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**** Upcoming Dates****

  • April 5 and April 9 No Early Childhood
  • April 23-- No Early Childhood Session
  • April 23- Big Wheels 5-7PM
  • May 17- Last Day of Early Childhood

Thursday, September 29, 2011

October 3-6 Four Day Read Aloud

Target Vocabulary:  llama, pajama, red, waiting

Next week we will be reading this cute story about a llama that has been read a story and tucked into bed and wants his mama.  The rhyming text and illustrations reminds me so much of when my boys were little and did not want to be in bed!  On Thursday, we will have a pajama day here in preschool to celebrate the story.  (red pajamas would be really fun if your child has a pair :}) 

October Calendar

Today I sent home the October calendar.  Please note some important dates on the calendar. 
***Pajama Day--  October 6
***No PM Session on the 10th and 12th (AM session meets as usual). 
***No School on the 20-21 due to MEA. 
***No Preschool on October 26-

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Calendar Math is Fun!!!

Calendar Math:
Every day in preschool we do calendar math.  Calendar math involves identifying and extending patterns (usually AB), rote counting, number identification to 5, counting one to one with gumball pieces, and looking at a daily color and shape. We finish by having a child "feed" the piggy bank 10 coins while we all count with.  Calendar math addresses several of our math standards and is repetitive in nature. 

hThis was really fun!  This little boy went over to the calendar today and started pointing to the colored apples pretending to be the "teacher" to another child (not in the picture).  He asked what came next in the pattern then extended it using the right colored apple.  It is amazing how much he sounded just like me! :}  I think the neatest part of this is the fact that even though calendar math is preacademic in focus it can be fun and game-like to young children.  So much so that they choose to "play" it during free choice time.  Learning is fun!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Check It Out!!!

I received this email from another teacher today.  Check it out!!!

I found something exciting through Scholastic today that I would like to let parents know about!!!
By getting 2 Kellogg’s items at Walmart (not sure if it can be other places or not)- parents can submit the codes and kids can pick out a book up to $5 value!   The awesome thing is it looks like you can turn in as many as you want- so for every 2 items, you can get a book!  Parents can either submit online if teachers have online ordering or turn it in to the teacher.

Go to Scholasticbookclubs.com then click on Contests & Programs, then scroll down to Kellogg’s Free Book Offer

Please let me know if you have questions.   At this time I do not have online ordering so please send in the code with your child's book order and I will make sure it gets submitted. 

Important Calendar Change for the Afternoon Session

There will be NO PM session on October 10 or October 12.  I will be at a training. 

You are welcome to bring your child to ECFE on Friday, October 14 from 9-10:30 to make up the session.  This is a parent/child session so you would need to stay at school with your child on this date. 
If you have any questions, please let me know. 

*** We will still have AM session on those days. 

Tons Of Fun!

Today was so much fun!  We listened to our Clifford story and made a pretty fall picture to take home.  It is Monday so the children were able to paint today and play games with Grandma Andrine.  We also started a mini book about leaves that children will be able to take home later this week.  Finally, we played outside.  It is such a beautiful fall day.  I sure hope it stays that way for awhile :} 

Friday, September 23, 2011

Melisa has gone Kicking and Screaming!!!!

Into the new technology era...

In an effort to go green and drag myself into the next technology era I will be discontinuing paper newsletters starting the end of September.  Please visit this blog for information on upcoming dates and classroom learning.  :}

If there is important information that you want me to include on this blog please let me know.

September 26-30

Target Vocabulary: naughty, frightened, football, rake

 Our 4 Day Read Aloud will be "Clifford's First Autumn".  This is a fun story about a little pup that is experiencing fall for the first time.  

It is important that children learn about the changing seasons and how it changes their environment.  However, we will only spend this week talking about leaves and fall.  Last year I spent a month on this unit doing many activities.  Because I have many children here for a second year I want to make sure that I do not do the same things as last year.  We are in luck though... there are so many fun things to learn about that I do not think we will ever run out of lessons! :}  

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Science Everywhere!

"Mixed" and "White"
This week we read the story "Mouse Paint".  Two of the vocabulary words we learned were white and mixed.  We used both concepts today to make a fun snack.  We measured and mixed white milk with pudding powder to make pudding!  This children loved to help cook :}

Butterflies
This morning we let our butterflies go.  We have watched them since they were caterpillars climbing on milkweed.  They crawled to the top of the container and spun themselves a chrysalis.  After about 10 days they came out of the chrysalis.  Today we let them go to start their journey south. 


Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Where is the Mouse?

This is a super fun game that we have been playing this week.  I hide the mouse "behind" a colored paintbrush.  The children take turns guessing where the mouse is.  We are practicing language skills, waiting for a turn, the concept "behind", and colors.  AND.... it is really FUN!!!! 

Lots Of Fun!

Today was so fun!  We learned that it is really fun to play with friends.  With some teacher modeling the children here were building a really tall mouse house just like in the story we read last week.  It made me smile to see that they remembered the story so well :}

Monday, September 19, 2011

I Want To Go Home!

I heard this a lot this morning!  It seemed like all of the children wanted to go home this morning (when it was clean up time)  It is really funny though that when it was time to actually go home a few of those that wanted to leave earlier wanted to stay :} 

We have started another busy week and are welcoming some new friends to the group.  Our story this week is about three little mice that mix paint to make new colors.  I am so excited to start painting this week! 

Friday, September 16, 2011

IGDI'S

Next week we will all the children will be given the IGDI assessment (Individual Growth and Development Indicators).  This is the early literacy assessment that all children take in preschool here at Parkers Prairie Elementary.  It assesses children's level of development in vocabulary, rhyming, letter identification, letter sounds, and alliteration (beginning letter sounds).  Teaching staff will use the information gathered from the assessment to help children that are not currently on target learn and grow in that area.  You will get information on how your child did on the assessment in the weeks to come.  If you have any questions please call or email me. 

Thursday, September 15, 2011

September 19-22

Target Vocabulary:
white, jar, mixed, puddle

What a fun week we had!!  We are back into a routine and it feels good.  Next week we will be reading "Mouse Paint" as our 4 day read aloud.  It is a fun story about three white mice that get into all kinds of trouble with paint and mixing colors.  I have lots of fun things planned for the week.   I can't wait to see my friends again on Monday :}

We made cookies :}

In our story this week, Mouse took cookies to school for a snack.  We played a memory/matching game each day this week and talked alot about the vocabulary same/different/match. 

To end our week of "If You Take a Mouse to School" we made a batch of chocolate chip cookies.  We mixed, measured, and counted A LOT!!!  We made extra cookies to share with some special people in our school.  We will deliver cookies and practice communication skills.  What a fun activity to practice science, math, language, and social skills :}

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Volcano!!!

Today we did an experiment in preschool!!  In our story, Mouse did an experiment at school and made a volcano using baking soda and vinegar.  We did the same experiment and the children loved seeing the volcano erupt :}  We followed up the activity with a journal page because all good scientists take notes on their experiments. 

You can do the same experiment at home by putting baking soda and food coloring in a glass then add vinegar and watch it fizz. 

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

I Can't Wait!!

Wednesday is VOLCANO day!  :}

Monday, September 12, 2011

If You Take A Mouse To School


I am playing with this blog!  I think I will like this :}

This is the story we are reading this week as our 4 day read-aloud.  Target vocabulary for this story:
Experiment
Basketball
Soccer Ball
pencils

I can't wait until Wednesday...  volcano experiments in preschool!!! 

September 8

Well we did it!!!  The first week of school went well and it was so fun to see my little friends again.  We spent the week getting back into the routine of school and playing with friends.  I did some baseline assessments of color and shape concepts and was very pleased to see little (if any) regression of skills over the summer months.  We read a super fun book about a mouse that went to school.  Some of the children remembered a story about the same mouse last year at Halloween time. 

Next week we will continue with a back to school theme.  We will read "If You Take A Mouse To School" and do several activities around the story. 

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Welcome to a new year!!!

Welcome to a new year!  I am so excited to have my little friends come back to school.  Please remember that all forms need to be completed prior to the first day of school.  If you have any questions or concerns through the school year please do not hesitate to call or email me.  Thanks, Melisa