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:
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
