First Full Week of School September 10-14

First Full Week of School
We will begin our school year getting to know each other and establishing classroom routines. During the month of September, we will be focusing on developing classroom expectations, routines, and getting to know each learner. Our books for the first several weeks will pertain to transitioning to school and feelings about coming to school.
We will also use these books to have the students become familiar with our curriculum approach which is to use books to build on our classroom activities.
We will begin our first unit during the week of September 23rd.  Our first unit will be "Friends".

Books These Weeks:

The Kissing Hand
Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom

Small Groups:
Literacy Small Groups/Fine Motor

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
-Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Bowling- We will roll a "coconut" to knock down bowling pins with letters on them.  We will stamp on our bowling recording sheet which letters we knocked down.
-Coconut Tree Letter Bean Bag Throwing- Each child will receive a bean bag with a letter.  They will name the letter, then gently toss it onto a coconut tree(brown paper with green leaves on top)
Kissing Hand
-Feed Chester- We will be cutting letters both in our name and not in our name.  Then we will use the letters in our name to make our name on our papers.  The letters not in our name we will feed to Chester Raccoon. 
-Story Sequencing-After listening to our story, we will discuss events that happened.   Then we will cut pictures from the story then place in order to retell the story to reinforce left to right progression.  Students will verbally retell the events.

Math Small Groups/Fine Motor Small Groups
Kissing Hand
-Patterning- We will create patterns using pictures from the Kissing Hand
-Graphing- We will spin a spinner that has pictures from our story.  Then we will record by coloring one box to show which picture the spinner landed on. We will then count to see which picture we recorded the most and least.
-Using a coconut tree mat, we will use playdough to create letters and coconuts for the tree. 
-Coconut Pick up- Using clothespins we picked up "coconut" pom poms and move them into cups. This will help strengthen our fingers in this fun game. 

Centers
Art Table- Tissue Paper Collages for the first letter in our names to make letter mosaics

Block Area- blocks with coconut leaves

Sand Table- Sand/ Chicka, Chicka Trees, beans(as the coconuts), and letters
Book Area- Exploring Books about school
Easel-Markers and paper
Writing Table- crayons and paper
Dramatic Play- dishes, cookware, and food (restaurant role play)
Rug- Legos

Science/Social Studies Circle
- We will be focusing on our curriculum of Preschool Life Skills during this time to help us transition into our new classroom.

1. When I call your name, stop what you are doing, look at me, and say ,"Yes".
-Discussing how we sit and listen in a group (our community classroom)

Songs, Word Plays, and Language

-Action Bingo Song:

There was a class that had a boy/girl, and _____was his/her name-o

(Each child chooses an action for others to follow)

Jump, Jump, (name), Jump, Jump, (name), Jump, Jump, (name) ,

We're glad you're in school today.
-If your happy and you know it.
-Here we are together at school
-Our Good Morning Chant
-ABC Rock by Steve and Greg

-Number Rock by Steve and Greg
-Dino Stomp

Classroom Motivational System
We will be learning classroom routines and expectations within our new classroom.  In order to create a successful and rewarding environment, each child will have a motivational system. Our classroom system promotes positive classroom behavior through positive peer modeling and teachers providing positive reinforcement for desired behaviors.  This system can be explained more thoroughly in a tab on this blog.