Week of November 9th!

Reminders for this Week:

• School is CLOSED on Wednesday 11/11 in observance of Veteran's Day.

• Dismissal is at 12:00 noon on Friday.  There will be no afternoon Zoom.

• Parent-Teacher conferences will be on Friday 11/13 via Zoom from 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.  I still have many time slots available between 2:45 and 4:45.  Please email me at MissMcGarry@olqmnyc.org or text me at (929) 279-1610 in order to schedule a parent teacher conference.

ZOOM Links for This Week:

Monday 11/09 to Friday 11/13 

8:30 a.m. Meeting 

Meeting ID: 871 8421 6645

Password: prek4

Join URL:  Click HERE

2:30 p.m. Meeting

Meeting ID: 815 1643 6161

Password: prek4

Join URL:  Click HERE

The link for the read aloud of this week's foundational text, The Feelings Book by Todd Parr is located HERE.

Lessons and Activities for the Week for At Home Learners:

Monday- Invite your child to draw an expressive self-portrait. Have them look in the mirror, make an expression and draw what they see.

Tuesday- Write your child's name on a piece of paper Invite them to refer to the paper and count the number of letters in their names then write the appropriate number on the paper. Children can count the letters in their own names as well as their family member's names.

Wednesday- Suggest physical challenges and invite your child to accept the challenge (i.e. Can you jump seven times on one foot? Can you hop to the wall?, etc.).

Thursday- Introduce your child to some basic yoga moves and invite them to participate. Discuss how some people use yoga to calm down and relax.

Friday- Cut paper plates in half, give your child half of a plate and invite them to draw a mouth that is expressing an emotion on it (i.e. a smile for happy, frown for sad). If you like, you can attach a Popsicle stick to the bottom of the plate for your child to hold and invite them to place the emotion mask over their own mouths. Provide a mirror for them to see the expressions and invite them to try to make their eyes match the expressions on the plates as well.

Weekly Activity to be emailed to Ms. McGarry

Create a family book! You can choose what type of information to include in the book. Ideas include the people in your family, where relatives live, things you likes to do together, favorite foods, languages spoken, family heritage, traditions, celebrations, pets, information about your home, etc. Children can choose how to illustrate the book (i.e. drawings, photographs, pictures from magazines, etc.).

Please send any pictures or drawings to 

MissMcGarry@olqmnyc.com or text the picture to (929) 279-1610

Information for In-Person Learners

 Unit Topic:

• All About Us

Essential Question for the Unit:

• Who am I and who are the people in my life?

Focus Question for the Week:

• What feelings do I have and why?

Focused Learning Activity for the Week:

In small groups, children will be introduced to an interactive feelings chart. Children will be able to match how they are feeling. The chart will become part of the morning routine but will also be available for children to access throughout the day as desired. 

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

• PK.SEL.2: Recognizes self as an individual having unique abilities, characteristics, feelings, and interests.

Foundational Text for the Week:

• The Feelings Book by Todd Parr

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

• PK.ELAL.5: Participates in discussions about a text.

Questions That Will Be Asked Throughout The Week:

Level 1: Recall 

What are some of the ways the children in this book feel?

Why did the child in the book feel like crying?

Level 2: Skill/Concept

What are some things that might make people feel like crying?

What are some things that might make people feel really happy?

Why is it a good idea to share your feelings with someone else?

How do you think the kids on the cover of this book feel? How do you know?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Have you ever tried something new? How did it feel?

What do you think it would feel like to kiss a sea lion?

What are some things that might make people feel like yelling really loud?

Level 4: Extended Thinking

Why do you think people like to hold hands with their friends?

Why might people have a tummy ache?

Lessons and Activities for the Week:

Blocks-The student’s name cards will be available in block center.  Students are invited to write their names using blocks, discussing the lines in each letter of their name (straight, curved, etc.).

Art- Various size shapes from construction paper will be cut out and students are invited to use the shapes to create their bodies. After gluing the shapes together, or to a piece of paper, children can use writing utensils to add additional details (hair, patterns on clothes, etc.).

Science- Students are invited to use magnifying glasses to explore fingerprints, skin, hair, etc.

Math- Students will be encouraged to refer to their name cards and count how many letters are in their name, then place the appropriate number card next to the name card. Children can count the letters in their own names as well as their peers’ names.

Library- Students are encouraged to read a book with a friend. One child could read to the other or they could look at a book together.

Writing-  Students will be able to play a matching game where they match pictures of the students in the class with that student's name.

Sensory- Students will be able to play with their individual containers of play-doh.

For more information on the Lesson Plan, click HERE!

As always, please make sure to read the OLQM school blog for additional updates and information located, 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 November 2nd!

ZOOM Links for This Week:

Monday 10/26 to Friday 10/30 

8:30 a.m. Meeting 

Meeting ID: 871 8421 6645

Password: prek4

Join URL:  Click HERE

2:30 p.m. Meeting

Meeting ID: 815 1643 6161

Password: prek4

Join URL:  Click HERE

The link for the read aloud of this week's foundational text, Little Elliot, Big City by Mike Curato is located HERE.

Lessons and Activities for the Week for At Home Learners:

Monday- Invite your child to observe their faces in a mirror. Provide paper and writing utensils such as pencils, crayons or markers for them to draw what they see. Encourage them to look carefully at their faces and consider how to illustrate the features and details they see.

Tuesday- Share with your child a favorite story from their past. Among other things, this could be a story about the first time your child did something new, a funny story about an experience or a time when they made the family proud.

Wednesday- Cut out various size shapes from construction paper and invite your child to use the shapes to create their own bodies. After gluing the shapes together, or to a piece of paper, children can use writing utensils, or any materials to add additional details (hair, patterns on clothes, etc.).

Thursday- Invite children to use mirrors to look at their faces to examine their features and explore the connections between their features and their five senses.

Friday- Cut paper plates in half, give your child half of a plate and invite them to draw a mouth that is expressing an emotion on it (i.e. a smile for happy, frown for sad). If you like, you can attach a Popsicle stick to the bottom of the plate for your child to hold and invite them to place the emotion mask over their own mouths. Provide a mirror for them to see the expressions and invite them to try to make their eyes match the expressions on the plates as well.

Weekly Activity to be emailed to Ms. McGarry

Invite your child to make collections of objects that represent how old they are (four-year-olds make collections of four items) from found any materials you may have in the house or outside. Encourage your child to write the number of items in their collections.

Send me any pictures or drawings

at MissMcGarry@olqmnyc.com or text the picture to (929) 279-1610!

Information for In-Person Learners

 Unit Topic:

• All About Us

Essential Question for the Unit:

• Who am I and who are the people in my life?

Focus Question for the Week:

• What makes me important and unique?

Focused Learning Activity for the Week:

Students will be asked to look at themselves in the mirror.  What do they see? What features do they notice on their own faces? Where are their eyes? Noses? Mouths? Ears? Eyebrows? Etc. What do they notice about their features? What shapes are they?  Students will then be encouraged to draw their own self-portrait.
Students will be asked to dictate their thoughts about their self-portraits with prompts such as, “Tell me about your self-portrait."

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

• PK.SEL.2: Recognizes self as an individual having unique abilities, characteristics, feelings, and interests.

Foundational Text for the Week:

• Little Elliot, Big City by Mike Curato

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

• PK.ELAL.5: Participates in discussions about a text.

Questions That Will Be Asked Throughout The Week:

Level 1: Recall 

What is different about Elliot?
Elliot is very small; what things are hard for him to
do since he is so small?
What does Elliot like?

Level 2: Skill/Concept
How do Elliot and Mouse help each other?
How do you think Elliot felt about having a new friend?
How do you think Elliot felt when he got his cupcake?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking
What are some things that are hard for you?
What are some things that are easy for you?

Level 4: Extended Thinking
What are some reasons you might like to have a friend?
What are some things you like might like to do with a friend?
What are some things you can do to be a good friend?
How do you make a new friend?

Lessons and Activities for the Week:

Blocks-The student’s name cards will be available in block center.  Students are invited to write their names using blocks, discussing the lines in each letter of their name (straight, curved, etc.).

Art- Various size shapes from construction paper will be cut out and students are invited to use the shapes to create their bodies. After gluing the shapes together, or to a piece of paper, children can use writing utensils to add additional details (hair, patterns on clothes, etc.).

Science- Students are invited to use magnifying glasses to explore fingerprints, skin, hair, etc.

Math- Students will be encouraged to refer to their name cards and count how many letters are in their name, then place the appropriate number card next to the name card. Children can count the letters in their own names as well as their peers’ names.

Library- Students are encouraged to read a book with a friend. One child could read to the other or they could look at a book together.

Writing-  Students will be able to play a matching game where they match pictures of the students in the class with that student's name.

Sensory- Students will be able to play with their individual containers of play-doh.

For more information on the Lesson Plan, click HERE!

As always, please make sure to read the OLQM school blog for additional updates and information located, 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 October 26th!

Reminder

Students are invited to wear their costumes to school and online via Zoom on Friday, October 30th!  If students are in school, they must also wear a face covering throughout the school day.

ZOOM Links for This Week:

Monday 10/26 to Friday 10/30 

8:30 a.m. Meeting 

Meeting ID: 871 8421 6645

Password: prek4

Join URL:  Click HERE

2:30 p.m. Meeting

Meeting ID: 815 1643 6161

Password: prek4

Join URL:  Click HERE

The link for the read aloud of this week's foundational text, Press Here by Herve Tullet is located HERE.

Lessons and Activities for the Week for At Home Learners:

Monday- Invite your child to stomp on as many leaves as possible. Ask what they hear as they stomp. Do the leaves crunch and crackle? Why or why not?

Tuesday- Play different kinds of music and encourage your child to dance freely or copy movements. Pause the music at various points and encourage students to “FREEZE!” when they hear the music stop.

Wednesday- Invite your child to make a rainstorm with bodies. For example, they might rub their hands together, tap their fingers, stomp their feet, clap loudly, etc. to represent the sounds heard in a rainstorm.

Thursday- Invite children to use mirrors to look at their faces to examine their features and explore the connections between their features and their five senses.

Friday- Invite your child to play Simon Says. Give directions for touching their noses, ears, mouth and eyes, but only if “Simon” says!

Weekly Activity to be emailed to Ms. McGarry

Invite your child to smell or taste a new food or something they would not usually eat. Provide prompts to encourage discussion, how does it look? What do you see? How does the food feel before you try it? How does it feel in your mouth? How does it taste? How does it smell? Would you try it again? Why or why not?

Ask your child to draw a picture of the food that they tasted!

Please email the picture (with a description or dictation if possible) to me at MissMcGarry@olqmnyc.com or text the picture to (929) 279-1610.

Information for In-Person Learners

Unit Topic:

• My Five Senses

Essential Question for the Unit:

• How do we use our senses to explore, investigate and understand the world around us?

Focus Question for the Week:

• How do we use our sense of taste?

Focused Learning Activity for the Week:

A "Feely-Box" will be added to the science center.  Students will be asked to reach their hand into the box, describe what they feel, and guess what is inside the box using only their sense of touch.


Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:
• PK.AC.5: Demonstrates a growing expressive vocabulary.

• Foundational Text for the Week:

  • Press Here by Herve Tullet

  
  

  Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

  • PK.ELAL.5: Participates in discussions about a text.
  
  

  
  

  
  

  Questions That Will Be Asked Throughout The Week:

  
  

  Level 1: Recall 

  What are you supposed to press in this book?

  What happens when you press the dots in this book?

  What happens when you tilt and shake the book?

  
  

  Level 2: Skill/Concept

  Sometimes the book says to press gently on the dots. Press gently on your arm. How does that feel?

  Sometimes the book says to press hard on the dots. Press hard on your arm. How does that feel?

  The book says to blow gently on the dots. Blow gently on your arm. How does that feel?

  
  

  Level 3: Strategic Thinking

  What happens when you blow on something?

  What happens if you blow on something really hard?

  What happened to the dots when we blew really hard?

  
  

  Level 4: Extended Thinking

  When the book told us to clap more and more and more we clapped louder and louder and louder. Why?

  Were the dots really moving in this book? How do you know?

  
  

Lessons and Activities for the Week:

Blocks- Children are encouraged to use tree shaped blocks.  Students will be able to explore how the blocks feel and look compared to the other blocks in the block area.

Art- Individual containers of play-doh will be given to each child. Children can discuss how the play-doh feels, looks, and smells.

Science- A "Feely Box" will be added to the science center.  Students are invited to put their hands in the holes of the box and identify the object using only their sense of touch. 

Math- Students will be able to sort animal manipulatives by color, size, type, and texture.

Library- Students are invited to look at our classroom books and discuss what they see with their peers.

Writing- Scented markers will be provided to each student. Students will be encouraged to use their sense of smell as they use the markers.

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 October 19th!

 Reminder:

There will be NO Zoom on Monday, October 19th. 

ZOOM Links for This Week:

Tuesday 10/20 to Friday 10/23 

8:30 a.m. Meeting 

Meeting ID: 871 8421 6645

Password: prek4

Join URL:  Click HERE

2:30 p.m. Meeting

Meeting ID: 815 1643 6161

Password: prek4

Join URL:  Click HERE

The link for the read aloud of this week's foundational text, My Five Senses by Aliki is located HERE.

Lessons and Activities for the Week for At Home Learners:

Monday- Invite your child to stomp on as many leaves as possible. Ask what they hear as they stomp. Do the leaves crunch and crackle? Why or why not?

Tuesday- Play different kinds of music and encourage your child to dance freely or copy movements. Pause the music at various points and encourage students to “FREEZE!” when they hear the music stop.

Wednesday- Invite your child to make a rainstorm with bodies. For example, they might rub their hands together, tap their fingers, stomp their feet, clap loudly, etc. to represent the sounds heard in a rainstorm.

Thursday- Invite children to use mirrors to look at their faces to examine their features and explore the connections between their features and their five senses.

Friday- Invite your child to play Simon Says. Give directions for touching their noses, ears, mouth and eyes, but only if “Simon” says!

Weekly Activity to be emailed to Ms. McGarry

Invite your child to smell or taste a new food or something they would not usually eat. Provide prompts to encourage discussion, how does it look? What do you see? How does the food feel before you try it? How does it feel in your mouth? How does it taste? How does it smell? Would you try it again? Why or why not?

Ask your child to draw a picture of the food that they tasted!

Please email the picture (with a description or dictation if possible) to me at MissMcGarry@olqmnyc.com or text the picture to (929) 279-1610.

Information for In-Person Learners

Unit Topic:

• My Five Senses

Essential Question for the Unit:

• How do we use our senses to explore, investigate and understand the world around us?

Focus Question for the Week:

• How do we use our sense of taste?

Focused Learning Activity for the Week:

Ms. McGarry and Mrs. Madera will tell students that they will have the chance to smell and taste a few different types of apples.  The varieties of apples will be shown and named.  Students will be asked to describe how they look. They will smell and taste each kind of apple and reflect on which apple they thought smelled best and which one tasted best.

Students will record their answer by placing their picture on a chart in the appropriate column.

Foundational Text for the Week:

• My Five Senses by Aliki

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

• PK.ELAL.6: Retell stories or share information from a text.

Questions That Will Be Asked Throughout The Week:

Level 1: Recall

What are the five senses?
What do you use to see? Hear? Smell? Taste? Touch or feel? (In the initial read, focus on all senses. For later reads during the week that focuses on touch, highlight the sense of touch)

Level 2: Skill/Concept
What are some things you can see? Hear? Smell? Taste? Touch or feel?
How many senses do you use when you listen to a teacher read you a story? What are they?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Would you rather touch something that is hard or soft? Why? Smooth or bumpy? Why? Wet or dry? Why?
It could be dangerous to touch some things. What are some things that could be dangerous to touch?
What should you do if you see something that looks like it might be dangerous to touch?
How do our senses and body parts help us learn about our world?
How can our senses keep us safe?

Level 4: Extended Thinking
How can people communicate if they can’t hear or see?

Lessons and Activities for the Week:

Blocks- Children are encouraged to use tree shaped blocks.  Students will be able to explore how the blocks feel and look compared to the other blocks in the block area.

Art- Individual containers of play-doh will be given to each child. Children can discuss how the play-doh feels, looks, and smells.

Science- A "Feely Box" will be added to the science center.  Students are invited to put their hands in the holes of the box and identify the object using only their sense of touch. 

Math- Students will be able to sort animal manipulatives by color, size, type, and texture.

Library- Students are invited to look at our classroom books and discuss what they see with their peers.

Writing- Scented markers will be provided to each student. Students will be encouraged to use their sense of smell as they use the markers.

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