Ms. Piper’s Class Newsletter 1/10/20
Hello, preschool families! We hope this message finds you well. This is the classroom update for the month of January.
What We’re Learning
We are approaching the end of our second STEM unit, Wellness. We began this unit by learning about how our bodies work. The kids have been especially interested in bones and digestion. From there, we have talked about ways to keep our bodies healthy, from visiting the doctor to taking care of our teeth to eating healthy to exercise. This unit’s design challenge is a juicing experiment! In February, we will begin our Pets unit. (Looking ahead, I will be asking for photos of your family’s pets—feel free to send them early! Email is fine.).
We completed the first half of our Fundations curriculum, where we learned all of the letters, keywords, and sounds. This has been an engaging and fun approach to learning about letters and sounds. We have begun the second half, which incorporates writing and the formation of letters. Children who are going to kindergarten next year will spend more focused time on writing in small groups in the coming months. We are all practicing the letters in our names now, whether that means learning the names and order of the letters or writing the whole first and last name. You can help by practicing this with your child at home!
Our math instruction has focused on understanding sets, number sense, and patterns. Sets help us understand that things can be sorted and classified by different attributes. Number sense means understanding quantity and the fact that numbers can be used in multiple ways. Patterns are the things in our world, and in math, that follow rules of repetition. Spark has sent home flyers in Thursday folders that further illustrate these concepts and give you ways to practice them at home with your child.
Family Photos
Thank you to everyone who has sent a family photo for our wall! If you have not, please send one (either printed or by email) if you can, so we can put it up for your child to look at and tell us about!
Important Dates
Here is a link to important dates for Spark for the month of January.
https://sdpk.svvsd.org/
Additionally, be on the lookout for Parent Teacher Conference forms in your child’s backpack next week. Conferences are Feb 3, 5, and 6.
Classroom Wishlist
We are in need of the following supplies:
· Pom poms
· Paper bags (lunch size)
· Googly eyes
· Straws
Thank you for your support!
Ms. Piper, Ms. Michelle, and Mr. Steve