*We waited to begin our new Mother Goose Time unit on Friends and Feelings until after Labor Day. Due to this delay, we may not get through everything this month.
The curriculum always provides us with a written newsletter for each child. I love this! It keeps the parents informed and give families great ideas, insights, and activities!
The curriculum always provides us with a written newsletter for each child. I love this! It keeps the parents informed and give families great ideas, insights, and activities!
This is the weekly breakdown of the theme for this month...
Mother Goose changed the circle time display for this school year. I kept a few of the things from last year, and made my own choices about how things should be laid out. The kids were so excited to begin circle time on Tuesday morning!
I kept our calendar board and weather/season board the same...
This display is ALL new! I LOVE the change!!!
I also kept our Bubble Gum word display! The kids LOVE spelling and reading CVC words each week! To the right of this board I also have a world map displayed. We will be learning about all sorts of different countries and customs throughout the year!
In our library we are all set to read new books about friends and feelings this month!
The lesson for Day 1 was all about saying "Hello!"
We sang, "Say Hello" to the tune of "Frere Jacques."
Next I introduced our new color paintbrush for the month of September. The kids took turns choosing a partner and finding something blue in the room that matched the colored paintbrush. They waved "Hello" to the blue item with the paintbrush! We also sang our color blue song (the song spells the word B-L-U-E)!
Mother Goose provided us with these supplies for a friend puppet craft...
I was so impressed with how dependent everyone was with their project. I always try to let the kids do it on their own or ask a friend to help them. They amaze me everyday!
Friends helping friends...
The kids were so proud of themselves that they could draw their own clothes for their puppets!
I encouraged the kids to use the puppets to practice saying "Hello" and "Goodbye" to one another. We also shared other conversations with the puppets! The kids had fun playing with these. :)
For our next activity we discussed how people and friends look similar to us and how they look different from us. We even compared how our voice's sound different as we talked and said, "Hello" to one another. Then we played a matching card game with a set of "Global Friends" cards Mother Goose provided for us.
Each time someone made a match the kids practiced saying "Hello" in that language. We played this game two times to make sure everyone had a turn at making a match! I also left these cards out during free play time in our "Games and Puzzles" center.
Next, the kids practiced writing their names on new name recognition tags...
I am SO PROUD with how well these kids are coming along on writing their names!
Wow! This big 4 year old wrote his first and last name!!!
After everyone completed their name tag, we placed them face-down on the floor in the center of our circle time area...
The kids took turns choosing a name. When we identified whose name it was that person did a movement that they could made up to say "Hello!" The kids got a little silly, but they definitely had fun!
N thought of a "Foot high five!" What a great idea! :)
Then the kids all got giggly as they all gave each other foot high fives!
The kids worked on this page in their new literacy workbook...
They also worked on this page in their math workbook...
These were our books for the day...
Tuesday was P's official last day of preschool. He signed a copy of this book and gave it as a gift to the class. This is one of P's favorite books at home, and we wanted us to have our own copy! What a sweetheart! I also read this book to the class.
P with all of his certificate, hat, button, and engraved medal!
P will make many new friends in Kindergarten! We just know it!!!
Speaking of new friends, we all welcomed our new 4 year old friend K on Tuesday as well! She is a sweetie! She fits in great and has adapted very well so far!
To celebrate P and N going off to Kindergarten we had mini graduation cupcakes for snack!
N's last day of preschool is Wednesday. All the kindergartners start full-time on Thursday!
In the afternoon I set out these colored "Hello (color)" signs along with our new bus counters that Mother Goose provided for us this month...
I also set out our other colored transportation pieces...
I laid out two play mats and encouraged the kids to place the "Hello (color)" signs at various spots on the mat. They could drive the buses to their matching color and and practice reading the colors on the sign. When they completed their job we saw that all of the buses were sorted by their color!
Most of the kids played all afternoon with these buses! They LOVE them!
