A Peek at our Week - Cherry Blossoms - week of 10/9/23

Focus Lesson: Leaves

This week we learned all about leaves. We learned that they are just one part of the whole plant, but that they have a super important job to do – they use sunlight to make food for the plant so that it can grow! However, we had a question to explore. Why do leaves change color in the fall? We learned that leaves contain chlorophyll, a green pigment that collects the sunlight for the plant. In the fall, as the days become shorter and the tree prepares to “go to sleep” for the winter, it no longer needs that chlorophyll. The leaves then show their natural colors. Those reds, oranges, and yellows were there the whole time!

This preschooler is creating a **Parts of a Leaf** book to take home. She will color only one part of the leaf at a time, and then label that part.

Preschool Corner:

Our preschoolers are working so hard on their math skills at the moment! We have many different manipulatives within the classroom to learn quantity and corresponding symbols. Here’s just a peek at the many different work activities we have on the math shelf!

This preschooler is working with the **Number Rods**. This work allows the child to first practice one to one correspondence while also visually seeing how numbers get bigger. Then we introduce the child to the corresponding symbol!

This preschooler is working with our **Table Top Rods**. These are a smaller version of our Number Rods. We use the Table Top Rods to not only match quantity to the corresponding symbol, but also use them later on when we begin learning addition! This child is strengthening her concept of quantity and symbol by having the numbers mixed up and in random order.

This preschooler received a lesson on the **Teen Board** this week! We are continuing to work on quantity, name, and symbol with this work but now we are working with teen numbers!

Kindergarten Corner:

Our Kindergarteners have spent the past couple weeks working with cardinal and intermediate directions in the Cultural area of our classroom. We continued to find the mnemonic Never Eat Soggy Waffles hilarious as we walked the hallways using a compass and labeling maps.

This kindergartener is practicing labeling a **compass rose** with cardinal and intermediate directions.

This kindergartener labeled the cardinal directions on his map, and then used his knowledge of directions to answer some geographical questions.

In the Language area of the classroom, Kindergarteners were introduced to consonants and vowels. We worked really hard on learning the 5 main vowels – a, e, i, o, u. We then used this knowledge to sort letters into categories and mark up words on paper.

These kindergarteners are sorting letters into consonants and vowels.

Pumpkin Season!

Last week the Cherry Blossom class learned all about PUMPKINS! We learned the life cycle from seed to pumpkin. We also washed a pumpkin in the Practical Life area since the pumpkin was so dirty from being in the pumpkin patch! We ended the week by cutting open the pumpkin we brought back from Ramseyer Farms and labeling the parts of a pumpkin. Then each child received a chance to use 4 of their 5 senses to explore the pumpkin like a scientist!

This kindergartener is bringing his Writer’s Workshop lessons into the classroom! We learned in Writer’s Workshop that labels give the reader more information. He then drew a beautiful pumpkin in his sketchbook and labeled the parts of a pumpkin! Wonderful work!

Enrichment Spotlight: Music and Library

In Music Class, we’ve begun using instruments! We learned how to use Rhythm Sticks this week and then enjoyed marching with our sticks, as well as hitting and rubbing them together to create different sounds.

After Ms. Lindsey reads us books and sings us songs, then the children get to choose a library book to borrow and keep in the classroom for the week. Hunting for the perfect book is the best part of our Library visits!

A Peek into Next Week:

Friday, October 27: Trunk or Treat event! (A Sign Up Genius was sent to your Remind today if you are interested in being a classroom helper for this event!)

Friday, November 10: Parent/Teacher Conferences. (Sign ups will go out soon!) There is NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS on this day.

A Peek at our Week – Cherry Blossoms – week of 10/9/23