This week the children helped read the wordless book Float by Daniel Miyares.  We made our own aluminum boats, discussed how they were similar and different, and then tested them out in the water to see which floated.   

In the water tray we explored many different objects which could either “float on top” of the water or “sink to the bottom.”  First we made a prediction, then observed what happened and then discussed why we think it happened.  

In the Science Center we also discovered which materials were waterproof or absorbent (soaked up the water).  The children used their fine motor skills to squeeze pipettes to drop water on different materials including plastic, fabric, paper, aluminum and cotton balls.

Weekly Letter 3.18.22

Family Engagement 3.18.22

Next week we will be discussing how water is important for all living things and how it helps us. 

This week we explored what happens to water when it changes temperature.

We read the books Rain! By Linda Ashman and Snow by Uri Shulevitz to help us understand how temperature affects the weather. We also voted on our favorite weather during morning sign-in. Our class’s favorite weather was snowy! 

At the Science Center, children predicted how to melt an ice cube and then tested their predictions using real ice cubes and various tools and resources around the classroom. Our predictions included using hot water, placing ice in the sun, and putting salt on it!

At the Math Center we created ‘snowball rulers’ and practiced using our rulers to measure objects around the classroom. We compared the sizes to see what objects were biggest or smallest, longest or shortest.

Weekly Letter 3.11.22

Family Engagement 3.11.22

Next week we will explore the concepts of sink and float!

This week we started our new unit on water. We read the book Water by Frank Asch. We brainstormed how water is found in our classroom (sink, water tray), in our houses (kitchens, bathrooms), through the weather, and also the wider environment (waterfalls, lakes, rivers, oceans).    

In the Science Center, the children worked on sorting different seashells, as well as land and sea animals.

In the Math Center the children counted how many drops of water can fit on a penny.

Weekly Letter 3.4.22

Family Engagement 3.4.22

Next week we will continue with our water unit by focusing on what happens to water when it changes temperature.   

This week we wrapped up our study of Light by discussing how different kinds of light can help us.  We read How do we use light? by Daniel Nunn and the children considered how lights help us see, give information, provide warmth and help plants grow. 

We also discussed how some animals wake up and go out at night (nocturnal) and some sleep at night and go out in the day (diurnal). 

In the Art Center we created “line art” and used our flashlights to see the shadows created.  We used strips of paper to create wavy, zig-zags, and bumpy lines, as well as loops, diagonals, and parallel lines!  

In the Science Center we continued to tell shadow puppet stories and in the Dramatic Play Center we made smores around our campfire. 

Weekly Letter 2.18.22

February Break Letter

After the break we will begin a new unit on Water and start by exploring why water is important and where water comes from.  

This week we explored the questions “what is darkness?” and “what are shadows?”

We reread Can’t You Sleep Little Bear by Martin Waddell. We noticed the different sources of light on each page. We also discussed our own feelings about the dark and the sources of light in our homes and bedrooms.

At the Art Center children observed Vincent Van Gogh’s painting The Starry Night. We used dark and light paints to create our own versions of The Starry Night with swirly and dotted lines, silhouettes, and shadows!

At the Science Center we used new materials to create light reflections with our flashlights! We noticed that shiny materials bounced the light in a new direction. We discussed how the moon can appear to look different and that the sun reflects off it to make it shine (like a mirror).  We also observed and created shadows using lots of different resources and even our own bodies!

Weekly Letter 2.11.22

Family Engagement 2.11

Next week we will learn about the many ways that light helps us!

To introduce our new unit, we read All About Light by Lisa Trumbauer.  The children brainstormed many sources of light.

We also read Round Trip by Ann Jonas. The children compared what the family in the story saw on their trip during the day versus their travel in the evening. They noticed that the family saw more lights at nighttime because it was darker.

In the Art center, the children had an opportunity to create their own turn around pictures in black and white using crayons.

The children also made stained glass pictures for our classroom windows. We observed what colors were shining through the ‘translucent’ paper due to the sun.

We are beginning to transform our Dramatic Play area into a campsite with a “campfire” to light up our night.

Weekly Letter 2.4.22

Family Engagement 2.4.22

Next week we will continue our light unit by discussing darkness and comparing shadows.  

This week we read the book Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper. The children discussed the importance of being safe in and around vehicles, including following signs, wearing seatbelts and helmets, and being safe ‘pedestrians’ when out walking. 

We enjoyed listening to our friends sharing their signs from home.  We also found some signs that we knew well like ‘stop’ and ‘one way’ and others were new including ‘hospital’ and ‘rail road crossing.’ 

At the Art and Writing Centers, children created their own traffic signs inspired by our class discussions and read alouds. We incorporated both child made and printed signs in our play around the classroom!

Weekly Letter 1.28.22

Family Engagement 1.28.22

Next week we will be beginning our new unit on light!  Children will be exploring light, darkness and shadows with hands-on materials.  We will begin by looking at what kinds of lights are all around us.

This week we focused on different peoples’ jobs and the vehicles they use to help them do their jobs.

While reading the book Whose Vehicle is This? by Sharon Katz Cooper, students were able to try guessing the names of the people who operate vehicles as part of their jobs, such as train engineers, fishermen, pilots, bus drivers, astronauts, and more.

Children were invited to draw pictures of themselves as community helpers at work and were encouraged to describe how their vehicle would help them do their job.

We created stories using vehicles to help understand beginning ‘adding’ and ‘taking away’ math concepts.

In the classroom we have been transforming the Dramatic Play Center into an airport ready for the children’s return.

Weekly Letter 1.21.22

Family Engagement 1.21.22

Next week we will explore the ways people stay safe as they operate or ride in vehicles.

This week we continued our unit on Transportation, by reading the book What Do Wheels Do All Day? by April Jones Prince.

We created a chart by categorizing types of transportation – land, water and air during whole group time. We thought carefully about how different vehicles could move.

In the Science Center we began exploring ramps by finding out which objects could roll, and by covering the ramps with different types of materials to determine what would make a good ramp and why.

In the Writing Center we introduced maps and the children had an opportunity to create their own types of maps – road, rail, treasure and even our neighborhood!

Weekly Letter 1.14.22

Family Engagement 1.14.22

Next week we will continue to explore our unit on transportation by looking into how community helpers drive different types of transportation.

Pre-K began a new unit all about transportation! We learned that transportation means the way we travel from one place to another and that there are many different kinds of vehicles that help people, animals, and things travel! We brainstormed different kinds of vehicles that we want to learn more about and explore.

After reading The Bus for Us children brainstormed the different transportation they use to get to school each morning. We answered the question “How do you get to Pre-K ?” through drawing, dictation, and writing. We then used our responses to create a graph and count the results.

Weekly Letter 1.7.22

Family Engagement 1.07.22

Next week we will continue to learn about different kinds of transportation through our read alouds, discussions, and play!