An Action-Packed Week in Pre K!

Greetings, dear parents!

How was your week? Here in the Pre-K class, we were very busy with lots of engaging activities in science, art, math, literacy, and fulfilling our class duties. Overall, it was a productive week in the Pre-K class, filled with fun!

Large group

We started our week with a warm and engaging large group discussion, where each child had the opportunity to share how they spent their weekend. The excitement was contagious as they described fun activities, family outings, and special moments. The teachers also joined in, sharing their weekend experiences, which helped strengthen the sense of connection between everyone in the class.

As the week progressed, our discussions expanded into creativity and collaboration. We explored the idea of creating a house on a canvas, brainstorming the different materials we could use. The students eagerly shared ideas, thinking about the details that make a house complete.

For literacy, we focused on the letters I, J, K, and L, exploring their sounds and learning new vocabulary words that start with each letter. In math, we introduced the heptagon, helping students recognize that it has seven sides. We also worked on rhyming words, specifically those ending in ”-an”, like fan and pan, building phonemic awareness in a playful and interactive way.

A highlight of the week was the introduction of classroom jobs and responsibilities. Each morning, we started our large group by assigning roles to students, such as:

• Calendar Helper – keeping track of the date

• Chair Monitor – making sure chairs are neatly pushed in

• Table Monitor – helping keep tables clean and organized

• Class Helper – assisting with various tasks throughout the day

• Caterpillar Person – writing numbers on the class caterpillar

• Line Leader – leading the class during transitions

• Lunch Helper – helping the teacher set up lunch outside

Literacy

This week, our literacy activities continued with the same concept but at a higher level. The class was divided into three groups based on the children's familiarity with literacy concepts.

In the first session, we worked with the first group, who already mastered blending two words. We let them practice CVC words using tangible, hands-on materials. The second group practiced blending two words starting with the vowel "i" by creating additional consonant letters. The children practiced writing on the board and used flashcards.

For the third group, who need a bit more practice with letters, we focused on the letters m, d, g, o, l, f, b, and u.

In the second session for the first group, we prepared a CVC words tracing, reading, and matching worksheet, which was very helpful for practicing reading simple words. For the second group, we provided plain paper for them to create their own two-letter combinations starting with the vowel "i," writing a consonant letter next to it. They blended these two letters and practiced making sounds.

For the third group, we gave them a tracing worksheet of some letters g, o, u, f, and d to help them recognize the letters they had learned in previous sessions while also working on their fine motor skills.

In this literacy session, we are very proud of all our children for the progress they have made. Every week, they level up- which brings them great joy in their advancement.

Finally, as we have been over the past few weeks, the class will continue exploring this topic in different engaging ways to make learning enjoyable and enriching for our children.

Science

This week in science, the class continued working on our planet project, which we started over the last couple of weeks. This project about the planets has made the class more exciting, as the children are passionate about the topic and give it their all!

This week, just like the previous weeks, we inflated balloons for the last two planets, Earth and Venus, based on their sizes. We then tore newspaper pages, used glue, and covered the balloons. After completing this process, we moved to the next stage of the project, which is painting the first planets that we created. The children began painting the planets Neptune, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Mercury and Saturn matching them to their actual colors.

Finally, after they finished, we placed the projects back in the sun to dry. This continued process is exciting for the class and teaches them patience. Next week, the planet project will be completed and displayed in our classroom.

Math

This week's math sessions continued last week's concept of measurement. This topic keeps the class engaged, encouraging discussions and reflections on their general ideas. This week's focus was on heavy and light measurements. In our first session, the class recapped the concepts of big and small. We also discussed heavy and light, where the children shared their thoughts, leading to a calm and productive discussion. In the second session, we brought in a scale, and everyone weighed themselves to see which were heavy and which were light. The children were so excited to find out their own and their friends' weights, and it was a great practical connection to the abstract concept that we've been working on.

"Heavy is Jupiter big one" Ismael

"My daddy can't lift up the car because it's heavy" Riley

"Soft box are light also you can count it" Liyat

"Papers are light" Ahmed

Art

This week's art project was a delight- a combination of active and creative. The class decided to create houses, and everyone was excited to get started. We discussed how they wanted to make the houses and what materials to use. Most of the children mentioned using wood. We then suggested using popsicle sticks to represent wood, offering them in different colors. The whole class loved this idea, and eagerly awaited the materials!

Then, they got to work on the house. The class decided to decorate it using a color pattern. They patiently waited for their turn and worked in groups, building their house in a very methodical fashion. The process of creating a pattern was a blast for them, as they took turns and carefully placed the popsicle sticks one by one, coordinating with their group members.

Library

During our library session, our Pre-K class read “Jack at Gymnastics”, and the students were completely engaged from start to finish. They excitedly observed Jack and his friends as they moved through different gymnastics activities, pointing out the various movements and equipment in the book.

As we read, the students eagerly made connections to their own experiences. They recalled times when they had done similar moves and noticed that some of the equipment in the book—like the bouncing ball, balancing beam, and monkey bars—looked just like the ones we have at school. Their enthusiasm grew as they shared memories of using these materials during playtime and gym class.

At the end of the story, we had a class discussion and decided on something exciting—during our next gymnastics session, we would bring the book along and try out some of the moves Jack did! The students were thrilled about the idea, making this a perfect way to extend our storytime into an active and hands-on experience. This session not only strengthened their love for reading but also encouraged movement, creativity, and real-world connections to literature.

Gymnastics

Our Pre-K gymnastics session was filled with excitement as we began by recalling the story “Jack at Gymnastics”, which we had read the day before. The students quickly remembered our plan to try out some of the moves from the book, and their enthusiasm grew as we brought out the gymnastics materials. They eagerly named the equipment they recognized from both the book and our school, making connections between the story and their own experiences.

The excitement peaked when they spotted the bouncing ball inside! But before jumping into it, we started with the balancing beam. Each student took a turn carefully walking across, focusing on their balance and coordination. Next, we moved to the mats, where the students practiced doing simple flips.

Finally, we got to the highlight of the session—the bouncing ball! Each student had the chance to place their body on the ball, balancing their feet on top while keeping their hands on the floor. This activity helped them develop body control and stability in a fun and engaging way. To wrap up our session, each student had the opportunity to demonstrate a creative move using the bouncing ball, showcasing their individual skills and imagination.

It was a fantastic session filled with movement, laughter, and teamwork, reinforcing the connection between reading and physical activity while giving students the chance to explore their abilities in a fun and supportive environment.

Overall, it was a meaningful and productive week filled with engaging discussions, hands-on learning, and valuable opportunities for students to take on leadership roles in their classroom community. We look forward to continuing the learning and fun in the coming weeks.

"it makes me big, strong and faster" Solomon

"Because I want to be stronger" Alpha

"Because it makes me big" Lielena

"Because I ride a bike" Hala

Small group

Monday: - Science

Tuesday: - Math

Thursday: - Literacy

Our Special

Monday: - Ethiopian center

Tuesday:- Library

Wednesday: - Art

Reminder

Every Tuesday is our library day, so we will be sending a book that your child picked from our library, which will be returned after a week on library day.

Every Wednesday is our art day so please send your child with art-appropriate clothing.

Thank you for your time!