Week of January 28th!

Reminders / Notices:

• There will be 12:00 p.m. dismissal this Friday, February 1st. 

• Parent Teacher Conferences will be on Friday, February 1st from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

     Unit Topic:

     Transportation

     Essential Question for the Unit:

     How does my community use various modes of transportation?

     Focus Questions for this Week:

     What kinds of transportation do I use and why?

     Focused Learning Activity for the Week:

     Ms. McGarry and Mrs. Manan will work with students in the pretend play center, creating materials that firemen use.  students will be asked to think of things that firemen use (firetruck, hose, fire hydrant, etc.).  Students will then build materials to transform the pretend play center into a fire station.  

    Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

    PK.PDH.9 Demonstrates awareness and understanding of safety rules.

      Foundational text for the week:

     

 The Bus for Us by Suzanne Bloom

 Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

       PK.CLL.3 (Approaches to Communication): Demonstrates that s/he understands what they observe.

QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ASKED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK:

Level 1: Recall

What question does Tess ask over and over again?
What were some of the vehicles that drove past Tess and Gus before the bus came?
What are the dog and the cat doing while the children wait for the bus?

Level 2: Skill/Concept
Why do you think Tess asks the same question over and over again?
Why do you think Gus looks sad just before the bus comes?
Gus and Tess take the bus to school. How did you get to pre-K today?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking
Why do people take the bus?
Tess holds her ears when the fire engine drives past. Why?

There is a picture of a skunk on the garbage truck. Why do you think that is there?

Level 4: Extended Thinking
Us and Gus are rhyming words. What are some other words that rhyme with us and Gus?
Tess looks a little nervous about getting on the bus. Why do you think she might be nervous? Have you ever been nervous? When?

Lessons and activities for the week:

Blocks- Students are invited to create a variety of ramps and use different vehicles to race, predicting which one will go down the fastest and why. 

Pretend Play- Pretend Play will be transformed into a fire station. Students are invited to create a fire truck using large pieces of cardboard.  

Art- An assortment of shape cutouts and pictures of vehicles will be added to the center.  Students will be invited to reference the vehicles to create their own vehicles.

Science- Students are invited to create boats (with teacher support) and then will be asked to predict if their boat will float or sink, why or why not?

Math- Students will be invited to match numbered cars to the corresponding amount of people each car holds. 

Library- Students are invited to sequence the pictures and retell a familiar story, using a felt board.

Writing-  Students will be invited to match lettered cars to their corresponding spots in a "parking lot".

Sensory- Sand and water, or play-doh.

For more information on the Lesson Plan, click HERE!

If there are any questions regarding the Pre-K for All program that can not be answered by the office or classroom teacher, please feel free to contact the

Help Line at 888-227-8175

Week of January 21st!

Reminders / Notices:

• There will be 12:00 p.m. dismissal on Friday, February 1st. 

• Parent Teacher Conferences will be on Friday, February 1st from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

     Unit Topic:

     Light

     Essential Question for the Unit:

     How and why do we use different kinds of light?

     Focus Questions for this Week:

     How does light help us?

     What are shadows?   

Focused Learning activity for the week:
Ms. McGarry will point student’s shadows out to them. She will show them how their shadows move in the same way and at the same time they do.  Student's will be encouraged to watch their shadows as they move their bodies. They will be asked to pause and pose. Ms. McGarry will take pictures of the students and their shadows.  Students will then be able to match the classmate to their shadow.

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard addressed:
PK.CKW.4 (Science): Observes and describes characteristics of Earth and space.

Foundational text for the week: All About Light by Lisa Trumbauer

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard addressed:

PK.CLL.1 (Reading Standards for Informational Text):  With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about details in a text.  

QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ASKED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK:

Level 1: Recall
What are some things that give off light? What happens when the sun goes down? Why does the moon look bright?

Level 2: Skill / Concept
Shadows form when light is blocked. Do you see any shadows around you now?
What kinds of light do you see in our classroom?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking
When the sun is up it is light outside. What are some things people do in the light?
When the sun goes down it is dark outside. What are some things people do in the dark?
Why do we need lights in pre-K?
Why do we need lights at home?

Level 4: Extended ThinkingDo you prefer light or darkness? Why?
Why do you think cars, buses and trains have lights?

Lessons and activities for the week:

Blocks- Students are invited to explore how they might use blocks and a flashlight to create shadow letters.

Pretend Play- Students will be able to use flashlights for shadow play.

Art- Clear contact paper and tissue paper will be added to the art center in order for students to make "stained glass windows."

Science- Students will be able to use the light table to look at x-rays and an assortment of translucent objects. 

Math- Students will be able to match shape manipulatives with their shadow.

Library- Students are invited to read books about our theme, light.

Writing-  Students will use finger lights to aid them in drawing a picture under the writing table 

Sensory- Sand and water, or play-doh.

For more information on the Lesson Plan, click HERE!

If there are any questions regarding the Pre-K for All program that can not be answered by the office or classroom teacher, please feel free to contact the

Help Line at 888-227-8175

Week of January 14th!

Reminders / Notices:

• School is closed on January 16th for a teacher workshop.
• School is closed on January 21st for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

• There will be 12:00 p.m. dismissal on Friday, February 1st. 

• Parent Teacher Conferences will be on Friday, February 1st from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

     Unit Topic:

     Light

     Essential Question for the Unit:

     How and why do we use different kinds of light?

     Focus Question for this Week:

     What is darkness?   

Focused Learning activity for the week:
Ms. McGarry will show the students a picture of Vincent Van Gogh's, The Starry Night.  She will ask some questions to help students think critically about the painting.  Questions include: What do you notice about the painting? How does the painting make you feel? What do you see in the picture? What colors do you see? What might these colors mean? What does the title of the painting tell us?

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard addressed:
PK.CKW.2 (The Arts): Responds and reacts to visual arts created by themselves and others.

Foundational text for the week: Can't You Sleep Little Bear? by Martin Waddell

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard addressed:

PK.CKW.4 (Science):  Observes and describes Characteristics of Earth and space.

QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ASKED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK:

Level 1: Recall

Where does Little Bear sleep?
Why couldn’t Little Bear sleep?
What did Big Bear do to help Little Bear sleep?

Level 2: Skill / Concept
What did Big Bear and Little Bear use to light their cave? What do you use to light the place you live?
Why did Big Bear and Little Bear go home when it got dark outside?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking
Big Bear and Little Bear played outside in the bright sunlight. What do you like to do when it is sunny outside?
Why do you think Big Bear wanted Little Bear to go to sleep?

Level 4: Extended Thinking
Why do you think Little Bear does not like the dark?
Big Bear takes Little Bear outside to see the moon and Little Bear falls asleep. What are some other things you could do to help someone who is scared of the dark fall asleep?

Lessons and activities for the week:

Blocks- Students are invited to explore how they might use blocks and a flashlight to create shadow letters.

Pretend Play- Students will be able to use flashlights for shadow play.

Art- Clear contact paper and tissue paper will be added to the art center in order for students to make "stained glass windows."

Science- Students will be able to use the light table to look at x-rays and an assortment of translucent objects. 

Math- Students will be able to match shape manipulatives with their shadow.

Library- Students are invited to read books about our theme, light.

Writing-  Students will use finger lights to aid them in drawing a picture under the writing table 

Sensory- Sand and water, or play-doh.

For more information on the Lesson Plan, click HERE!

If there are any questions regarding the Pre-K for All program that can not be answered by the office or classroom teacher, please feel free to contact the

Help Line at 888-227-8175

Week of January 7th!

Reminders / Notices:

• School is closed on January 16th for a teacher workshop.

• There will be 12:00 p.m. dismissal on Friday, February 1st. 

• Parent Teacher Conferences will be on Friday, February 1st from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

     Unit Topic:

     Light

     Essential Question for the Unit:

     How and why do we use different kinds of light?

     Focus Question for this Week:

     What kinds of light are around us?   

Focused Learning activity for the week:
Ms. McGarry and Mrs. Manan will be working with students in the science center.  They will teach the students how to use and care for a light table.  An arrangement of items will be added to the science center in order for children to explore on the light table.

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard addressed:
PK.CKW.6 (Science): Acquires knowledge about the physical properties of the world.

Foundational text for the week: Round Trip by Ann Jonas

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard addressed:

PK.CLL.1 (Reading Standards for Literature): With Prompting and support, ask and answer about details in a text.

QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ASKED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK:

Level 1: Recall

Where were the people going on the trip?
How did the people in this story get to the city?

Have you ever gone on a trip? Where did you go? How did you get there?

Level 2: Skill / Concept

The trip started as soon as it was light. What does that mean? What time of the day did the trip start?
Why was the neighborhood quiet, the houses dark and the stores closed when the trip started?
Why do we turn on lights when it is dark?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking

When the people got to the city they saw a lot of lights. Why?

The people in this book rode in a car and on the subway. Do cars and subways have lights? Why?

Level 4: Extended Thinking
What do you notice about the pictures in this book? Why do you think the illustrator only used black and white?
What color does the illustrator use to show light?
What color does the illustrator use to show darkness? Why?

Lessons and activities for the week:

Blocks- Students are invited to explore how they might use blocks and a flashlight to create shadow letters.

Pretend Play- Students will be able to use flashlights for shadow play.

Art- Clear contact paper and tissue paper will be added to the art center in order for students to make "stained glass windows."

Science- Students will be able to use the light table to look at x-rays and an assortment of translucent objects. 

Math- Students will be able to match shape manipulatives with their shadow.

Library- Students are invited to read books about our theme, light.

Writing-  Students will use finger lights to aid them in drawing a picture under the writing table 

Sensory- Sand and water, or play-doh.

For more information on the Lesson Plan, click HERE!

If there are any questions regarding the Pre-K for All program that can not be answered by the office or classroom teacher, please feel free to contact the

Help Line at 888-227-8175