Last Pictures ...

Missing you all - hope you are going lots of places, talking about everything, and reading everyday!

Lots of love, Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey

The weather, the kids, and the tidal treasures were all just grand this morning on our field trip to the beach. Your kids were so well behaved on the bus ride. They had brainstormed about the bus rules ahead of time, and I think I heard each one say thank you to Doug, our bus driver as they exited the bus at the end of the morning. They followed our rules about staying with their big buddy (adult chaperone) and their classmate buddy. They mostly followed the rules about ankle deep wading. And hunting under the seaweed for crabs was very rewarding! (All the boating was done on the sand, though it may appear otherwise.)

The kindness bucket

Hi Families,

Maybe you have heard that our class is focusing on kindness lately? We've read a couple of books that talk about everyone having an imaginary bucket that can be filled with drops of kindness. To represent this in class, we have a clear plastic vase that gets a glass bead (a.k.a. drop of kindness) dropped in when kids are seen being kind. After a week it's almost full! Which will earn a reward -- our graphics practice time done with shaving cream (instead of white boards and markers)! Here are some pictures of kindness being shared between classmates that warm my heart, maybe yours, too.

Hoping you will enjoy these pictures of our camping play theme. The kids are skilled at taking on roles (the mom, the brother, the dad, the ranger, the surfer, the lifeguard, the camp store clerk, etc.) using role speech and playing out scenarios -- just what we are looking for!

Recently, during PE, Ms McCauley has divided our class into 4 teams for a relay race and team building game. One by one, members of each team run to the other side of the gym, pick up a piece of foam, run back and tag the next person in line on their team. After all the foam has been collected, each team gets together and builds a structure out of it. So, it is a neat activity that gets our hearts beating, our voices cheering for our teammates, and then our brains thinking. Here are a few pictures of the results (along with pictures of the ever popular legos used during indoor recess.)

We have just finished our Pets and Vets play theme. Thought you might enjoy a few more pictures of the kids playing during that time...


Our final play theme is Camping. Our centers will slowly transform into a (pretend) campfire center, a tent center, the camp store, the beach, the ranger station, and one more, which is undecided at this time. Props from home that would support play in these centers would be welcome!

Looking ahead, we will have parent conferences on Thursday, May 23rd (afternoon) and Friday, May 24th all day. Our last day of Pre-K will be Thursday, May 30th. Stand by for news on how we will celebrate ...

Hope you all have a nice vacation!
Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey

After going on our field trip to see the owls, we had a Graphics Practice session where we drew owls. We used geometric shapes we already know to make up the parts of the owl/owls. They came out great!

Offering some pictures of our Pets and Vets dramatic play in action. Our centers have transformed from the Math center to the Vet's Office, from Literacy to the Humane Society, from Art to the Pet Food Store, from Science to the Pet Groomer, and from Blocks to the Obedience School. The kitchen area is still the kitchen area only with the addition of a cat. 

Owl Field Trip

Hi Pre-K Families,

We had a very successful field trip to watch the Wind Over Wings owl presentation today. The bus ride was great, and the owls were REALLY great. We saw a saw-whet owl, a screech owl and a great horned owl. Pippen and Queen Solomon were 2 of the 3 names. These were rescued owls that can never fly again, and we learned stories about how they all came to be rescued. Ask your kids about this. We learned about what we can do to help prevent wildlife from needing to be rescued: dispose of trash responsibly, recycle, cut the plastic constraints that hold cans and bottles together, and pop balloons. (Also, we are so proud to report that your kids were very well behaved!)

Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey

Pre-K has a new play theme - Pets and Vets. I thought you'd be interested in how your kids put many of the individual shapes we practice, into making a whole portrait of a dog, or several dogs. Beautiful work! (There is also one nice picture of Buddy Reading at the start of the slide show.)  

Valentine's Day in Pre-K

Well, I bet you thought you might see lots of pictures of your kids in their red and Valentine themed outfits that you sent them to school in ... Or our mini celebrations during the day ... Ha. I'll have to say, we had a very busy day getting treasured Valentines in each other's bags. It was a complex effort and involved lots of teamwork among the children. The results may not have been perfect (ie, did you get a misplaced Valentine or two in your child's bag, per chance?) and I didn't get a chance to grab the camera as this was happening.

So this post's slideshow highlights kids getting dressed for outside play independently, and the resulting play in the snow. Our RSU1 Wellness committee will appreciate this focus anyway.

Many thanks for all the thoughtful Valentines and treats that came to school yesterday. We love your kids!

Sincerely, Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey

Painting My Favorite Part

According to Maine's Early Childhood Learning Guidelines, specifically early language and literacy, one of the indicators of what children should know and be able to do when they enter kindergarten is retell information from a story. A Tools of the Mind classroom practices this several times daily with a brief discussion about "what was interesting" or "what was your favorite part" or "text to me connections," following a read aloud story. Your kids are pretty good at it! We decided to paint our favorite part of the Eeenie Meenie Mouse story today. Using watercolor paints. A hush fell over the room as they got right down to painting. Here's what our class looked like ...

 
I'm hoping you notice the lovely hand grasps of the paint brushes and the sharing of materials, as well as the paintings themselves. Please look for them in your student's bag or backpack tomorrow, and ask your child, "What was your favorite part?" 

Family Newsletter 2-3-2013

Dear Pre-K Families,

We'd like to invite you to look at our bulletin board on the left side of the hall before you enter our classroom. Your kids have work displayed there of which Mrs. Peavey and I are quite proud. You will see Venger Drawings, the results of an activity where we pass around a shape (in this case a rhombus), and brainstorm about what this shape could be part of. For example,a student might say, "This rhombus could be part of a diamond ring." Then the kids draw their idea and some add writing as well. This math activity helps kids recognize basic geometric shapes, use basic shapes as building blocks in their own pictures, mentally construct and deconstruct real world objects into their basic shapes and learn about using shapes purposefully.
  
The other recent display is our Helicopter Learning Facts, a connection with our Medivac Helicopter Center and Hospital Theme in play centers. The kids listen to a nonfiction text (sometimes just a few pages of a book), and draw and write about what they thought was interesting. The purpose of this activity is to practice remembering on purpose, use drawing and writing as a tool to remember, strengthen oral language skills and build vocabulary, and provide another context in which to practice writing and letter sounds. It also helps us experience listening to different genres of literature and develop a love of reading.

I predict your kids enjoyed both of these activities. Try asking them about their work as you walk by next time.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey

Family Newsletter January 24, 2013

Dear Pre-K Families,                                   January 23, 2013  

Brrrr. After checking with our Dike Newell office personnel, I learned that 12 degrees (correction from the hard copy newsletter) is the magic temperature for cancelling outside recess.

  

We have a new student in Pre-K! She and her mom joined us for a quick visit today, and we’ll be welcoming her all morning tomorrow.

For advance planners, we will be exchanging valentines (simple is good) on that holiday and perhaps celebrating with a special activity, healthy snack and craft. If you wish to contribute to the Valentine themed healthy snack, please let us know. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey 

P.S. Here are a few pictures of our first grade buddies reading with us on Thursday. It was a magical sound to hear the hum of all those readers sharing books with our kids ...  

          

Pre-K Week of January 15,16,17

Here is a longer slideshow from our past few days of Pre-K. You'll see a few "outdoors in the snow" pictures, as well as some nice results from our goal for independently putting on our winter clothing. We had a very exciting theme-oriented visit from our friendly Bath EMT's and firemen, which included touring the fire engine! Enjoying healthy birthday cupcakes at snack time and more play in our hospital centers rounds out the slide show.

January 12, 2013

Hello Pre-K Families,

A quick request from our school office. If your student will be absent, please call our Absence Hotline at 443-8285 and press 1 to report the absence. Thank you.

 Your kids have been doing a stellar job playing their Tools of the Mind math games recently, specifically "Making Collections" and the "Numerals Game." Both of these involve a counting game with paired math buddies. One child gets the Hand (gets to go first) and the other child gets the Check (this child's role is to briefly wait and then check the Hand's work.)The kids are looking at pictures or numerals, counting small objects to match, and then checking their work. Not only are they learning rote counting skills, but they are working in a social setting with a peer, practicing taking turns, and practicing checking their work. We are very proud of them!

January 2, 2013 Happy New Year!

Dear Pre-K Families,                                       January 2, 2013

You’ve probably heard the news from your students – we are in the midst of changing play themes from restaurant to hospital. Our play centers are transitioning into a gift shop, the x-ray department, a nursery, an operating room, an optometrist office and a medivac helicopter unit! We are making some props, reading theme oriented books, and will be playing in roles of patients, nurses, doctors, receptionists, etc., next week. We are seeking some items for our gift shop – used fake flowers, plastic vases and stuffed animals (that are not sentimental favorites of your child). Also, scrubs in small sizes. Many thanks for contributing to the cause, if availability matches our needs.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Bridgman and Mrs. Peavey

Back to school on January 2nd ...

Hope you and the kids are enjoying time off from school. Looking forward to seeing you Wednesday, January 2nd. A gentle reminder to please use the door under the covered walkway, even on Wednesdays. Many thanks.

Sincerely, Mrs. Bridgman

Indoor Recess

Thought you might be curious as to what your kids do when we stay inside on extra cold and rainy days ...


We have a nice collection of old Legos in a big sack, that keeps kids busy. We read books in our literacy center. Today Mrs. Peavey helped us make tiny thumbprint reindeer that will be made into a keepsake gift for each of our first grade buddies. 

More pretend play in our restaurant centers ...