January News

Preschool News

Weeks of January 4th and 11th

This month our Author Study has focused on Laura Numeroff.  So far we have read two of Ms. Numeroff's stories, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and If You Give a Pig a Pancake.  The students have enjoyed listening to the silly animal stories and making predictions of what they think we'll happen next in each of the stories.  For example, students were asked, "If you give a pig a pancake he will want _________?"  "If you give a mouse a crayon he will want _______?".

During circle we discussed the role of an author (writes the words of the story) and the role of the illustrator (to create the pictures in the story).  Then we took turns being authors by making up very our own stories.

Here are a few of our stories:

"If you give a pig a pancake, he will want to draw a picture of a rainbow.  Then he will want to hang it on his refrigerator and eat more pancakes."

"If you give a mouse a cookie, she will want to drink milk.  Then she will want to do a dance and make pictures."

"The mouse will paint some more and then eat."

"The mouse will draw a picture.  Then he'll have another cookie and some more milk.  He will build a tree house and color a picture. Then he will have more milk".

Some of our classroom discovery centers have included playing dress-up and restaurant  in the Dramatic Play center, building with large wooden blocks and Legos in the Block center, sponge painting and scrap art collages in the Art center, barrel of monkey's and bristle blocks at the Fine Motor center and sand play and play-doh at the Sensory table.  We also had two special cooking activities.  We made yummy chocolate chip cookies and pancakes!

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Miss Becky

"Get in the firetruck.  It's time to go"

                                         

Fine Motor - Scissor Skills

Writing Center - Wipe/Erase Boards

"Look I am an Illustrator"

"I made Rudolph for my story"

Time to make the cookies!!

Building Sand Castles

Easel Painting

Barrel of Monkeys

Cookie Counting

Making Pancakes!

Fun in the Motor Room

Motor Room ~ January 2016

This month our motor room has three new stations!!

Station 1 ~ Obstacle Course

In the obstacle course, the children are jumping with control on a mini trampoline, maintaining their balance to walk across a 4 inch balance beam and rolling themselves in a "mouse hole" to receive some vestibular input.

Station 2 ~ Cookie Hopscotch

Our "mouse" really enjoys cookies! Hopscotch on chocolate chip cookies is the locomotor skill this month: the children are working on jumping with feet apart and together.  If they are able, they can hop on one foot too to feed the "mouse" some cookies!

Station 3 ~ Snowball Toss

In the ball skills area, the children a tossing snowballs back and forth with a friend.  They are trying to throw the snowballs through a hoop for accuracy. 

Miss Joanne - Physical Therapist

Miss Becky - Classroom Teacher

Obstacle Course - Trampoline, Balance Beam and Tunnel Roll

Cookie Hopscotch

Snowball Toss

Welcome Back!

Welcome Back & Happy New Year!!

This week we began our new Author Study unit focusing on Laura Numeroff.  We learned that Laura Numeroff writes children’s books.  Some of her most recognizable children’s books include “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”, “If You Give a Moose a Muffin” and “If You Give a Pig a Pancake”.  We will be learning about and discussing the role of an author and an illustrator.

If your child has a favorite Laura Numeroff book at home that they would like to share with their classmates please feel free to send them in (please label your child’s book)!

Miss Becky

Learn more about Laura Numeroff by clicking on the link below

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/laura-numeroff

This weeks story - "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"

Preschool Reminders

Fall/Winter Extra Clothes Needed!

We are in the process of swapping out your child’s extra clothes.  Please send in 

another FULL set of fall/winter clothing for your child to keep at school (pants, shirt,

socks, underwear, etc.).  We will return any summer clothes that we have left in the 

classroom!

Please put clothes in a Ziploc bag (or plastic shopping bag) with your child's name 

clearly written on it.

Outside Play

Now that the colder weather is here, Please REMEMBER to send your child into school every day dressed to play outside!!  (Coats, snow pants-when there is snow on the ground, hats, mittens, boots, etc.)  We try to go outside every day, weather permitting.

Remember to LABEL all your child’s belongings!!

If you send your child into school wearing boots, PLEASE don’t forget to pack a pair of shoes/sneakers in his/her backpack to change into.  For Safety Reasons, we ask that you NOT send in slippers.

Thank you!

Preschool News

Our next curriculum unit will focus on “Families”.  During circle we will discuss how all families are different.  Some families are very big (have a lot of family members) and some are small (have a few family members).  Students will have the opportunity to share who is in their family (i.e., mommy, daddy, brother, sister, grandmother, etc.) along with their special “Family Project” (Family project details went home this week…Decorate your house).  Don’t forget to include a family photo!!  Finally, we will talk about all the wonderful things families can do together (i.e. play together, celebrate family traditions, go on vacations/trips, etc.).
We are looking forward to a wonderful month!!

Home/School Connection

Reading books with your child is one of the best ways to help him or her develop a love for books.  Loving books is one of the most important keys to your child’s success in school. In addition to reading to your child, talking to him or her about each book will help build the love of reading. It will also build his or her knowledge and vocabulary. Asking questions teaches your child to express his or her ideas.

Here are some questions that will help your child build his/her literacy skills.  As you read to your child, stop and ask these questions:

• What do you think is happening on this page?

• How is this character feeling?

• How can you tell?

• Have you ever felt that way?

Help your child find names for the feelings shown in the pictures.  Help your child connect the events in the book to his or her own life.

Reminders

No School - Wednesday November 25th - Friday November 27th

Parent Teacher Conferences ~ Friday December 4th

Conferences are scheduled in 15-minute intervals.  Please call the main office at (508) 541-8166 to schedule your child’s conference.

**If possible, please make other arrangements for your child(ren) while you attend the conference**

The ECDC will not have school on this day!  A parent questionnaire will be sent home next week…Please take a moment to fill it out and return to me by Wednesday Dec. 2, 2015.

Thank you!

We hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!

Preschool News ~ Week of October 26, 2015

Last week we started our new unit “Life on a Farm”. During our group discussions the children were able to identify a variety of animals that live on a farm (cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, horses, chicks, etc.) as well as the different fruits and vegetables that can be harvested.  The children enjoyed sharing personal stories about experiences when visiting local farms (i.e. going on hayrides, apple and pumpkin picking).

For a special activity this week the children enjoyed making Pumpkin Seeds.  We opened up a BIG orange pumpkin, explored the inside contents, dug out all the seeds and then we baked them.  Yum Yum!!

We read the story “The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything” written by Linda Williams.

In this book, there is a little old lady who goes for a walk in the forest.  On her way home, she sees various clothing items that make noises, but she is not afraid.

The shoes went CLOMP, CLOMP.

The pants went WIGGLE, WIGGLE.

The shirt went SHAKE, SHAKE.

The gloves went CLAP, CLAP.

The tall black hat went NOD, NOD.

  She walked faster after seeing and hearing each item.  She was just about home when she saw a pumpkin head.  The pumpkin head went BOO, BOO!!

For our circle activity, we sequenced the story using picture cards (that matched the story) as well as making all the noises with the actions.

Home-School Connection

Explore Pumpkins!!  Carve out a pumpkin and save a few seeds, dry them and set them aside until spring.  In the spring, plant them in your garden or yard and hopefully by summer time you will have a nice pumpkin plant

Sensory Table - Cracked Corn

"We have to fill the silo to feed the animals"

Writing Center - Creating a farm scene
with markers, crayons and animal stickers

Working together to build gear towers

"Look at how tall our tower is"
"You have to hold it like this so it doesn't fall"

Exploring the inside of a PUMPKIN
(Scooping out the SEEDS and PULP)

Looking at the inside of a pumpkin
with a magnifying glass