My Five Senses

Dear Parents,

We began our week recalling our five senses that we read about last week. Everyone took turns smelling three boxes and thinking about what was in the box. Friends guessed: cake, strawberries, raspberries, sugar, something yummy, lavender, and food. The boxes were filled with rose petals, cinnamon, and dried fruit. 

The next day we used our taste buds and tasted salt, lemons, ginger, and honey. The children said they tasted yummy, sweet, salty, like pepper, spicy, yucky, like fire, and like diapers. We read The Amazing Body, Gregory the Terrible Eater, and Your Mouth and Nose.

Our first yoga class with Tanya went well. The children showed us some poses when they returned from class. While half the class was in yoga, the other half read The Listening Walk. We closed the book, closed our eyes, and listened. We heard: stomping feet, cars driving by, birdies, yoga class in the big room, and someone said they heard a hurricane. “In Florida!” a friend shouted. 

We did the Feely Box again this week. We used our sense of touch to feel something in the box and guess what it was. Friends guessed paper, a crocodile, something soft, a leaf, and a coconut. 

On Friday we played Duck, Duck, Goose, and everyone got two turns to run and be chased. We all ran in the same direction, mostly. There was some laughter and yelling.

Reminder: Please bring in a 4x6 family photo for our family tree. 

Have a sensory weekend,

Therese

I Like it When…

Dear Parents,

We began our week reading You Choose, On Top of Spaghetti, and I Like It When. The children took turns telling us what they liked. It will be a page in our All About Me books. We’ve been adding a couple of pages a week for two weeks. 

We’re still getting to know each other. Children are continuing to learn names. We just added photos to our attendance chart. When we sing our Good Morning song, everyone takes turns hanging up their name and photo.

Usually the first word children memorize and read is their own name. We are working on this during the song, and by having their names in cubbies. We also write their names on art at the easel and when drawing with crayons. 

We used crayons and stamping markers to decorate the covers of our All About Me books. Everyone took turns helping with the stapler to assemble the pages of our books. During circle we read everyone’s book. We also read I Like Me, All I Am, and I Wish You More. 

In the big room we have been tricycling up a storm, building with big and small blocks, climbing up and sliding down the jungle gym,  riding in our boat, and rocking on our whale.

On Friday, we planted daffodils and tulip bulbs in the garden. We talked about the flowers not coming up until spring. The class knew that would not be soon. 

We read two books about our five senses. Afterwards, we played Eye Spy. Everyone who wanted got a turn to spy and describe something in our classroom. We guessed all the objects except for one which was a purple and pink circle. The person told us it was their ball - at home! No wonder we couldn't spy it.

We have been talking about whole body listening: listening with our eyes, ears, mouths, and bodies. Also, we're working on not playing in the bathroom and using indoor voices. However, in some cases, we're asking friends to speak up. The scale goes all the way from a whisper to a yell!

Have a sunny weekend,

Therese