Announcements from Miss Cheryl and Miss Ginger’s SNP Class
A LOOK AT 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”; 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.
Important Dates—Mark Your Calendars
Wednesday, September 7 is Open House. Please mark your calendars. This is for adults only. I will show you what your child does at school and how you can help at home. Parent Involvement is essential to your child's learning and education. ONE OR BOTH PARENTS PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND THIS MEETING!!!!
Saturday, September 10 is the East Cobber Parade.
Friday, September 23 is the Fall Festival from 5:30 to 7:30. This is fun for all the children.
Vocabulary
neck knee cheek elbow chin palm skin
turning falling kissing chewing brushing catching thinking
Homework (yes, even in preschool/pre-k)
1. Here are 3 finger plays to do with your child. Finger plays help increase fine motor skills and motor planning and increase vocabulary, rhyming (sometimes) and knowledge.
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. As you read point to the words to increase their awareness of the print. Let your child “read” the story with you by encouraging them to say the words with you as you read. Next let your child retell you the story if they are able. Other stories include The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss; 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. The easiest way to expose your child is to read nursery rhymes to your child. You can just choose one a week. The library is a great resource to find nursery rhymes. Another way to help increase their awareness to this skill is to play a simple word game such as “I Spy”. Set out some toys or items. Say “I Spy something that rhymes with ____ (example: star- car). Even if your children do not understand at first this is a way to expose them to rhyming sounds as well as labeling. As your child is able add another game such as completing a 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. Make all these games simple and fun for both you and your child.
Pre-Academic Activities for the Full Day Students (Letter and Number Time)—Letter L
We will begin letter formation and sounds this week. Instead of going in alphabetic order we will follow the Handwriting Without Tears program starting with the letters that are easiest to form. Our first letter will be letter L. I will send home some chants for you to repeat as your child is practicing their letter formation. Eventually your child may be able to use these chants as they are writing their letters. Remember the children will learn to write only the upper case letters (except in their first name). We will start learning the letter sounds by practicing the letter sounds found at the beginning of words (ex. lamp, leap, lap…). I will send home vocabulary words for you to practice with your child to learn the letter sound. Try to follow the activities and strategies listed below. Please keep in mind that each child has varying abilities. I will expose your child to the standards that are age appropriate but will adjust each lesson to their individual levels and needs.
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 first names in upper and lower case letters—not just upper case (capital letters). At this age children only need to learn to write the upper case letters (except in the first names). They should learn to recognize both upper and lower case letters
- Practice writing the letters.
Handwriting Strategies to use-
- 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. Markers should not be used until they are established writers. Once your child is an established writer use regular length crayons and begin writing with pencils.
- Writing on a slanted surface such a 3 inch binder helps to keep their hand and arm in the correct position if needed.
- Writing with chalk on an upright easel encourages correct arm and hand position PLUS it increases the need to add pressure.
- While they are writing say the chants I sent home with your child will help remember the correct way to form the letters. (These will be sent home when we begin letter formation.)
- 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.
- Roll playdoh or other modeling clay into balls first and then snakes. Use the snakes to form the letters. Use a rectangle shape such as a picture frame with no glass as a guide to form the letters. ALWAYS form the letters starting from the top to bottom inside the rectangle shape using the edges as a guide.
- 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 Preschool/ Pre-K Content Standards Link
Here is a useful link to the Ga. Preschool/ 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. The standards are set up according to your child’s chronological age. IF you child is older than 4 they will still be concentrating on the 4 year old standards. To access the standards click on the top address for the preschool standards or click on the bottom address for the Pre-K standards.
http://decal.ga.gov/documents/attachments/GELSSection6.pdf
http://decal.ga.gov/documents/attachments/Content_Standards_Full.pdf
