December 2014 Newsletter

Steward Integrated Preschool

Miss Judy, Miss Diane and Miss Robyn

Winter is just around the corner, but we’ll continue to have recess outdoors as often as possible.  Please label your child’s winter clothing (e.g. boots and snow pants) to avoid confusion at recess and dismissal time.  Please consider packing mittens instead of gloves since mittens are typically easier to put on. 

It’s hard to believe that 2015 is just around the corner!  You received a Preschool Progress Update in November and will be receiving a Preschool Progress Report at the end of January.  There will also be a sign-up for parent conferences.  More information is forthcoming. 

Theme 

The current theme in our class is “Signs of December” and the color of the month is green.  The children have been extending an AB pattern (present-candle-present-candle) on the calendar.  They practiced identifying various two-dimensional shapes as they made foam Shape Trees.  They used marbles to paint evergreen trees and then used a pincer grasp to sprinkle snow glitter on the trees.  The trees look beautiful on the bulletin board!  They made candles out of paper tubes, green paint and glitter, yellow flannel and craft sticks.  They used their candles while singing the “Holiday Candles” song.  The lyrics are as follow:

                        These little candles so bright,

                        Are such a pretty sight.

                        These little candles so bright,

                        Are such a pretty sight.

                        These little candles so bright,

                        Are such pretty sight.

                        Let them shine!

                        Let them shine!

                        Let them shine!

During center time, the children have been engaging in activities that help deepen their understanding of this time of year.   They’ve had the opportunity to use daubers to decorate evergreen trees at the easel, exchange pretend presents with their friends in the dramatic play area or play the candle sorting game in the manipulative area.  We set up a pretend post office with a mailbox that was made by the children.  The children have also enjoyed exploring red and green rice in the sensory table and pine needles and pinecones in the science center.  The children will help me tell the story, Who’s In the Forest?  We’ll put flannel shapes on a flannel board to make a very special reindeer!

We hope you have a wonderful Winter Vacation and a Happy New Year!

                                                                       

                                                                        Miss Judy, Miss Diane and Miss Robyn

Pictures from our Feast!

Many thanks to our room parents for helping us plan this special event!

Our "Thankful Tree"


There are many more wonderful pictures from our feast that will be put in your child's memory book.  

Harvest Feast

Our annual Harvest Feast was a huge success thanks to all of you!  We want to send out a special thanks to our room parents for organizing the food items! The children did a great job singing their songs!  We hope you enjoyed this memorable event as much as we did!  Pictures will be posted this week.

What's Happening In Preschool?

November 2014 Newsletter

Steward Integrated Preschool

Miss Judy, Miss Diane and Miss Robyn

We’re looking forward to the upcoming feasts on Thursday, November 20th and Friday, November 21st!  Please sign in at the office by 10:50 and wait outside our classroom.  We’ll open our door as soon as everyone has arrived.  Many thanks to Jen LeRoyer, Tiffany Kopko and Michelle Hagerty for helping us coordinate this special event.  You’re doing a fantastic job!

Now that the days are getting colder, please pack a hat and mittens for your child.  Please remember to label all of your child’s belongings.  We’ll be going outside unless it’s stormy or the office announces that recess will be indoors.  Thanks for your help.

Current Theme

The current theme in preschool is “Turkeys” and the color of the month is brown.  The children have been extending an AB pattern (turkey-corn-turkey-corn) on the calendar.  They've enjoyed listening to stories about turkeys and Thanksgiving including, The Turkey Train by Steve Metzger and The Best Thanksgiving Ever! by Teddy Slater.  They made turkey tracks using brown paint and plastic forks.  They made handprint turkeys on placemats that will be used during their feast!  Some of the children painted turkeys at the easel during center time.  Next week, the children will make turkeys out of paper plates, paint and feathers.  Miss Judy will tell the flannel board story Tom the Turkey and each child will put a feather on Tom.  The children have been busy practicing the songs “Hello Mr. Turkey” and “Turkey in the Farmyard”.  They’re very excited to sing for you at the feast!

Halloween Happenings!

"Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin" was a big hit!

Miss Diane made a "Five Little Pumpkins" ring toss game!

We played "The Witches' Brew" game!

The children looked great in their costumes!

They had a lot of fun with their friends!

They were very exited to go Trick-or-Treating!

It was a very special day!

Our Beautiful Bulletin Boards!

Miss Robyn took pictures of the children in the
Extended Day program pretending to jump in the leaves!

The children did a great job using marbles to paint pumpkins!

During movement time, the children learned the
"Five Little Pumpkins" song and acted it out
using pumpkin stick puppets.

Look at our beautiful haunted houses!  The ghosts
are made out of lima beans!

The children love "The Hooky Spooky" song!


The Hooky Spooky
(sung to the tune of  The Hokey Pokey)

You put your head in,
You put your head out,
You put your head in and you shake it all about.
You do the hooky spooky and you give a little shout.
That's what it's all about - BOO!

It's Pumpkin Time!

This past Thursday and Friday, I cut open a pumpkin so the children could explore the guts. We talked about the differences between the inside and outside of a pumpkin and the children came up with some great words to describe the pulp (e.g., gooey, slimy).  For Fun Tables, they used construction paper, crepe paper and pumpkin seeds to make a craft that looks like the inside of a pumpkin!

Yesterday and today the we read, We're Going on a Ghost Hunt by Kris Hirschmann and the children used bristol board, foam shapes, lima beans and cotton balls to make haunted houses.  They had a lot of fun doing this project!  The haunted houses will look great on the bulletin board in the classroom!

 

 

 

Johnny the K at Steward!

On Thursday, October 9th, the preschoolers went to see Johnny the K in the Steward cafeteria.  They enjoyed singing and moving to the music he played on his guitar.  They were amused by the many costume hats that he wears while he performs.  Johnny the K does an amazing job at teaching the importance of respect and responsibility and that each of us makes a difference!

October 2014 Newsletter

Steward Integrated Preschool

Miss Judy, Miss Diane and Miss Robyn

We hope you enjoyed looking at your child’s All About Me book with him/her.  The children were very proud of their work!  They did a great job with the activities that were developed to help them find out more about themselves.  We enjoyed finding out more about our students as well!

We’ll have Halloween parties on Thursday, October 30^th and Friday, October 31^st.  The children will play games and have a special orange snack provided by Miss Judy. At approximately 11:15, we’ll help the children get in their costumes and then go trick-or-treating.  We’ll visit several rooms in the preschool wing.  If you would like to join us when we go trick-or-treating, please sign in at the office and come to our classroom by 11:20.

Themes

The current theme in preschool is “Signs of Fall”.  The children have been extending an AB pattern (apple-pumpkin-apple-pumpkin) on the October calendar.  They’ve been exploring guords, pumpkins, leaves and other fall items in the science center.  We put corn and fall items (e.g. leaf-shaped bowls) in the sensory table.  We put fall puzzles and the Beautiful Autumn lacing set in the manipulative area.  The children have listened to several stories about autumn including Fall Leaves Fall by Zoe Hall, The Leaves Are Falling One By One by Steve Metzger and Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell.  They used paper plates, fabric leaves and glitter to make beautiful fall wreaths.  They colored leaf shaped filter paper using food coloring, water and eyedroppers.  The paper pumpkins they painted using marbles will look beautiful on the bulletin board! 

Next week we will begin our “Halloween” theme.  The children will decorate bags for trick-or-treating.  They’ll use Bristol board, lima beans and cotton balls to make haunted houses and paper tubes, construction paper and googly eyes to make bats.  During center time, they’ll have the opportunity to paint jack-o-lanterns at the easel, put together a Halloween puzzle, complete pattern cards using bats, jack-o-lanterns, ghosts and cats and look at books about Halloween such as The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing and It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! by Felicia Bond and Laura Numeroff.  The children will participate in a flannel board activity as Miss Judy tells the story, Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley.  They’ll use stick puppets as they sing “Five Little Pumpkins”.  

Important Dates

Thursday, October 30th – Trick-or-Treating (T, Th class)

Friday, October 31st– Trick-or-Treating (M-W-F class)

Monday, November 10^th – Teacher Day – no school

Tuesday, November 11^th – Veteran’s Day – no school

Save the Date!  Thursday, November 20th– Harvest Feast for the T/Th class 11:00-12:00

Save the Date!  Friday, November 21st – Harvest Feast for the M/W/F class 11:00-12:00

Wednesday, November 26th- School closes at 12:00

Thursday, November 27^th and Friday, November, 28th– Thanksgiving Break – no school

Help Wanted

We need large Styrofoam trays for art projects.  Your help is greatly appreciated!

                                                           

Miss Judy, Miss Diane and Miss Robyn

Science Center Fun

The children have been having a lot of fun exploring
in the science center!

Happy Fall to All!

It's hard to believe that the first month of school is already coming to an end! The children have been very busy in preschool!  They are almost finished with their All About Me books and we have started talking about our next theme, "Signs of Fall".  We have been enjoying our time outside on our new playground! 

Last week, we started Treasure Box (Show and Tell).  For this activity, the presenter sits in front of the class and shares information about what he/she brought to show the class.  Your notes have been very helpful!  The students practice asking and answering questions about the item being shown. Yesterday we began having each child find his/her name in print upon arrival to the classroom.  The names are put on the apple trees under the sign that reads, "Who's In School Today?"  We also have daily "helpers" (e.g., calendar helper, weather person, mail helper).  

I hope you have a great weekend!  It's sounds like it's going to feel more like summer than fall.  Look for a post again next week.   

Welcome to my blog!

September 2014 Newsletter

Steward Integrated Preschool

Miss Judy, Miss Diane and Miss Robyn

Thank you for helping get the school year off to a great start!  The children are learning the classroom schedule and routines.  We will start Treasure Box next week.  When it’s your child’s turn to present at Treasure Box, he/she will come home with the Treasure Box key and a note in his/her backpack.  He/she may bring in a book, photo, drawing or other item to share.  It is helpful to have a note from you along with your child’s Treasure Box item so that we know what questions to ask your child.  Please let Miss Judy know if you have any questions regarding this activity. 

We have attached the September Firefly Scholastic Book Club order form.  Orders may be placed online using the class activation code JWNBM.  Our class earns bonus points for every order that is placed.  The points are used to get free books, puzzles, CD’s and other literacy materials for our classroom!  Please place your orders for this month by September 23^rd.  If you’re having difficulty placing your order online, send your completed order form and check to school and we will place your order for you.  Thanks!

Current Theme

The current theme in our class is “All About Me”.  We will be reading stories, such as Quick As A Cricket by Audrey Wood and I Like Me! by Nancy Carlson and singing songs, such as “If You’re Happy and You Know It” and “Glad To Be Me”.  The children will participate in many activities that help them become more aware of their bodies, their feelings, and what makes them special.  The children have begun making their All About Me books that will be sent home in a few weeks.  An ABAB pattern (hand-shoe-hand-shoe) appears on the September calendar.  

Important Dates

-School will be closed on Monday, October 13^th in observance of Columbus Day.

-School pictures will be taken on October 15^th and 16^th.  More information is forthcoming.

Reminders

Please label all of your child’s belongings.  Please send in a recent photo of your child, a composition book, a complete change of clothes and your Media Permission form if you haven’t already done so.  Thank you.

We are looking forward to watching your child grow in many ways.  Our class is going to have a lot of fun as we take “Footsteps Toward Discovery” (our yearlong theme).

                                                           

                                                            Miss Judy, Miss Diane and Miss Robyn