Announcements from Miss Cheryl, Miss Ginger and Miss Kelley’s Class
OUR FOCUS THIS WEEK
This week the blog is very short. Our insects unit continues with our focus including frogs as well. The delightful story “A Frog in the Bog” by Karma Wilson is next on the list. The boys will love this story. A frog eats a variety of different insects and grows bigger and bigger until he notices an alligator. Then he screams and all the bugs come spilling out. The end is very exciting and the boys will love listening as well as acting it out!!
Our caterpillars have changed into cocoons this week. Now they are just hanging around in their mesh cage until they emerge as butterflies. We will watch them in our room for a few days before the release.
We are very excited to have the Center for Puppetry Arts give a performance to both SNP classes. This is to take place on Monday afternoon, May 23. What a great way to end the school year!!!
FYI- May 24 and 25th are Early Release days. Elementary school releases on those days at 1:30.
Vocabulary Words:
frog log stick fly slug snail tick alligator swamp net jaw scream
Homework:
- Pretend to be frogs. Hop from lily pad to lily pad. Pretend to swim in a frog pond using both your arms and legs while prone on your stomach. Croak like a frog.
- Look at pictures or videos on the internet of the vocabulary word insects, creatures and swamp.
- If possible on a warm evening sit near a pond and listen to the sounds of the night. Point out the different frog sounds and calls.
- Sing a frog song with your child. We are singing Raffi’s version of “5 Green and Speckled Frogs” this week.
Pre-Academic Activities for the Full Day Students (Letter and Number Time)
We have almost finished our alphabet. Please practice ALL the letter sounds with your children. This is one of the first steps when learning to read.
Our letter this week is letter Zz. This is the last letter we will study because we have studied all the others. The numbers this week will be the numbers
8 and 9. Because we are focusing on how to write the basic numbers we will have covered 0-9 by the end of this week.
Make sure you review the vocabulary sheets with your child. You can make this fun by making up riddles or descriptions about the pictures. Have your child guess which word is the one you are describing. Make an extra copy, cut both up individual pictures, turn over and play Concentration or a matching game. Be creative and have fun teaching your child.
Please review the numbers 8 and 9 daily. If they seem to be having any challenges with the previous numbers 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-
- 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.)
- Sing songs or nursery rhymes using only the letter sound instead of the words.
- ALWAYS practice writing their names in upper and lower case letters—not just upper case (capital letters).
- 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 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
