Dear Families,
We continued to have a blast studying transportation in the Owl Room this week! At the art table, the children transformed old egg cartons into trains. They each selected a name for their train. We made Circus Trains, the TGV (the French high speed train), and even the T. Another big hit at the art table this week was making train whistles using paper towel tubes and waxed paper. As you can see, we make great use out of recycled items. Please feel free to share your own recycling with us – we are always looking for “beautiful junk.”
We played a few new fun inside games this week. “Car, Car, Truck,” a variation on “Duck, Duck, Goose,” was a fun way for the children to get moving and to practice with turn-taking. The children also enjoyed making a “train” with the classroom chairs, and using tickets with numbers to find the right seat. This was a fun way for the children to practice counting using one-to-one correspondence (counting an item accurately while pointing to it). We are also practicing vocabulary words for ordinal numbers, such as “first,” “second,” and “third.”
Some new songs and poems also addressed this week’s theme. We sang “T-R-A-I-N,” to the tune of “B-I-N-G-O.” This is a fun way to practice letter recognition. We have begun to reinforce for the children the sounds that correspond with each letter. For example, before eliminating “T” when singing the song, we might note aloud that T makes a /T/ sound. We also learned a new poem about a train, “Engine on the Track.” This was a great opportunity to point out rhyming words, such as “train” and “rain” and to introduce the concept that rhyming words “sound alike.” Morah Kate and the children had great fun teaching Morah Larissa “Hinei Rakevet,” an Israeli folk song about trains that the children learned last year.
Learning about vehicles that travel such long distances was a great opportunity for us to learn and practice “T’filat HaDerech,” the prayer said before taking a long journey.
We have also begun to discuss with the children the environmental consequences of vehicles. We have talked about how we often need to ride in cars, trains, planes, and boats. But overusing these vehicles is not good for the Earth! We talked about how cars create air pollution that is not good for trees and animals. The children learned that we can perform the mitzvah of repairing the Earth by sometimes choosing to walk or ride bikes when possible. During the weeks to come, we would love for you to help the children to perform this mitzvah and to share it with the class! We will hang a poster outside the Owl classroom for you and your child to write down places that you have gone to by walking or riding bicycles instead of driving. It will be wonderful for the children to learn about each other’s experiences.
Morah Larissa will look forward to speaking with all of you by phone over the next week or two to check in about the children’s adjustment to the preK class and their growth and development. Please feel free to let us know at drop off or pick up if there is a particularly good time to chat, or if there are particular concerns that you are having.
Thank you all, and Shabbat Shalom.
-Morah Larissa and Morah Kate
Friday, October 29, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
10/22/10
Dear Families,
This week in the Owl Room, we have begun a study of vehicles, including trains, trucks, cars, boats, and planes. We began by asking the children to tell us what they knew about one specific mode of transportation: trains. It was amazing to hear how much the children knew: that trains drive on tracks; that some trains use coal for energy, etc. The next day, we asked the children to discuss some of the things that they are interested in learning about trains. This enables us to develop an emergent curriculum that balances the skills that four-year-olds need to acquire with their own interests and curiosities.
Vehicles have begun to appear throughout the room and curriculum. The children have cut out trains, planes, and trucks from play-dough using cookie cutters. This strengthens the muscles in their hands, which is important as they develop fine-motor skills for writing. The children played with new boats in the water table, and enjoyed the challenge of nesting the boats in size order. At the art table this week, the children created many steering wheels. They had a fabulous time bringing the steering wheels to the dramatic play area, which they have used to pretend to be airplane pilots.
The children also enjoyed playing with new foam train tracks and new toy cars. It is always a challenge for four and five-year-olds to share toys, and with so many new, appealing toys in the room this week, we have focused on ways to use language to negotiate sharing. At Circle Time this week, the children participated in brief puppet shows (“performed” by Morah Larissa). We used puppets to demonstrate problems that happen when children struggle with sharing (for example, one puppet might grab a toy). The children then worked together to discuss a better solution to the problem. We talked about how to ask for a toy (“May I please use the car when you are done with it?”) and that sometimes children have to wait for a friend to be all done, but that they can find a different toy to play with while they are waiting. Having an opportunity to discuss a puppet’s problems gives them an opportunity to do their own problem solving when they are not in the thick of an argument, and it allows them to learn the language needed for negotiation with peers.
Related to our study of vehicles this week, we also took some time to talk about safety – what children do to stay safe in cars or when walking near busy streets with adults. We followed this conversation with an opportunity to do some observations of real vehicles on Beacon Street. The children sat on the front stairs of the synagogue, and we saw many kinds of vehicles! There were SUVs, cars, trucks, bicycles, and of course, the T! The children drew their observations and dictated some thoughts about their work to teachers. It is wonderful to have an opportunity to learn about vehicles in action! Bringing crayons and clipboards to do observations allows the children to communicate their own interests, as well as to build their fine motor skills.
Enjoy the weekend, and we will see you next week when we continue our study of vehicles!
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Larissa and Morah Kate
This week in the Owl Room, we have begun a study of vehicles, including trains, trucks, cars, boats, and planes. We began by asking the children to tell us what they knew about one specific mode of transportation: trains. It was amazing to hear how much the children knew: that trains drive on tracks; that some trains use coal for energy, etc. The next day, we asked the children to discuss some of the things that they are interested in learning about trains. This enables us to develop an emergent curriculum that balances the skills that four-year-olds need to acquire with their own interests and curiosities.
Vehicles have begun to appear throughout the room and curriculum. The children have cut out trains, planes, and trucks from play-dough using cookie cutters. This strengthens the muscles in their hands, which is important as they develop fine-motor skills for writing. The children played with new boats in the water table, and enjoyed the challenge of nesting the boats in size order. At the art table this week, the children created many steering wheels. They had a fabulous time bringing the steering wheels to the dramatic play area, which they have used to pretend to be airplane pilots.
The children also enjoyed playing with new foam train tracks and new toy cars. It is always a challenge for four and five-year-olds to share toys, and with so many new, appealing toys in the room this week, we have focused on ways to use language to negotiate sharing. At Circle Time this week, the children participated in brief puppet shows (“performed” by Morah Larissa). We used puppets to demonstrate problems that happen when children struggle with sharing (for example, one puppet might grab a toy). The children then worked together to discuss a better solution to the problem. We talked about how to ask for a toy (“May I please use the car when you are done with it?”) and that sometimes children have to wait for a friend to be all done, but that they can find a different toy to play with while they are waiting. Having an opportunity to discuss a puppet’s problems gives them an opportunity to do their own problem solving when they are not in the thick of an argument, and it allows them to learn the language needed for negotiation with peers.
Related to our study of vehicles this week, we also took some time to talk about safety – what children do to stay safe in cars or when walking near busy streets with adults. We followed this conversation with an opportunity to do some observations of real vehicles on Beacon Street. The children sat on the front stairs of the synagogue, and we saw many kinds of vehicles! There were SUVs, cars, trucks, bicycles, and of course, the T! The children drew their observations and dictated some thoughts about their work to teachers. It is wonderful to have an opportunity to learn about vehicles in action! Bringing crayons and clipboards to do observations allows the children to communicate their own interests, as well as to build their fine motor skills.
Enjoy the weekend, and we will see you next week when we continue our study of vehicles!
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Larissa and Morah Kate
Friday, October 15, 2010
The Owls 10-15-10
Dear Families,
In the Owl Room this week, we have enthusiastically continued our study of apples, building upon the children’s knowledge of different kinds of apples and the ways that apples are used. At the art table this week, the children have glued tissue paper squares onto wax-paper apples. We have hung the finished products up on the window, and they look beautiful with the light shining through them. Come and check them out! The children have also made “apple pie” collages. First, they glued paper apples onto a plate, followed by paper strips arranged to create a “crust.” The final
(and most favorite) step was shaking some cinnamon on top of the paper crust to make the collage smell delicious! This multi-sensory activity supports the children in building their fine motor skills as well as their abilities to follow sequential multi-step directions.
Cooking and tasting have been a big part of our curriculum this week. On Tuesday, the children sliced and peeled apples using the apple peeler machine. We put them on a pot on the stove, and when they were soft and cooled, the children mashed them and stirred them to make applesauce. On Thursday, we observed and tasted three different kinds of apples: Granny Smith, Gala, and Red Delicious. The children had wonderful observations of the differences in the apples, noting the different colors and shapes, as well as the different flavors. They all tasted all of the types of apples and then used charts to record their likes and dislikes. Finally, we used a graph to vote for our favorite apples. Granny Smith was the most popular apple! On Friday, we will make a yogurt-honey dip to taste with apples for snack. Eating so many apples has given us the opportunity to practice the blessing that we say for fruit that comes from trees!
The books that we’ve read this week include Where is Ben? (by Marisabino Russo), Apple Farmer Annie (by Monica Wellington), and From Apples to Applesauce (by Kristin Thoennes Keller). A new song (to the tune of the Itsy Bitsy Spider) has encouraged the children’s curiosity in the apple life cycle:
Once a little apple seed was planted in the ground
Down came rain, falling all around.
Out came the sun as bright as it could be
And that little seed
Grew up to be an apple tree
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Larissa and Morah Kate
In the Owl Room this week, we have enthusiastically continued our study of apples, building upon the children’s knowledge of different kinds of apples and the ways that apples are used. At the art table this week, the children have glued tissue paper squares onto wax-paper apples. We have hung the finished products up on the window, and they look beautiful with the light shining through them. Come and check them out! The children have also made “apple pie” collages. First, they glued paper apples onto a plate, followed by paper strips arranged to create a “crust.” The final
(and most favorite) step was shaking some cinnamon on top of the paper crust to make the collage smell delicious! This multi-sensory activity supports the children in building their fine motor skills as well as their abilities to follow sequential multi-step directions.
Cooking and tasting have been a big part of our curriculum this week. On Tuesday, the children sliced and peeled apples using the apple peeler machine. We put them on a pot on the stove, and when they were soft and cooled, the children mashed them and stirred them to make applesauce. On Thursday, we observed and tasted three different kinds of apples: Granny Smith, Gala, and Red Delicious. The children had wonderful observations of the differences in the apples, noting the different colors and shapes, as well as the different flavors. They all tasted all of the types of apples and then used charts to record their likes and dislikes. Finally, we used a graph to vote for our favorite apples. Granny Smith was the most popular apple! On Friday, we will make a yogurt-honey dip to taste with apples for snack. Eating so many apples has given us the opportunity to practice the blessing that we say for fruit that comes from trees!
The books that we’ve read this week include Where is Ben? (by Marisabino Russo), Apple Farmer Annie (by Monica Wellington), and From Apples to Applesauce (by Kristin Thoennes Keller). A new song (to the tune of the Itsy Bitsy Spider) has encouraged the children’s curiosity in the apple life cycle:
Once a little apple seed was planted in the ground
Down came rain, falling all around.
Out came the sun as bright as it could be
And that little seed
Grew up to be an apple tree
Shabbat Shalom,
Morah Larissa and Morah Kate
Friday, October 8, 2010
A Message from "The Owls" 10-8-10
Dear Families,
In the Owl Room this week we have been using all of our senses to
study a favorite fall fruit: apples. In the dramatic play (or housekeeping)
area, we have introduced toy apples and pears. The children have been
making pretend apple juice, pretend apple pie, and even pretend kugel! The
children all had a chance to try their hands at some real cooking this week as
they helped to prepare snack on Tuesday. We used an apple
peeler/corer/slicer machine to slice and peel apples. We then sprinkled a
little lemon juice on top, and the children learned that this would keep the
apples from browning. Finally, we sprinkled on a little cinnamon and sugar.
The apple snack was a big hit!
We have also encountered apples at the art table, where we have
printed and painted with apples sliced in half. Some of the children even
noticed the interesting pattern that the seeds create in the center of an
apple.
We have also added a few new math activities this week, focusing on
apples. Morah Kate and Morah Larissa introduced a matching game, in which
the children matched an apple with a numeral (such as 7) to an apple with
that number of apple stickers on it. We have worked with numbers 1-10 in
this way. We also have introduced an apple sorting activity. The children
have been sorting red, yellow, and green paper apples. They have learned
that sorting means creating collections that match each other (in this case
that match by color). Finally, at a new circle time activity, we have been
chanting a new poem called “Down Around the Corner,” in which the children
pretend to go to a “grocery” store to pick out one of 7 apples. This allows us
to practice counting 1-7 as a group.
We have also learned a song about apples to the tune of “B-I-N-G-O,”
and it has become very popular and frequently requested! The books that we
have read this week have included Apples and Pumpkins, Amazing Apples, and
Red Are the Apples. Through the study of apples in so many parts of the
curriculum, the children are able to acquire and practice a variety of
concepts (such as counting, sequencing, letter knowledge) through familiar
and interesting experiences.
Another project that we have been busy working on this week has
been the collaborative art project that we are making as a gift to the Trust
family at the gala next month. Collaborative art projects are wonderful
ways for children to learn new skills from each other, and to tangibly see the
rewards of working together in a group.
Shabbat Shalom, and best wishes for the weekend.
-- Morah Larissa and Morah Kate
In the Owl Room this week we have been using all of our senses to
study a favorite fall fruit: apples. In the dramatic play (or housekeeping)
area, we have introduced toy apples and pears. The children have been
making pretend apple juice, pretend apple pie, and even pretend kugel! The
children all had a chance to try their hands at some real cooking this week as
they helped to prepare snack on Tuesday. We used an apple
peeler/corer/slicer machine to slice and peel apples. We then sprinkled a
little lemon juice on top, and the children learned that this would keep the
apples from browning. Finally, we sprinkled on a little cinnamon and sugar.
The apple snack was a big hit!
We have also encountered apples at the art table, where we have
printed and painted with apples sliced in half. Some of the children even
noticed the interesting pattern that the seeds create in the center of an
apple.
We have also added a few new math activities this week, focusing on
apples. Morah Kate and Morah Larissa introduced a matching game, in which
the children matched an apple with a numeral (such as 7) to an apple with
that number of apple stickers on it. We have worked with numbers 1-10 in
this way. We also have introduced an apple sorting activity. The children
have been sorting red, yellow, and green paper apples. They have learned
that sorting means creating collections that match each other (in this case
that match by color). Finally, at a new circle time activity, we have been
chanting a new poem called “Down Around the Corner,” in which the children
pretend to go to a “grocery” store to pick out one of 7 apples. This allows us
to practice counting 1-7 as a group.
We have also learned a song about apples to the tune of “B-I-N-G-O,”
and it has become very popular and frequently requested! The books that we
have read this week have included Apples and Pumpkins, Amazing Apples, and
Red Are the Apples. Through the study of apples in so many parts of the
curriculum, the children are able to acquire and practice a variety of
concepts (such as counting, sequencing, letter knowledge) through familiar
and interesting experiences.
Another project that we have been busy working on this week has
been the collaborative art project that we are making as a gift to the Trust
family at the gala next month. Collaborative art projects are wonderful
ways for children to learn new skills from each other, and to tangibly see the
rewards of working together in a group.
Shabbat Shalom, and best wishes for the weekend.
-- Morah Larissa and Morah Kate
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)