Luck'O The Irish To Ya...... or us!!

Last week, something started happening in Kindergarten! There were chairs turned over and on tables, coloring on the tables, toys left out and taken everywhere and to be quite honest a HUGE MESS. Math games were strung throughout the room and there was even glue on our "must dos", not to mention rainbow drawings and shamrocks drawn in odd places!
Can you believe it? Rumor has it that some crazy leprechauns came into our school and tried to learn but have not been taught how to behave and/or take care of our things. We did try to leave them a letter (making sure to be specific) telling them that we don't mind them coming but there are rules in our room and they are going to have to make sure and follow them. We didn't like cleaning up after them (Just like Mrs. Ryan keeps telling us about her having to pick up after us!!)
Of course, those tricky leprechauns left all kinds of "clues" for us to analyze and help us learn about the actual holiday (St. Patrick's Day) but not really enough figure it all out and how to make it stop. The best plan that we could come up with was to build traps! So, that is exactly what we did! Take a peek at some of the traps we built! Every student had great stories on how they would lure the leprechaun in and what would have to take place in order to catch them! Take a look and see traps, a glimpse of the messes and some very interesting clues!!!

Introducing Mr. Logan

I would like to introduce you to our new exciting helper! His name is Mr. Logan Thomas (We like to call him Mr. Logan) and he is a Sophomore from Kuna High School. We are definitely lucky to have him and his enthusiasm and willingness to help out!!! The kids LOVE him already and in a matter of just a few days, I have become quite dependant on him and his help! We are blessed with this wonderful opportunity solely because he chose to volunteer! Mr. Logan finished a Health class early and so he asked if he could come and spend his free period with us! Of course the answer was quickly yes!!! Aren't we lucky?!??! On "b" days, (Sorry, I am of no help here! It is a High School thing!!!It is a crazy schedule like our M-W and T-Th thing. He will be coming every other day.) Logan will join us to help work with small groups, play math games, do testing and whatever else we can think of!
Here are a few things that we have learned about Mr. Logan and thought you would like to know:
**Birthday: August 26, 1994
**Favorite Sport: Baseball
**Favorite Team: LA Dodgers
**Favorite Player: Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox)
**How Long Playing Baseball: 11 years!
**Favorite Baseball Position: Pitcher
**Favorite Subject: Math and PE (In fact, he LOVES PE so much he is currently taking 3 different PE classes! WOW!!!!)
**Career Choice: Become an MLB baseball player (That was an easy one!)
**Dream College: Texas (What!??!?!? No worries, we will sway him to the blue and orange side. However, who could frown upon those Longhorns! Even with their current championship loss!)
**Reasons for Coming to our Classroom: "I enjoy working with kids and thought this would be a good experience!"
**Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Jenkins in 3rd Grade
Welcome Mr. Logan! I am so very excited to have the opportunity to work with you! As are the kids! Thank you for being a positive influence on our Kindergartners and helping them be successful this year! Your help is not unnoticed and/or unappreciated!

HAPPY NEW YEAR and WELCOME BACK!!!!

Welcome Back!!! Did you have a great break? Did you enjoy your time with your family and friends? I sure did! It actually went by rather quickly but I have to admit right after our New Year festivities....my thoughts returned to our classroom and missing my Kindergartners!!!! It sounds like Santa was VERY kind to many of you from DS's, puppies, new clothes and toys! WOW!!!

We spent some time on Monday/Tuesday talking about the New Year (2010) and learning a HUGE word, resolution. We brainstormed what could be some of their resolutions and I thought it would be fun to share them with you. (No worries, we practiced and the REAL cute ones are only in my teacher's journal!!!)

Happy New Year!!!
(Just a quick little poke...Boise State sure did an amazing job this year and ending the season with winning a BCS bowl game! Oh yea! Great Job Boise State!! We, (Well, most of us!) were cheering loudly for you!!! 14-0...WHAT A SEASON! Go Broncos!!!!

A tRiP oN tHe PoLaR eXpReSs!!!!!

What an amazing time!!! The trip on the Polar Express was a perfect way to end our week of learning the letter Pp. It was a fun filled day with a train ride (for pretend!), cocoa and marshmallows (Yummy juice for "D" who is allergic to milk!), The Polar Express story, great practice sewing and learning to tie-(keep helping us so we can tie our own shoes!) on a candy cane, then a train ride back to school! Then, guess what?!!?!??! When we were getting our FISH folders and coats and backpacks, we received a package from the Santa Claus!!! Mr. Silzly and Mrs. Biery brought it to us right when it arrived to school! Inside, there were bells that were still cold just like the North Pole! The best part was that everyone single one of us could hear the bells-meaning we believe!!!!
I know I enjoyed the day and LOVED seeing my students faces and their excitement! Once again, I am in awe watching my students learn and enjoy life! What truly wonderful days. I love my job!!! Your children are perfect and so much fun! I hope you enjoy a few of the pictures of our day(s)!

Special Guests!!!

Last week, we were given a very special treat! A few of my former students, now First Graders, came and read to us a play!! It was a silly play about Santa in a parade with just his underwear on and they did an amazing job!!! We laughed like crazy through the whole thing!! I was so proud of how well they are reading and the Kindergartners were mesmerized by the "big" kids and what they were going to be doing when they move on. (Sniff, sniff!)
Thanks BIG First Graders/Mrs. Brookes! Thank you for thinking of us and coming in to read to us! You made our day! You are nothing short of amazing!!! We can't wait to be just like you!!!

Pajama Day in Kindergarten!

Just a reminder that tomorrow and Thursday is pajama day in Kindergarten! It is sooo cold, so you will need to make sure that your child has nice warm ones on. They can bring slippers to change into when we are at school.

Our morning will stay the same but we will get on the Polar Express (It is okay. It is just a pretend train but still LOTS of fun!!) to leave for the North Pole around 12:00!!! Yipee!! Oh what fun.......

Oh yea, no worries! We will be back to school around 2:35 so you can pick us up!!!!

OuR cHrIsTmAs WiShEs!!!

Christmas in Kindergarten is the best time of year! It is an amazing time of excitement and full of wonder and wishes! We hope you will enjoy reading our Christmas wishes for this year!!!