Pumpkin Fun and More!
10/24/2020
Wow! It seems impossible that October is almost over! In spite of the fact that we are rapidly moving into winter weather here in Anchorage, the calendar technically still says “fall”, and we are continuing our study of pumpkins and scarecrows. We have been studying the lifecycle of a pumpkin and the names of the different parts of the pumpkin. We are going to be continuing our study next week by doing some scientific exploration of size (weight, height, and circumference), finding out whether pumpkins will sink or float, and using interesting adjectives words to describe what we notice about our pumpkins (smooth, bumpy, rough, slimy, stringy, etc.). We are continuing our literacy focus on matching uppercase and lowercase letters with a variety of activities, and we are also continuing to focus on hearing and recognizing the sounds which come at the beginning of words. One skill we have introduced is putting the letters in what we call “ABC order”. This seems like it would be a very simple task, but when faced with a pile of 26 cards, it takes a child quite a set of skills to accomplish it. A child must remember the names of each letter, where it generally falls in the alphabet (beginning, middle or end), and finally which letters come directly before and after it. So, to begin with we have the children do it as a small group activity with a large pocket chart and the help of Miss Cassy. We will practice this all year until the children are able to do it on their own. Our math emphasis continues to be on one-to-one correspondence. That means that not only can a child count by rote, but they can carefully count items without rushing and skipping some. This is easier for some children than others because some are just so anxious to show you how fast they can count, and some are just more meticulous by nature! We are also practicing comparative words (big, bigger, biggest, etc.) This is one important reason we have a “question of the day”. In loose terms the chart becomes a graph, which we describe as a “math picture which tells us information”, and it gives us the opportunity every day to practice using words such as more, most, less, least, fewer, and fewest. And of course, we can’t forget how Mr. Alligator helps us know “greater than” and “less than”! Sensory play is also an important part of preschool. Young children learn best when they can use their senses to experience things, and sensory play provides opportunities for children to learn in meaningful ways. Another important aspect of sensory play is that it is completely open-ended – that is, there is no clearly defined or “right” way to play. Sensory play is an avenue for all children to have successful learning experiences, regardless of cognitive ability or language skills; and since it is open-ended, it allows every child the opportunity to use their creativity and imagination. Sensory play can also support academic skills such as oral language development, volume and capacity, critical thinking skills, measurement, and fine motor skills. Next week we have some great Halloween-themed sensory play planned which should be a lot of fun for everyone! Yes, sensory play is often messy, but that is part of the fun, and the benefits are most definitely worth the clean-up!
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Fall Fun and Fine Motor Skills
10/10/2020
We have been having so much fun in the Beluga class as we have been learning about fall this week! We began our study of leaves with a leaf hunt around the PNA parking lot and then through the woods. As we walked, we talked about the things we could notice with our senses: the sight of the different colors of leaves and grasses, the damp and slightly sour smells of the woods, hearing crunch of the dry leaves, and the feeling different textures of the leaves. The children loved being outdoors for an extra long recess, and so did the teachers! Our math focus this week has been “sorting by attribute”. We used acrylic leaves and other fall items to practice this important skill, as we talked about color, shape, size and other features. This quickly became a very popular center! There have been several literacy skills which we have been focusing on this week. The children have enjoyed clapping the number of syllables in different words (hippopotamus has 5!!). We have also spent a good deal of time matching uppercase and lowercase letter “buddies”, listening for the beginning sounds in words, and we have read MANY books about fall and leaves. In the Nursery Rhyme “Old Mother Hubbard” we learned what a cupboard was, and what it means when it says that it was “bare”? As teachers, we try to make all of our activities engaging and (hopefully) fun, however, the activities we choose are almost always carefully selected to accomplish underlying developmental or educational purposes. For example, there is an unbelievable number of fall activities which can be done in a preschool setting, but we specifically chose many of our activities this week with the goal of helping to strengthen the children’s fine motor skills. Fine motor skills aren’t specific learning skills like reading or math, but they are very important for many school-related tasks as well as many important life skills! These include:
Fine motor skills utilize the small muscles of the fingers and hands, and they involve strength, fine motor control, and dexterity. The strength and coordination of these muscles will significantly influence the ability of a child to properly grip a writing instrument in order to properly form letters. A child who uses a palmar (closed fist) grip rather than a tripod grip (or if their tripod grip isn’t well-formed), will end up moving the writing tool by moving his shoulder and entire arm. The improper fist grasp requires extra effort, which in turn creates fatigue in the arm and hand. A child who uses a closed fist grasp will tire easily and struggle with the task of writing. So in order to build strength in this area, these are some of fun things we did this week: Improving fine motor skills will help prepare children for an increasing amount of writing in their school career. The trick is to make it as fun as possible, so they don’t even know they’re doing something that’s good for them!
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Melissa SmithMs. Smith has a degree in Early Childhood Education and has taught kindergarten for many years. Alaska has been home to Ms. Smith for 28 years, and she can't imagine living anywhere else! She has four children, a dog and two cats. She loves reading, camping, gardening, and genealogy! Archives
April 2021
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