Tree Study
We have already gotten through the month of October!! Can you believe it? This month has been so much fun! We started our Tree study which has been a big hit with the children. We started off talking about what we knew about trees. We had the children look for trees and measure themselves against trees. We walked around campus on a nature walk picking up various items we found that came from a tree. The children found pinecones, bark, different colored leaves, and pine needles. We brought the various items back to the classroom and we made sticky collages with the items we found. We talked about the various parts of a tree and drew the tree in the classroom. The children learned that the roots dig down into the ground to help hold the tree and drink water. We also discussed various animals that live in trees and even what they build in trees. We talked about how squirrels and birds make nests in trees. We also discussed how monkeys and some bears climb trees. The children enjoyed a game we played where we showed them various animals and they had to guess where the animal lived.
Center Wide Expectations
This month we also worked a lot on social-emotional skills and relationship building. We have been encouraging the children to work together to solve problems as well as how to initiate play with each other. We have been discussing how to be a super friend and help each other when we see our friends need help. We have also been reminding our friends of the classroom and center expectations. Those are “we take care of ourselves”, “we take care of others”, “we take care of our things”. The children have had various small group activities to encourage them to work together to make something or build something. We have also been working with the children on taking turns. Many of the children are now able to solve some social problems on their own by going and getting a timer to set to show their friends that they want a turn with the toy. To help take care of our things, the children have really been getting into their jobs in the classroom! Each child has a job that they are responsible for in the room. Some friends help ensure everyone is cleaning up the room, others hold our door. We also have a schedule helper and a friend greeter. We will be continuing to encourage the children to take responsibility for their classroom and the items within it.
Family Engagement
Recently we have been welcoming parents back into the classroom to spend some time with us! We have had quite a few parents already sign up and come in to read a book to our friends or just spend time playing with us. The children really enjoy that special time with their parents in their classroom. Please look for more opportunities to join us in the room and you are always welcome to ask us as well if there is a particular date and time you would like to come in!
Welcome Back Hillary
As October ends, we will be getting ready to welcome Hillary back from maternity leave! Hillary is the head teacher of the Pre-2 classroom. She went on maternity leave just before the semester started when she welcomed her beautiful baby girl. She is very excited to get back to work and get to know all the new faces we have in our classroom. You can expect Hillary back November 7th!
Thank you for a wonderful month! Here’s to November!
