Outside My Window

Week of April 20-23, 2015

Theme: Outside My Window

Focus Question: What weather can I observe each day?

Letter of the Week: X

Dear Family,

Children will become mini-meteorologists this week as they observe and discuss the weather each day. They will learn about the different types of weather and how each one affects the activities that people undertake as well as the clothing that they wear. Children will also learn about the four seasons and the kinds of weather changes that may occur during each season.

Learning Together

• With your child, make a graph that charts each member of your family's favorite season or type of weather. Together, share the chart with your entire family.
• conduct a science experiment with your child to demonstrate the power of the sun. Cut out cardboard letters showing your child's initials and tape them to dark paper. Put the paper in direct sunlight (outdoors or in a window) for a few days. Then remove the cardboard letters. discuss with your child what happened and why.

Visiting the Library

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Yee

Feel the Wind by Arthur Dorros

Clouds by Anne Rockwell

Captain Invincible and the Space Shapes by Stuart J. Murphy

The Windy Day by Pat Hutchins

Activities

• This week one of our stories will be The Windy Day by Pat Hutchins. While reading the story we will work on answering some basic comprehension questions about the story. We will sequence the story using picture props.
• We will also be talking about a variety of kinds of weather. We are going to make a word chart of weather words. After making the word chart we will sort the words by what season we typically experience that type of weather.  
• We will also be reading a Scholastic magazine about wind and do some interactive activities that go along with it on the SmartBoard.
• This week is Earth Day on April 22, so please blue and/or green to school on Wednesday.
• We are going to do a recycling sort so please save cans, paper/cardboard, and plastic that can be recycled and send 1-2 items in with your child to school to help us with our sorting activity. 
• We have been doing short brain break activities throughout our school day to help the children get up and move and give their brains a break. Based on brain research the age of a child indicates how many minutes he/she can maintain stamina in a whole group or small group setting, so I have built these brain breaks into our daily routine. One way we do these is through a website called GoNoodle. They have a variety of activities on it that provide movement and even calming activities. One channel they especially love is KooKoo Kangaroo, so if you have heard your child talking about Roller Coaster or Pop Si Coo this is the site it is coming from and if you need a good laugh check it out. As adult we may think they are goofy but the kids love them and think they are fun. 

Reminders

• On Wednesday, April 22 wear green and blue for Earth Day.
• Send in 1-2 recyclable items for our recycle sort.
• Thursday is Show and Share bring in item that either starts with the letter X or ends with the letter X.