Ms. Piper’s Class Newsletter 3-16-18

Hello, preschool families! We hope this message finds you well. This is the classroom update for the month of March.

What We’re Learning

Our current STEM Unit is Transportation. So far, the children have enjoyed visits from a school bus driver and a landscaper, who brought their work vehicles with them (afternoon class only), learning about flying on an airplane, flying paper airplanes, and building roads for the various transportation toys we have in our class for this unit. Next week we will focus on water transportation, using boats and seeing how many marbles they can hold. As this unit continues, we will do more with land transportation and roads.

We have completed our PATHS Social Emotional Curriculum for the year. We will continue to review feelings and practice doing “turtle” as a calming technique.

In literacy, we have been focusing on beginning sounds in words and names, and have just re-introduced the concept of syllables. You can support these skills at home by helping your child think of words that start with the same sound (not letter, necessarily) as their names and helping your child clap out the syllables in their names and other words.

In math, we have been working on measuring, comparing, and putting numbers in order. We do this by measuring our shoes and other objects (including the children’s heights very soon), using words like big/bigger/biggest, long/longer/longest, etc., building “stairs” with blocks and Unifix cubes, and doing puzzles that involve number order.

About children running in the field:  Thank you for your efforts to keep your children with you at all times while outside during drop-off and pick-up. We know that this is a challenge for many of the children who have previously enjoyed running together in the grass on the north side of the building. Our specialists (therapists) have taken on the job of helping us to monitor the perimeter of the building during these times, and have reported that many children are still running loose before school. We will reiterate the rules in class—again—but please continue to help us keep everyone safe by enforcing this rule with your children. It may be helpful to review it before arriving at school so that they remember the expectation before being faced with the temptation.

Important Dates

·      Mar 18: PTO FUNDRAISER AT PEEL in Frederick from 11 am – 6 pm

·      Mar 20: BUTTER BRAIDS Pick up 11:10-5:00

·      Mar 21: World Down Syndrome Day/Rock Your Socks Day

·      Mar 23-30: Spring Break

·      Apr 5: PTO Meeting 6-8 pm

·      Apr 11 and 12: Dress Like a Superhero Day

·      Apr 12: Pajama Day

Family Photos

Many of our families sent in family photos at the beginning of the year. We have them on a bulletin board for the children to look at and share with their classmates. If you have not sent in a family photo, please do! It is fine to send by email, we can print them here.

Classroom Wish List

·      We are ALWAYS in need of 5 oz. paper cups for snack.

·      We need more liquid Elmer’s Glue

 Thank you!

Ms. Piper and Ms. Sherry