Mrs. Ernst

March 28- April 1

Announcements from Miss Cheryl, Miss Ginger and Miss Kelley’s Class

 

 

OUR FOCUS THIS WEEK

  Our story this week is “The Rain Came Down” by David Shannon.  This loud, hilarious story describes what a rainy day can do to a town and all those who live and work in it. We will be focusing on community helpers. This week we will be learning about several community helpers and what they do to serve the people. We will be learning how to protect ourselves if we are in a fire; playing a trash game; making hammers for our food activity; shaving just like a barber (using popsicle sticks); and flossing our teeth to name a few of our activities during this busy week. Other concepts will include beginning letter sounds, sorting activities, introducing some addition (yes!!) and patterning.

Vocabulary  Words:

baker   barber   beautician   taxi driver   truck driver   pizza man  traffic  

ice cream man   grocery man   police officer   painter    argue     

 

Homework:

 

1. Go visit different places in your neighborhood—FIELD TRIP! Visit your local fire and police department. Watch the trash collectors in your neighborhood. We frequently watch the trash collectors at school pick up and empty the dumpster. Compare how the trash collection is different at home than in a public place. Watch the mail worker deliver the mail or go to the post office and look at the mail boxes, stamp machines, etc. Be creative and discover different places in your neighborhood.  Use the vocabulary words.
2. Let your child write a letter and address the envelope with your help. Don’t forget the stamp.  (This is a great way to practice letter and number writing and journaling.) Write your child a letter and let them get it from the mailbox.
3. Go to the library. Explore the community helpers books with your child.
4. Finger Play- Ten Little Firemen

Ten little firemen sleeping in a row (extend both hands, finger curled)

Ding dong goes the bell (pull a cord with one hand to ring the bell)

And down the pole they go

(close both fists, put one hand on top of the other, slide down the pole)

Off to the engine, oh, oh, oh (steer with both hands)

Using the big hose, so, so, so (pretend to use a hose)

When the fire’s out, home so-o slow (steer with both hands)

Back to bed, all in a row. (extend both hands with finger curled)

 

Pre-Academic Activities for the Full Day Students (Letter/ Number Time)

    Our letter this week is letter Mm.  Our numbers are 2 and 4.

Make sure you review the vocabulary sheets with your child. You can make this fun by making up riddles or descriptions about the pictures. Make an extra copy, cut both up individual pictures, turn over and play Concentration or play a matching game.  Be creative and have fun teaching your child.

Please review the number 4 daily. If they seem to be having any challenges with the previous ones (0,1,2,3) continue to incorporate those numbers into your daily reviews. Find numbers in books and magazines. Look for them on mailboxes, on the speed limit signs and in stores that you visit. Count and make sets with your child. To make numbers real and relevant to your child you must create awareness of them in their world.

 

More activities for increasing letter sound awareness and handwriting- Many of these activities can be applied to learning to write numbers as well.

 

1. Go on a treasure hunt around your house (inside and/or outside) to find items that begin with each letter sound. (Use the vocabulary words I have sent home to help you.)
2. Sing songs or nursery rhymes using only the letter sound instead of the words. This is a fun activity that you can do anywhere. It’s a great way to interact with your child in lines when they start to get bored.
3. ALWAYS practice writing their names in upper and lower case letters—not just upper case (capital letters).
4. Practice writing the letters.

Strategies to use-

a. Using a shortened normal sized crayon or pencil will encourage the correct hand position when they are writing if this is needed for your child. The shortened length requires your child to have to hold the writing instrument using a more appropriate grasp.  A crayon helps the writer increase pressure when writing. Pencils tend to slip easily and may not be the best instrument to use for beginning writers. 

b. Writing on a slanted surface such a 3 inch binder helps to keep their hand and arm in the correct position if needed.  c. Writing with chalk on an upright easel encourages correct arm and hand position PLUS it increases the need to add pressure.

d. While they are writing say the chants I sent home with your child will help remember the correct way to form the letters.

e. Have your child write while laying prone (flat) on his stomach.  This is another way to reinforce the correct position for the arm and hand when writing.

f. Roll playdoh or other modeling clay into snakes and form the letters.

g. Practice writing the letter shapes with their fingers on sandpaper; in rice, sand or flour; or hair setting gel in a sealed plastic bag. 

Speech and Language- Miss Allison

Check out the Speech and Language page on the left side of this blog page.

Georgia Pre-K Content Standards Link

     Here is a useful link to the Ga. Pre-K content standards. As special needs preschool educators our lessons are planned around these standards and the individual needs of each student. You may find information on this site helpful when you are working with your child at home and in your community. This site will help you as parents become familiar with the standards your child will need know or be exposed to during their preschool/pre-k years.

                    

                  http://decal.ga.gov/Prek/ContentStandards.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 21- 25

Announcements from Miss Cheryl, Miss Ginger and Miss Kelley’s Class

 

CURRICULUM and TECHNOLOGY NIGHT is Monday, March 21 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Bring your child to the classroom to show you how they use technology daily in our class. Also, drop by the Book Fair while you are here.

 

OUR FOCUS THIS WEEK

This is the last week we will concentrate on body parts and their functions.  Our next story in this unit is My Five Senses by Aliki. Written originally in 1962 this science story continues to inspire body awareness in children today. The main character is a boy of Asian descent which ties in nicely with our unit from last week on diversity. The young boy explores his environment using his five senses. The story allows the children to discover their senses by finding something in their environment and explaining what sense they are using. With this new knowledge the students will discover how their senses are used throughout their day. Here are some of the activities we will engage in to increase their understanding of how their senses and how they use them. We will look through different objects to see how they can change the way we see. We will listen to different hidden objects and try to guess what they are just by their sounds. Everyday we will focus on a different sense.  They will also find out that we sometimes use only one sense but other times we use many senses at once. Other concepts this week will include sequencing, counting and making sets, beginning sounds, rhyming words, sorting and categorizing.  All of these other concepts will be connected to our senses.

Vocabulary  Words:

see  hear  smell  taste  touch  senses

eyes  ears  nose  tongue  fingers  body parts

 Homework:

1. Play games that require using your senses when you are in a waiting situation. You can play “I Spy” when you are waiting at a red light or in a grocery line. Begin the game by saying “I spy with my eyes something ____ (description). The description can be colors, shapes, attributes, numbers, etc. This is a great way to keep you child entertained and learning without them knowing they are learning.
2. Another game using your senses is a listening game. This can be performed similarly to “I Spy”. Find a place where you can sit or stand and  listen. Begin the game “I hear with my ears …”. You then name what you hear and stop to listen. Next turn will be your child’s, if they are able to do so. Otherwise continue to play describing what you hear then stop to listen to that sound. This game can be played with your eyes closed or open.
3. Have a tasting party. Many children will not eat all the foods we would like them to but will taste them. Provide different flavors to taste. Mealtimes are often an easy time to have them taste different foods that they may normally not eat.
4.  To play touching games make sure you first touch and describe textures around you to introduce this concept. With your child touch counter tops and describe how smooth it is or touch a piece of tape and describe sticky. Using 2 of the same textured objects put one textured object in a bag and have your child touch it while in the bag. Next have them take it out and match it to the matching object. Continue until all the textures are finished. Some textures to use include rough, bumpy, smooth, and sticky.
5. Smelling games are always fun and easy. Gather different things to smell.  Without looking at them have your child smell each one. Include sweet smells, food smells, and smells that may be offensive.
6. Read other related literature to your child. The more you read with and to your child the more vocabulary, language development and desire to learn to read is nurtured in your child. Point to the words while you read to them. Let your child retell you the story if they are able. Other stories include “The Listening Walk” by Paul Showers; “You Can’t Taste a Pickle With Your Ear” by Harriet Ziefert and “The Ear Book” by Dr. Seuss. Remember children love to have the same stories read to them over and over.

 

Pre-Academic Activities for the Full Day Students (Letter/ Number Time)

    Our letter this week is letter Vv.  Our numbers are 2 and 3.

Make sure you review the vocabulary sheets with your child. You can make this fun by making up riddles or descriptions about the pictures. Make an extra copy, cut both up individual pictures, turn over and play Concentration or play a matching game.  Be creative and have fun teaching your child.

Please review the numbers 2 and 3 daily. If they seem to be having any challenges with the previous ones (0,1) continue to incorporate those numbers into your daily reviews. Find numbers in books and magazines. Look for them on mailboxes, on the speed limit signs and in stores that you visit. Count and make sets with your child. To make numbers real and relevant to your child you must create awareness of them in their world.

 More activities for increasing letter sound awareness and handwriting- Many of these activities can be applied to learning to write numbers as well.

 

1. Go on a treasure hunt around your house (inside and/or outside) to find items that begin with each letter sound. (Use the vocabulary words I have sent home to help you.)
2. Sing songs or nursery rhymes using only the letter sound instead of the words. This is a fun activity that you can do anywhere. It’s a great way to interact with your child in lines when they start to get bored.
3. ALWAYS practice writing their names in upper and lower case letters—not just upper case (capital letters).
4. Practice writing the letters.

Strategies to use-

a. Using a shortened normal sized crayon or pencil will encourage the correct hand position when they are writing if this is needed for your child. The shortened length requires your child to have to hold the writing instrument using a more appropriate grasp.  A crayon helps the writer increase pressure when writing. Pencils tend to slip easily and may not be the best instrument to use for beginning writers. 

b. Writing on a slanted surface such a 3 inch binder helps to keep their hand and arm in the correct position if needed.  

c. Writing with chalk on an upright easel encourages correct arm and hand position PLUS it increases the need to add pressure.

d. While they are writing say the chants I sent home with your child will help remember the correct way to form the letters.

e. Have your child write while laying prone (flat) on his stomach.  This is another way to reinforce the correct position for the arm and hand when writing.

f. Roll playdoh or other modeling clay into snakes and form the letters.

g. Practice writing the letter shapes with their fingers on sandpaper; in rice, sand or flour; or hair setting gel in a sealed plastic bag. 

Speech and Language- Miss Allison

Check out the Speech and Language page on the left side of this blog page.

Georgia Pre-K Content Standards Link

     Here is a useful link to the Ga. Pre-K content standards. As special needs preschool educators our lessons are planned around these standards and the individual needs of each student. You may find information on this site helpful when you are working with your child at home and in your community. This site will help you as parents become familiar with the standards your child will need know or be exposed to during their preschool/pre-k years.

                     http://decal.ga.gov/Prek/ContentStandards.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 14- 18

Announcements from Miss Cheryl, Miss Ginger and Miss Kelley’s Class

 

REMEMBER – SNOW MAKEUP DAY IS Friday, MARCH 18.

 

OUR FOCUS THIS WEEK

The story for this week is My Nose, Your Nose by Melanie Walsh. This story introduces preschoolers to the concept of diversity by comparing the way others are the same and different. Written in short sentences Ms. Walsh points out physical features everyone has, such as eyes, and how these features may be different on others, such as eye color. Additionally, the author illustrates diversity through activities everyone participates in, such as bathing, but includes a reason why people are different, such as not liking to have their hair washed. Ms. Walsh presents the diversity concept in an age appropriate and relevant manner that all children can appreciate and understand. Our classroom activities will incorporate some of the activities shown in the story. The students will play with multicultural dolls and puppets; participate in pretending to perform daily activities such as feeding dolls using pretend foods from different cultures; and washing and shampooing dolls. Other activities will include a body bingo game; measuring different body parts to examine how we are alike and different; graphing and comparing sameness and differences in features such as hair and eye color and constructing a face with different yet sometime unfamilar food items from other cultures. Other concepts we will explore include this week are left and right, color words and opposites.

Vocabulary  Words:

Color Words--  brown  white  pink  black  blue  green gray  

Opposites-- up/ down  spiky/straight  short /long 

Nouns-- nose  eyes  legs  hair  skin  tongue  shampoo

Verbs-- kick  close

 

Homework:

1. Here are 2 finger plays to do with your child. Finger plays help increase fine motor skills and motor planning as well as increase vocabulary and knowledge. The first one is from last week. The second one is by Dr. Jean (Feldman). She has many CD’s that we sing to and do motions from weekly. Look her up. She is an awesome early childhood educator!

a. My Hands Upon My Head I Place

My hands on my head I place (place hands on head)

 On my shoulder (place on shoulders)

On my face (place on face)

At my waist and by my side (put hands on waist/ then hang arms by your side)

Then behind me they will hide. (Put hands behind back)

Now I raise them up so high (raise hands over head)

Make my fingers fly, fly fly. (wiggle finger while hands are raised)

Now I clap them 1-2-3 (clap hands 3 times)

Then I fold them quietly. (fold then and put them in lap.

b.  The Opposite Song by Dr. Jean Feldman

http://www.songsforteaching.com/drjean/opposite.htm

We can do opposites, opposites, opposites.

We can do opposites follow me.

Top and bottom  (point to top of head, then bottom of foot)

 Front and back  (touch front, then touch back)

 Happy and sad  (make a happy face, then look sad)

 Left and right  (extend left arm and hand- make an L with your pointer finger and thumb, then right arm and hand)

 Up and down   (point up, then point down)

 LOUD and soft  (Shout  and whisper)

 Open and shut  (open hands,  then close fists)

 Stand and sit   (stand up and sit down)

 

2. Read other related literature to your child. The more you read with and to your child the more vocabulary, language development and desire to learn to read is nurtured in your child. Point to the words while you read to them. Let your child retell you the story if they are able. Other stories include  It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr; We’re Different, We Are the Same by Bobbi Kates;  and What I Like About Me by Allia Zobel Nolan. Remember children love to have the same stories read to them over and over.

3.Using the vocabulary words work on the concept of opposites with your child. Demonstrate what each opposite means. Learning opposites is a very difficult concept. It requires a very large vocabulary and knowing many other concepts. Even if your child is not quite ready exposure to this concept is always a great way to increase language and vocabulary.  

4. Play Simon Says to learn body parts, opposites, or action words.

Pre-Academic Activities for the Full Day Students (Letter/ Number Time)

    Our letter this week is letter Aa.  Our number is 2.

Make sure you review the vocabulary sheets with your child. You can make this fun by making up riddles or descriptions about the pictures. Make an extra copy, cut both up individual pictures, turn over and play Concentration or play a matching game.  Be creative and have fun teaching your child.

Please review the number we are learning this week and the numbers 0 and 1 that we learned last week. Find them in books and magazines. Look for them on mailboxes, on the speed limit signs and in stores that you visit. Count and make sets with your child. To make numbers real and relevant to your child you must create awareness of them in their world.

 

More activities for increasing letter sound awareness and handwriting- Many of these activities can be applied to learning to write numbers as well.

 

1. Go on a treasure hunt around your house (inside and/or outside) to find items that begin with each letter sound. (Use the vocabulary words I have sent home to help you.)
2. Sing songs or nursery rhymes using only the letter sound instead of the words.
3. ALWAYS practice writing their names in upper and lower case letters—not just upper case (capital letters).
4. Practice writing the letters.

Strategies to use-

a. Using a shortened normal sized crayon or pencil will encourage the correct hand position when they are writing if this is needed for your child. The shortened length requires your child to have to hold the writing instrument using a more appropriate grasp.  A crayon helps the writer increase pressure when writing. Pencils tend to slip easily and may not be the best instrument to use for beginning writers. 

b. Writing on a slanted surface such a 3 inch binder helps to keep their hand and arm in the correct position if needed.  c. Writing with chalk on an upright easel encourages correct arm and hand position PLUS it increases the need to add pressure.

d. While they are writing say the chants I sent home with your child will help remember the correct way to form the letters.

e. Have your child write while laying prone (flat) on his stomach.  This is another way to reinforce the correct position for the arm and hand when writing.

f. Roll playdoh or other modeling clay into snakes and form the letters.

g. Practice writing the letter shapes with their fingers on sandpaper; in rice, sand or flour; or hair setting gel in a sealed plastic bag. 

Speech and Language- Miss Allison

Check out the Speech and Language page on the left side of this blog page.

Georgia Pre-K Content Standards Link

     Here is a useful link to the Ga. Pre-K content standards. As special needs preschool educators our lessons are planned around these standards and the individual needs of each student. You may find information on this site helpful when you are working with your child at home and in your community. This site will help you as parents become familiar with the standards your child will need know or be exposed to during their preschool/pre-k years.

                   http://decal.ga.gov/Prek/ContentStandards.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 7-11

Announcements from Miss Cheryl, Miss Ginger and Miss Kelley’s Class

 

OUR FOCUS THIS WEEK

This week we will be reading “Here Are My Hands” by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault. This story provides the reader with different examples of body parts and what they can do with them. The story is presented in short repetitive rhymes. From the story and this week’s activities the students will discover what they can do with their bodies as well as learn about different body parts including some not mentioned in the story. We will be playing lots of large group games;  singing variations on songs they already are familiar with such as “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”; making toothpaste and looking at our fingerprints for science; making Apple Smiles for our food activity and integrating math and art into this week’s lesson to promote to body awareness and healthy lifestyles.

Vocabulary Words:

 neck   knee    cheek   elbow   chin    palm   skin

turning   falling   kissing  chewing   brushing  catching  thinking 

 

 

Homework:

1. Here are 3 finger plays to do with your child. Finger plays help increase fine motor skills and motor planning as well as increase vocabulary and knowledge. The first finger play below is one we are learning in class this week. The second finger play is one the children enjoyed from our story last week. It will still be relevant this week as well. The third is a familiar one to all. I have not included the words but will email them to you if you need them. Just let me know.

a.  My Hands Upon My Head I Place

My hands on my head I place (place hands on head)

 On my shoulder (place on shoulders)

On my face (place on face)

At my waist and by my side (put hands on waist/ then hang arms by your side)

Then behind me they will hide. (Put hands behind back)

Now I raise them up so high (raise hands over head)

Make my fingers fly, fly fly. (wiggle finger while hands are raised)

Now I clap them 1-2-3 (clap hands 3 times)

Then I fold them quietly. (fold then and put them in lap)

b.  Here Are Grandma’s Glasses

Here are grandma's glasses.
(fingers around eyes)

Here is grandma's hat.
(hands on head)

And this is the way she,
Folds her hands and lays them
in her lap.
(fold hands and place in lap)

Here are grandpa's glasses.
(repeat above)

Here is grandpa's hat.
(repeat above)

And this is the way he folds his arms,
Just like that.
(cross arms in front of chest)

c.   Where is Thumbkin?

 

2. Read other related literature to your child. The more you read with and to your child the more vocabulary, language development and desire to learn to read is nurtured in your child. Point to the words while you read to them. Let your child retell you the story if they are able. Other stories include The Foot Book by Dr. Suess; Where is Baby’s Belly Button by Karen Katz; Clap Your Hands by Lorinda Bryan Cauley; From Head to Toe by Eric Carle and My Hands by Aliki Remember children love to have the same stories read to them over and over.

 

3. Try some rhyming activities with your child. Rhyming words requires attention to hearing ending sounds. To help increase their awareness to this skill you can play simple games. One game you can play is “I Spy”.  Set out some toys or items. Say “I Spy something that rhymes with ____ (example: star- car). Even if you children does not understand at first this is a way to expose them to rhyming sounds.  Another game you can play is complete the silly sentence. An example of this is to say “On my head I have brown bear.”  The correct answer is obviously hair. You can play this game using the vocabulary words for this week. Finally read nursery rhymes to your child. You can just choose one a week. Make all these games simple and fun for  both you and your child.

 

Pre-Academic Activities for the Full Day Students (Letter/ Number Time)

    Our letter this week is letter Kk.  We are starting numbers this week as well.  Our first numbers will be 0 and 1.

Make sure you review the vocabulary sheets with your child. You can make this fun by making up riddles or descriptions about the pictures. Make an extra copy, cut both up individual pictures, turn over and play Concentration or play a matching game.  Be creative and have fun teaching your child.

Please review the numbers we are learning this week. Find them in books and magazines. Look for them on mailboxes, on the speed limit signs and in stores that you visit. Count and make sets with your child. Make numbers  real and relevant to your child by creating awareness of them in their world.

 

More activities for increasing letter sound awareness and handwriting- Many of these activities can be applied to learning to write numbers as well.

 

1. Go on a treasure hunt around your house (inside and/or outside) to find items that begin with each letter sound. (Use the vocabulary words I have sent home to help you.)
2. Sing songs or nursery rhymes using only the letter sound instead of the words.
3. ALWAYS practice writing their names in upper and lower case letters—not just upper case (capital letters).
4. Practice writing the letters.

Strategies to use-

a. Using a shortened normal sized crayon or pencil will encourage the correct hand position when they are writing if this is needed for your child. The shortened length requires your child to have to hold the writing instrument using a more appropriate grasp.  A crayon helps the writer increase pressure when writing. Pencils tend to slip easily and may not be the best instrument to use for beginning writers. 

b. Writing on a slanted surface such a 3 inch binder helps to keep their hand and arm in the correct position if needed.  c. Writing with chalk on an upright easel encourages correct arm and hand position PLUS it increases the need to add pressure.

d. While they are writing say the chants I sent home with your child will help remember the correct way to form the letters.

e.Have your child write while laying prone (flat) on his stomach.  This is another way to reinforce the correct position for the arm and hand when writing.

f.Roll playdoh or other modeling clay into snakes and form the letters.

g. Practice writing the letter shapes with their fingers on sandpaper; in rice, sand or flour; or hair setting gel in a sealed plastic bag. 

 

Speech and Language- Miss Allison

Check out the Speech and Language page on the left side of this blog page. --- Miss Allison will be out again this week. We are hoping she is able to return to school starting March 14.

 

Georgia Pre-K Content Standards Link

     Here is a useful link to the Ga. Pre-K content standards. As special needs preschool educators our lessons are planned around these standards and the individual needs of each student. You may find information on this site helpful when you are working with your child at home and in your community. This site will help you as parents become familiar with the standards your child will need know or be exposed to during their preschool/pre-k years.

                   

                  http://decal.ga.gov/Prek/ContentStandards.aspx