Our New Snow Unit

Here is a sneak peek of what will be happening when we start school again on January 3- 6.
Snow Unit

Books This Week:
Good Night Baby Bear
Stella: Queen of the Snow

Small Groups For This Week:
1. Story Sequencing- After reading Good Night Baby Bear, we will recall the events in the story. Then each child will cut and glue the pictures from the story in the correct order from the story.
2.Math- Creating sets of objects- Each child will be given a collection of winter objects to cut. Then they will sort and create sets of two.  Then each child will write the letters they hear in each of the winter words next to each set by listening the sounds in the word. (We call it ear spelling)
3. Art- We will color a picture of Stella( the character from our book). Then we will use epson salt on blue paper to look like snow.  When it is dry we will put Stella in the "snow storm".

Centers
Art Table: Painting a television(a big box) to use later in the dramatic play area
Block Area:blocks with bears to create caves
Sensory Table: shaving cream
Book Area: books about weater
Easel:colored ice to paint with
Writing Table: writing shopping lists for winter clothes
Dramatic Play: weather channel role play
Puzzles and Manipulatives: matching different mittens

Handwriting
We willcontinuing a program called Handwriting Without Tears. It's focus is on letter formation and letter awareness. This program reinforces proper grasp and trying to strenghten fine motor muscles.
This week's activities: using wooden straight lines, wipe away boards, using frogs for our "frog jump letters" like the letter F (big line down, frog jump up, little line, little line)


Preschool Manners
We are moving onto our new skill.
-When you want soemething form a teacher or friend and they are doing something say, "Excuse me" to get them to look at you, then you say"May I____________?" to get what you want.

Pictures from our family celebration

We just wanted to thank all of the families that came to our classroom today. It was so fun to share our songs with you today.  Everyone did a great job. Enjoy the pictures.

December 12-16

Please remember our Family Holiday Party on Friday. Families can come at 10:30

Books This Week:
The Gingerbread Man
The Gingerbread Girl

Small Groups For This Week:
***Last week, weather did not allow us to go outside to decorate the trees with our birdfeeders. This week we will be watching the weather and going outside to decorate a tree. Then we will put out a blanket, sing songs, and have hot cocoa. This is just like the family in Night Tree.
1.We will be making a secret project. I am sorry but I can't give any details. It is top secret.
2. Tally Gingerbread Game- We will be playing a game that will foster turn taking, tallying concepts, comparing data, and counting skills.
3. Measuring with gingerbread- We will be using non standard units (gingerbread ruler) to measure objects in our school. We will reinforce concepts such as counting, comparing, and qualitative vocabulary(longer, shorter, same in length).

Centers
Art Table: hanging snow flakes for our party
Block Area:blocks
Sensory Table: shaving cream
Book Area: books about families
Easel:gingerbread houses to paint
Writing Table: crayons for writing
Dramatic Play: bakery shop
Puzzles and Manipulatives: Ipads (cookie doodle app- to make cookies)
Science: tree branches without leaves and pine branches with needles

Handwriting
We will be starting a program called Handwriting Without Tears. It's focus is on letter formation and letter awareness. We will be working on a color and shape book for the next weeks. We will be reinforcing proper grasp and trying to strenghten fine motor muscles.

Preschool Manners
We are moving onto our new skill.
-When you want soemething form a teacher or friend and they are doing something say, "Excuse me" to get them to look at you.

Bird Feeders and Hot Cocoa

Today we took our bird feeders outside to decorate the tree outside of our classroom. We sipped hot cocoa and sang songs.  This was the same tradition of the familly in our unit book Night Tree.

December 5-8

Please remember:No School on Friday Books This Week:
Night Tree

A Carp for Kimiko

Concept For This Week:
1.Paper Carps- We will use fine motor skills to create paper fish (carps) just like Kimoko wanted in our unit book
2. Carp/Doll Patterning- We will extend or create patterns using dolls and carps around our cover of our book.
3. Pine Cones to put outside to feed the birds. Using crisco and bird seed we will create a tasty treat for birds outside our classroom.
1. Night Tree Math book-We will identify numbers then write them. Then cut and glue the right number of animals to the trees.
2.Trip to the Burlington Science Center- We will go and observe animals. We will be reinforcing concepts such as noctural animals(like in our story) and food that animals eat.
3.Decorating our own night tree.-Using the pipecleaner birdfeeders and cut up apples, we will decorate a pine tree outside of our school. We will then sit on a blanket and enjoy some hot cocoa and sing songs. (This is what the family did in the story Night Tree)

Centers
Art Table:playdough birthday cakes
Block Area:blocks
Sensory Table: Alphabet Soup(using soup spoons we will scoop letters out out of the water and put them in a soup bowl)
Book Area: books about families
Easel:night tree bingo dobbers
Writing Table: HWT strips for writing
Dramatic Play: grocery store
Puzzles and Manipulatives: Ipads
Science: tree branches without leaves and pine branches with needles

 Handwriting
We will be starting a program called Handwriting Without Tears. It's focus is on letter formation and letter awareness. We will be working on a color and shape book for the next weeks.  We will be reinforcing proper grasp and trying to strenghten fine motor muscles. 

Preschool Manners
We are moving onto our new skill.
-When something is too hard, ask a teacher for help.
"Please help me______________________."