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