Munch, Crunch, Grow

Wonderful scientific adventures took place in our class this week. The children noticed that one of our caterpillars had made a button on a leaf and was hanging like a "j" which meant only one thing, soon this caterpillar was going to turn into a chrysalis. The class kept a watchful eye on the cage and during "rest" several children summoned everyone together to see the chrysalis stage unfold right before their eyes. Within the week two other caterpillars had followed the same routine. Children, remember the chrysalis that we have watched in the plastic container for ten days,well it has become very dark so perhaps there will be a surprise for you on Monday morning! During printing lessons, the class practiced the pull down stroke and the continuation strokes of B, D, E, F, and H. The the next several weeks the class will have opportunities to practice these and all other upper and lowercase letters using rice, salt, sand, and shaving cream. Before our formal day begins, the children usually explore math manipulatives This week they used unifex cubes and block cubes. Although play is occurring, the ideas and strategies that takes place in this settings are interesting to observe. Later in the week, the children made patterned caterpillars and referred back to the block play that had experienced earlier in the week. Shorter than, longer than, and equal were math terms that were explored using tag board stripes. Search, find, and explore were the strategies children were called upon to use during these activities. The children gave me a little more insight into what they like when doing their second journal entry. Before the class wrote I used a small rubber band and had the children repeat a little poem: "Say words slowing, stretch them out, and put them back again. It often becomes used as the strategy for writing throughout the year. Please ask your child to repeat the "riddle of the week" and you try to answer it. The children love to engage you in this little game. The pre-decodable book, My Bus, was in your Friday Folder. Please sit down with your child and spend time discussing it. Your child has some interesting questions to ask you! (I HOPE!). Transitioning to a new school may seem overwhelming. Friday, September 17th at 8:30 in the Ell's Multi-purpose room, new parents are invited to join a panel of experienced Preprimary and Lower School parents to get answers and discuss everything from supporting your child to negotiating the traffic circle, and getting a handle on the portal. They'll have coffee and a light breakfast waiting and look forward to a fun a informative discussion with you. NOTE: Speaking of the portal, after signing in and reaching our class, please remember to move the outer right scroll bar down to reach download and links to our class. GREAT NEWS! Check your Picture Album on the blog, you will love the updates! Have a great weekend! See you Monday. Don't forget to send in forms for Picture Day by Wednesday, the 15th. Hip, Hip, Hooray for learning each day!