Dearborn Public Schools
This past week we went and visited a kindergarten classroom to read with the kindergarten students. The kindergarteners read books from their reading bags, which has books that are at their reading level, to the preschoolers. The children seemed to really enjoy this experience with the kindergarten students. We then got to sit with the kindergarten class and listen to their teacher read us the book ‘Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.’
This past week we read the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. In the book, letters climb up the coconut tree and then it gets too heavy and they all fall out. The children created their own chicka chicka boom boom trees and placed their own letters in the tree. The children brought these home this week. Take some time to talk with your children about what letters they have on their paper as well as talk with them about what happened in the book. We also read a book Chicka Chicka 1.2.3. so talk to them about that book as well.
The children worked on their building skills this week and created structures with plastic cups. This activity worked on the children’s problem solving skills by trying to figure out how to stack the cups and how to build them taller without the cups falling down. This also worked on the children’s creativity by having the children create whatever they would like to with the cups. Both groups ended this activity by working all together to build a HUGE tower, so it also worked on their social skills. You could buy plastic cups next time you are at the store and allow your child or children to build with them at home.
The children also learned this week how to squirt their own paint into cups and use the paper to paint a picture at the easel or at the table. Your child may be coming home with more paintings as well as may come home with paint on them. We are working as hard as we can to stay clean!
We went outside to play in the snow today! The kids had so much fun throwing the snow around. We threw snow at each other as well as in the air to make it snow on our heads. I heard a TON of giggling and laughing while playing outside.
We have so much snow outside! But it is too cold to go outside and play, so instead I brought it inside. This way the children were able to play with the snow indoors, where it is warm. The children painted the snow with watercolor paint. Then the children put their gloves on and explored the snow. They explored it using their sense of touch. They squished it, patted it, and shook it!
We had an in school field trip today. A person from The Scrap Box, which is a store that reuses recyclable materials to make arts and crafts, came and made windsocks with us. Windsocks are typically hung outside to see the strength and direction of the wind. The children created their windsocks by drawing on clear transparency paper to create the tube. Then used sticky glue stickers and cut up pieces of a hot air balloons to create decorative ribbons hanging off the bottom. There is a string on the top so that you can hang it inside or out.
Sorry for the late post. Before break, the children enjoyed having pajama day at school. We even played jingle bells and danced around the classroom to the songs Jingle Bell Rock and Frosty the Snowman! Watch some videos by clicking on the link.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LJnjdr5rFoijRYpC8
Visitors have come to preschool!
Our first visitor was Mr. Paul, The Critter Guy. He brought along with him two doves, a blue tongued lizard, a bearded dragon lizard, a mouse, a chinchilla, and an albino chain kingsnake. The children really enjoyed seeing the different animals. Many of the children were brave enough to pet all the animals and some were even EXTREMELY brave to let the animals crawl on them.
Our other visitors were Firefighters. They came and talked with the children about fire safety. They talked to the children about having a plan in case there is ever a fire at their house. They also talked with the children about stop, drop, and roll if their clothes ever catch on fire. The children were able to see what the firefighters wear when fighting a fire and some children were even able to try the clothing on. We then got to go outside and see the fire truck and all the supplies they have on the truck. When the truck was driving away the firefighters turned on the lights and sirens for the children to see and hear.
Today we explored pumpkins!
We painted pumpkins during small group. We looked at what is inside pumpkins and hammered tees into pumpkins during work time.
One part of our daily routine is Daily 5. During Daily 5, we work on:
So far this year, we have worked on listening to reading by listening to Mrs. Vasas read books, reading to self by reading books to ourselves by reading the pictures, working with words by working on name puzzles, and working on writing by writing in journals. We have not yet done read to someone.
Below are pictures of the children reading to themselves around the classroom.
The children have been interested in the garden that is being created on the playground. Since the children have been interested, I decided to let them do something planting in the classroom. We read some books during the week to see what types of things grow in gardens. We then got to do our own planting. We scooped dirt into cups and placed some seeds inside. The children do not know what the seeds will grow into. It is going to be a surprise garden!
