Almost time for Spring Break!

Ms. Still wanted to leave you with plenty to do over spring break so here are some fine motor/sensory suggestions.

· Play-doh Caterpillar: Have your child pinch off small pieces of play-doh and roll it into balls to make a caterpillar. This works on pinch strength and bilateral coordination.

· Pre-writing Skills: Have your child practice drawing circles to make a caterpillar body.  Draw vertical lines to make the caterpillars legs. If your child is not yet drawing circles, you can have he/she stamp circles using paint and the open end of a plastic cup.  

· Caterpillar Puppet:   Cut a slit in an old tennis ball to make a mouth. Glue on eyes and antennae to make it look like a caterpillar. Have your child squeeze the tennis ball to open the mouth and feed the caterpillar with their other hand. Use small pom poms, cotton balls, or coins as “food”.

· Caterpillar Roll-Up: Have your child roll up into a blanket to be the caterpillar in a cocoon, keeping his/her head out. This activity provides deep pressure/proprioceptive sensory input which can have a calming/organizing effect. 

· Caterpillar Crawl: Have your child commando crawl (not on hands and knees) as if to wiggle like a caterpillar. Set up obstacles for your child to move under, around, or over (ie. over pillows, under a table, etc.). This is another great heavy work/proprioceptive activity that facilitates body awareness and motor planning skills.

· Caterpillar Taste Test: Have your child taste the different foods that the hungry caterpillar eats in the story. Talk about the textures (soft, hard, mushy) and the tastes (sweet, sour).

End of Year Calendar:
April 2-6 Spring Break
April 9- Bird Egg Hunt- students will be looking for bird's eggs and creating a yummy snack
April 27- Artist Day- students are able to walk around and see different artists/musicians/creative people
May 11- Water Day- send your student in a bathing suit with an extra pair of clothes- we are getting wet
May 16- Field Day- come join us for a day of fun outdoor events
May 17- Class Party- 10am- contact Claire's mom or Tucker's mom for more details
May 18- Last Day of School

We had FUN at the FUN RUN!

Hi Parents,

Boosterthon was an absolute success.  The kids loved running, dancing, riding in wagons, and walking their way around the track.  Each child gets to keep the t-shirt they wore.  Also you can still make a donation if you wish.

The art soiree is around the corner on April 21.  Our class is contributing a set of note cards that the kids made.  Each child put prints on the note card with the thumb or fingers.  Then our very own talented Mrs. Brooke took those prints and create animals and figures out them.  Each child got to pick what their print became.  These will be available at the auction.  Please consider coming to this great event.  Special thanks to Kathleen (Claire's mom) for helping organize this.

The end of year party is right around the corner.  If you would like to help with planning please contact Claire's mom Kathleen or Tucker's Mom Beth for more information.

Also very important parents: please do not pass information through the bus driver!  It is important I receive a note or e-mail instead!

End of Year Calendar:
April 2-6 Spring Break
April 9- Bird Egg Hunt
April 27- Artist Day
May 11- Water Day
May 16- Field Day
May 17- Class Party
May 18- Last Day of School

Fun Run

Hi Parents,

Tomorrow is our Boosterthon.  Remember part of the funds raised will go towards redoing the cafeteria and some of it comes directly back to our classroom.  We will be running at 8:30am.  Please make sure your child is wearing sneakers because we will be running, walking, skipping, riding our way around the track.  Please come support your child.  If you want to check your child out after the race you must check them out from the front office.

Today we had a police officer come visit us.  We learned more about stranger safety.  We even got to sit in the back of the police car!

Also remember spring break is April 2-6.  There will be no school that week.

Parents, please do not try to pass messages to me through the bus drivers.  Sometimes they do not arrive to me.  Please make sure to send a note or e-mail to let me know important information. 

What a fabulous day!

Thank you parents for coming to our very wonderful spring show!  I was so proud of all the kiddos as they performed their songs and dances.  They all looked darling wearing their tie-dyed t-shirts.  It was such a special day.

Boosterthon Information:
We will be running Wednesday, March 28 at 8:30am on the field.  If it rains we will be running in the gym!  We will be running with the pre-k through 1st grade students.  Our kiddos will run, walk, skip, and ride in wagons around the track.  Please come out to support your student.  You may want to wear sneakers because many parents end up walking/running with student.

Also Spring Break is April 2-6!  Take time to relax and enjoy your student.

Boosterthon!

Hi Parents,

We had our Boosterthon Pep Rally Kick Off this afternoon.  Students enjoyed dancing and hearing about Boosterthon.  You should have a pledge book in your child's backpack to help explain on the pledge system works.  This is a wonderful opportunity for our kiddos to participate in!  The fun run will be Wednesday, March 28 in the morning.

Also don't forget our fabulous show this Friday at 9am.  Be prepared to be amazed!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Dear Parents,

We spent today talking about and celebrating St. Patrick's Day.  Special Thanks to Ollie's Mom Leah for sending in a special rainbow cake and playing the role of the leprechaun.  We have been discussing the "tricky" leprechaun this week and how we were going to try to catch him with leprechaun food (Lucky Charms).

Also today a dentist came and talked to us about how it is important to brush our teeth.  The kiddos were awesome listeners and made her a thank you card for coming.

We have started practicing on stage for the show next Friday.  The show is Friday, March 23 at 9am in the cafeteria.  Please dress your child in jeans.  I will have their tie dye t-shirt here at school to change them.  After the performance we will have a special treat to celebrate our hard work.  Please come join us.

Next week is the Boosterthon Kick Off.  You will be receiving more information about that soon.  The Fun Run will be the morning of March 28 and we would love for you to join us!

Happy Weekend!

Moving into March

Dear Parents,

We have started talking more and more about how March is moving us into spring time.  We also are talking about St. Patrick's Day and Community Helpers.

Yesterday, Nurse Susan from Kennestone came in to talk to us.  She talked about how helpers (police officers, fire fighters, nurses, etc.) help keep us safe.  She also talked to us about how sometimes going to see the doctor or a nurse is scary, but they want to help keep us well.

Today we played math games and also made special hats to wear in our performance. 

Thank you to everyone who sent in a white t-shirt for the show!  The kids are going to look great!

Also thank you, thank you, thank you for making such spectacular Yes I Can posters.  People are constantly commenting about how cool the posters are and how special our students are.  Your kiddos were so proud when they showed their friends.

Don't forget tomorrow is Chick-Fil-A night!  I hope to see everyone there!

Thoughts from Ms. Brooke

Our Pre-school theme this month is Community Helpers. There also happens to be a little holiday this month, St. Patricks Day! The children will be learning a lot about different kinds of people and that tricky leprechaun. My challenge this month is to really practice appropriate usage of pronouns. If your child is doing well with pronouns then improving their syntax and grammar structure while speaking.           

            As always these units will be chalked full of vocabulary. You can print off copies of images you find online for our monthly vocabulary listed below or just have these words/actions in mind when talking with your child this month.

            The formation of language begins at birth. As a child’s language develops, you can help your child understand how to use their language more effectively through your own use of appropriate grammar (classes of words, their forms, and functions) and syntax (the arrangement of words and how we put them together for a specific meaning). Some children with speech and language difficulties have problems understanding, pronouncing, and using even the simplest and smallest units of a word (-ed, - ing, -s). Children begin to realize that the more words they hear and repeat, the more their world is expanding. Even though children put together crazy sentences (that may make sense to a parent) or questions that are cute and comical, you should always respond to your child’s communication attempts with correct grammar and syntax. Responding to your children with baby talk when they are trying to communicate with you teaches them that this type of talk is correct and appropriate.

Here are some strategies to use with children at home to help improve their use of grammar and syntax.

·         Use correct grammar and syntax when speaking or responding to your child. Don’t focus on correcting your child. For example, if your child says, “Her hitted me!” you should respond, “Did she hit you?” Always respond as an adult. Don’t use baby talk.

·         Cut out cartoon frames from newspaper comics and glue them to cards. Add a cartoon speech bubble to the cards and have the child tell you verbally what the cartoon is saying. Ask questions about the cartoon that prompts the child to use different forms of the verb. “What do you think he is saying? What was he saying? What do you think he will say? Where are they going? Where have they been? Where are they?”

·         Print pictures of boys and girls off the Internet or make a point of discussing gender in your story books at home. Plainly state to your child, “This is a boy- HE is walking. This is a girl, SHE is swinging”. I often use the phrases, “When I see a boy doing something- I say HE. When I see a girl doing something- I say SHE

·         Make placemats for the kitchen table with pictures cut out of old magazines or newspaper of categories for the child to talk about before or after eating. Use a single piece of construction paper and place cut outs of letters on one mat, animals, machines, sports, and body parts on different mats. (Your wonderful teachers have these in their classrooms to use during all meals)

·         Use everyday objects around the house to teach plurals. “I have a spoon. You have two spoons.”

Even before children learn to read and write, they can learn to use correct grammar and syntax. Having a grasp of grammar and syntax will help your child with reading comprehension and writing in the future.

Adapted from: http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/233_TeachingFundamentals.pdf

Monthly Vocabulary:

-       Teacher

-       Farmer

-       Police officer

-       Fire fighter

-       Mail carrier

-       Doctor

-       Dentist

-       Librarian

-       wave

-       hide

Now back to Mrs. Massey........

A couple of other side notes:

- Please make a Yes I can! poster with your child showing all the things they can do.  Posters will be displayed around the school for Exceptional Children's Week to show how fabulous your child is
- Please, please, please send in a white t-shirt for the show
- Chick-Fil- A night is Wednesday, March 7 from 6-7

Upcoming Calendar Dates!
March 1- Send in your plain white t-shirt for Mrs. Massey to tie dyeMarch 5- Have your child bring their Yes I can poster to school.
March 7- Chick- Fil- A at 6pm
March 9- Teacher Workday
March 15- Picture Day (this will be for spring individual pictures and a class picture)
March 23- Spring Show
March 28- Boosterthon
April 2-9 Spring Break