Orca K-8 website - Mr. McCullough (Jim) - Kindergarten

SNOW SNOW NEWS NEWS

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:34:51 PST

About the Wednesday, December 17 FIELD TRIP:

If tomorrow (Wednesday) is either a no-school SNOW DAY or a 2-HOUR DELAY school day, (and it appears at this point that this may end up being the case), then we will be unable to go on this field trip.

Message from the Festival of Children committee:

"If school is closed either Wednesday or Thursday this week due to snow, then the Festival of Children will be postponed until after our Winter Break. The new date for this evening festival would be Thursday, January 8th."

KIWI, anyone? SPEAKERPHONE, anyone?

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:53:33 PST

TODAY MAX brought in a stuffed animal KIWI. We then began reviewing what we know about kiwis. And we did some analyzing,

Noticing that Max’s kiwi was brown, but with orange-ish legs and feet, we wondered about the feet. And we took a vote (as we typically do): Who thinks the legs are really orange? Who thinks they probably are not really orange?

Later we wondered about the bird’s wings and tail, specifically: Do kiwis have wings and tails? Mr. McCullough told the kids that he knew that kiwis in fact did have small wings – and he guessed they must have tails as well, albeit very small ones which perhaps are not easy to spot (being hidden under the tail feathers). Again, we discussed this and took a vote by a show of hands. Well, said, Mr. McCullough, maybe we should call the LIBRARY to check on these questions. And so we did.

We used the speakerphone, we chose (by random drawing) a spokesperson (and it ended up being AUDREY this time), then made our call. The students listened attentively, doing an excellent job. The results of our call: kiwi legs and feet are actually light brown, and kiwis (according to the librarian who checked in an encyclopedia for us) do not have tails.

FIELD TRIP NEWS - LUNCHES and other UPDATES...!

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:13:22 PST

We will go to the Children’s Theater (click below for link to their webpage) on December 17 (to see "Wizard of Oz").

SHOWTIME will be 10:30-12:30
LUNCH and stretching time/restroom time from 12:40-1:20
THE BUS leaving the Seattle Center to head back at 1:30
ARRIVING BACK at school about 2:00.
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I HAVE ORDERED SCHOOL LUNCHES FOR 7 STUDENTS: Zola, Alexandra, Lily, Jeanette, Daniel, Audrey, Jordan. THE OTHER STUDENTS should bring a DISPOSABLE LUNCH (e.g., a sandwich and fruit and drink in a bag).

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The fee (for admission and bus combined) is $16. If you cannot make this payment for any reason, or can pay just a reduced amount, that is fine. Just send me a note.

You can make CHECKS out to: "Orca PTA"

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HELPERS:
I have been told that (for the Children's Theater) we can have only 2 helpers go with us (due to space and ticket limitations). And I have been told that the helpers too will need to pay the admission fee (sorry!). Evan's mom has volunteered to be one of the helpers. And Alexandra's mom has volunteered now as well. Thank you, ladies!

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OTHER FIELD TRIPS:

We will go to the CHILDREN'S THEATER again on May 1 - to see "Goodnight Moon").

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DANCE CLASS UPDATE

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:00:50 PST

Last week our dance instructor, Ms. Karen, shared a HANUKKAH story - focusing on the menorah candle-holder with its eight candles. This week she read a KWAANZA story - and the children practiced a Ghanian song/dance called che-che-ku-le. And later in the week she shared a CHRISTMAS-related story about a slobbering dog named Claude.

The children have been learning and practicing a song about peace – and are learning how to sign it (in American Sign Language). Among the signs learned for the song are: man, woman, child/children, love, young, old, freedom, world, peace.

The children will sing the song they are learning (the one using signs) at the evening assembly on DECEMBER 18.