What I will learn this Month in Ms. Courtney’s  class: 

Themes of the week | Classroom group lesson time (in addition to individual Montessori Work time)

1/02:    Polar Animals

• The children will do a blubber science experiment.
• The children will experience what it is like to be a penguin.
• The children will learn about all of the different polar animals.
• School resumes 1/04

        Afternoon Group Time:

• Sort polar animals and animals from other parts of the world.
• Discuss different arctic animals and move across the room like they do.
• Learn about different types of penguins and use scooters to swim through the water like penguins
• hunting for fish.
• Watch Visual Phonics to learn letters and letter sounds with Sign Language.
• Make an “l” craft.

 

1/9:      Ocean Animals

• The children will compare their length to a blue whales length.
• The children will create waves in a bottle.
• The children will learn about the ocean habitat.
• Teacher Workshop/ no school 1/13

        Afternoon Group Time:

• Create a Venn Diagram discussing the similarities and differences between whales and sharks.
• Discuss the different zones of the ocean and the animals that live in each.
• Sort animals that live in the ocean from animals that live on land.
• Sing Five Little Fishes song to the tune of Five Little Monkeys.
• Play the game Sharks and Minnows.
• Watch Visual Phonics to learn letters and letter sounds with Sign Language.
• Make an “m” craft.

 

1/16:    M L King

• The children will learn what a hero is.
• The children will create a classroom “I Have A Dream Book”.
• The children will learn that even though everyone is different on the outside, we are all the same on the inside, through an egg experiment.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day/ no school 1/16

        Afternoon Group Time:

• Discuss Martin Luther King Jr. and create a friendship heart to hang on our door.
• Discuss how MLK wanted everyone to live in peace, and make a “Peace Dove” as a classroom art project, because a dove is a symbol of peace.
• Watch Visual Phonics to learn letters and letter sounds with Sign Language.
• Make an “n” craft.

 

1/23:    Zoo Animals

• On Friday 1/27 each child is invited to bring their favorite stuffed animal. The animal should be one commonly found in a zoo. They can have snack or lunch picnic style with their stuffed animal.
• The children will create zoo cookies.

        Afternoon Group Time:

• Read Mr. Poppers Penguins.
• Play Build a Penguin game to learn counting, visual matching, taking turns, and the parts of a penguin.
• Visual Phonics to learn letters and letter sounds with Sign Language.
• Make a “p” craft.
• We will learn about peacocks and then create one out of construction paper and a coffee filter.
• Match adult animals to their babies.
• Read Dr. Seuss’ If I Ran the Zoo and then discuss and draw what creatures would be in our zoo if we ran the zoo.

 

1/30:    Farm Animals

• The children will learn about different farm animals.
• The children will discover all of the products that come from farm animals.
• The children will understand all of the responsibilities of a farmer.
• The children will practice milking a cow.

        Afternoon Group Time:

• Read Click Clack Moo.
• Make a cow puppet.
• Watch Visual Phonics to learn letters and letter sounds in Sign Language.
• Make a letter P craft.
• Learn about different farm animals and create a diagram explaining what each animal is used for.
• Discuss the different farm animals and place them in their homes on the farm.
• Discuss the different types of farmers and what jobs they do on the farm. 

 

Letters of the Week: Try to find objects that begin with each letter wherever you go with your child.

1/02: Mm

1/09: Nn

1/16: Oo

1/23: Pp

1/30: Qq

 

Sight Words of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.

1/02: are

1/09: and

1/16: up

1/23: see

1/30: am

 

Synonym Words of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.

1/02: LOUD, noisy, piercing, deafening, booming, crashing, boisterous, raucous

1/09: QUIET, peaceful, mute, calm, silent

1/16: SKINNY, thin, lean, emaciated, scrawny, slender

1/23: FAT, overweight big, bulky, heavy, plump

1/30: APPROPRIATE, suitable, fitting, apropos, correct, proper

 

Things to do at home this month to reinforce our themes:

• Go to the pet store.
• Try and spot all the different animals outside during winter.
• Have a birthday party for M L King.
• Talk to your child about what his/her dream is and share yours.
• Take a trip to a local farm