Week 23
Dear PreSchool 2 Families:
What do string/thing, square/tear, and socks/box all have in common besides being rhyming words??? They were the creative headliners for our process-oriented artwork this week as we continued into Week 2 of our theme “Rhyme Time.” To say that our students relished coming to the art table was an understatement!! We painted, ripped, tore, glued, and printed with materials designed to enhance our rhyming skills. While ripping and tearing may seem like simple tasks, these fine motor activities encompass the development of intricate fine motor skills such as increasing grip strength (using fingers and thumb to hold and manipulate paper), hand-eye coordination (visual tracking of the tear while guiding hands to follow it), bilateral coordination (using both hands simultaneously), and control and precision (concerning finger movement). We hope you enjoy sharing the photographs of your “artists” on our PS2 website.
Now, if you imagined the art table was the only area where rhyming was at work, you would be incorrect!! There were goats and boats and things that float at the water table… And snakes and rakes with an assortment of bake (ware) at the sand table. There was a mouse (X 4) in a house, and finally, there were planes and trains. Let us not forget there were cones and stones at the play-dough table!! Dramatic play remained a school where children could “play” both teacher and student. So much fun!!
Rhyming skills are an important part of early literacy, from exposure to new words to recognizing patterns in words/spelling and chunks of words that sound the same, rhyming provides fun and leading, and retention of focus on the topic at hand. We played several rhyming games and sang rhyming songs. We will continue to play Bingo almost weekly as the year progresses; it serves as a tool that aids in the art of focusing and improving listening and fine motor skills in young children. Not only do children need to listen to what is said as the game is played, but there is a visual component as the cards are displayed. Grasping and handling stickers to place them in the correct spot on their game board helps develop fine, small motor skills and hand-eye coordination. The children also enjoy supporting their friends when they cannot find a spot to place their stickers. It has been fun to watch as your children are learning to master the skills needed to play this game together.
We read rhyming books galore, such as Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss, with its crazy tongue-twister rhymes, A Perfect Square by Michael Hall, and Bears on Chairs by Shirley Parenteau, a book the children very much enjoyed. It is a story about four bears who learn to share when a fifth, larger bear arrives, finding there’s room for everyone by arranging their chairs together. Bears on Chairs is known for its simple, rhyming text and positive message about sharing.
Sledding on the snow-covered hill on the playground with our PS2 friends was most assuredly the highlight of our week together. Absolutely everyone got in on the fun, and pictures just don’t do the time we had justice. We practiced safe sledding by sliding one at a time, feet first, and walking up the sides of the sliding area, then sliding down the middle. Hopefully, the impending rain will not dissolve the grand fun we have been having this week!!!
We also enjoyed two specialists this week!!! Miss Elaine came with songs about jungle animals (more about that in a minute!!) and Miss Mandee’s (TK) daughter, Bella, brought her dental hygienist skills to our classroom so we could learn about the importance of dental health!!
We are so proud of many things your children are doing and learning in our classroom, but two that stand out are our community clean-up efforts and management of dressing and undressing in their snow clothes!! We applaud these accomplishments of keeping everything organized and in their big bags daily.
Please let us know on Monday or Tuesday of next week who will be attending our Birdhouse decorating and painting “Fun with a Parent” activity on Wednesday, March 11th at 11:00 AM in our classroom. We cannot wait to see everyone then!!
Finally, last fall, we asked you to support our PS2 students by researching a favorite farm animal. We enjoyed discovering one or two facts about each chosen animal and seeing their photographic or artistic renderings. Next week, we will begin our study of Animals in the Wild!! (Savannah in Week 1 and Rainforest in Week 2). Again, we ask for your assistance in helping your child with this home-to-school connection. The notice/instructions will come home this coming Monday, March 9… Be on the lookout for it in your child’s backpack!! We cannot wait to learn all about PS2’s favorite wild animals!!!
Have a wonderful weekend and don’t forget to spring your clocks ahead!!
Miss Michelle, Miss Penny, and Miss Kathryn