| We are busy here at Willowwind! PLEASE mark your calendars! |
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Important Upcoming Events
Now Open! - Lone Wolf Diner
It is the beginning of a new year for the Wolves restaurant! As you may know, each year the Wolves sell hot lunch for all Willowwind students. Our class has decided to call this year's business 'Lone Wolf Cafe'. Providing delicious and healthful food from the Cottage and New Pioneer Co-op at good prices for families. We will be serving this lunch on Tuesdays through Thursdays starting TOMORROW Wednesday, February 27th-May 29. We will be serving the Cottage on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the Co-Op on Wednesdays, and will be selling lunch tickets before school on Mondays and Fridays from 8:00-8:30, and after school every day from 3:15-3:45. If unable to purchase at this time, and your child goes to ASP, you can talk to Anna Luria, and she will gladly help you purchase for your child. We will be selling peanut free and limited gluten free meals along with vegetarian options.
You can get different kinds of tickets based on the kind of lunchtime experience you would like your child to have.
One Meal: $7.00
Every Thursday Only: $74.00 (eleven meals)
Every Tuesday Only: $74.00 (eleven meals)
Co-op Unlimited (Wednesdays Only): $77.00 ( you get one free meal) (twelve meals)
Cottage Unlimited (Tuesday and Thursday): $148.00 (you get one free meal)
Unlimited, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: $225.00 ( you get two meals free) (34 meals)
You must purchase a day in advance for single meals only. Wednesday, February 27th meals won't be available at this point, due to ordering timing; however, this works for Cottontail families as the Cottontails will be on a field trip during the 27th's lunch hour.
Click HERE to access the Lone Wolf Cafe's menu. You will also find this menu on the right sidebar of our website's Welcome page.
Parents and guests are welcome to pre purchase and join us for our meals. Please let us know if you have any questions at this address willowwindlonewolves@gmail.com. All profits go towards the Wolves' class trip to an environmental education camp in Illinois. We thank you in advance for supporting our class trip.
Best,
Lone Wolf Cafe
You can get different kinds of tickets based on the kind of lunchtime experience you would like your child to have.
One Meal: $7.00
Every Thursday Only: $74.00 (eleven meals)
Every Tuesday Only: $74.00 (eleven meals)
Co-op Unlimited (Wednesdays Only): $77.00 ( you get one free meal) (twelve meals)
Cottage Unlimited (Tuesday and Thursday): $148.00 (you get one free meal)
Unlimited, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: $225.00 ( you get two meals free) (34 meals)
You must purchase a day in advance for single meals only. Wednesday, February 27th meals won't be available at this point, due to ordering timing; however, this works for Cottontail families as the Cottontails will be on a field trip during the 27th's lunch hour.
Click HERE to access the Lone Wolf Cafe's menu. You will also find this menu on the right sidebar of our website's Welcome page.
Parents and guests are welcome to pre purchase and join us for our meals. Please let us know if you have any questions at this address willowwindlonewolves@gmail.com. All profits go towards the Wolves' class trip to an environmental education camp in Illinois. We thank you in advance for supporting our class trip.
Best,
Lone Wolf Cafe
Saturday, February 23, 2013
We Are Authors
Last week, and this week, have been full of celebrating the joy of becoming authors. Our hard work has paid off and our many drafts of writing and illustrating have brought us to our final Partner Book draft. Last Wednesday, we had the joy of celebrating our writing success through gifting our Partner Books to our special partner. Many events have lead to this moment. Through it all, it is clear that we are proud of our hard work. Our Kindergarteners have done a wonderful job of bringing their Partner Book seeds to life. We began this story's writing process back in November by interviewing members of our Partner Family. The interviews helped us learn about our partner's likes and dislikes. Then using the interview answers we could create a personalized book about, and for, our partner. Our writing came to life with crayon drawings where we used pictures to further show details in our story. When the writing and illustrating process was complete, we moved into the binding and assembling process where we created titles, designed covers, and selected binding colors.
With a finished product in hand, our partners were so excited to receive our gifts of writing and illustrations. It was a true treat giving our hard work to our partners. Take a look at some of our Partner Book Reveal fun below. You can find more photos in the February 2013 Photo Album. Since these books were created as a gift for another student, your child will not be bringing home their own work. Therefore, Thursday, February 28th is our Family Partner Book Share Day. All Willowwind families are invited to come and read our books together. This will occur from 1:15-2:00. We have worked hard on this project and we are thrilled to share them with you! If you are not able to going us, our Partner Books are currently on display near the Front Office for your viewing pleasure.
I
Our finished Partner Books!
The finished Partner Book product!
Partner Book Reveal
Partner Book Reveal
Partner Book Reveal
Partner Book Reveal
Leading up to our much anticipated Partner Book Reveal we had the opportunity to participate in a variety of Literary events. One that we have been looking forward to for a long time was Willowwind's annual Authors' Cocoa. Thank you so much for your presence at our Authors' Cocoa event. The Cottontails were thrilled to share their beautiful poetry with you and our community. Your child's poetry was bounded in a poetry booklet and they will be taking home these booklets as a keepsake from the special day. After Authors' Cocoa the Cottontails took time to select and submit their favorite poetry to Iowa City's Poetry in Public contest. We are anxiously waiting to hear which Willowwind friends will be featured in this event.
Authors' Cocoa
Authors' Cocoa
Authors' Cocoa
When becoming an author it is important to take moments and learn from authors. Amidst our Partner Book celebration we had the joy of visiting with Katherine House, a Prairie Racerunner parent and professional author. Last week she took time out of her writing schedule to talk to us about her latest book Kids in the White House. She took us through her writing process, and the step-by-step design of creating her book. We were excited to take a sneak peek listen to one of her chapters about the "trouble raising" Theodore Roosevelt sons. Check it out when it becomes available. In the meantime check out her other book Lighthouses for Kids available at bookstores, online and at the Iowa City Public Library.
Our author, Katherine
While our Partner Books are finished, the writing celebration doesn't stop. This week, along with Thursday's Family Partner Book Share, on Friday, we will wear our pjs and Drop Everything And Read in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday.
With a finished product in hand, our partners were so excited to receive our gifts of writing and illustrations. It was a true treat giving our hard work to our partners. Take a look at some of our Partner Book Reveal fun below. You can find more photos in the February 2013 Photo Album. Since these books were created as a gift for another student, your child will not be bringing home their own work. Therefore, Thursday, February 28th is our Family Partner Book Share Day. All Willowwind families are invited to come and read our books together. This will occur from 1:15-2:00. We have worked hard on this project and we are thrilled to share them with you! If you are not able to going us, our Partner Books are currently on display near the Front Office for your viewing pleasure.
I
Our finished Partner Books!
The finished Partner Book product!
Partner Book Reveal
Partner Book Reveal
Partner Book Reveal
Partner Book Reveal
Leading up to our much anticipated Partner Book Reveal we had the opportunity to participate in a variety of Literary events. One that we have been looking forward to for a long time was Willowwind's annual Authors' Cocoa. Thank you so much for your presence at our Authors' Cocoa event. The Cottontails were thrilled to share their beautiful poetry with you and our community. Your child's poetry was bounded in a poetry booklet and they will be taking home these booklets as a keepsake from the special day. After Authors' Cocoa the Cottontails took time to select and submit their favorite poetry to Iowa City's Poetry in Public contest. We are anxiously waiting to hear which Willowwind friends will be featured in this event.
Authors' Cocoa
Authors' Cocoa
Authors' Cocoa
When becoming an author it is important to take moments and learn from authors. Amidst our Partner Book celebration we had the joy of visiting with Katherine House, a Prairie Racerunner parent and professional author. Last week she took time out of her writing schedule to talk to us about her latest book Kids in the White House. She took us through her writing process, and the step-by-step design of creating her book. We were excited to take a sneak peek listen to one of her chapters about the "trouble raising" Theodore Roosevelt sons. Check it out when it becomes available. In the meantime check out her other book Lighthouses for Kids available at bookstores, online and at the Iowa City Public Library.
Our author, Katherine
While our Partner Books are finished, the writing celebration doesn't stop. This week, along with Thursday's Family Partner Book Share, on Friday, we will wear our pjs and Drop Everything And Read in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Spring Conference Sign Up
Spring Conferences are just around the corner. Spring Conferences are set for the following dates and times.
Thursday, February 21 2:30 - 7:00
Tuesday, February 26 8:00 - 4:00 (No School / No BASP)
Please use the link below to sign up for a 30 minute conference block. A link to the sign up sheet can also be found on the Welcome page's sidebar. During your child's conference time, we will review your child's school work and discuss their progress, strengths and areas of continued focus. We will also reflect upon your child's personal academic and social goals stated on their Personalized Education Plan and make changes where growth shows necessary. I will also have a folder of their work for you to take home and enjoy. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to meeting with you.
Spring Conference Sign Up Link
Thursday, February 21 2:30 - 7:00
Tuesday, February 26 8:00 - 4:00 (No School / No BASP)
Please use the link below to sign up for a 30 minute conference block. A link to the sign up sheet can also be found on the Welcome page's sidebar. During your child's conference time, we will review your child's school work and discuss their progress, strengths and areas of continued focus. We will also reflect upon your child's personal academic and social goals stated on their Personalized Education Plan and make changes where growth shows necessary. I will also have a folder of their work for you to take home and enjoy. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to meeting with you.
Spring Conference Sign Up Link
Secret Valentine Begins NEXT Monday
Here are some reminders and notes to help your child prepare for this exciting school wide event. Remember, this year, Secret Valentine Week will occur Monday, February 11 - Thursday, February 14.
~ Today your child drew the name of the friend they will be delivering secret gifts to. Please look to your email inbox for information on who your child selected. You will also find this slip taped to the inside of your child's Take Home Folder.
~ Beginning Monday, February 11th, your child will deliver daily a small, HOMEMADE gift AND a clue regarding their identity. Each clue can be simple, such as, "I have brown hair." or "I am in the Cottontail Rabbit class."
~ They will deliver small, HOMEMADE, gifts on M, T, & W. We have already made ONE of our HOMEMADE gifts, so your child only needs to bring in TWO HOMEMADE gifts. Do you need some ideas to get started on your HOMEMADE gifts? Here are three websites with fun, HOMEMADE Valentine crafts.
Enchanted Learning
Kaboose Crafts
DLTK's Crafts for Kids
~ One of the three small, HOMEMADE, gifts can be a baked good from your home. If you choose to give a baked good please clarify any food restrictions or allergies.
~ On Thursday, February 14th your child will reveal their secret identity & gift a larger gift, a book. Students can peruse their bookshelves for a book they are ready to part with, rather than purchasing a book. If your family would prefer to buy a book, you can purchase a gently-used, like new book to help keep costs to a minimum. Both the The Haunted Bookshop in downtown Iowa City and Defunct Books in Sycamore Mall have reasonable prices, a good selection, and are locally owned. If your family decides to purchase a new or like new book please keep in mind our $5 limit price. Prairie Lights is another locally owned bookstore that sells new books. Also, until THURSDAY, the Book Fair would be a great place to find a special book. Many of their books are $4.99
~ 100% participation is a must for all four days.
~ As a suggestion, your child is welcome to bring in all of their gifts and clues on the first day of the Exchange. You child can store all four gifts in their classroom cubby.
~ Today your child drew the name of the friend they will be delivering secret gifts to. Please look to your email inbox for information on who your child selected. You will also find this slip taped to the inside of your child's Take Home Folder.
~ Beginning Monday, February 11th, your child will deliver daily a small, HOMEMADE gift AND a clue regarding their identity. Each clue can be simple, such as, "I have brown hair." or "I am in the Cottontail Rabbit class."
~ They will deliver small, HOMEMADE, gifts on M, T, & W. We have already made ONE of our HOMEMADE gifts, so your child only needs to bring in TWO HOMEMADE gifts. Do you need some ideas to get started on your HOMEMADE gifts? Here are three websites with fun, HOMEMADE Valentine crafts.
Enchanted Learning
Kaboose Crafts
DLTK's Crafts for Kids
~ One of the three small, HOMEMADE, gifts can be a baked good from your home. If you choose to give a baked good please clarify any food restrictions or allergies.
~ On Thursday, February 14th your child will reveal their secret identity & gift a larger gift, a book. Students can peruse their bookshelves for a book they are ready to part with, rather than purchasing a book. If your family would prefer to buy a book, you can purchase a gently-used, like new book to help keep costs to a minimum. Both the The Haunted Bookshop in downtown Iowa City and Defunct Books in Sycamore Mall have reasonable prices, a good selection, and are locally owned. If your family decides to purchase a new or like new book please keep in mind our $5 limit price. Prairie Lights is another locally owned bookstore that sells new books. Also, until THURSDAY, the Book Fair would be a great place to find a special book. Many of their books are $4.99
~ 100% participation is a must for all four days.
~ As a suggestion, your child is welcome to bring in all of their gifts and clues on the first day of the Exchange. You child can store all four gifts in their classroom cubby.
Reminders
We can't wait to see you at Friday's Authors' Cocoa festivities. The K-2 students will be presenting their written work at 10:30. See you then!
Volunteer opportunities are available. Please email me (unless otherwise noted) if you are interested. As always, Volunteer Opportunities are also highlighted on our Welcome Page's right sidebar. I am always grateful for your help and could not do what I do at such an amazing level without your help.
Drivers Needed: Home Ec Workshop Field Trip
Friday, February 22nd 9:30 - 11:45
We are so excited to make our way to Iowa City's local fabric shop Home Ec Workshop! Fabric experts will be on hand to talk to us and to lead using a fabric class. A few parents have already volunteered to drive. Thank you. I am still in need of one more driver for this field trip. If you are interested in driving please email me and let me know how many boosters can fit in your car. Also, please be sure you leave your child's booster seat for this field trip.
Washing Weekly Rags
A BIG thank you goes out to the Anderson family for consistently taking home our classroom rags to launder each weekend. We strive to be a paper towel-less school and family volunteers to wash the Kindergarten and Kitchen rags helps makes this possible. I am looking for a family to fill the Andersons' footsteps for the remainder of the year. Please let me know if you are willing to take home our rags to wash each Friday, returning them on Monday. This can earn you 30 minutes of volunteer hours each week. THANK YOU in advance.
Spanish Book Binding
Look to SignUp Genius for a volunteer opportunity with Ms. Danielle. She is in need of one parent to help copy and bind our Spanish ABC books. Kindergarteners work through these books while studying Spanish letter sounds beginning in February. Please email Danielle with questions about this opportunity at daniellee@willowwind.org and go to SUG to sign up if interested.
Volunteer opportunities are available. Please email me (unless otherwise noted) if you are interested. As always, Volunteer Opportunities are also highlighted on our Welcome Page's right sidebar. I am always grateful for your help and could not do what I do at such an amazing level without your help.
Drivers Needed: Home Ec Workshop Field Trip
Friday, February 22nd 9:30 - 11:45
We are so excited to make our way to Iowa City's local fabric shop Home Ec Workshop! Fabric experts will be on hand to talk to us and to lead using a fabric class. A few parents have already volunteered to drive. Thank you. I am still in need of one more driver for this field trip. If you are interested in driving please email me and let me know how many boosters can fit in your car. Also, please be sure you leave your child's booster seat for this field trip.
Washing Weekly Rags
A BIG thank you goes out to the Anderson family for consistently taking home our classroom rags to launder each weekend. We strive to be a paper towel-less school and family volunteers to wash the Kindergarten and Kitchen rags helps makes this possible. I am looking for a family to fill the Andersons' footsteps for the remainder of the year. Please let me know if you are willing to take home our rags to wash each Friday, returning them on Monday. This can earn you 30 minutes of volunteer hours each week. THANK YOU in advance.
Spanish Book Binding
Look to SignUp Genius for a volunteer opportunity with Ms. Danielle. She is in need of one parent to help copy and bind our Spanish ABC books. Kindergarteners work through these books while studying Spanish letter sounds beginning in February. Please email Danielle with questions about this opportunity at daniellee@willowwind.org and go to SUG to sign up if interested.
Learning Is Happening All Around
2013 has brought a classroom full of busy students. We have been having so much fun in all areas of our school day. Ask your child about their favorite part of the day!
Brain Centers
Throughout each week, students can choose to work in "Brain Centers" where choices include Literacy activities like sentence construction, sight word matching, magnetic letter spelling, weekly word hunts. play dough words, write and roll, and Math activities which include 100s chart investigations, counting up and counting back math games, pattern block puzzles, math fact towers, and domino addition. This time of day is a highlight in our class where students can actively choose the area of learning they would like to focus on. Many of our Brain Center activities have been added thanks to the class's wonderful support in donating school supplies and materials from the Wish List. Thank you so much for your continued help in growing our children's classroom needs.
Math
We enjoy the wonderful hands-on activities Math brings to our school day. This week, students are working on a shape picture chapter book. Each chapter of our classroom book will be devoted to a specific shape. Within that chapter, the Cottontails have the chance to become illustrators, illustrating various objects in our classrooms, homes, and community that fit that designated chapter's shape. Come take a look at our chapter book progress. From number investigations to pattern block shapes, to building with geometric solids…we love math time in the Cottontail classroom.
Math - Creating Our Own Pattern Block Puzzles
Math - Using 10 Frames to "Guess the Number"
Math - Building with Geometric Solids
Science
We have fallen in love with all things fabric. Thank you so much for taking the time to bring in your child's necessary fabric needs. We have completed a number of fabric projects and will begin making our special fleece blankets next week.
Science - Fabric Collages
From fabric collages to fabric people we have had so much fun cutting, gluing, and working with fabric. Students began their study with fabric by using various fabric pieces to assemble a fabric college. Students then identified and labeled fabrics they used.
Science - Fabric People
Then after reading the book The Colors of Us, students were excited to create their own colorful people finding the just right pieces of fabric to dress their paper person. It was fun to watch our paper people come to life, with bright fabric clothing and accessories, hand drawn faces, and yarn hair. In the coming days, our fabric people will be on display. See if you can find your child's mini fabric person.
Writing - Seeds Come to Life
We have been using our Seed Journal to brainstorm various writing seeds (ideas). Topics have include dream seeds, Winter seeds, 100th day seeds, and changing the world seeds. Students are excited to write and their confidence in hearing letter sounds is growing. The Cottontails are beginning to ask if they can "kid spelling" and are eager to rely on their own spelling abilities rather than a post-it note. As writing seeds grow, we add pictures and revise our writing to make it publishable. Students have published works in a variety of ways: through city wide contest submissions, through Authors' Cocoa booklets, through Partner Books, and through illustrated works displayed in the classroom. In the coming days, our Writing Center will be growing where students can use their Brain Center time (as well as other times of the day) to strengthen their writing skills, their writing eagerness, and their quick growing writing confidence. Be sure to check out some of our written work at Friday's Authors' Cocoa. We are proud of our writing and can't wait to show it to you.
Writing - At Home Work
The Cottontails are coming to school eager to share their homework successes. Thank you for encouraging your child to work on activities at home. I am eager to hear what is working for your family and what ideas you have to further your child's growing abilities. After having the Weekly Words "we", "will" and "you" in a row for consecutive nights, Quinn began chanting "We will rock you" all the while banging out the beat on his family's countertop. This prompted him to add the word "rock" to his flashcard collection. What a perfect idea, add words your child is interested in, have them use them in a sentence, and/ or create beats or songs to help with word identification. Thank you, Laura, for capturing this precious moment.
Learning is happen all around! I am beyond proud of your child and their work throughout the year!
Brain Centers
Throughout each week, students can choose to work in "Brain Centers" where choices include Literacy activities like sentence construction, sight word matching, magnetic letter spelling, weekly word hunts. play dough words, write and roll, and Math activities which include 100s chart investigations, counting up and counting back math games, pattern block puzzles, math fact towers, and domino addition. This time of day is a highlight in our class where students can actively choose the area of learning they would like to focus on. Many of our Brain Center activities have been added thanks to the class's wonderful support in donating school supplies and materials from the Wish List. Thank you so much for your continued help in growing our children's classroom needs.
Math
We enjoy the wonderful hands-on activities Math brings to our school day. This week, students are working on a shape picture chapter book. Each chapter of our classroom book will be devoted to a specific shape. Within that chapter, the Cottontails have the chance to become illustrators, illustrating various objects in our classrooms, homes, and community that fit that designated chapter's shape. Come take a look at our chapter book progress. From number investigations to pattern block shapes, to building with geometric solids…we love math time in the Cottontail classroom.
Math - Creating Our Own Pattern Block Puzzles
Math - Using 10 Frames to "Guess the Number"
Math - Building with Geometric Solids
Science
We have fallen in love with all things fabric. Thank you so much for taking the time to bring in your child's necessary fabric needs. We have completed a number of fabric projects and will begin making our special fleece blankets next week.
Science - Fabric Collages
From fabric collages to fabric people we have had so much fun cutting, gluing, and working with fabric. Students began their study with fabric by using various fabric pieces to assemble a fabric college. Students then identified and labeled fabrics they used.
Science - Fabric People
Then after reading the book The Colors of Us, students were excited to create their own colorful people finding the just right pieces of fabric to dress their paper person. It was fun to watch our paper people come to life, with bright fabric clothing and accessories, hand drawn faces, and yarn hair. In the coming days, our fabric people will be on display. See if you can find your child's mini fabric person.
Writing - Seeds Come to Life
We have been using our Seed Journal to brainstorm various writing seeds (ideas). Topics have include dream seeds, Winter seeds, 100th day seeds, and changing the world seeds. Students are excited to write and their confidence in hearing letter sounds is growing. The Cottontails are beginning to ask if they can "kid spelling" and are eager to rely on their own spelling abilities rather than a post-it note. As writing seeds grow, we add pictures and revise our writing to make it publishable. Students have published works in a variety of ways: through city wide contest submissions, through Authors' Cocoa booklets, through Partner Books, and through illustrated works displayed in the classroom. In the coming days, our Writing Center will be growing where students can use their Brain Center time (as well as other times of the day) to strengthen their writing skills, their writing eagerness, and their quick growing writing confidence. Be sure to check out some of our written work at Friday's Authors' Cocoa. We are proud of our writing and can't wait to show it to you.
Writing - At Home Work
The Cottontails are coming to school eager to share their homework successes. Thank you for encouraging your child to work on activities at home. I am eager to hear what is working for your family and what ideas you have to further your child's growing abilities. After having the Weekly Words "we", "will" and "you" in a row for consecutive nights, Quinn began chanting "We will rock you" all the while banging out the beat on his family's countertop. This prompted him to add the word "rock" to his flashcard collection. What a perfect idea, add words your child is interested in, have them use them in a sentence, and/ or create beats or songs to help with word identification. Thank you, Laura, for capturing this precious moment.
Learning is happen all around! I am beyond proud of your child and their work throughout the year!
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