Top o’ the morning !
First thing this morning the kids ate some yummy green mint and chocolate chip pancakes.
Today we played with more of our new activities that were out on the table. The rainbow teaches us to sequence by size. It also has numbers on it which helps us with number recognition.
For small groups we read a book. Reading to your child is so important. According to Scholastic
” Long before children can read books, they need to master key skills that will help them make sense of all those black squiggles on the page. The National Institute for Literacy has identified a number of building blocks that prepare children for reading. The key components of reading readiness include:
- Familiarity with print and books: It’s important for your child to know that people read words, not pictures, and that the words she sees in print are related to the words she speaks and hears.Reading milestones:
- Recognizing print in everyday life, on cereal boxes, street signs, and more
- Holding a book, turning the pages, and pretending to read
- Asking questions and making comments that show she understands what you read to her “
When I read it small groups to the children I point out letters on the page. I use my finger to scroll over the words so they know that is where I am getting the text from. I ask them questions. Sometimes we brush up on other skills while reading too , like math . On the page below we stopped long enough to count the leprechauns on the page.
Leprechauns are known for their ” magic .” Today I played a little math game with the kids by placing green coins on the table and asking them how many are there . After getting a correct number I moved them around in several different positions and ask each time how many are there. Sometimes they way I had them placed made it seem like there were more or less. ( This is the magic tie in ! ) Eventually we realized that any amount can look different depending on how it is placed and how we look at it.
Teacher directed crafts. This means a craft that is not made up by the child that for the most part is done by the teacher. I cut. I helped them glue. Every stinking leprechaun looks the same. We were not going for creativity here we were simply making leprechauns. There isnt much preschoolers learn while doing teach directed crafts except following directions ( like put that piece there…. or tear the ends of the orange paper .) I think we can all agree that learning to follow directions is important so all good is not lost. They also learn how much patience the teacher has as she struggles knowing this ISNT HER STYLE OF TEACHING. So.. moral to this story is – there is a cute little leprechaun mask in your childs cubby today, they all love them. 🙂
In circle time we heard a story using magnetic pieces about a cobbler and some elves. It is interesting how much more the kids listen when I change the way I tell them a story versus just reading from a book.
I am still trying to offer new and healthier food choices . How are you doing at home ? It really isnt more expensive to eat fresh whole foods. Doesnt today’s lunch look wonderful ?
