letters. Then you will call out the words/picture cards without showing them and they will write the correct word spelling it the best that they can under the correct header.  Please don't help them with the spelling. 
If you see that your child is having difficultly with the feature IE writes that under wh that is your key to see that they need to review some more.  :)

Example:               
sh                   wh                       th
she                 what

Reading Logs

Attention parents! Our new Kindergarten Reading Log went home last night. 
This is a SCHOOLWIDE EVENT for the month of February. Reading is so important in kindergarten and we hope to see every family participating in this reading event.  Prizes will be awarded by our Reading Specialist to students who read at the end of the month.