Happenings in Pre-K

This month we have read many books about spiders, bones, pumpkins, living things, seeds, plants, space, etc. Every day in Pre-K is a learning adventure, we are always researching and investigating alongside children in an environment that is rich and where children can expand their learning and be part and co-protagonist of their own learning. As we listen to the children the studies evolve.

They are watching the growth of the sweet potato we placed in water about a month ago. They made predictions and pictures of what they thought will grow out of the sweet potato. They have noticed how roots are coming out of the potato and floating in the water as well as noticing leaves coming out of the potato and getting longer. This week we have been measuring the sweet potato growth. We talked about how many inches we estimate the sweet potato will grow in the next few days encouraging them to think further and utilizing mathematical skills.

As the seasons change the children have had more time outdoor and we are having different equipment like; balls, basketball hoops, hula-hoops, lots of chalk, and sand toys; encouraging gross motor skills.

At school there are many acorns that the children encounter every day and enjoy picking up and bring in them into our environment. We decided to utilize that curiosity in this wonderful material that comes from nature and use it to count in the math area. We counted all the acorns and we have a collection of a 100 so far.  

The children made pumpkins of many colors and shapes based on the story of "Spookly" that we have displayed inside our classroom.

We opened two pumpkins for the children to smell, touch, and get all the seeds out. The children then made predictions and they counted seeds individually. Every child had a different technique of counting which was interesting to watch and document. We found out how many seeds are in the pumpkin. There were a lot of seeds; 284 in one of them, and 420 in the second pumpkin to be exact.

Our garden continues to grow, and we have noticed how big the radishes are getting, which fascinates the kids.

The children have been bringing so many flowers for my birthday which we have used to set up provocations for the children to draw and paint.

Also, we have been working on exploring charcoal material indoors as well as outdoors. The children love the textures, but they are truly captivated with the fact that it transfers to everything. We have captured many moments and we are documenting the process of the experiences with charcoal.

Thanks for coming to the conferences; it was great talking to all of you and to show you how much the children are learning.

Mrs. Marjorie’s note:

I would like to thank everyone for making my birthday so special and making me feel so loved. I am blessed to have such wonderful parents and children. The outpouring of love, letters, cards, flowers, hugs, and drawings touched my heart. I love all the children and they are very special to me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Half Day

Friday, November 5 will be an early release day for Pre-K only. Hours will be as follow:

1. Class: 8:45am-10:30am.
2. Class: 10:30am-12:00pm

All day Class: 8:45am-12:00pm

*Blankets will be sent out home today for all day students. Please make sure to check their backpacks and send them back on Monday.

No School

In observance of Veteran’s Day there will be no school Thursday, November 11^th

Turkey Trot and Toy Drive

Saturday, November 20^th will be our 21^st annual Turkey Trot and Toy drive. More information will be coming soon.

Collections for soldier’s best friends

From October 25th - November 9th, we will be collecting donations for their therapeutic companion dogs.  There will be collection boxes located throughout the school where students may drop off donated items.  In order to better meet their needs, we have divided the items among the grade levels. These donations will be greatly appreciated.

leashes, collars, dog boots, grooming supplies - brushes, nail trimmers, dog shampoo, dog food, training treats, bully sticks (thin).

Things to remember

Procedures and information. Please know that we are doing everything in our hands to maintain the safety of the children and staff. 

• Pick up will be at the gate next to the front office.
• All children need to bring a water bottle marked with their names.
• All children need to bring an extra set of clothes in a zip-lock bag. This will be inside their backpacks and will only be used if an accident occurs.

For All Day students only:

• Parents need to bring a blanket in a zip-lock bag with their names on it, we will provide sheets as well as mats. The blankets will be kept in the classroom. On Fridays the blankets and sheets will be sent back home to be cleaned and returned on Monday. Please remember to send them back on Monday in your child’s backpack. 
• Your child needs a lunch box if you choose not to get free lunch that the school will provide. If you choose to send a lunch box and not to get the free lunch provided at school then make sure food items are cut in pieces to avoid choking hazards. Make sure lunch boxes have their names. 

Thanks for understanding and following the procedures and guidelines. We really appreciate it!

Gray Folders

Every Thursday we will be sending home a gray folder with your child's work, flyers, important information, etc. Please make sure to check your child's backpack and don't forget to send the folders back promptly the next day.  

Follow us on Social Media

Legend Springs Elementary: Twitter@LegendSprings  

Legend Springs Pre-K: Twitter@ls_prek

Thought for the month

Please remember the importance of reading to your children as well as the ability to use those fine motor-skills. Give them a piece of paper with a clipboard and encourage them to write anything they want. Use environmental prints (like Cheerios, Star Wars, Princess, Disney, Pop Tarts, Toys“R”Us) to encourage reading and writing. Make sure that whatever you do is fun for the child; when they feel pressure to do something then it becomes a chore and they will lose the excitement to learn, but when they have fun while learning they will want to do more and will thrive more. Enjoy the weather and keep making experiences with your child! 

Thanks,

Pre-K Team