Classroom News September 26, 2003

A Peek at the Week
WOW! The family collages were great! The children were all very eager to tell the class about their family pictures, and did a great job doing this! We will have them displayed in the class all next week. This week we read “Mortimer”, another book by Robert Munsch. In this story, Mortimer’s mother, father, sisters and brothers each try to get him to be quiet at bedtime. Each time, Mortimer sings a noisy tune. The children really enjoyed singing this each time it happened in the book. This book, along with last week’s “Mud Puddle” book will be sent home with each child starting next week. Your child can share this book with you, and should be able to tell you much of the story.
The afternoon class made a worm farm on Wednesday. This required scooping soil, sand, and leaves into a clear box, and then adding the worms. We will continue to observe the farm for signs of worm tunnels and other changes. Centers this week included: dollhouse with multicultural families, blocks, making family finger puppets, and coloring family books.
Vocabulary words this week: We learned the hand signs for these words: family, mother, father, sister, brother, grandmother, grandfather, child. Other vocabulary included: soil, sand, upstairs, downstairs, and tunnel.

Speech and Language
This week the bears went bowling. The students practiced the words for “my turn”, “your turn”. We also worked on requesting “try again”. We identified the pin, ball and roll. For articulation we practiced keeping our lips together when we make the p, b, and m sounds. We also worked on keeping our tongues behind our teeth when we make the /s/ sound.
Words to songs we’re learning:

Mortimer In the book, Mortimer repeats this each time another family member comes upstairs:
“Clang clang, rattle bing bang, gonna make my noise all day, clang clang rattle bing bang, gonna make my noise all day!”

For our flag time, the children are learning both “Yankee Doodle” and “Grand Old Flag”.

PLAYGROUND UPDATE
We have been having problems with bees making nests in every little spot on our playground. The custodians have sprayed multiple times, and we’ve had professional exterminators here twice. Hopefully we will get them under control soon, since we have not been able to go out for the past two weeks. Thanks for your understanding.

PT Group
This week the children practiced bouncing and catching balls, throwing them up and catching, as well as doing this with a partner. Following directions was also incorporated since everyone had to listen to Renee to hear when to start, stop, and what action to do with the ball.

PICTURE RETAKE CHANGE
As of today, picture retake day has been rescheduled to October 6th from 1:30-3:00 in the library. If you would like your child’s picture retaken, you will need to bring your child in during this time. If you expected a package and didn’t receive one, this means your child did not have an order form and money to hand in on picture day. Bring your check and order form Oct. 6th, and you can have your child’s picture taken then.

Looking Ahead
Next week we will be learning all about shapes. We will use shapes in various art projects, and practice drawing shapes with our fingers in shaving cream. We will also be using playdough and other fun sensory materials for practicing shapes.

As always, please feel free to call and leave a voice mail, send a note in your child’s backpack, or email me if you have any questions/concerns.
knagy@cromwellct.org