Celebrate Our Presentation of Learning

Moms and Dads,
Hope you'll be able to share time with us at our first Presentation of Learning because we want to tell you all about apples!

This invitation card created with Smilebox

Aloha kakou Parents,

Arigato gozaimasu for your donations to our Give Aloha PTO Fundraising Project! It is greatly appreciated!

Mahalo for the pictures emailed this past week. I can't believe the variety of photos received! They are all incredibly fun to view and priceless. The children are customizing the color of their page and adding their thoughts as we prepare our first digital classbook!

Reading with your child can be one of your best parenting experiences.  It will create a lifetime of memories if you make reading aloud a daily habit.  Literature will open countless doors for your child too.  Research has shown that it:

1. Boosts their imagination
2. Contributes background knowledge in other subject areas
3. Increases their vocabulary and grammar, and has the potential to improve writing skills
4. Stimulates creativity

I want your child to keep turning pages all year long so our class has been enrolled in the Book It! 'read your heart out' Program, sponsered by Pizza Hut.  This program has been motivating children to read for many years.  It runs from October 1, 2013 - March 31, 2014.

Through Book It!, your child has the opportunity to earn a Reading Award Certificate by meeting a monthly reading goal. The Reading Award Certificate can be redeemed at Pizza Hut for a free, one-topping Personal Pan Pizza to celebrate the reading accomplishment.  On the first visit, they will also receive an official Book It! Passport to Reading and sticker to track their reading progress.  On subsequent visits, they will get another free Personal Pan Pizza and sticker to add to their passport.

The monthly reading goal to receive this Pizza Hut Certificate is simple.  Students will be required to make one oral book share per month to their peers. Modeling will be done in class so they can observe some strategies such as maintaining eye contact, good posture, and projecting their voice.  For some students, sharing a book is not an easy mission. However, if their presentation is practiced at home, they will feel more at ease. This will be an exciting and useful experience for everyone as it is a fun way to build confidence and allows them to express their own opinions.

Oral book shares should include:

1. Bring the book to show everyone
2. Read the title and the name of the author and illustrator
3. Explain one part they liked about the book through an illustration

Please contact me via email or  note at least one day before your child plans to share his/her book with the class. Reading Award Certificates will be issued by the last day of the month. Mahalo!

Dates to remember: 

• Wednesday, October 2nd - All Library books due
• Wednesday, October 2nd - Grandparents' Day Program in the Temple Annex, 10:00-10:30am. Please have your child wear casual party attire.
• Wednesday, October 9th - Presentation of Learning RSVP due
• Friday, October 11th - Presentation of Learning 'Apples, Apples' in the K-1 Classroom from 8:30-9:30am.  Please remember to bring a knife as you will be cutting an apple for your child.  (Apples will be provided.)
• Friday, October 25th - October Book Shares to be completed

Warmest Aloha,
Mrs. Lee

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

We've been learning about Johnny Appleseed, graphing, and dots this week.  Watch us in action!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Aloha kakou Parents,

Plans are to Skype with Mrs. Koch and her Kindergarten-First Grade class in Kansas City, Missouri in October.  Prior to our class' initial conversation, we decided to share a bit of our environment with each other.  They'll gather and send some fall colored leaves, seed pods, and pine cones, along with a collection of autumn pictures of Missouri .  We'll send some dried flowers that are native to Hawaii as well as some seashells. Our keiki will share photos of their favorite local places to visit. Their pictures, with an explanation (typed by me) why they enjoyed this particular  place will be compiled into a digital 'Classroom Book' emailed to our new Mainland friends. This is a wonderful learning opportunity for an interactive exchange and collaboration even though they are living thousands of miles away. These real time conversations will expand our classroom walls.

I will need your assistance to email a photo of your child's favorite local place to visit.  It could be their grandparent's home, a park, beach, toy store, etc.  Your child has the option to be included in the photo. Please email the photo to wendy.lee@hongwanji.us by Wednesday, September 25th.   A copy of the book will be emailed to you. Mahalo.

October is National Apple Month! Learning about our favorite fruit is exciting and will be filled with numerous activities.  An upcoming lesson is graphing their favorite type of apple.  Is it Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious, or Granny Smith?  They are asked to bring one of those types of apples  to class by Wednesday, September 25th. Arigato for your help!

Dates to remember:

• Wednesday, September 25th - Digital photo of your child's favorite place to visit in Hawaii due.
• Wednesday, September 25th - One apple (Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith ) brought to school.
• Wednesday, September 25th - Grandparents' Day RSVP due.
• Monday, September 30th - myON Reader assignment due. (Minimum of 5 books read)
• Wednesday, October 2nd - Grandparents' Day Program, Temple Annex, 10:00-10:30am.

Please email me if you have any questions.

Warmest Aloha,
Mrs. Lee

A Korean Cinderella

Our first learning trip was to see the HTY play A Korean Cinderella.  It  was like the Cinderella story except this was about a kind and beautiful girl named Kongji who lived in Korea. This is what we liked best about the play.

Aloha Parents,

International Dot Day, is a global celebration  of creativity, courage, and collaboration. This day was inspired by author/illustrator Peter Reynolds of The Dot, who encourages students to 'make their mark' and see where it takes them. This is an opportunity to help our keiki 'open their eyes to the world of creativity and be brave in whatever they do'. 
It has become a special day at HMS and seems to grow a little more every year. Our school will celebrate International Dot Day on Monday, September 16th.  All students are encouraged to wear dots, spots, polka dots, and beauty spots! A watercolor dot design activity is planned to encourage them to use their talents and creativity. We want the students to 'make their mark' in new and exciting ways.

Please remember:

• Monday, September 16th - International Dot Day.  Come to school dressed with dots!
• Tuesday, September 17th - Peace Day Temple Service at 9:00.  Please dress your child appropriately.
• Wednesday, September 18th - Library books due.
• Thursday, September 19th - Aloun Farms Learning Trip Parent Consent Forms and payment due.
• Friday, September 20th - Dance for Peace in the Social Hall, 12:30-1:00.  Your child is encouraged to wear comfortable purple clothing for this event as they will be dancing.  They will not need to wear the P.E. t-shirt for P.E. class.
• Monday, September 30th - myON reading assignment (minimum of 5 books read) due.

Malama pono,
Mrs. Lee

Is Everyone Ready for Fun?

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? is a funny story about a chicken who has some cow visitors who jump, wiggle, and dance on his couch. After listening to this story we learned about verbs. We thought of other actions the cows could do on the chicken's sofa. Look at our action words and cow creations!

 

 

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? - slideshows

Aloha Parents,

Picture Taking is scheduled for Monday, September 6th, at 8:30am.  Please have your child dressed appropriately for this event when they arrive at school.  There will be a group photo taken this year. Yeah! The keiki will change into P.E. clothes before first recess.  Kindly submit payment for the pictures if you haven't done so.

Please remember:

• Sunday, September 1st - Monday, September 30th - Foodland's Give Aloha Program
• Wednesday, September 11th - Field Trip to Tenney Theatre for A Korean Cinderella with lunch at Hawaii State Art Museum. A reminder will be in your child's school folder on Tuesday.
• Wednesday, September 18th - Library books due

A hui hou,
Mrs. Lee