September 9/19-9/23
Irvington Pre-K Newsletter
September 19-23, 2011
Hello Pre-K families! Thank you for a great third week of school! The students have really gotten the routines down and are great helpers and cooperators. We had new jobs- ask your student if s/he had one! Thanks to Mary and her family for the delicious and healthy fruit and vegetable snacks! If you have not signed up for a week of snack, please do so. The sign-up sheet is in the back corner on the parent board (morning families, don’t worry about this). This week we talked about families, including our pets. We discussed that a family is a group of people with whom you belong. We looked at families around the world and noted how all families have some similarities, and also noted how different families can be!
This week we finally brought out the (purple glitter) play-dough, and the students were super excited! We always love getting fresh play-dough for the students. Please consider making play-dough for the class if you have the time; and if you need a recipe, please see Laura, Candice or Nick. Thank you!!!!
On Monday, we talked about what makes a family and what families do. We read the internationally-focused My Family, as well as All Kinds of Families, Guess How Much I Love You, and Julius, the Baby of the World. We drew pictures of things we do with our family, and students shared them all week, as a way to talk about our own families and to continue getting used to share time. We learned that Lucia likes to go fishing with her grandparents, who are from Peru (and we found Peru on the globe to see how far away it is). We also learned that Liam and his family like to take trips, to such places as Minneapolis and Mexico. Aidan told us about playing Candyland with his mom and little sister Enya, while his “dad is in the United States.” Mary goes to Boston to visit family, where she goes to the beach with her cousins. Quinn likes to play a “balloon-rocket” game with his mom (they blow up a balloon and let it go and watch it fly around the room). Lots of family fun! We also finished the time capsules from last week and learned the Penguin song (ask your student if they remember it!).
Tuesday we learned about each other’s families- who are a part of your family? We made a large chart and took turns putting on our own family members. We realized that as a class, we have a lot of family! We read The Relatives Came, The Great Big Book of Families, Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big, and Families in Many Cultures. We continued to share about our families. Willem told us about fishing in Virginia with his cousins, while Ben shared about going to Sauvie’s Island Beach with his brother, mom and dad. Odessa also talked about going to the beach with her family, and Brady did as well. He wants to learn to surf when he is his brother Trevor’s age. We also learned that Helen Colletti goes to the zoo with her mom, dad, grandma and grandpa.
Wednesday we talked about places that families live- houses, apartments, etc. We read a great book, The Big Orange Splot, about a street where the people all build the houses of their dreams, resulting in a wacky street. Then we had each student think about what their dream house would look like, and who they would have live in it. Students designed their dream houses, and these colorful creations are presently hanging in our classroom. Tessa shared about playing ball with her daddy when it rains outside, and Lily showed us her drawing of fishing with her dad, while her mom and sister Claire watch. Paxton drew his beach house, where he and his brother Jake were yelling out the windows, and we learned that he surfs with his mom and dad. Phoebe told us about going to the playground with her family, and that she likes the swings the best. Kate also shared about surfing, with her mom. They go to Canon Beach once a month, and she likes to get her feet wet.
On Thursday we talked about another aspect of family life: pets! Whether real or imaginary, past, future or present, our students have all had some experiences with pets. We talked about ways to care for a pet and different pets we now or have had. We read the books My Big and Small Pets and The Dog Who Cried Wolf. Then we made pet rocks! Students chose a rock, painted it, and picked out all the accoutrements a pet needs: googly eyes, feathers, yarn, and puff balls, of course. The pets are super cute!!! Zachary shared about going to Great Wolf Lodge with his family, and how going down the waterslides are his favorite part. Darwin told us that he likes to serve his mom food and have her serve him food, and we learned that Netta has an older brother and that her family likes to go the park. Helen Cruz-Uribe shared about pushing her little sister Susannah in her stroller, and Jaden told us that his family likes to go to a waterslide (in Africa) and to visit his grandma in Pendleton. Wow!
Friday was the big pet show! Students took turns sharing about their pets, telling us what they eat, where they live, and their names. Memorable names include Play-dough, Fire, Lightning Bolt, Lightning, Buttercup, Aurora, Golden, Ducky, Slugbug, and BlueWingBirdy. Some notable foods these diverse pets eat are big chocolate bunnies, grass, compost, dirt, candy, lollipops, ice cream, healthy food, mac’ and cheese, bookshelves, crayfish, sand, and more. The students really had fun showing off their pets and getting creative with them! We read This is My Family, Some of My Best Friends Are Polka-Dot Pigs, Corduroy, and Peter’s Chair. Olivia showed us her picture of her family activity, vacuuming and cleaning up with her mom! Isa shared about swimming with her brother Diego, and Dane told us all about fishing with his dad. To wrap up our family share, Leo talked about going to the park with his family- he likes all the things the park has to offer, and Julian told us about the special Mother’s Day Celebrations he does with his family, including drawing his mom a necklace!
Thanks for reading and for another great week! Have a fabulous first fall weekend!
The Pre-K Team
