I can't believe this is the last week before Winter Break. This year is going by so fast! This is going to be a really fun week at preschool. On Tuesday we will be going on a field trip to Bass Pro Shop's Winter Wonderland. Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered to come with us on this field trip, we appreciate your willingness to help but since this was a last minute addition and we had already had you all sign up for field trips and parties there was really no fair way to decide who could come. We will be taking 5 staff members and all of the activities do take place in a relatively small area so this will be plenty of adults to make sure all of your kids are well taken care of. We are also looking forward to our Holiday party on Thursday. The January calendars will not be coming home until we return on the 3rd. Some important dates are January 16, No School, Martin Luther King Day and January 19 in the tentative date for our field trip to Petland. I hope you all enjoy Winter Break and have a safe and happy holiday. We will see you all in the New Year.
Monday
Today the morning class will be practicing cutting while making Christmas trees. We will also be working on sorting and counting in math.
The afternoon class will be making wreaths and finishing their Christmas counting papers.
Our story today is Are You Grumpy Santa?
Tuesday
? of the day – Which has more? (there will be 2 bags of small objects)
Large Group – we will talk about more and less
Field Trip to Bass Pro Shop
Wednesday
? of the day – Do you have any brothers?
Large group – talk about the people in our families
Small Group – Second Step lesson with the Social Worker, Meg Will.
Story – Clifford's Christmas
Thursday
? of the day – Do you think that it will snow over break?
Large Group – We will be making a list of things that we can do in the snow.
Story – Hurry Santa!
Holiday Parties 10:30 and 1:15
Friday
Today we will play playing some holiday games . The morning class will have speech with Mrs. DeYoung and the afternoon will watch a short movie.

This week we will still be talking about tress and what they are used for. We will also be doing lots of gingerbread themed activities. Here are our detailed plans for the week:

Monday
Today the morning class will work on sorting by color. We will also be practicing counting to 5 using presents and trees. We will use bingo blotters to color a gingerbread man and play language lotto to work on classifying and vocab development. The afternoon class will be working on identifying and printing the numbers 4, 5 and 6. We will also practice our coloring and cutting skills by completing a gingerbread house. Both groups will read the story The Gingerbread Man.

Tuesday
? of the day – Which bag has more sticks?
Large Group – talk about more and less
Small Group A.M. - Counting Games
Small Group P.M. - ABC Games
Story – The Gingerbread Boy
At the art table we will be making paper gingerbread men and at the sensory table we will be making our own red and green play dough which we will play with the rest of the week.

Wednesday
? of the day – Do you have a Christmas tree at home?
Large group – discuss different things that are made from wood
Small Group – Second Step lesson with the Social Worker, Meg Will. This weeks lesson is about identifying feelings.
Story – The Gingerbread Boy
Today we will be making hot chocolate and having it with cookies for snack.

Thursday
? of the day – What would you like for Santa to bring you for Christmas?
Small Group A.M. - No small group we will be attending a holiday concert by the Prarieview band.
Small Group P.M. - letter L activity
Story – Gingerbread Baby

Friday
Today both classes will be doing a multi sensory candy cane art project. The morning class will also have speech with Mrs. DeYoung and the afternoon will continue to work on number identification and printing numbers 7&8. Our story today is Santa's Noisy Night.

This week we will continue our study of trees. We will be heading outdoors to measure how big around one of our trees is. We will also be working with our names and we will continue to learn the names of the other children in class. Here are our plans for the week:
Monday
Today the morning class will work on identifying colors. We will use the felt board and many colored turkey feathers. Both classes, will practice position words. We used bean bags to practice position words then we made a book using turkey stickers. Our story today is The Best Thanksgiving Ever.
Tuesday
? of the day – How big around do you think the tree outside is? Each child will cut a piece of yarn to the length that they think will fit around the tree. Then we will go outside and measure the tree and compare their guesses to the real length.
Large Group – “Friends” song sung to the tune of BINGO that will incorporate all of the childrens names.
Small Group A.M. - Making Names – we will begin to learn about their names and the letters in them by using letter tiles to spell each child's name. Look for this activity to come home so you can continue to practice.
Small Group P.M. - Making Names (see above) and letter J activity.
Story – Our Tree Named Steve
Wednesday
? of the day – Who takes care of trees? (an arborist)
Large group – We will be attending an all school story teller assembly.
Small Group – Second Step lesson with the Social Worker, Meg Will.
Story – Growing Trees
Thursday
? of the day – Which food will help you grow to be healthy and strong?
Large Group – Thanksgiving Songs
Small Group A.M. - Leaf Patterns
Small Group P.M. - same as Tuesday
Story – Thanksgiving Cats
Friday
Today the morning class will have Physical therapy with Kari Walker. They will also have speech with Marilyn De Young. With so much structured activity, the focus with Mrs. Parker today will be increasing play skills. The afternoon class will be talking about opposites. We will read an opposite book, play a game and use some stampers to explore this topic. Today's story will be This is the Turkey.

This week we will be talking about the different things that grow on trees. We will be baking apple bread on Wednesday. These cooking activities are a great way to learn about measruement, counting, and following directions. Plus the kids think it is really fun! We will also incorporate lots of Turkey stuff. The kids will have homework on Tuesday, I am sure that they will be very excited to do it with you and bring it back to school to be displayed in the room. Here are our detailed plans for the week:
Monday
Today we made turkeys. We also worked on counting. In the morning we are continuing to work on crayon skills. In the afternoon we talked about the sounds we hear at the beginning of words and worked on listening to see if the sounds were the same or different. We also worked on writing our names. We read 10 Fat Turkeys.
Tuesday
? of the day – Which of these grow on a tree?
Large Group – What does it mean to be thankful?
Small Group A.M. - Apple Prints
Small Group P.M. - Same sound sort and letter I activity – each student will do one of these activities today and the other on Thursday
Story – Henny Penny
Wednesday
? of the day – Did this grow on a tree? (picture of an orange)
Large group – Tree Game
Small Group – Second Step lesson with the Social Worker, Meg Will.
Story – There Was and Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie
Thursday
? of the day – Which food tastes best to you? (banana or apple)
Large Group – Thanksgiving Songs
Small Group A.M. - make turkeys
Small Group P.M. - same as Tuesday
Story – 5 Silly Turkeys
Friday
No School Veteran's Day

I can't believe this week is the beginning of November! This school year is flying by! This week we will be returning to our study on trees. The focus this week is on animals who make their homes in trees. We will also be working on counting and rhyming. Don't forget picture retakes on Thursday. Here are our plans for the week:

Monday
Happy Halloween!
Today the morning class will practice cutting and the concept of same by doing a pumpkin paper. We will also practice counting to 5.
The afternoon class will also practice counting, play a Halloween game and watch a movie.

Tuesday
? of the day – Which animal lives in a tree? (choose from a picture of an alligator or squirrel)
Large Group – We will make a list of animals that make their homes in trees.
Small Group A.M. - “Show Me Five” in this activity we will use objects to show groups of five, we will talk about equal amounts, and introduce a very basic idea of adding and subtracting as well as counting, 1:1 correspondence and number identification.
Small Group P.M. - This week we will work with the letter H and we will also have a lesson on patterns where we will first use objects to make simple patterns and then we will color leaves to make a pattern. Remember each child will do on of these activities on Tuesday and the other on Thursday.
Story – Who Lives in Trees?

Wednesday
? of the day – Who might have made this home in a tree? (picture of a nest)
Large group – Introduce the concept of rhyme. The afternoon class will also play a rhyming game with a teacher during choice time.
Small Group – Second Step lesson with the Social Worker, Meg Will.
Story – The Grouchy Ladybug

Thursday
? of the day – What lives in this tree home? (picture of a bee hive)
Large Group – review rhyming
Small Group A.M. - Tree Counting
Small Group P.M. - see Tuesday
Story – Trees Count

Friday
Today we will be doing activities based on the book Henny Penny. In art we will be making acorns. We will also work on sequencing and answering question as we retell the story using puppets.

This week we are going to take a little break from our study of trees to focus on Halloween and pumpkins. Let's all hope for good weather for our rescheduled field trip on Tuesday to Johansen's Pumpkin Farm. We will have our class Halloween parties on Wednesday, October 26 and Thursday, October 27 is an Early Dismissal day. Looking ahead, picture retakes will be on November 3. Below you will find detailed plans for each day.

Monday
? of the day – What will you be for Halloween?
Small Group – Hand print Pumpkins and Pumpkin Coloring Sheet – this sheet will be part of a counting lesson. We will also review colors.
Story – The Very Stubborn Pumpkin

Tuesday
Field Trip to Johansen's
please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather

Wednesday
Halloween Parties
Please send your child to school in his/her costume on this day.
In addition to the hour long parties we will be doing other fun Halloween themed activities.

Thursday
Early Dismissal – A.M. students attend from 9:00 – 10:50. There is no P.M. Preschool on this day.
? of the day – What's you favorite candy?
Small Group – Spider Tracing – this is a fine motor activity, the important thing that we want the kids to know is that when we write we always start at the top and go down. We will also be using dry erase boards to practice this skill.
Story – Five Little Pumpkins

Friday
Today we will continue our Halloween fun by doing a pumpkin matching paper as part of a lesson on same/different. We will also watch the big kids as they have their Halloween parade. We will be having a special snack and we will play some games.

This week is our final week of our beginning of the year study. The kids have learned a lot about school. We have learned where things are at school, what the rules are and who the people are that can help at school. This week we will also incorporate discussions and activities about farm animals and Halloween to get ready for our field trip to Johansen's Pumpkin farm on Thursday, October 20. Here are our detailed plans for the week.

Monday
No School – Columbus Day

Tuesday
No School – Teacher Institute Day

Wednesday
? of the day – Can you make this shape with your hands? (triangle)
Large group – Old McDonald
Small Group – Second Step lesson with the Social Worker, Meg Will. This weeks lesson is about asking for what you want. The children will role play to practice using appropriate eye contact and voice. The key words we will focus on are need and respectful.
Story – Pig in the Pond
During choice time today we will be doing something super fun and super messy. We will be making pudding, not to eat but to play with. We will be playing with our plastic pigs in the “mud”.

Thursday
? of the day – Which book should we read today?
Large Group – My turn at the microphone, this objective of this activity is to help students establish and sustain positive relationships and use appropriate conversational skills by practicing conversational turn taking.
Small Group A.M. - Shape Stations – the children will move through 3 stations of hands on activities related to shapes.
Small Group P.M. - letter F activity
Story – Words are not for Hurting or Excuse Me!

Friday
No School – Preschool Screening

This week we will continue our first Creative Curriculum unit “The Beginning of the Year”. Our biggest topic this week is, when do things happen at school? The focus is on routine and how we can be prepared by anticipating what will come next. This week we have picture day on Thursday, September 29. Here are our detailed plans for the week.
Monday
Today we will be practicing sorting objects. The afternoon class will also review shapes by completing a worksheet. Worksheets in our class are always part of a hands on lesson and are incorporated to prepare the kids for all of the pencil/paper tasks they will be doing in Kindergarten next year. Our story in the morning is Puppies, Puppies, Puppies! And in the afternoon we will read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Day.
Tuesday
? of the day – Do you know how this is used? (a picture of a clock)
Large Group – discuss how we use a clock to tell us what time it is and to keep us on schedule, we will also discuss what time of day you do different things
Small Group – Where's the bean bag? In this activity we will explore and describe spatial relationships.
Story – Jalapeno Bagels
Wednesday
? of the day – What do we do after snack?
Large group – we will review the classroom schedule and talk about what is the same/different each day.
During choice time we will play a stepping stone game. This game will further our knowledge of spatial relationships.
Small Group – Second Step lesson with the Social Worker, Meg Will. This weeks lesson is called self-talk. The objective of this lesson is for the children to be able to demonstrate self talk strategies while playing a game.
Story – You Will Be My Friend
Thursday
Picture Day
? of the day – What do we do when we first get to school?
Large Group – Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be?
Small Group A.M. - The Long and Short of It – talking about the concept of length comparing and measuring length
Small Group P.M. - letter D activity
Story – Papi, How Many Stars are in the Sky?
Friday
Early Dismissal – today only the three year old who comes on Friday morning will have school. There is no school for the afternoon students today.

This week we are going to be talking a lot about rules. We will also discuss the importance of following rules at school. This week in the art center we will be doing easel painting for the first time. I am sure the kids will be very excited to bring home their very own masterpieces. In the sensory area we will do play dough. On Wednesday our OT Shelly Strong will do a cutting center again this week. Here are our specific plans:
Monday
Today we will be talking about and exploring apples. We will look at the seeds and we will be making apple prints of the star that is inside each apple. Our story today is Autumn is for Apples.
Tuesday
? of the day – Would you like to paint today?
Large Group – writing the rules
Small Group A.M. - making modeling clay
Small Group P.M. - making modeling clay
Story – A World of Families
Wednesday
? of the day – What song should we sing today?
Large group – the name game
Small Group – Second Step lesson with the Social Worker, Meg Will. This weeks lesson is about focusing our attention and that we can practice to be better at focusing our attention at school.
Story – Charlie Anderson
Thursday
? of the day – How many fingers are on your hand?
Large Group – Echo Clapping
Small Group A.M. - Can you find it?
Small Group P.M. - letter C activity
Story – Peeny Butter Fudge
Friday
Today we will play a shape game. We will also make shape necklaces and read Shapes for Lunch.

This week we will talk about feelings and in particular how we can appropriately handle our feeling at school. During choice time the children will each be drawing a picture about our feeling question of the day, then they will dictate a sentence or two about what they drew to a teacher. These feelings journals will come home on Thursday and they will have extra pages. We encourage you to continue this activity at home, it is an excellent pre-writing skill as well as a great way for kids to express themselves. They don't have to “write” about feelings it can be about anything they want. We will be working on cutting in the art center. Shelly Strong, our Occupational Therapist will be doing a cutting group on Wednesday. Below are some specific activities for the week, please note that the small group activities are the same on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is because each child will only do 1 small group activity per day so what they don't do on Tuesday, they will do on Thursday.
Monday
Today we will talk about feelings and look at photos of children and talk about what they might be feeling. We will also use our feelings stampers and we will color an apple book. Please ask your child to “read” the apple book to you. Today's story is Feelings.
Tuesday
? of the day – Have you ever been sad?
Large Group – feelings journals
Small Group A.M. - sorting
Small Group P.M. - letter B activity and “b”utton sorting
Story – Wemberly Worried
Wednesday
? of the day – Have you ever been scared?
Large group – feelings journals
Small Group – Second Step lesson with the Social Worker, Meg Will. This weeks lesson is about listening and how following listening rules helps everyone learn. We will use puppets and roll playing during this lesson and throughout the week to reinforce this idea.
Story – The Kissing Hand
Thursday
? of the day – What makes you happy?
Large Group – feelings journals
Small Group A.M. - sorting
Small Group P.M. - letter B activity and “b”utton sorting
Story – Smudge's Grumpy Day
Today we will be attending a band concert in the afternoon.
Friday
Today we will be doing several number and counting activities. Our story will be I Like Myself!