Hi JK Parents and Friends!

We are studying the five senses this week and exploring everything we can do with them.  

We took turns finding things in the mystery box using our sense of touch, and making a guess about what it was.  We learned about people who cannot see and how their sense of touch and hearing are more acute because they are making up for not having their sense of sight.  We learned that people who are sight impaired can actually use echo-location, much like the bats we studied in the fall.  We also learned about taste buds in our mouths and how we taste different things on different parts of the tongue.  

Fine Motor

We colored, cut out, and used popsicle sticks to make puppets out of the five senses.  The children took turns performing a puppet show, talking about each of the senses.  We played games where they had to pick out which senses were being used as we discussed different events/scenarios.  

Can people "see" colors with their sense of touch?  Can we hear colors in music?  Interesting answers from the class!  What color is the music you love?  

The children made March calendars by following me in a guided drawing of a leprechaun, and then adding details and words relating to St. Patrick's Day!  Their leprechauns were AMAZING!!  

Literacy

We talked about cursive writing and how the letters all join together to make words.  Many experts now believe it would be more beneficial to begin writing with cursive, since it lends itself to learning that letters all combine to make sounds and words.  We begin teaching cursive in 3rd grade at Roycemore, but it's always fun to introduce interesting things to practice to encourage writing in any way when children are in Early Childhood!  

We had such fun using white boards which makes everything more interesting!  "Qq" is a tricky letter to write so we all practiced going below the worm line to write the lower case q.  Have them show you their Qq's!  

Math

We practiced counting by 10's and ones.  We also solved story problems using manipulatives, as we added and subtracted.  

We celebrated two more birthday in JK!  We now have about half and half 4/5 year olds.  Happy Birthday Jayden and Sawyer!!  And thank you for the yummy treats.  

Have a lovely weekend!  

Ms. Massey

They are loving the Satori Board!  Their paintings are amazing and then they disappear!  :)  

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 Hi JK Parents and Friends!

This was a very short week, with the holiday and snow day, but we were quite busy!  The children loved playing in the deep, deep snow on the playground.

Science & Math:

We conducted an experiment with small capsule animals, and made predictions about how long it would take for them to "hatch".  The water temperature helps the solution dissolve more quickly so by filling our cups with cold water the amount of time was longer.  We compared animals and their features as each group found common traits in their animal being a sea creature, land dwelling, or both.  

We began making clay formations, which ranged from Pokemon characters to a map of the US!  This is an amazing fine motor activity to increase those fine muscles in the hands as well as crossing the midline.  

Literacy:

We are practicing the letter formation of "Pp" and hunted for words that begin and end with "Pp".  We completed a list of words and put "Pp" in letter jail when it is combines with h to make the "Ff" sound, as in the word "phone".  We are working on the scale and placement of letters as we write smaller and in similar size along with making sure the letters are all together on the same line.  

Social Studies/Fine Motor:

We have been studying African American Inventors and Leaders, and made stop lights as part of our study of Garrett Morgan, inventor of the traffic light, along with the gas mask and hair straightener and many other items we use today.  Our study will continue all month and year.  

Please be sure to sign up for a Parent Teacher Conference time if you haven't already.  No School Friday for conferences!  

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Ms. Massey