Fantastic Fish Swim Through a Busy Week ~ 8/22 - 8/26

We began the week by looking at the color calendar on the bulletin board. We use red for Monday, orange for Tuesday, yellow for Wednesday, green for Thursday, and blue for Friday. This gives the children the opportunity to learn the days of the week, review the colors in English and learn them in Spanish, as well. Mrs. McIvor sang many songs with us. Our two favorites are "I'm a Little Teapot" and the "Chicken Dance!"

On Monday, we read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. This is the the delightful story that Mrs. Gootson read at the parent orientation. We created a "kissing hand suncatcher" for you to hang up at home. Please send back the kissing hand that you decorated with your child for their cubbie. You will pick up the suncatcher at Back to School Night on Thursday. This story helps the children transition to a new school and demonstrates that love is a two way street!!

On Tuesday, we met the Physical education coaches (Coach Pope, Coach Cameron, and Coach Every) and had great fun playing the "freeze Game" which incorporates listening and following directions.

Fingerpainting is so much fun!! This gives the children a sensory experience and we talked about red, which is called "rojo" in Spanish.

We read Those Mean Nasty Dirty Downright Disgusting, but INViSIBLE Germs by Judith Rice. We talked about the the importance of washing our hands thoroughly. Then we made VISIBLE germs by folding a paper in half and dropping "little dots of paint" onto it. The children folded the paint together

                                                         to create a symmetrical germ.

                       The Charger Cheerleaders visited our classroom early on Friday morning.

Make new friends, but keep the old! One is silver and the other is gold. Our class has added a new friend and he stopped by with his parents for an orientation visit.

We read many more books, and walked to the library to meet Mrs. Smay. The Fantastic Fish listened to Mrs. Gootson read, Will I Have a Friend by Miriam Cohen. Whew!! It was a busy week and we are just getting started. Buckle up your seat belts for a year filled with hands on learning!!

                BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT  - THURSDAY,  
                                         SEPTEMBER 1st
                                  JANET ROOT THEATRE
                                                7:00 p.m.

New Beginnings at Shorecrest

Our Alpha adventures began with greeting the teachers, making new friends, and learning the daily routine. The children have already learned to find their name tapes on the rug and to sit down at circle time to begin the day or to listen to a story.

 On Friday, we read one of my favorite rhyming books, Silly Sally by Audrey Wood. I will often list books that we read in class so that you may check them out from the library to read them to your children. All children love to hear stories over and over again. The repetition reinforces concepts, love of language, and interest in literature!

Building community is one of our goals for the Alpha Fantastic Fish this year. Rolling the ball to learn names of our friends was a circle time activity on the first day of school.

We eat snack Monday through Thursday in the exploratorium. It is a time to have conversations and use manners! What do we do for snack on Fridays? Come to Back to School Night on 9/1 and you will find out!

On Friday, we walked to the softball field for a "Fire Practice!" We emphasized to the children that we were not experiencing a real fire and now they know where to go and what to do if we do.

Next week we will meet the Physical Education coaches, have Music with Mrs. McIvor, and listen to a story read by Mrs. Gootson! Check the blog each week for the adventures of the Fantastic Fish as they grow, discover, and learn!

Any questions, just email me at:
Susan_Samuel @Shorecrest.org