Wed Jan 4- Opposites: noisy & quiet

We started our first day back with name practice-first and last! Then we played with my new magnetic dolls, duplos and puppets. I was taking each child aside and measuring their height to document it on their all about me pages. I also started to introduce our sight word program and talked to each of them about the words and books we would be starting to read. Each child practiced printing the sight word on a label in their folders and then I stamped the word on their hand. At calendar time we had a few changes. Our season, month and year had all changed and we talked about each one. We have been counting up to 20. We also started something I like to call blast off counting with our class counting from 10 down to 1 then we all blast off! They sure enjoy it. For letter time, we started to talk about our new adventure- reading. I have introduced the sight word “see” to the students as well as “Sam” as he will be the first friend that we meet in our reading books. They were all adamant in thinking that they can read but as we learning these sight words I think that it will become much easier to them. After circle time, we had our snacks and then we explored all of our new January books in the library area. I introduced our poem of the month and they really learned this one quick. Each child completed their all about me page for January and then we were on to our theme of the day- the opposites noisy and quiet. We first start with our opposites song and then I do a review with different opposites we find all around us. Then I brought out the fun stuff- instruments! Each child had a chance to play each one once- we each practiced the instruments noisily and then quietly. We made an observation that when we were playing at a noisy level we were shaking or playing the instruments hard but when we went down to the quieter levels, we played them soft and slowly. For letter time, we practiced all of the signs for the letters we have learned so far. We will be singing the ABCs while doing our signs at the end of the year. We will be practicing often to get ready.

 

 

 

 

Tues Jan 3- I can be honest & welcome Anthony!

We practiced our names and then we played with my new magnetic dolls, duplos and puppets. I worked with Anthony on his first day fun. I also measured each child to see how tall they have gotten since last month. Chelsea was my little star of the week- she helped with our colors and shapes. At calendar time we had a few changes. Our season, month and year had all changed and we talked about each one. I started to teach them counting from 10-1- I call it blastoff counting and we shoot up into the air when we get to “blastoff” after one. We also started to learn our winter song and we learned a few new letters in our ABC song. A new nursery rhyme was introduced- Humpty Dumpty. We sang the song multiple times and colored our storybooks of the rhyme. These were sent home. You can go through them with your child to remind them of the rhyme throughout the month. After snack time and show and tell, I read a few books that the students wanted me to read to them from our new library of January books. Then we read our story- I can be honest to talk about our theme. We learned that it is important to tell the truth and be honest. I also told “The boy who cried wolf” story to them. We learned that it is important not to lie and to be honest in all things. For letter time, I reviewed the letters that we have already learned and we practiced each of their sounds. After that we lined up and finished our first day back!

 

 

 

 

Fri Dec 16- Winter party

At table time, the students worked on their letter S and then I had each child come and stamp their gift bag for your gift. I had animals, food and pom poms with tweezers out for play. Our star helped with circle time as we reviewed our colors and shapes. We counted how many more days until Christmas- 9! We also swerved like snakes to 31. We practiced our letter S sound and sign and then moved on to wiggle time. After our snacks and treats, we had book time. Our star shared their show and tell and then I read Santa’s Noisy Night to the class. We played Christmas Bingo, and I explained how to make their candy cane ornament that was an activity their folder. We completed our letter friend- our S snake and then we went over to the park to play for the last part of class. I stamped their hands with the letter S and we reviewed the sound before we left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurs Dec 15- Winter party

At table time, the students worked on their scissor skills and then I had each child come and stamp their gift bag for your gift. I had animals, tinker toys and transformers out for play time. Kayden helped with circle time as we reviewed our colors and shapes. We counted all the way up to Christmas- 25! And then we counted how many more days until the special day.  We practiced our letter L sound and then moved on to wiggle time. After our snacks and treats, we had book time. Kayden brought the Gingerbread Man and I read it to the class. I also read Santa’s Noisy Night. We played Christmas Bingo, and then we went over to the park to play for the last part of class. I stamped their hands with the letter l and we reviewed the sound before we left.

 

 

 

 

Wed Dec 14- Polar animals

At table time, each student worked on their scissor skills and then we played with trains, tinker toys Our star helped the students review their colors and shapes and then we reviewed our date- only 11 days until Christmas! We also sang and counted up to 31 stomping like dinosaurs. To review our letter, I shared the other words that start with S as we reviewed the sound and sign of the letter. For class time, I shared all about the polar areas- in the north and south. I have a poster of all the polar animals that we were talking about for class- polar bears, penguins, polar foxes and polar hares. We discussed each one and found their homes on our globe. For penguins, we looked at my March of the Penguins book to see how the daddy penguins keep their eggs on their feet. For their activity, we created polar animal puppets and we did a review of each one after they were completed. For letter time, we colored our S page that we completed on Monday and we review our sign and sound for the week. Each student got a stamp and we were done.

Tues Dec 13- Construction

Our students practiced their names and then they were off to play with littlest pet shop, cars and trucks on the mat, colorful bear maniputives and magnetic snowmen. I worked with each child on the letter L but they did this one all by themselves- great job! Kayden was my helper in our new classroom! We counted to Christmas to see how far it was. We also practiced our ABC song and learned about the letter L. We pretended to lick a lollypop and I had them look at my tongue on the back of my front teeth so they could practice the sound correctly. After our wiggle time and snacks, Kayden shared his show and tell. Then we practiced our nursery rhyme- Little Jack Horner and the class passed it off- all picking out a prize for memorizing it. Our theme for the day was construction. I talked about cranes, dump trucks, concrete mixer and bulldozer. Then I had a variety of different construction books that the students chose from for me to read about. To review the vehicles that we talked about we did a matching page- each child cut the vehicles out and then glued them next to their match. During this time, my mom was over helping the children on their Christmas presents. For letter time, we colored our L sheet- ladybug on a leaf and then we read the story-The Lamb who loved to laugh. We found all the “L” pictures and then we practiced the L sound. I reviewed the sound with each child as I stamped their hand.

 

 

 

Mon Dec 12- snow and snowmen

We started our week with name practice and then played with cars and trucks on a mat, Mr. Potato Head, magnets and magnetic snowmen. I practiced the letter S with each student- it was a little simpler since we had learned the number 8 last week. Our star helped us with circle time. We found out that there is only 13 days until Christmas! We counted as slow as snails to 31 and then I introduced the students to our letter friend- Sally Seal. She likes to sail in her sailboat and do silly things. For “S” practice we slithered around like snakes and made our “S” sound. We also got our sign easy too this week. I shared only half the words that start with S because there were so many. We wiggled, ate snacks and then had show and tell. For our day of snow and snowmen, I read A Snowy Day which explains how snow is made and we talked about what you do in the snow. I also read Snowy Roley and then we made our snowmen puppets. For letter time, we read Snowy Roley and the story of the snowman who needed a new home. We practiced our sign and sound for the letter and I gave each child a stamp of the letter S on their hands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fri Dec 9- Holidays around the world

We started the day with Z printing practice at the table and then I had big blocks and links out for play time. Garrett helped with our circle time and we counted, sang and reviewed our date, weather and letter Z! After wiggle time and snacks, our star shared their show and tell. For our theme, we were talking about the holidays around the world. I started with a little book discussing different holidays that are celebrated during this season.- Christmas, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, Eid al-Fitr and Diwali. I first started talking about Chanukah- we read “I have a little dreidel” and we sang the song afterwards. I purchased some dreidels and we played the game with pennies and then everyone got a prize of a lollipop at the end of class. We also added candles to a menorah on my window. We finished discussing Chanukah with a matching page with the Star of David, dreidel and menorah. For Kwanzaa, I read a story about the holiday. In it, it discussed the different themes they celebrate during this time. For letter time, we completed our letter friend- Z Zebra. Afterwards, we reviewed the sound and sign of Z as well as reviewing all the signs we have learned so far this year. Each child got the final Z stamp and we were done for the day.

 

 

 

 

Thurs Dec 8- Green day & Happy birthday Chelsea!

Each child worked on their scissor skills and then I had a variety of green maniputives out. I had green duplos, big blocks, links and beads for the class to play with as I worked on printing the letter K with each student. Logan helped with circle time as we counted, sang and reviewed the date and weather. We practiced being karate kids again kicking as we reviewed the sound of K. After wiggle and snack time, Logan shared her show and tell. We practiced Little Jack Horner by listening to the song numerous times and acting it out with our puppets we made- check for them in your child’s folder. Ask them about it and see how much they know. We discussed what things around us are green and how to make green- with yellow and blue. I brought out my yellow and blue color paddles so that get child could put the colors together. We also looked for green on our outfits- thanks for having your child wear green and for any who didn’t they got a sticker and then everyone wanted a sticker. Up at the table, we completed our green books and worked on our names. We had a bit of book time as Miss Alisha prepped for painting. Then with each of us in our paint smocks, we finger painted our trees green and added on Christmas cheer with glitter and sequins for ornaments. For letter time, we colored our “K” sheet. Each child got their lowercase stamps and we were done for the day and the week!