Brrrr, it's that time of year again!! Please make sure that all mittens, gloves, scarves, coats, boots etc are labelled with your child's name. I know we all hand down things, so at least have your child's last name. Often they don't recognize things especially if they are new or worn infrequently.
Also, you may have heard from your child that I don't put coats on them :) I ask that all We 3s at least try to put on their own coat, they need to pull on one sleeve, but I think by practicing at home they could easily be putting on their own coat by Christmas break. The PreK kids need to be able to put on their own coats, I will help with zippers, boots, mittens etc. Again, if you see that your child is having trouble, please start taking a few minutes a day to have them practice. It is not about my time, it's just a skill they need to have. It's time to let them 'be big' and do it themselves!
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
This week we are focusing on letter I and I read a great book to the kids! I hope that they all came home talking about the car they would like to invent from the ideas that they saw in If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen. If you haven't seen this one yet, you may want to look for it at the library or at a book store. The little boy in the story decides his dad's car is boring and makes plans for a car that he would drive if he could. I encouraged all of the kids to go home and try imagining or drawing their own car. Hopefully you heard some wild ideas! If not, it's not too late :) Have them tell you what they would invent, it's a great way to use 'i' in your discussions and to get those incredible minds thinking!
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Halloween!
Happy Halloween!! Hope everyone stayed warm and enjoyed the fun!
Here are some ways you can use your child's candy to help them learn:
1.Have them sort it. Sort it lots of different ways: by color, by size, by brand of candy or by type, see what ideas they have.
2. Make an AB pattern with the candy: snickers, twizlers, snickers twizlers etc.
3. Count it! Count each type of candy, count all of it together, work on those teen numbers :)
4. More than/less than: take a pile of M&Ms and a pile of lollipops, which has more? Have them guess and then count to find out which really did have more or less.
5. Make equal groups: make a group of say 6 Twix, then have them make an equally sized group of another type of candy. Equal groups have to have the same quantity but not be identical.
6. Look for letters A, B, C, D, E, F. Names are usually in bold letters on wrappers, perfect for beginning readers. They can see which letter they find the most of, or sort by beginning letter.
7. Make a tasting chart. Make three columns: I wouldn't try it, I tried it, and didn't like it, I liked it a little, I loved it! You could even draw faces with each one so they can remember as they go back to try more. They can glue the wrapper or part of it, on each column.
Have a great weekend with your little ones!
Here are some ways you can use your child's candy to help them learn:
1.Have them sort it. Sort it lots of different ways: by color, by size, by brand of candy or by type, see what ideas they have.
2. Make an AB pattern with the candy: snickers, twizlers, snickers twizlers etc.
3. Count it! Count each type of candy, count all of it together, work on those teen numbers :)
4. More than/less than: take a pile of M&Ms and a pile of lollipops, which has more? Have them guess and then count to find out which really did have more or less.
5. Make equal groups: make a group of say 6 Twix, then have them make an equally sized group of another type of candy. Equal groups have to have the same quantity but not be identical.
6. Look for letters A, B, C, D, E, F. Names are usually in bold letters on wrappers, perfect for beginning readers. They can see which letter they find the most of, or sort by beginning letter.
7. Make a tasting chart. Make three columns: I wouldn't try it, I tried it, and didn't like it, I liked it a little, I loved it! You could even draw faces with each one so they can remember as they go back to try more. They can glue the wrapper or part of it, on each column.
Have a great weekend with your little ones!
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Fire Safety!
This week the Prek classes met with a fire fighter from the Flushing Fire Dept. He went over the basics of 'stop, drop and roll' and to have a safe meeting place in case of an emergency. He also reminded the kids to have their parents check their smoke detectors. So, this week, please let your child help make an exit plan in case of an emergency. They talked about a safe meeting spot with the fire fighter, like a tree or a neighbor's house. They can also help 'find' the smoke detectors as you go to check the batteries in each one. Don't have any? The fire fighter said the brand doesn't matter, that they're all basically the same unless you get the ones with voice commands, so consider picking up at least one.
The PreK kids also all brought home an activity book, that would be good to do with them to review what they learned.
A great read aloud to go along with Fire Safety week is No Dragons for Tea (it also ties in with our letter of the week, D) by Jean E. Pendziwol. It's available pretty much everywhere, you can also try the library.
Hope you have a fun and productive fire safety week!
I invite a fire fighter for the We 3 class when we learn about community helpers. He is a fabulous guy and really engages the kids.
The PreK kids also all brought home an activity book, that would be good to do with them to review what they learned.
A great read aloud to go along with Fire Safety week is No Dragons for Tea (it also ties in with our letter of the week, D) by Jean E. Pendziwol. It's available pretty much everywhere, you can also try the library.
Hope you have a fun and productive fire safety week!
I invite a fire fighter for the We 3 class when we learn about community helpers. He is a fabulous guy and really engages the kids.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Counting, counting, counting!
It probably seems like we are always counting! We count together to the date on the class calendar, we count the number of children wearing shorts/pants to decide what our frog should wear, they count to the date on their calendars, and many other counting jobs. Most children can count, some skip a number here and there, but they have the concept. The part that needs work is counting objects, not just rote counting, and counting the 'teens'.
First, counting objects versus rote counting: instead of having your child count out loud to 20, ask them to line up 20 Legos, cars, Cheerios, whatever. Then have them touch each one as they say a number. Watch that they don't go too fast and say 1,2,3 before getting to the third object.
Second, counting the teens: the majority of the preschoolers either skip a teen, or repeat one, or just confuse the sounds. This sounds like "firteen, fourteen, fifteen" or "thirteen, fourteen, sixteen." Have your child slow down, work on those sounds. You can also just isolate those three to four numbers: "show me 13 crayons" then have them count 13 crayons. then, "show me 14 crayons" and count the 14 crayons. Ask which group has more crayons. Thirteen and fourteen seem to be the hardest to differentiate, although some skip from thirteen straight to eighteen. We will be spending quite a bit of time during the winter working on teen numbers, but this home practice will get them ready!
First, counting objects versus rote counting: instead of having your child count out loud to 20, ask them to line up 20 Legos, cars, Cheerios, whatever. Then have them touch each one as they say a number. Watch that they don't go too fast and say 1,2,3 before getting to the third object.
Second, counting the teens: the majority of the preschoolers either skip a teen, or repeat one, or just confuse the sounds. This sounds like "firteen, fourteen, fifteen" or "thirteen, fourteen, sixteen." Have your child slow down, work on those sounds. You can also just isolate those three to four numbers: "show me 13 crayons" then have them count 13 crayons. then, "show me 14 crayons" and count the 14 crayons. Ask which group has more crayons. Thirteen and fourteen seem to be the hardest to differentiate, although some skip from thirteen straight to eighteen. We will be spending quite a bit of time during the winter working on teen numbers, but this home practice will get them ready!
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Calling All Superheroes!!
This weekend is the Weiss Advocacy Center's Superhero Fun Run! This is a great event for little ones to get involved in helping others. Dress as your favorite superhero and come out for the fun run 1k at 9:45 on Saturday, September 20. My boys and I will be collecting pledges and running the 5k at 9:15 so we hope to see your there! There are super heroes in the Uof M Flint pavilion at the corner of Saginaw and Kearsley Sts., face painting, superhero mask making and my favorite: the superhero photo booth! We can all be superheroes in the lives of a child and have a fun morning doing it!
Weiss Advocacy Center steps in when a child has been a witness to or the victim of a crime. They counsel, offer medical help and take testimonies all on site at this wonderfully homey center. This gives the children privacy and the chance to only have to tell their story one time. It is a hugely important organization in our community.
Please visit the Weiss Advocacy Center's webpage for details and event registration!
www.weissadvocacycenter.org
Weiss Advocacy Center steps in when a child has been a witness to or the victim of a crime. They counsel, offer medical help and take testimonies all on site at this wonderfully homey center. This gives the children privacy and the chance to only have to tell their story one time. It is a hugely important organization in our community.
Please visit the Weiss Advocacy Center's webpage for details and event registration!
www.weissadvocacycenter.org
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Preschool tie-ins
This week we have worked on cutting. They can use all the practice you can give them! Let them cut up school papers you've read, magazines, junk mail, anything! Just watch their grip. They need to have their thumb in the small hole of the handle and at least their pointer and middle fingers in the other hole. Make sure their hand is turned so that their thumb is up. Then have them hold the paper with their other hand. If you have any questions please let me know! I'd be glad to help!
The other skill to practice at home is sharing or taking turns. You can start by playing games, like High Ho Cherry-O, Chutes and Ladders or even Tic Tac Toe. Don't always let them go first, their friends at school will not :) Make sure they wait their turn to go. They can also wait their turn for other activities from the simple: serve yourself a drink and then them, to harder "I'm going to read this book to myself for 5 minutes and then I'll read your book to you." These are just a few examples, but I'm sure you get the point. They are all learning how to be in a classroom where it is not 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 like at home. They are doing a great job, but anyone could use practice.
Sharing works much the same way. We read Llama Llama Time to Share today and talked about how Llama llama felt when a neighbor came and wanted to play with his special toy. We talked about what we can do when we have things that are too special to share, and how to share other things. Keep practicing at home, make a few very simple 'shares': " Will you share one of your carrots with me" to a harder one involving something they're playing with at that time.
The author of the llama llama books has a great website! It has info about her books, games, songs and a 'pledge to play nice'. Check it out here:
www.llamallamabook.com
The other skill to practice at home is sharing or taking turns. You can start by playing games, like High Ho Cherry-O, Chutes and Ladders or even Tic Tac Toe. Don't always let them go first, their friends at school will not :) Make sure they wait their turn to go. They can also wait their turn for other activities from the simple: serve yourself a drink and then them, to harder "I'm going to read this book to myself for 5 minutes and then I'll read your book to you." These are just a few examples, but I'm sure you get the point. They are all learning how to be in a classroom where it is not 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 like at home. They are doing a great job, but anyone could use practice.
Sharing works much the same way. We read Llama Llama Time to Share today and talked about how Llama llama felt when a neighbor came and wanted to play with his special toy. We talked about what we can do when we have things that are too special to share, and how to share other things. Keep practicing at home, make a few very simple 'shares': " Will you share one of your carrots with me" to a harder one involving something they're playing with at that time.
The author of the llama llama books has a great website! It has info about her books, games, songs and a 'pledge to play nice'. Check it out here:
www.llamallamabook.com
Preschool Prayers
There are two prayers that all of the We3 and PreK students say daily. I am putting them here in case you would like to practice them at home or are just curious :)
Preschool Prayer: (said at prayer time on the rug)
Thank you God for this new day,
and for the time to work and play.
Please be with us all day long
in every story, game or song.
May all the happy things we do
make you, Jesus, happy too.
Blessing before snack:
Bless us,
O Lord,
and these thy gifts,
which we are about to receive
from thy bounty.
Through Christ our Lord
Amen
Preschool Prayer: (said at prayer time on the rug)
Thank you God for this new day,
and for the time to work and play.
Please be with us all day long
in every story, game or song.
May all the happy things we do
make you, Jesus, happy too.
Blessing before snack:
Bless us,
O Lord,
and these thy gifts,
which we are about to receive
from thy bounty.
Through Christ our Lord
Amen
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Pre K tie-ins for the first week
This week we read The Kissing Hand. It is a story about how a little raccoon leaves his mom to go to school so she gives him a kiss on the palm to let him know her love goes with him. It would be a great book to check out from the library and re-read with your preK kids before next week. Some other good back to school titles are: Owl Babies, Llama Llama Misses Mama, and Pete the Cat, Rockin' in my School Shoes.
Another great opportunity for practice is cutting with scissors. They will all be working on proper grip for scissors, how to hold the paper, and cutting a straight and curved line. There are many cutting workbooks, Kumon makes a great one, but they can also cut along a line you draw on scrap paper or just cut up scraps to practice grip.
Another great opportunity for practice is cutting with scissors. They will all be working on proper grip for scissors, how to hold the paper, and cutting a straight and curved line. There are many cutting workbooks, Kumon makes a great one, but they can also cut along a line you draw on scrap paper or just cut up scraps to practice grip.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
The First Days
The first days of school can be hard, both for parents letting little ones go and for the children. I try really hard to make sure all of your little ones feel loved and safe those first few days (and all year) and to help them with their transition to school. What I have found works best is to let them come to school that first day and be dropped off. Walk your child in if you'd like to, stay a few minutes, but when announcements start at 7:35, it's time to go. I know that may sound harsh at first, and I don't want to seem unwelcoming. I would love to have anyone come and help in class after the first 2-3 weeks. The children just need a little adjusting time first, and they will do well knowing their schedule and not worrying about if you'll stay or leave, when will you leave, or how many days you'll stay, that often causes more stress than the actual separation. It also allows me to focus just on those little ones too, which is the main goal :)
I look so forward to seeing you all on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. I hope you have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!
Start of School
Sometimes the start up of school can be overwhelming, so here is a little clarification:
September 2----all We 3 students start at 7:30. Please follow the school directives about parking in the lower lot and walking your little one up to class. To pick them up, please park on the sidewalk along the front of the school. Come into the front lobby on Henry St. and we will walk your child up to you.
----at 11:30, all pm PreK starts. If your child is only attending pm PreK on MWF, you may wait til Wednesday to come or you may come the first day and Wednesday, whatever you think will be easiest for your child. To drop off, the afternoon class may park along Henry St or in the Henry St lot and wait in the foyer. I will walk them all to class from there at 11:30. The afternoon PreK will be dismissed in the lower lot at 2:15. We will come out the door by Mary and I will wait with your child until their ride arrives.
September 3----am PreK starts at 7:30, please follow the school directives for parking in the lower lot and walking your child up to class. They will be walked up to the front lobby of the school for dismissal at 10:30. Please park along Henry St. on the sidewalk and come into the foyer. We will wait with all children until you pick them up.
September 2----all We 3 students start at 7:30. Please follow the school directives about parking in the lower lot and walking your little one up to class. To pick them up, please park on the sidewalk along the front of the school. Come into the front lobby on Henry St. and we will walk your child up to you.
----at 11:30, all pm PreK starts. If your child is only attending pm PreK on MWF, you may wait til Wednesday to come or you may come the first day and Wednesday, whatever you think will be easiest for your child. To drop off, the afternoon class may park along Henry St or in the Henry St lot and wait in the foyer. I will walk them all to class from there at 11:30. The afternoon PreK will be dismissed in the lower lot at 2:15. We will come out the door by Mary and I will wait with your child until their ride arrives.
September 3----am PreK starts at 7:30, please follow the school directives for parking in the lower lot and walking your child up to class. They will be walked up to the front lobby of the school for dismissal at 10:30. Please park along Henry St. on the sidewalk and come into the foyer. We will wait with all children until you pick them up.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Snack Schedules!
The snack schedules for We 3s, Morning PreK and Afternoon PreK have all been posted to this blog. Please see the side bar and click on the page for your class. I have them completed through the end of October, but please be aware that they may change if additional students are added to a class.
On a student's snack day they are line leader for the day and help with calendar, pass out their snack and other activities. Your child brings snack for the class that day, please allow your child to pick something they like to eat to share with their friends. We aim for healthy snacks, but really like to foster the joy of sharing something you like, so if that happens to be a less than healthy treat, that's okay! On birthdays you may send in cupcakes or whatever your child would like.
Please include anything needed to serve your snack: napkins, spoons, forks, plates/bowls, whatever is needed for that day. We ask that you either send a drink, or send cups and we will serve water. Large containers of juice and cups tend to work better than juice boxes.
As I receive the medical forms I will advise classes of food allergies. If your child has an allergy you can also email or text me ahead of the start of school and we'll get those concerns addressed.
Please send in enough snack and drink for 15 as of now, we will adjust as needed.
The last part of a child's snack day is that they may bring in a show and tell. For the We3 class they can start by each showing their photo album (see summer project on the wiki: www.mrsgrosswe3andprek.wikispaces.com ). This album will stay in the room all year, and we will pull it out on their special day.
The Morning and Afternoon PreK can bring a special photo of something they did this summer or a souvenir for all of their first snack days.
On a student's snack day they are line leader for the day and help with calendar, pass out their snack and other activities. Your child brings snack for the class that day, please allow your child to pick something they like to eat to share with their friends. We aim for healthy snacks, but really like to foster the joy of sharing something you like, so if that happens to be a less than healthy treat, that's okay! On birthdays you may send in cupcakes or whatever your child would like.
Please include anything needed to serve your snack: napkins, spoons, forks, plates/bowls, whatever is needed for that day. We ask that you either send a drink, or send cups and we will serve water. Large containers of juice and cups tend to work better than juice boxes.
As I receive the medical forms I will advise classes of food allergies. If your child has an allergy you can also email or text me ahead of the start of school and we'll get those concerns addressed.
Please send in enough snack and drink for 15 as of now, we will adjust as needed.
The last part of a child's snack day is that they may bring in a show and tell. For the We3 class they can start by each showing their photo album (see summer project on the wiki: www.mrsgrosswe3andprek.wikispaces.com ). This album will stay in the room all year, and we will pull it out on their special day.
The Morning and Afternoon PreK can bring a special photo of something they did this summer or a souvenir for all of their first snack days.
It was great to see so many of you last night at the Back to School Picnic! What a great family night!
If you missed it, there is the opportunity next Wednesday to stop in from 9-11 and tour the classroom and drop off school supplies. It is very casual, Open House style. We also have Meet the Teacher Night, which is kid free from 6-8 pm on September 3. That is a great time for your questions or concerns, and for those of you who work to get a chance to see the classroom and the school.
Also please feel free to call, text or email me for anything, I know that the days leading up to the start of school can be exciting and stressful so please let me know if I can help in any way.
If you missed it, there is the opportunity next Wednesday to stop in from 9-11 and tour the classroom and drop off school supplies. It is very casual, Open House style. We also have Meet the Teacher Night, which is kid free from 6-8 pm on September 3. That is a great time for your questions or concerns, and for those of you who work to get a chance to see the classroom and the school.
Also please feel free to call, text or email me for anything, I know that the days leading up to the start of school can be exciting and stressful so please let me know if I can help in any way.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Getting Ready!
We have just a couple of weeks left, and I want to make sure you and your child feel prepared and ready! Please feel free to text or email me any concerns and I will do my best to answer them right away.
So that our littlest students feel welcome and to give them a chance to visit school before the first day, Mrs. Zaliagiris (the kindergarten teacher) and I will be having an Open House on Wednesday, August 27 from 9:00-11:00 am. They can tour their classrooms, meet me, and drop off the school supplies. We will have bins in the hall for each item on the school supply list except their backpack :)
If you cannot make it, don't worry, we can take time the first day to make sure they are all set!
So that our littlest students feel welcome and to give them a chance to visit school before the first day, Mrs. Zaliagiris (the kindergarten teacher) and I will be having an Open House on Wednesday, August 27 from 9:00-11:00 am. They can tour their classrooms, meet me, and drop off the school supplies. We will have bins in the hall for each item on the school supply list except their backpack :)
If you cannot make it, don't worry, we can take time the first day to make sure they are all set!
Monday, June 16, 2014
The start of summer!
On this blog I am not going to differentiate between We3 and PreK kids, so it may be the start of summer break for your incoming PreK child or just another nice day for those coming into We3s. Either way it is a great time to get out and explore with your little one! So, check this out:
For Mar Nature Preserve is open Wednesday through Saturday from 8:00 am until sunset (visitor's center open til 5:00 pm). The preserve has miles of trails to explore and free discovery backpacks to check out for two hours at a time.
Little ones love bugs, not the mosquitos per se, so spray, but all the other creepy crawlies out there. You can check out an Insect Investigator Backpack with a magnifying jar, a port-a-bug barn, pond net, identification guides, activity sheets (to keep older siblings involved) and checklists. While exploring you can discuss the colors, shapes and other bug attributes with your little one. Have them try to count legs and body parts. True insects have 3 body parts and 6 legs. What else can they observe?
For Mar is located at:
2142 N. Genesee Rd, Burton, MI 48509
Heading out? Let us know, maybe a classmate will join you. Already been? Let us know what you thought. Happy exploring!
For Mar Nature Preserve is open Wednesday through Saturday from 8:00 am until sunset (visitor's center open til 5:00 pm). The preserve has miles of trails to explore and free discovery backpacks to check out for two hours at a time.
Little ones love bugs, not the mosquitos per se, so spray, but all the other creepy crawlies out there. You can check out an Insect Investigator Backpack with a magnifying jar, a port-a-bug barn, pond net, identification guides, activity sheets (to keep older siblings involved) and checklists. While exploring you can discuss the colors, shapes and other bug attributes with your little one. Have them try to count legs and body parts. True insects have 3 body parts and 6 legs. What else can they observe?
For Mar is located at:
2142 N. Genesee Rd, Burton, MI 48509
Heading out? Let us know, maybe a classmate will join you. Already been? Let us know what you thought. Happy exploring!
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