Gifts from the Earth Week I

Gifts from the Earth Week I  was a flurry of activity.  We continued our study of Native Americans as we played in our Tee-Pee.  We also made and used "Native American" shakers.  

Additionally, we painted re-cycled egg cartons. (Native Americans took very good care of the earth!)

We began to prepare for our Harvest Feast by "writing" invitations to parents and Parker staff.  The invitations will be delivered next week so be sure to check your child's cubby!

We will continue to collect food for Unity House in Troy through Tuesday, November 15.

Divertido con Espanol / Fun with Spanish

As always, the children enjoyed their time with Senora Jen!  They particularly enjoyed listening to her read, "El Almuerzo Sorpressa" (The Lunch Surprise), and were riveted when she unpacked her lunch box "en Espanol" utilizing our Vocabalo de Semana en Espanol!

Vocabalo de Semana en Espanol / Words of the Week in Spanish

papa / potato

tomate / tomato

cebolla / onion

frijoles / beans

Looking Deeper:  Exploration and Learning through Play

This week I would like to guide you through a closer look at "writing" in Pre-K Three.

Writing implements such as markers and paper, or dry erase boards are available everyday throughout the morning and afternoon.  These materials enable the children to exercise their fine motor and emergent writing skills.  By age four, most children have moved from a fist grip with full-arm circular movement, to a tripod grasp with movement refined to the hand and wrist.  Additionally, these materials are vehicle for creativity and personal expression. 

Writing is routinely demonstrated as part of our Morning Meeting.  Together, on our dry-erase board, the children and I compose a morning message which consists of the day and theme of the week, and one or two sentences about the activities of our day.  I write as the children dictate, and then we re-read the message together. 

 Children love opportunities for "Authentic Writing" experiences. We have now had three authentic "letter writing" experiences this year.  We "wrote" thank you notes for two of our Fall Field Trips, and this week we "wrote" Harvest Feast invitations to parents and Parker staff members. 

 Additionally, the children make routine entries in their writing journals! 

In time, letters and words emerge on the children's papers, but even before that occurs they know they are writers!  They instinctively know that writing looks different from drawing; this is apparent when they "write" notes in our "office", or "write" shopping lists during Grocery Store Weeks, or doctor notes during our Doctor/Hospital Weeks.

 If your child does not already have one, consider getting him/her a dry-erase board, markers and an eraser.  I am confident that you will be as impressed as Ann and I are when you see what your little one writes!   

Have a fun and restful weekend!