Literacy Unit: Smart Start

Reading: We will read Animals in the Park An ABC Book; You Are As Beautiful As You are; A pocketful of Kisses; Kindergarten stories

Strategy for this week:

• Identify the front and back cover
• Recall one part in the story
• Text to self connection: Draw something beautiful
• What is a word wall?

Introduction to Daily 5: This week we will begin discussing what it means to be an independent reader. Each child was given a book box with books inside. We will first discuss three ways to read a book:

1. Read the pictures
2. Read the words
3. Retell the story

Next, We will create an I-chart entailing what is in Read to Self. This is a chart will serve as a model of what a good reader looks like and what is expected at that time. It also entails what the students job is as well as the teachers job.

Students’ job: 

• Sit in one spot.
• Get started right away
• Read the whole time
• Build stamina

Teacher’s Job: 

• Working with children

*****We must remember read to self is a time to develop a fondness for reading and to encourage students to become better readers!

Writing: We will draw our favorite animal. We will draw something beautiful in our journals to make a self to text connection to a read aloud. We will also practice writing the word I in a sentence. We will also  reflect what we like in kindergarten so far using the sentence stem: In Kg, I like_____. 

Math: We continue to practice the lunch count procedure. We make a choice of having first choice, second choice or home lunch. We will continue to count numbers 1-50 aloud. We continue to practice calendar procedures. We will sing the days of the week and the months of the year. We will fill in the calendar chart daily. We will explore pattern blocks over the next few days. We will also start practice writing numbers 0-5. We will start to make one to one correspondence. Make sure we are not counting to fast and are able to create and count the amount given.  

Social Studies: We continue to discuss good choices. We will discuss following directions (clean up, line up, walking in a line & transitions). We will create a classroom set of rules and each student will sign that they will agree to such rules.

NOTES AND REMINDERS:

• Thank you for all the parents and students that came to the picnic! It was so nice to see all of you!
• Thursday, September 15 will be Open House (6-7:30). This will be an opportunity for you to meet me and get to sign up for the blog as well as receive information regarding SeeSaw. You will also get to meet the Art, Music and Gym teachers.

Ms. Mohamed

Your child just completed their first week. Starting Tuesday, your child will be in school from 8:35-3:35.

Recap of what we worked on this week:

Reading: We read and listened to several kindergarten stories: Kindergarten Here I Come; The Kissing Hand; David Goes to School

Strategy for this week:

• Identify the front and back cover
• Recall one part in the story

Sight Word: I

Writing: We drew our first day in Kindergarten. We also drew a picture we remembered from the story. We practiced writing the word I and made a book using the sight word I.

Math: We practiced the lunch count procedure. We made a choice of having first choice, second choice or home lunch. We counted numbers 1-50 aloud. We practiced calendar procedures. We sang the days of the week and the months of the year. We filled in the calendar chart.

Social Studies: We discussed playground safety. We discussed good choices. We discussed following directions (clean up, line up, walking in a line & transitions). (We will continue this next week).

*We went to Gym twice this week. Your child met Mr. Haliburda; the Physical Education teacher.

Below are some pictures:

Coming up:

Tuesday, Sept. 13: HOWARD WELCOME BACK PICNIC  4:00-6:00

Thursday, Sept. 15: OPEN HOUSE 6:00-7:30  Parents and students are welcome to visit the classroom, meet me, and tour the school.

Have a great weekend!

-Ms. Mohamed

A few things to know:

• The first week of school will be a half day. Your child should be dropped off at 8:35 and picked up at 11:45 by the kindergarten doors. Any child that will not be picked up will be placed in the Kids Club Program until the parent arrives. There will not be bussing provided for bus students at 11:45.
• A full day of school in 8:35-3:35. That will begin the week of September 13th.
• There will be no school on Monday, September 12th due to the Eid Holiday.
• Your child will have lunch starting the second day of school. Please make sure your child has a lunch or your child will be eating school provided lunch. If your child does have school lunch there is fee of $2.25 or you may fill out the free/reduced lunch form if they qualify.
• Please dress your child appropriately for the weather. Michigan weather is unpredictable, so check the weather. I highly encourage a pair of tennis shoes or sneakers everyday.

We will have a sign in sheet for a quick assessment time in the afternoon the first week of school. When you drop off your child, please make sure you sign up for a time!

The best and quickest way to contact me is through my email: mohamek@dearbornschools.org

Dismissal is a hard time to chat about your child. So I kindly ask that if you have any questions or concerns to wait until I dismiss all the students or email me. I will gladly make an appointment if need be.

My name is Kadeeja Mohamed and I will be your child’s Kindergarten teacher this year. First and foremost, I would like to welcome you and your child to our class. I am so excited to meet you and your child!

Let me begin by telling you a little about myself. I graduated from Wayne State University with a Masters in Bilingual-Bicultural Education with a Specialization in English as a Second Language in 2015. I also have a Bachelors in Elementary Education in 2009 with an Early Childhood Endorsement from Wayne State University as well.  This is my eighth year teaching kindergarten.

Next, let me give you a brief summary of how your child will spend his or her day in the classroom. I have worked very hard to create a classroom that is very organized and structured. Your child’s daily routine will be filled with hands-on activities, small group work, whole class work and discussion, one-on-one instruction, and subject concentrated centers. Through these aspects, your child will learn through discovery and exploration, but most of all they will learn by having FUN. It is also my plan to teach your child to grow into a well-rounded individual that loves to learn.  I whole heartily believe my patience, kindness, and love for learning will aide greatly in developing your child’s love for learning.

As all of you know, your child is still growing mentally and physically. To aide in this growth, your child will have one snack time. I will be providing snack for the first week, but please donate a healthy snack for the class. Snacks preferred would be cheese crackers, animal crackers, gold fish etc. You could pick up a box from your next trip to the grocery store or Sams club.

I will be here every day for your child, which means I will also be here for you as a parent.  If at any time you have any questions or concerns, I will be here for you.  My email address is mohamek@dearbornschools.org . The best form of communication is email, but I am also available by phone. I do ask, out of respect for your child’s education, that communication take place before or after school hours. Of course, if it is an emergency, you can contact the front office and they will connect you to the classroom.

This blog is used as a communication tool. So please refer to this blog weekly. I will discuss content and expectations for each week on Monday or Tuesday. You may leave comments below. For more personal matters, please email me at mohamek@dearbornschools.org

Lastly, I want to thank you for allowing me to educate your child. Your child is in the best of hands throughout the day and you are welcome anytime!

Thank You,

Ms. Mohamed

Good-byes are always tough. To all my kinders and their families,

This has been a wonderful kindergarten year and it was truly a pleasure to work with your child, to watch them grow and learn all year, build beautiful friendships and to establish their love and foundations for learning. This is the beginning of many milestones to conquer and achieve. I am proud to have been able to be part of their growth. Good-luck in first grade and have a great summer. I will miss you my darlings!

Yours Truly, Ms. Mohamed

Our kindergarten picnic will be tomorrow. If it rains we will set up our picnic indoors but hopefully we have great weather. It will be from 11:00-12:00. Please pack your child a lunch and bring blankets to sit on.

Our last day of school is June 16th and it is a half day. Dismissal will be at 11:45. There will be no lunch that day.

Final pictures coming soon……

-Ms. Mohamed

Last full week! It will fly by fast!!

A few reminders:

• Field Day is scheduled for Monday, June 13. Volunteer forms have been sent home today. PTA needs 18 parents to help out.
• Kindergarten Picnic is on Wednesday, June 15th at 11:00-12:00. Please pack and join your child for lunch at that time. You may bring blankets to sit on as well.
• All library books are due by Friday, June 10th. (I have already collected a few books).
• Last day of school will be Thursday, June 16th. It will be half day. Dismissal at 11:45

Thanks!

Ms. Mohamed

Happy birthday to all my Kindergarten Friends! Special thanks to Celine’s, Deanna’s and Jake’s moms for helping out in this event!

-Ms. Mohamed

Thanks to all the Dad’s that came out! Special thanks to Celine’s mom for helping us out during this event!

-Ms. Mohamed

Reading/Writing:

We will be a reading a simple chapter book called Frogs and Toads are Friends. We will read a chapter a day. We will talk about the table of contents and why it is important.

We are exploring Frogs and Toads this week. We will be writing an informational piece describing and analyzing the difference.

Math:

We will practice using the number chart to create a hidden picture. Clues will be used (really math questions) to help build the picture. Examples include: color the number that is ten more than 20 (color 30).

Social Studies: 

We will explore Michigan Symbols and our leaders. We will talk about our Mayor, Governor and our President. We will revisit our United States Flag. We will also explore our Michigan Flag, the Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty and the Bald Eagle.

We will also briefly discuss Fire Safety.

• Talk about a meeting place with your child in case of a fire.
• What to do is they are trapped in a room.
• How to stop, drop  and roll if they caught on fire.
• How to drop and crawl out of a room filled with smoke.
• Not to be afraid of a Firefighter (Firefighters are our friends)

REMINDERS:

• Donuts for Dad will promptly begin at 8:45 on Friday June 3.

-Ms. Mohamed