Sunday, November 15, 2015

HOOT#14












Homework:
Do on Monday (due on Tuesday): bring in an item that begins with "h"
Do on Tuesday (due on Wednesday): ask your child to help sort the laundry, the dishes/silverware or her/his toys. Talk about why items belong in the same group (same color, same size, same function, etc.) Challenge your child to count the number of items in each group.
Do on Wendesday (due on Thursday): draw a Thanksgiving meal fit for a kindergartner! Make sure to include your favorite dessert. Yummm!

This week:
Tuesday morning: pizza money is due ($2 per slice)
Thursday: 3:00-3:30 pm -- Thanksgiving Tea in kinder -- We will entertain you with a recorder concert. Munchies are welcome!

Letter "h" road map:
H: slide, frog jump, slide, small jump, whoops/cross
h: slide, small jump, hump, bump

There is no school next week!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Sunday, November 8, 2015

SHADOW PUPPETRY WITH STEAM (STEAM=Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math)

THANK YOU!

This is the project you supported for our diffendoofer kinder on donorschoose.com

IT IS NOW FULLY FUNDED! 

http://www.donorschoose.org/project/shadow-puppetry-with-steam/1765312/?timestamp=1446685570192&challengeid=20671137&pma=true&pmaId=3224238&pmaHash=IzOrFh8VZYGMlmNiuEP07g%253D%253D&utm_swu=2879&rf=page-siteshare-2015-11-proposal-teacher_3224238#pm14410285





Shadow Puppetry With STEAM

My students need art materials (posterboard, feathers, sequins) and resource books to support their creative explorations of the ancient art of shadow puppetry

My Students

My students need art materials to blend literature, music, science and art. The mission of our small charter school is to teach core subjects via arts integration. This multifaceted unit uses native stories of the southwest as a diving board to explore actual local ecology.
In this STEAM project my students will get to be story tellers, performers, and shadow puppet designers.
They will be exploring engineering to create their puppets. They will use cooperative learning and problem solving to act out their stories. They will be exploring digital technology to film their performances. Their animal characters will be supported by scientific observation. They will have a chance to visit with puppet artists. They will be inviting our school community to view their productions.
My Project
First students will be sketching their characters and setting and then transferring the images to posterboard, using prediction, measurement and calculation skills. Creating each movable shadow puppet will require the use of fine motor skills with scissors, metal fasteners, and rods/straws. Embellishing the puppets with layered color cellophane will lead to exploration of color theory. Using the puppets in a shadow play will inform them about physical science. Their story will come alive through their own telling, adding sound effects/live music, and making their characters perform the actions. They will get to observe local animals and plants that they could incorporate into their productions.
When students get to construct meaning and explore the "ways of the world" through creative dramatization, it powerfully impacts their motivation, their self-esteem, their engagement and their retaining content.
They make valuable connections between the visual/performing arts and the core disciplines. I find that this type of project sets each of my students up for success. They can each reach their full potential and be joyful, proud participants in their own learning.


HOOT#13




A gigantic "THANK YOU"
to all of you for helping to fund the Shadow Puppet Project for kindergarten on donorschoose.com! Thanks to your support, we will be receiving art materials and resource books to create shadow puppets for staging traditional and original stories of the Southwest in the new year.



BRRR! Winter layers!
Please send your child with warm socks, hat, coat, mittens/gloves and make sure that there is a complete set of extra clothes at school. I recommend that you label label label all clothing items.



SNOW DAYS
TISA follows the Taos Municipal schools for emergencies and weather delays.
Please watch for messages from the office and also tune into KTAOS 101.9FM to listen to announcements in the mornings.

HOMEWORK
Do on Monday (due on Tuesday): bring in a small item that starts with the sound "j" (path of movement for j: dive, hook, dot  J: slide, hook, top/whoops)
Do on Tuesday (due on Wednesday): What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Can you (and family) write down 3 ingredients that are used to make that special dish. If you happen to have the complete recipe, please bring it in!
Do on Wednesday (due on Thursday): practice naming letters on the NOVEMBER sheet (DIBELS letter naming packet -- please ask for it if it's not in pouch on the classroom door)
Do all week: read 20 minutes each day -- Math: have your child enter numbers on the phone, remote, microwave, calculator, etc. Read the numbers aloud together.


Jasper and Neenah turned 6! Happy birthdays!






Sunday, November 1, 2015

HOOT#12



















Have you all recovered from a spook-filled Halloween weekend? Thank you for helping to make our school party delicious and fun.


Since I dressed up as a hockey player (and I happen to be a licensed hockey coach), the children got to suit me up and try it out. If your child is interested in ice hockey, there is a free session at Taos Youth and Family Center (407 Paseo del Canon E.) on Saturday, November 7 from 8:00 to 10:15.





Homework:
Do Monday (Due Tuesday):  draw and label/write about your Halloween weekend. What was the most exciting part of your weekend?
Can you count all your candy/treats? Please write the number on your drawing, OR, if you have an ambitious helper, sort your treats and create a bar graph.

Do Tuesday (Due Wednesday):  draw a picture of a friend/pet/family member that you lost in your life (either because they passed over or because they are no longer living where you do).

Do Wednesday (Due Thursday):  we are creating an alphabet pouch. Each letter will have sensory items engage and inspire readers and writers. Please bring in a small object starting with P or F that can be kept at school.

Letter of the week: we will continue with Pp and introduce Ff.
(Writing sheet with arrows for guidance is in student mailboxes.)

Pp: uppercase movement: slide, frog jump, swing; lowercase movement: dive, climb, swing
Ff: uppercase movement: Start: upper LEFT, slide, frog jump, go across/side kick, small jump, go across/side kick
lowercase movement: start: in MIDDLE, swing, slide, frog jump, cross

The students' e-portfolios were recently updated (please click on the refresh button if you don't see any new work, or email me).

We will be having a Thanksgiving Tea on November 19 (Thursday) at 3:00 pm with a short recorder performance in class. Everyone is invited!

Finally, a tremendous "thank you" goes out to all of you  for supporting our class on donorschoose.com.
If you haven't seen the project that I posted, here is the link:
http://www.donorschoose.org/project/shadow-puppetry-with-steam/1765312/?rf=link-siteshare-2015-11-teacher-teacher_3224238&challengeid=20671137


Tuesday, October 27, 2015

HOOT#11












Thank you for being such devoted parents! More than ever, I appreciated your support at our parent-teacher conferences this week!
As you gathered, we are going to be working on reading and writing skills in earnest, and will need your reinforcement at home.

Please consider these questions after the conference and feel free to email me with your thoughts.
What was most meaningful to you/your child during the conference?
What more could I do? 

What more could you do?
How will you use the resource folder you got at the conference?
Are there any additional resources you could use at home?


Volunteers, you are superheroes!
grant writing: Megan
bonnets (for Thanksgiving -- got pattern and fabric): Sirri
Tickles: Don/Erica
reading with small group (early reader books): Megan (?)
Anyone else interested? Please let me know!

Weekly DO's for parents:
Pizza money due tomorrow (Wednesday at 8:30am)
Photo orders are due on Thursday (if you are not doing yours online)
Halloween details for Thursday:
the children will have a party at the end of the day (3:00-3:30) if they earn it working hard tomorrow.
What to bring in the morning:
your child's costume (no weapons, no fangs, no blood, no scary anything)
extra dress-up items to share for the day (this is the day! anything goes!)
finger food (as healthy as you can get away with!)

Behavior guide:
As discussed during the conferences, this is the system that will be in place for behavior needs.
STAY GREEN: children all start each day being "green." First infraction: child goes to "yellow." Second infraction: child goes to "red." Children who get a "red card" will receive an email from me that day.
If a child acquires 3 red cards in a week, there will be a loss of a major class/home privilege (to be discussed with parents) and a conference with Mr Greywolf to follow.
Verbal or physical violence (talking about badly hurting someone, or being physical): immediate phone call home --  parents will be requested to pick up the child within an hour and a home consequence will be discussed.
Positive behavior will be acknowledged using "Star Cards." Children who earn stars will be earning privileges and items from our treasure box.
I will also grant awards for exemplary behavior and academic success.

Homework:
Do Wednesday (Due Thursday): Alphabet practice sheet: PLEASE PICK UP FROM YOUR CHILD'S MAILBOX -- how about starting with 5 minutes?
Hints for letter naming practice:
I suggest that you go first. It is always great for your child to see you modeling the same activity you are asking him/her to do. As you show how him/her how to do this, please use the following tips:
* track with one finger
* say: "SKIP" for the letters that you are not naming (pretending not to know)
* Do not give up!
It's OK if your child is NOT naming all the letters yet (just use the word "skip"). Encourage him/her to stick with the practice and praise her AFTER she/he is done.

Letter pP is the letter of this week. We will continue practicing with it next week as well!
Letter P hints/tips:
How to write it:
Uppercase P starts in upper left corner = It's a cherry letter!
uppercase moves: slide, frog jump, swing to middle=bubble;
lowercase moves: dive, climb, swing, bump
Lowercase rule: keep your pencil/pen on the paper -- do not lift up

Have a fun Halloween!









Sunday, October 18, 2015

HOOT#10












MAGICAL LANTERN WALK
Thank you for bringing your joyful little light of yours last Thursday to celebrate the changing of the seasons, welcoming a quieter, darker time of year! 
Let us shine through the winter!




GREAT PERFORMANCE!
It was so much fun to be part of the National Dance Institute's fabulous program last Friday! 
Thank you all for participating! 




HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:
Do on Monday (due Tuesday): practice your lines for the Tuesday show (see further information in this newsletter below)
Do on Tuesday (due Wednesday): bring in an item that starts with "S"
Do on Wednesday (due Thursday): create a pattern using 3 or more different letters

THIS WEEK'S EVENTS:

Monday, October 19: Harwood
TISA is so fortunate to be part of the Harwood Museum's educational outreach for children. We are going for our first gallery/studio visit tomorrow (Monday).
We will leave from TISA at 12:40.
If you'd like to join us for the trip, please meet us at TISA (12:40) or at the Harwood entrance (1:00) and shoot me an email to expect you.
Please note that your child will need to be picked up from the MANZANARES campus at 3:30 ON MONDAY.

Tuesday, October 20, 4pm -- Aftercare room (Salazar campus): K-2 performance (dance, theater, music - specialty classes)
Please practice with your child. Email me if you need their lines.

Cast:
Angelina: jackrabbit, kangaroo
Angelique: tiger, lion
Archer: gecko, sloth, horse
Asher: panda, swan
Aurora: alligator, ladybug, lion
Azalea: cat, zebra, swan
Bernice: bunny, x-ray fish, swan
Demitri: dog, elephant
Ethan: swan
Jasper: iguana, viper, lion
Kara: unicorn, horse
Kaylyn: horse, queen bee, kangaroo
Keenoh: owl, elephant
Neenah: koala, yo-yo, horse
Quintin: nightmare, elephant
Rio: moose, rhino, kangaroo
Shea: frog, wolf, kangaroo
Vincent: elk, lion

Costuming:
Amber requests the following color coding. If you have any tops or pants/leggings/skirts that fits the description, please bring them on TUESDAY to share.
Lions - yellow
Horses - black
Kangaroos - brown
elephants - gray
swans - white

THURSDAY, October 22: Zombie Math Night -- details to be announced

Oct 26-27 (next Monday and Tuesday): Kinder parent-teacher conferences! Please sign up here http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0449ada623a1fe3-tisa and make a note of your time.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

HOOT#9












This week's homework:
Do Monday (due Tuesday): bring in an item that starts with the letter "A" that says (apple/Annie)
Do Tuesday (due Wednesday):  Go spying for different shapes around the house/yard. Draw or cut and paste shapes onto paper, or create shapes your own way. Ask a grownup to help you label each shape with its name or first letter. (E.g. c for circle, d for diamond)

Do Wednesday (due Thursday): Practice your lantern songs with your family. Show them what movements/dances go with each song.
FRIDAY -- NDI rehearsal and shows 


This week's events:

THURSDAY: 

School picture RETAKES! 

School photos have been uploaded to the Southern Exposure website. Please click the link below and under school portraits, click TISA. Our password to view proofs is 15TisA

Author's visit (9:00-10:00am)  Angie Spadie (a local author) will be coming to TISA for readings and book signings  Check out her sites! 
LANTERN WALK (6:15-7:00pm) -- please dress warm (pack gloves/mittens to keep your child's hands toasty)
THERE WILL BE NO ART CLUB this Thursday because of the lantern walk



NDI (National Dance Institute) this week
The children will be rehearsing every day (2:45-3:30).  Please excuse our delayed pick-up this week (this was the only time that worked out for the NDI dance teacher). If you need to pick up your child by 3:30 sharp, please come and get them in the aftercare room.

Also, please remember to support your child as a dancer by sending her/him in/with TENNIS SHOES.


Friday schedule for NDI
9:00 - 11:30 Rehearsal at ENOS GARCIA ELEMENTARY 

    9:00: drop off in Enos GYM -- please park and walk your child to the Enos gym
    11:30: pick up from Enos Gym -- please park and pick up your child at the gym
1:00-2:30 SHOW #1 (this show is run for Enos students)
    1:00: drop off and help with costuming at Enos gym (please help with dressing if you can)
     2:15 pick up at Enos Gym

5:30-6:45 SHOW #2 (THIS IS THE COMMUNITYSHOW YOU ARE INVITED TO WATCH!)
    5:30 drop off and help with costuming at Enos gym

    ENJOY THE SHOW!
    6:45  pick up at Enos Gym

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN ADVANCE IF YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND.

OCTOBER 22 (next THURSDAY) 6:00-8:00pm: Zombie Game Night
Come out for Zombie Game Night Madness, hosted by the Middle School, come out and play games with Zombie Math themes, all created by our own students. Join us for the Zombie Math Melee  on October 22nd at the Salazar Campus in the Aftercare Room.  Dress up as the undead or zombie hunter.LOCATION: Salazar campus aftercare building


OCTOBER 26-27 (Monday-Tuesday): Parent-teacher conferences -- sign-up
You will be receiving an email inviting you to sign up from Sign Up Genius.
Or, please go to 
TISA KINDER OCTOBER parent-student-teacher conference Sign-up 
on Sign-up Genius.
Here is the link as well: 
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0449ada623a1fe3-tisa
THERE WILL BE NO SCHOOL DURING PARENT CONFERENCES (Oct. 26-27). 

OCTOBER 28, Shakespeare Land of the Dead Opening Opening of Teatro Sepriente's, Land of the Dead, open to TISA staff, parents, and students only (the show is not suggested for kindergarten age audience)
How now, Taos! 
 Special invite for TISA families and staff for Teatro Serpiente's fall production, William Shakespeare's Land of the Dead. There's gonna be a whole lotta zombie shaking goin' on! Interspersed with witty erudite Shakespearean comedy of course.
LOCATION: Old Courthouse on the Plaza.




 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BERNICE!
It was fun to celebrate together!