Please check your child’s red folder for their Nocturnal Creature Book, the new Show & Share calendar, Halloween Info, Math work, and our pumpkin muffin recipe!

We worked primarily this week on a classroom book and performance called “The Bats at Night.”  I am so impressed with the work that the Lemurs put into this project…top notch!  They composed sentences, illustrated pages, assisted in sewing costumes, painted sets, controlled sound effects, worked together as a team 100%.  I need to record the first and last page on Monday and then I can share with you the finished product.  Be sure to check it out!

Cold Weather Clothing!  It is starting to get cold out at recess.  Please stock your child’s cubby with a warm hat, mittens, and extra socks.  It is also a good time to make sure they have a full set of warm extra clothing.  In Pre-K we are proud of learning independence putting on and taking off outdoor clothing.  Please practice at home with your child.  Once every Lemur is able to zipper a coat by themselves (AKA “The Zipper Club”), we will have a pajama day at school to celebrate!

Monday
Science – Pumpkin Sprouts – We transplanted our pumpkin sprouts into individual cups.
Math – Yellow Bus Addition – We practiced simple addition problems…students pretended they were bus drivers picking up children for a field trip.  They rolled a die to see how many children were at the first stop and then the second stop.  Using Unifix cubes, they added together the total number of children on the bus.
Literacy – The Bats at Night – Students created a page for our book entitled, “The Bats at Night.”  Each student composed a sentence and illustrated the page, using all they have learned about nocturnal creatures.

Tuesday
Literacy – The Bats at Night – Students brainstormed how to act out their page to the story.  Who are the characters?  What is the setting?  What costumes and props do we need?  During centers, students assisted me on my sewing machine to sew costumes.
Math – Halloween Counting Stories – Mrs. Swanson read the book Two Little Witches by Harriet Ziefert.  Inspired by the story, students created their own math word problem using trick-or-treaters.

Wednesday
Literacy – The Bats at Night – Students worked together to paint sets for our story.  We continued to sew costumes.  We began practicing each scene.
Math – 3D Structures – Using toothpicks and playdoh balls, students created 3D pyramids and cubes.

Thursday
Literacy – The Bats at Night – We recorded each scene for our story.  Each student had a role in each scene.  We had actors and we had a tech crew (lights and sound effects).  The sound crew used iPads to play nocturnal sound clips, the light crew used flashlights as spotlights.
Baking – Pumpkin Muffins – Using Gramma Genovese’s recipe for pumpkin muffins, students mixed together a batter and cooked the muffins in our classroom.
Literacy – Cake Girl – One of my favorite books ever, Cake Girl by David Lucas, a beautifully illustrated story of a witch who learns how to be a good friend.

Friday
Literacy – Guided Reading/Epic! – I sat with students one on one and worked on Jelly and Bean emergent readers.  As the other students in the group waited for their turn, they used our new reading app, Epic!  Books for Kids.  This was a huge hit with the Lemurs!
Memory – The Secret Door Game – Students learned how to play the memory game The Secret Door.

I enjoyed talking with all of you over conferences.  It is such a pleasure to get to know the parents behind the children we spend the days with.  Thank you so much for your time and support!

Monday
Pumpkin Science – Using large pumpkins, students worked with a partner to conduct 3 experiments with their pumpkin
Nocturnal Creature Books – Skunks – We learned all about how and why skunks stink!
Literacy – Sassafras – We read Sassafras by Audrey Penn, about how a little skunk who feels different and rejected, learns to value his unique ability with the help of his friends.
Board Game – Skunk BINGO – We learned how to play this fun version of BINGO where woodland animals go into a log and may or may not be “skunked”

Tuesday
Nocturnal Creature Books – Fox – The fox has many creature powers!  Hearing, smell, night vision, silence, and digging.  We watched this incredible video of a fox using it’s powers to find mice hidden beneath the snow.
Math – Mr. Fox, What Time IS It? – Students counting out the hours as Mr. Fox tried to catch them
BoardGame – Outfoxed! – I highly recommend this board game, “Outfoxed“, it is a lot of fun!  Players use deductive reasoning to figure out which fox stole the pie!

Wednesday
Literacy – Guided Reading – I sat with each student and worked on sounding out skills while the rest of the group used the Letter School app.
Math – Monster Math –  Using a large number line, one student thought of a number and the other students guessed what the number was.  The student responded if the number was higher or lower by moving the monsters at the end of the number line in closer.  Students need to guess the correct number before the monster narrows in on the number.

Thursday
Nocturnal Creature Books – Luna moth – We learned about the largest and most beautiful moth of the night, the luna moth.  We watched this video of a luna moth emerging from it’s silk cocoon.
Opposite Book – Inspired by Tana Hoban’s book, Exactly the Opposite, students staged a photograph depicting an opposite.  Mrs. Swanson is compiling the photos to make another class book.

Friday
NO SCHOOL