Chicka Chicka Boom Boom...continued!

This week we finished up our “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” unit! The kiddos had so much fun listening to the story and participating in all the fun and exciting activities. By the end of the week the children were singing along….. "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom will there be enough room?” Here is a link to a really catchy youtube video that the children enjoyed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3qTeyZxrJA. We watched this video a few times - it is very catchy and has a great beat! Warning: it will get stuck in your head!

One of the most popular activities this week was our Chicka Chicka Boom Boom STEAM Challenge! In case you are unfamiliar, STEAM is the combination of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. STEAM challenges are a hands-on way to challenge children’s thinking and problem-solving skills! They also inspire creativity, collaboration, communication, and encourage critical thinking.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom STEAM Challenge: Can you build an alphabet tree? How many letters does it hold?

Our Pre-K kids LOVED this challenge! They worked as a team to build alphabet trees that held more letters than I imagined! It was quite amazing!

 

The Pre-K kids also worked hard on letter recognition and practiced developing their fine motor skills by peeling letter stickers and matching them to the correct letter on our coconut trees (paper towel roll). We then twisted on branches (pipe cleaners) and strung on coconuts (beads)!

We also played a really fun math game called, “Where’s That Crazy Coconut?!”  The “crazy coconut” was hiding behind a number and the children took turns calling out a number to find the coconut! There was one round where we got down to the very last number before we found the coconut!

For journals this week the question was: What is your favorite thing to do at school?  Some of the responses included, “Play!” and “Push my friends on the tire swing!” Parents get to check out these journals at the end of the year! It’s always so much fun to read the children's responses to the topic and to see the progression in drawings!

In Music class this week we sung various songs such as: “Bongo Joe” and “Do Your Ears Hang Low?”  The kids learn various movements and motions for the songs and they also get to play various instruments! The favorite are the drums!!

In PE class this week we played with hula hoops, balloons, and we also played a freeze dance game. Lots of opportunities to develop our gross motor skills!

This week we also started our “Sign-In’s.” During Sign In’s the children practicing writing! Each day the children will spend a few minutes one-on-one with me practicing pencil grip and letter formation. We start with practicing their name - one letter at a time! This week we focused on the first letter of their name. We practice the correct way to form the letter using key terminology that will help the students remember! The program that we use is: Handwriting Without Tears. If you would like to practice at home there are lots of YouTube videos that will guide you!

This week during snack time the children shared really great stories! There was one student who shared a dream she had. In her dream she was in a chocolate factory with a monster! This dream generated a lot of questions and led to some interesting conversations!

Next week we start our Pumpkin unit!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

This week we dove into our “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” unit based on the book by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault.  Here is a look at the corresponding activities for the week!

Morning Meeting: This week we read the story, “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” in many different ways! On Monday we did a classic read aloud. On Tuesday we watched an interactive YouTube video based on the book. Later in the week, we read the story and placed magnetic letters on the whiteboard as we heard them in the book. The kiddos really liked this activity! It is fun to read the same book in a variety of ways!

Zoo Phonics: This week we learned the letters “E” and “F.” Ask your child if they remember what “Ellie Elephant” and “Francy Fish” say! Do they know the hand motions that go with the letter sounds?

Art: The children were busy constructing coconut trees.  They worked on their fine motor skills ripping paper and using scissors to cut the leaves, coconuts, and tree trunk.

Language Arts: The kiddos went on a letter hunt in the sensory bin. They had to use tweezers to pull out a letter and then find the matching letter on their Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Letter Mat. Once they found the letter they stamped it out using dot paint! The children also participated in a letter pick up! We scattered alphabet letters on the rug and the kids picked up the letters in ABC order. They practiced both lowercase and uppercase letters!

Math: We rolled dice, counted the dots and then colored in the correct number on our Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree Mat.

Fine Motor: To practice both our fine motor skills and counting we strung coconuts (beads) on pipe-cleaner coconut trees!

Spanish: We are continuing to learn our colors! Ask your child if they know what red is in Spanish! Green? Blue?

Gross Motor Room: We had indoor recess one day this week due to rain. The kids loved exploring the toys and activities in this room!

Recess: It was HOT this week! But that didn't stop us from running around and having fun outside!

Weekly Questions: 

Below are some questions you can ask your child about school. These questions are a little more direct then, "What did you do at school today?" Usually, responses to this question include, "I don't know!" or "Nothing!"

Everyday Questions:

1.) What was your job today? (calendar helper, weather helper, line leader, door holder)

2.) What songs did you sing today? What is your favorite song during morning meeting? (most of them LOVE "Bear Hunt!"

3.) What did you eat at snack today? (Usually it is a fruit)

4.) What is your favorite recess activity? (They all love the tire-swing!)

5.) What "zoo friends" do you know? Can you teach me? (We practice Zoo Phonics during circle time. So far we have practiced letters A-F)


Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Questions:

1.) Do you know what kind of tree is in the story, "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom?" (Coconut Tree!)

2.) What happened to the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree? Why? (It fell down! There were too many letters in the tree!)

3.) How many letters are in the alphabet? (They might not remember this one! 26)

4.) Tell me about a time you climbed up a tree. What happened?

All About Me...continued!

We had a wonderful first full week continuing our “All About Me” unit! The children are getting very comfortable in the classroom and understanding our routines and daily schedule. The kids are excited to see not only their Pre-K friends, but also their JK and K friends! It’s great to see such meaningful relationships forming.

Here is a look at the week:

Recess:

Our Pre-K group LOVES the tire swing! As soon at the playground gate swings open it’s a dash to the tire swing. One of our Pre-K friends loves to push while the other friends ride! We also opened up the sandbox. The children love to build and dig in the sand!

Free Choice:

The children are getting very comfortable with our morning routine. The kids enjoy being able to choose their own activity in the morning. Their favorites are “my little ponies” and “the kitchen.”

Language Arts:

This week the journal topic was, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The children had a variety of answers - a musician, an artist, a dinosaur and a fairy princess! Can you guess which one your child wants to be? We also completed an activity based on the book “A My Name is Alice.” The kiddos matched the beginning sound of their name with something that they like. For example - “J my name is James, and I like Jellybeans!” You can see this project hanging up in the hallway outside of our classroom.

Art:

This week the children got messy with shaving cream! We put a large dollop on the table and the children practiced writing letters, drawing shapes and pictures. The Pre-K kids LOVED this activity!! It was messy and fun!

Math:

This week we introduced a new math game. In a small group we took turns rolling the dice, counting the dots, and then finding the corresponding number on a math mat. The kids really enjoyed doing this activity together!

Gym:  

This week in gym we played “Shakes and Minnows” with our Kindergarten friends!

Music:

This week in music we played instruments! The Pre-K kids took turns playing the triangle, drums, tambourine and shakers! Together we sang - “Good Morning,” “Down By The Bay,” and “Bongo Joe.”

Family Share:

This week we learned all about James's family! We learned that his parents met at Notre Dame and that they were both student-athletes. His mom was a swimmer and his dad played soccer. We also learned that one of James’s favorites things is getting thrown high up in the air! We got to see some really great pictures! Thank you for coming in Mrs. Moore!

Reading Buddies:

We LOVE our 5th/6th grade Reading Buddies! The children are creating strong and meaningful bonds with the “Big Kids.”

Circle Time:

During circle time we practiced our Zoo Phonics! So far we have met Allie Alligator, Bubba Bear, Catina Cat, and Dee Dee Deer. Ask your child if they can show you the motions and make the sounds that go with each letter!

Next Week:

Next week we will be diving into our “Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom” unit based off of the popular book by Lois Ehlert.

Reminders:

NO SCHOOL next Thursday!

All About Me

We had a wonderful week learning about each other in our All About Me unit!  In Morning Meeting, I introduced the ‘Build Your Rainbow’ chart. Every time a teacher catches a child making a good choice they get to pick the next color piece of the rainbow. This reinforces smart choices and the children really start to connect with the rainbow through the next couple of weeks.  We also introduced the calendar and are beginning to learn the days of the week and the months of the year.  We read a few stories such as “Same, Same But Different” by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw and “It’s Okay to Be Different” by Todd Parr. We shared stories about our families and discussed our physical similarities and differences.  We also learned some new songs! Ask your child which song they like best -- “Bear Hunt” “Listen and Move” or “Animal Action.”

The Pre-K children are learning the flow of the classroom and are transitioning smoothly from one activity to the next. I am impressed to see how quickly they adapt and are ready for learning and action!

Learning Centers

Free Choice - The children are getting more comfortable learning the morning routine and choosing their own table toy or activity to get started for the day. This part of the day really allows the children to socialize and problem solve with one another. This week I introduced the language, "Bugs and Wishes" to the children. This is something they can practice at home as well as at school! “It bugs me when you ______, I wish you would _________.”

Language Arts - The children used foam letters to spell their names.  We also started Zoo Phonics this week. We learned about Allie the Alligator, Bubba Bear and Catina Cat. Ask your child if they remember what Bubba Bear says! We also started our journals. The topic this week was “Tell me about your family.” The kiddos drew a picture of their family and dictated a story. Each week there will be one journal entry and they will be arranged in a folder for you to take home at the end of the year! The Pre-K kids also met their 5th/6th grade reading buddies! It was amazing to watch the Pre-K kids with the “big kids.”  You can already see friendships blossoming! We will have reading buddies every Friday.

Spanish - Colors Week! The children created an art project using a variety of colored tissue paper. They also made bracelets and necklaces.

Gym - This week the Pre-K teamed up with the Kindergarten kids and played parachute games!

Art - This week we had fun with finger paints! We also painted our first self-portraits. Once a month the children will paint a self-portrait and they will be hung up in the classroom.

Math - We graphed our height and talked about who was “taller” and “shorter.” It will be fun to see how much the kids grow throughout the year!  We also practiced counting using our fish counting mats.

Next week we will continue our All About Me unit!

Reminders:

• Tuesday, September 12th is picture day!
• Please remember to take nap mats home on Friday to get washed!