Theme 7 ~ Nature All Around Us

Dear Families,

Over the next few weeks, children will investigate nature with a new theme called “Nature All Around Us.” This theme covers many of our favorite science topics, such as plants and how they grow, the sun and the moon, and weather and the seasons. Take advantage of all that nature has to offer to help your child learn about the world around us.

• Try your hand at family gardening by planting something (indoors or outdoors) and watching it grow.

• Observe and discuss the weather every day and how it relates to the clothing your child wears and outdoor play activities.

• Watch the national weather on TV with your child and talk about the weather in different parts of the country.

• Point out signs in nature that show what the season is.

• Do sky gazing with your child to look for pictures in the clouds during the day and twinkling stars at night.

This is also going to be the perfect theme for encouraging curiosity, because asking questions is an important learning tool for young children. Experience nature and the outdoors with your child!

Literacy Tip

Spend time in conversation with your child to develop vocabulary and knowledge of the world. Label what you see and explain how things work.

Connecting School to Home

We will learn how the weather affects our daily lives, which is a concept in social studies. You can reinforce this concept by letting your child help choose what to wear every day based on the weather.

Together plant a fruit or flower seed in a window box or window sill flower pot. Have your child water it each day and observe what happens.

Take a Field Trip!

Tour a Plant Nursery - Make arrangements with a plant nursery to have children tour the grounds and explore different kinds of plants and how they grow. Ask if a nursery worker can provide a hands-on demonstration showing how they care for plants and what the different plants require.

Visit a Flower Shop - Make arrangements to visit a local flower shop so children can look at all the beautiful flowers. Ask the florist to make a flower arrangement and to describe the characteristics of each flower in the arrangement.

Big Day for Pre-K Book Suggestions

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

A Day in a City by Nicholas Harris

It's Fall (Celebrate the Seasons) by Linda Glaser

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

Kipper's Snowy Day by Mick Inkpen

Red Rubber Boot Day by Mary Lyn Ray

Raindrop, Plop! by Wendy Cheyette Lewison

Seasons 123 by Patricia Whitehouse

Because I Love You So Much by Guido van Genecthen

Heat Wave by Eileen Spinelli

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson

The ABCs of Fruits and Vegetables and Beyond by Steve Charney

Weather ABC: An Alphabet Book by B. A. Hoena

Miss Becky