March 23, 2018

We are celebrating Literacy Week, and parents are volunteering to read to the children throughout the week.  Even though we are going to read a variety of books and embrace all authors, we are uniquely celebrating Brian Won, the author, and illustrator of the children’s favorite book, Hooray for Hats.  All the children are going to be wearing and sharing unique hats throughout the week. 

The more young children are read to, the higher their interest in mastering reading.  Reading out loud exposes children to letters, words, proper grammar and phrasing.    It enhances the development of their spoken language and literacy skills.  As they listen they gradually absorb the information they hear.  Their imagination, creativity, and cognitive development are integrated into the learning process.

Allowing children to pick the books they are interested in and turn the pages themselves keeps them active and engage in learning.  Reading out loud also teaches children to listen.   Children develop literacy skills and an awareness of language long before they can read. Language development is fundamental in all aspects of learning.  By reading aloud to young children, we can help them acquire the skills they will need to be ready for school. 

Books that were read:

• Hooray for Hats
• Hooray for Books
• Hooray for Friends
• Subway
• Pete's a Pizza
• From Head to Toe
• Giraffes Can't Dance
• I Can Handle It!  (I think it's going to be one of our favorites)
• Purple Crayon
• There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed some Books
• Mi Colores/ My Crayons
• Where the Wild Things Are and many more...................

Songs:

• Good Morning Song
• There are Seven Days in a Week
• What's the Weather
• Popcorn
• Watermelon
• 5 Little Speckled Frogs
• Mr. Muffin Man
• 5 Little Ducks Went Out One Day
• Where is Blue?
• Where is Thumbkin?
• Mr. Sun
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and many more.......

The children were eating strawberries, muffins, raisins, and cherry scones at their Tea Party. They wore their different hats as Hooray for Hats was being read to them.  The also enjoyed a cup of apple juice served from a Teacup.    

Sensory bags are inviting to toddlers.  Sensory invitations to play is a delightful resource that encourages children to explore their sense of touch and sight.  Madeline appears intrigued as she explores the sensory bag on the lightable.   The bag contained water, baby oil, orange watercolor, colorful rubber bands and letters.  She noticed how the watercolor moved as she touched and patted the Ziploc bag.  Madeline used her fingertips to press each letter, and as she pushed, they moved.  The movement encouraged her to touch other letters. 

The highlights of the Week:

Art: 

• Painting Wooden Alphabet Letters
• Mirror Painting
• Exploring white tempera paint on black paper, and cotton balls (Creating snowballs)
• Painting on butcher paper
• Painting on canvas

Teacher: "What letter is that Olivia?"

Olivia: "The letter O!"

Grayson is feeling at ease in his classroom environment and interacting with different materials.  

This fun activity helps children to experience a different form of painting on paper. It allows them to explore, experiment and discover that the composition of paint appears differently on each surface they paint on.  Mirror paper makes the painting shimmer, and the metallic surface creates a shiny and slippery appearance.  Each child projected different strokes on the mirror using paintbrushes.  As they see their reflection, they also see the different strokes he/she has painted.

Sensory:

• Model Magic

Harry: "A ballon!"

Mario: "A spider!"

The children are excited to wear different hats and share them with their peers.  Each hat is a representation of friendship.  As they exchange hats, they learn the concept of sharing and taking turns.  Even though we implement in the classroom the importance of sharing and taking turns, it is always a good idea to use different perspective to reinforce the concept. 

All the children are enjoying the different books that our special readers are reading.  It is always rewarding to have our parents read to the children in their classroom.