We have just finished a fun week packed with friendships being made and lots of learning and creating taking place. Our blog will give you an idea of just how busy we have been.
Every fall we talk about our bodies-how we all have similarities and differences in our appearances-and the fact that we are friends no matter what. Each youngster drew a self-portrait (hand mirrors helped) and told us what he/she likes about himself/herself. These portraits will be saved in our portfolios. At the end of the school year the preschoolers will do the same assignment to see how their fine motor skills have developed and how the perception of what he/she looks like has grown. You will receive both self-portraits in the year book sent home in June and will see for yourself how much change happens as the year continues.
There is a photo of a game being played at circle in which each class member chose an item from a bag and told us the shape. The book "What Is Round" was read and we all brainstormed to make a list of round objects. Our goal was preparation for the project of marble painting in keeping with our color unit of the past two weeks.
The group played Bingo finding colors and shapes. This activity was a big hit and helps the teachers to evaluate the knowledge of each class member. We play until every child gets Bingo.
Friends are using our dot to dot markers to create pictures during free choice time. Other friends are sharing toy furnishings and acting out family scenarios with our castle.
Another project shown was the use of color palettes to find what happens when color paints run together. A teacher read "Little Blue and Little Yellow" along with the project. It is clearly a favorite story. Further into the blog are pictures made by using our imagination. The book "Spilt Milk" was enjoyed by all in which white shapes are shown and the reader is left to decide exactly what they represent. Many interpretations are possible. (The pictures are actually clouds.) Every friend made a picture by dropping paint from a spoon onto a paper, folding it and rubbing a hand over it. Open up the paper and voila!. You decide for yourself what the creation looks like. On our bulletin board shown here are all the creations and the decisions of the children as to what their art work represents.
The biggest achievement of the week were the introductions of the two books we use all year to foster literacy. The first is our letter book. Wednesday is letter day. We started the circle by emptying the letter box which the teachers filled with objects beginning with the letter "A". The class guessed what the names of the items were while repeating the sound of the letter "A". Words beginning with the same sound were written on our white board. Some Whole Notes can read them while others use our clues to make a determination. Stories with "A" in their titles such as "Aaron's Hair" and "Alligator Baby" were read during the morning. Still other books with this letter were offered in the library area. The culmination of all of this: in our alphabet books everyone practiced writing upper and lower case appropriate letters and then drew their own choices of things beginning with our letter. Some can write their own words beginning with the designated letter while others need help. Either case is fine. Word cards are out for those who wish to copy the correct letters and spelling. Worksheets to reinforce what we studied were out the next day for those interested in completing them during free choice time.
Starting next week the group will take turns to fill the letter box at home. When it is your little one's turn to have the box, please help to fill it with objects beginning with the letter shown on the top of the box. Obviously some letters are easier than others but please try for about ten items. You can draw things, use magazines or a computer print out. The box MUST be returned the next day in time for circle. This activity is a great home/school connection. The children love it. It is like public speaking 101.
Our other literary accomplishment was to begin our journals. Each Friday we choose a topic related to our theme of the week. The class members become authors and illustrators. This week the boys and girls drew anything they chose related to colors. Some drew rainbows. Others made beautiful flowers or designs. From word cards the group copies color names. Abilities vary from writing six colors with no help to needing assistance for one or two words. These two books are extremely popular. Growth of fine motor skills is apparent as the year progresses. You will receive them at year's end.
In between all of these activities, mandarin and music lessons began. These are virtual as we are now the proud owners of a large TV in our classroom.
See you again next week.
Rolene and Jackie
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