Preschool News

November 2007

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October Fun!

We have had so much fun during the month of October and the children are learning new things every day.  They all seem to be very comfortable in school and it is wonderful to see friendships forming between not only the children but also between the parents.  It is a special group and I believe the nurturing, warm feeling in class is the perfect foundation for LOTS of learning.

 

This month we watched the trees turn colors and we learned all about the things that happen as the season changes from summer to fall.  We encouraged the children to use their observational skills and to make predictions about the trees, weather and animals outside.  The artwork has been beautiful…from apple prints to orange and yellow finger painted leaves.  We have also learned many songs and poems and I have been using charts with words to get the children used to seeing these verses in print.  It is amazing how many of the children are starting to “notice” that some words start with the same sound and that some words rhyme!  As always, literature has been a large focus of our activities and following the reading of a story, our learning centers will often reflect the story content.  For example, we read the story, Owl Babies, about owl babies who miss their mommy. The repetitive line, “I want my mommy!” was fun for the children to chant as they participated in the reading of the story.  We read this story for several days.  Children love to have stories read over and over (as you probably already know) and there are many educational benefits.

Some of our fall activities have included owl puppets, a math game with acorns, leaf prints, a pumpkins book, lessons on the letter “P”, pumpkin carving and a science center with leaves, pine cones, acorns and gourds.  Examples of learning centers during our apple unit included sorting apples by color, making patterns with different colored apples and counting the seeds inside.  The children observed that the outsides of the apples are different in color from the inside and they painted pictures to show this difference.  We made yummy applesauce, learned an apple song (see words below), and played an apple toss game.

 

I could go on and on about all the great learning that went on this month but I will stop here since I know how busy your lives are with your preschoolers.  It has been a pleasure sharing this beautiful season with your little ones.  THANK YOU!

 

APPLE

(sung to BINGO)

There is a fruit I like to eat,

And APPLE is its name-o

A-P-P-L-E!    A-P-P-L-E!   A-P-P-L-E!

And apple is its name-o

 CRUNCH!

*Now continue the song omitting one letter at a time and singing CRUNCH in place of the letter.

 

November Events

This month we will be learning about different kinds of food and what it means to be “thankful.”  This is one of my favorite times of the year and the children will love the activities planned in November!  We will start by doing activities about most children’s favorite food: pizza!  We will read the books, Hi, Pizza Man and Pete’s A Pizza.  Then we will be having a pretend pizzeria center and pizza art

projects with donations of pizza wheels and boxes from local pizza places.  These businesses all know that when Mrs. L. comes to their door in November, it’s preschool pizza time!

Then we will start talking about vegetables and soup.  We have all kinds of art, science, language and literacy activities planned as well as music, movement, math and learning about different foods people eat. I have attached a wonderful hand out on how to teach children about thankfulness.  We will be doing A LOT of this in class, too.  On November 20, 2007 we will be having our family Thanksgiving celebration with songs, poems and our vegetable soup made by our preschool chefs.  The morning celebration will be from 9: 45 AM to 10:30 AM and the afternoon will be from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM.  All family members are invited and welcome.  A week before the big day, we will be requesting that each child bring in one ingredient for our soup and then we will put it together into a big pot.  I will be sending more information as the day gets closer!

     Action words

    The five senses

   Descriptive words related to the five senses

 Nursery Rhyme: Old Woman In A Shoe

Sorting by attribute

      Nutrition

      Family

      Ball Skills

      Sharing and manners

If you need anything, remember that you are welcome to call!!

Thanks for all of your support!

Miss Debbie