Christmas

Our theme continued to be “Christmas” this week.  We played Christmas games, laced a candy cane, made a snowman, painted a winter scene and made an ornament.  Next week on the 21st & 22nd each class will have a Christmas program which will be held in the library at 9:30.  Thank you in advance for helping to make this a special day!  After the program you are invited back to the classroom for cookies, punch and a special Christmas surprise!  You are welcome to take your child home at any time following the program.  You child will need their backpacks but not their snow pants/outside gear.

  When we come back from vacation on Jan. 4th our theme will be “Winter Clothes”.  Your child’s completed winter hat (upcoming family project) will be added to a classroom book that will be shared with each family.  We will also work on sorting, counting, colors, matching and graphing.  Our letter for the week will be Ww and we will learn about the number 6.

Reminders & Updates:

*Christmas Vacation:  No school Dec. 23rd -Jan. 1st.  Classes will resume on Jan. 4th.

*After the Christmas festivities die down please remember that your child can access the Reading Eggs program (if you have the Internet available to you) from home.  You can also use this time at home to review and practice any of the Pre-K skills your child may be struggling with.

*Wash & return your child’s nap bedding after break.

Christmas

This week our theme was “Christmas”.  The children made reindeer, Christmas lights and worked on some special projects in preparation for your visit on the 21st & 22nd!  We also continued to work on counting, name printing, number identification, patterns and singing Christmas songs!  Our letter for the week was Ii.  We are taking a break from learning numbers until after Christmas vacation, please feel free to review the numbers 1-5 during this time as necessary.

Over the next 2 weeks our theme will continue be “Christmas”.  We will play Christmas games, lace a candy cane, make a Christmas tree, paint a winter scene and make an ornament.  Our week will be filled with Christmas preparation!  On the 21st & 22nd will we have one last rehearsal before our program in the library at 9:30.   The children are REALLY excited and looking forward to your visit.  Thank you for helping us make this a special day!  After the program you are invited back to the classroom for cookies, punch and a special Christmas surprise!  You are welcome to take your child home at any time following the program.  (If your child will be going home with you they do not need to bring boots or snow pants, as we will not be going outside before the program.  However, they will still need to bring their backpacks, as we will have a lot to bring home before Christmas vacation).

Reminders & Updates:

*Christmas Program:  If for some reason you can not attend the program PLEASE let me know as I do not want your child to be sitting here by themselves while everyone else enjoys the festivities.  If I know ahead of time, I can make arrangements for one of our assistants to join your child.  I can not stress enough what an important day this is to your child so please make every effort to have someone here for them!  

*Christmas Vacation:  No school Dec. 23rd - Jan. 1st.  Class resumes on Jan. 4th.

*Remember to send warm/insulated winter mittens to school so your child has dry hands for each recess.  

*Our prekindergarten and second grade classes collected a total of $625.00 for the Saint Paul’s Giving Tree!!  This was a wonderful opportunity for children to learn about the importance of giving to others and helping out their community.  Thanks again to all who donated, you’re generosity will ensure that less fortune children have a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Trees & Cookies

This week our theme was “Christmas Trees & Cookies”.  The children made a shape-cookie book, finger-painted a Christmas wreath and created a gingerbread man.  We also worked on counting, 1-to-1 correspondence (touching while counting each item) and we practiced our Christmas songs!  We learned about the number 5 and our letter for the week was Cc.  

Next week our theme will be “Christmas”.  The children will be working on a variety of Christmas projects this week…most of them are a secret so you will just have to wait and see what we’re up to!  I can mention that we will be making reindeer and Christmas lights.  We will also continue to work on counting, number identification and singing Christmas songs!  Our letter for the week will be Ii.

Reminders & Updates:

*Christmas Giving Tree:  Our donations will be dropped off at the St. Paul’s church on Friday, December 4th.  A special thank you to all who participated!

*Dressing for Winter: Please remember that your child needs to have snow pants (when snow is on the ground) jackets, boots, hats and winter mittens for school each day.  These items can not be left at school as we share the cubbies and wet items need to be hung up to dry each night.

*Christmas Programs: Held in the library at 9:30 on Dec. 21st or Dec. 22nd.  This is a very important day for your child so please make every effort to attend.  All relatives are welcome, the more the merrier!  You are invited to our classroom after the program for cookies and punch and can take your child home with you at any time.  Please return your permission slips as soon as possible.

*Your child SHOULD bring their backpack on the date of the x-mas program but will NOT need snow pants or boots, as we will not be going outside and they will be going home early.

Scarecrows & Thanksgiving

This week our theme was “Scarecrows & Thanksgiving”.  The children made turkeys, Thanksgiving place-mats, cornucopias & scarecrows.  We talked about what we are thankful for and also worked on name printing, number identification, counting, sorting, colors and patterns.  We learned about the number 3 and our letter for the week was Hh.

During the next two weeks our theme will be “Thanksgiving”.  The children will be making turkeys and working on shapes, position words, colors and name printing.  We will learn the number 4 and our letter for the week will be Tt.  During our short week we will have a Thanksgiving celebration and enjoy pumpkin bars for snack!

Reminders & Updates:

*If you haven’t done so yet, please remember to send a cute 4x6 picture of your child.  The picture should be in the landscape format (side-ways) and will be used for a project next week.

*FBI Bowling Event: Friday November 20th (for those that signed up).

*Early Release Day: Tuesday, November 24th with dismissal at 1:25.  Please send a note if you child should go somewhere other then their normal destination that day.

*Thanksgiving Vacation: No School Nov. 25th-27th.

*A special thanks to all of you that take the time to work with your child and complete the homework each week!  All of the work and support from home is really paying off!

Nighttime

This week our theme was “Nighttime”.  We learned about the night sky, nocturnal animals and things that we do or see at night.  The children made a rocket, an owl and a classroom book about nighttime activities.  On Wednesday & Thursday we had pajama day and pretended to have a sleepover with our friends!  Our letter for the week was Kk and we learned about the number 2.

Next week our theme will be “Thanksgiving & Scarecrows”.  The children will be making turkeys, Thanksgiving place-mats & scarecrows.  We will talk about what we are thankful for and also work on same vs. different, name printing, number identification, counting, colors and patterns.  We will learn about the number 3 and our letter for the week will be Hh.

Reminders & Updates:

*Book Orders: Due by Tuesday, November 10th.

*Cute Pictures: Due on November 9th & 10th.

*FBI Bowling Event: Friday, November 20th (for those that have signed up).

*Early Release Day: Tuesday, November 24th.

*No School: (Thanksgiving Vacation) November 25th-27th.

*Pre-K Christmas Program: December  21st & 22nd at 9:30 in the library.  Please enjoy cookies and punch in our classroom following the program.  Children are welcome to go home with you after the festivities.  This is a very important event for the children so please make arrangements for someone to be here with them.

Halloween (Week 2)

This week our theme was “Halloween”.  We learned about the letter Jj and the number 1.  We made a glitter bat and spider hands as we continued to practice colors and counting.  On Mon. & Tues. we mixed up and enjoyed our “Witches Stew”!  On Wed. & Thurs. we had our Halloween Party!  The children helped me scoop out and carve a pumpkin, we played games and went “trick-or-treating” in the classroom!

Next week our theme will be “Nighttime”.  We will be talking about things that we do at night, animals that come out at night and learn a little bit about outer space.  The children will make a rocket, an owl, a nighttime painting and a classroom book about nighttime activities.  On Wednesday/Thursday we will have pajama day in pre-k (November 4th & 5th).  Our letter for the week will be Kk and we will learn about the number 2.

Reminders & Updates:  

*Family Turkey Feather: Due back to school by Nov. 2nd or 3rd.

*Pajama Day: Your child is invited to wear pajamas and slippers in school on Wed., November 4th OR Thurs., November 5th.

*Cute Pictures: Due by Nov. 9th & 10th.  Refer to your original note for specifics on picture layout.

*Early Release: Tuesday, November 24th.  Please send a note if your child should go somewhere other than their normal drop off point.

*No School: (Thanksgiving Vacation) November 25th – 27th
*Fine Motor Skills: If you child is struggling with fine motor skills (zipping, printing, cutting, coloring, strength) feel free to check out the resources listed by our schools occupational therapist. https://sites.google.com/a/medford.k12.wi.us/occupational-therapy/

Halloween (Week 1)

This week our theme was “Halloween”.  The children made jack-o-lantern windsocks, ghost feet, a cookie cutter painting and got to finger-paint huge jack-o-lanterns!  We continued to work on name printing, matching, shapes, following directions, cutting and counting.  Our letter for the week was Mm and we learned about the number 1.

 

Next week our theme will continue to be “Halloween”.  The children will be making glitter bats & spider hands.  Our letter for the week will be Jj and we fill focus on the number 2.  On Mon. & Tues. we will be mixing up our “Witch’s Stew” and on Wed. & Thurs. we will have our Halloween Party!  The children will help me scoop out and carve a pumpkin, play games and trick-or-treat in the classroom!  Remember that your child should bring their costume to school that day.  It would be a good idea to have them practice getting their costume on at home so they are able to get dressed easily at school.  (Being able to get into their costumes on their own will allow us more time for fun and games).  Be sure to write your child’s name on his/her bag of treats to be handed out during the party to avoid confusion.

 Reminders & Updates:   

*Red Ribbon Week:  Students in PreK should wear red clothing on Monday, Oct. 26^th & Tuesday, Oct. 27^th.  Our Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Eloranta, will teach a brief lesson.

*Halloween party: Oct. 28^th or 29^th.  Please remember that all treats must be wrapped/store bought (we will not have time to eat everything), your child should be able to put their costume on over their clothes (by themselves) and no weapons or face paint are allowed.

Hibernation & Migration

This week our theme was “Hibernation & Migration”.  The children made raccoons, turtles and Canadian geese.  We talked about many different animals and learned what hibernation & migration means.

During the next 2 weeks our theme will be “Halloween”.  We will make jack-o-lantern windsocks, ghost feet, pumpkins, glitter bats, a painting with cookie cutters, & spider hands.  We will continue to work on name printing, matching, cutting and counting.  Our letters will be Mm & Jj and we will begin to work on number recognition and number printing.  We will celebrate Halloween on Oct. 28^th/29^th so please remember to send a costume to school with your child that day.  You are also welcome to send a store bought treat for your child to hand out when we go “trick-or-treating” in our classroom.  There are currently 19 children in the Mon/Wed class & 17 in the Tues/Thurs class.

 Reminders & Updates:   

*No PreK Classes: Wed, Oct. 14^th (Child Development Days) & Thurs, Oct. 15^th (P/T Conferences & Book Fair).

*Pumpkins: If you have a pumpkin you would like to donate to our classroom please feel free to drop it off before or after school.  We will carve a pumpkin at our Halloween party later this month!

FBI Pumpkin Carving Event: Friday, Oct. 23^rd for those that have signed up.

*Witch’s Stew: If you have an ingredient to add to our witch’s stew please remember to send it to school by Oct. 26^th/27^th.

*Please make sure you are sending your child to school with a hat, mittens and warm coat as the weather gets cooler.  Remember that we play outside three times a day.  If your child is still working on learning to zip his or her coat, please be sure to take some time and practice this at home.