Sunday, November 4, 2012

Weekly Newsletter November 5th-9th

     We will begin Phase Two of our Spider Project this week.  We will finish our spider stories from last week.  Through these stories, we are engaging the children's prior knowledge of spiders.  This is important in order to build upon that prior knowledge.
     We will go on a spider hunt every day, weather permitting, this week.  We will learn the word habitat, and search for spider habitats outside.  (At home, you can discuss various 'habitats' to continue the use of the word.)  As the children search, they are taking an active role in their learning; they will experience a spider habitat first hand!  Providing children first hand, active experiences in learning will allow the children to not only engage in their learning, but also allow the children the opportunity to invest in their learning.  Engaging and investing children in their learning helps to create life long learners!
     We will draw what we see on our spider hunts too.  Creating a representation of collected information is a life long skill.  It also serves as an informal assessment to see what the children learned on the spider habitat hunt.
     We will make spider webs in the classroom using yarn and glue.  The children will have the opportunity to create their own web which will not only refine their fine motor skills, but also engage the children's minds in creative thinking!
     We will investigate various pictures of spiders as well.  The children will make observations based on the pictures of the spiders.  We will compare and contrast the spiders too!  The children are refining their visual discrimination skills, and also exchanging scientific ideas!
     We will begin a spider habitat table this week.  We will use this table throughout the project to create an environment that a spider would choose to live.  We will collect various items for the table as we learn throughout the project.  We hope to catch a spider and use the knowledge we have collected through the spider habitat table to create a habitat for a real spider!  Through this, the children are engaging in scientific thinking and sharing scientific ideas.
      As always, we will continue to practice writing skills, counting, and number recognition skills throughout the week as well!  We will have a great week!


This week:

  • NO SCHOOL TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6th
  • Wednesday, November 7th 7:00-7:55 Muffins for Mom in the church basement
  • Wednesday, November 7th 8:05 Chapel (Moms are invited to stay for chapel too!)

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