Thursday, December 11, 2003
Dear
Kindergarten Families,
We have
continued our Christmas Around the World theme this week as we
traveled to Africa for some Kwanzaa traditions and Mexico for La
Posada traditions. Our
literacy centers this week have been Xx, Yy and Zz books and a letter
sound recognition game, learning to write the letters Xx, Yy and Zz
and writing a sentence in our journals, making kinara’s (Kwanzaa
candle holders to symbolize the seven days of the African celebration)
and making zawadi (hand-made gifts – we made necklaces), practice
using the pan balance and making a heavy vs. light collage, as well as
an introduction to addition and discussing symmetry.
Please
remember that the elementary Christmas program is next Tuesday night
the 18th at 7:00. Please have your child here at school between 6:30 and
6:45. They must wear
their best dress up clothes. Also
a reminder about bottles and cans for our classroom can drive.
I will still take them until Monday.
We have gotten so many!! Thank-you
so much! Your wonderful
generosity will probably allow us to buy him some new bath towels too.
Next
week Friday is our last day until January 5th.
Remember to bring in a wrapped book for your child to exchange
with another child in our class. We will be having a few art centers, a snack and our book
exchange in the afternoon. The
kids have been very active these last couple weeks and I am looking
forward to having a nice relaxing afternoon with them before our
two-week break. If you
are willing to donate a treat for our snack time that would be
wonderful! I plan to
bring in something for them to drink.
Also, it would be nice if each child had a bag with handles for
carrying extra things home (plastic or paper, as long as it has
handles). They will have
many things to take home and it would be easier if they had another
bag so that nothing gets damaged.
Questions
to ask your child this week are the following:
-
Can you tell me a couple things that start with the letter Xx? Yy? Zz?
-
What is the name of the holiday that is celebrated in Africa?
-
Can you sing the song Feliz Navidad? Where does this song come from?
-
What is the candleholder called that is used during Kwanzaa?
-
What are hand-made gifts called that are given during Kwanzaa?
I hope you have a nice weekend! Have fun with the snow!
Sincerely,
Miss Schultz