Please Label All Items!!!

Hats and mitts are coming in and some of the children have identical clothing.  Please make sure to label all clothing articles!!  When shopping for winter items, please try to keep in mind looking for items that allow your child to be independent  Some boots and mitts are very difficult to put on.  It is very important that your child be able to dress independently. 

Boats!!

Today the children made a boat at the block centre and they asked me if I had some boats to put out with some people. I did get some boats but some kids came up with the idea to make their own boats to put at the blocks.  This boy made a flying boat that can hold pictures too!!

We ended up with many creations and are now in need of more boxes.  Please save your cereal boxes etc. to bring to school.

Also if you have any odds and ends lying around that are of no use to you anymore , please send them to school and we will add it to our craft area.  (buttons, foam shapes, etc.)

Problem Solving!!!

We were introduced to the classroom Problem Solving Model this week:

First, What is the Problem?

Then, What Do I Know?

Next, What Can I Do?  

Last, Did it Work?

Milk Please!

We would like to thank Mrs. Wright for coming into our classroom and doing a Dairy Presentation.  We saw what cows eat and how cows are milked.  We learned about the kinds of foods with milk.  They are healthy foods!! 

Our Pizza Day!!

Our pizza lunch was a huge success!!  We are introducing the first, then, next and finally or last concept!!!  Continue to use these terms at home. 
At home connection:   Use first, then, next and finally.
1.  Ask your child what you do when you brush your teeth. 
2.  Ask your child what you do to get dressed in the morning.
3.  Ask your child what do we do before we go to bed.
4.  Ask your child what do we do when we get home from school. 


First,  we put the pizza sauce on.

Then, we put the cheese on.

Next, we add the ham.

Finally, we put it in the oven!!

We had a very healthy lunch!!!

Math and Drama!!

We have been discussing seriation and using the terms big, bigger, biggest, medium, small, smaller, smallest, long, longer, longest, and short, shorter, shortest.  We seriated bugs and learned how to measure them to seriate them from longest to shortest.  Continue to use these terms at home.

We also have been dramatizing a few fairy tales that use these terms as well.  Ask your child to tell you about Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. 

Below, the three billy goats crossed the bridge and was able to eat the grass. The Troll was sitting on the bridge. 

Math!!

Math terms the children have been exposed to lately are: more, most, less, least, equal or the same. 

At-home activity to extend this learning:

Add 2 or 3 clear plastic cups in the bath with scoops.  Ask your child make one cup have more water than the others.  Make the cups have an equal amount of water. etc. Try to have your child explain and use the terms!!!   

Oral Language Development

Monthly Teacher Tips to Improve Language and Literacy

Expose children to rare, unusual, technical words they don’t hear in everyday conversations. Explain and repeat these words in different situations to help children develop a full understanding of their meaning. Knowledge of these words helps children with later reading comprehension and gives them the background knowledge they will need in subjects like science, history, geography and math.

Tips

Daily Activities:

When cleaning up spilled liquids, use the word absorb to show children what cloths or paper towels do to liquids. Use the work repeatedly in other situations.

Pretend Play:

Plan pretend activities like a moon walk, where children can use rare words like astronauts, space shuttle, asteroids and gravity. Reinforce the meaning of the new words by reading related books and using the words in other appropriate situations.

Reading Books:

Read a science book about the human body. Introduce and explain words such as organs, abdomen and digestion. Then, relate each word to the children’s bodies. Repeat words in other situations.

On the Go…:

Instead of using everyday words, use rare words that mean the same thing. For example, instead of talking about a siren being loud, introduce more sophisticated words such as deafening or ear-splitting. Repeat new words often.

The Greater Essex County District School Board

Speech and Language Services

Source: The Hanen Center; 2008 Preschool Language and Literacy Calendar

Awards!!!!

To help your child develop a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem, we will be sending home certificates if your child has accomplished a specific skill.  Look for these certain awards to be coming home in the next few months:

1.  I CAN ZIP MY ZIPPER :  Many children have taken this certificate home already.  Keep pracitising at home.  You can also work on practising getting snowsuits on independently.  Use the terms:
first, we get our snowpants on,
then we get our boots on,
next we get our jacket on,
finally, we get our mitts and hats on.

2.  I CAN MAKE AN AB PATTERN:  We have been making many patterns in class.  To create an AB pattern you need 2 objects and you pattern them alternately.  At home, try to use objects around the house.  eg.  spoon, fork, spoon, fork. , big button, little button, big button, little button etc.  When your child has accomplished this easily, try a more difficult pattern.  eg.  AABB, AAABBB, AAB, ABB etc. You may start the pattern for your child and see if your child can continue the pattern.

3.  I CAN COUNT TO _________.  Practise rote counting. (counting out loud) and counting objects at home.  Games like snakes and ladders make it fun to count at home. 

4.  I CAN NAME ALL THE UPPER-CASE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET.  Keep practising at home.  Use the list of suggestions that was sent home. 

5.  I CAN NAME ALL THE LOWER-CASE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET.  Keep practising at home.  Use the list of suggestions that was sent home.

Is There A Doctor In The House!!!!

We have a new doctor centre in the room!!!!