Our Week in PreK:
We had a busy and exciting week in our classroom. The children are enchanted with the topic of movement, and exploring it through various media. We also had several chances to welcome guests to the classroom, both kindergarten guest readers and our fifth grade buddies. Throughout the week, the children's creativity and learning through play was evident in all areas of the classroom.
This week, the students focused on the idea of movement. We asked them to explore how balls and wheels move with some engaging provocations. They noticed that balls and wheels move in similar, but different ways. We will continue these explorations of balls with some students during small group time next week.
As we have gradually been incorporating light as a manipulative in our classroom for students to work with, the students began to explore the idea of "light movement." They noticed that in some pictures we had taken, they could see the movement of light when they used flashlights or battery candles. Over the week they explored this topic further and began to "paint" shapes, letters, and designs. Students interested in this topic will have a "light movement" study group next week.
We welcomed many visitors to the classroom during the week, as Kindergarten classes finished up a unit of reading and asked to share their learning with us. Each class visited for about 10-15 minutes to read stories to us on separate days. The PreK students really enjoyed choosing books and hearing their kindergarten partner read a story with fluency. It's hard to believe how much the students will grow in their literacy in just one year. Many PreK students are expressing interest in reading now, and seeing their kindergarten peers reading is motivating for them.
We also welcomed our fifth grade buddies during circle time, which was focused on the idea of friendship. We played a few simple games with them, including "snowball fight." The fifth graders helped the PreK students decipher the "secret snowball message" on the inside of their snowballs. We really enjoy spending time with our buddies and can't wait to see them again on Thursday of next week.
Here are some more photos from our week together:
Students built a tent using materials in the classroom and workshop, to supplement their dramatic play.
The children enjoyed "painting with light" on the first day the projector was available in the building area.
Building with letters.
Literacy in the block area.
"We tried and tried so hard to build a chair, and we never gave up, and then finally we made one!"
Evidence of mathematical thinking in the block area.
The tent and campfire (with marshmallows and hot chocolate).
A bed built with blocks and decorated with stones.
Next Week:
The students will continue small group explorations of movement. Some children will study the movement of balls based on interest in last week's activities, while others will pursue their interest in the movement of light.
We will be finishing our current math unit of conceptual numeracy through ten, and the students will have a chance to review some strategies they have learned.
We will talk about the letter X. We will visit the PTO-sponsored book fair on Monday morning. On Thursday, our buddies will come for a holiday visit and we will make a craft with them, then read a story and share some popcorn.
Circle Solutions:
To support and facilitate conversations about the school-wide Pass the Parcel toy drive, we will focus on the core value of compassion during circles this week.
After-Care:
This week the children will focus on winter activities. They will make snowflakes with scissors and paper, make "snow" playdough, have pretend time with winter animals, and create transient art with snowman provocations (buttons, twigs, playdough, eyes, etc.).
Reminders:
Toys from Home (repeat announcement)
So many children are eager to make connections with friends by sharing their toys from home. However, we are finding that these toys are increasingly becoming a distraction from the carefully chosen materials and activities in the PreK classroom, rather than a way for students to create relationships with each other. Toys from home are not encouraged as they interfere with students' abilities to engage with learning tasks throughout the day. We appreciate your help in this request that supports all student learning. If, for some reason, a toy must come to school, we ask that it be small enough to fit in your child's backpack. If it is challenging or distracting for your child to keep it there, a teacher will hold on to it for safekeeping until the end of the day. Please know that even when toys are in backpacks or with the teacher, most children at this age will be focused on their special toys from home and will have a hard time focusing on their peers and on our learning goals for the day.
Please note that any child who has a transitional object, such as a special stuffed animal, should not be discouraged from bringing this to school when needed. This is different from bringing a toy from home to play with or show friends as it supports the child's emotional wellness during transition times. Please let the teachers know about this need if you have not done so already.
Upcoming Events:
Pass The Parcel
As a part of the Service Learning Office activities for the Elementary school and with the cooperation of the Students Council team, we will start a Warm Clothing Drive and Toy Drive to be donated to Stabl Antar Dreams School. The collection of the donations will begin on Wednesday, December 6th, 2017. Elementary school students will have boxes for donations in their classrooms. Middle and High school students will be able to donate in the boxes at Eagle Plaza (The front gate).
On the day of the Winter Celebration (December 21, 2017) there will be different stations to clean, fix, sort and wrap the donated items. Parents are welcomed to help with these tasks at the different stations during this day. Please check the full plan of the day here:
Winter Celebration Community Service Plan. Please follow our announcements and updates on the CACN, Newsletters and Tuesday's morning assemblies. Thank you for your continued support of CAC and helping others stay warm this winter.
CHRISTMAS BOOK FAIR
This year's Christmas Book Fair begins on Sunday December 10th in the Middle School Back Courtyard! Your child will be visiting the book fair with his or her class between Sunday the 10th and Thursday the 14th - see the schedule below. If you would like your child to shop during this time, please send cash
in an envelope with your child’s name (suggested: 300 LE). We are kindly asking for parent volunteers to help our students shop for books, we would need at least 2 parents per class. Please send us an email if you’re willing to help out!
All parents are welcome to come during our scheduled time, but we understand that some of you may not be able to join us. The fair will stay open Sunday-Thursday after school from 3:00-5:00 so you can accompany your child or purchase for yourself. The book fair will feature five local book vendors with English and Arabic books for all age groups. Keep an eye out for posters about our after-school book signing events ('Happy Belly' author Yasmine Nazmy on Wednesday!) On Thursday the 14th, a Mini Christmas Bazaar will open up alongside the book fair and the Booster Club will join us with hot chili from the snack restaurant and CAC gear on Sale!
Day and time for each class to visit the Book Fair:
PreK
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KGB
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KGC
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KGS
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Monday, December 11 8:30-9:00
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Sunday, December 10
8:00 - 8:30
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Sunday, December 10
8:30 - 9:00
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Monday, December 11
8:00- 8:
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Winter Celebrations
As we are planning for the last day of school which includes a house event, winter parties and culminating in a winter assembly at the end of the day, we hope you will all be here to join in the fun! If you can’t, we would appreciate knowing if you are planning to take your child/ren away at an earlier date. Please inform your classroom teacher.
Parents' Corner:
"Self-regulation underlies pretty much everything else we focus on as parents. A well-regulated child will do better in school, be better able to pay attention, get along well with others, and be empathetic. As parents, it’s also something we face daily with young children. Tantrums, big emotions, high-energy, impulsiveness — all of these things are due to the immature self-regulation system in children.
This is because self-regulation is one of the main things that in early childhood – both in terms of behavior and in the brain. Self-regulation in the brain does not fully organize until age 3 and does not fully mature until about age 5. Then the whole system reorganizes and goes through further development in adolescence. Some estimates place final “adult” maturation of this system occurs when someone reaches his or her early 40s! But the foundation for all of that occurs in early childhood."
Read more about three things about child development helpful for parents to know, here!
Research Opportunity
We have an exciting opportunity to collaborate with Saint Lawrence University in the USA, to contribute to ongoing research about children's ideas about ownership. This week, graduate students will visit our campus to engage with students in a brief play / question and answer session, in order to provide regional information which will be added to a world-wide study of children of this age.
Because we benefit regularly from ongoing research and best practice in the field of early childhood development, it is a wonderful opportunity for CAC to participate in this study. We hope you all will support this research opportunity. In order to participate, children will need to have a signed permission form which can be accessed here (
Permission Form Link). If, for some reason, you do not wish for your child to participate in the study, do not fill out a permission form.
By clicking the attached permission form link, you will find more information about the study. If you have any additional questions, please see Ms. Trillian or Ms. Amies.
