Babies, babies, babies

This week we continued learning about babies.  We read the book "Peter's Chair" by Ezra Jack Keates.  We are talking about things that babies can do and things that big kids can do.  We also sorted pictures of things babies use and things big kids use.  The children also cut and glued fabric onto a picture of a baby and told why the baby was cold.  Today we tasted different kinds of baby food and tried to guess what they were.  We then graphed our favorite flavor.  I have also been assessing skills for report cards this week.  Many of the children have made good progress since last quarter.  Some skills to practice at home include naming letters and their sounds, counting objects, and name writing.  We are continuing to learn about rhyming words.  Check out the local library for some great rhyming books.

Next week we will continue to learn about babies.  We will start talking about animal babies next week.


COMING UP...
*No School 1/21
*Preschool report cards sent home on 1/24

HOMEWORK...
*d worksheet
*Rhyming worksheet
*Hands on Homework Activity
*Read letter book

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2013!  I don't know about you, but Winter Break flew by for me!  During this quick week, we talked about what we did during our Winter Break and also began talking about babies.  This month we will be talking all about babies - both human and animal.  We wrote down the things we already know about babies.  At the end of our unit, we will do this activity again and compare the things we knew when we started and talk about the new things we learned.  Our letter of the week this week and next is D.  Keep reviewing the letter names and sounds at home with the flash cards your child received at the start of the year.    

Coming Up Next...
*We will start Student of the Week this month.  Please see your child's folder for more information about this special opportunity. 
* In February we will be studying weather and seasons. 
*In March we will be visited by some animals from the Cincinnati Zoo!  We will be asking each child to send in $3 to cover the cost of the Zoo visit.  More information soon. 

Reminders...
*Help your child dress appropriately for the weather.  We will play outside any days the temperature is 32 degrees or above.  If your child needs coat, gloves, or hat, please contact me.
*Keep your child at home if he/she is sick and remember to call the school office at 924-2560 to let them know.  You can also email me at plunkett.k@norwoodschools.org
*New safety procedures are in place in our school.  Parents MUST ring the bell at the front door and state their child's name, grade, and teacher before they are allowed to enter.  Parents must then go to the office.  As always, parents who wish to enter the classroom when students are present must have finger prints on file at the Board of Education.  Thank you for helping to keep our school a safe place. 


HOMEWORK...
*Send in a baby picture of your child (under 1 year) with his/her name on the back.  We will be using these for several activities.  We will return the picture when we are finished.

No pictures this week, sorry :(

Happy Holidays

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Winter Break.  See you in the new year!  School resumes Wednesday January 2nd!

Crazy about Christmas

This week we have been preparing for Christmas.  The children are working on a special gift for their parents.  We have also been making other craft related to Christmas.  The children sewed (laced) a stocking and glued on cotton balls.  After they sewed the stocking, they were given a candy cane to put in the stocking (but most of the friends ate their candy cane).  Lacing or sewing is a great way to develop fine motor skills and concentration.  It's easy to make your own sewing activities.  All you need is some paper, a hole puncher, and some string.  There are also all kinds of cross stitching supplies available for kids that develop fine motor skills.  The children also made a candy cane with pipe cleaners and beads.  We practiced our pattering skills when making the candy cane.  It took a lot of concentration to thread the tiny beads onto the pipe cleaner, but everyone worked really hard at it!

Our letter of the week is R.  We will not have a letter next week and will resume letter of the week after the winter break with the letter D.  We will also be working a lot on rhyming skills after the break. 

Next Thursday, 12/ 20 will be our holiday party.  Parents are invited to join us for the last 30 minutes of the day to help make and decorate gingerbread houses.  Please read letter sent home today for more information about the party.  Remember, you MUST have fingerprints on file at the Board Office to attend any classroom activities.  

REMINDERS...
*The flu and other illnesses are going around school.  If your child is sick, please keep him/her home.  We want our classroom to be a healthy place.
* Help your child dress appropriately for the weather.  We will play outside any day the temperature is above 32 degrees. 

HOMEWORK...
*Letter R worksheets
*Hand On Homework Activity Bag - remember to return by Tuesday next week.
*Read Letter Book

Sixty Degrees and Snow!

This week we started learning about winter by reading about snow men and making some snow man crafts.  We made snow fluff by mixing corn starch and shaving cream together.  It was very messy but a lot of fun and it really felt like snow (except it wasn't cold).  The children enjoyed sculpting it and making various shapes with the snow fluff.  Hopefully we'll have real snow soon!  The children also used their cutting skills to cut out a snow man.  We also learned size words and position words while making the snowman.  We also made a snow man using mini marshmallows.  Each child cut out a melted snow man and came up with a reason why the snow man melted. 

This week's letter: N
Letters we've learned so far: M, T, A,S, P, C, I, B.


REMINDERS...
*Sign up to bring in supplies for Gingerbread Houses.
*Christmas Party will be on 12/20 at the end of the preschool day.  Don't forget to get fingerprinted if you plan to attend.

HOMEWORK
*N worksheet
* Hand on Homework Activity Bag.  I hope you and your child are enjoying these learning activities together.  Thank you for sending them back each week so other children have the opportunity to use them too.
* Letter books will start going home this week.  These books are a way to review letter names and sounds and build vocabulary.  Please read the book with your child, asking him/her to name the pictures.  Please send the book back to school the following week.

Fun with Fruits and Vegetables

This week we learned about fruits and vegetables.  The children pulled different fruits vegetables from the mystery box, named them, and sorted them.  The children also sorted paper fruits and vegetables and colored them.  On Wednesday, the children painted with vegetables including: celery, carrot, artichoke, sweet potato, and broccoli.  On Thursday, we were visited by Mr Kipp, the food service director for Norwood Schools.  He brought some different fruits and vegetables for the kids to explore and also talked about what they taste like, how to eat them, and where they grow. 

This week our letter was B.  Next week's letter is N.  We are working really hard on learning letter names and sounds. 

Next week we will begin our study of all things winter.  Some subjects we will cover include snow, snowmen, and of course Christmas.  The children will also be learning some Christmas songs and making some Christmas crafts. 

Reminders
*Our holiday party will take place on 12/20.  If you plan to attend, you MUST have fingerprints on file at the Board of Education.  More details about the party soon.
* If your child is sick or not feeling well, please have him/her stay home.  This is for your child's comfort and the health of the other children and adults in the classroom.  Thank you!


Scholastic Book Orders Due for November and December.  I will be placing the order on Friday.  If you want to order, please turn in your order and money or order online by Friday.  Thanks to everyone who has already ordered. 

Homework...
*Hands on Homework Activity Bag.  Please complete the activity with your child and return the bag by Tuesday.  Please remember to return you bag on time so other children have a chance to use these kits.  If you repeatedly forget to turn in the bag, your child will not be able to participate in Hands on Homework.  The goal of the activity bags is to engage in a fun learning activity with your child.  Feel free to adapt the rules or directions to meet the needs of your child. 
*B worksheet
*Bring in a strange/different/exotic fruit or vegetable (ex. parsnip, star fruit, kiwi, radish...)  to share with the class.  The children will have the opportunity to explore the fruits and vegetables in the science center.  If you aren't able to send in a fruit or vegetable, send a picture.  This is a great way to develop new vocabulary.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Preschool Families!
     November is flying by and Christmas Break will be here before we know it!  We finished up our study of homes last week and now we are learning about food.  We read the book "A House for Hermit Crab" by Eric Carle and talked about the hermit crab we have in our classroom.  We also matched pictures of animals to their homes.

     We made "Friendship Soup" this week.  Each child was asked to bring something to contribute to our soup.  All of the children helped make the soup and then we ate it.  The children also made a turkey with hand prints and a cut out of their foot.  Some of the children's cutting skills have really improved already this year.  Keep practicing cutting at home.  Fun things for children to cut include strips of paper, straws, and play-doh.   


*Book Orders for November and December due 11/29 - I hope you will give your child the gift of reading this Holiday season!
https://orders.scholastic.com/J6YFH

*Holiday Party - Mark you calendars and get your fingerprints... We will have a short and simple Holiday Party on 12/20 at the end of the day.  We will be decorating Gingerbread House!  I will be sending home supply sign-ups next week.  More information soon.

Homework
*Thanksgiving page.  Ask your child what he/she ate on Thanksgiving.  Write, draw, or cut out pictures to illustrate some of the things you ate on Thanksgiving.  The children will share their page with the class next week.