People Change

Week of May 26-28, 2015

Theme: People Change

Focus question: How do people grow and change?

Dear Family,

In the upcoming week, children will explore ways that people grow and change. They will discuss ways in which they have changed since they were babies, focusing on how their appearance has changed and how they are now able to do things they couldn't do as babies. They will recognize that people get bigger and stronger as they grow. In addition, children will note likenesses and differences among babies, children, teens, and adults. They will learn that even though adults have finished growing, they still learn new things, and in this way, they are still changing. 

Learning Together

• Measure your child's height at intervals and mark the measurements in an appropriate place in your home. Determine how tall your child has grown over a period of time. 
• If you saved any baby clothes that your child wore, show them to your child. Talk about why your child can't wear these clothes anymore. Then compare and contrast items of clothing, such as sneakers, that you wear and that your child wears.
• Tell your child about something that you would like to learn how to do. Talk about ways you could go about learning this skill. Then have your child share something he or she would like to learn to do. 

Activities

• This week we will read the story I'm Growing. As a group we will compare and contrast things that we did as a baby and things we can do now that we are growing. 
• We will be transforming a caterpillar into a butterfly through out art work.
• We will be building 3 dimensional shapes using everyday objects.
• We will continue to document our seed growth from the plants we planted last week.

Upcoming Events

• No School-May 25th Memorial Day
• June 2-All students going to kindergarten next year will be taking a field trip to their home school.
• June 3-End of the year party-10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
• June 4th-Last day of school.

Plants Change

Week of May 18-21, 2015

Theme: Plants Change

Focus Question: How do plants grow and change?

Dear Family,

this week, our class will learn about how plants grow and change. children will have the opportunity to identify and describe plants they are familiar with. They will explore things that plants need in order to grow, such as sunlight, soil, and water. They will listen to stories about how familiar foods, such as peaches and oranges, grow. In addition, children will begin to learn about parts of plants and how plants such as trees change in different seasons.

Learning Together

• Take a walk with your child and observe the trees in  your neighborhood or in a local park. talk about how the trees look. Revisit the trees throughout the year and notice how the trees change.
• find seeds in the foods you eat, such as oranges, peaches, plums, or avocados. Remove the seeds and let them dry. Then plant the seeds with your child. Encourage your child to place the potted seed in a sunny window and to water it frequently.
• Encourage your child to help you care for any plants you have in your home or in a garden. Talk about how the plants grow and change.
• Collect fallen leaves with your child. Use the leaves to make leaf rubbings or leaf collages.

Activities

• This week we will plant seeds and document them as they grow.
• We will learn what plants need to make them grow and about the parts of a plant.
• We will sort plants by where they grow: on a tree, in the ground, on a vine or on the ground.
• Given clues which include measurements about an object we will make a guess about what it is and measure the object to prove whether our guess was accurate.

We would like to welcome two new friends to our a.m. class. WELCOME Olivia and Kendra!

Upcoming dates:

• May 25-No School Memorial Day
• June 2-those students going to kindergarten next school year will take a field trip to their home school to familiarize them with the school.
• June 3-End of the year party a.m. 10:00 and 1:30.
• June 4-Last day of preschool

Animals Change

Week of May 11-14

Animals Change

Focus question:How do animals grow and change?

Dear Family,

During this week, children will learn about how animals grow and change. They will compare baby and adult animals, such as chicks and chickens, and identify ways in which the animals are alike and different. They will identify things that baby animals can and cannot do, and describe ways that adult animals care for their babies. In addition, they will explore the life cycles of animals, including insects such as butterflies.

Learning together

• If you have a pet, talk with your child about what your pet was like as a baby and how your pet has grown and changed.
• Together, visit a zoo or animal  shelter to observe baby and adult animals. Talk about how they are alike and different.
• Take your child to the library and get a book about how caterpillars grow into butterflies. Look at the illustrations with your child and help him or her describe the stages of growth.

Activities

• This week we will explore the life cycles of several animals including butterflies, chickens and frogs.
• We will practice following directions to make a frog mask with a very cool tongue.
• We are going to practice counting objects and replicating designs for some visual motor activity.

Reminders

• No School-May 25 Memorial Day
• End of the year party-June 3 10:00-1:30.
• Last day of school June 4

Outerspace

Week of May 4-7, 2015

Theme: Outer space

Letter of the Week: Z

Dear Parents,

May is here and it seems we are in for some very nice weather days finally! This week we will be wrapping up our Earth & Sky theme with some outer space fun.

Some activities include:

• We are going to do several experiments as culminating activities for our unit such as rain in a jar, a tornado experiment and a fun experiment called elephant toothpaste. The children will make some predictions about what they think is going to occur and we will test whether our predictions were correct.
• We will also be building a name rocket and making a moon painting.
• We have a couple of surprise activities which I don't want to give away so if you ask your child what they did at school and they say they can't tell you (especially moms) remember we want it to be a surprise. 
• We will also be reading Papa Please Get the Moon for Me and Happy Birthday, Moon!
• We are in the process of arranging a field trip for those students who will be going to kindergarten next school year. They will have the opportunity to visit their home school and ride on the bus from preschool to the school for the visit. 

Reminders:

• Show and Share is on Thursday, May 7 letter Z. This will be our last show and share for the school year.
• No School May 25-Memorial Day
• June 3-end of the year party a.m. 10:00-11:00 and p.m. 1:30-2:30. I do not have a room parent for the a.m. class so if there is anyone who would like to step up and organize the activities for the party that would be greatly appreciated.
• June 4-Last day of school