12/18 Classroom Update

12/18 Classroom Update!

I am SO proud of our preschoolers for their wonderful holiday performances this week! We practiced long and hard to prepare, and they did such a great job!! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the parents who helped out with our Holiday Parties! In the AM class, we had so much fun going Snowman Bowling and making cute little Santas. In our PM class, we loved playing Polar Bear Bingo and painting ornaments! Our preschoolers also loved listening to winter stories and enjoyed a delicious snack. 

This week, we read many versions of the Gingerbread Man (pictured below). We practiced rolling out and stamping "cookies" with gingerbread play dough, baked and tasted real gingerbread cookies, painted gingerbread babies, worked in our classroom bakery, identified beginning sounds in winter words, and measured gingerbread themed items using cubes.

 

  

When we return from break, we will focusing on the Jan Brett classic "The Mitten" and sequencing story events. Below is our January Calendar:

Preschool will be closed for Winter Break from December 19, 2015 to January 3, 2016. Class resumes on Monday, January 4, 2016. I can't wait to hear about all the wonderful things our students do over break upon their return!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday Break! Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year!

12/11 Classroom Updates

12/11 Classroom Update!

This week, we had so much fun learning about winter, animals in winter, and hibernation. We began the week reading stories about and learning about snow. We made our own snowy day paintings after reading the book The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. We used special fluffy paint to show Peter on another snowy adventure! Several of our paintings are on display in the hallway. 

During centers, we pretended to write in "snow." We practiced writing our names, our letters of the week, and drawing all the parts of a snowman. We also use doilies to paint beautiful snowflakes while practicing our song "Snowflake, Snowflake, Little Snowflake." You will get to hear the song at our Holiday Sing Performance! We ended the week talking about animals in winter and what they do to survive. We read books about hibernation, discussed the pattern of hibernation and learned how snow helps keep animals warm like a blanket. 

Next week, we will be reading The Gingerbread Baby, and participating in many Gingerbread themed literacy and math centers. We will bake real gingerbread babies, play Gingerbread Roll & Count, build with gingerbread play dough, sort gingerbread men according to size and colors, and play in our classroom bakery and cookie shop! We also have several important upcoming events next week listed below. 

Important Upcoming Events:

• Tuesday, December 15th is an ugly sweater day at Woodcliff. You will see many staff members dressed in their ugly winter sweaters, and students and families are welcome to join in on the fun!
• Thursday, December 17th is our annual Holiday Program. The AM class will perform from 10:00-10:30 AM, and the PM class will perform from 2:00-2:30 PM. Following the performances, we will return to the classroom for cookies, punch, and a holiday celebration!

• Friday, December 18th will be a pajama day. Students are welcome to wear their pajamas a slippers to class. If your child wears their slippers, remember to send a pair of shoes/boots to play outside!

• Winter Break - Preschool is closed for Winter Break from December 19, 2015 to January 3, 2016. Class resumes on Monday, January 4, 2016.

Have a great weekend!