One of our focus questions was "What should we do if we get scared at school?" A lot of the children said they would tell me or their parents. After reciting the nursery rhyme Little Miss Muffet, I asked them “How do you think Little Miss Muffet felt?" Everyone said “scared.” Each student had a chance to pretend they were scared as we reenacted Little Miss Muffet.

Spider Graphing

Are you scared of spiders? Yes or No

Trying curds and whey.

Another question was “What are our rules at school.” We sang Mary Had a Little Lamb and talked about her school and how lambs were not allowed. Each student shared a class rule and we discussed if it was a big rule (safety, walk in a crosswalk) or a little rule (how many kids can be in a center). For children to be able to regulate their behaviors, they must know what behaviors are acceptable.

Mary brought her lamb to school.

Tempo

This fun yet simple lesson about tempo engages young minds. Children love the challenge of trying to do something slow then fast. The boys and girls explored the concept of tempo through music. To identify the tempo we used rhythm sticks and scarves. We also used rhythm sticks to the nursery rhyme one-two buckle my shoe. These musical activities that relate to storytelling can focus on children's attention and enhance their social interaction.

GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER

The beginning of the school year is not only exciting but emotional too! So many routines to teach and so many little learners to get to know! It's important that our classroom family builds trust and relationships with each other so they can feel safe and happy. Being able to establish relationships are essential skills for school and for success in life. On the first day of school, students made name tags and introduced themselves to each other. It’s important to support each student as they say goodbye to their family and learn to find comfort in being a member of the classroom community.

Nursery Rhymes

This week we recited the nursery rhymes: Humpty Dumpty and The Three Little Kittens. These nursery rhymes teach Phonological awareness, or phonological sensitivity, which is the ability to discern the sounds and patterns of spoken language. Children become phonologically aware through experiences such as reciting poems and nursery rhymes, singing, and clapping the syllables of chanted words.

Meet Our Humpty Dumpties

We discussed how an egg "Humpty Dumpty" is easily broken when mishandled. Once cracked, an eggshell can't be put back together. I asked the students, "Is it safe for Humpty Dumpty to sit on the wall?" This led to an entire discussion about safety and making good choices.

How can we keep Humpty Dumpty from breaking?

Using cotton balls, toilet paper, and nest materials(pine needles and twigs), the boys and girls put together baskets to keep Humpty Dumpty from breaking. We tested our theories and I'm proud to say "no one's egg broke."

Testing Our Theories

Three Little Kittens

On our walk from P.E., we found mittens on the ground. The children kept asking "Whose mittens are these?" Once we returned to the room, we realized they belonged to three little kittens. We read the nursery rhyme and talked about taking care of our things in the classroom and at home. We also learned where things go in our classroom so we don’t lose them(backpack, folder, lunch box, toys).?" We then matched the mittens by color and size to make a pair. Ask your child, "What is a pair?"

Classifying

The Six Little Kittens

During snack, we reviewed our letters by making them with pretzels. Hands-on education gives students both the freedom and responsibility to learn through real experience.

A/B and A/B/C Patterns

Through a series of activities, students learned the life cycle of a butterfly.

Last week we started our new study about reduce, reuse, and recycle. This study offers opportunities for our children to explore a topic that not only interests them but allows them to gather information, become more aware of the world around them, and solve problems. During this study, we will enjoy sorting and reusing the trash collected.

Building a Recycling Center

Since we can't recycle styrofoam, we reused it to build a recycling center in our classroom. We had fun working together as a group.

Making Art with Environmental Print

Using recycled materials from snack time, we cut out petals and made flowers. Each student had a chance to point out different letters and symbols.

RESURRECTION EGGS

Every child was excited to see what was in their egg. We discussed how each item played a part in the story of Easter. Children love the eggs because you can see, touch, and listen to the story.

JELLY BEAN GRAPHING

First, we had to color our Jelly Bean Sorting Mat. Then we classified and graphed them. Kids love hands on activities. The best part was eating some for snack.

JELLY BEAN MEASURING

Using jelly beans, each child measured and recorded their answer.

N FOR NEST

For our building unit. a student brought a bird nest. This was perfect for our letter of the week. We also rolled pieces of playdough to make the letter N. This is a great for our fine motor skills.

EASTER CRAFTS