October 7-11-2013 Harvest Unit (Week 2)

Classroom Happenings:
-Mystery Bags- We will start phasing out daily mystery bags. We have told the children that they are doing such great work that teachers are running out of prizes. We will be explaining to them that the system is going to change. Every child who gets a "high five" will not get a mystery bag but instead a sticker to add to their cubby chart or bring home.  However, if they get a "high five" I will randomly choose one name from a bucket and 1or 2 children will get a bag.  We will explain to them they still want to earn a high five to have a chance to get a bag.  As time goes on we will also work toward class rewards such as taking a trip to the science center, a special visit to see Louise or Dr. Conti in central offices, or have a picnic lunch outside. I will keep you updated as this program changes so you can continue to encourage your child. 
-Science Center Visitor- I have given the children a hint that a special visitor from the Burlington Science Center will visit our classroom. On Wednesday, we will be bringing gerbils back to our classroom to visit.

Harvest Unit (Week 2)Books This Week:The Little Red Hen makes a pizza
Eddie's Garden
Farmer Duck

Concept Questions For This Week:
-Where does our food come from?
-Reading "Apple Farmer Annie" book and discussing
-How do machines help farmers?
-How food is prepared?
-What happens to wheat before we can eat it?

Handwriting Activities
-Acorn painting- We will use acorns we collect from outside and use them to paint. This will reinforce our alligator fingers to hold the acorns. 
-Beginning 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.
-Using lines and curves to create "Mat Man" on the tables as a group. Then we will play a game where one child closes their eyes then 1 or 2 pieces are removed. Then they child has to guess what important part is missing.

Small Groups This Week:
1.Phonemic Awareness-We will clap out the syllables for a variety of farm vocabulary words. Then we will cut, sort, and glue the pictures on a chart for one syllable words or two syllable words.
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. Memory Game- Using unit vocabulary words. They will first discuss the meanings of the words and relate them back to our books. Then they will play a memory game with the cards.
1. Planting seeds- We will decorate cups with markers, add soil, and add grass seeds. We will be watching our seeds grow over the course of this unit.
2. Bingo Game- Our bingo boards will have tools that can be found on a farm. (rake, tractor,hoe, shovel, sickle,.....)
3. Art- Creating textured animals to add to our farm mural (to be created at center time)

Centers

Art Table:Apple Trees-Painting our arms brown to make a tree then using our fingers to make yellow, red, and orange "leaves"

Block Area:blocks and farm animals

Sensory Table: Beans

Book Area: books about farms and growing

Easel: painting with primary colors

Writing Table: Farmer To Do Lists

Dramatic Play: Cooking

Puzzles and Manipulatives: farm related puzzles

Science Table: Acorns from the playground

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 instruction, do it right away."

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