Exploring Leaves, Name Recognition, Pumpkin Poking, and Choice Time!

•  At Large Group:
• We read “Leaf Man” by Lois Elhert and then used leaves to create our own leaf man.

• We put various sized leaves in a tub of water and guessed how many paper clips it would take to make them sink. We talked about bigger leaves needing more  and smaller leaves needing less weight. When we were done we added leaves and paperclips to the water table.

• We wrote the kids’ names on leaf cutouts and then threw them up in the air. We sang a song while the kiddos found their names.
• We read the story "There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves" and used cutouts from the story to feed "Granny". 

•  At Small Group:
• We worked on name identification by tracing our names and matching foam stickers.

• We practiced our patterns with counting bears and unfix cubes.

•  We measured leaves with unifix cubes and then measured each other with leaves.

• We used our five senses to describe leaves and then sorted them into different groups (size, shape, color).

• We also worked on rhymes, counting, & one to one correspondence.
•  At Planning/Recall:
•  We made “spider soup” - we took spider rings, a spoon, and a bowl and added ingredients while we shared what we did at choice time. Then they each took turns slurping some soup before they went to get ready for outside. They LOVED this!
•  At Choice Time: 
• Discovery Area: We added real leaves & pumpkins for them to explore. They used hammers and golf tees to poke holes in the pumpkins. This is great for fine motor practice.

• Art Area: We also added real leaves to the art area. They have been making leaf rubbings, using leaves to paint, & adding leaves to their artwork. They also really enjoyed making things with cardboard tubes this week. 

This was a big collaboration project. We worked on this the entire afternoon choice time on Thursday. I'm excited to see what play it inspires next week. :)

• Sensory Tub: We added Halloween themed objects to our sensory tub. They enjoy feeling all the different textures.
• Writing Area: 

Practicing our letter E.

One of our little guys wrote all his numbers on the board. 

• Block Area: 

• Dramatic Play Area:

• Toys & Games Area:

Counting spiders and putting them on their webs. 

Apples, Fine Motor Skills, Making Play Dough and Applesauce, Playing in the Gym, and Fire Truck Visit!

• This week we studied apples and worked on our fine motor skills.
• At Large Group: 
• We sang songs and rhymes about apples. 

• We read both fiction and non-fiction books about apples, how they grow, and what you can make with them. 

• We met Pete the Cat and read about how much he loves his white shoes. 

• We did an apple taste test to see which color we liked best (green, red, or yellow) then we made a graph of our choices. 

We used our five senses to describe the apples.

Red was obviously the big winner.

• We began our “Letter of the Day” study this week. We are starting out with the letters most important to our friends (the ones in their names). We identify the letter, walk the letter using our pods, practice the sound, see who has the letter in their name, and try to come up with words that start with that letter. This week’s letters were: A, B, C, & D. One of their favorite things this week was starting everyone's name with the letter B sound.

We create the letter using these pods and then the kiddos walk the letter.

• At Small Group: 
• We made apple cinnamon scented green play dough. 

• We used apple counters to work on counting, number identification, and one to one correspondence. 

• We worked on our fine motor skills by putting together puzzles, cutting various things (straws were their favorite), and stringing beads on pipe cleaners (AB patterns). 

• At Choice Time: 
• Cooking: We made applesauce together. The kiddos really enjoyed peeling the apples. We enjoyed eating our applesauce at snack. 

• Art: We created artwork using apples as paint brushes. 

• Discovery: We used tweezers to pick up real apple seeds and put them in an “apple core”. 

• Writing:

•  Toys and Games:

Exploring the magnetic shapes.

• Inside Play in the Gym:
• When it rains or is too cold to play outside we play in the gym. They were loving these bikes. 

Teeter totter and stair case in one.

 

• Burton Fire Dept Visit  
• The Burton fire fighters visited school Thursday with their fire truck. The kiddos sang their "Fire Truck" song for them.

• Twenty minutes a day is all it takes to build key reading skills. Here are eight ways to build a better reader from birth to age five: 
• Create reading rituals and read together every day. 
• Snuggle up close with a book. 
• Read with expression. Create voices for different characters and don’t be afraid to feel silly. It will be more engaging. 
• Share different kinds of books (fiction, non-fiction, pictures, no pictures, etc.) 
• Encourage your child to “read” to you using the pictures in the story. 
• Read favorite books again and again. Familiar books allow children to gain confidence in their ability to read. 
• Talk about the pictures and ask questions. 
• Record yourself reading and play it on car trips or as an alternative to television.