THANK YOU!

Thanks to Jennifer Hurtt for making this AWESOME Very Hungry Caterpillar cake to serve after our play today. The kids LOVED it! Thanks also to Gina Walsh for bringing juice, cookies and brownies, and for helping set up for the play. Also a big thank you to Ms. Gina Donaldson, our field practicum student from this fall, who came back to spend the day with us and help me out. You are all amazing!

Very Hungry Caterpillar play

The kindergartners did a fantastic job today! Thanks to all of the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, and all of the other special people who were able to come!

If anyone has a better quality video they would share for our blog - please pass it along! Thank you. Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Everything We Need to Know About First Grade ... But Were Afraid to Ask

Today we had the opportunity to visit Mr. Anderson's first grade room and visit with his students to find out more about what we should expect in the first grade. The first graders wrote a book with some "tips" about what we need to know for next year. Some of those are attached in this video.

The kindergartners also wrote stories about what they wonder about first grade. Some of their questions are:

I wonder if we will ....

- do math and science?

- play?

- have recess?

- play kickball?

- write more and read books?

- do math or read?

- play with Playdough?

- build Legos?

- spell?

- do homework or draw pictures or cut animals out of paper?

- go on a field trip?

- do a play or draw pictures or play with our friends?

- have fun?

- play frisbee, learn if there are snakes in Montana, learn about the states or go on a field trip?

- learn about fish?

- sing songs?

... in first grade?

Trix Treats Recipe

Paige's mom brought in these yummy treats for snack on Monday, and the kindergartners loved them. Paige's mom makes them using a Rice Krispie treats recipe, then adds Trix (or other cereal, like Captain Crunch) instead of the Rice Krispies. She puts them in balls on waxed paper to cool. Yum!

Field Day

Our field day will be held tomorrow afternoon. Mr. Pfeifle, our PE teacher, is looking for parent volunteers. If you are available to help, please let me know, or email pfeiflek@billings.k12.mt.us for more information.

Thank you!

Very Hungry Caterpillar play

On Friday, May 28th at 1:00pm, the kindergartners will perform a play of The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. You should have received an invitation to attend in your child's backpack on Friday. The kindergartners will also receive "kindergarten completion" certificates from me, and we will enjoy some Very Hungry Caterpillar Fruit Salad. We hope you can join us!

Unless I contact you, your kindergartner does not need any special costume for the play. Their "parts" will be sent home this week - please help them practice their lines in a loud, clear voice so everyone can hear them. Thank you!

For our play, we will be making Very Hungry Caterpillar Fruit Salad. For the salad, we will need the following:

- an apple,

- pears,

- plums,

- strawberries

- oranges

If you would be willing to contribute any of these items, please let me know. We will need them by Thursday the 27th. If you would like to bring any other treats, that would be great, too. Just let me know! Thank you!

Spring BBQ

The Beartooth Elementary Spring BBQ will be on Tuesday, May 25th. You are welcome to join your child for lunch on this day. We eat lunch at 11:00am. Cost for an adult lunch is $3.00.

A flyer was sent home with your child today, containing more information. If you plan to attend, please return the flyer and your pre-payment by this Friday, May 21st. Thank you!

Funny Question of the Day

"Mrs. Piltz, why do we call it a bathroom, because there's no bath in it?!"

Playdough Equations

Today we used playdough to make equations, as we are learning about addition. Some of the students recorded them for you. Enjoy!

Caterpillars Week 2

Okay, this is really blurry, but if you look closely, you'll see that several of our caterpillars have already made their chrysalises, and the others are very close. The kindergartners are really enjoying watching this process! We are excited to see them when they become butterflies!

Toothless Kiddos

Took this picture of the kiddos who have recently lost teeth - they have pretty cute "toothless grins". :)

Free Book from Borders!

Borders double dog dares your child to read 10 books this summer. If she does, she'll get a FREE book from Borders! Go to the Double Dog Dare page of Borders' website to download the form. Happy reading!

THANK YOU!

A GREAT BIG thank you to all of the parents who helped chaperone our field trip to ZooMontana: Mr. Ruff, Mrs. Scherer, Mrs. Knutson, Mrs. Schmid, Mrs. Walsh, & Mrs. Hurtt. We loved having you with us! And a HUGE thank you to Beartooth PTA for funding our trip so that all kindergartners and chaperones could attend free of charge!

The Zoo!

Insect Lore

Fun insect activities, as well as facts and information (such as how to order your own caterpillars!) can be found online at the Insect Lore website. Enjoy!

From Caterpillar to Butterfly!

Thanks to Ms. Miller, we have the pleasure of having live caterpillars in our room from Insect Lore. The picture shows our caterpillars during Week 1, eating food and growing bigger every day. We are excited to continue watching our caterpillars as they grow into butterflies!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Play

On Friday, May 28th at 1:00pm, the kindergartners will perform a play of The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. This is always a real treat, and I hope that you can make plans to attend. The kindergartners will also receive "kindergarten completion" certificates from me, and we will enjoy some Very Hungry Caterpillar Fruit Salad. It should be a very fun afternoon!

Unless I contact you, your kindergartner does not need any special costume for the play. Their "parts" will be sent home this week - please help them practice their lines in a loud, clear voice so everyone can hear them. Thank you!

Pastries for Parents

Thank you to all of the parents who joined us for this fun event on Friday morning! It was a wonderful way to start our day, and it was fun to visit with several of you.

National Geographic Animal Videos

We learned some interesting facts about ZooMontana animals at the National Geographic Kids site today. Some of the kindergartners asked me to share this site with you, so they can check it out at home. Click here to go to the site.

Going to the Zoo!

We have begun talking about animals and their habitats. Today we learned about different zoo animals, and each kindergartner created their favorite zoo animal for our display. Some chose more "traditional" zoo animals, such as elephants and pandas, and others chose animals that live at ZooMontana, such as the red panda and tiger. We are excited for our trip to the zoo!

ZooMontana Kids Page

There are some fun animal-related games and activities featured on ZooMontana's Kids Page. Click here for the page, or find the link in the Favorite Links section of this blog.

Enjoy!

Zoo Chaperones

I have the following parents "on board" to chaperone our trip to the zoo on Friday, May 14th: Zoey's mom, Connor's mom, Evan's dad, Taylor's mom and Jordyn's mom. If you can't make it, or if there is someone else who would like to go that I don't have on this list, please let me know. We will leave the school at 10:00am, and plan to return to school around 1:00pm (depending on weather).

If you plan to follow us in your own car or ride the bus, please plan to be at school by 9:45am. You are welcome to meet us there, if that is more convenient for you.

If you have small children, you can bring them with you to the zoo, but you'll need to pay their admission ($3.25/each) and you'll have to follow us or meet us there in your own car.

Thanks for everyone who is so willing to help, and thanks to Beartooth PTA for sponsoring this field trip!

Friday, May 7th

Please remember there is NO SCHOOL on Friday, May 7th. See you on Monday the 10th! Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful moms!

Things that go

As we are learning about things that go, students had the opportunity to choose their favorite "thing", and add it to the mural on our wall. We then added talking bubbles with silly words that the things might say, such as "Zoom!" or "Vroom!" The kindergartners loved this project and did a wonderful job creating their vehicles.

ZooMontana Field Trip

The kindergartners will be visiting ZooMontana for a field trip on Friday, May 14th. If you have not returned your child's permission slip, please do so ASAP. Also, you will receive a form tomorrow where you will need to indicate if you will be sending a lunch with your child, or if you prefer to order a sack lunch. Please return this form as soon as possible so arrangements can be made.

Children will attend at NO CHARGE thanks to Beartooth PTA!