During the first three weeks of school the children have been exploring the environment and making connections with the new teachers. Here are few pictures:
Category Archives: Home-School Connections
Music Project Update
Our music and movement project continues in our classroom. During these past few weeks we have observed the children use the materials in appropriate ways. They have learned to shake the wingo egg shakers instead of tossing them. When using the Peruvian drum they tap it gently with their hands. The children have also been asking the teachers to play musical instruments with them by offering instruments or by requesting songs.
Parent involvement/comments: We are excited to share with you that some families have commented on how the children have been singing at home. The teachers in Room One sent an email out with words to the songs we sing on a daily basis and some families have decided to bring out the instruments they once played but had stored away.
Next Step: We hope to invite Ms. Laura from Room 4 to play the flute.
Playdough exploration leads to learning
Playdough and natural materials were brought out the first week of October for the children to explore.The children used sea shells to make prints and rocks to squish the playdough. Here’s a recipe we use to make our playdough that I found on this site: http://notjustcute.com/2012/11/06/playdough-recipe-an-old-favorite-with-a-new-twist/
Patting, banging, Squishing, cutting, pinching, and poking the playdough
exercise the muscles in their fingers which helps when children begin to hold a
pencil for writing or tying their shoes.
Playdough (like other sensory activities) can be soothing for children.
It also, keeps children involved for longer periods of time, helping with their
attention span.
Posted in Home-School Connections, Language Arts, Manipulatives, Uncategorized
Family Events
We had so much fun this week at our Pancake Pajama parties!! Thank you to all the parents for your donations to make our party a success. We can’t stress enough how much we value your presence at our family events as it help us build a stronger relationship with all of you.
Posted in Families and Community, Home-School Connections
Songs we sing everday!
Due to the children’s interest in Music and Movement and parents asking for the words to some of the songs we sing with the children, we wanted to share with you the lyrics to the children’s favorite songs. We hope you enjoy singing at home with your children. Here are a few of the children’s favorite songs:
The Wheels on The Bus By Annie Kubler
The wheels on the bus go Round and Round. [Move your hands and arms round and round in a circle.]
Round and Round, Round and Round.The wheels on the bus go Round and Round. All day long!
The wipers on the bus go Swish Swish Swish. [Mimic the motion of windshield wipers with your hands and arms.]
Swish Swish Swish, Swish Swish Swish.
The wipers on the bus go Swish Swish Swish. All day long!
The horn on the bus goes Beep! Beep! Beep! [Pretend to honk the horn on the steering wheel of a bus.]
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!
The horn on the bus goes Beep! Beep! Beep!All day long!
The driver on the bus says, “Tickets Please! Tickets Please! Tickets Please!” [Pretend to extend your hand to collect a ticket] The driver on the bus says, “Tickets Please!” All day long!
The parents pm the bus go Chat Chat Chat,Chat Chat Chat,ChatChat Chat. [Move your hands as if they were talking to each other] The parents pm the bus go Chat Chat Chat,Chat. All day long!
The babies on the bus go Wah Wah Wah. [Place your hands next to your eyes and pretend to cry.]Wah Wah Wah. Wah Wah Wah.The babies on the bus go wah wah wah. Wah wah wah. All Day long!
The people on the bus go “Shhh Shhh Shhh.” [Place your finger in front of your mouth as you make the shhh sounds.]
Shhh Shhh Shhh. Shhh Shhh Shhh.The people on the bus go “Shhh Shhh Shhh.”All day long!
The children on the bus say, “Party Time”
Row, row, row your boat
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
If you see an crocodile,
Don’t forget to scream. (Place your hands on your cheeks and scream)
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
If you see an crocodile,
Don’t forget to scream. (Place your hands on your cheeks and scream)
Extended Care
What we have been doing in Extended Care:
In the afternoons, we have been exploring play-dough and watercolors. We prepared a tub of uncolored play-dough and watercolors in tray. We used eye-droppers to drop the yellow and blue watercolor onto the play-dough. They children used their hands to poke and squeeze until it mixed into green! Young children are in a stage where they explore the environment primarily with their senses. This exposes them to a lot of sensory vocabulary. During our activity, we talked about how the play-dough was “wet”, “sticky”, and, “cold”. We also explored cause and effect as the children observed the changes in color.
Our Classroom Pets
Many of you have been asking who Bun Bun is. Bun Bun is our beautiful bunny that we share with Room 2. In Room One the teachers have been introducing the children to Bun Bun and our betta fish Lily. We remind the children to be gentle when they pet Bun Bun and to keep their hands out of his cage because he might think its food. Overall, Bun Bun is used to having children around and rarely gets upset. You are welcome to visit Bun Bun with your child in the morning before school and after pick up in the afternoon. This week we have also introduced our betta fish Lily to the children. Ms. Maria spoke to them about not shaking the small tank and using their eyes to see Lily. Having classroom pets helps young children learn how to care for other living things.
If you would like to support us as we take care of our pets any of the following items would be greatly appreciated.
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Hay
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Pellets not containing peanuts or processed in a plant that processes peanut products
- Vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, cucumbers,and celery
