Snow Unit January 2-10

Here is a sneak peek of what will be happening when we start school again on January 2

Books This Week:
Good Night Baby Bear
The Snowy Day
Stella: Queen of the Snow
The Mitten

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".
1.Math- We will create groups of three with counters and cubes.
2. Science- Salt on Ice Experiment- We will predict what will happen to an ice cube if we put salt on top of it.  After we predict what will happen, we will put salt on top and watch.  Then we will draw a picture of what happened and talk about why.
3.Writing- We will talk about our vocabulary words with our unit books.  Then we will write the letters to form the words.

Let's Talk About It
-Winter Homes/Habitats
-Winter Clothing
-Migration/Hibernation
-Winter Safety
-Signs of Winter (Seasonal Changes)


Centers
Art Table: Decorate boxes to look like bear caves
Block Area:blocks with bears to create caves
Sensory Table: shaving cream
Book Area: books about weather
Easel: colored ice to paint with
Writing Table: writing shopping lists for winter clothes
Dramatic Play: L..LBean Winter Store (buying and selling winter clothes)
Puzzles and Manipulatives: matching different mittens

Handwriting
We will continuing 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.

Songs, Word Play, and Language
-SNOWY (A version of Bingo) "There was a day when we were cold and snowy was the weather."
-Book- When it starts to snow
-Stella Ipad App
-Syllable Tapping for vocabulary words using sticks (like Peter in The Snowy Day)
-PETER (A version of Bingo) on the touch It Board

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.

Our Gingerbread Show

Our show was a success! The Cub Cadets did a great job remembering their lines in our play and singing our Mat Man songs. It was wonderful to have so many family members there.  They were so proud of themselves. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday break. 

December 16- 20 Gingerbread Man

-We will also be having a family celebration on December 18 at 11:45 (Our performance will begin promptly at 11:50) in the big play room in the middle of the preschool

-Thank you for sending in the HW for measuring. It was fun to share what everyone measured at home

Books this week

Gingerbread Pirates
Gingerbread Cowboys
The Group Plan

Small Groups
- Book Comparison- We will create a chart to show which characters were in the gingerbread man books and not in the gingerbread books
-
-We will also be practicing for our performance and giving a performance for other classrooms

Center
Blocks-Blocks
Sensory Table- flour
Dramatic Play-  Dunkin Donuts
Library- A variety of books about gingerbread
Art Table-Making gingerbread boys and girls
Easel- Water Colors
Science Table- prisms
Puzzles- Puzzles
Manipulatives- Puzzles
Writing Center- Writing Letters

Song, Word Play and Letters
Poems- 5 little cookies, Gingerbread Gingerbread poem
Songs- gingerbread songs
Literacy Skills- Letter Sound Activities, Change and Rearrange Words

Handwriting
-We will be working on our  HWT books (We are working on Big and Little Line Letters like E,F,T,L)

Preschool Life Skills
We are continuing to review our previous skills 1-4.
1-When a teacher calls your name, stop, look and say, "Yes".
2-When a teacher tells you to do something, do it "Right Away".
3-When a teacher tells you to do 2 things, do it "Right Away".
4-When something is too hard, first try then say,"Can you help me please?"
5-When you something from a teacher or a friend and they are doing something, say, "Excuse me" to get them to look at you.

C.C.'s Adventures in our classroom

We have been very excited to see our new snowman  friend C.C. (Cold Cocoa) everyday to see what adventures he had at night.  Our snowman comes alive at night and loves playing in our classroom.  Here are some of our favorite things that C.C. has done. 

Enjoying a campfire and roasting marshmallows

Having a pizza party with his rescue hero friends

Going on a ride on a sleigh pulled by car reindeer. He even has a red nosed reindeer to guide his way.

Gingerbread Unit December 9-13

We will continue our  unit on gingerbread.  We will be reading multiple versions of stories related to the tale of the gingerbread man.  
-We will also be having a family celebration on December 18 at 
-Gingerbread Measuring Homework- December 10
- We also have a snowman named C.C. (cold cocoa) that has been visiting our classroom.  He has fun in our school when we go home.

Books this week

Gingerbread Man
Gingerbread Boy
The Group Plan

Small Groups
-Rhyming Words- We will be identifying rhyming words from our unit books then creating a chart.
-Retelling of the Gingerbread man- We will be sequencing then writing the story in our own words in child created books.  This will be a 2 day small group activity.
We will also be completing some  small group activities from last week.
We will also be practicing for our performance

Center
Blocks-Blocks
Sensory Table- water (with a gingerbread man and a fox to recreate the river in the story where the fox tricked the gingerbread man)
Dramatic Play-  Laundry
Library- A variety of books about gingerbread
Art Table-Making gingerbread boys and girls
Easel- Water Colors
Science Table- prisms
Puzzles- Puzzles
Manipulatives- Ipad apps to make cookies
Writing Center- Writing Letters

Song, Word Play and Letters
Poems- 5 little cookies, Gingerbread Gingerbread poem
Songs- gingerbread songs
Literacy Skills- Letter Sound Activities, Change and Rearrange Words

Handwriting
-We will be working on our  HWT books (We are working on Big and Little Line Letters like E,F,T,L)

Preschool Life Skills
We are continuing to review our previous skills 1-4.
1-When a teacher calls your name, stop, look and say, "Yes".
2-When a teacher tells you to do something, do it "Right Away".
3-When a teacher tells you to do 2 things, do it "Right Away".
4-When something is too hard, first try then say,"Can you help me please?"
5-When you something from a teacher or a friend and they are doing something, say, "Excuse me" to get them to look at you.

Gingerbread Measuring

Today we introduced the concept of measuring using non-standard units of measure.  We used a "gingerbread ruler" to measure how long objects in our classroom were.  Once we all learned how to use our rulers in small groups we then went to the office to see if Sandy and Deb had anything to measure. We measured Sandy's picture of her sons.  Then Deb asked us to measure her laptop.  It was too big so one the children had an idea to use another ruler next to it to count past 10.  It was a great idea.
Today we also sent home measuring homework for your child to find things at home to measure.  Have fun measuring with your child.  Please send it back to school by December 10 so your child can share their homework with their friends.



We measured staplers, paintbrushes, glue sticks, paper clip, and markers.

 We helped Sandy measure her frame of her sons.
It was 7 gingerbread long.











We also measured the cow's ear. It was 7 gingerbread long.











 We measured Deb's computer.
 It was 14 gingerbread long.  We used our gingerbread ruler of 10, then put another ruler onto the end. That is how we counted to 14.

Bird feeders and Carp flying today

 Today we created a special good bye book for Ashley. She is leaving the Cub Cadet classroom.  We are happy for her because Ashley has a new job in Early Intervention that she is excited about.  We will miss you Ashley!! Good Luck

 Today we also made bird feeders in our small groups today.  We put cheerios on pipe cleaners then put them on a tree outside for the birds and other animals to eat.  This was related to the family in our unit book Night Tree.  The family put food on a tree every year as part of their family tradition.

 After putting on bird feeders on the tree, we thought it was perfect day to fly our carps.  We made carps just like Kimoko did in our unit book.  It was fun to run on the hill and watch our carps blow in the wind.
What a fun day!!!

Gingerbread Unit December 2-6

-We will starting a unit on gingerbread.  We will be reading multiple versions of stories related to the tale of the gingerbread man.  
-We will also be having a family celebration in the month of December. I will be sending home a -notice and posting more information the first week we come back to school.  
-Gingerbread Homework- I will be sending "homework" next week as well.  Please have fun with you child with the at home math activity.  
-NO School on December 5 (Parent Teacher Conference Day)
- We also have a snowman named C.C. (cold cocoa) that has been visiting our classroom.  He has fun in our school when we go home.

Books this week

Gingerbread Man
Gingerbread Boy

Small Groups
-Measuring with non-standard units of measure with our gingerbread rulers
-Visual Discriminiation Puzzle- Each child will decorate a gingerbread man then cut him or her into pieces.  Then they will reassemble their puzzles.
-Gingerbread Tally Game- We will spin a spinner and record which gingerbread man it lands on. We will discuss concepts of more, less, and equal
-Group Activity- We will be using our "rulers" to find items to measure in the high school.  This is to help give your child ideas and excite them about finding items to measure at home.

Center
Blocks-Blocks
Sensory Table-Snow (aka popcorn from boxes)
Dramatic Play-  Gingerbread Bakery
Library- A variety of books about gingerbread
Art Table-Painting with gingerbread cookie cutters
Easel- Water Colors
Science Table
Puzzles- Puzzles
Manipulatives- Ipad apps to make cookies
Writing Center- Writing Letters

Song, Word Play and Letters
Poems- 5 little cookies
Songs- gingerbread songs
Literacy Skills- Letter Sound Activities, Change and Rearrange Words

Handwriting
-We will be working on our  HWT books (We are working on Big and Little Line Letters like E,F,T,L)

Preschool Life Skills
We are continuing to review our previous skills 1-4.
1-When a teacher calls your name, stop, look and say, "Yes".
2-When a teacher tells you to do something, do it "Right Away".
3-When a teacher tells you to do 2 things, do it "Right Away".
4-When something is too hard, first try then say,"Can you help me please?"
5-When you something from a teacher or a friend and they are doing something, say, "Excuse me" to get them to look at you.

November 13-15 Family Traditions Unit

Reminder: 
No School Monday (Veteran's Day)
No School on Tuesday November 12 (Teacher Professional Development Day)
Books This Week:
Bunny Cakes
Full, Full, Full of Love

Concept Questions For This Week:
-Cultural Food Traditions
-Celebrating Birthdays (similarities and differences between us)

Handwriting:
Continuing to practice before we use our new big line and little line books
1. using a defined space to write letters
2. using chalk boards to write big lines then wiping with sponges
3. using dry erase boards to write big lines and little lines

Small Groups This Week:
1. Bunny Cakes Puzzle- We will be cutting the cover of our unit book then trying to reassemble the cover.
2.Beginning Letter Feast Book- We will listen to the sounds in the beginning sound in each picture. Then we will watch a model of how to form each letter with HWT boards. Then we will write the initial sound for each picture.
3. Setting a table- We will discuss how the family in the unit book "set the table" for a feast.  Then we will cut and glue pictures, a cup, and a napkin to show how to set a proper table.

Centers

Art Table:Making Arm Trees for our "family trees"

Block Area:blocks pumpkins to make rows

Sensory Table:Washing Dishes(like in the story Full, Full of Love)

Book Area: books about families

Easel: pumpkins and orange and green paints

Writing Table: family words to copy

Dramatic Play: tools

Puzzles and Manipulatives: Visual Discrimination Puzzles

Science Table: Tally sheets for activity of gerbils

Preschool Life Skills

Every week we will be reinforcing previous skills and introducing new skills. Some weeks we will spend more time with a previous skill before moving to a new skill.
New Life Skill: 
"When something is too hard, find a teacher and say 'Help Me Please'.

Previous Life Skills:

"When I give you an instructions, do them right away." (2-3 step directions)

"When a teacher calls your name, you stop, look at the speaker, and say "yes".

 "When I give you an instruction, do it right away."

Social Thinking:

We have begun reading books about our thoughts and feelings to go along with our new curriculum. We have been talking about how our heart is our "feelings keeper" and our brain is our "thought maker".

Family Traditions Unit November 4-8

Books This Week:
Apples and Pumpkins
Full, Full, Full of Love

Concept Questions For This Week:
-What is a family?
-Who are the people in your family?
-Begin discussion of family tree project

Handwriting:
-Finishing our color and shape books.  We will also be reviewing Mat Man materials
- Big Line Activities-
1. using big and little lines to see if we can make letters in our names
2. using chalk boards to write big lines then wiping with sponges
3. using dry erase boards to write big lines and little lines

Small Groups This Week:
1. Pumpkin sorting- We will sort 5 different pumpkins in size order from smallest to biggest. Then we will use non-standard unit of measure to see how tall each pumpkin is.  Then we will trace or write the number. then cut and glue a set of pumpkins to put them in order from smallest to biggest and/or biggest to smallest
2.Pumpkin Sequence- We will color then sequence the order of how to make a jack-o-lantern.  In the story Apples and Pumpkins the family picks a pumpkin then creates a jack-o-lantern as a family tradition.
3. Pumpkin and Vine Math Books- First we will draw vines on each page of our books. Then we will use 1:1 correspondence to place the correct number of pumpkins(our thumbprints) on each page. We will focus on numbers 6-10.
1. Memory Game- Using vocabulary from unit books, we will play a memory game. Then we will discuss which vocabulary comes from which book.
2.Beginning Letter Feast Book- We will listen to the sounds in the beginning sound in each picture. Then we will watch a model of how to form each letter with HWT boards. Then we will write the initial sound for each picture.
3. Setting a table- We will discuss how the family in the unit book "set the table" for a feast.  Then we will cut and glue pictures, a cup, and a napkin to show how to set a proper table.

Centers

Art Table:Apple prints

Block Area:blocks pumpkins to make rows

Sensory Table:water and fish (like in the story Full, Full of Love)

Book Area: books about families

Easel: pumpkins and orange and green paints

Writing Table: family words to copy

Dramatic Play: tools

Puzzles and Manipulatives: Ipads

Science Table: Tally sheets for activity of gerbils

Preschool Life Skills

Every week we will be reinforcing previous skills and introducing new skills. Some weeks we will spend more time with a previous skill before moving to a new skill.
New Life Skill: 
"When I give you an instructions, do them right away." (2-3 step directions)

Previous Life Skills:

"When a teacher calls your name, you stop, look at the speaker, and say "yes".

 "When I give you an instruction, do it right away."

Social Thinking:

We have begun reading books about our thoughts and feelings to go along with our new curriculum.  I will be sending home information about our new social thinking program.  

A "spooky" reading...well not really

Happy Halloween

We had a "spooky" reading of The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything. We went in the big room and shut off the lights. Then teachers held flashlights toward the book as we read and acted out our book.  We also invited our stuffed animal friends from home to enjoy the story. It was a fun day!

Harvest Soiree

Our Harvest Soiree was a great success! We had fun at choice time wearing our costumes.  Then our school went to see Dr. Conti and central office on our Harvest Soiree Parade.  He gave us stickers too. It was so fun.  Then we continued our parade to the cafeteria and then to the athletic wing.  The high school students and teachers loved asking us about our costumes.  

Just a reminder, tomorrow we are going to have a "spooky" reading of our unit book The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything. We will read our book under a sheet with a flashlight. You child can bring in a small stuffed animal friend from home to join in the fun.  We wrote invitations to them today. Also your child can dress in red, white, and blue for Red Sox Day. Tomorrow we will show our Red Sox pride by wearing Red Sox or wearing their colors. 

This is a fun week to celebrate the end of our first unit of Harvest.

 Creating Costumes out of Pattern Blocks

Dr. Conti, thank you for dressing up and giving us stickers!

Happy Soiree

End of our Harvest Unit October 28-November 1

Harvest Unit- Last Week of Unit
 Classroom Happenings
- Our class Soiree- Your child may dress in a costume, fancy shirt, or choose to wear nothing. It is their choice. We are celebrating the end of our harvest unit. We will parade with our harvest lanterns around the high school to make this day special.
-October 31- Please send your child to school with 1 stuffed animal friend so we can have a special reading of our supplemental book, The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything. We will go under a sheet and use a flashlight to read our story.

Books This Week:
Possum's Harvest Moon
Frederick
The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything


Concept Questions For This Week:
-Manners and rules for a party
-Animal Habitats
-What is a harvest soiree? Why should be celebrate harvest time?

Handwriting Activities
Continuing with our Handwriting Without Tears color books.  We are work in these books to reinforce alligator fingers and how to color specific pictures using controlled fine motor movements.
-Acorn Painting (promoting alligator grip)

Small Groups This Week:
1. Moon Sequencing (To prepare for the Harvest Moon Celebration) We will sequence the phases of the moon and relate it back to our unit book Possum's Harvest Moon
2. Writing Invitations- We will be writing invitations for our stuffed animal friends to come to school on October 31.  We will have a spooky reading of the Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything.  We can bring 1 stuffed animal to join us under a sheet with a flashlight to read our supplemental book.  It should be a lot of fun!
3.Number Recognition and 1:1 Correspondence game- We will roll a number cube, label the number and  write the number on dry erase boards.  Then each child will take the correct number of corn kernels to add to a chicken bingo board. The idea is to "feed" all the hungry chickens on the board.
****Soiree- Pictures of the event and more info will follow

Centers

Art Table: tooth brush "flicking" to create white paint specks on a black sky background. Then painting a yellow harvest moon

Block Area:blocks 

Sensory Table: Popcorn kernels

Book Area: books about farms and growing

Easel: painting with primary colors

Writing Table: Party Notes

Dramatic Play: Dress-up for the Soiree (a collection of various costumes)

Puzzles and Manipulatives: farm related puzzles

Science Table: Gerbils from the Science Center(drawing pictures and making observations)
Rug- Tinker Toys

Preschool Life Skills

Every week we will be reinforcing previous skills and introducing new skills. Some weeks we will spend more time with a previous skill before moving to a new skill.
New Life Skill: 
"When I give you an instructions, do them right away." (2-3 step directions)

Previous Life Skills:

"When a teacher calls your name, you stop, look at the speaker, and say "yes".

 "When I give you an instruction, do it right away."

Go Red Sox

Today for our handwriting time we made Red Sox hats. We colored the socks red then we traced the letters Boston Red Sox.  We used red and blue bingo dobbers, markers, and stickers to decorate the head bands too.  We are hoping it brings them good luck tonight! Go Sox!

Harvest Unit October 21-25

Harvest Unit (Week 4)
 Books This Week:
Possum's Harvest Moon
Frederick
The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything

Concept Questions For This Week:
-Preparing for Winter
-Nocturnal Animals
-Moon phases
-What is a harvest soiree? Why should be celebrate harvest time?

Handwriting Activities
Continuing with our Handwriting Without Tears color books.  We are work in these books to reinforce alligator fingers and how to color specific pictures using controlled fine motor movements.
-Making Lanterns for our classroom to prepare for our harvest soiree (more info will follow to explain)

Small Groups This Week:
1.Following Directions- We will listen to direction to complete a farm scene
2.Sorting- We will discuss what people and animals do to prepare for the winter. Then we will sort a variety of objects
3. Farm Sound Bingo Game
**Creating Memory Bubbles to correlate to our story Frederick. He was a mouse that chose to collect memories instead of food for the winter.

Centers

Art Table: acorn painting and creating a rock wall mural 

Block Area:blocks 

Sensory Table: Acorns we collected last week

Book Area: books about farms and growing

Easel: painting with primary colors

Writing Table: Party Notes

Dramatic Play: Farmers Market

Puzzles and Manipulatives: farm related puzzles

Science Table: Gerbils from the Science Center(drawing pictures and making observations)
Rug- Legos

Preschool Life Skills

Every week we will be reinforcing previous skills and introducing new skills. Some weeks we will spend more time with a previous skill before moving to a new skill.
New Life Skill: 
"When I give you an instructions, do them right away." (2-3 step directions)

Previous Life Skills:

"When a teacher calls your name, you stop, look at the speaker, and say "yes".

 "When I give you an instruction, do it right away."

Meet Harvest: The Newest Member to our Classroom

Today we read The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything.  This book is one of our supplemental books for our Harvest Unit.  After reading and acting out the story, we used shredded paper to create a scarecrow like in the book.  We then labeled all of the scarecrow's body parts along with the action words from the story.  We then brainstormed names for our new friend.  We chose Harvest as it is also the name of our unit to help reinforce that vocabulary word.  

Harvest Unit September 15-18

Classroom Happenings:
-No School Monday- Columbus Day
-Back to School Night-Thursday October 17 at 6:30 (for info to follow)
-Science Center Visitor- I have given the children a hint that a special visitor from the Burlington Science Center will visit our classroom. We have 2 gerbils visiting our classroom from the Science Center. We named them Sugar and Spice.  It is very exciting! We earned them as our first class reward.

Harvest Unit (Week 3)
Books This Week:
The Little Red Hen
Eddie's Garden
The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything

Concept Questions For This Week:
-How does food get from the farm to your house?
-What can Apples
-Seasons on the farm
-Scarecrows on the farm

Handwriting Activities
Continuing with our Handwriting Without Tears color books.  We are work in these books to reinforce alligator fingers and how to color specific pictures using controlled fine motor movements.
-Making Big Lines and Little Lines with chalk boards and dry erase boards

Small Groups This Week:
***Special Small Group-After reading the Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything, we will recreate the story by creating a scarecrow. We will stuff clothes with shredded paper. Then we will label each part along with the action word for each part of the clothing.
1. Language- We will be discussing jobs on the farm then creating books to reinforce beginning sounds in words. We will listen to the sound in a word such as "Collecting" (ie. Collecting eggs) Then think of the sound we hear first. Then we will either trace or write the letter in groups.
2. Story Sequencing- We have read Eddie's Garden multiple times. We will now discuss the story to sequence the story in small groups.  This will involve cutting, sequencing, then gluing.  Each child will then need to tell the story about how Eddie grew a garden to the teacher in their group.
3. Math- More and Less- We will be counting then comparing 2 sets of vegetables. Then discuss which set is more and less. Then we will create a chart to show our results.

Centers

Art Table:Scarecrow assembling 

Block Area:blocks and farm animals

Sensory Table: Acorns we collected last week

Book Area: books about farms and growing

Easel: painting with primary colors

Writing Table: Farmer To Do Lists

Dramatic Play: Farmers Market

Puzzles and Manipulatives: farm related puzzles

Science Table: Gerbils from the Science Center(drawing pictures and making observations)

Preschool Life Skills

Every week we will be reinforcing previous skills and introducing new skills. Some weeks we will spend more time with a previous skill before moving to a new skill.
New Life Skill: 
"When I give you an instructions, do them right away." (2-3 step directions)

Previous Life Skills:

"When a teacher calls your name, you stop, look at the speaker, and say "yes".

 "When I give you an instruction, do it right away."