Wednesday, September 3 & Thursday, September 4, 2025

    Wednesday, September 3 & Thursday, September 4, 2025
(This blog update will be the same for today and tomorrow.)
Wednesday is a green (library) day.
Thursday is a black (character ed) day.
Both of these will begin next week.

  Again, welcome to the wonderful world of Kindergarten...It was great meeting with all of you! We are in for an INCREDIBLE year of discovery and learning and I am THRILLED to be a part of it! A friendly reminder that each day I plan to highlight the main activities in this blog so you can talk with your child about specific things that go on during their day. I will also let you know of upcoming events and reminders so it will be important to read it each day!
 
A couple of years ago, Mr. Ronnenberg created a video about Morning Movers. To watch the very similar route they will take around the new playground, click here. 

The children are learning about the routine/procedures/expectations involved during breakfast/lunch. Ask them about what a Lunch Monster does and what a Lunch Friend will do instead.
 
The kids will meet Pip the Pup (stuffed animal) and hear more about who he is in the story, Let's Meet Pip the Pup. After hearing the story, Pip will take the kids on a tour of the building.

Guess What's in the Bag?   
How will crayons help us learn? How do we use them? How do we take care of them? We are learning about *All-Star* Coloring:
~Color in the lines.
~Fill in the white spaces.
~Colors that make sense.

We will become a kinderfamily and what better way to start than to enjoy the story,
 Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen. The kids will be making a bracelet that shows each one of us is an important member of this family!

  
Wednesday students will have music with Mrs. Merkl today. 
Thursday students will have PE with Mr. Ronnenberg.

~Have your child wear green on Friday for our first Irish Pride celebration.

~Please return anything on the 'Kindergarten Checklist' as soon as you are able. The final date for all items is Thursday, September 18.

~As you may expect, your child will be tired...It's an adjustment for them (and you)...so hang in there!
~If you need to communicate with me,  I'm here for you. Please know that you can contact me at anytime!  tongenc@maplelake.k12.mn.us

 Order Due Date: 9/10/25

SHOP OUR CLASS PAGE: 

https://orders.scholastic.com/GXWMC

  Every order benefits our classroom, helping us earn FREE books and resources that all the kids can enjoy.

Thanks for your support!

Thursday, June 5

  

Thursday, June 5

YES DAY!

**In a child's world, 'no' is often heard but that's not what they will hear today! To prepare for today, we generated a list of "yes" ideas in the picture below:

 We will start our day reading Yes Day! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and then close out their kindergarten year with some of the following 'yes' activities from the list:

~Take shoes and socks off in the classroom.

~Talk in the hall.

~Eat lunch at the playground.

~Sit by whoever you want to all day long.

~Mrs. Tongen brings candy.

~No math.
~Play a lot.
~Lights will be off all day in our classroom.
~Watch a movie.
~Have ice cream!

Phy Ed Today 

~ A gift for Father's Day will in your child's backpack today.

~Report cards are coming home today.
~My apologies for the livestream not working for graduation. I guess it would be helpful to push the record button! Again, I am very sorry!
~I hope it works for you to come to the splash pad in Delano on July 15!

~My Wishy Washy Crew from the other day...

~ I am sending home a green folder with your child for summer work. PLEASE set aside a routine to have your child do the UFLI dictation practice book throughout the summer! Use the UFLI homework sheets that will come home with it. (Like they got throughout the school year.) Rather than using letter tiles, the kids will write everything. It will help them retain decodable skills, build fluency, and gain automaticity!

~ A set of Irregular (Heart) Words to practice and a few worksheets will also be in the folder.

~ Of course, reading to them ALL summer is highly encouraged!

~ As I write this final update, I know in my heart I have given all that I could to help your child learn and grow. They helped me grow in so many ways too! We became a 'kinderfamily' which will forever be a part of my heart and memories that will be cherished. More importantly, they have given all they could to be such great learners! I want to thank all of you for making our partnership be what it was for the benefit of your child. My hope is that someday they will all say:

All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten!

Happy trails to you, until we meet again... 

Wednesday, June 4

Wednesday, June 4
Teach the Teacher...Day 2!

It looks like my job is STILL in jeopardy...

Logan: How to Take Care of a Dog

Bennett: How to Make a Paper Fishing Pole

Paige: How to Grow a Flower

Lilly: How to Draw a Picture of a Dog

Hudson: How to Tie a Fishing Lure

Ellie: How to Make a PB & J Sandwich

Sari: How to Do the Splits

Simon: Riding Poles on a Horse

River: How to Draw a Flower

Fancie: How to Make a Butterfly

Vera: Cheerleading
Computer Class Today
Music Today

Tomorrow will be a day of yes since no is so often heard by our littles! In preparation

 for Yes! day, the kids will supply me with ideas of things we can do. I will write their

 ideas down and strategically choose things we can do all day long. 

~What a FANTASTIC graduation...Hats off to all of you for giving me such a priceless gift! Here's to the Class of 2037!

~If you didn't return the UFLI materials, please do so tomorrow!

Tuesday, June 3

 

Tuesday, June 3

Class of 2037

Happy Graduation Day!

 Story: Graduation Day is Here!  By: Grace Maccarone

Teach the Teacher begins this afternoon. 
It looks like my job is in jeopardy...
Look at what these little wonders will be teaching us today:
Emmett: How to Draw a Superman "S"
Caden: How to Wrestle
Hayven: How to Make a Rubber Band Ring
Brinley: How to Make a Cutout Heart
Austin: How to Make a Chocolate Smoothie
Ben: Reptiles

Phy Ed Today 

~Family members can view the livestream of our graduation beginning at 9:30. 
Kindergarten Graduation
~Be sure to return the UFLI homework materials. Thank you!
~Teach the Teacher Day continues tomorrow!

Monday, June 2

 

Monday, June 2
Mrs. Wishy Washy Day!

Activities for Mrs. Wishy Washy include:
1) Hear the story, Mrs. Wishy Washy by Joy Cowley

2) Independently read a Mrs. Wishy Washy reader 
3) Identify the characters and setting in the story as well as describe the mud that the animals are covered in.

4)  Cleaning our classroom like Mrs. Wishy Washy!
The kids will wear Mrs. Wishy Washy's headpiece so they can scrub our classroom like she does to the farm animals. The kids will get aprons to wear and plenty of water to use in order to get the job done! Here's the chant they say to help squeeze the excess water out of the rag: Wishy washy, wishy washy, shake-shake-shake...

~Bring back the UFLI homework tomorrow! 

Music Today

  Irish Pride Celebration Today at 8:20

At 1:15 we are going to the staff vs. 6th grade kickball game and will enjoy Freezees as we watch the game!

~Graduation for our class begins at 9:30 tomorrow...see you then!
~Be the Teacher will start tomorrow afternoon and continue into Wednesday.
~We had fun celebrating with Simon on Friday!

Friday, May 30

    

Friday, May 30
Happy Birthday, Simon! 

Word Work with Manipulative Letters 
mice to rice to race to pace to page to wage to cage to age to sage to 
stage 

 Irregular Words: who, by, my,  one, once  
  Read: Did Bruce like the rice?
                         The mice in that cage are huge.
                                         The stage is a place where Grace shines!
Spell: Do not change a thing.
                     Those kids are twice my age!
                       There is no space on the page.

 
Handwriting: Upper/Lowercase Letters Review
 (We did not get to this yesterday.)

Literacy Jobs 

Math: The Quarter

First, the kids hear a story and view a short clip on YouTube about the quarter. Next, they will sing a few songs about it and finally, explore a real quarter closely. 

    Project: Pony

Phy Ed Today

~We enjoyed celebrating Bennett's birthday!

Have a wonderful weekend! I can hardly wrap my head around the fact that there are only four days left!