We had a wonderful first week in Pre-K! We worked hard learning new routines and classroom procedures. We learned how to line up, walk quietly in the hall, how to sit on the rug and how to put our toys away. We also participated in morning meeting, free choice, learning centers, snack, recess, PE, music, French and circle time.
Let's take a closer look at the week...
Build Your Rainbow
This week the kiddos learned what it means to "Build Your Rainbow." We talked about what it means to be a good friend and to make nice choices. Every time we "catch" a kiddo making a nice choice (sharing, helping clean up, being a first time listener, etc) we ask the kiddo to "build their rainbow." They get to build one color at a time until their whole rainbow is built - then they get to pick something out of the prize box! "Building Your Rainbow" is a form of positive reinforcement and it encourages desired behaviors.
Popsicle Stick & Clothespin Engineering
Our Pre-K classroom combined popsicle sticks and clothespins for a highly captivating table-top activity. Something about the way a clothespin opens and closes is almost addictive to kids! After some trial and error, the kiddos discovered how to use the clothespins to connect, balance, and hinge the popsicle sticks into amazing structures and formations. Besides being a fantastic engineering activity, playing with clothespins helps develop fine motor skills. Finger strength and control is needed for a lot of basic skills a child needs to master such as learning how to write.
Sticker Letters (Fine Motor Activity)
The goal of this activity was to cover the black letter (the first letter in the kiddos names) with stickers. This activity is very simple but it packs in a lot of learning, specifically - fine motor skills and letter identification!
Sand Letter Writing
Shape Scavenger Hunt
A fun way to practice and reinforce shapes. It was also a great opportunity to continue to get familiar with the Pre-K classroom!
Recess
French
Every Thursday after lunch the kiddos have French with our JK friends. This week the kiddos met our French teacher, Madame, and sang songs with her puppets!
Question of the Day
This year we started a "Question of the Day." The question of the day is a fun and engaging way to get students learning as soon as they walk in the door. The question of the day promotes various language objectives including: recognize their name in print, recognize upper and lowercase letters, explore letter sounds, recognize that spoken words are represented by written language, follow words from left to right, answer yes/no questions, and participate in language with others.
PE
The kiddos enjoy P.E. with Mr. Linkhart and their JK friends!
Mystery Reader
This weeks Mystery Reader was Zach's Grandfather! He read the book "I Can Count to Ten and Back Again" - featuring Jim Henson's Sesame Street Muppets! The kiddos loved the book and were very engaged!
Plastic Cup Towers
Watercolor Painting
Journals
This week we began our journals. The journal question of the week was, "What is your favorite thing about school?" The kiddos were asked to draw a picture and dictate their response. The goal for journals is for the kiddos picture to match their response.
Picture Frames
This week the kiddos also made picture frames to display a picture in the cubby. If you haven't yet, please bring in a 4x6 photo of your family.
Pipe Cleaner Math Game
The kiddos were asked to pick a number card and then place the corresponding number of beads onto the pipe cleaner. This math game promotes fine motors skills as well as one-to-one correspondence.
Coffee Filter Watercolor Art
Kids love to paint right? But have you tried making watercolor art with coffee filters? It's not watercolor painting at all but it's bright colors and beautiful blends. The kids will want to create art for hours! Instead of grabbing the watercolor paints, pick up a pack of water-based markers and some coffee filters and watch the fun begin!
Playdough Pipe Cleaner Sculptures
Engaging activity to build strong finger muscles to help with handwriting! Manipulating the play dough and pipe cleaners helps work those fine motor skills.
"All About Me" Unit
Next week we will begin our “All About Me” unit. We will discover our unique qualities that make us special. Each month we will be painting a self-portrait. The children get to look in the mirror and examine their physical characteristics and will interpret their image into a painting. It is exciting to see the changes and growth from the first self-portrait to the final one in June! These paintings will be displayed in the classroom.
