November 20
In Literacy, we will talk about what it means to be thankful. We will continue to have our CHP post office open, so that we can be mail carriers in our classroom. We will add our own stamps and send out our thank you cards to our friends, families and community helpers!
In Math, we will continue to study measurement. We've measured many of the children using unit blocks, and we've charted our results. We will continue our measurement tour of the classroom, using unit blocks to measure and compare our results.
In Science, we will continue planting Paperwhite bulbs. The children will make predictions about how tall our flowers will grow and what color they will be. We will continue talking about caring for our plants. We will also continue to make bird feeders.
In Drama, we will do an interactive retelling of the classic Stone Soup. All the children will assist the hungry traveler and contribute something to the pot to share for a delicious Thanksgiving feast.
In Art, we will finish up with our vegetable printing. The self-help table will be supplied with materials that encourage some drop-in Thanksgiving themed fun.
In Music, we will continue working on our repertoire for the Winter Sings. We are solidifying learning the words to Singing in the Rain and learning new signs for What a Wonderful World. There will soon be recordings of both of these songs on the website, so that the children can practice at home.
The Twos will continue going outside, exploring the classroom, and participating in art activities and music with Nancy and Rebecca. They will also participate in the current math activity of measuring ourselves with block units.
Two of the many books we will read this week are Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton and Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev and Taeeun Yoo.
In ASL, we will learn the signs for Thankful, Eat, and Family and we will continue to review the signs for The World is a Rainbow song.
November 13
In Literacy, we will celebrate World Kindness Day, which is Monday, November 13th. We will talk about what it means to be kind and how we can be kind to each other. We will open the maker’s space to write letters and cards to send to the people we want to thank.
Want to celebrate World Kindness Day at home? Here are 10 books to start!
A Sick Day for Amos McGee, by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead
Harry the Happy Mouse: Teaching Children to be Kind to Each Other, by N.G.K
We’re all Wonders, by R.J. Palacio
An Awesome Book of Thanks, by Dallas Clayton
Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey
The Curious Garden, by Peter Brown
A Chair for My Mother, by Vera B. Williams
Extra Yarn, by Mac Barnett
Stick and Stone, by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenfield
The Little Engine that Could, by Watty Piper
In Math, we had a great time reading and re-enacting the children's book How Big is a Foot?, by Rolf Myller. We will continue to explore measurement, using unit blocks to measure length and width. Once we've taken a "measuring tour" of the classroom, we will also practice measuring ourselves.
In Science, we will begin to focus on our theme of kindness and helper, as we do activities about trees, plants and the animals that live in trees. The children will work in small groups making squirrel and bird feeders. We will then walk around our neighborhood, finding places for the feeders. This will allow us to talk about what animals need when it gets cold and what we can do to be kind and help them. We will also plant some paper whites and discuss how we can care for our plants.
In Drama, we continue with our farmers’ market. The children will create dialogue exchanges between buyers and sellers to make their Thanksgiving purchase. We will also incorporate a weighing scale and “money” into the exploration.
In Art, we will experiment with layering, designs and patterns that we create while printing with fruit and vegetables.
In Music, we will begin working on our repertoire for the Winter Sing! Not only will we work on our winter themed songs, we will solidify the lyrics and movements to all the songs we have been singing this year.
The Twos have been talking about feelings and reading books about friends. Some books we have been reading are Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, The Zoo I Drew, by Todd Doodler and An Awesome Book of Thanks, by Dallas Clayton. We will start to talk about friends and being kind to each other. We will also continue to have music, art, and park time.
In ASL, we will learn our first full sentences: “Be a kind neighbor.” “Be a good friend.” We will also review “thank you” and “please.”
NOVEMBER 6
In Literacy, we will read the book Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do and play a guessing game on our own classroom clothesline. We will also talk about interviewing helpers in our neighborhood, ie., our park helpers, our crossing guards, our mail carriers and others!
In Math, our block inventory is complete and we will display the results. We will start putting together a book of photos of "block builds" for inspiration. Additionally, we will begin using the blocks as measurement tools while we read the story How Big is a Foot? by Rolf Myller.
In Science, we asked the children what they knew about trees. Some of the responses were: “Trees are plants,” “Trees have ABC's in them” and “Leaves are falling from the trees.” Now we will plant some pumpkin seeds left over from the pumpkins that Nancy carved. We will also continue with our KWL on trees connecting the theme with the season changing. We will visit the Gingko tree to see if there are any changes and read a selection of science books on the topic of trees, including:
Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
The Busy Tree by Jennifer Ward
One Small Place in a Tree by Barbara Brenner
In Drama, we will have a market setting exploration. The children will take turns being farmers, vendors and customers to buy and sell produce and baked goods. They will improvise scenarios and create dialogue exchanges.
In Art, we will work in small groups exploring light and shadow on huge pieces of mural paper hung on the wall. In the light cast by an opaque projector, we will explore the play of line, light and shadow.
In Music, we are continuing to learn the words and melody to the song, What a Wonderful World. We will incorporate American Sign Language to accompany some of the lyrics. We will also play a new rhythm game, called "pass the rhythm," which works in a similar way to "telephone." Someone starts by playing a simple rhythm, and the rest of the group takes a turn attempting to imitate that rhythm. This will be done using clapping and rhythm sticks.
The Twos will continue to explore the classroom, go outside, and have fun in music and art. Last week we read the books above and also:
Down by the Station, by Jennifer Riggs Vetter
In ASL, we will learn the signs for: Rainbow, People, and World.
Also, the water table will be open this week, time for some baby washing!