This week we learned all about apples. Thank you to everyone who sent in apples. The children listed (and I recorded) all the things we know about apples. They came up with some great ideas! Each child peeled their own apple and added it to the pot to make applesauce. We followed a picture recipe to make the applesauce. On Wednesday, the children tasted apple pie, applesauce, apple slices, and apple juice. Then, we made a bar graph to show our favorites. Apple pie was the winner in the morning and afternoon classes. We counted the names in each column and discussed which one had the most and least names. Popular works this week include; pumpkin hammering, torn paper jack-o-lantern, Mat Man building, drawing with dry erase markers at the easel, shaving cream and corn cob tweezing. This week, we drew Mat Man for the first time. The children will draw Mat Man once a month and the drawings will be collected in their portfolios to show progress.
We will continue with additional apple works next week and also talk about pumpkins. We might even have pumpkin "guts" in the touch table one day.
Thank you to all the parents who have been volunteering in the classroom. The children enjoy the 1:1 time and the chance to work on special projects.
REMINDERS...
*If you would like to volunteer in the classroom, you can sign up on our Class Shutterfly site (click the link to go to the site).
*The cold weather is here. Please make sure your child has a warm coat each day. We will go out to the playground most days as long as the temperature is above freezing. Also, please help your child learn to put on and zip his/her coat.
*Please send in a winter change of clothes to keep at school. We will send home the summer set when we receive the winter set. Bathroom accidents and spills happen at school and I don't want anyone to have to wear shorts in the snow! Please send a change of clothes is a Ziploc bag marked with your child's name.
*We need cans of shaving cream. Original Barbasol is preferred.
*Don't forget to sign up for parent-teacher conferences (11/7 and 11/14) if you haven't already. Conference confirmations with your conference time will be sent home by 11/4.
*Progress reports will be sent home the week of 11/4.
*Classroom pictures are now being posted on a Shutterfly.com share site. Click the link to go to the page. Class photos
*No School 11/5 and 11/11.
*Scholastic Book orders due 11/8. Books make great holiday gifts! Order now and get your shopping out of the way early. Scholastic Book Clubs Online ordering
Friday, October 25, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Trees, Trees, Trees
This week we continued our study of trees. We read several books including; The Apple Pie Family, Who Lives in Trees, and Trees Count. We also started learning Yoga this week. First we practiced our breathing while laying on our back with our hands on our bellies. We also learned "Tree Pose." The children pretended their toes were the roots of the tree and pushed them down into the ground to help them balance. We will be practicing Yoga throughout the year. Pumpkin punching (the children use a push pin to punch out the outline of a pumpkin) has been popular this week. This work develops concentration and coordination (fine motor skills). Mat Man was also introduced this week. Mat Man is part of the Handwriting Without Tears program and teaches body awareness and fine motor skills.
Check out the link to learn more about Mat Man and Handwriting Without Tears.
Mat Man and Handwriting Without Tears
Another popular work this week has been pumpkin hammering. The children are using a (real) hammer to pound golf tees into a pumpkin and then use pliers to pull the tees out again. The children have also been very interested in making leaf pattern headbands. When children complete this work, they are doing more than gluing shapes and making a hat, they are working on developing patterning skills needed for reading and math.
HOMEWORK...
*Bring an apple or apples on Monday or Tuesday. We will be making applesauce on Tuesday. We will also be tasting red, green, and yellow apples next week. We are also hoping to taste apple pie. Please let me know if you are interested in sending in an apple pie.
*My Book of Leaves - A leaf book will be sent home in your child's folder next week. Take time to complete and read this book together. No need to send it back to school, but I hope you will take the time to work with your child on this book.
*Help your child practice putting on and zipping his/her coat.
REMINDERS...
*Montessori Information Night - Thursday 10/24 4:30-5:30. Please RSVP if you haven't yet.
*Spirit Cup Fundraiser starts next week. Check your child's folder for more information. I ordered several sets last year as gifts for family and friends. It's not too soon to start your holiday shopping.
*Scholastic Book Orders Due 11/8. Order some books and check another item off your holiday shopping list!
*If you plan to volunteer in the classroom or attend celebrations, you must be fingerprinted at the Board of Education in advance. Fingerprints take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays and there is no charge. Fingerprints generally take 2-3 days to process.
New Photo Sharing Site-
From now on, I will be uploading photos to a Shutterfly web album. If you are signed up to receive emails from me, you should have received an email invitation for the photo sharing site. Only people who are invited to view the site have access and I will not be posting student names. If you did not receive an email invitation to the site, please let me know and I will add you. I may also change over to using Shutterfly as our newsletter site if the format works out. I will keep you posted. The Shutterfly site allows me to quickly and easily upload several photos at once and therefor I can share more photos with parents! Shutterfly also gives you the option to order photo prints.
Thank you...
A big thanks to all the parents who have signed up to volunteer in the classroom. There will be ongoing opportunities throughout the year to help in the room.
Check out the link to learn more about Mat Man and Handwriting Without Tears.
Mat Man and Handwriting Without Tears
Another popular work this week has been pumpkin hammering. The children are using a (real) hammer to pound golf tees into a pumpkin and then use pliers to pull the tees out again. The children have also been very interested in making leaf pattern headbands. When children complete this work, they are doing more than gluing shapes and making a hat, they are working on developing patterning skills needed for reading and math.
HOMEWORK...
*Bring an apple or apples on Monday or Tuesday. We will be making applesauce on Tuesday. We will also be tasting red, green, and yellow apples next week. We are also hoping to taste apple pie. Please let me know if you are interested in sending in an apple pie.
*My Book of Leaves - A leaf book will be sent home in your child's folder next week. Take time to complete and read this book together. No need to send it back to school, but I hope you will take the time to work with your child on this book.
*Help your child practice putting on and zipping his/her coat.
REMINDERS...
*Montessori Information Night - Thursday 10/24 4:30-5:30. Please RSVP if you haven't yet.
*Spirit Cup Fundraiser starts next week. Check your child's folder for more information. I ordered several sets last year as gifts for family and friends. It's not too soon to start your holiday shopping.
*Scholastic Book Orders Due 11/8. Order some books and check another item off your holiday shopping list!
*If you plan to volunteer in the classroom or attend celebrations, you must be fingerprinted at the Board of Education in advance. Fingerprints take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays and there is no charge. Fingerprints generally take 2-3 days to process.
New Photo Sharing Site-
From now on, I will be uploading photos to a Shutterfly web album. If you are signed up to receive emails from me, you should have received an email invitation for the photo sharing site. Only people who are invited to view the site have access and I will not be posting student names. If you did not receive an email invitation to the site, please let me know and I will add you. I may also change over to using Shutterfly as our newsletter site if the format works out. I will keep you posted. The Shutterfly site allows me to quickly and easily upload several photos at once and therefor I can share more photos with parents! Shutterfly also gives you the option to order photo prints.
Thank you...
A big thanks to all the parents who have signed up to volunteer in the classroom. There will be ongoing opportunities throughout the year to help in the room.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Last week we read the book "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom." We did a read aloud, listened to a recording of Ray Charles reading the book, and listened to the book in a song. Then, the children helped re-tell the story. The children have also been helping "build" a trunk for a coconut tree. The children are gluing the letters of their name onto a strip of brown paper. Then, the teachers are taping these strips to the wall to create the trunk of the tree. Next week, the children will begin cutting our leaves and coconuts for our class tree. We have also been practicing a finger play about pumpkins.
Homework...
*Bring an apple or apples to school on Monday 10/21. We will be making applesauce and also using the apples for other projects.
*I will occasionally send home booklets or activities for you and your child to do together at home. You do not need to send the activities back to school unless directed to do so. The activities are meant to enrich your child's learning and build a bridge between home and school.
REMINDERS...
*Volunteers - any parent who is going to volunteer in the classroom must first be fingerprinted at the Board of Education. This is a district policy. Fingerprinting takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:45-3:45 at the Board Office. It usually takes 2-3 days for fingerprints to come back. There is no cost for fingerprinting. Fingerprints are good for one year.
*Cold Weather Arrival and Dismissal - cooler days will be here soon. When the weather is cold, I will not be propping the classroom door open during arrival/dismissal (to keep the heat in). There is a sign in the window that says "Enter through the office" or "Please come in." The door will be unlocked during arrival and dismissal when the sign is green and says "Please come in." During this time, please open the door and let your child in. When you drop off your child, please be sure to make eye contact or wait for the teacher to greet your child. We want to make sure that each child is acknowledged and accounted for from the minute they arrive until the minute they go home.
*Early Release - District Early Release days do not apply to preschool. We follow our regular schedule.
*Montessori Info Night - Thursday 10/24, 4:30-5:30. I hope to see you there. Please RSVP if you haven't already.
******Pictures will be posted later today or tomorrow. Sorry for the delay - technical difficulties!
Five Fat Pumpkins
Five fat pumpkins sitting on a gate
The first one said "Oh my it's getting late"
The second one said "but we don't care"
The third one said "There are witches in the air"
The fourth one said "I'm ready for some fun"
The fifth one said "let's run and run and run"
Oooooooooooooo went the wind
And out went the lights
And the five little pumpkins rollllllllled out of sight!
Homework...
*Bring an apple or apples to school on Monday 10/21. We will be making applesauce and also using the apples for other projects.
*I will occasionally send home booklets or activities for you and your child to do together at home. You do not need to send the activities back to school unless directed to do so. The activities are meant to enrich your child's learning and build a bridge between home and school.
REMINDERS...
*Volunteers - any parent who is going to volunteer in the classroom must first be fingerprinted at the Board of Education. This is a district policy. Fingerprinting takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:45-3:45 at the Board Office. It usually takes 2-3 days for fingerprints to come back. There is no cost for fingerprinting. Fingerprints are good for one year.
*Cold Weather Arrival and Dismissal - cooler days will be here soon. When the weather is cold, I will not be propping the classroom door open during arrival/dismissal (to keep the heat in). There is a sign in the window that says "Enter through the office" or "Please come in." The door will be unlocked during arrival and dismissal when the sign is green and says "Please come in." During this time, please open the door and let your child in. When you drop off your child, please be sure to make eye contact or wait for the teacher to greet your child. We want to make sure that each child is acknowledged and accounted for from the minute they arrive until the minute they go home.
*Early Release - District Early Release days do not apply to preschool. We follow our regular schedule.
*Montessori Info Night - Thursday 10/24, 4:30-5:30. I hope to see you there. Please RSVP if you haven't already.
******Pictures will be posted later today or tomorrow. Sorry for the delay - technical difficulties!
Friday, October 4, 2013
Trees, Apples, Pumpkins, and more...
This week we began our study of trees. We read the books "A Tree for All Seasons" and "A Tree Named Steve." Many of the children made a leaf collage by snipping a gluing paper. The art shelf was very popular this week. The bead stair was also introduced this week. Many of the children enjoying exploring this counting work. An extension to this work where the children color a bead stair was also popular. This work later leads to addition and multiplication.
Each week, we will spend time as a class learning about a specific letter. This week's letter was S. Some ways that we will explore each letter include, Sandpaper letter, beginning sound basket that contains various objects that begin with the sound, writing the letter on the dry erase board, and an interactive computer activities. Children will continue to work on various letters through Sandpaper letter lessons and moveable alphabet.
We have also been enjoying some of our new playground toys and more toys will be arriving soon. So far, the bikes and pipe builders seem to be the most popular items. We also have an obstacle course, hoppity balls, chalk, basketball hoop, and hula hoops.
We will not be having a Halloween Party in our class. Instead, we will have a food celebration in November, close to Thanksgiving. More information will be sent home in November.
REMINDERS...
*Next week is Count Week.
Each year during the first week of October, all Ohio school districts are required to count their students and submit that information to the Ohio Department of Education. This number is used to calculate how much money the district will collect. Approximately 50 percent of the budget comes from state funding.
*Montessori Info. Night - Thursday October 24th 4:30-5:30. Check your child's folder for more information.
Each week, we will spend time as a class learning about a specific letter. This week's letter was S. Some ways that we will explore each letter include, Sandpaper letter, beginning sound basket that contains various objects that begin with the sound, writing the letter on the dry erase board, and an interactive computer activities. Children will continue to work on various letters through Sandpaper letter lessons and moveable alphabet.
We have also been enjoying some of our new playground toys and more toys will be arriving soon. So far, the bikes and pipe builders seem to be the most popular items. We also have an obstacle course, hoppity balls, chalk, basketball hoop, and hula hoops.
We will not be having a Halloween Party in our class. Instead, we will have a food celebration in November, close to Thanksgiving. More information will be sent home in November.
REMINDERS...
*Next week is Count Week.
Each year during the first week of October, all Ohio school districts are required to count their students and submit that information to the Ohio Department of Education. This number is used to calculate how much money the district will collect. Approximately 50 percent of the budget comes from state funding.
*Montessori Info. Night - Thursday October 24th 4:30-5:30. Check your child's folder for more information.
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| Knobless cylinder boxes |
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| Art materials |
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| spoon transfer |
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| tong transfer |
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| flower arranging |
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| paper punching |
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| spoon transfer |
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| leaf collage |
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| bead sorting |
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| rainy day dancing |
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| Moveable Alphabet |
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