Kindergarten is off to a great start.  We are settling into routines and learning the ways of the classroom.  The kids and I are having a lot of fun together as we learn new things and forge relationships.  This week we learned the letter sounds /m/ and /a/.  Next week we will be learning /s/ and /d/.  In math we will continue sorting and counting groups of objects to find a total number.  We will begin learning how to write narrative stories and explore different ways to write to convey a message.

Our Freedom Walk will be Friday, September 9.  Please have your child wear comfortable shoes this day and patriotic colors.  We will begin the festivities at 1:30 in the gym.  You are more than welcome to join us for this event.

Please mark your calendars for September 22 which is our STEM night.  It is a night where we invite our students and families into the classroom to do a science, technology, engineering, or math activity with their classroom teacher.  This helps give families an idea what their student is learning in school and allows for your family to have fun learning together.  Look for more information to come home on that soon.

Below, I've included some pictures from the first few days of school.  I hope you enjoy!

Happy Labor Day!  See you on Tuesday.

Yours in Education,

Mr. Scruggs

Eating Snack!

Learning how to walk in the hallway with a "Hand on our hip, and a finger on our lip!"

Enjoying some parachute time for our bucket part

Practicing sorting and setting the table in math.

Discovering pattern blocks.

Welcome to Kindergarten!

I know I'm a bit late, but:  Welcome to Kindergarten!  It is my esteemed pleasure to welcome you and your child to Room 5B.  Kindergarten is an exciting year of important milestones and I am so glad to be a part of it!  This year will be my 11th year at Ware Elementary as a kindergarten teacher.  I have a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a masters degree in Educational Leadership from Kansas State University.  I absolutely love what I do and I strive to create a caring classroom environment where children feel safe and where they love to learn.    The intent of this blog is to provide you with the most current, up-to-date information about the goings on in our classroom.  I plan to update this blog each week with our current learning objectives and pictures of our kindergarten adventures.  As always if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via my email address or school phone number.  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to work with your child this year, it's going to be great!

Yours in Education,

Mr. Scruggs

Welcome Back!

 Kindergarten Families,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  It is 2016 and we are half way (can you believe it) trough your child's kindergarten year!  It goes by in the blink of an eye.  I have not done well at keeping up on our classroom blog this semester.  Things got busy, as they tend to do, and the blog was something I let slip.  It was a wonderful semester so I didn't want to go into the new year without first making sure I finished sharing 2015 with you.  I have compiled some pictures from October, November, and December for your enjoyment.  Be sure to look at them with your kindergartner-their memories of last semester will surely get them excited for coming back to school on Tuesday!

Enjoy the pictures and I will see you bright and early on Tuesday!

Working together to inventory our Lego science kits.

Partners work together to make sure they have all the right pieces in their Lego science kits.

Miss Morgan helps us with our inventory.

One of our bucket parties!  We moved ALL the furniture and played with the parachute!

The parachute is one of our FAVORITE bucket parties!

Look closely!  We are playing popcorn with one of our finger puppets.

It was fun watching our puppet (almost) touching the ceiling.

Miss Morgan demonstrates how our digestive system works...I'm just a prop holder. 

The stomach breaks our food into teeny tiny pieces and turns it into a kind of soup that our body uses to keep us healthy.

Each kindergartner got to drop a piece of bread down the "esophagus" into the "stomach."  We squeezed the "stomach" to demonstrate how digestion happens inside our bodies.

Miss Morgan demonstrates how our stomach muscles move our stomach to aide in digestion.

The contents of the "stomach" were pretty GROSS!

Miss Morgan teaches kids about positional language and the importance of our sense of sight by completing an obstacle course on the carpet!

Each student had to get their blindfolded partner through the course by guiding them with the sound of their voice.

It was a lot of fun!

Beginning to learn about shapes with play-doh.

Two dimensional and three dimensional shapes were made with play-doh.

Our trip to the Beach Art Museum at K-State.

Ms. Jennifer read us a story about prairie fires.

We acted out what it would be like to be a part of the prairie landscape.

Learning about art in the gallery.

Ms. Jennifer had us point out little things we noticed in some of the art work.

We even made our own art!

So much FUN!

For those of you that don't know...Mr. Scruggs adopted a puppy in November.  Her name is Frankie and I talk about her all the time.  So, if your kindergartner comes home talking about someone named Frankie, this is who they're talking about. 

Our gift to Miss Morgan on her last day.  Thank you SO much for all of your donations...she was overwhelmed by all of your generosity!

Miss Morgan was quite surprised!!

We made a special book about Miss Morgan that she read on her last day.

Talkin' Bout Freedom

A BIG special THANK YOU to all the parents that attended our Freedom Walk and those that lined our parade route.  What a special day it was.  I was in college when 9/11 happened and it left a lasting impact on me.  Teaching on a military base has greatly strengthened my love of our country and the people who work relentlessly to protect it.  It always brings tears to my eyes and joy to my heart when  I see 600+ students singing and marching in praise of those that keep this wonderful country of ours free and safe.  Thank you so much for ALL  YOU do!  Here are some pictures of this special event.  Enjoy!

In the gym, at our sing-along

Look at those smiles!  We were all so excited!

Waving our flags, proud to be American!

Singing along!

Marching around McClellan 2

We all had such a great time!

"Smile and wave, kids! Smile and Wave!"

Mrs. Gyuran, one of our teacher aides, and several parents marched with us.  Thank you!

Miss Morgan helped make sure we all stayed together!

Such a BEAUTIFUL day in America!

Waiting for popsicles!

The kids made these flags with Mrs. Hodge in Art BAT, aren't they cute?

Such a great class!

Tibet and Homework

Hello kindergarten families!

In my last post I said that this week we'd talk about Tibet and Homework.  Here it goes:

This is, to say the least, and amazing group of kids.  Our transitions are becoming routine and lessons are going smoothly.  The rules are upheld and at any given time I can look out and see my class behaving like model kindergartners...most of the time. :)  One lesson I teach frequently is that we all make mistakes.  Kindergartners make mistakes, teachers mistakes, and yes, even parents make mistakes from time to time.  I also teach kids that our mistakes do not define us nor do they make us "bad" people.  They are what they are: mistakes.  That being said, kids need to learn, just like we ALL had to learn, that with mistakes come repercussions.   In our class, most often, that repercussion is a chance to think or reflect on the mistake and how they can "fix" the damages caused by that mistake and move on with their lives.  It's real, it's deep, and it's how we all move on from the mistakes we make in life.

In our classroom we have a reflection space:  Tibet.  It may seem like a strange thing to call the little black stool that serves as our reflection area, but I can assure you there's a good reason for it.  When teaching kids about mistakes and how the only way we can fix our mistakes is by thinking of possible plans of repair and putting those plans into action, I pull out my globe and show the class the real location of Tibet.  We discuss how Tibet is a small, isolated area on the Earth.  An area not many people choose to visit because it is so small and isolated.  We then discuss how Tibet is not unlike the small black stool in our classroom and just like the real Tibet, it's probably not a place where you'd want to spend a lot of your time.  We also discuss that people who do choose to visit Tibet do so in order to think and to reflect (think Dali Lama and Tibetan Monks).  And just like those people that need to take some extra time to think and reflect about their lives they too will visit Tibet (in our classroom) should they show me that they need some extra time to think and reflect about their behavior.

Tibet is NOT a punishment, it is truly a time for students to think about their actions and plan for fixing the problem their mistake(s) may have created.  Every student will always have a verbal warning to fix a mistake before Tibet is even an option.  However, if mistakes are continuing, that student is showing me that they need some time to think and reflect about what they are doing and where they want to spend their time at school before being an active member of our group.  Many students will visit Tibet and return to the group within 1-2 minutes.  I always try to talk with kids about their plans for fixing their mistakes before they return to the group and I wish them good luck on fixing their mistakes.  Please keep in mind that whenever a student is in Tibet they do forgo the activity that the class is participating in while they are going from the group, whether it be for learning labs, classroom instruction, games, songs, or even snack, etc.  It is our classroom belief that taking responsibility for our mistakes outweighs fun activities, even though they may be a bummer to miss.

Some kids will visit Tibet occasionally and there are some that may NEVER visit Tibet.  If your child visits Tibet please do not scold them for it.  Their short visit was not because they were bad, it's simply because they made a mistake...and we all make those from time to time. Please use your child's visit to Tibet to discuss their plans for problem solving the effects of their mistake.  Ensure them that you believe in them and that you know that they won't make that mistake again but if they do you will be there to help them through it.

I hope this clarifies what Tibet is and I hope you weren't too confused before when your child told you they had to sit in Tibet.  If you still have any questions of if your child is visiting Tibet and you want to know why, please let me know.  If I don't write it down in your child's folder, it doesn't mean they didn't go to Tibet, it just means that we've taken care of the problem at school.  However, please feel free to ask your child if they've visited Tibet during the school day, I always encourage my students to honestly respond to their parents when they answer this question. :)

Homework

Homework is one of those things I struggle with.  As a teacher I know that homework can be a good way to inform parents about what we're learning in school, provide extra practice for students, and develop a child's skill set for a particular topic/objective.  As a parent I know that homework can be a confuser, stress inducer, and destroyer of family time.  I will send homework home daily but I want you to know my intent which is:

• To give your child extra practice.
• To provide your child a chance to teach you how to do what they've learned in school and to help you start conversations with your child about what the are learning.
• To help your child grow as a learner.

Each week your child will get a new R&R on the first day of the week.  They will also get a concepts of print book or two throughout the week to do their R&R with.  Kids can choose from ANY Of the books they've brought home to complete this homework.  They will read the book to you each night of the week and you will fill out the R&R according the homework schedule below.  Reading nightly for 20 minutes is show to drastically improve a child's ability to read and it is essential in creating lifelong readers.

While we are learning our letter sounds (now though October) your child will be getting a letter writing sheet on the day we learn that letter in school.  They are to complete the front, where they practice writing the letter, and the back, where they color or circle the pictures that start with the focus sounds.  These sheets are (preferably) due the next day.  The only way kids can get better at writing is to practice.  That's my intent with these worksheets.  They hopefully won't take more than 5-7 minutes for you child to complete.  If they are extremely difficult and a stress inducer, let me know!

For math, we will send home a review sheet each week.  This does not have to be done the night that it comes home.  This math sheet will ALWAYS come home on a Monday (when we have full weeks) and will always be due on a Thursday. We will probably NOT send home math homework when we have short weeks.  Again, this is a review sheet so your child should be able to do this without help and it is intended as extra practice.  If this proves not to be the case, please let me know and I can help you out. :)

Below is the schedule you can expect for homework each week:

Monday:  R&R:  Read and sign for Day 1and do question 1 on the back.  Math homework sent home.

Tuesday:  R&R:   Read and sign for Day 2and do question 2 on the back.  

Wednesday:   Read and sign for Day 3 and do question 3 on the back.  

Thursday:  Read and sign for Day 4 and do question 4 on the back.  Math homework due.

Friday:  NO Homework!  Enjoy your time together as a family!  However, if you'd like to do Day 5 of the R&R and practice reading over the weekend, I won't stop you. :)

**Remember, letter homework will be sent home as we learn each sound.

Please let me know if homework becomes a problem.  The last thing I want is for homework to drive a wedge between school and your time as a family.   Family is the most important thing.

I hope you've found this blog post helpful.  Please let me know if you have any questions, my door is always open, my phone is always on, and my email is checked very frequently. :)  

As always, than you for sharing your children with me and thank you for your unwavering support in your child's education.  I truly have the best job in the world.  Have a wonderful week.

Yours in Education, 

 Mr. Scruggs

Bucket Filling, Learning Labs, and Butteflies...Oh MY!

Hello Kindergarten Families!

I want to apologize for not posting last week.  There has been a lot going on in Room 5B and I want to share all those exciting things with you!

We are quickly getting into the routines of school. I had to be gone last week due to illness and I was amazed at how well the kids did in my absence.  This is a great group of kids and I am proud of how far we've already come as a class.  I know you are noticing the behavior sheet in your child's Ware Bear folder (thanks for signing it each night!) and are aware of our Bucket Filling program for classroom behavior. Our program is based on the idea that each of us carry an invisible bucket.  That bucket is filled with good feelings when people do kind things or say kind words to us.  We fill others buckets and our own by doing kind things for others or saying kind words to others.  Our buckets empty when others are unkind to us or when we are unkind to others.  We talk about ways we can fill the buckets of others and how that will in turn make us feel good. 

To go along with this idea, each kindergartner gets a notebook ring with 10 numbered buckets on it.  Each week the kids begin on bucket #1.  As students follow directions, use active listening, show kindness towards others, and exhibit good citizenship I will ask them to flip a bucket over on their notebook ring.  Our goal is to earn two buckets a day with the idea that in doing so, they will have earned all 10 by the end of the week.  We also understand that we are only five and still learning the ins and outs of school so mistakes can and do happen. In these instances, kids do not lose a bucket but merely have a short time out to think about how they can avoid the mistake in the future.  We call this time out spot "Tibet" which may seem kind of silly.  I will explain it in my next blog post. :)

The intent of my classroom management system is to not only management good behavior but to establish a sense of community and good citizenship.  The bucket system is an extremely positive system and the kids have responded really well to it.  Thank you so much for responding to your child's behavior sheet in their Ware Bear folder.  Feel free to comment with a "Good Job!" or "I'm so proud of you!" when your child comes home with more buckets than they had the day before (no matter how many) because they've earned them!  If your child doesn't move any buckets during a day please use it as an opportunity to teach your child about your expectations and my expectations while they are at school and that no matter what, you are rooting for them to earn more buckets tomorrow.

At the end of each week, those kids with 10 buckets get to attend a bucket party.  Bucket parties are fun activities that I reserve for Friday afternoons.  Our first week of school we had a shaving cream party.  Last week we had a puppet party (the kids had free rein of all our class puppets for 15 minutes-they LOVED it).  This past Friday we had balloon party and tried keeping balloons off the ground for as long as we could...it was GREAT!  Bucket parties are a fun time for us all to celebrate a great week together as a class.  If your child is not able to attend, it is because they did not earn all 10 of their buckets for the week.  This does not happen often, but if it does and you're concerned about it, please let me know.  Chances are, if you're reading the behavior sheet, you'll be well aware of any problems before missing out on the bucket party becomes an option.  Please remember, I'm always an email, a phone call, or a short visit after school away if you ever have a question or concern about the goings on in our classroom.

Now, on to all the exciting stuff we did the last two weeks:

We were extremely lucky to have Mrs. Rosewicz come teach us art this week!  Mrs. Rosewicz is our school's art teacher that we share with several other schools on Fort Riley and this is the first time in MANY years that she has been able to include kindergarten as part of her schedule.   Our shape robots are on display outside or classroom if you would like to see our masterpieces.   Here are some pictures of the kids making shape robots with Mrs. Rosewicz:

We have begun learning labs!  Learning labs are one of the most exciting parts of our day.  We have 10 labs where, for about 30 minutes, each student gets to select their method of learning.  This includes art, math, blocks, dramatic play, writing, science, and others.  Ask your child about what they do each day in learning labs.  Chances are, they'll have lots to say!  Here are some pictures of our kindergartners exploring Learning Labs:

Creating masterpieces in the art lab.

Getting messy in the sand lab!

Using the SMART board in technology/media lab.

Peekaboo!  Hello from the dramatic play lab!

Building tall towers in the math lab.

Thanks to one of our para-educators, Mrs. Brech, we've had four caterpillars on display in our science center.  The kindergartners have been curiously watching the caterpillars turn into chrysalises and eagerly awaiting the arrival of butterflies.  Well, this week, after lots of patient waiting, the butterflies have began emerging!  The kids are overjoyed with the new creatures and we have enjoyed observing them and setting them free on the playground.  Here are some pictures of  us studying our butterflies:

One of our black swallowtail butterflies.  Learn more about these interesting creatures here.

This has been one of our most popular learning labs.  The kids are excited to observe the daily changes in these fascinating little creatures.

Observing our butterfly one last time before we release it.

Waving goodbye and wishing good luck to our new friend

I hope you are enjoying this blog and getting to see an inside look of your child's day at school.  Next week I will provide more information about Tibet and our R&Rs and math homework.  Please remember, we have our Freedom Walk this Friday, September 11 and you are welcome to join the parade with us.  A note with details on this even went home in your child's Ware Bear folder on Friday.  Have a wonderful week!


Yours in Education,

Mr. Scruggs