Patterns

We are finding new uses for that old overhead projector.  It has been used to explore shadows and lately, the children have been using it with pattern blocks to learn about patterns.

Shadows

With Groundhog Day coming soon, we have been talking about groundhogs, hibernation, winter, spring and shadows.  Thank you to the parents who came to help.  They traced the children's shadows while the children tried very hard to stand still.  The silhouettes were then cut out and are displayed in the hallway for all to see.

Shaving Cream Sensory Play

We played with shaving cream, today.  It was a great sensory experience.  We started off by spraying shaving cream on the table.  Some children were a little hesitant to actually touch the stuff, at first.  They started slowly.

It wasn't long before they really got into it.  They began to draw shapes, pictures and even began to write letters and words.  The children began to talk about their creations.  The whole table got covered with shaving cream and the whole room smelled of shaving cream.  When the shaving cream began to dry out, we sprayed it with water to make it slippery...a new sensory experience!

Twins!

Look how two of my students arrived, today.  Twins!

Parent Helpers and Journal Entries

Thank you to the parents who came to help today.   We made "Touch and Feel" books to take home.  They required a lot of adult assistance to make and your help was greatly appreciated!

I showed the class yesterday's Blog post and we listened to Miss K reading her Journal entry.  This sparked a lot of interest in making Journal Entries, today.  

The students were very interested in making audio clips to read their journal entries too.  Here are two audio clips.

Journal

Pre K students have been "writing" in their Journals a little more, lately.  This requires the children to find the next clean page, get the date stamped on the page and draw.  Some students are able to print their name, letters or numbers.  Some print "Mom", "Dad" or other names of people they know.  Teachers help by discussing the drawings with the students and writing what the students dictate.  Often the children want pictures labeled, or they dictate a brief sentence.  Today, Miss K decided she wanted to "write" her own story.  She drew a series of wavy lines across the page.  When she was done, she asked me if I wanted her to "read" her story.  Then she read it to me. She tracked the wavy lines with her finger as she read.  This is an excellent example of what reading and writing look like in Pre K!

 Following is an audio clip of Miss K reading her journal entry to me.

Snowflakes in the Classroom

We have been making snowflakes to hang from the ceiling.

First, we cut Q-tips in half.  This is the hardest part of the project.  It takes a lot of pressure to cut through.

Then, we dip the Q-tips in glue and glitter and let it dry.

When the glue and glitter is dry, we are ready to stick 6 of the Q-tips into plasticine.  Counting just the right amount of tips is a challenge for some students.  Then, Voila!  Snowflakes! 

It is snowing in our classroom!

Finger Painting over Letters of the Alphabet

We painted with fingerpaint.  Mrs. W placed painter's tape in the shape of letters on paper and then we fingerpainted over it.  In the morning class we used the three primary colors to mix together.  In the afternoon class, students chose only two of the three primary colors to mix together.  It was a great sensory experience.  Students learned about mixing Colors. It was also a literacy experience as the children painted over the initial letter of their first name.  Learning to recognize their name in print is one of the goals of Pre K.

In the afternoon, one of the Dad's came to help.  The kids really enjoyed playing with him during this activity and the rest of the afternoon.

Climbing and Swinging

Mr. Risling, one of the gym teachers for the older grades, left the traverse wall and the climbing ropes out for the morning Pre K class to play with.  What fun!  And, what a great way to improve gross motor skills!  We hope that he does this again!