Notes from Reading Specialist Edith Fischer:
On Tuesday, December 1st, the book, The First Thing My Mama Told Me, by Susan Marie Swanson, continued the theme of Names as a read aloud experience. At the end of the reading, the Pre-Kindergarteners wrote their names in the air with glittery "light sticks" just like Lucy wrote her name in the night sky with a flashlight. More student names were drawn from the Name Jar to continue the meaningful activity of recognizing words that begin with the letters in their names. The Pre-Kindergarteners are eager to consider words for their names and the names of their friends. Speech Weekly Notes from Stacy Torrence:
Help Your Child Understand and Learn to Ask Questions
Being able to understand question forms and being able to ask questions is an essential part of language development. It's the way we give and get information about our world. Questions lay the foundation for children to participate in conversations, demonstrate their knowledge and gather information.
Being able to understand question forms and being able to ask questions is an essential part of language development. It's the way we give and get information about our world. Questions lay the foundation for children to participate in conversations, demonstrate their knowledge and gather information.
First, however it is important for you as a parent to understand basic age guidelines for both asking and answering questions so that you guide your expectations accordingly.
Age Guidelines for Understanding/Answering Questions:
1-2 years understands "What's this?" and simple "Yes/No"
2-3 years understands ("What are you doing?")_understands simple "Who?" ("Who's
that?"), understands simple "Where?" ("Where is daddy?"),understands simple
"What" (function)? ("What do you do with a toothbrush?")
3-4 years understands simple "How?" ("How did you do that?")_understands simple
"Why?" ("Why is he crying?")_understands simple "What...if?", "How many/much?" and
"which?"
4-5 years understands "When?"
5-6 years understands most questions, but will still have trouble with complex and abstract
4-5 years understands "When?"
5-6 years understands most questions, but will still have trouble with complex and abstract
questions.
A child's ability to understand and answer questions appropriately develops gradually. By including your child in conversation as much as possible you are providing a good model for your child of rich language including question forms.
Here are some tips for helping your child answer questions:
Make sure you have your child's attention before asking a question
Include your child in as many conversations as possible
Use as many comments as questions during your conversation
Allow time for your child to think and respond to your question
Make your child feel successful by asking the types of questions you know he can answer
Model the answer if you think your child doesn't understand
Ask simple questions while reading to your child ("What is that?", "Who is crying?", "What is she doing?", "Why did he do that?"...)
Ask questions by recapping events from your child's day
Use visual cues if necessary to help your child understand
Here are some tips for helping your child ask questions:
Give your child your full attention when he is trying to ask a question
Be patient if your child is struggling putting thoughts into word
If your child's word order is not correct for asking a question, model the correct word order
Engaging with your child in interesting activities will stimulate your child wanting to learn more
Play games with your child where you ask him a question and then he has to ask you a similar question
Your child's understanding and formulation of questions lays a foundation for developing skills in all areas of communication and processing information in his environment. Parents and caregivers have endless opportunities to give children practice in questioning and answering techniques. The mastery of answering and asking questions is invaluable to the early learner.
This week at Bright Beginnings Mill Creek:
The Penguin ClassMs. Danielle
The Sea Turtle ClassMs. Erin
The Starfish ClassAs a final note, we welcome our new friend Frank to the Starfish class!
Ms. Victoria
The Seal ClassDuring Morning Meeting and Practical Living we reviewed our colors and shapes by using flash cards and asking what color were each child's clothes. We also reviewed our shapes using flash cards. The children and I talked about using gentle hands with our friends and following the rules. By the children doing this they practiced following directions and using listen ears. I read different fairytales to the children and asked them if they could happen in real life or not. We also learned a new action rhyme; Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear.
In art we practiced fine motor skill by painting with cookie cutters. We used red and green paint. In addition we also made Christmas trees and reviewed our colors also by doing this. The children had to use fine motor skills to glue things on the tree. The children also made wrapping paper and gift tags. The wrapping paper and a couple of the gift tags will be used for a later project in December. Finally we had a free art day. I let the children choose what they wanted to do in art. This gave them a sense of having control over something, in a world where they don't have a lot control.
For gross motor we played ring around the rosy, follow the leader, rolled a ball to each other, and did an obstacle course. All of these games helped with gross motor and or hand eye coordination. When the children were throwing the ball to each other they had to say each other's name. This helped the children practice using words and their social skills.
I wanted to remind parents to sign up for Elf club there is one next week too! Mark your calendars: We will be CLOSED December 24th-January 3rd. We will reopen Monday January 4, 2010. Hope everyone had a great week and has a great weekend. See you next week!
Ms. Cheri
The Dolphin ClassThis month, we are going to do something a little different with Scholastic book orders! I will be placing paper order forms up front for those who still want them but everything else will be online. This is a great time to get gifts for your kids or other great children in your life! There are adorable books for sale this and every month! Reading to your child is one of the most important ways to prepare your child for school!
In letter's time, we read aloud and learned about the front/back of the book and where the words start. We also made a list of "M" words, wrote "M's" in our journals and read our Sesame Street "M" book.
In math, we wove on weaving boards, counted how many times we tossed a ball, and we used pattern blocks. In science we talked about deciduous trees on our nature walk we took for Project Green. We also collected recyclable materials and discussed other things we could use it for.
In art, we painted color wheels, had free art, made wrapping paper pictures, made collages and put together homemade gift tags!
In social studies, we did a unit on Antarctica. We learned it's a cold island that is both a country and continent where very few people live. We looked it up on the map. We looked at the flag and talked about the clothes people where there as well as the food they eat.
This has been a fun packed and adventurous week, especially with our move to the Octopus classroom. Thank you so much for your cooperation and flexibility during this transition time! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it !
Ms. Kimberly
The Walrus ClassThe Walrus class was busy this week with lots of different activities. We learned about our Polar Bear friends this week by reading a book from our science section and answering questions at the end of the story. This is a great way for the students to advance their memory and remember important facts and details. Our letter this week was "Mm," and we practiced writing both the upper and lower case "Mm," while drawing a picture of something that starts with that letter. In the beginning of the year, the students created a story about two lions, and this week we created another story! The students were split up in to two groups and helped create a fantasy story. It is important for the students to see their ideas and the words that they say written on paper. We strung beads and made necklaces, crowns, and bracelets! The children have made collages before but this week they were able to go through magazines and cut out pictures and words that they liked and glue them any way they wanted. This is a great way for the children to practice their cutting skills! Everyone did a great job in our discussion this week about communities and families and the differences and similarities between the two. We played a great game this week that helped with the students hand and eye coordination, as well as depth perception. Each child had a partner and one ball and started real close to one another, while they passed the ball back and forth. Then they would take a step back and pass the ball again and continue to get further and further away. Everyone really enjoyed this! This week was a lot of fun and I hope everyone has a great weekend!
From Ms. Ryland and the Walrus Class
434-823-7129
1645 Park Ridge Drive