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!