Pow Wow 2011

Pow Wow 2011 from Chet the Eagle on Vimeo.

The annual Pow Wow event is spectacular! Take a look at the video and see a small glimpse of our amazing Pow Wow.

Morning Message

Each morning during Skills Block, we participate in a Shared Writing experience. We call it the Morning Message. We start with something that the teachers have written on the board with just a few things missing. The students then figure out what should be there and are invited to fill in the blanks. This is a wonderful daily tool. As the year progresses and our literacy skills become more vast, the students written participation increases. We love Morning Message, because we can cover so many different skills in so many fun ways!

Apples. Apples Apples

We had a wonderful day filled with APPLES! We have been reading many fiction and non-fiction books based on apples. We have also learned a great deal about Johnny Appleseed. Our culminating day of apples was filled with learning and fun. We began the day with a survey of who likes apples and who does not. The children were then given the opportunity to taste both a red apple and a green apple. The children then discussed the similarities and differences between the two. We also participated in shared reading of some poems about apples and songs about apples. The children were able to watch Mrs. Meissner use a special machine that peels and cores the apples with a twist of the handle, this was a highlight for all of the kids. We then made homemade applesauce. Each child was given the opportunity to taste the homemade applesauce, Every child took a bite. We would like to say a special thanks to the mom's of Brooke and Emily, and the dad of Mrs. Brown for making this super fun day such a super success!

Reading with Fifth Graders, what the Fifth Graders said.

After the first few sessions of reading with the fifth graders, we wanted to know what they had to say. This is what a few of them had to say about the experience.


"Whenever I got to an exciting part, they predict and they usually get it right." Katherine

"Where there were bolded words, the kindergartners repeated after me." Katie

"We used the cut-outs from The Three Billy Goats Gruff and we acted out the story." Sarah

"I think we should bring in our favorite books from when we were little." Ben

"I think we should change partners so we get to know everyone." Jaden

Reading with Fifth Graders

We are super excited about a new idea we are implementing this school year. We have partnered with Mrs. Shannon's Fifth grade class for some shared learning. The fifth graders will be joining us each Thursday morning to read and learn with our class. In the beginning the Fifth graders will read to the kindergartners and then the kindergartners will retell the story back to the fifth graders. As the kindergartners progress in their reading, they will begin to read to their fifth grade partners and the older students will share their knowledge about the reading strategies that they know and use. We are excited about this new project. We know that it will continue to change and grow throughout the school year. look for a post this week, from the children in our class. They will be sharing their thoughts about their first meeting with their new buddies.

The Beginning!

Friday, August 19th at 8:00 a.m. is our Kindergarten Orientation. We look forward to meeting our new class of kindergartners and their families. It is a wonderful time to meet the teachers, see the classroom and find out all of the information that you need to know for the first day of school and the rest of the year. Kindergarten is an exciting time for the children and the families alike. We look forward to meeting you all and getting to know the precious little ones that are being entrusted into our care. Get ready for the Super Powers of Chets Creek and the Super Powers your children will learn in kindergarten. Looking forward to a "Super" year.

Empowering the Future!! Welcome to Kindergarten 2011-2012

Chets Creek Elementary – Empowering the Future! from Melanie Holtsman on Vimeo.

Please take a look at our video to introduce you to our theme for the upcoming school year. We look forward to a new group of Super Kindergartners and an exciting school year!