Moments in Learning

Some neat things happened this week.  We added some new ramps and balls to the block area and a couple of children started an impromptu bowling game!  Check out these photos of it below.  We would like to expand upon this next week since bowling also ties into our study of games that we have happening in our classroom (our new “game center” has been a big hit!).

Teachers do a lot of observation of the children to see with what they play.  The teachers then use their observations to determine what to keep the same and what to change in the environment.  We have some new environment plans for next week based upon what we have observed!

Environment Planning -1-21-14

We also have our weekly small group and group time plans for you:

Teacher Planning Document January 21

Lastly, we thought you would enjoy these photos of the children using the playdough they made at school this week!

The first two days back have been full of opportunities to rekindle friendships and explore new aspects of the classroom in Room 4.  We also have a few new children, so it has been great to see how the children are now expanding their relationships with one another to include the new children.  Sometimes children switch days, too, and new friendships are formed.  Our song at the beginning of the day, “Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?,” has been helping children learn and remember names.  Our book at the end of the day has been reinforcing friendship skills, too.  It’s called The Duckling Gets a Cookie by Mo Willems.

We have been doing a lot of observing of the classroom and how the children use the materials.  A new area called the “game station” has been a big hit!  It is full of different kinds of game pieces and games.  The children have been exploring the spinners, sand timers, and dice.  These are great tools for playing games, but they also involve mathematics skills.

The children have still been interested in creating structures in the classroom.  There are two posts on Facebook that contain photos of some of the things they have been doing in the block area.  We hope that you enjoy these photos (no Facebook account is needed to view them):

Photo set 1: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.647328051993675.1073741918.213823248677493&type=1

Photo set 2: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.647805455279268.1073741920.213823248677493&type=1

The children have also been engaged in other things like visual and performing arts.  There is a newly configured art studio space outdoors and the children have been using it quite a bit (and the one indoors!).  The piano was also a big hit today.  Here are some photos for you:

Photo set 3: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.647805121945968.1073741919.213823248677493&type=1

It has been a great first two days!  The children and teachers are getting into the new small group routine, which has been fun!  The pencil group has been drawing what they did during their winter breaks and sharing with their classmates what they did while at home while the teacher takes dictation of what they say.  The crayon group has been working on self-portraits.  The paintbrush group has been exploring paint in the art studio.

We hope you enjoy hearing about these first two days.  We can’t wait to see where the rest of the semester takes us.

R4JanNewsletterPDF

Please click on the above link for more information about extended care!

We are trying a new thing this semester.  We are assigning small groups!  Our small group chart is below:

Small Group Lists – Spring 2014

We are also going to be doing some fun activities during week 1!  Please see the details in our planning document below:

Teacher Planning Document January 13

Environment Planning -1-13-14