Week 7
Dear PS2 Families…
What is more fun than raking leaves together and then jumping into them? So many childhood memories come from moments like these. During our theme this week – “Let’s Go Jump in the Leaves” – we did exactly that. The children learned about leaves and the trees they grow on, from deciduous to evergreen. We collected leaves and other treasures on the playground. The children learned to identify both maple tree and oak tree leaves. We used crayons to rub over prepared leaf plates, making magical leaves appear during the leaf-rubbing process. We also smoosh painted by dripping red, copper, and gold into the fold of art paper to create awesome prints. Painting with rakes and leaves we collected was exciting, as was creating play dough nature collages with our collected natural materials. Process art abounds in PS2 every day!
We used magnifying glasses to examine leaves that had turned, molded bright orange-red play dough to stamp and cut leaves for fall-themed play, and served customers at the farm stand. We discussed the importance of trees in our lives, learning that leaves are the “nose” of the tree and about their job of taking what we breathe out (carbon dioxide) and then using it to make what we breathe in (oxygen). We learned after all that hard work, the tree loses its leaves so it can rest for the winter, only to wake up again in the spring and grow new ones!!! Other circle time discussions explored how trees provide homes for many animals and wood for use in building homes, tree houses, tables, chairs, and even the wooden blocks we play with at home and school.
Singing and reading (both fiction and non-fiction) are such important times for us to come together as a community. You may hear your child sing “I’m a Little Acorn Brown” or “Grey Squirrel, Grey Squirrel” at home this weekend!!
The sand hill on our playground is a tremendous draw for our students. They make “acorn soup” and fill dump trucks, then dump their contents into giant holes they dig together. They spent time collecting a whole bag of pinecones (they called these pinecones “tickets”) for a wintertime process art activity. The bikes, swings, climbers, and monkey bars are in use as we spend precious time on the playground each morning before starting our day inside together.
On Wednesday, PS2 had their first visit to Miss Erica, the librarian at the branch library across the street. Every student attentively listened to Miss Erica read several stories to us and sing a fun movement song. We were all excited to choose a library book to bring back to our class!! We will visit the library about once a month throughout the year. We very much enjoyed singing and dancing at the end of our week with Miss Elaine, our music teacher.
Every day, we find ways to be kind, helpful, and polite to our friends and our teachers. We are hearing you are seeing evidence of our classroom mantra in action at home as we reinforce these important concepts here at school through our daily actions, activities, and stories we read together.
Each week, usually on Wednesday or Friday, our class plays a thematic game of BINGO together. To say that our class LOVES playing this game is an understatement. Skills such as matching two pictures, listening and attending, following directions, taking turns, and socially interacting with peers are all built upon in a fifteen-minute period at the end of the day. We hope that you will consider asking your PS2 student about their BINGO game when it is brought home!!!
We are most excited about our “Pumpkin Painting Party” next Wednesday and cannot wait to share our time together with a special grown-up next Wednesday (10/29) at 11:00 in our classroom. Please let us know in the coming days the special grown-up who will be joining our PS2 friends at our first Parent Event!!
Please consider adding seasonal clothing to your child’s spare clothes bag… Or if your child has come home with wet/dirty clothing from school, please return seasonal items for their cubby. Accidents do happen, and we enjoy all the activities in our centers, and at the process-oriented art table. Thank you so much for helping us with this!!!
We hope you enjoy the upcoming (almost Halloween!!) fall weekend with family and friends…
Most Sincerely…
Miss Michelle, Miss Penny, and Miss Kathryn