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

Week of December 17th!

WEEKLY REMINDERS:

• Our Holiday Party will be on Wednesday, December 19th!  Pizza will be provided for the children for lunch.
• Our Holiday Presentation will be on Thursday, December 20th at 9:00 a.m.

• There is No after-school on Thursday, December 20th. 

• Christmas break begins on Thursday, December 20th at Dismissal.  School resumes on January 3rd.

Unit Topic:

Where We Live

Essential Question for the Unit:

Where do the people and animals around me live?

Focus Question for this Week:

What types of homes do the people in my city (NYC) live in?

Focused Learning Activity for this Week:

• Pictures of animals and their habitats will be added to the science center.  Students will be encouraged to talk about the arrangement of animals as well as the arrangement of habitats.  They will then be asked to match the pictures, placing the animal in the appropriate habitat.  Students will be asked why or how they made the matches. The teacher will ask students higher order thinking questions, such as, "why do you think an animal would need thick fur to live in the arctic?

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

PK.CKW.5 (Science): Observes and describes characteristics of living things.

Foundational Text for the Week: The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf

by Mark Teague

Note: This version of the classic tale, The Three Little Pigs does not glorify violence or show violence in a graphic or frightening way.

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed: 

PK.CKW.1 (Technology): Describes types of materials and how they’re used.



QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ASKED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK:

Level 1: Recall

• When the farmer and his wife moved to Florida, what did the pigs want to do with the money the farmer and his wife paid them?

• What did the first pig use to build his house? What did the second pig use to build his house?

Level 2: Skill/Concept

• How do you think the first and second pigs felt when the wolf blew their houses down?

• How do you think the first and second pigs felt when they got to the third pig’s house?

• How do you think the third pig felt about sharing her house with the other pigs?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking

• Why couldn’t the wolf knock down the brick house?

• The wolf was very hungry so at the end of the story the pigs shared their food with him.

• What else could he have done to get food instead of trying to blow down the pigs’ houses?

Level 4: Extended Thinking

• The pigs used straw, sticks and bricks to build their homes; if you could build your own home what materials would you use? Why?

• When all of the pigs lived together in the brick house the third little pig asked all of them to clean their rooms. What are some things you can do at home to be helpful?

Learning Centers Available for the Unit:

Blocks-Pictures of different types of homes and buildings will be posted in block center and students are invited to build the homes in the pictures or similar homes.

Pretend Play- Students will decorate a building facade that will be used in the pretend play area.  

Art- Students will be supplied with popsicle sticks in order for them to create a home by gluing sticks onto paper.

Science- Multiple pictures of animals and their homes will be provided in science center for students to match.

Math- People figures, number cards, and pictures of homes will be placed in the math center.  Students will be encouraged to pick a number card, and place the corresponding number of people into a home.

Library- Students are encouraged to look at two non-fiction books about homes and compare and contrast what they see.

Writing-  Students will discover blueprints and create their own blueprint with blue paper and chalk.  

Sensory- Sand and water, or play-doh.

For more information about 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 December 10th!

WEEKLY REMINDERS:

• Our Holiday Presentation will be on Thursday, December 20th at 9:00 a.m.

• There is No after-school on Thursday, December 20th. 

• Christmas break begins on Thursday, December 20th at Dismissal.  School resumes on January 3rd.

Unit Topic:

Where We Live

Essential Question for the Unit:

Where do the people and animals around me live?

Focus Question for this Week:

Where do people and animals live?

Focused Learning Activity for this Week:

• Pictures of animals and their habitats will be added to the science center.  Students will be encouraged to talk about the arrangement of animals as well as the arrangement of habitats.  They will then be asked to match the pictures, placing the animal in the appropriate habitat.  Students will be asked why or how they made the matches. The teacher will ask students higher order thinking questions, such as, "why do you think an animal would need thick fur to live in the arctic?

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

PK.CKW.5 (Science): Observes and describes characteristics of living things.

Foundational Text for the Week: A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed: 

PK.CKW.11 (Reading Standards for Literature): With prompting and support, make connections between self, text and the world around them (text, media, social interaction).

Questions that will be asked throughout the week: 

Level 1: Recall

• Why did Hermit Crab need a new house?
• Hermit Crab liked the way his new house felt, but did not like the way it looked. Why didn’t Hermit Crab like the way the house looked?
• What are some of the things Hermit Crab used to decorate his house?

Level 2: Skill/Concept

• What are some things you like about where you live?
• Hermit Crab invited many friends to live with him; who lives with you?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking

• Hermit crab added many things to his home, which one do you like best? Why?
• When the Smaller Crab moved into Hermit Crab’s house she promised to be good to his friends. How do you take good care of your friends?

Level 4: Extended Thinking

• Hermit Crab was very polite and used his manners when he asked the sea creatures to decorate his house; when do you use your manners?
• What do you think Hermit Crab would have done if the sea creatures he asked to decorate his house said no?
• Hermit Crab moved two times in this story; have you ever moved to a new home? How did you feel about moving?

Learning Centers Available for the Unit:

Blocks-Pictures of different types of homes and buildings will be posted in block center and students are invited to build the homes in the pictures or similar homes.

Pretend Play- Students will decorate a building facade that will be used in the pretend play area.  

Art- Students will be supplied with popsicle sticks in order for them to create a home by gluing sticks onto paper.

Science- Multiple pictures of animals and their homes will be provided in science center for students to match.

Math- People figures, number cards, and pictures of homes will be placed in the math center.  Students will be encouraged to pick a number card, and place the corresponding number of people into a home.

Library- Students are encouraged to look at two non-fiction books about homes and compare and contrast what they see.

Writing-  Students will discover blueprints and create their own blueprint with blue paper and chalk.  

Sensory- Sand and water, or play-doh.

For more information about 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