Our PreSchool Blog

One-to-One Correspondence

Practicing Uppercase M & N

Do You Eat Grass?

We started full swing today after our Thanksgiving Break.  We began a new book this week called, “Do you eat grass?”  We focused on one-to-one correspondence, comprehension, and sight word recognition during our first reading today.  We also began working on writing our numerals from one to ten.  We will continue working on this skill during the month of December.  Consider practicing at home to help support our learning in the classroom.  We also focused on the letter Mm during our writing small group with Miss Katie.  The kids did a great job….keep working on those homework folders!

Our annual art has come and gone, but here are some pics to enjoy.  We really appreciate everyone joining us to celebrate all of the wonderful artwork the children had displayed.  They worked so hard and we LOVED seeing the kids take center state for the night!  We thank Ms. Penny for all of her hard work for the show AND with the children!

Dancing Moon and Running Deer came to visit us today to teach us all about the Southwest Native Americans.  We had the opportunity to pop the dry corn kernals off the cob and grind them on a matate.  A matate is the large stone on which the grain is placed. A mano is a smaller stone used to grind corn or other grains. It is rolled over the matate to break down the grains into a powder.  The powder is then used to cook many different things with.  We talked about all the different uses the native americans had for corn then we husked our own piece of cooked corn and enjoyed it as a snack.

Running Deer showed us all of the different types of tools and weapons that were used to hunt and provide food for the native american families.  We also got to see and feel a real deer fur and antlers along with a fox fur and skunk fur!  We explored and dressed up in native american jewelry and clothing and had a chance to make our very own piece of jewelry.  We learned that native americans would have used many different things to make their jewelry including shells, feathers, animal claws other things they would find in the area where they lived.

We learned that native americans did not have books like we do, they had “storytellers,” or people in their tribe that told stories to the young children.  These stories always had a lesson that the children could learn.  Dancing moon told us the story about “How Chipmunk Got His Stripes.”  It was an exciting story that taught us that we should not tease others or to brag about ourselves.  We will be reading other Native American Folk tales later in the week, including How Jackrabbit Got His Long Ears and Kissing Coyotes.  The preK children got to listen to a story on tape about another native american legend…The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush.

children created and extended their own patterns

Our focus in math during the month of November is patterning.  The children were introduced to patterning last year during their preschool classes and this year the children are creating their own patterns and extending them independently.  The children used different types of manipulatives today to create various patterns.  Some children were still most comfortable doing a simple AB pattern based on color while some children created more complicated patterns based on size or type of animal (using the pet manipulatives set).  Using everyday objects in the kitchen are a great way to reinforce patterning at home.

Rhyming Game at Our Literacy Center

Block-Rock

Truck-Duck

We introduced the topic of rhyming last week in Preschool.  Rhyming is a tougher concept to learn than many people think.  Some children pick up on it very quickly while other need a lot of practice.  We played a rhyming matching game in small groups and the children now have the opportunity to play the game independently at the Literacy Center during free choice time.

Why do we teach rhyming words? Of course they’re fun to say, but the concept provides educational benefits as well. Learning word families that sound and end the same help with decoding words in text as your child begins to read. If a child knows the word “cat” and she understands word families (or rhyming words), she will likely be able to figure out words such as hat, sat, bat and mat as she reads.  Preschool is a wonderful time to introduce the concept of a rhyme so that later when word families are introduced, the concept will be easily understood.

Picture books with rhyming patterns are easy to find on the shelves of the library and offer a fun way to introduce the concept of rhyming. As you read the book to your child, emphasize the rhyming words. After you have read the book, mention that it contains pairs of words that sound the same. After rereading the first line with rhyming words, ask your kids to identify the pair that sounds the same. Continue reading, asking them to listen for rhyming pairs. A stop sign cut from red construction paper is a fun way for them to let you know they hear a pair. When they hear two words that sound the same in the text, the stop sign goes up so you can identify the pair. Here are some Books that are full of rhyming words to get you started:

• Dr. Seuss books
• Books by Sandra Boynton
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
• Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet Ahlberg
• Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw
• Down by the Bay by Raffi

Your  librarian can suggest more rhyming books that are at the correct age level for your children.

Horse Pose

We started using our new Yoga mats this week and we love them!  Children can gain enormous benefits from yoga.  Our yoga program encourages children to be children. This is so very important in the academic world we live in today.  During yoga class they have the opportunity to imitate animals and nature through music and movement.  Children love to use their imaginations, create and explore. Yoga gives them an opportunity to use their imaginations as they relax, play and dance.  It also encourages their natural abilities and interests, while helping them to develop strength, flexibility and an overall sense of well being.

little chef

When your child takes center stage for Show and Tell, he or she is learning by doing. The experience is designed to teach and reinforce skills your child will use throughout life, like talking, explaining, and logical and creative thinking. By guiding your child in choosing an item to talk about, you can be sure the experience stimulates the youngster’s imagination.

Show and Tell works better when kids take items that aren’t toys. After all, most toys aren’t news; children play with them at home and school every day. Your child’s presentation will be much more exciting – to him or her and to the audience – if it’s about a post card or letter received in the mail, for example, or something made at home with Mom or Dad.

Other cool items to send: a photograph of a favorite person or from a special trip, a non-toy gift from a relative or friend, a one-page story you and your child have made up together, a picture of Mom or Dad as a child, or a natural object from outdoors, like a piece of quartz or a big pine cone.

Also, consider helping your child prepare a short talk that doesn’t need a “prop.” Why not tell about last year’s vacation or a day of helping with yard work, or make an entirely imaginary tale? It doesn’t have to take a lot of time to get ready. A little creative thinking makes it fun for everyone.

Remember these ways to help: Start early to choose something to tell about. Think ahead about what to say about the item. Maybe even rehearse a bit with your child. You’ll be glad you got involved.

Thank you to everyone who came out on Friday for our first annual Harvest Festival!  We are so lucky to have such wonderful families here at Tots and we always look forward to the times we get to spend with everyone outside of the classroom.  There were some GREAT costumes!  Thanks everyone!

Feeding the Goats

AARG!

Apple Prints

Dinosaur Fun

Happy Halloween!

Feeding the Bunny

With a cherry on top....

Memories for a Lifetime!

As a farewell to Fall and the month of October, the PreK class explored the interesting parts of some of our classroom’s pumpkins. We opened up some of our Science Center’s ghords and pumpkins and learned about each one of their different parts. From the gooey pulp inside and the curving ribbed lines outside, we really enjoyed taking a closer look at the pumpkins. Once we  were finished exploring the kids were given lables and their own picture of a pumpkin. Together we takled about all of its parts and put each lable next to its corresponding part. We also have our pumpkins and ghords in the sensory table this week, the children can have one last chance to scoop out the seeds and gooey insides!

taking inventory

the anatomy of a pumpkin

The Madeira fire department came to visit us on Wednesday and the kids just LOVED IT!  The firemen taught us alot of about fire safety.  They taught us what to do if:  1)we find a box of matches, 2) our clothes catch on fire, 3) what to do if we wake up to a fire alarm in the house, 4) when and when NOT to call 911, 5)  to let the firemen get any pets out of a house on fire and NEVER stop to bring toys with them  6)  how smoke rises and how we should always crawl out of a burning house.

We watched as a firemen put on each piece of gear including air tanks, hood and mask.  We gave the fireman high five as we learned never to be afraid of a fireman if he came to help us in an emergency.  Some of the children were a little unsure of the fireman and how funny his voice sounded when he talked through his speaker in his mask.  This was a wonderful experience for the kids to help them feel more comfortable.

After our special group time with the firemen, they took us all outside and showed us each part of their trucks.  The afternoon class got to see an aerial ladder truck and an ambulance!  Both classes got to get inside the fire truck and walk through!  The kids were amazed at this experience and were FULL of questions!

Getting Ready to Fight a Fire

The Air tank Helps him Breath

Stop, Drop, and Roll

Inside the Fire Truck

All the Equipment they need to Help Fight a Fire...

Gloves Keep His Hand Protected from the Flames

This Fire Truck can Produce it's own Electricity

Firemen Use Different Fire Hoses

Learning About the Aerial Ladder Truck

Fives for the Fireman

Hugs for the Fire Fighter