Learning Tales Aug 28

Learning Tales edition 1 August 28,2017

written by Suzanne Self

THE BEGINNING...Our first week of preschool was filled with smiles, confidence and discoveries! Your child’s transition from home to school can be compared to our monarch caterpillar’s transformation into many, green jelly bean chrysalises… both were done with ease and were critical parts to future BIG adventures and discoveries!   TUBES and CYLINDERS After observing the physical characteristics of a monarch caterpillar, preschoolers described what they noticed… “I SEE white stripes. “I SEE many little legs. “I SEE a long body. It is a rectangle! “I SEE a pattern… white, black, white, black! Since our observations involved noticing colors, shapes and size, it was the perfect opportunity to introduce more complex shapes and two new vocabulary words; TUBE and CYLINDER. The webster dictionary defines a TUBE as a long, round hollow shape and a CYLINDER as a solid geometric figure. In preschool we define a CYLINDER as the shape of a monarch caterpillar!

Below is a glimpse of our attempt to transform paper TUBES into CYLINDER shaped caterpillars.      COOKING Throughout the month of September,  we will prepare various quick breads and enjoy them during snack/lunch time! Besides fueling our growing bodies with healthy food, cooking experiences will provide us with an opportunity to; Develop pride and confidence in our skills and abilities. Follow directions, problem solve and read. Chop, squeeze, spread, and mix and develop small muscle control and eye-hand coordination. Sharpen our curiosity, thinking and problem solving. Make predictions and observations. Measure and use one-to-one correspondence, numbers, and counting. REMINDERS: Picture Day will be on September 14th and 15th. If you would like to purchase photos, please complete the form found in your child’s Home School folder and return it to school. Please remember to label your child’s Backpack and lunchbox. We will start our days outdoors...please dress your child for chilly mornings. WISH LIST: Flour and salt for upcoming baking projects. Sunflower blossoms for dissecting (the bigger the better)! THANK YOU for all of the school supply donations! Our project drawers are overflowing! Your generosity is very much appreciated!   Fuzzy Wuzzy Caterpillar Fuzzy wuzzy caterpillar into a corner will creep, She’ll spin herself a blanket and then fall fast asleep,          Fuzzy wuzzy caterpillar will wake up by and by, To find that she has grown two wings, Now she’s a butterfly! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIMON!

January snow makes our feet and fingers glow!

Happy New Year Preschool Families,

We hope your holiday vacation was filled with peace, happiness, and health!  Hopefully during the month of January we will receive many snowflakes so that the preschool children will have an opportunity to discuss and learn about the magic of winter weather.

Precipitation is the word meteorologists use to describe all of the solid (snow, sleet, hail, frost) and liquid (rain, drizzle, mist, dew) water released by the atmosphere.  Air temperature determines the type of precipitation created in our outdoor world and will play a major role in our indoor preschool classrooms over the next month as we predict and monitor winter weather and temperature. A new science tool, a THERMOMETER, has been introduced to the children and will be read each day to monitor freezing and below freezing temperatures.  Below zero temperatures will also be noted, and will bear meaningful information; below zero temperatures will symbolize indoor recess.

A snowflake thermometer poster purchased at the SNOWFLAKE BENTLEY MUSEUM in Jericho, depicts six sided snowflakes and how their unique shapes change according to temperature.  The number SIX will play a major role in many upcoming math activities! When you think of the number SIX… what do YOU think of?

The winter days ahead will provide us with many real life opportunities to experiment with the concepts of solid, liquid, freezing, and melting.  Planned activities include; melting ice blocks with a water and salt solution, melting crayons to create colorful winter scenes, designing six sided crystal snowflakes,  making snowball playdough, creating snow people, and reading THE MITTEN, STRANGER IN THE FOREST, and BEAR SNORES ON, three favorite winter stories

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

A social studies project titled THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, will focus on the importance of healthy food and warm shelter for people and forest creatures in our community throughout the winter months.

Forest creatures like people have favorite foods.  It is critical for forest creatures to digest high fat foods that help to keep them warm.  During the months of January and February we will prepare two snacks for the birds and forest creatures featuring some of their favorite foods; sunflower seeds, cracked corn and fruit.

HELPFUL REMINDERS

*Warm winter clothes for outdoor play.

* Preschool classes canceled on Monday, January 16 to observe Martin Luther King.

*There will be no A.M. Preschool Session on Wednesday, January 11 due to late start day.

*Preschool Potluck Dinner is scheduled for Monday, January 9th.

Sincerely,

Suzanne