Hi Mom!
All week long we practiced recognizing, writing and counting numbers 0-10. We played folder games and clothespin games for correlation of numbers to what they look like counted out (clip the clothespin over the number of things that we counted).
To finish our number books, we dot painted pages for numbers 8-10 and then used stickers to show each number on their page. The books are covered and bound now and we'll be using them in class throughout the next few weeks, and then they'll come home so I can show you!
Ms. Marianne brought out two new games this week so we could have some fun with numbers. The first was a Shape/Color/Number review game. We spread the colored shapes with numbers on them around the driveway and when Ms. Marianne would call a number, we'd find that number and run to it, then call out the shape and color. We played individually, as partners and as a group.
The next game was number hopscotch! We sat in a circle and had to work together to create a number line out of the numbers we were given. The wind kept trying to "help" us by moving our numbers, but it kept putting them out of order! We're too smart for that and worked hard to put them back in order so that we could play the hopping part of the game. We got to count up to and back from 10 while we jumped outside of each number. Movement helps us remember! If I got stuck and forgot which number I was on, I just looked down to where my feet were.To continue our study of numbers, we made our very own number lines! Ms. Marianne let us choose the color line that we wanted, then wrote 0-10 on it for us. We strung beads on pipe cleaners and bent them so that we could keep the beads on them to count with. The beads move up and down the pipe cleaner, so I can move one at a time as I count them out loud. This will help me greatly with being able to master one on one correspondence. It'll also make it easier to understand concepts of one more and one less, simple addition and subtraction, that we'll be working with throughout the year.
This week was so exciting in that we were able to tie together math and reading by creating math sentences. We used a sentence template that said 'I see ____ cars' (or dogs / hats). The person whose turn it was chose a number and put it in the empty spot in the sentence and then counted out that number of pictures of that items and put them in the next line of the pocket chart. Then we'd use the pointer to read the sentence individually and as a group. It was neat to see how proud each student was to take their turn and read! We'll be using the pocket chart more often, exposing the kids in our class to the first 25 high frequency words that will prepare us for reading and Kindergarten. Our class is making such great progress! It's so neat to watch everyone growing and learning.
Did you know that the first day of Autumn was last week? Sunday, September 22, 2013 was the Autumnal Equinox and- even though it's still 100+ degrees outside!!- It's now officially Autumn. We will be studying the changing of the seasons this week in preschool. As a reminder, the following week is Fall Break, and there will be no preschool that week (October 8-10). After the introduction to Fall this week, we'll begin studying apples and pumpkins (and do some fun Halloween activities!).
Homework for next week is to bring a leaf to school. The larger, the better, so have fun searching! :)
Love,
Your Child
and
Ms. Marianne
