IED PRE-K NEWSLETTER  

This week in Pre-K was all about friendship, we talked about how to be a good friend, sang songs together, and made compliment cards for our friends. We also introduced the concept of put-ups and put-downs and talked about how they make people feel. On Friday, we talked about Chinese New Year and each of the children received a red envelope containing a Chinese coin to bring them luck in the new year. Next week we will be switching our focus to community workers; talking about our neighborhoods and the people that work within them. We will also be continuing our look at the celebration of Chinese new year, making dragons, banners, and more to learn about the holiday.

Thanks and Reminders:

* Summer Camp registration packets will be available this Friday. Children ages 5 and up are welcome to attend. Please e-mail Ingrid if you're interested, it's always great fun!

* Three cheers for the parents who volunteered their time to the auction project! Thanks for being so fabulous.  

Monday February 8^th  

This morning we counted the calendar, checked the weather and sang the letter Rr song.  

We talked about put-ups and put-downs, and practiced giving put-ups to our friend during circle time. Later in the day we asked the kids the question "What is a friend?" here are some of their answers:

Sam- A friend is someone who's nice to you and plays with you.

Reese- A friend sleeps on the couch with you and makes you presents.

Addie- A friend makes pictures for other people.

Landon- A friend helps someone.

Ian- Being good friends means  helping your friends.

Finley- A friend plays with you and gives you put ups.

Milo- A friend helps you if you break a bone.

Cleo- Helps someone learn to draw.

Hannah- A friend is polite to you and comes to your birthday party.

Emmet- Somebody who helps you.

Kate- A friend helps you up.  

Books we read:

Stand Tall Molly Lou Mellon, Fox Makes Friends, Alexander and The Wind-up Mouse  

Tuesday February 9^th  

Today we counted the calendar, checked the weather, and opened our letter Rr bag. During circle time we introduced our compliment box, and read the book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? We talked about what it means to be a bucket dipper, and how it feels when we "empty" other people's buckets. Then we talked about the things that we can do to help "fill" the buckets of the people in our lives, and how it makes us feel when people do or say nice things for us, or "fill our buckets."  

We sang Mail Myself to You, What Are You Wearing, and the Pirate Song  

At the art table we had heart cut outs, stickers, markers, and glitter available for the children to make compliment cards for their friends. Set up next to the art table was our class' auction project; a mosaic flower pot. Antonia, Marne, Jennifer, Mary Kay, and Cary helped each child to choose their tiles, paint their fingers, print them, and to stick on their tiles. The kids all had fun, and created a beautiful piece of artwork for this year's auction. Thank you all so much for coming up with such a wonderful project, and helping the children to create it!  

Books we read:  

Frog and Toad Are Friends, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse  

Wednesday February 10^th  

This morning we counted the calendar, checked the weather and talked about how friends treat each other; relating our talk to the story we read, George and Martha. The kids talked about the things that George and Martha do for each other, and what makes them such good friends to one another. The kids really liked the story, "The Beach" and we talked about the line, "Friends never say, I told you so. Because that's not what friends are for."  

At the art table we continued to make compliment cards for our friends.  

During choice time legos, floor puzzles, dramatic play, the block corner, and shaving cream, were all available to the children.  

Thursday February 11^th  

Today we opened our letter Rr bag during circle, sang the letter Rr song, and made a list of words that begin with the letter Rr. Here are a few of the letter Rr words that our class came up with: Reese, race car, rhinoceros, rooster, rabbit, robot, Rick, race, rock, rain, railroad, radio, and rocket. We also counted the calendar and talked about yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  

We read the book, How are You Peeling? Foods with Moods, the children loved it and we talked about how friendship makes us feel; and how we react to how people treat us. Then each of the children shared a time in which they received either a put-up or put-down and the feelings that they experienced.  

We sang, The Days Of the Week and What Are You Wearing during group time, and finished working on person of the week pages for both Wyatt and Milo.  

Friday February 12^th  

Today was a busy day in Pre-K, saying goodbye to Elaina and welcoming our new teacher Molly. We read a few stories, played a game of hot potato, made compliment cards, painted crayon resist secret messages from Elaina, and even had a Coldplay dance party courtesy of Everett; who shared the song Rush of Blood to the Head.  

During morning and afternoon circles we read Wyatt and Milo's person of the week books and learned some new things about our special people of the week!