2-Day Tales
A Peek Inside Our Preschool Classroom
The New Year is off to a super start!
(I've tried to include pictures this time, but I can't promise I'll be able to do that with every newsletter...so enjoy!)
good friends
Show & Tell
ZIPPER CLUB
OUR SONGS AND POEMS ABOUT WINTER
(To the tune of Hot Cross Buns) Hot Chocolate, hot chocolate, it's so yummy, for my tummy, hot chocolate! Marshmallows, marshmallows, soft and sweet, good to eat, marshmallows!
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Dance Like Snowflakes (to the tune of Frere Jacques),
Dance like snowflakes, dance like snowflakes, in the air, in the air, whirling, twirling snowflakes, whirling twirling snowflakes, here and there, everywhere! (Legend has it that singing this song will make it snow...it worked last Friday!!)
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(To the tune Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes) Boots, mittens, scarves and hats, scarves and hats, boots, mittens, scarves and hats, scarves and hats...we won't get cold if we put on all of that...boots, mittens scarves and hats, scarves and hats. (It's most fun when we change the speed at which we do this one...super fast is our favorite!)
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Put on your tall boots, left and right, put on your tall boots, left and right, put on your tall boots left and right, are we ready to go -- "NO"!
Next is your warm coat, zip it up, next is your warm coat, zip it up, next is your warm coat zip it up, are we ready to go -- "NO"!
Put on your fuzzy hat, pull it down, put on your fuzzy hat, pull it down, put on your fuzzy hat, pull it down, are we ready to go -- "NO"!
Last are the mittens, snug and tight, last are the mittens, snug and tight, last are the mittens, snug and tight, are we ready to go -- "YES"!
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Poem:
I can build a snowman, make him wide and tall, let's see if we can hit him with this round snowball!
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(to the tune of Did You Ever See A Lassie)
(Standing, pretending to skate)
Have you ever gone ice skating, ice skating, ice skating
Have you ever gone ice skating then WHOOPS you fall down (we fall)
One minute you're standing (we stand up)
The next you are landing (fall back down)
(stand up pretend to skate) Have you ever gone ice skating then WHOOPS you fall down!
our centers so far this month...
Sensory Box: Faux snow....dried mashed potatoes; styrofoam "snowballs", snowflakes, shovels and clear marbles (ice). Here we see Maisey and Chase playing in the "snow"!
Project Table: On our return to school, we began with snowball painting (with golf balls covered in white paint; the children dropped 2 or 3 of these into a box and moved the box to make the balls roll around to paint their papers (which we used as backdrops for the hot chocolate projects). The hot chocolate craft, cutting and gluing pieces of brown paper (chocolate) and batting (whipped cream) onto mugs - can be seen in the hallway. Then, lots of sensory fun with shaving cream and glue mixture to "paint" paper plates to make snowballs - these are hung up in the hallway as well. In addition to these art projects, the children completed a winter-themed counting and number identifying worksheet today. All 13 children sat at the tables, and we completed this as a class. This involved lots of listening to directions, waiting, pencil skills, counting and number identification (1-5).
Fourth Center: Varied -- Snowball throw (tossing stuffed white balls, rolled up socks and styrofoam balls through holes in a bean bag game board - which Mrs. Nier covered in white paper to make a snowman!); mitten matching (shape and color match); hot chocolate shop (using tongs to pick up brown foam "chocolate" pieces to put in cups, and cotton ball whipped cream); hammering golf tees into white styrofoam "icebergs"and placing snowballs (golf balls) and winter animals on top; writing and drawing with chalk on dark paper. Today, we set out trays with frozen blocks of ice. The children added arctic animals to the scene, as well as little trucks (to show how slippery the ice is)...they took turns with the "blubber glove" (Crisco filled sandwich bags) to see how that protected their hand from the cold ice (like the seals and polar bears)...they saw the ice melting to water, and even helped the process along with a bit of salt...
Other optional activities which we've also set out for our Winter Theme included: a couple of felt scarves with strips of felt to make striped scarves (patterning); "Ollieblocks" with pictures of children in various winter clothing to mix and match; number strip puzzles (1 - 10) depicting winter scene; and polar bear shape match activity.
Leah's Melted Snowman
Lily's Hibernating Bear Cave
Aubrey's Castle
Slippery Ice!
Ice Play
Frozen Fun!
Claire M.
Leah and Finnegan looking at books
Chase throwing snowballs
Circle Time Exploration....
Yesterday, we looked at pictures and talked about animals in winter: hibernating, migrating and adapting.
We've added another element to our circle-time business...
Next month, we'll add the beginning of the Pledge of Allegiance.
books we've read...
The After-Christmas Tree, Linda Wagner Tyler
Snowballs, Lois Ehlert
Snow Day, Barbara Joosse
Snow Bears, Justin Waddell
When It Starts To Snow, Phyllis Gershater
games we've played...
"Snowflake, Snowflake"...in this gross motor game, I say: "Snowflakes, Snowflakes falling down, snowflakes, snowflakes _______ around." I fill in the blank with a variety of movements like: jump, hop, crawl, dance, robot, etc. After performing the action for a little while, I sound the drum, the children STOP, and we go again, changing the movement each time....very silly!
we're saying a new blessing before snack
We thank you for the world so sweet,
we thank you for the food we eat,
we thank you for the birds that sing,
we thank you, God, for everything.
Amen.
Today, Mrs. Nier provided some nice warm hot chocolate with marshmallows for a special snack time treat...yum, yum...thank you, Mrs. Nier!
A New "Hello" Song, just to keep things interesting....
We stand and sing:
"Who's here today, who's here today, jump up, turn around, who's here today?"
Then, each child takes a turn answering with his/her name:
"(Suzy) is here today,(Suzy) is here today.
Jump up, squat down
(Suzy) is here today.
It's a good morning workout before we sit and listen at Circle Time!
inside recess...
STILL TO COME IN JANUARY:
- Vision screenings -- permission slips have been sent home. Please let us know if you need one.
- New Enrichment Session begins week of January 27th.
looking ahead to February...
I'll have calendars ready by the end of January, but here's a heads up...
- Pajama Day is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5th; more info to follow.
- Our class Valentine's party will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 12th. This party is for students only and takes place during our snack time. More info to follow.