Happy Thanksgiving

To you and everyone in your family I want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving Day.

I have many blessings to be thankful for this year

• Riley
• Xander
• Josue
• Kayley
• Gavin
• Hermila
• Dustin
• Luke
• Myleigh
• Hunter M.
• Brandon
• Ezra
• Clara
• Kaylyhn
• Dakota
• Trai
• Sophia
• Isaac
• Levi
• Adrianne
• Lily
• Hunter T. 
• Marissa
• Kamden
• Madison

Our 5 senses

This morning we began a discussion about discovering our 5 senses

I decided that I would introduce this topic by using a pumpkin that Luke had brought to the classroom weeks ago. We had tons of fun answeing the following questions....

• What does a pumpkin look like? Our answers: orange, fat, big/medium/small, a green leaf, a brown stem, circle/oval/sphere, jack-o-lantern. We looked through our newly donated magazines and found something that had one of the attributes that was the same as the pumpkin. Children cut out pictures of wreaths (they were round), pajamas (they are orange), woman (she is big), and many other things
• What does a pumkpin sound like? I had all the children close their eyes and listen to what the pumpkin sounded like. Their answer? Quiet.
• What does a pumpkin smell like? I cut the top of the pumpkin off and passed it around the circle for them to take a big whiff. The reaction? "stinky, good, soup, candy, sweet"
• What does a pumpkin feel like? This question is a two fold question because a pumpkin feels very different on the outside vs. the inside. Once again, we passed the pumpkin around the circle with strict instructions to only touch the outside first (the top was still off from smelling it). Answer? smooth, hard, bumpy, cold. Then came the fun part: Let's pass the pumpkin around and feel the inside!  I actually put some newspaper down in the middle of the rug with some wipes and told them that they could reach their hands in and pull out some seeds/pulp if they wanted to. Watching them complete this task was hilarious: 1/2 just stuck the tip of their pointer finger, some pulled out a pumpkin seed or two, and some didnt want to do it at all! They then stated that the inside of a pumpkin felt "sticky, gooey, slimy, and icky!"

and last, but not least.......

• What does a pumpkin taste like? I explained how you make pumpkin and I brought a can in to school from the store. I also told them that pumpkin puree is different from pumpkin pie mix because we have to add more ingredients to it to make it into pie. I asked them that even though it doesnt taste the best, does anyone want to go on a "food adventure" with me and try some? About 3/4 of the class raised their hands. I put a very small portion on their spoons and told them to wait for all of us and we would try it together on the count of three. "One, two, three!" Oh, the faces they make are truly priceless (not gonna lie, my face doesnt look the best either).

I LOVE kindergarten!

Weekly Newsletter

our school is currently out of toner for the printer in the office and so I am unable to print off weekly newsletter for everyone to keep up to date on what is going on in our classroom next week
here is what our schedule looks like

MONDAY

• Sending home baggie book homework

TUESDAY

• Gym (please wear appropiate footwear)

WEDNESDAY

• Music

THURSDAY

• Library (please return books for exchange)
• Good News Club
• Happy Birthday Sophia

FRIDAY

• Art
• Stand up to Bullying Day (wear pink)

MISC.

• thank you to all who donated cardboard tubes and magazines. Keep 'em coming :-)
• Next Wednesday November 23rd there is a 1 hour early dismissal
• NO SCHOOL on Thursday or Friday (November 24th & 25th) for Thanskgiving break

Parent Teacher Conferences

Cannot believe this week is already upon us but report cards go home Tuesday afternoon (if you have your conference before you get your child's report card at home, I have a copy available for you to look at) and this week I am undertaking the massive task of parent teacher conferences.
Some pointers to make our conference run as smooth as possible

• be prompt
• think about any questions you may have beforehand and come prepared to ask them. I will try my hardest to answer your questions satisfactorily
• I will have an outline for you (3 strengths/2 areas to grow) so if only 1 parent can attend the meeting, you will have info to take back and report
• Conferences are only 15 mins long (not long enough in my opinion) but it is unfeasible to schedule them any longer when I have 25 of them to conduct. Due to time constraints, I have to be precise and to the point with all my information and I apologize ahead of time for anything that may be overlooked or not able to discuss. If further communications need to be made, a phone or email conference can be scheduled at a later date after the holidays.
• It is recommended to leave your children with a sitter (if possible) to make our conference most productive. If they need to come with you, toys will be set up on the rug to occupy them while we talk at the table.

If you are unable to make your conference or are running late, please let me know ASAP by....

1. emailing me - eckentab@chambersburg.k12.pa.us
2. texting me - (717) 414-9939. please make sure to include your name when texting so I know who it is

I will be sending everyone reminder emails for conferences at some point this week.
Looking forward to meeting you and I will see you later this week :-)