Preschool and the Christmas season

Friday 17th December 2020

Dear parents,

We really appreciate for your dedications to come and enjoy your kids’ efforts on the family day. It has been an inspiration and encouraged us to celebrate frequently.

Last and this week’s large group

Patterns continued to be our large group board activity. We have created a pattern of different colours and used different materials such as: beads, pipes as well as balloons. Everyone was so eager to make one. Both Aylin and Eliab started their own pattern and the rest of their friends followed the sequence. Aylin chose the pattern of red and green balloons, while Eliab chose the pattern of blue and green pipes. Limsa also kept reading the pattern of green and blue pipes correctly. We also had fun, finding them on the clothes we wear. The moment Aylin raised her hand and showed the star patterns on her clothe, Semai looked down and started lifting up her flower patterned dress.

On the week of 14th – 18th December, Christmas yoga was our large group activity. Both children enjoyed it and were committed to do the yoga poses. Limsa amazed us with her stunning pose. She stood still for more than 40 seconds posing with one foot and stretching both hands together up above her head just like a Christmas tree. Eliab tried to pose like a flickering candle too. He stuck his feet together, lifted hands up high together and bowing his upper body forward.

Last and this week’s small group

Monday

Cooperative game: as the age group of our class requires more educational games, I decided to come up with a game related to our science lesson that can both teach and entertain them.

We warm up with a game called ‘Simon says’. When the teacher lead them to touch their body parts saying, “Simon says touch your ears” they all touch their ears. After playing it for 5-8 minutes, we proceed into our game. A sketch of a human face was drawn on card box, cut out of sense organs were also ready for them to collage on the right places of the sketched face. Each one of us was so desperate to get to the so called the stage! Eliab couldn’t help himself from getting more and more turns.

Since we are working on our sense organs in our science class, we decided to explore through different musical instruments and identify their names based on the sounds they make. Each one of us has got a turn to play the musical instruments like: guitar, drum, xylophone, tambourine, maracas and shakers. Eliab chose to play both xylophone and drum, one with his right hand and the other with his left. Limsa was singing the song BaBa black sheep while playing the tambourine.

Tuesday

Literacy: Our lesson started with the reminder of letter ‘a’ and proceeded to a puppet show of a bear named Ba Ba bear. First he introduced himself and started telling them his story. The story goes like this: one day I was eating honey from a beehive. Then suddenly I heard a buzzing sound. At first I wondered what it was, the more it gets closer the more I was getting scared. Kids! What do you think it was? Eliab replied, ”Bee”. Then Ba Ba bear goes ow yeah! You’re right. It was a beeeeeeee! Then Eliab moved forward to give a high five to him and all the kids cheered, clapped for Ba Ba bear.

On this week: we revised the sounds that Ali Alligator makes. Limsa mimicked the teacher stretching her hands open wide saying, “aaaaaa”. Eliab sorted letter ‘a’ out of different 3D letters and blurted out the two sounds of it “aaaa, ae ae……..”.

Wednesday

Library: As usual, we have started our lesson, discussing the rules on how to handle books while reading. Then explored through different books of their choices and tried to identify the names of the illustrated pictures. Eliab’s first choice was a book about 2D shapes. He was pointing at each illustrated shape calling out loud its name.

This week we read a book related to Christmas, titled ‘Jingle all the way’ by Tom Shein Zapiane. It was about a homeless good dog, who loves to help others and at the same time looks for a friend and a home.

Special Day

Art: Even last week we kept working on our book ‘All about me’ and continued on our favorite foods. While Aylin was sticking her favorite foods, Limsa picked one. The moment Aylin figured out, she shouted, “Hey! It’s mine!” Limsa looked at her startled and gave her back saying, “Weee” meaning ‘Ok’ in French.

On this week we switched our art special day to Friday and worked on Christmas ornaments. We have mixed flour, oil, water and salt to make the dough, then shaped it into different ornaments and stuck a string to hang on the Christmas tree. Eliab was so focused, when mixing the dough and Limsa was rolling making it into candy canes. It’s ongoing process so that we agreed to decorate them on our next session.

Thursday

Science: last week we explored our sense of smell. Our lesson started with a breathing exercise and proceeded to our outdoor activity. Each child was blind folded and offered some fruits such as: Banana, Orange and Strawberry; to examine one at a time and guess its kind from the fragrance of its smell. Aylin guessed all the fruits right. Though Limsa was seeking for a choice, she guessed all the fruits right too.

This week we explored our sense of touch in a fun way. Materials like ball, toothbrush, paintbrush, pencil colour, plastic vegies, cup and some other stuff were put inside a card box that has two holes on opposite sides. Each child got a turn to slip her/his hands and feel the material she/he grabbed and guess what it is from its texture.

Friday

Math: Noticing Limsa grabbing the book about shapes, we chose to explore on different 2D shapes. Thinking that we are in the Christmas season, we plan to decorate a Christmas tree. At first we looked for shapes around our classroom, then started decorating a Christmas tree using different 2D shapes. Since it is ongoing process we decided to do the same activity on our next session too. However our main focus was on ‘circle’.

Next week’s schedule

Monday: Cooperative game

Tuesday: Literacy

Wednesday: Library

Thursday: Science

Friday: Math

Special day: Art

Quick Reminder

· Due to some schedule clashes, starting from next week our art special day is shifted to Friday.

· Since each child is ought to use his/her own personal clothe; we would love it, if you can send a scarf that your child can use to blindfold in our science class.