Dear Parents,
Happy Autumn! On Thursday, September 22nd we welcomed the new season of Fall! Since children are fascinated by the colorful leaves Autumn brings, our goal is to foster a respect for natural beauty! We will learn about all the changes this season brings as the world begins to rest. We have also been so fortunate to have great weather for lots of outdoor play. Three year olds sure have a ton of energy!!!
The children have spent the last couple of weeks exploring the classroom. They have been coloring, building and cooking up delicious cuisines in our housekeeping area. In our toy centers the children are trying out new ideas, learning responsibility for the materials they are using, developing social skills, expanding their language and enhancing their creative abilities. Our room is filled with future artists, architects, doctors and chefs! They are so much fun to be around.
There barely seems to be enough hours in the day for all that we want to do. They are learning to sing, wiggle and move to songs, share, and use words to solve problems and recognize their names.
Last week we began our Life in a Bag projects. What a fun way for us to get to know one another! The children were so excited to show their personal treasures……and their faces showed it!!! Our goal is to help the children learn about themselves, each other AND each other’s families! The “All About Me” theme helps the children to realize that every person is unique and special and to appreciate and respect their differences and similarities. We look forward to continuing our presentations this week!
To go along with our themed unit, last week we made replicas of ourselves out of paper dolls and craft materials. Well…..almost. Some of the children insisted on changing their hair color! We called them “Marvelous Me”. I supplied the materials necessary to complete the project and let the children’s imagination do the rest. Each one turned out adorably different and we proudly displayed them on our bulletin board. These cute little dolls say so much about the personalities behind the little hands that made them.
Since our September theme is “All About Me”, a lot of our songs this past week have focused on body parts. Some fun, energetic action songs we had fun with were: “Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes”, “Hokey Pokey”, “I’ve Got Two”, and “Can’t Sit Still”!
“Circle Time” is a big part of our daily routine. It is a great teaching tool and prepares the children for Pre-K and Kindergarten. It is a place of comfort and predictability for them. The children take part in calendar and weather, and learn to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. “Circle Time” is an arena to solve problems and also learn letters, numbers, colors and shapes in a fun and engaging way.
This week in “Circle Time” we will begin our journey through the alphabet. Visual recognition of the uppercase and lowercase is our goal, although we will also be introducing the phonetic sound. We will reinforce the letter “Aa” using arts and crafts as well as skill-enhancing activities. Appropriately, “Having Fun with Apples” will be our Fall theme. We weave these thematic ideas into our daily activities through literature, art, discovery (science and math), dramatic play, gross motor and small motor play, snack, along with small group activities and “Circle Time” (where more directed learning happens). We will also introduce the color RED.
In closing I’d like to say “thanks” to my nursery parents for all the help with our first few days of school! You have been a tremendous help remembering things, sending things, and most importantly bringing me well-rested and eager young children. This group is amazing me with their enthusiasm!!
Thank you for giving me the pleasure to get to know your wonderful children and be a part of their lives. I truly have the BEST job in the world!
Enjoy the week!
Warmly,
Miss Joanne
Birthdays in October:
Anaisa 10/1
Mei Feng 10/21
Anmay 10/28
Dates to Remember:
October 3rd & 4th School Closed for Religious Observance
(Rosh Hashanah)
October 10th School Closed – Columbus Day
October 12th School Closed for Religious Observance
(Yom Kippur)
