Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Snow Gear


I hope you enjoyed your snow days.  We are hopeful to play outside in the snow tomorrow (Thursday).  We are hoping to go out around 11 and send everyone home in their snow gear.  Please send your child to school with hats, snow gloves, snowpants and boots.  

Toy Day will be rescheduled for next Wednesday.

Thank you
The Lucky Ducks

Monday, January 26, 2015

Snow Day, Snowy Day Fun & Kindergarten Registration

School Cancelled 1/27/2015

The Burlington Public School will be closed on Tuesday, January 27, 2015 due to the forecasted storm.  No decision has been made regarding school on Wednesday, January 28, 2015.
In case of a 2-hour delay, please use the following guidelines for the BECC:
Whenever there is a 2-hour delay all AM sessions are cancelled.
If your child is in the Cub Cadets with Lisa B. or Kickstart Kinderstars with Erin, your child will have school from 10:30 to 12:30.
If your child participates in a full day program in the Puppy Pals, Busy Bees or Barnyard Buddies, they will have school starting at 10:30.  Only the children that attend for a full day in these classrooms will come in on delayed openings.  If your child is dismissed at 11:30, they do not attend on delayed openings.
The afternoon sessions will run as scheduled from 12:30-2:30.
** If there is a delay on a Friday, no students will attend on that day, except for the Kickstart Kinderstars.


Snowy Day Fun

Here are some fun snowy day activities:
  • When it's too cold or windy, bring in a bucket of snow - Using old markers kids can decorate the snow, or use spray bottles with food coloring to color the snow
  • Its a great day to bake - kids love to mix ingredients 
  • Measure the snow to see how much is there in the morning, afternoon and evening
  • Put shaving cream or hair in a bag and make drawings, letters or numbers (tape the opening of a zip lock bag to prevent a mess)
  • Make a fort and add flashlights to read a book
We would love to hear about your fun snowy day activities.  Please send me an email and we can add them to our list.  roofe@bpsk12.org


Kindergarten Registration

Registration will be held the following dates and times at the elementary school the student will be attending:
• Francis Wyman School – February 2nd and 3rd – 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• Fox Hill School – February 4th and 5th – 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• Memorial School – February 9th and 10th – 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• Pine Glen School – February 11th and 12th – 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
If you are unable to attend registration for your child at the above dates and times, you may register your child at The Student Information Office located at the Burlington High School beginning Monday, February 23, 2015 thru Friday, February 27, 2015 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. We will also hold registration during the evening of February 26, 2015 between the hours of 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Please refer to the link http://j.mp/UJTx9b for a list of street address and elementary school listings.
A child entering kindergarten must have attained the age of five by August 31, 2015. At the time of registration, parents are required to bring:
• Original birth certificate for your child.
• Two proofs of residency need to be provided in the Town of Burlington. One proof must be: a settlement
document on a new home, presentation of a lease, a recent mortgage statement or property tax bill. The
second proof can be satisfied with a recent utility bill, bank statement, payroll records or insurance bill.
• Medical forms with current physical and up-to-date immunizations must be completed by your physician
and returned to school two (2) days prior to the opening of school. Children will not be able to attend
school in September 2015 unless a complete medical form is provided. Your family physician must
detail that your child has been given the following immunizations and also indicate the dates the
immunizations were given:
5 doses Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus (DTaP)
4 doses Polio
3 doses Hepatitis B
2 doses Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
2 doses of Varicella Vaccine or Chicken Pox disease
Proof of Lead Screening
Vision and Hearing Screening
Further registration information can be found at: http://goo.gl/3jNLm9.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Pictures

The Lucky Ducks Picture blog has been updated with about 50 pictures!  These pictures are from our Wind and Water unit.  Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Week of 1-23-14

Wind and Water Weeks 3 and 4

This week we will continue our Wind and Water Unit. Children will explore wind and water using observations, experiments and books to learn more about such topics as evaporation, weather, temperature, insulation, rain and snow.  Here are the theme concepts for this unit:
  • We find water in different forms-- as rain (liquid) snow and ice (solid) and steam (gas). Temperature affects the form of water.
  • Water soaks into, or is absorbed by, some things but is repelled by others.
  • Wind--moving air-- affects things. Lighter things are moved a lot by wind, Heavier things are moved less by wind. The amount of wind changes with the weather. In storms, wind can blow very hard.
  • Water comes to us through rain or snow.
  • Water evaporates from puddles and from things that are wet.
  • Plants and animals need water to live.

Week of January 20th-23rd


Reminders:
Book Backpacks are due Tuesday January 20th


If you send your child with snow boots, please send sneakers in their backpack for them to change into. The boots are not great for navigating around the classroom.


Appropriate outerwear for you child is really important! This includes a winter hat, gloves/ mittens, and a heavy coat. As we start to see snow on the ground, you may send you child with snow boots, but please send in extra shoes for them to change into while they are here.


Books for the week:
The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
One Dark Night by: Hazel Hutchins
Rabbits and Raindrops by Jim Arnosky

Small Groups:
  • Snowflake number matching
  • Snowflake names
  • Absorbent and Repellent



Choice time:
Art Table: Painting with popsicles
Easel: CLOSED
Manipulatives: Play D’oh, lacing
Library Area: Books about the weather and winter
Sensory Table: treasures in ice
Writing Table: Writing in blank books
Dramatic Play: Kitchen
Rug Toy: Legoes
Block Area:

We received a letter from Wendy (the science center director) to answer our question "Where is the tiger?'

Week of January 30th


Books for the week:
Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke


Small Groups:
  • Following directions- coloring and listening activity
  • Snowman Snowman what do you see?
  • Things we use in winter


Choice time:
Art Table: coffee filter snowflakes
Art Table: Building a snowman
Manipulatives: Play D’oh
Library Area: Books about snow
Sensory Table: treasures in ice
Writing Table: Weather words with dry erase markers
Dramatic Play: Pet Vet
Block Area:

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Mailing a letter

This week since the weather has been chilly, we have alternated playing in the big room with taking walks in the high school.  On Wednesday, the Lucky Ducks took a walk to the science center.  The science center is incredible.  It has numerous animals for the children to see and learn about.  Some of the favorites have been an alligator, large turtles, fish, tarantulas and of course the life size tiger.  This was not our first trip to the science center.  But one of the first observations the children made, was that the tiger was missing.

After our trip, we came back to the classroom to write a letter to Wendy the science center teacher.  This is the letter the Lucky Ducks wrote:

Dear Wendy,
We went to the animal center to see the animals.   We didn't see the tiger.  Where is the tiger?    Thank you for letting us visit the science center.
From,
The Lucky Ducks


The Lucky Ducks each signed their own names - Not included for privacy reasons.

We brought this letter to the mail room to mail it, and learn about how a letter is sent.  Making the connection to the wind blowing the letter around in Amy's Letter by Ezra Jack Keats.

The Lucky Ducks loved this and are eager to hear back about the tiger.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Wind and Water

OWL Unit 3 Weeks 1 & 2

This week we will begin our Wind and Water Unit. Children will explore wind and water using observations, experiments and books to learn more about such topics as evaporation, weather, temperature, insulation, rain and snow.  Here are the theme concepts for this unit:
  • We find water in different forms-- as rain (liquid) snow and ice (solid) and steam (gas). Temperature affects the form of water.
  • Water soaks into, or is absorbed by, some things but is repelled by others.
  • Wind--moving air-- affects things. Lighter things are moved a lot by wind, Heavier things are moved less by wind. The amount of wind changes with the weather. In storms, wind can blow very hard.
  • Water comes to us through rain or snow.
  • Water evaporates from puddles and from things that are wet.
  • Plants and animals need water to live.

Reminders:
Book Backpacks are due Tuesday January 13th

If you send your child with snow boots, please send sneakers in their backpack for them to change into. The boots are not great for navigating around the classroom.

Appropriate outerwear for you child is really important! This includes a winter hat, gloves/ mittens, and a heavy coat. As we start to see snow on the ground, you may send you child with snow boots, but please send in extra shoes for them to change into while they are here.

Week of January 5-9
Books for the week:
Gilberto and the Wind by: Marie Hall Ets
One Dark Night by: Hazel Hutchins

Small Groups:
  • Shape Bingo
  • Unit Vocabulary Memory
  • Making Snow Globes

Choice time:
Art Table: Puffy Snowmen
Easel: Painting with colors from Gilberto and the Wind (green, brown, black, white)
Manipulatives: Matching Clothespins to letters
Library Area: Books about Wind and Water
Sensory Table: water and sailboats
Writing Table: January Work
Dramatic Play: kitchen
Rug Toy: Cars
Block Area: Cardboard Blocks

Week of January 12-16th
Reminders:
Book Backpacks are due Tuesday January 20th

If you send your child with snow boots, please send sneakers in their backpack for them to change into. The boots are not great for navigating around the classroom.

Appropriate outerwear for you child is really important! This includes a winter hat, gloves/ mittens, and a heavy coat. As we start to see snow on the ground, you may send you child with snow boots, but please send in extra shoes for them to change into while they are here.

Books for the week:
Gilberto and the Wind by: Marie Hall Ets
One Dark Night by: Hazel Hutchins
Rabbits & Raindrops

Small Groups:
  • What can Air Move?
  • Positional Book - where is the bear?
  • Sequencing a snowman being built and melting

Choice time:
Art Table: Coloring with markers and adding drops of water
Easel: Painting with primary colors
Math/Fine Motor: Feed the Animals - roll the dice and give the bunny that many carrots
Library Area: Books about snow
Sensory Table: waterwheels
Writing Table: Writing in Blank books
Dramatic Play: laundromat
Rug Toy: Blowing Bubbles like Gilberto
Block Area: Cardboard Blocks

Early Learner Series

REMINDER
The next session of the Burlington Public Schools Early Learner Series is this Thursday, January 8. The session will take place from 7:00pm - 8:00pm in the Burlington Early Childhood Center (BECC).  The topic for this month’s discussion is Setting Up Structure At Home.  We will discuss why structure is important, different ways to add it into your life, and what to do when things don’t go the way we want. We will leave ample time to answer questions and troubleshoot any challenges you may come across in this area.  We look forward to seeing everyone Thursday night!

  • Naomi O’Brien, M.Ed., BCBA and
  • Lisa Bottiglio, M.Ed