Week of December 1, 2014

Week of December 1, 2014
Theme: My Community & Community Helpers
Letter of the Week: C

Dear Family,

During the past few weeks, children have been exploring the concept of community. They have learned about the various parts of a community, the places that are common to most communities, and the people who help within them. This week, children will learn about how they can help in their community. They will talk about how they can be efficient classroom helpers and how they can help on a regular basis at home. 

Learning Together

• Ask your child to tell you about one way in which he or she helped a teacher or a classmate at school. Then talk about additional ways that he or she can help in the classroom, such as by cleaning up, sharing, helping with pets, listening politely, and following directions.
• Together, plan a project such as baking, planting or cleaning, and have your child think of ways in which he or she can help you complete it.

This week some of our classroom activities include:

• C craft-car
• Cookie craft-following directions and practice cutting activity
• Qualities of things that are alive vs not a live
• Daily 5-learning about 3 ways to read a book (read the words, read the pictures or retell the story)
• We will beginning using the netbooks in class which has some learning activities that correspond to our curriculum. This week we will learn how to use a mouse and practice using the mouse. Many children are very familiar with how to use a touch tablet but have not become acquainted with using the mouse with the computer. We will play some games that give them practice with using a mouse before we begin using the curriculum programs. 
• This week we will have a vet clinic in the dramatic play area. Over the last couple of weeks the children have had many learning experiences as well as fun participating in the grocery store and the post office that were in the dramatic play area. 
• Our story for the week is: Quinito’s Neighborhood.
• We are also going to compare different community helpers and the types of things they do and they tools they use.

I want to thank everyone for participating in our Thanksgiving Day Feast and for providing the food and supplies for the feast.

Upcoming dates:

• December 4-Show and Share letter C
• Holiday Break-December 20-January 4. Return to school January 5, 2015.