Friday, March 27th!

Question for the Week:

What kind of lights are around us?

Weekly Foundational Read-Aloud: 

Round Trip by Ann Jonas

The YouTube Link to the weekly Read-Aloud is located:HERE

Questions to ask your child in response to the read-aloud:

• What color does the illustrator use to show light?
• What color does the illustrator use to show darkness? Why?

Learn at Home activity for today:

Friday:
      Fun Friday. Using a toy/ toys of choice, create something special.  Have your child create a story about their creation.  Children are not limited to one toy.  Please use as many toys as necessary to create a meaningful story.  

Movement Activity:

YouTube: (Sing along) Fire Truck by Ivan Ulz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emv-Yn6g1r4

For additional Music and Movement Activities, please look at Ms. Alma's Blog, located HERE!

I will be calling parents twice a week to check in.  If you would like to share any resources with other families, please let me know and I will add it to the blog!

Some resources that have been shared by parents:

     Apps:  
                  Khan Academy Kids

                  ABC Mouse

                  TinyBots (one time $2.99 fee)

Websites: 
Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
Miss Megan's Camp Kindergarten (facebook)
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (facebook)

Make your own lava lamp!

Other Useful Resources / Tips / Ideas

Brain Pop Jr. - Math Games

Scholastic Learn at Home - The website offers multiple days of content including read-alouds, movement activities, STEM activities, drawing activities, building activities, etc.  

One of the parents suggested to set up a free Zoom account and have one family member or friend teach their child something new each day via a Zoom call!

If you have any questions or concerns that are not addressed during our weekly phone calls, please feel free to email me at MsMcGarryCOVID19@gmail.com

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

Thursday, March 26th!

Question for the Week:

What kind of lights are around us?

Weekly Foundational Read-Aloud: 

Round Trip by Ann Jonas

The YouTube Link to the weekly Read-Aloud is located:HERE

Questions to ask your child in response to the read-aloud:

• The people in this book rode in a car and on the subway.  Do cars and subways have lights? Why?
• What do you notice about the pictures in this book? Why do you think the illustrator only used black and white?

Learn at Home activity for today:

Thursday:
      Crayon fun. Using a coloring sheet of your choice, you can sit with your child and emphasize coloring within the lines.  Children can work on coloring slowly and thoughtfully.  Ask your child to practice coloring with varying types of pressure.  Ask how the drawing changes when they apply more pressure to the crayon versus when they color lightly.

Movement Activity:

YouTube: Dancing Robots Song - Brain Breaks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mZHBSxfamk

For additional Music and Movement Activities, please look at Ms. Alma's Blog, located HERE!

I will be calling parents twice a week to check in.  If you would like to share any resources with other families, please let me know and I will add it to the blog!

Some resources that have been shared by parents:

     Apps:  
                  Khan Academy Kids

                  ABC Mouse

                  TinyBots (one time $2.99 fee)

Websites: 
Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
Miss Megan's Camp Kindergarten (facebook)
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (facebook)

Make your own lava lamp!

Other Useful Resources / Tips / Ideas

Scholastic Learn at Home - The website offers multiple days of content including read-alouds, movement activities, STEM activities, drawing activities, building activities, etc.  

One of the parents suggested to set up a free Zoom account and have one family member or friend teach their child something new each day via a Zoom call!

If you have any questions or concerns that are not addressed during our weekly phone calls, please feel free to email me at MsMcGarryCOVID19@gmail.com

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

Tuesday, March 24!

Question for the Week:

What kind of lights are around us?

Weekly Foundational Read-Aloud: 

Round Trip by Ann Jonas

The YouTube Link to the weekly Read-Aloud is located:HERE

Questions to ask your child in response to the read-aloud:

• 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?

Learn at Home activity for today:

Tuesday:
      Play dough fun. Using play dough with a variety of play dough toys, (cookie cutter, rolling pin, etc..) you can make a creation.  Children can roll balls, roll snakes, create different shapes as examples.  Children can also use play dough to make different types of food - pizza meatballs, spaghetti, etc... Use your imagination! 



Movement Activity:

YouTube: Patty Shukla- Stand up, Sit Down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9WAGkQUUL0

For additional Music and Movement Activities, please look at Ms. Alma's Blog, located HERE!

I will be calling parents twice a week to check in.  If you would like to share any resources with other families, please let me know and I will add it to the blog!

If you have any questions or concerns that are not addressed during our weekly phone calls, please feel free to email me at MsMcGarryCOVID19@gmail.com

As always, please make sure to read the OLQM school blog for additional information located, HERE!

Monday, March 23rd!

Question for the Week:

What kind of lights are around us?

Weekly Foundational Read-Aloud: 

Round Trip by Ann Jonas

The YouTube Link to the weekly Read-Aloud is located: HERE

Questions to ask your child in response to the read-aloud:

• 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?

Learn at Home activity for today:

Scissor Fun:
Using scissors with the supervision of an adult, please cut out a variety of shapes.  Shapes can consist of a triangle, circle, square, and rectangle.  When you are finished cutting your shapes, please use glue to paste them on a separate sheet of paper.  As your child is gluing their shapes on a separate sheet of paper, count the number of shapes together.


Movement Activity:
YouTube: Cosmic Kids Yoga - We're going on a bear hunt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAT5NiWHFIU

Below is a suggested daily routine to help keep your children engaged throughout the day:   

If you have any questions or concerns that are not addressed during our weekly phone calls, please feel free to email me at MsMcGarryCOVID19@gmail.com

Updates - March 16th - April 20th

All schools are closed until April 20th to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Virus. 

Please continue to read the OLQM school blog for all updates, located HERE

Below is a list of activities that you may do with your child that will help keep them learning during their time away from school.

Family and Community Engagement Activities by Theme

Light Theme

·     How many lights did you turn on this morning? Invite your child to pick one morning to count how many lights your family turned on as they get ready for the day. 

·     What do we see when the lights are off?  Turn off the lights at night for a few minutes and discuss what you can see without the lights. 

·     Create finger shadow puppets together at home by putting your hands in various positions in front of a light source (i.e. flashlight, lamp or sunny window) and looking at the shadows produced. Try to make different types of animals or make one puppet and use it to tell a story together. 

Plants Theme

·     Did you eat any roots/leaves/stems today (for example, potatoes, lettuce or celery)? Encourage your child to talk about the parts of a plant and discuss what kinds of plants they eat. 

·     If you have a plant at home, observe it together. You can discuss what the plant looks like, how it smells, the way it feels etc. After observing the plant, your child can write or draw about it and bring their reflections back to the class for a class book or display. 

Scholastic has created a wonderful website that provides online resources to help children learn at home.

https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome/grades-prek-k.html

    The website below has numerous Learning Games in both English and Spanish for parents to play with their child, as well as some printable worksheets.  These activities can foster social emotional and cognitive growth during their time at home this week.

https://olqmlearninggames.weebly.com

A YouTube read-aloud of the book Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is available HERE!

Week of March 9th!

Reminders / Notices:

• School is closed on Friday, March 13th.
• Students may wear green on St. Patrick's Day, Tuesday, March 17th.

     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. Madera 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.AL.1: Actively engages in play as a means of exploration and learning.

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!

Please always make sure to read the OLQM school blog for additional 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 March 2nd!

Reminders:

• Monday, March 2nd is Dr. Seuss' Birthday!  Students may dress up like their favorite Dr. Seuss character!
• School is CLOSED on Friday, March 6th, and Friday, March 13th!-
• Students may wear green on St. Patrick's Day, Tuesday, March 17th.
• Parents are invited to attend our Pre-K Hands on Science Activity Day on Wednesday, March 18th at 9:00 am in the gym.

    Unit Topic:

     Water

     Essential Question for the Unit:

          What does water do?

     Focus Questions for this Week:

     What happens when we put things in water?

     Focused Learning activity for the week:

      Ms. McGarry and Mrs. Madera will work with students in the Science Center.  Students will be provided with an assortment of materials (e.g., cotton ball, paper towel, penny, spoon), some absorbent and some that will not absorb water, as well as a dish of water and eye droppers or pipettes.  Students will be invited to place a few drops of water onto each item and note whether the item absorbs water.  A chart will be provided for children to record the results.

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

PK.PDH.5: Demonstrates eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills.

Foundational Text for the Week:

Float by Daniel Miyares

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

PK.ELAL.7: Develops and answers questions about characters, major events, and pieces of information in a text. 


QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ASKED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK:

Level 1: Recall

What did the boy make out of newspaper?
What did the boy play with outside in the rain?
How did the boy’s boat get into the river?

Level 2: Skill/Concept
The boy put his boat in puddles outside. Where did the puddles come from?
Why did the boy have to chase his boat?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking
How did the boy feel when his boat got wrecked in the river? How do you know?
How can you find out if something floats in water? What are some things that float?

Level 4: Extended ThinkingWhy do you think this book is called Float?
The boy’s boat floated in the puddles but when itwent in the river it fell apart. Why?
Why do some things float and some things sink?

Lessons and activities for the week:

Blocks- Pictures of bridges will be added to the center. Students are encouraged to try to build bridges. 

Pretend Play- Large cardboard boxes will be added to Pretend Play for students to pretend they are in a boat. 

Art- Students are invited to draw a picture with crayons. They may choose to draw an underwater or rainy day scene. After their drawings are complete, watercolor paints will be used to lightly paint over their crayon drawings. 

Science- Students are invited to sort animals into two categories: those that live in water and those that live on land. 

Math- Seashells will be added to math center. Students will be able to match the correct number of shells to a number card. 

Library- Students are invited to read books about or theme, water.

Writing- Students will be asked the question, "Where can we find water?" and be asked to write or draw their answers.

Sensory- Sand and water, or play-doh.

For more information on the Lesson Plan, click HERE!

Please always make sure to read the OLQM School Blog for additional 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