I'm getting really bad about posting on Fridays but it's such a busy time of year.
Your kids have been so busy creating some pretty special gifts to you from them for Christmas! We just put the final touches on yesterday!
We had so much fun "traveling around the world" learning about how so many different countries celebrate Christmas. We learned how we are all different and the same.
One country we focused on a lot this week was Germany. We learned that Germany is famous for the Gongerbread cookie and make beautiful gingerbread houses. We watched an animated story version of The Gingerbread Man. During centers one of the things the kids were able to do was pretend to bake gingerbread cookies. Rather than using play-doh like we always do we made a gingerbread scented salt dough that resembled cookie dough. The kids LOVED "baking cookies" this week.
1cup flour
1cup salt
1/2 cup water
Gingerbread or Anise flavoring (small drop)
Friday we ended our journey with the last stop to the North Pole. We read a special story about Santas Elf and watched a short movie, The Elf Story. We learned how important it is to be kind and the magic of Christmas.
Monday we will have a fun filled day of all things Christmas/holidays, from crafts to games to holiday themed dance party.
Tuesday is our last day before winter recess, your child came home with a reminder that they can wear their pajamas, bring a special stuffed animal and blanket. We will go to the community room to watch The Polar Express and have Polar Express Hot Chocolate and snack!
It's the most wonderful time of the year...and also a very busy time so please forgive me when I have late posts.
This past week we started our adventure on Mrs. Millers' Polar Express. One thing I always start out teaching your child as soon as school starts is that we are all different. My famous saying is "we are all different and that's okay". During this holiday season your child has been learning about how people all around the world celebrate Christmas. We have been reading stories, watching videos of actual families and their traditions, finding the countries on our globe and comparing and contrasing other ways people celebrate Christmas to how we do in America.
Day 1:
All Aboard! Today we read the Polar Express. I showed the kids a globe and explained what it is. I showed them where we live and we discussed what we see and do in the United States of America at Christmas time. We talked about what each of our families have done and do at Christmas. We painted a Christmas Tree with water color paints.
Day 2: Mexico
The kids learned that in Mexico posadas is a holiday they celebrate and Christmas. They celebrate for 9 days and spend the night at family or friends house having dinner and giving thanks. We only celebrate two days. In Mexico they play a game called the piñata, some of us have played that at birthdays but in Mexico it's one of their games at Christmas. They do have family dinners and Christmas trees like in America. The Mexican Christmas flower is a poinsettia which we can find in stores at Christmas time. The kids painted poinsettias with pretty red glitter paint.
Day 3: Brazil
Brazil is similar to Christmas in America, Santa comes on Christmas Eve, they have lights and Christmas tress and give gifts. But, on Cheistmas thousands of people gather to see millions of lights and the largest Christmas tree made of lights illuminate. There is also a big firework display, we do not do that in America on Christmas Day. The kids painted fireworks with neon paint and forks (the forks were a fun way to easily create the firework design). We watched an actual home video on YouTube of the light illumination and firework display in Brazil!
Day 4: South Africa
South Africa celebrates Christmas with a tree, Santa, family and gifts also. But, in South Africa the weather is very warm so many families have BBQ's for Christmas! There is also a big parade and carnival that thousands of people attend on Christmas. We watched an actual video of people in a parade and at the carnival on Christmas in South Africa.
Friday we reviewed all of the countries we have learned about so far! The kids are really excited and into Christmas. They look forward to finding out where we are going to go on our globe each day and with some prompting they can recall many facts we learned about each country. The kids are learning that while others may look different, speak different and even celebrate different there are also things that are the same that they can relate to.
We've also been very busy working on Christmas surprises!
This is such a fun time of the year (and very busy) time of the year!
What a great week we had learning about the five senses! The kids really this unit.
We watched a video as an introduction to the 5 senses and while some of the information was a bit advanced there were parts that really broke down what each sense for us.
We focused our whole week on being in tune with our senses in our classroom environment, we:
-painted gingerbread cookie cut outs with anise flavor added to the paint to get the scent of cookies. The gingerbread pattern we painted was on sandpaper so the kids were able to explore sense of touch as well.
-discussed what we see, hear, smell, taste and touch when at school
-learned about what it means to be deaf and blind and how people rely and use their other senses in their daily life
-played a game where we had to guess a shape only through our sense of touch. I placed one shape block at a time in a bag and the kids took turns trying to guess the shape by only being able to feel the block. When we learned about shapes we talked about their attributes, the kids were able to use their prior knowledge to help them with this game.
-Around the home bingo. The kids used their sense of hearing and sight to play a bingo game which entailed various sounds you would hear in your home.
-Shape tree, as you may have seen in their folder the kids made a Christmas tree out of various shapes!
Friday we wrapped up the Five Senses unit with a fun activity where the kids were able to get in touch with all of their senses. I made popcorn with the popcorn air popper. The kids loved listening, seeing, smelling, touching and of course tasting!
We worked on many other things this week also such as the Letter J, number 8, rhyme and shape review.
The kids also have turned into busy little elves as we spent all week working on a VERY special Christmas gift for YOU!
This week we hop on our imaginary 'Polar Express' and learn about Holiday's around the world, this unit will lead us up to our last day before winter break!
Don't forget that I am hoping to place a Scholastic Book order online Monday, in case you want to order and special gifts for the Holidays. Use the classroom code L96PC if you order online!
A snow drift going from my hot tub gazebo to my back roof (nothing but snow holding up the middle)
First night of storm
My house, I was lucky to get a crew out to shovel my roof, the drifts in the back were higher!
Snow up to the bedroom windows
Drift from roof before having it cleared off
My attempt at knocking some down (I actually got a lot off...this was the start of the process. Never thought I'd be doing this)!
It's been quite a week! I'm happy to say I was finally able to get out of our house! My husband is working out of state and with the help of neighbors we weathered the storm. I did things I never imagined and got through it!
I'm looking forward to returning to school next week. Our feast as of now is still on for Tuesday. Due to no school on Friday, please bring in whatever you had signed up/were selected to bring in for the feast on Monday so we can prep for Tuesday.
Have a fantastic weekend. If you have friends or family within the storm I send out my thoughts and hope all are safe. Cross your fingers I don't have flooding now!
Is it just me or is November flying by?! As I was planning for next week I realized that next week is the last full week of class in November!
I can't say Thank You enough to those of you who are able and have responded to helping with our Family Feast. I am looking forward to just spending some time together as one big Pre-K family before the holiday hustle and bustle starts.
This week we started our nutrition unit. I can assume that some kids have come home and become almost obsessed with talking about "all the time food" and "sometimes food". Each year without fail I hear from parents that their kids really become interested in learning about healthy vs. unhealthy food. I explain to the kids in a way that is easy for them to understand that:
Healthy food is AKA All the time food, they are foods that are good for our body and it is okay, if not great to eat these types of food every day!
Unhealthy food is AKA Sometimes food, food that tastes good but is not very good for your body and should not be eaten every day.
This week we really focused on looking at different foods and using the smart bord to play interactive sorting games in which they determined and sorted food into healthy and unhealthy categories.
They learned that nutrition means how we eat and take care of our bodies. Healthy food has so many vitamins that help us to stay healthy and grow up big, strong and smart. They learned that although unhealthy food tastes REALLY good, there are things in them that can make our body unhealthy and maybe even feel tired.
We also discussed breakfast as being the most important meal because it gives us the energy we need to make it through the day. We talked about foods that would make a healthy breakfast.
Today's focus was on exercise and how it is good for the heart, body and mind. They learned that exercise does not mean simply working out but can be other things like playing outside, climbing the playground, bike riding, skating, running, dance and other sports. We exercise every day in class after snack time during gross motor in which we do movement activities from the smart board. Today we did work out videos:
The kids learned that stretching our bodies is also important to keep our muscles from getting sore or hurt.
Other things the kids learned this week included:
~comparing-longer/shorter, more/less, wide/narrow
I have enjoyed meeting with some parents for conferences and look forward to the upcoming scheduled conferences. It is nice to get time to talk to each of you without other distractions!
I apologize for the missed post last week. With last Friday being Halloween it was quite busy between the party at school with the kids and trick or treating at home with my own kids. Mrs. Pohl and I cannot thank our families enough for helping make the party a success. Thank you for your donations and volunteering. The kids looked awesome and they had so much fun! With that being said, you will now find information about our Family Thanksgiving Feast in which all are welcome to attend in their folder this weekend...
'Tis the season!
We have been working on so many new things and continuing to practice other skills as well.
One thing that has really been standing out most in my class that the kids seem to really love is how I explain letter formation. On the web there are many, many catchy ways to explain to your child how to properly form and print letters and numbers. This week's letter G and number 5 had the kids cracking up each day we talked about it and practiced.
My version of writing G is different than what I will post below:
Capital G-First you make a C then throw food in it's mouth
Lowercase g- First you make a small circle and then an upside down candy cane
Number 5-Give it a hat, short neck, belly fat
So I highly recommend referring to some of these silly poems when practicing name writing, letter writing or number writing at home. It really catches their attention and they look forward to practicing each day just because they like to hear me say it while I show them. I even heard some of the kids saying the silly phrase as they attempted printing the letter and number! SUCCESS! (Even when they just aren't getting it I tell them how great I think they are doing and to keep practicing...why?...even when it looks nothing like the letter?...because they are trying and motivated to keep trying).
Capital and Lowercase Letter Formation Poems A - Pull down twice from the point to the top. Add a seat to view the apple crop.
a - First make a round apple to eat, then a slide for an ant when he's finished his treat!
B - Big old B has a tall straight back and two big bellies 'cause he just ate a snack!
b - Draw a straight back just like me. Don't forget to add a belly for b.
Cc - Cars can cruise down curvy c. Stop near the ground- that's it you see!
D - Down to the ground, then take a break. Half a circle is what you'll make.
d - First you make a dime to spend. Go way up high then down to the end.
E - Pull straight down for capital E. Then add some shelves 1, 2, 3.
e - A little line start off e. Add a plate for an egg- here's breakfast for me!
F - Big F is a tall flower for you. E has three lines, F has two.
f - This flower grows tall and hangs a little. Add a line right in the middle.
G - Big round circle but don't go too far. Add a garage to park your car!
g - A garden starts with a little seed. The roots grow down that's all you need!
H- Make two lines, high to low. Connect the lines so they can say hello!
h - First start high then take a jump. Little h has a little hump.
I - Big I starts with one side of a door. All it needs is a roof and a floor.
i - Little i goes down, it's an ice cream treat. Add a sprinkle on top and it's ready to eat.
J - Jumping jack J jumps up and down and then curls up. Jack needs a hat 'cause he likes to dress up!
j - Little j is so thin and lean. Jump way down, then add a jellybean!
Kk - K and k have three lines as you can see: a tall straight back and a sideways v.
L - Pull down a line and add a lap. Lie down, lazy! It's time for a nap!
l - Little l looks like a number one. Just draw a line and you are done!
M - Go down, hit the ground, then draw a V. Down to the ground again big M is two mountains for me.
m - Go down, hit the ground then get ready for bumps. Little m is easy to write, just add two humps.
N - Stick a nail in the ground and slant another one right. Add a third pointing up and say “nighty-night”!
n - Go down, hit the ground and your almost done. Little m has two humps, n has only one!
Oo - Oh yum! An orange to eat! Nice and round, it's a healthy treat.
P - Pull down your pencil, then pick it up off the ground. Add a half a penny, nice and round.
p - Pop on down and then up, you see. Finish it off with a little pea!
Q - Big Q is a round quarter to spend. Add a line when you're at the end.
q - A fancy queen with a little pearl. Give q's hair a special curl.
R - First draw a line and then a rainbow. Add a ramp and you're ready to go!
r - Go straight down, then race on back. r has an arm, like a little rack.
Ss - Silly S and s, those slippery snakes. Twisty, turny, ready to shake!
T - Big T is a big tall tree. Add a fort at the top so you can see.
T - Little t is a little tree. Add a fort in the middle for you and me!
U - Big U is just like a cup. Start by going down and then curve up.
U - Curve down and up, then down once more. Little u is a cup that's ready to pour.
V v - Slant down first then up like so. This upside-down volcano is ready to blow!
W w - W and w have two pointy waves. Swim in the water if you're brave!
X x - A criss and a cross and in case you forgot, where is the treasure? X marks the spot!
Y - Capital Y has a V in the air. The pole at the bottom holds it there.
Y - Slant down right, down to the ground. Slant down left and take it underground.
Z z - Zigzag Z and z are easy, you see. Just zig a zag - 1, 2, 3! Number Formation Poems
What a fun week we had learning all about pumpkins. First we learned about the life cycle of a pumpkin. The kids were amazed at how many steps there are and that the pumpkin is actually a flower before becoming a pumpkin. They learned about pumpkins coming in all different shapes, sizes, textures and colors. I brought in two large pumpkins and we learned the parts of a pumpkin and explored the inside of a pumpkin after carving them open. The kids learned that once you carve your pumpkin with a face that its name changes from pumpkin to Jack-o-Lantern. We read stories about pumpkins, played center activities that revolved around the pumpkin theme and our rhyme of the week is "Five Little Pumpkins" (which they really had fun learning).
On Wednesday we wore orange to stand up against bullying. We talked about what it means to be a bully. The short movie, Spookley the Square Pumpkin has actually been designated as the official anti-bullying film so rather than saving the movie for Halloween we watched it on Wednesday. The kids made great connections and were able to identify the bullies in the movie and saw what it means to take the high road, just like Spookley did when it came time for the Bullies needing help from him. We talked about bullies being people who say and do things to hurt us and make our hearts feel sad. The kids learned that they can tell bullies to stop and they do not like it but that they also need to tell an adult so the bullies cannot continue to do things to upset or hurt them. The kids learned that they should never do things to others to make their hearts sad.
**Spookley has been on Disney Junior a few times, if you have not caught it and get that station, I highly recommend making it part of a family movie night. It is fun for Halloween and teaches a great lesson**
The kids learned what a graph is, what they tell us and how to read them. We made a graph about what our favorite treat to get when trick or treating is. On large paper there were three columns: chocolate, lollipops and chips. I help up each students name card. First, each child had to identify their name and then they placed their name under the column of their most favorite Halloween treat. After we went through all of the names we talked about the results. Which column had them most, least and ties.
We have been learning how to count out objects and practiced how to touch the objects as we count so we can keep track of our counting. We exercised and counted each movement as we did them.
We also learned about counting objects all together/adding. I had a picture of an octopus with 8 tentacles. 7 tentacles had green dots and the eighth had a red dot which was folded and hidden. I demonstrated counting the tentacles by touching each one and counting as I touched them. We saw and counted 8 tentacles. But then we had one tentacle that was hurt and I unfolded the eighth one. I said I was "adding" one more tentacle. We talked about adding means to give more. Now I wanted to know how many all together, so that meant to count all of them. A lot of our math discussion revolves around conversation to check for understanding and repetitive explanations. It helps the kids learn and retain information. I always explain that when we want to know how many of something there is we can count to find out. We count by touching each object so we do not miss any.
We wrapped up our letter E for this week with some great show and tell!
Thank you to all who continue to support your child in their learning adventure. They are already growing so much. I am so happy to see all of the homework participation. The things that seem small to us have a HUGE impact on your children. As the saying goes, "it is the small things that mean the most".
I have to apologize in advance but some Friday posts may be later in the evening or even Saturday's, time slips away when there is a lot or should I say more than usual going on.
This week flew right by and the kids had a blast all week in school. I love the reaction I am getting to Clifford going home with the kids. The kids really get excited and even talk about Clifford many days after being at their home. I cannot say enough times what amazing classes I have this year, so I know Clifford is going to make it home with all of the kids!
We learned all about the letter D this week and had quite the turn out for show and tell! The kids were also really excited about learning about the number 2 this week, particularly writing it. We learned to make a number 2 that first you make a candy cane, then you give it a shoe and that's the way you make the number 2. The kids took turns coming up to the dry erase board and writing it (which is to them a really BIG deal).
I find as a teacher and mom that it is a struggle to teach kids to print both numbers and letters. First and foremost they need exposure. Randomly pull out paper and crayons and just let them go to town. Drawing and printing practice are not the only thing the kids are gaining. Holding writing and drawing utensils help to strengthen their fine motor skills. Especially in today's day with all of the technology I am seeing many, many kids with weak fine motor skills. They do not know how to hold a writing utensil, they do not have the strength to open and shut scissors, etc...
Somethings you can do at home to help your child with their fine motor is to encourage and supply use of art and writing materials such as crayons, pencils and paint. Play-doh is also a great way to strengthen their muscles and aide in their fine motor development. If you are afraid of the mess remind them to keep the play-doh on a baking pan. Provide scissors and to keep them focused on a particular task for cutting draw random lines and have them cut those out. As the kids progress with the scissors then draw other squiggles and shapes for them to follow and cut. Again, if you are afraid of the mess remind them of Mrs. Miller's rules, "We do not cut into teeny tiny pieces and try to follow the lines" and "thumbs up" (to correct how they hold the scissors. You can also provide a large bowl or bin to tell them to put their garbage scraps in (like we do in class). If your child is really struggling with cutting the Dollar Tree has scissors with a spring that will help them and teach them the open and close motion.
You will find in their Rhyme folder this week, 'Hey Diddle, Diddle'.
I also put conference times available for anyone who was not able to attend or sign-up during Open House.
I will be sending home information regarding the Fall Fest/Halloween classroom Party on Monday.
These are just a couple of the kids favorite snack time and gross motor dance videos from this week:
This week my new teacher aide started. The kids may have mentioned Ms. Marissa. Ms. Marissa will be our new classroom aide. You may have seen her around Franklin as her daughter is a student in the elementary school. Not only does Ms. Marissa have experience as a mom but she also knows about Franklin as a school and has worked in childcare in the past. I welcome her into our classroom!
This week the kids did many things! Some of the things they learned about include:
Sight, sound and word recognition for the letter C
Number 1
Sorting by attributes. Things that are the same but different and counting objects.
Farm animals
City vs. country-compare/contrast
Little Boy Blue nursery rhyme
Christopher Columbus
-sailed with 3 ships a long time ago to look for land
-found land/America-where we live
-explored a globe and what it is
-discover means to find something
-earth is the planet we live on, Columbus sailed the world (earth)
Other skills:
-cutting/pasting
-matching
-counting & representation of what they counted
-free creative art
-tripod grasp
**many of my students are holding thier writing materials incorrectly. Please give opportunity at home to color/draw/write and correct how they are holding their writing instrument. With correction and exposure they will acquire the skill**
And much more!
Christopher Columbus art
Dry/erase wooden letter for letter formation printing practice
Muddy Pig-roll the dice, count and make play-doh "mud" spots to show how many dots you counted on the dice
Roll & Write
Roll the cube to see what shape you land on, draw the shape in the grid each time you roll!
Building barns for our farm animals
Farm foam craft
Matching letters to spell farm words
Today we completed our project that required your child to find something that started with the first letter in their name...
The kids really got a kick out of combing their monster craft with thier first letter in their name word project. I heard many giggles when we put it all together.
Thanks for your continuous support in your child's learning adventure!
I can't believe your child has already been in school for a month already! I am so proud of how well they continue to do. Honestly I have seen so much growth in many of them already and I hope you have too.
This week we learned many things about being safe in the case of a fire. As you could see from their homework they learned about calling 911 when there is not a grown up to help. Getting out of a fire fast and safe and what to do if their clothes catch on fire.
Today was their very first fire drill at school! We have been talking a lot about what to expect and I am happy to report they ALL did fantastic and not one tear from one child (as we talked about it being loud and crowded).
We learned all about the letter B and the sound that it makes as well as words that start with B. Here are some B videos they watched during snack time:
We also learned about the number 0 and that zero means nothing.
Other math skills we learned about include:
~counting off...the kids learn to listen and count around a circle saying the correct number as it reaches them.
~The meaning of 'exactly' and how to identify and sort groups of objects. We learned they exactly means more than one object is the same in all ways. We also learned that things can be "the same but different" and explored objects and discussed how they were the same and different and how they could be sorted.
The kids continued to practice their name and this week they used play-doh to mold their name and shaving cream with popcicle sticks and their fingers to practice writing strokes. Don't be afraid of messes! Messes can be cleaned up...trust me, I do it for 33 kids daily plus two at home. Your kids can learn great things while making a mess...and it really is AWESOME! If you are one to want to dive into such experiences at home then one of my personal favorite contained messes is I put my kids in the bath tub with some watercolor paints and let them have at the tub and walls! There are so many ways the kids can learn to write and draw without a pencil and paper.
Why messes mater:
(taken from Measured Mom blog)
1. Kids are designed to explore the world through their senses. Setting up a multi-sensory way to play gives our kids rich opportunities to learn.
2. Sensory play promotes language development. Kids find new ways to talk about their world.
3. Engaging in sensory play with peers or siblings builds social skills. At our house that may sound like, “He’s in the spaghetti and I want to scoop it out!” That’s when we get to talk about what to do when someone we’re playing with isn’t doing what we’d like. My tolddler, who doesn’t say much on his own yet, observed how his older siblings handled the materials and tried out their ideas.
4. Sensory play is great for building motor skills. Scooping, cutting, and pouring the noodles = fine motor. Running around and throwing it in the air = large motor.
5. Exploring sensory materials helps kids’ emotional development. It can be very calming for kids – relieving energy or stress – and bring a great amount of joy as they explore materials in an exciting way.
6. Since how kids use sensory materials is much more important than what they make with it, sensory play promotes creativity. By solving problems or engaging in make-believe, their creativity is enhanced.
I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!
Mrs. Miller
I am so happy I got the chance to meet many of you and spend more time letting you know about this years adventure your child is about to go on. If you were unable to attend, no worries! I am always here for you and feel free to ask or comment on anything. I am working on getting my slide show printed out for those who could not attend.
This week was busy. We attempted to take the kids down to the computer lab to take part in the STAR online assessment. STAR to them seems like a listening game where they select answers based on what they see and hear. Unfortunately the district was having some technical difficulties and the computers were not working. Your child will be going down to attempt STAR again next week. Unlike the older children the scores your child gets from STAR do not count. This is more for exposure to the STAR assessment and the computer.
This was our first week of letter learning.
When we learn about our letter daily I start with "see it, say it, hear it".
I have a large pocket chart that contains
large capital and lowercase letter
poem using rhyme and main words that start with the letter
dry erase portion to demonstrate how to write the letter
four picture flash cards that start with the letter
I point to the letter and ask:
~Can you see it? (kids nod their head, yes)
~Can you say it? (kids shout the letter name)
~Can you hear it? (kids make the sound the letter makes)
We then proceed to read a story about the letter and a poem. We play and I spy game to come up with words by looking at the books pictures that start with the letter sound. On Friday we do our letter of the week show and tell where the kids can bring in something that starts with our letter. Every other day the kids complete either a writing, highlighting search, bingo dabber letter search or letter craft.
During snack time I play them a play list of videos that typically cover our letter and something math related for the whole week. On Friday we have a special video be it something like Curious George, Leap Frog or some other popular short video that also revolves around our theme. This keeps them engaged during snack time and learning.
Here are some videos from this week:
Please keep in mind I cannot control the commercials that play on my blog feed but I do prepare the videos in class prior to the children viewing to avoid anything inappropriate.
Today was Mrs. Pohls last day in our classroom but she is only moving right across the hall! Congratulations to her on stepping up to be a lead classroom teacher! On October 6th I will get a new aide, until then I will have a substitute aide in my class. Afternoon families, this does not affect you except for now instead of them going across to the other class for half the day they will now stay with me from 12:00-2:30 in our classroom! Mrs. Pohl will come over and spend the full class period with her class in our room!
I must have jinxed the kiddos last night when I talked about illness, they all seemed to come in with runny noses and coughs! Tis' the season! Please do not feel you need to keep your child home for a runny nose. You can tell when they are not feeling well enough to come, use your judgement. For now, remind them to use their chicken wing to cough and sneeze (arm and elbow) and plenty of hand washing and germ juice (hand sanitizer).
