Wow, I can’t believe we are back to school on Tuesday already!! I have been very busy this week getting all the projects ready for this month and I’m excited to get started!! 
On Tuesday, because it’s the first time we are meeting in the new month, we will start by introducing the children to their Sept. name cards (in the shape of an apple). We will use these cards throughout the month while the children are learning how to spell and write their own names. We will also be completing a balloon project with their name on it to reinforce this concept including three games we will play using their names. We will also be starting our “All About Me” Language Books. This is a book that is traditionally done in preschool and kindergarten classrooms during the first week of school and it’s always fun for the children to learn more about themselves and the children around them. (Later in the month, the children will be learning about the people who live and work in their community. Every day the children will do a different picture for their book. This book will include pictures of their family, favorite animal (or pet), their house, and a self-portrait. On Tuesday, we will focus on each child’s awareness of their physical selves, identifying their unique and special qualities.
On Wednesday, we will start by reinforcing the concept of top, middle, and bottom by completing a puzzle of our bodies, learning a new finger play, and singing the song, “Hands on Shoulders”. We will also play a guessing game where the children will demonstrate awareness of their physical selves through their motor skills. And of course, the children will also work on their “All About Me” books by completing page 2, demonstrating awareness of the people in their families.
On Thursday, we will start by graphing the eye color and hair color of the children in the classroom. This will help the children learn how to make a graph and reinforce the concept that each child has unique qualities. Graphing activities are excellent ways for the children to start learning math. (During the course of the year, the children will have many more opportunities to practice their graphing skills.) The children will also be practicing their “fishing” skills when they fish for A’s. While learning about the first letter of the alphabet (how it looks and sounds), the children will be using a fishing pole (made of straw and yarn) to fish for the letter A in the alphabet sea. We will start by fishing for pictures. This is an auditory discrimination game as I will be asking the children to listen and try to find the picture word cards that start with the sound of “A”. And of course, the children will also work on their “All About Me” books by completing page 3, demonstrating awareness of where they live and the people that live there.
Friday will be an extremely busy day because along with our learning activities, we will also be celebrating Luke’s 4th Birthday and making our special Grandparent’s Day cards!! We will begin by making Thumbprint Puppies to help the children develop awareness of the uniqueness of their individual thumbprints. The children will also work on their “All About Me” books by completing page 4, demonstrating awareness of the things that they like to do. And, as if we didn’t have enough planned, we will be COOKING Thumbprint Cookies!! Not only will the children be practicing their math skills by measuring, but they will also be reinforcing the concept of having a unique fingerprint.
As you can see, your children will be very busy learning this week!! Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about any of the projects we have planned. I’m looking forward to a fantastic week!!
