This week in Preschool we are looking forward to wrapping up our Unit of Transportation with a trip to the Kobe Airport on Monday! We will also finish the train station dramatic play area we have been designing as part of our summative.
In Readers Workshop we will review pointer power and reread power as well as introduce snap word power! We learn the /ar/ sound and continue reviewing all of the letter and letter combination sounds we have learned.
In Writers Workshop we publish and share our transportation books.
In maths we will explore 3D shapes.
Please note a mistake in the Parent Handbook I shared in August - the PE schedule will change December 9th to Thursdays and Fridays. Here is the correct schedule:
PE schedule
August 26th to December 6th: Wednesdays and Thursdays
December 9th to March 18th: Thursdays and Fridays
March 30th to June 16th: Mondays (swimming) and Thursdays
Have a great week!
Upcoming
December 3rd Tulip Planting
December 6th St. Nicholas
December 18th Christmas Market
Saturday, 23 November 2019
Tuesday, 19 November 2019
Week 11
Last week was an exciting week in Preschool! We celebrated St. Martin's with the lanterns we made and the treats care of the PTA (thank you!), took part in the island-wide emergency drill and training, and all of the teachers/assistants (Ms. Shirai, Peter, and Ms. Mami) celebrated another trip around the sun!
This week we will continue writing our All About Books for a mode of transportation of our choice. We will also discuss the features of particular transportation systems to prepare for our trip to the Kobe Airport on Monday.
In Readers Workshop, the students will be inducted as "Super Readers"! In this unit they will learn to use reading super powers to help them read.
We will learn the sounds for /ou/, /oi/, /ue/, and /er/ and begin learning sight words. This week's words are I, a, the, is, and has.
In maths, we will talk about patterns.
We are so excited for our trip to Kobe Airport on Monday. As mentioned in a previous email, preschool students will experience the features of transportation systems and how those systems meet the needs of all people first-hand on a field trip to the Kobe Airport. We will need 1-2 parent volunteers for this trip, please advise if you are available. The train fare for each child is 380 yen one way to experience the transportation system and we will return on the school bus. Adult chaperones would be responsible for their 770 yen in train fares.
If you haven't had a chance yet, please remember to fill out the form as to if your child will attend and if you are available to chaperone.
Have a great week!
Upcoming
DSKI Tree Lighting Ceremony
Wednesday 20th 3pm
No School (Teacher Training 22nd-23rd)
Friday 22nd
Field Trip - Kobe Airport
This week we will continue writing our All About Books for a mode of transportation of our choice. We will also discuss the features of particular transportation systems to prepare for our trip to the Kobe Airport on Monday.
In Readers Workshop, the students will be inducted as "Super Readers"! In this unit they will learn to use reading super powers to help them read.
We will learn the sounds for /ou/, /oi/, /ue/, and /er/ and begin learning sight words. This week's words are I, a, the, is, and has.
In maths, we will talk about patterns.
We are so excited for our trip to Kobe Airport on Monday. As mentioned in a previous email, preschool students will experience the features of transportation systems and how those systems meet the needs of all people first-hand on a field trip to the Kobe Airport. We will need 1-2 parent volunteers for this trip, please advise if you are available. The train fare for each child is 380 yen one way to experience the transportation system and we will return on the school bus. Adult chaperones would be responsible for their 770 yen in train fares.
If you haven't had a chance yet, please remember to fill out the form as to if your child will attend and if you are available to chaperone.
Have a great week!
Upcoming
DSKI Tree Lighting Ceremony
Wednesday 20th 3pm
No School (Teacher Training 22nd-23rd)
Friday 22nd
Field Trip - Kobe Airport
Monday 25th
Sunday, 10 November 2019
Week 10
Greetings!
I hope everyone had a rejuvenating fall break.
Last week in Preschool we looked at the different kinds of transportation and signs on Rokko Island and talked about how we got to different places over the break. We began writing All About Books about a mode of transportation we are interested in. We learned the letters and sounds for w, ng, v, oo, and y. We reviewed and grew our understandings of 2-dimensional shapes and numbers.
We also began learning about the Zones of Regulation. These are ways to think about our feelings so we can find appropriate strategies to self-regulate. Whether that is energizing our bodies and minds when we are in the blue zone, or calming our bodies when we are in the red zone - it is important to know when we are good to go, we need to slow down and be careful, and when we need to stop. Some helpful vocabulary can be found here. Please ask your child about this at home and utilize the vocabulary as much as possible to reinforce what is happening in the classroom.
Next week we will continue to explore transportation through our All About Book writing. We will also use our knowledge of 2D shapes to create traffic signs we will use when creating our own transportation course in PE. We will learn the sounds for x, ch, sh, th, qu and have daily celebrations of our names to reinforce the letter names and sounds we have learned. We will also practice more with rhyming words.
This week is action-packed so please mark your calendar with the following:
No clubs Tuesday and Friday.
St. Martin Celebration
Tuesday 12th 4~6pm
Send an extra snack with your child!
The schedule will be as follows:
● school children: 3.30 to 3.45 pm: small snack in the classroom
● Early Years children: 3.30 to 4.00 pm: small snack in Early Years
● 3.45 to 4.15 pm: break time on the playground
● 4.15 pm: stage play by the German Grades
● around 4:45 pm: lantern procession on Rokko Island (around 30 minutes)
● around 5:15 pm: getting together with drinks and “Weckmann”
● 6.00 pm: end of event
Rokko Island Disaster Preparedness Drill
Wednesday 13th 2pm
Rokko Island will be having disaster preparation practice on Wednesday afternoon. Our school will be taking part with an earthquake and tsunami drill.
If any parents would like to take part, please goto Sun Hiroba on the 3rd floor of the Kobe Fashion Museum where you can take part in emergency and first aid training.
DSKI Tree Lighting Ceremony
Friday 15th 2:30pm
Osaka Christmas Market
Friday 15th 4.30pm - 5.30pm Grades 1 - 6
We will once again be performing at the Osaka Christmas switching on the tree lights ceremony at the Sky Building in Umeda. Its a huge event and we are very happy to be on stage, it is also the venue of the German Christmas market, so please come along and enjoy!
Our students will be on stage from 4:40 pm for the opening ceremony of the Christmas Market.
Upcoming
22nd No School (Teacher Training 22nd-23rd)
I hope everyone had a rejuvenating fall break.
Last week in Preschool we looked at the different kinds of transportation and signs on Rokko Island and talked about how we got to different places over the break. We began writing All About Books about a mode of transportation we are interested in. We learned the letters and sounds for w, ng, v, oo, and y. We reviewed and grew our understandings of 2-dimensional shapes and numbers.
We also began learning about the Zones of Regulation. These are ways to think about our feelings so we can find appropriate strategies to self-regulate. Whether that is energizing our bodies and minds when we are in the blue zone, or calming our bodies when we are in the red zone - it is important to know when we are good to go, we need to slow down and be careful, and when we need to stop. Some helpful vocabulary can be found here. Please ask your child about this at home and utilize the vocabulary as much as possible to reinforce what is happening in the classroom.
Next week we will continue to explore transportation through our All About Book writing. We will also use our knowledge of 2D shapes to create traffic signs we will use when creating our own transportation course in PE. We will learn the sounds for x, ch, sh, th, qu and have daily celebrations of our names to reinforce the letter names and sounds we have learned. We will also practice more with rhyming words.
This week is action-packed so please mark your calendar with the following:
No clubs Tuesday and Friday.
St. Martin Celebration
Tuesday 12th 4~6pm
Send an extra snack with your child!
● school children: 3.30 to 3.45 pm: small snack in the classroom
● Early Years children: 3.30 to 4.00 pm: small snack in Early Years
● 3.45 to 4.15 pm: break time on the playground
● 4.15 pm: stage play by the German Grades
● around 4:45 pm: lantern procession on Rokko Island (around 30 minutes)
● around 5:15 pm: getting together with drinks and “Weckmann”
● 6.00 pm: end of event
Rokko Island Disaster Preparedness Drill
Wednesday 13th 2pm
Rokko Island will be having disaster preparation practice on Wednesday afternoon. Our school will be taking part with an earthquake and tsunami drill.
If any parents would like to take part, please goto Sun Hiroba on the 3rd floor of the Kobe Fashion Museum where you can take part in emergency and first aid training.
DSKI Tree Lighting Ceremony
Friday 15th 2:30pm
Osaka Christmas Market
Friday 15th 4.30pm - 5.30pm Grades 1 - 6
We will once again be performing at the Osaka Christmas switching on the tree lights ceremony at the Sky Building in Umeda. Its a huge event and we are very happy to be on stage, it is also the venue of the German Christmas market, so please come along and enjoy!
Our students will be on stage from 4:40 pm for the opening ceremony of the Christmas Market.
Upcoming
22nd No School (Teacher Training 22nd-23rd)
Saturday, 26 October 2019
Transportation Event!
Come learn about how airports and airplanes work!
Date: October 26, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Venue: Kobe Airport Terminal Building 1 Kobeko, Chuo Ward, Kobe
Fee: Free entry
Friday, 25 October 2019
Happy Halloween and Have a Great Fall Break!
The students all looked great today for the Halloween Party!
Thank you for making time for parent-teacher conferences this week. I enjoyed speaking with everyone personally and sharing what we are doing in the classroom.
This week we thought about all we know and want to know about Transportation:
I am sure the students will have more knowledge and questions after thinking about the transportation they use over fall break. Please have the students draw and write (they should be able to write most first letter sounds - we have not taught /qu/ /v/ /w/ /x/ and /y/ yet) about a few of the ways they got where they were going over the break on this sheet that is inside their zipper folder:
Lastly, if you finish any boxes of tissues over the break, please save them and bring them in for use in our classroom.
Thank you always and have a great fall break!
Upcoming
28th-November 1st Fall Break
12th St. Martin's festival 4-5:30pm
15th November Osaka Christmas Market Opening 5pm (1st-6th grades)
22nd No School (Teacher Training 22nd-23rd)
Thank you for making time for parent-teacher conferences this week. I enjoyed speaking with everyone personally and sharing what we are doing in the classroom.
This week we thought about all we know and want to know about Transportation:
I am sure the students will have more knowledge and questions after thinking about the transportation they use over fall break. Please have the students draw and write (they should be able to write most first letter sounds - we have not taught /qu/ /v/ /w/ /x/ and /y/ yet) about a few of the ways they got where they were going over the break on this sheet that is inside their zipper folder:
Lastly, if you finish any boxes of tissues over the break, please save them and bring them in for use in our classroom.
Thank you always and have a great fall break!
Upcoming
28th-November 1st Fall Break
12th St. Martin's festival 4-5:30pm
15th November Osaka Christmas Market Opening 5pm (1st-6th grades)
22nd No School (Teacher Training 22nd-23rd)
Sunday, 20 October 2019
Suma Rikyu Park Field Trip and Week 9
What a week we had!
Last week we started tuning-in to our new unit How We Organize Ourselves by sorting different kinds of transportation.
On Friday I am sure all of the preschoolers slept well after an active day at Suma Rikyu Park! Please look at the pictures I was able to snap of the students I could keep up with here.
Thank you to everyone for a fun and successful Oktoberfest event on Saturday!
In literacy we will be practicing blending and using the letter sounds we have learned until now. We will start exploring information books (non-fiction) as part of our unit of inquiry.
In maths we will continue to build our number sense and learn about 2D shapes.
In UOI we will continue to tune-in to how we organize ourselves by looking at what we know about transportation and looking more closely at the learner profile attribute: caring.
Halloween Party!
Our PTA is unstoppable! They have sponsored a Halloween Party for the students on Friday the 25th - yay! There will be a costume parade so if your child's costume won't be distracting or uncomfortable to wear the entire day, please send them in costume. Otherwise, please send the costume with them to school and they can change around 1:35pm.
Have a great week!
Upcoming
19th (Saturday) Oktoberfest
22nd (Tuesday) No School - Japanese National Holiday (Emperor's Enthronement)
25th (Friday) Halloween Party
21st-25th Parent-Teacher Conferences
28th-November 1st Fall Break
Last week we started tuning-in to our new unit How We Organize Ourselves by sorting different kinds of transportation.
On Friday I am sure all of the preschoolers slept well after an active day at Suma Rikyu Park! Please look at the pictures I was able to snap of the students I could keep up with here.
Thank you to everyone for a fun and successful Oktoberfest event on Saturday!
In literacy we will be practicing blending and using the letter sounds we have learned until now. We will start exploring information books (non-fiction) as part of our unit of inquiry.
In maths we will continue to build our number sense and learn about 2D shapes.
In UOI we will continue to tune-in to how we organize ourselves by looking at what we know about transportation and looking more closely at the learner profile attribute: caring.
Halloween Party!
Our PTA is unstoppable! They have sponsored a Halloween Party for the students on Friday the 25th - yay! There will be a costume parade so if your child's costume won't be distracting or uncomfortable to wear the entire day, please send them in costume. Otherwise, please send the costume with them to school and they can change around 1:35pm.
Have a great week!
Upcoming
19th (Saturday) Oktoberfest
22nd (Tuesday) No School - Japanese National Holiday (Emperor's Enthronement)
25th (Friday) Halloween Party
21st-25th Parent-Teacher Conferences
28th-November 1st Fall Break
Tuesday, 15 October 2019
Week 8
Last week in Preschool we wrapped up our unit on Communities and reflected on what learned and what we might still want to know more about. This week we'll start tuning-in to our How We Organize Ourselves unit on Transportation.
In literacy, we'll practice words with consonant blends (st, cl, dr) as well as double consonants that make the same sound (ll, bb, ck). As readers we'll practice finding word boundaries, one-to-one word association and making our words match the pictures in the books.
In maths, we'll continue building our number sense through 10 and do some data handling with bar graphs.
On Friday will be the field trip to Suma Rikyu Park if the weather cooperates, otherwise we will go to the nearby Suma Aquarium. Don't forget the students should come in the school shirt with easy to move in clothing and PE shoes. Please also bring a hat and a small backpack with:
Please be sure to apply bug spray and sunscreen before leaving home.
Also, we are looking forward to Oktoberfest this Saturday, the 19th! Thank you for all you are doing to make this another successful event!
Lastly, Parent-Teacher Conferences are next week (the 21st-25th). Many of you have already picked a time, but if you haven't yet, please do so here.
Have a wonderful week!
Upcoming
19th Oktoberfest
22nd National Holiday - No School
21st-25th Parent-Teacher Conferences
28th-November 1st - Fall Break
In literacy, we'll practice words with consonant blends (st, cl, dr) as well as double consonants that make the same sound (ll, bb, ck). As readers we'll practice finding word boundaries, one-to-one word association and making our words match the pictures in the books.
In maths, we'll continue building our number sense through 10 and do some data handling with bar graphs.
On Friday will be the field trip to Suma Rikyu Park if the weather cooperates, otherwise we will go to the nearby Suma Aquarium. Don't forget the students should come in the school shirt with easy to move in clothing and PE shoes. Please also bring a hat and a small backpack with:
- a healthy snack
- lunch (there will be no school lunch on this day!)
- a big water bottle.
Please be sure to apply bug spray and sunscreen before leaving home.
Also, we are looking forward to Oktoberfest this Saturday, the 19th! Thank you for all you are doing to make this another successful event!
Lastly, Parent-Teacher Conferences are next week (the 21st-25th). Many of you have already picked a time, but if you haven't yet, please do so here.
Have a wonderful week!
Upcoming
19th Oktoberfest
22nd National Holiday - No School
21st-25th Parent-Teacher Conferences
28th-November 1st - Fall Break
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