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