Week of September 29 - October 3

LITERATURE
There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

We will be focusing on predicting and retelling along with a cumulative story structure. 

MATH
This week our focus is 2 dimensional shapes: trapezoid, hexagon, rectangle, triangle, circle, and square. We will count the number of sides and corners. Students will also find these shapes in real world objects. 

During the months of September and October students will work on the following skills:

·         numbers 0-10 (ordering, identifying, representing, and writing)

·         matching and sorting: size and shape

·         2-dimensional shapes

·         patterns :AB and ABB

Throughout the year students will explore math through open-ended- problem solving journals, math stations, ipads/ipods, IXL, rekenreks, and a variety of math manipulatives.

HANDWRITING/WRITING
Letters
review Mm, Aa, Tt, Dd, Oo, Cc, Gg, Ii

Students will practice the basic handwriting strokes, pencil grip, and correct posture.

Labeling Pictures

CORE KNOWLEDGE

Farms - Students will be able to explain what a farm is and why farms are important; identify animals, machinery, tools and buildings found on a farm. Students will also be able to identify the needs of animals and sequence the seasonal rhythm of planting, growing, and harvesting. 

Sept. 22-26

Next week is SPIRIT WEEK at Cologne Academy! There are many exciting dates to place on your calendar; we don't want you to miss an event!

For the students, notable days will be our varied dress code during Spirit Week.  If you or your child decides not to participate in Spirit Attire as outlined below, then school uniform is the other option.

Monday - pajama/comfy clothes/crazy hair

Tuesday - mismatched clothing day

Wednesday- Dress your Best (School Picture Day) - non uniform day too!

Thursday - sports apparel day

Friday- College T-shirt (these will be sent home early next week) and jeans, if desired

*Don’t forget socks each day!

For the parents:

Tuesday, September 23 at 6:30 PM is our Parent's Back to School Night.   This is a great time to meet fellow parents and further understand the designs of our intentional academic programs.  Our tentative agenda is as follows: 

6:30-7:00 World's Best Workforce Plan

7:00-7:15 Federal Program Information

7:15-7:30 Introduction of Room Parents

7:30-7:50 Opportunities to get involved at CA

7:50-8:15 Get to know other families

7:50-8:15 Special Education Parent Advisory Committee Meeting

Friday, September 26 at 2:45 PM at the Cologne Community Center is our first 2014-2015 OSA!  If you have never been to an OutstandingStudent Assembly, you will want to make sure you attend at least one this year.  HOWEVER, know that once you attend one, you will want to attend ALL!  OSA's recognize our character development program, award students with FISH (K-4)awards, Triple A Awards/Pillars for grades 5-8, and highlight specific groups of students to develop their public speaking.   In general our OSA's can be categorized as an Elementary Pep Fest with full Pep Band.

Please help us to better serve YOU by completing this brief parent survey.  

LITERATURE
Ten Apples Up On Top

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

We will be focusing on identifying the title, front/back of book, author and illustrator, and making connections to the text through our class discussions and activities.

MATH

During the months of September and October students will work on the following skills:

·         numbers 0-10 (ordering, identifying, representing, and writing)

·         matching and sorting: size and shape

·         2-dimensional shapes

·         patterns :AB and ABB

Throughout the year students will explore math through open-ended- problem solving journals, math stations, ipads/ipods, IXL, rekenreks, and a variety of math manipulatives.

HANDWRITING/WRITING
Letters Oo, Cc, Gg, Ii

Students will practice the basic handwriting strokes, pencil grip, and correct posture.

Labeling Pictures

CORE KNOWLEDGE

Five Senses - Students will learn about each of the five senses as well as how we gather information about our environment through the use of the senses. Students will also learn about what happens if the senses of sight and hearing do not function properly. Students will hear the stories of Helen Keller and Ray Charles, two individuals who overcame very significant challenges posed by disabilities related to sight and hearing.

Farms - Students will be able to explain what a farm is and why farms are important; identify animals, machinery, tools and buildings found on a farm. Students will also be able to identify the needs of animals and sequence the seasonal rhythm of planting, growing, and harvesting. 

Week of Sept. 15-19

Notes:

We will have our first practice fire drill on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
Check your child's backpack for picture order forms this week. School Pictures are Sept. 24
Spirit Week is September 22-26.
Uniform Reminder: Socks must be plain white or navy blue - no characters or designs. Students should have a collar on their shirts. If they wear a sweater they need to have a shirt underneath with a collar. The only exception is a turtleneck. Please remember to label items such as hats, mittens, sweaters, sweatshirts, waterbottles, lunchboxes, so they may be returned if misplaced. 

END OF DAY CHANGES 
Please inform the office of any changes to your normal end of the day routine. Always call or email Jana, in the main office, the day of changes.
Jana Moeller email:    jmoeller@cologneacademy.org     
main office phone: 952-466-2276

LITERATURE
Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes

The Pirate of Kindergarten

We will be focusing on identifying the title, front/back of book, author and illustrator, and making connections to the text through our class discussions and activities.

MATH
During the months of September and October students will work on the following skills:
·         numbers 0-10 (ordering, identifying, representing, and writing)
·         matching and sorting: size and shape
·         2-dimensional shapes
·         patterns :AB and ABB
Throughout the year students will explore math through open-ended- problem solving journals, math stations, ipads/ipods, IXL, rekenreks, and a variety of math manipulatives.

HANDWRITING/WRITING
Letters Mm, Aa, Tt, Dd

Students will practice the basic handwriting strokes, pencil grip, and correct posture.
Labeling Pictures

CORE KNOWLEDGE

Five Senses - Students will learn about each of the five senses as well as how we gather information about our environment through the use of the senses. Students will also learn about what happens if the senses of sight and hearing do not function properly. Students will hear the stories of Helen Keller and Ray Charles, two individuals who overcame very significant challenges posed by disabilities related to sight and hearing.

September 8-12

We had a great first week of kindergarten! The students are doing so well adjusting to school life. Each month, Miss Pierce (our school counselor)will be coming around to our classrooms to talk about our core virtues. This month our virtue is Respect and Responsibility.

END OF DAY CHANGES 
Please inform the office of any changes to your normal end of the day routine. Always call or email Jana, in the main office, the day of changes.
Jana Moeller email:    jmoeller@cologneacademy.org     
main office phone: 952-466-2276

LITERATURE
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
Boomer Goes to School

We will be focusing on identifying the title, front/back of book, author and illustrator, and making connections to the text through our class discussions and activities.
This week we will continue to work on our routines and expectations for our literacy block. Next week, we will dive into guided reading!

MATH
During the months of September and October students will work on the following skills:
·         numbers 0-10 (ordering, identifying, representing, and writing)
·         matching and sorting 
·         2-dimensional shapes
·         patterns 
Throughout the year students will explore math through open-ended- problem solving journals, math stations, ipads/ipods, IXL, rekenreks, and a variety of math manipulatives.

HANDWRITING
vertical lines, horizontal lines, backwards circles, slant lines & forward circles

Students will practice the basic handwriting strokes, pencil grip, and correct posture.

CORE KNOWLEDGE

N/A

National Junior Honor Society is Kicking Cancer to the Curb with your Help!!

NJHS first activity of the year will be selling "shoes" for Relay for Life, Norwood Young America, September 27th 2014. "Kicking cancer to the curb!" Paper shoes will be on sale in the entries of the school September 15th-24th for $1. Students can purchase as many shoes as they would like, decorate them and bring them back to school by September 26th. The shoes will line the hallway walls and we will see whose homeroom class can kick the most cancer!