Good Deeds

Dear Parents,

     The Advent season abounds with opportunities for your child to join in the excitement of preparing for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.  We are sending home a Christmas tree and stickers and a possibility of good deeds your children may wish to perform.  Each time your children doa good deeds during this Advent season, they may stick a star on the Christmas tree.  On Thursday, December 22, 2012 the children should bring their trees back to school.  Encourage your children to make Christmas cards to take to nursing homes, have them gather food to give to the needy, help them purchase a toy for a less fortunate child.  These kinds of activities will help the children to experience Advent as a season for sharing, giving, and caring or a variety of other good deeds.

     Your children are very busy these days.  They are such hard little workers.  It's hard to keep up with them.

     We have started some new exciting programs recently.  Michael Haggerty's Phonemic Awareness Program has been incorporated into our literacy program this month.  For more information on this program, please see:  http://www.literacyresourcesinc.com/.  I have been interested in this program for several years and the funds were made available to purchase this program.  I am very excited!

     We have also started the Kid Writing program.  Your children have black journals that they write in daily.  They are all working on writing sentences at this point.  I am very proud of them.  They write as children and I show them the adult way to write.  You may learn more about this at http://www.kidwriting.com/.  We are still doing our big book related journals.  I feel it is important for the children to make connections to the books that they are reading or listening to.  These journals are still being sent home weekly.  We are incorporating the Kid Writing ideas into them.

     We have officially begun our leveled reading on Wednesdays and Thursdays.  The children have been grouped according to the results of the CBM testing results and by observations by the teacher.  On Monday and Tuesday the children are grouped differently for their phonic studies.  The children will bring home their books on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. 

     After the holidays, the Kindergarten will also start the Words Their Way program.  Your child will need a spiral notebook to write and glue their sorts in.  A one subject notebook would be large enough.  I think you can usually get them for around a dollar.  Your child will also need a two-pocket folder with a center flap that has three fasteners.  You may send these two items in at any time.  If you would like further information on this program look at the following site:  http://www.eltoolbox.com/words-their-way.html.

     The children are very busy learning about Addition in Math.  They are progressing nicely.  After Addition comes subtraction.

     On Monday, December 10, the Kindergarten will be participating in Polar Express Day.  They are allowed to wear their pajamas on this day and may bring a favorite blanket or stuffed animal.  We are asking each child to bring an item for our party.  They will not need a snack on this day.  You may send  in your items ahead of time. 

                                                                             Thanks for all you do. 

                                                                              Mrs. Steele and Mrs. Bender

Make a Christmas card for someone.

Write a letter to Jesus.

Try to sit for a while and think about Jesus.

Pray for your teachers and friends.

When you see a police car, fire truck or ambulance, hospital helicopter say a quick prayer for the people involved.

Listen to some church Christmas music.

Memorize a Bible verse this week.

Provide an opportunity for family members to pray for special requests today.

Leave a voice mail or e-mail message for family member with words of encouragement.

Send a picture or message to a grandparent or special elderly person today.

Set aside a special time to read a special story from the Bible.

Put out some food or water for the birds today.

Look at the Christmas cards you get this week and say a prayer for each person who sent  you one. 

Visit someone this week who can’t get out too much.

Feed your pet.

Share a memory with your family of past Christmases.

Do a good deed for a friend or neighbor.

Send your mom and dad a letter telling them that they are wonderful parents.  If you can’t write yet, draw them a nice picture. 

Pick up your toys or clean your room without being asked.  Be very quiet so no one hears you.

Bake some cookies this week for someone special. 

Open car doors for family and friends. 

Smile at everyone today.

Donate some food today to a food pantry or a family in need.

Give everyone in your family a hug.

Say a prayer for the poor, the hungry and the homeless.

Help the family set the table.

Make your bed.

Help the family do the dishes.

Sing Christmas carols to a neighbor.

Write a thank you note to Mom or Dad for everything they do for you.

Write a list or draw pictures of all the things/events/people you are thankful for this year.

Help wrap gifts.

Call up your grandparents just to say hello.

Write a Christmas letter to a soldier who is overseas.

Go through your closet and gather what you can donate to charity.

Write a Christmas letter or draw a picture for a faraway aunt/uncle.

 Put a dollar of your own money in the Church collection.

Give everyone in your family a hug!

Be kind to someone who is hard to get along with.

Tell your sister(s) /brother(s) what you like best about him/her.

Say “thank you” to the person who fixes your lunch.

Tell your mom what you like best about her.

Tell your dad what you like best about him.

Give someone a compliment today.

Stick up for someone who is being criticized.

Be patient with everyone today.

Tell someone the story of when Jesus was born.

Read your Bible.

Say a prayer for the poor, the hungry and the homeless.

Find someone at school who is alone and talk with him or her.

Tell a joke to someone who seems sad.

Pray for someone who is sick.