tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53121102071815957282024-03-26T23:37:38.267-07:00KinderNews at BLSUnknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.comBlogger837125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-32725496307060144602024-03-24T11:08:00.000-07:002024-03-24T11:08:16.071-07:00Holy Week<p> This is Holy Week at BLS, the days we remember what Jesus went through before the cross. At Bible time we will go over the hard times that lead up to the joy of Easter morning. Our Bethlehem Buddies will be in on Tuesday to teach and share their wisdom on what Christ went through for our behalf. We'll practice our Bible verse and the song we're singing for our chapel play in April.</p><p>In reading and writing students will learn the digraph 'ch' as we begin to learn more sounds that letters and letter pairs can make. Students will use 'ch' in their writing and reading. New red words are: orange and purple. We'll begin identifying and counting syllables in words. Students will write their final draft of a narrative story. At story time we'll explore other narratives and review story events.</p><p>We are having fun combining 3D shapes with position words in math. We'll finish this short module this week just in time for our break. After working on paper, we have treasure hunts in class using position words.</p><p>In music our focus will be on learning the play and the song we'll sing for our chapel play. </p><p>We'll get to see our 8th grade reading buddies early in the week before they take off for their trip to D.C. It will be a sweet Easter surprise!</p><p>Thursday is a special day devoted to literacy as grades K-2 have their annual Read-In. We will study 'Horton Hears a Who' in story and movie form. We'll make an artifact that fits with the story. Students will practice their listening skills as they hear a story, but don't see the cover or pictures in a book. Then we'll make our own titles and design a suitable front cover. We'll get comfy and cozy with books in our PJs. Students can bring a stuffie and small pillow if they choose.</p><p>The Read-In will cap off our four day week. Then we have Good Friday, Easter and Spring Break to enjoy. </p><p>I'm hoping for a little rain, a little sunshine with joy sprinkled of top this week.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-16662816436629485502024-03-17T08:14:00.000-07:002024-03-17T08:14:39.303-07:00Fall Fest Fun Day!<p>Thursday will be a real treat at BLS! The student body earned a whole day of fun activities from meeting one of our big Fall Fest goals. In the morning, we'll doing a wide variety of games and fun activities, and then The Zaniac perform in an assembly at the end of the day.</p><p>Our Bible story this week is about the Last Supper, when Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples for the last time. We will practice our March Bible verse and begin practicing for our chapel play which will be on April 24th.</p><p>It's and exciting time in kindergarten as we've finished our focus on individual letters and now will begin learning more rules and sounds. This week we'll introduce long vowels and practice understanding open syllable patterns in words. New red words are: they, any. Students will read, write and spell using their new knowledge of open syllables. We'll begin a rough draft writing on a narrative based on the perspective of becoming tiny or giant. At story time, we'll explore narrative stories, noting story sequence and style.</p><p>We'll finish up our short module on 3D shapes in math and take a quiz. Our next module is about position words. These tie into geometry and into many other subjects. Students will make life connections on the importance of position words.</p><p>In social studies we'll learn more about the types of goods Washington state produces. Students will make a map of our state, noting specific geographical features.</p><p>Our time in music will focus on learning a special song for our chapel play and active praise.</p><p>If the class works well on following directions, we may be able to have a reward ice cream party on Friday afternoon... I sure hope so!</p><p>We're excited to play outside as the weather warms up and feels like Spring. I'm looking forward to a joyful week of learning.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-48193197631216580462024-03-10T10:58:00.000-07:002024-03-10T10:58:19.307-07:00Washington State Products<p>This week in social studies we'll learn facts about our state of Washington. Students will learn the types of good and products our state is known for growing and making. This ties into our study of economics.</p><p>Our Bible story will focus on how Jesus entered Jerusalem in preparation for the Passover. This leads into the stories that explain Jesus' going to the cross to pay for our sins. We will practice our March Bible verse and learn a new praise song.</p><p>In reading and writing our focus will be on the letters Qq and Zz. Students will learn that 'q' is never alone, but always wants his buddy 'u' by his side. This will finish up our study of the alphabet and set us up for learning long vowel sounds and digraphs. Students will read, and write words that use 'qu' and 'z'. Our new red words are: are, do. At story time we'll consider opinions and give reasons for our opinions. We'll finish up a writing assessment on our opinion of apples or carrots. On Fridays, we're beginning to invite students to read dialog with us as we enjoy characters that talk to each other. </p><p>This week in math, we'll finish up our module on decomposing numbers to 10 and take a test. Next, we'll begin a geometry unit on shapes, starting with 3D shapes.</p><p>In music we'll be singing and then playing percussion as we experiment with different tempos. Students will read notes and rests and perform several short songs together.</p><p>On the iPads, we'll support our learning by playing red word games.</p><p>Mrs. DeGraaf will teach us about 3D art with a project inspired by the Northwest artist, Dale Chihuly.</p><p>We're looking forward to a good week of learning!</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-52696213386810669072024-03-03T11:37:00.000-08:002024-03-03T11:37:43.499-08:00Wants and Needs<p>This week we'll begin a new social studies unit on economics. We'll kick it off with defining wants and needs. Students are usually quick to understand the difference. It's a great time to tie in how Jesus knows our needs and generously gives us what we truly need.</p><p>Our Bible story is about how Jesus fed the crowd of 5000 by performing miracles. Students will see it's also about how we can trust Jesus to solve our problems. We'll begin practicing our March Bible verse using ASL signs.</p><p>We'll focus on two letters this week: Vv and Xx. Students will use them in words and sentences as they read and write daily. New red words are: give, my. As we move into the third trimester, we'll start off with writing an opinion piece. Students will fill out a graphic organizer this week. We'll be challenging students to write more independently in preparation for first grade. At story time, we'll enjoy serval new books from the recent book fair. It's always a blessing to receive new books for our class!</p><p>In math we'll finish our module on decomposing numbers to 10 using many different groupings. We are challenging students to understand equations written in different ways by flipping the equal sign or solving for a specific group.</p><p>Students will practice identifying musical instruments by listening to famous solo pieces in music. We also always spend time praising God through song.</p><p>We'll be working on projects to decorate our classroom for March and the coming of spring. </p><p>I hope the sunshine comes out for recess!</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-2974982270486089712024-02-25T13:17:00.000-08:002024-02-25T13:17:08.198-08:00Celebrating Family<p>This Friday our students will be enjoying the morning with a Grandparent, family member or special adult friend. It's all about celebrating special family relationships and friends who are like family. Students will do activities to get to know their Grand-friend better. We hope this makes our students appreciate their family more and learn more about them.</p><p>This week in kindergarten we'll learn about the power of Jesus as He calmed the storm. We'll discuss how Jesus invites us to trust Him fully. Our Bethlehem Buddies will visit on Tuesday morning and share their wisdom on the story.</p><p>In reading and writing our focus will be on the letter Yy. Students will read, write and spell words that have a 'y'. We'll discuss how 'y' can act as a vowel and say many sounds. New red words are: now, new. We'll add to our poetry writing from last week. At story time, we'll review story events and details. We'll practice when to use different end marks. On Tuesday, we'll read a Mo Willems book and then add an art lesson on drawing the character, Pigeon.</p><p>We didn't move as fast as I'd anticipated last week in math, so we'll circle back with a review on Module 12 and take the test on Monday. Next, we'll begin to decompose numbers to 10, learning how to use different groupings to make a number.</p><p>Students will begin the last lesson on designing systems in science. We will design and test different combinations of creating a force that causes motion. I bet we'll come up with some great designs!</p><p>In music we'll review the different instrument groups and try to identify them as we listen to classical music.</p><p>Students will get to visit the Scholastic Book Fair in our library on Tuesday morning with their 8th grade reading partners. Our 8th graders will fill out a wish list for each student. If you want to send money in, come in with your child or give the list to your Grand-friend, this will help you find the books your child is interested in.</p><p>It will be a good week of learning and special events,</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-52122818144565167842024-02-19T07:01:00.000-08:002024-02-19T07:01:55.160-08:00LEST...Wow!<p> I had a great time at LEST! A couple of our kindergarten students got to go and cheer on their siblings and cousins, and it was great to see them wide-eyed and excited at all the competitions. I'm excited to for the future thinking about this class competing when they're in 5th through 8th grades. I already know some will be good athletes, some will excel in the arts and many will find the academic competitions fun. It's a wonderful experience to meet and compete against students from other Lutheran schools across the Northwest. It is character building to be a good sport when winning and losing. I hope all catch the joy of challenging themselves and encouraging others.</p><p>This week in our study of God's Word we'll discuss the 'I Am' statements of Jesus. We'll talk about how Jesus often used word pictures and comparisons to help people understand deeply. Students will practice our February Bible verse and we'll sing praise songs.</p><p>In reading and writing the focus will be on the letter Ww and poetry writing. Our new red words are: into and my. Students will read, write and spell using the letter 'w'. We will create a rhyming poem and discuss the many different types of poetry. At story time we'll review story elements and work on inferences.</p><p>We are working hard in math to finish our chapter on addition and subtraction to 10. Students are listening to word problems and writing accurate equations to solve for specific groups. On Tuesday, we'll check our fluency with problems from 0-5. If we stay on track, we'll be able to take our test on Friday!</p><p>Students will exploring the motions of twist and spin as we build tops in science. We'll apply our knowledge of forces and motion to describe these new systems.</p><p>In music, we'll begin learning about the different instrument groups and try to identify them when we listen to music.</p><p>Mrs. DeGraaf will have a fun art project for us on Friday. Check out our cute birds in the hallway from last week. We learned how to mix secondary colors using the three primary colors.</p><p>It's fun to see all the books our kids can read on Epic now. This online library is a great companion to our BLS library. It's good to give our students exposure to both online reading and reading real books.</p><p>I'll be finishing up all the 1:1 assessments needed to start report cards for the second trimester. It's really exciting to see all the ways our students are growing.</p><p>It's a four day week, but I'm ready to go. I've missed everyone and am excited to finish up the trimester in good form.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-67250062257114844972024-02-11T08:16:00.000-08:002024-02-11T08:16:03.398-08:00A Big, Big, Little Week!<p>We'll see you at school for only three days this week, but boy, oh boy will they be big days! </p><p>On Monday we'll begin the day with an assembly where the Tri-City Americans will play floor hockey with our 4th graders (top earning Fall Fest class). There will be time for each grade to ask a question about hockey to the team. Then we'll return to class to move into Day 100! This is a big day for kindergarten where we will do activities throughout the day based on the number 100. We'll be counting and writing a lot and have several fun surprises!?!</p><p>On Tuesday we'll practice reading and writing skills during morning center time. At math we'll continue to finish up any Day 100 projects. We'll be packing up early to get ready for the LEST Preview assembly at the end of the day. Our students will get to hear some of our musicians, see the dance team and meet the other teams competing at LEST. We hope it inspires them to join the competitive fun when they are in 5th-8th grade at BLS.</p><p>Wednesday, we'll have a chapel message from Pastor Josh and then a Valentine story in class. After recess we'll have a Valentine's Day party and go home early as it's an early release day.</p><p>Lots of learning, lots of fun all packed into a tiny package! I can't wait!</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-52665343012490132282024-02-04T11:41:00.000-08:002024-02-04T11:41:23.019-08:00How Do We Show Love?<p>It's February so everyone is excited for Valentine's Day. We've been talking about how we can show love to others in class. Your kids know kind words, helping hands and smiles all show love. We'll be discussing how to keep love a daily goal all year long. </p><p>I'm looking forward to another full week of learning and fun. I hope the sun comes out and we see the first signs of Spring.</p><p>As we study God's Word this week, we'll learn what Jesus was teaching at the Sermon on the Mount. We'll practice the monthly Bible memory verse using ASL signs to help us remember key words.</p><p>Our focus in phonics and reading will be on the letter Ss. This is a tricky one to write, so we'll spend extra time on writing until we get it right. We'll be reading, writing and spelling using 's' in words. New red words are: his, as. Students will begin a new informational writing piece about forces where we will write about what we are learning in science. At story time, we'll discuss story events and ask higher level questions challenging students to compare, contrast and make inferences.</p><p>In math, we'll finish up our latest module on adding and subtracting to 10 and take a test. Next, we'll begin writing equations where we solve for a specific group. This requires a deep understanding of how addition and subtraction work, great listening skills and checking for errors. This module lays the foundation for first grade and beyond. </p><p>Students will be using forces to begin motion in a system in science. We'll answer questions about the direction of the forces at play and use appropriate vocabulary to explain our learning.</p><p>Color groups are taking turns to accompany the class as we sing and act out motions to songs in music. We are also learning new worship and prayerful songs.</p><p>I will begin second trimester one on one assessments in preparation for report cards. I enjoy spending time with each student and learning more about what they know. There's always a lot to celebrate.</p><p>It's going to be a good week; I'm so thankful for all the ways our class shows love to others. I'm sure it makes God smile.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-30223947146131536612024-01-28T11:48:00.000-08:002024-01-28T11:48:38.402-08:00Will Spring Come Early?<p>This week we'll move from January into February and edge a little closer to Spring. On Friday, we'll discuss Ground Hog Day and how the folk take began in our country. Most likely we'll be having quite a bit more winter and that's OK. The cold weather prepares the Earth to grow new life again in Spring. In kindergarten, we are growing hearts and minds throughout the year. Our class is beginning to look like future first graders. Growth is a beautiful process.</p><p>In Bible we'll learn what a disciple is and why Jesus called people to be his special students and helpers. Our Bethlehem Buddies with be in on Tuesday to help us understand how to become 'fishers of men'. We will practice a new praise song as we begin each day focusing on learning from God's Word.</p><p>In reading we will add 'e' to our vowel knowledge and apply it in our reading and writing. New red words are: me, have. Students will work on completing their narrative writing piece about snow. We are using a graphic organizer and highlighters to help us stay organized to write multiple sentences. At story time, we'll work on making inferences based on background knowledge. We'll bring out our story event beach ball to add fun to our discussions.</p><p>Students will continue working on good listening skills as they draw pictures and write equations to solve addition and subtraction problems based on a story. We often practice extra challenge problems where equation order is changed or we need to solve for a missing group.</p><p>I hope we make some significant progress in science. We will measure the distance balls roll down a ramp as we discuss force and motion. Students will build a swing set and demonstrate the direction of forces.</p><p>Color groups will get to play xylophones to accompany the class as they sing Do, Re, Mi. We will watch some clip of children's musicals and discuss this the performing arts. </p><p>In art this week, Mrs. DeGraaf will introduce the famous artist, Pablo Picasso. Students will make beautiful, abstract portraits in the Picasso style.</p><p>We've been getting in new learning games and classroom supplies. Everyone is excited to play new games and use the new supplies. These are items bought with our Fall Fest classroom budget. Thank you for your generous giving!</p><p>I'm looking forward to a full week of learning and hope to see the sun peek out at recess (just not on Friday). </p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-67004283654556794722024-01-21T09:52:00.000-08:002024-01-21T09:52:24.077-08:00National Lutheran Schools Week<p>This week we'll be celebrating our faith-based, excellence in education along with all the other Lutheran schools across the nation. It's a BIG week of fun where we show school spirit and teamwork and I can't wait! I hope you catch the joy and energy at Bethlehem Lutheran.</p><p>I'm thankful it looks like the temperatures will warm up a bit and we should be getting outside for recess!</p><p>We have several extra chapel family meetings and practices to ready our teams to compete in Indoor Olympics. I hope you're planning on helping or coming to watch the competitions. We'll also be working hard on several class projects to showcase during the week for NLSW and Steampunk Night. </p><p>At Bible time, we'll practice our monthly Bible verse and continue learning to sing the Doxology in Spanish. We won't take on a new Bible story, but we will start each day with devotions and a prayer.</p><p>In reading and writing we'll spend a week of review. Students will practice reading, spelling and handwriting. We will solve a red word sentence scramble. Everyone will work on using a graphic organizer to write a multi-sentence narrative on snow.</p><p>We are practicing addition and subtraction problems to 10 in math. Students will draw models based on a word story and then write and solve a matching equation. At center time and tech time, we'll focus on math practice.</p><p>I hope we have time to move further into understanding how forces affect how a ball rolls. Students will rebuild their ramps and measure the distance balls roll using cubes. We are working in pairs and at times color groups. Students are learning to work together as a team where each person has a specific job to perform. This is a great time to grow leadership and communication skills.</p><p>Get ready for a wonderful week!</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-41586692929919103462024-01-15T10:43:00.000-08:002024-01-15T10:43:46.852-08:00How Can I Make the World a Better Place?<p>This week we'll learn about Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream for a better world. We'll discuss how God created all of us just right and our differences make us interesting. We'll ask the question, "how can you help others?" Our ideas will be reflected in our art project and a collaborative project with our 8th grade reading buddies.</p><p>As we study the Bible, we'll learn how John the Baptist prepared people to receive the grace Jesus was offering. Students will practice their monthly Bible verse. We are learning to sing the Doxology in Spanish. It's beautiful to praise God in every language.</p><p>We'll focus on the letter Nn in reading and writing. Students will finish a writing piece about a New Year's resolution. We'll begin to organize our thoughts by using a graphic organizer. Next, we'll write a narrative story on how we have fun in the snow. At story time, we'll identify story elements. Our texts will point out different perspectives and we'll discuss point of view. New red words are: he, has.</p><p>In math, we'll finish up our module on comparing numbers. We'll take a test and then move into solving addition and subtraction word problems to 10. As extra challenges, we often give each student an equation with a missing group. Students draw pictures to prove their answer.</p><p>Students will be building a ramp in science and using a ball to measure how forces change the distance the ball rolls. We are learning to work in pairs or small groups to solve problems.</p><p>In music we'll discuss the language of music and how we can read music. Groups of students will accompany the class with instruments as we sing songs. We'll watch some clips of children's musicals and discus how musicals combine drama, dance and song to tell a story. We'll learn these are performing arts.</p><p>On iPads this week, we'll be practicing math skills.</p><p>There's rumor of a possibility of a Bear Party.. we hope to finish the week off with popcorn and fun.</p><p>It will be cold and wintery outside, but warm and active inside our school. It will be a good week of winter fun and learning.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-26624244500813957032024-01-07T11:17:00.000-08:002024-01-07T11:17:02.739-08:00It's a New Year!<p>I love the holidays, but getting through them and into the new year is a welcome change. In kindergarten we'll be starting many new things as we roll into the new year.</p><p>One of our new things is a wonderful person. Mrs. DeGraaf will be the long term sub for Mrs. Arnold as she student teaches in first grade. Mrs. DeGraaf is kind and fun, she's an expert at art and has lots of experience teaching children. I am looking forward to having her in the classroom and know you will love her.</p><p>In Bible we'll cover the story of the Magi as they travel to give gifts to the baby Jesus. The Bible does not say that there were just three wise men or that they were present at the birth of Christ. We'll discuss the meaning of gifts, who these wise men were and why they came. Students will learn how God protected Jesus and His family once the wise men left. We'll begin learning our January Bible verse and the ASL signs to go with it.</p><p>This week in reading the focus is on the letter Ff. Students will learn how to write it correctly, it's sound and use it in reading and writing words. We will hand out new writing journals! Students will write in their journals weekly and eventually take them home to continue writing in the summer. At story time we'll review story concepts and focus on understanding the main topic. Students will recall story sequence as we discuss a text. New red words are: off, from.</p><p>In math we'll begin a module on comparing numbers to 10. Students will use past knowledge to decide if groups are greater, less or equal. As we study the calendar, we'll learn how to write the date using numbers. Students will begin adding the date to their daily practice work.</p><p>It will be exciting to begin a new science unit on forces and motion. Students will share what they know about engineering, force and motion. We will begin by making an inventory of our building materials.</p><p>Our weekly art lesson will include a tie to one of our stories and be all about a snowman. We'll learn what the word 'perspective' means. Students will design a snowman from an unique perspective. Watch for new art work displayed in our hallway gallery. </p><p>With the Christmas program behind us, we move into learning more about musical notes. Students will learn to identify notes and understand their sound. I'll be bring out instruments soon and the class will learn to accompany those who are singing.</p><p>At tech time this week, we'll read books through the online library, Epic.</p><p>I've missed each student and being in the classroom. It will be great fun to see everyone again and begin learning together once more in this new year.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-82860885475827546162023-12-17T11:44:00.000-08:002023-12-17T11:44:19.664-08:00Oh Come, All Ye Faithful<p> We hope you will all come to our Christmas program on Thursday! It will be a sweet time of remembering the true reason for the season. Come and worship with us. It will do your heart good!</p><p>Christmas is almost here and we have a big week in school. It will be fun and crazy at times with practices, performances and parties!</p><p>In Bible we will focus on the story of Jesus' birth in this season of Advent. On Tuesday our Bethlehem Buddies will be sharing and caring with their small groups. Each day we will add to our Advent tree with a card and fact about Jesus.</p><p>We will forge ahead in reading and writing, adding Rr to our sounds, reading and spelling practice. Students will practice identifying this sound and using it in words and sentences. Our last decodable will go home for this reading log. Please make daily reading a positive habit at home over the break.</p><p>In math we'll finish up our module on counting to 100, and counting on from a given number. We'll start a new module in January. Students will finish the week learning about vertical addition and subtraction.</p><p>There will be a big focus on music this week with multiple practices before our program performances on Thursday. Our students are learning what it takes to be part of a bigger group and perform for a crowd. We are learning timing, patience and following directions. The payoff will be the joy of bringing the gift of song to others!</p><p>Our class Christmas party is set for the end of the day on December 20th. Many thanks to our good crew of parent volunteers. </p><p>We hope you are staying well and well rested; it's a big week ahead. We can't wait to share Christmas joy with you!</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-86213238999392858402023-12-10T13:03:00.000-08:002023-12-10T13:03:33.227-08:00Let Heaven and Nature Sing<p> We are singing a lot in kindergarten! Christmas music is playing and we are practicing for our Christmas program next week. With each day, we get better at singing together and experience the joy of expressing our excitement with song.</p><p>In Bible this week we'll begin learning about the Mary and Joseph and all they went through before the birth of Jesus. We'll practice our verse and continue celebrating Advent each day.</p><p>In reading and writing we'll focus on letter Bb this week, adding it to our reading and spelling practice. Students will work on red word recognition. We'll try to finish up our written piece on our opinion of a great color. Students are using a graphic organizer to help them plan out their writing. We'll review what the author and illustrator do in a book. Students will practice giving opinions and supporting reasons during story time.</p><p>We will finish up our module on writing numbers 6-10 and take a quick quiz. Next, up is counting to 100 and learning to read and write two digit numbers. Students will count on from a given number and practice finding missing numbers in a sequence.</p><p>In science, we'll check on our salt evaporation experiment and record the process. We'll explore how recycling works. Students will learn how and why it's important to recycle. We will apply our knowledge of evaporation to recycle our own paper (which will dry over Christmas break).</p><p>Music time is busy with Christmas program practice. We're beginning to get the songs down to memory and they are sounding really nice.</p><p>In art this week, we'll apply the technique of patterns and lines to make some pretty Christmas ornaments.</p><p>The days are rolling by quickly as Christmas is approaching. It's a very happy and busy time of year!</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-90614403239192991802023-12-03T11:46:00.000-08:002023-12-03T11:46:23.365-08:00Joy! Joy!<p>Everyday is joyful in kindergarten, especially as we count down the days until Christmas! This will be a busy and happy week as we learn and make gifts for those we love.</p><p>In Bible we'll review the story of the birth of John and how angels are messengers from God. We'll practice our new verse and our Christmas worship songs. Each day we'll discuss the advent message Mr. Haan gives during announcements. </p><p>In reading and writing we'll focus on the vowel 'u'. Students will read and spell words using this vowel. At story time we'll discuss opinions and giving reasons for your opinions. This will lead into writing about our personal opinions. Students will begin a writing piece about their favorite color. This time we'll use a graphic organizer to record our thoughts. Students will review the role that the author and illustrator play in a text. We'll explore new Christmas books on Epic during iPad time.</p><p>Students will finish our module on counting to 10 in math and take a test. Next we'll practice writing those numbers correctly. If time permits, we each student a daily challenge problem right at their level.</p><p>In art we'll learn about the legend of the Poinsettia plant and make beautiful prints for the hall gallery. You'll want to check out out ravens we drew in oil pastel. They were an expression on Native American art from a Pacific Northwest tribal legend.</p><p>Students will sing, sing, sing preparing for our Christmas program throughout the week.</p><p>We'll learn about the Yakima fishing methods in social studies and add details to our culture web. </p><p>Students will check on their evaporation experiment in science, watching for salt crystals to appear.</p><p>Our room is 'beginning to look a lot like Christmas', we've added cheerful tissue paper wreaths. This week you'll see gingerbread people appear. </p><p>There's rumor that a bear party is possible if we work together! </p><p>We're looking forward to a great week in kindergarten,</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-30738090403013685732023-11-26T09:40:00.000-08:002023-11-26T09:40:33.023-08:00Advent is Coming!<p>This is an exciting time of year... we just had a good break for Thanksgiving and soon we'll be counting down the days and weeks until Christmas! It's a busy and happy time, it's also a time to be thankful for the best gift of all, the birth of Christ.</p><p>In Bible we'll begin learning about Zachariah and Elizabeth and Jesus' cousin, John. Our Bethlehem Buddies will open the story for us on Tuesday. This will be the last week to say our November Bible verse. Next week we'll start learning our December verse.</p><p>This week in reading and writing we'll focus on the letter Pp. We'll add it to our reading and dictation practice. Students will begin practice writing their first and last names. At story time we'll practice identifying the problem and solution in a narrative text. Students will learn what rolls the author and illustrator play in writing. At centers, we'll practice identifying vowel sounds and the beginning, middle and end sounds in a three letter word.</p><p>In math we'll take a few days to dig deeper into the understanding of addition and subtraction by using pictures to find a missing group. This will help prepare our students for what's ahead in first grade. Next, we'll begin learning about number groups from 6-10.</p><p>We are diligently preparing for music our Christmas music program by incorporating practice into worship times and any extra time we get throughout the week. Students also learn the elements of music and how to apply them in our music lesson each week. Mrs. Arnold is great at helping us to enjoy music and beat, especially as we worship.</p><p>In art we'll start decorating the classroom for Christmas! Students will design Christmas trees and make beautiful wreaths.</p><p>For social studies, students will learn more about the Yakima tribal nation. We'll learn more about their culture and make a poster on the specifics. We'll hear a legend and discuss oral story telling.</p><p>We'll do a fun science experiment that uses evaporation to separate salt from water. Students will see how processes of separation help in recycling.</p><p>It will be busy and fun as we learn together. We've missed our class and we're excited to start a good, full week.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-81940751018622050852023-11-19T07:29:00.000-08:002023-11-19T07:29:00.985-08:00We Are Thankful<p>We have so much to be thankful for in kindergarten! Great parents, great kids and spending time together each day learning is a blessing. Thank you for raising such wonderful children, it's a joy to see them grow.</p><p>We have a very short week ahead with just two early release days and then Thanksgiving break. Mrs. Arnold and I will be meeting with parents to finish up our parent-teacher conferences in the afternoons and evenings. </p><p>At school, students will focus on what being thankful is all about. We'll see what God has to say about the subject, and talk about why we are thankful.</p><p>We'll be reviewing reading and writing skills. At story time, students will discuss an informational book about the Pilgrims and a funny narrative about Thanksgiving.</p><p>Students will practice our songs for the Christmas program. We'll learn what a cornucopia is and paint one to decorate out classroom.</p><p>After this longer break, we'll have several surprises in place for our students. There will be a new seating arrangement and we'll welcome a new student to our class!</p><p>We can't wait to hear about everyone's Thanksgiving and hope it is a blessed time for every family.</p><p>Thankful for each of you,</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-32151715472834758402023-11-12T11:09:00.000-08:002023-11-12T11:09:08.725-08:00Parent-Teacher ConferencesMrs. Arnold and I really enjoy sitting down with parents and sharing student progress. We're looking forward to seeing you soon. Come with any questions or concerns and be ready to share your insights on how best to help your child succeed. We are always interested in parent's perspectives. When we work well together as a team, your child will benefit. We also want to encourage you as parents and let you know we appreciate all you do for your child.<div><br /></div><div>This week in Bible we will study David becoming the King of Israel as a young man. We'll discuss how his heart was right toward God and because of that, God used him as a leader. Students will practice our monthly Bible verse along with the ASL signs.</div><div><br /></div><div>In reading, we'll focus on letter Kk this week. Students will learn a useful rule of grammar called the Cat/Kite rule. The letter c is used when followed by and a, o, u or consonant. Letter k is used when followed by and i or e. We'll write words and sentences using this rule. At story time, we'll contrast narrative texts with informational texts. Students will give opinions based on details from the stories. At center time, we're practicing identifying vowel sounds in words.</div><div><br /></div><div>We'll try to finish up our module on addition and subtraction in math. Students are being careful to listen to story problems and determine if they should add or subtract. We're writing complete equations that support our model of the story. At tech time, we'll practice math skills on the Happy Numbers app.</div><div><br /></div><div>Students will turn to learn about Native Americans in our social studies lesson. We'll define what a tribe is and look at maps of where they're located. Students will begin studying one of our local tribes, the Yakima. We'll examine their music and art this week. Students will paint a model of a Yakima weaving pattern.</div><div><br /></div><div>In music, we're practicing for the Christmas program several times a week. We also incorporate our Christmas songs into our Bible times of worship and as our end of the day prayer.</div><div><br /></div><div>Friday is an early release day and we'll be starting conferences. Report cards go home that day. Be sure and read through the report card carefully before your conference. </div><div><br /></div><div>It will be a good week of learning as we wrap up our first trimester in kindergarten. We're so thankful for all our students and parents.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mrs. Luoma</div>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-82020963653596128602023-11-05T14:37:00.000-08:002023-11-05T14:37:06.331-08:00Honoring Heroes<p> This week we will honor our Veterans at chapel on Wednesday. In class we'll be discussing how God uses heroes to protect others. We'll relate it to many Biblical heroes like Joseph and Moses. We'll share how God's word reminds us God can take any willing person and build them into a hero. This week in Bible we'll start learning about David and how he was an unlikely choice for King. We'll begin daily practice of our November Bible verse.</p><p>In reading, we'll cover letter Jj and add it to our writing. Students will practice listening and identifying vowel sounds in words. We will write letters, words and sentences using good sentence structure. At story time, students will compare and contrast narrative and expository texts. We will identify the main topic in an informational text and state two supporting facts.</p><p>Students will continue to work on fluency from 0-5 in addition and subtraction problems in math. On Tuesday we'll begin our next module where we continue to add and subtract. </p><p>In science we'll wrap up the unit on Weather and Sky with a final quiz and assessment. </p><p>We'll be working hard on learning our songs for the Christmas program, attending multiple practices every week. Our class is excited to be part of a whole school performance.</p><p>At center time we'll have time to practice math and phonemic awareness in small groups. Students will also finish up a few fall art projects for the classroom.</p><p>It is a shorter week, but we'll fit in a lot of learning!</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-16332046627058518232023-10-29T10:06:00.000-07:002023-10-29T10:06:11.761-07:00Communicating<p> Much of what we teach has something to do with learning how to communicate clearly. Neat handwriting, writing about different themes, reading out loud, learning letters and sounds, speaking clearly and giving good eye contact...these are all skills we practice weekly, because good communication skills are so essential for success in life. We encourage you to work on building good communication skills at home, too. Have conversations and ask questions, and dialog using complete sentences.</p><p>I'll be finishing up my individual assessments of student progress this week. It's been a joy to spend a little time with each student. They've been able to communicate a lot of useful information!</p><p>This week in writing we'll note how expository authors present a main topic and support it with details. Students will identify the main topic in informational texts and list supporting details. We'll focus on the vowel 'i' this week, learning it's short sound. Students will read and write words using all the letters we've covered so far. We'll begin learning about the different kind of end marks we can use when we write sentences. End marks are yet one more way authors communicate meaning.</p><p>In Bible this week we'll see how God gave Moses the 10 commandments for God's people to obey. On Tuesday our Bethlehem Buddies will be here to help us understand what each commandment means. We will learn that sinful people need rules to govern their lives. The Law is good, but no one can keep it perfectly so it shows us the need for grace and forgiveness.</p><p>We'll be finishing up our module on adding and subtracting to 5 in math. After a test, students will practice fluently solving addition and subtraction problems.</p><p>Monday we're having our class Fall party at the end of the day, then Tuesday is Halloween. The 31st is also Reformation Day, when Martin Luther addressed errors in the Catholic church. November 1st is the Mexican holiday of 'Day of the Dead' where deceased loved ones are remembered. Mrs. Arnold has some special surprises planned to help our students understand how the local culture celebrates on November 1st.</p><p>In science, we are designing and building shade structures. Students are learning to use a variety of materials to construct stable structures. We know it takes practice and thought, and every design can be improved upon. We'll also review what we know about the weather and severe weather forms as we finish up this unit.</p><p>Our art project will be painting beautiful Fall leaves using tempra paints and adding details with markers.</p><p>As we measure daily temperatures, our students are noticing it's getting colder quickly. Be sure and help your child to come to school prepared for some chilly recesses!</p><p>We'll be warm in the classroom and moving ahead into new fun and learning.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-63770235709882275032023-10-22T08:45:00.000-07:002023-10-22T08:45:38.487-07:00Does it rhyme?<p>Does it rhyme? This is a question we are asking frequently in class. For some students hearing and making up rhyming words comes naturally, for others it can be quite challenging. Recognizing rhyming words is important for early reading skills so it's something we'll be practicing often!</p><p>This week in Bible we'll study the last plague that finally made Pharoah release God's people. The Passover is a picture of how Jesus sacrifice covers our sins today. We'll practice our monthly Bible verse and watch some clips from 'The Prince of Egypt' to bring the story to life.</p><p>In reading and writing we'll cover the letter 'Tt' this week. Students will read and write words using this letter and sound. We begin our first week of writing dictated sentences. At story time, our focus is on hearing rhyming words and understanding opinions. We will state opinions and give reasons for our opinions. We'll move into our second decodable, practicing all our skills as we sound out words and recognize red words in a text.</p><p>Everything begins to get exciting in math as we begin learning how to add and subtract to 5. Students will draw pictures and solve equations from word stories. We will learn about the plus and minus sign and use them when we write equations. Students will read equations out loud and check for mistakes. This is a longer, foundational module where we'll work hard to create a clear understanding of addition and subtraction.</p><p>In science, we'll continue giving daily weather reports and recording temperatures in the shade and in the sun. Students will help graph and compare temperatures. We'll look for trends and predict the weather for the next day. We'll apply our knowledge of how blocking the sun makes for cooler temperatures and begin designing structures to block the sun.</p><p>We'll practice all our skills at center time where students work in smaller groups. During tech time this week we'll play a game where students identify rhyming words.</p><p>It's fall and we see lots of spider out! In art this week we'll draw spider webs with oil pastels and add a beautiful watercolor background wash. Watch for our artwork as it gets displayed in the hallway gallery.</p><p>I'll be beginning to do one on one assessments with each student this week. We assess student learning in many different ways; through daily work, games, center activities and tests. Combined with one on one assessments, we get a clear view of where your student is and where they need to go.</p><p>I love the turn of the seasons and seeing the changes in our students. We are growing up and making great progress.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-5256316167489893462023-10-14T18:00:00.002-07:002023-10-14T18:00:59.163-07:00Our Short Week<p> This is a short school week for us as teachers are leaving on Wednesday to attend a Lutheran Educators Conference. This is a great time for the BLS staff to become students and learn new strategies to make us better teachers. It's always a good trip full of lots of learning where we return refreshed and excited to try new things in the classroom.</p><p>Our chapel will be on Tuesday morning. On Monday we'll be reviewing our Bible verse and doing a daily devotion in class.</p><p>We'll put to good use our short week and review all the letters and sounds we've covered. Students will be writing about how to stay safe in severe weather. We'll focus on rhyming words and sharing opinions at story time. Weekly readers will be introduced and practiced in class. We're excited for our students to begin regular reading practice at home where their reading is recorded on a reading log.</p><p>In math, we'll begin a module on addition and subtraction to 5. This will be a great foundational chapter that students build on throughout the year.</p><p>At music time, students are composing their own compositions using quarter notes and rests. Then the class has fun playing the beat with claps. Our class seems to have a great sense of timing and we hope they'll all be future musicians.</p><p>At tech time our students work on various games based on their skills with letters and sounds. </p><p>We hope you have something special planned for the days off ahead and enjoy extra family time.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-67819326157111631442023-10-08T11:33:00.002-07:002023-10-08T11:33:29.009-07:00Fall Fest is Almost Here!<p>Fall Fest is coming this Saturday, October 14th! We hope all our families can spend the morning at Howard Amon Park having fun. We're so proud of how the whole school works together to help BLS get better. We're excited to celebrate every incentive that is earned. </p><p>We'll be learning more about Moses at Bible time this week. Students will learn how God used Moses to free His people from Egypt. We'll cover the plagues and watch a clip of what if might have been like from 'The Prince of Egypt'. Students will practice this month's Bible verse daily, understanding how God's people are meant to use their gifts to help one another.</p><p>In reading and writing we'll focus on the letter Dd as we write letters, learn sounds and spell words. Students will be introduced to rhyming words and the concept of opinion writing. We'll break words into sounds, write them and reread what we write. We'll draw and write rhyming words with our 8th grade reading buddies on Thursday. Our stories will all have rhyming text. We'll read several Llama, Llama books and tie in llama paper art on Friday.</p><p>We begin a new module in math where we practice classifying objects based on color, shape and size. Students will sort and count the groups they classify and compare the number in each group. It's a pretty easy and fun concept, so we'll walk through it quickly and be ready for a test on Friday.</p><p>Color groups are working on following rules and earning points for showing 'responsibility' in class each day.</p><p>In science, we'll review severe weather forms and the water cycle. Students will begin to compare temperatures in the sun and shade daily. We'll graph the results each day in math so we can discover if temperatures are different over time. On Friday, we'll learn more about severe weather and specifically, floods. Students will learn how to have an emergency kit ready at home.</p><p>At center time, we'll practice lots of sorting and classifying. Students will put story cards in the proper sequence and we'll segment words by sound and letters.</p><p>We're looking forward to a happy week of learning in kindergarten.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-70478760154378181582023-10-01T11:27:00.000-07:002023-10-01T11:27:38.559-07:00Hello October<p> It looks like it will be a sunny and pleasant start to October. It's exciting to see a new season emerging. We'll be talking about the cycle of seasons and how the weather changes with the seasons in science this week. As students come in on Monday, they'll notice a change in our classroom, too! We have a new seating arrangement. Changing seats every month or two helps students make new friends and work together on different color teams. It also helps teachers to meet the needs of everyone better.</p><p>Friday will be a fun day focused on Fall and Pumpkins! In the morning, we'll pick pumpkins from our own playground patch, decorate them, eat pumpkin donuts and play pumpkin games. Students will watch 'The Great Pumpkin'. Later in the day, we'll have a pumpkin story, and do a pumpkin art project in the style of Romero Britto. At centers, small groups will work on a pumpkin STEM engineering project.</p><p>In Bible this week, we'll cover the first part of the story of Moses and see how God protected him as a baby. We discuss the topics of God's protection and trusting God with our worries. Students will begin learning our October Bible verse by heart using ASL signs to help remember the words.</p><p>We'll cover letter Cc in handwriting skills and in reading. By the end of the week we'll be using all our letters to read, spell and write words. Students will write about the Fall season. At story time we'll review characters and setting, students will identify sequence in a narrative story.</p><p>This week in math, we'll finish our module on comparing groups and numbers. Students will take a test on what they know Thursday.</p><p>In technology we'll play games that focus on letter and sound matching.</p><p>We continue to learn how to work together as a small group by focusing on good character. With this seating change, we'll practice 'responsibility' in what we do and say. </p><p>Our class is applying what they know about the forms of water and water cycle to weather in science. We'll do some reviewing through song and then learn about severe weather. Everyday we have a student give a weather report to the class noting: temperature, wind speed and precipitation. </p><p>In music, we'll learn more about the many ways to express praise God through song. Mrs. Arnold keeps it fun and active so everyone LOVES music time.</p><p>We're looking forward to a fun, full week of Fall!</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p><p><br /></p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312110207181595728.post-49174694593204682752023-09-24T11:39:00.003-07:002023-09-24T11:39:44.730-07:00Get Ready for Fall Fest!<p> Everyone was excited after our Fall Fest assembly last Friday! Excited to earn incentives and prizes, excited to go to Fall Fest to play with friends. We hope parents are excited, too for all the ways they can help make BLS a better school. Be sure and check out the goals we're raising funds to cover and find out how you can help support our school. Donate, volunteer and come to Fall Fest to celebrate the BLS family.</p><p>It's a shorter week, with Friday being a no school day. Teachers will be working at school for professional development. We are learning how to increase student comprehension at BLS. </p><p>As we study God's Word this week, we'll learn about Joseph and his brothers. This is a great story of family disfunction and how God uses forgiveness and healing. Our class will meet their Bethlehem Buddies on Tuesday. These are BLC members who volunteer to come in once a month to tell the Bible story to a small group from our class. These special people share their faith and pray for our kids throughout the year.</p><p>We start a new section in math where students will compare groups and numbers. Students will learn what greater, less and equals means and apply it to groups and numbers.</p><p>In reading and writing this week, we'll cover the letter Gg. Students will learn the sound, symbol and how to write Gg correctly. We'll spell words using all the letters we've covered so far. Our class is doing well remembering the parts of a book and concepts of print. At story time we'll continue to practice identifying the characters and setting in a text. This week we'll focus on sequence or story order. We apply this same concept in math (counting order) and letter order in a word (beginning sound, middle and end). Students will practice writing words and a sentence correctly with a guided drawing of an owl. We are practicing 'red words' often through whole group chants and games. On Thursdays, our 8th grade reading buddies help us review and practice new concepts.</p><p>In social studies, we'll learn more about the jobs in our building by interviewing our custodian, Mr. Youngstrom. I bet many will think his job is the coolest in the building!</p><p>Students will move deeper into their understanding of the weather by learning about the water cycle in science. We'll do a cool cloud experience to watch how rain fall out of clouds.</p><p>Mrs. Arnold will have us moving and dancing to the beat as we learn and sing songs that review concepts we're learning.</p><p>At tech time, students will be playing letter games or reading leveled books on Tuesday.</p><p>It will be a good week, a full week with lots of smiles and learning.</p><p>Mrs. Luoma</p>Unknownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10402535231987150497noreply@blogger.com0