Arctic and Polar Animals

Preschool News ~ February 2016

This month our new unit is focusing on The Arctic and Polar Animals.

A perfect theme for a cold, snowy month!

During circle time we learned some interesting facts about The Arctic.

-The Arctic is located at the northernmost part of our planet.

-The Arctic is VERY cold!

-The Arctic is home to lots of wonderful wildlife, including polar bears, Arctic foxes, squirrels, birds, walruses, seals and whales.

We read two stories, Arctic Animals and Where Polar Animals Live.  After each story we spent some time discussing what makes Polar Animals different from other animals.  For example, brown and black bears hibernate during the winter months to stay warm but polar bears do not.  We learned that polar bears have black skin to absorb heat and white fur to blend in with their environment and that their fur is thicker than any other bears’ and covers even their feet for warmth and traction on ice.  Polar bears also love to be in the water and are excellent swimmers.

In the Sensory Table, the students explored the cold, icy waters of The Arctic.  Brrrrrrr!
We made BIG icebergs for the animals to float on!

Making Igloos out of snow and ice.

Make sure to check back later for more pictures...

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