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Mailbags are an important communication tool. Everyday your child is repsonsible for handing it in and giving themselves a sticker. You can put any notes in there for me and I'll be sending home their work and important notices in there.
It may be helpful to seperate snacks from lunch as some children are mixing up what to eat at what time. You can put snacks in a different part of the backpack and lunch in a lunch bag inside the backpack. Be sure your child knows what is what. It also helps to label snacks with a 1 and 2 so they know what to eat at each snack time.
We have our morning snack at 10:00am for about 15 minutes. We ask that you send something healthyfor your child to eat and only water for snack times.
At lunch, children do go out to play so please ensure they are dressed appropriately. They may have juice or other drinks with their lunch.
ATTENTION : We do have some children in our classes with severe allergies.
We ask that you do not send any snacks that have nuts or 'may contain' nuts.
Thank you for helping keep all of our friends safe at school!
Letters we have learned so far - P,U, T, M, X, A, D, O, S, R, H, J and K. Please review these with your child. Hopefully, you have kept your child's work organized in a folder or binder which is easily accessible. Then you can pull this out and review sounds and words. Also, try singing the Alphabet Lane song that was sent home on bright orange paper.
We are working on two new reading strategies to help us understand what we are reading and the stories we listen to.
The first is called SCHEMA. This means the information we already have available to us, what we already know. What we know helps us understand new information better.
When reading a book, we might look at the cover and think about what the book might be about and think about what we already know about that topic. For example, if the book is about Whales, ask your child what they already know about whales before reading. Then you can talk about new information they learned while reading the book.
The second concept we are learning about is called MAKING CONNECTIONS. Using the information we already have (Schemas), we can make connections to the new things we are learning about or reading about. For example, today we read a book called Davy D.'s Dog about a big dog. We made a connection to another book about Clifford the Big Red Dog who is also a big dog who is hard to take care of because he's so big.
There are three types of connections we can make:
1 - Text to Text - relate one book we've read to another we know.
2 - Text to Self - relate a book we've read to something that's happened to us personally
3 - Text to the World - relate a book we've read to something outside of our family, maybe on tv, on the news, etc
Things you can do at home:
Ask your child what sound and gesture each letter makes and ask them to tell you words that have that sound.
Each week, we will send home the work your child completed about each letter. It is helpful to have a binder at home where you can collect all of your child's hard work. It is also a great resource to see how your child progresses through the year with their colouring and printing skills.
At the end of the week, you can review the pages in your child's binder and remember the sound each letter makes.
Please check the calendar here on the website so you'll know what letter we are working on.
You and your child can think of all the words you both know that start with the letter of the week. This helps your child be confident and prepared in class!
When reading a book, talk about what you already know, ask for predictions and what you think might happen, ask your child if it reminds them of something else - make a connection!
The SK students are learning 11, 12, 13,14, 15, 16 and 17.
The JKs are learning to count orally to 10 and they are working on printing and knowing the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
We are working on one-to-one correspondence when we count. This means that you say and point to the number at the same time as you count so you don't count too many or too few.
Our next unit will be on Geometry. We will be learning about 2D and 3D shapes.
It was a chilly and windy day but we had a wonderful time learning about apples!
We picked Idared apples. We got to pick an apple to eat and we got to pick two to bring back to school. We also got to crush apples in the apple cider press and then we got to taste some. Mrs. Dhonsi even picked a pumpkin to bring back to school!
We picked Idared apples. We got to pick an apple to eat and we got to pick two to bring back to school. We also got to crush apples in the apple cider press and then we got to taste some. Heike got to hlep pick a pumpkin to bring back to school!
Mr. Wiggins and Ms. Justice took the children outside to plant some crocus bulbs under the trees around the Kiss'n'Ride! We'll be looking for beautiful flowers when spring arrives!
Tumblebooks can be accessed through the Ajax Public Library - http://www.townofajax.com/page15.aspx. There is no need for a password if accessed through the Ajax Library website.
On the left hand side click on the link for "Online Resources." Then click on the link for "Audio books & ebooks." Finally click on tumblebooks for picture books and early primary books.
Also from the Ajax Library site is Pebble Go Animals and Pebble Go Earth and Space. Click on "Online Resources" on the left hand side, then click "Homework Help - Elementary." There is no need for a user name or password when accessed through the library. The website is able to read the material to the students, and highlights the words as they are being read. Also, if you click on the "Share what you know" button it will create a basic comprehension worksheet for students to show what they know!!
Abdo Digital is a collection of mainly non-fiction texts and graphic novels. The Durham District School Board has purchased apx. 600 e-books for all elementary schools. These books can be read online by following the following directions or students can bring in a USB key and can download the .Pdf versions so they can then upload them to either their e-reader, iPod Touch or iPad.
The following link will connect you with the Ministry of Education - Kindergarten site. There is information about the full day kindergarten program that will be in all schools within 5 years but not currently at Eagle Ridge. If you scroll down a little, you can find a PDF link for the Kindergarten Program, 2006.
The best homework you can do with your child is to read to them every day!
SK students have a poem book which will come home every week with a new poem. Please take time to read the poem with your child. You can help them pick out certain words or letters. On the page next to the poem, have your child draw a picture related to the poem.
* Please note:
The M/W class can return their books on the Wednesday or following Monday.
The T/Th class can return their books on the Thursday or following Tuesday.
Mailbags are an important communication tool. 
