Castles and Fairy Tales

Week of 12/6 - 12/10/10

THEME: CASTLES AND FAIRY TALES

This week in Preschool we will make magic wands in Art, have tea at the castle in Dramatic Play, play with the castle and knight set in Blocks, and hunt for the Queen's jewels in the Sensory Table. Each day we will hear a different Fairy Tale, including Cinderella, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Elves and the Shoemaker. In Religion, we will light our 2nd Advent candle and will hear the sotry of the birth of Jesus.

This year the Preschool classes will NOT be participating in the school Christmas program. Sorry for any confusion.

Friday, December 17 - Preschool Christmas Party at 1:00 pm in the classroom. All parents are welcome to attend!

**Next week, 12/13 -12/17/10, I will be taking a medical leave of absence. Mrs. Glover will be substituting so all will run smoothly! (A big thank you goes out to Mrs. Glover.) I hope to be able to return when Christmas Break is over on 1/5/11, but Mrs. Glover will be on call to sub if needed.

Hope you had a "Spudtacular" Thanksgiving!

Week of 11/29 - 12/3/10

THEME: WEATHER/SEASONS

This week in Preschool we will make fluffy cloouds and weather books in Art. We will play with "ice" blocks and Arctic animals in the Block Center. We will play with a "rain storm" in the Sensory Table. We will learn about the different types of weather that come with the different seasons. We will learn about the Letter Q. In Religion, we will learn about the season of Advent and Advent wreaths. We will hear the story, "The Angel Tells Mary Wonderful News." We will color an Advent calendar.

Christmas Break is Dec. 20 - Jan. 4!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Week of 11/22 - 11/23/10

THEME: THANKSGIVING

This week in Preschool we will make potato turkeys in Art, play with corn in the Sensory Table, build log homes in Blocks, examine different types of feathers, and do a turkey stamping Math sheet. We will pretend to make and serve Thanksgiving dinner in Dramatic Play. On Tuesday, we will have a special treat with our 6th grade buddies and will go to the 2nd grade play. We will continue to share things that we are thankful for in Religion.

Prevent Blindness will be doing vision screenings this week.

11/24 - 11/27 - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

Thank you for your support of the Appalachia gift drive and the Box Tops collection. Have a very blessed and relaxing Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving

Boy, it's hard to wake up!

Week of 11/15 - 11/19/10

THEME: THANKSGIVING

It's that time of year again and I am so thankful to all of you for the wonderful birthday celebration and for your wonderful kids! I had such a great day and it was so sweet to see all the kids walking into the classroom with cards (lovingly made) and flowers. Thank you so much for your time and effort. It was a wonderful surprise and very much appreciated.

This week in Preschool we will play in the tepee in Dramatic Play. In Art we will make pies and turkey legs. We will play with Little People in Blocks and with beans in the Sensory Table. We will sort fruit and play with the marble run set. We will learn about the letter O. We will go on an alphabet turkey hunt, and talk about the first Thanksgiving and our favorite Thanksgiving foods. We will learn about being thankful for all that God has given us in Religion.

Thursday, 11/18 - Wear your favorite Bedlam team colors and send in your Boxtops to vote for your favorite team!

Friday, 11/19 - Bring in Appalachia gifts if you would like to donate

Pets

Week of 11/8 - 11/12/10

THEME: PETS

This week in Preschool we will make calico cats and footprint dogs in Art. In the Block Center we will build dog houses out of wooden blocks. In the Sensory Table we will make nests and feed two small (artificial) birds. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to work at and visit a Pet Hospital. We will lean about the things that pets need for care and growth. We will share pictures and stories of our own pets. We will learn about the letter C. In Religion we will learn about taking care of ourselves and staying healthy.

****If you would like to bring a family pet to school for the children to see, we would love to have them visit! You may bring a pet in at the beginning or end of the school day, if that is more convenient for you. We would also love to see pictures of your family's pets. If you have any concerns about pet visits (allergies, fears, etc.) please let me know.

Week of 11/1/10 - 11/5/10

THEME: AUTUMN LEAVES

Happy Halloween, everyone! Hope you enjoy these pictures from Fun Day. As you can see, Iron Man was everywhere that day! This week we will make autumn leaves out of grocery sacks, crayons, and paint in Art. We will do a seasonal float or sink experiment as a Science Activity. We will play in a leaf pile, searching for autumn colored cubes, in the Sensory Table. Back by popular demand, we will play in the Beauty Shop in Dramatic Play and with the Doll House in the Block Center. We will talk about all of the changes that autumn brings, and will play fall games and do fall movement activities. We will learn about the letter U. In Religion we will learn about All Saints Day.

Wed. 11/3 is Pizza Day - Please send money for your child if you have not already done so.

A huge thank you to Jan Martin (friend of the Burke family) for sewing a cover for our kitchen!!

Colder weather is upon us. Please remember that we go outside at approximately 9:30 am three days a week and it is chilly! Please send warm coats, jackets, etc. for your child.

Happy Halloween!

Week of 10/25 - 10/29/10

THEME: HALLOWEEN

We will make Halloween lanterns in Art, using paint and cookie cutters. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to have a Halloween party. In the Sensory Table we will use plastic hammers to pound golf tees into a real pumpkin as a fine motor activity. In the Block area we will play with the train set. We will learn Halloween songs, play some games, and make a class spider web. We will learn all about our second vowel, the letter I. In Religion we will hear the Bible story, "God Made People Special."

Thank you to all who donated candy and came to Fun Day. Thanks for your ongoing donations of snacks and treasure box items. Only four full weeks plus two days until Thanksgiving break!

Fire Safety Fun!

We sure had fun last week and boy, did the kids look cute in their Dalmation hats. They really enjoyed the fire truck (thanks Mr. Newton!) and learning all about Stop, Drop, and Roll. But now it's on to our next fun theme, PUMPKINS!

This week (Oct. 18 - 22) we will be tracing and painting pumpkins in Art. In Dramatic Play we will play in our Preschool Pumpkin Patch. We will learn about the life cycle of the pumpkin plant and will examine a real pumpkin using our senses. We will make a tasty pumpkin pudding. We will learn about the letter T. We will hear a Religion story about Jamal and his family cleaning up the beach, and we will discover ways to care for all of God's creation.

Tuesday, 10/19 - Picture Retakes

Wednesday, 10/20 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night

Sunday, 10/24 - SPX Fun Day - 1:00 - 4:00 pm

On Thursday, 10/21, I will be attending the Oklahoma Early Childhood Teacher's Association Conference. Mrs. Glover will be substituting.

Parents, please remember to have your girls wear shorts under their jumpers. Thanks!

Aw, Shucks!

Parents, as you can see we had great fun shucking corn. I love to see all of their wonderful expressions and hope you do, too.

Week of 10/12/10 - 10/15/10

THEME: FIRE SAFETY

This week in preschool we will make Dalmation hats and Fire Trucks in Art. We will learn about stop, drop, and roll and crawling low under smoke. We will play in a pretend fire truck in Dramatic Play. We will play with Rescue Heroes and vehicles. We will count Dalmation spots as a Math activity. We will learn all about the letter H. In Religion we will hear the story of God making the world and we will take a nature walk to enjoy all of God's creations.

Saturday, 10/16 - SPX Endowment Dinner

Tuesday, 10/19 - Picture Retakes

Thanks to all of the families for bringing snacks throughout the first quarter. We really appreciate you. A big thank you to Mrs. Houghton for coordinating our Fun Day booth. Please contact her if you can help.

Fun at the Farm/Fair

Week of 10/4/10 - 10/8/10

We will make circular sheep and muddy pigs (finger painting with chocolate pudding!) in Art. We will learn all about corn, how it grows, the many things made from corn, and we will shuck our own ear of corn as a Science activity. We will practice color sorting and animal matching when we let small farm animals take rides on the Ferris wheel and merry-go-round as a Math activity. We will play with feed corn and mice in the Sensory Table. In Dramatic Play we will harvest vegetables on our class farm. We will learn about the letter E. In Religion we will learn how our families love and care for us just like the Good Shepherd cares for his sheep.

Friday, 10/8 - No School - Diocesan Inservice
Monday, 10/11 - No School - Teacher Retreat
Tuesday, 10/12 - Free Dress if you donated change to the tuition fund

If anyone knows how to sew and would be interested in making a cover for our kitchen when it is not in use, please let me know. I will provide the fabric and anything else that is needed. I just lack sewing skills! Thanks so much!

Ready to hibernate in our bear cave!

Week of 9/27/10 - 10/1/10

THEME: APPLES

We will have fun with apples this week, using them for painting, measuring, and, of course, tasting. We will make pretend apple pies in the sensory table. We will learn how apples can be preserved with lemon juice as a science activity. We will hear a fun story called "The Little Red House With No Windows." We will learn all about the letter F. We will make F with wood pieces, play dough, and our magnet boards. We can also write F in our notebooks. In Religion, we will learn about the story of the lost sheep and how Jesus, Our Good Shepherd, loves and cares for each one of us.

Thursday, 9/30 - Flu Shot Clinic - 11:30 - 1:30 - See Wednesday Packet for more info.

We will continue collecting change for the St. Francis Tuition Assistance Fund until Thursday, Sept. 30. If your child brings in change, they get a free dress day on Tuesday, Oct. 12 (this was changed from Oct. 7).

Recapping Color Week and Moving Onto Bears!

We are all a box of crayons.

Science is fun - Color Diffusion

Tastes better than it looks.

Yum, Yum, Green Eggs and Ham!

Gosh, we had fun celebrating colors. I just couldn't resist putting lots of pictures on this week. Every day we learned about a new color. We worked together to add the colors to our class rainbow and searched for items in our room for each new color. At the end of the two weeks, we made crayon hats, marched around our room singing a color song, and ate delicious colorful cupcakes (thank you, Shannon, and Happy Birthday!)

Week of 9/20/10 - 9/24/10

THEME: BEARS

This week we will have a teddy bear picnic in Dramatic Play, pretend to make porridge in the Sensory Table, sort teddy bears brought from home and let them "hibernate" in our class cave (a box we will decorate) during naptime, and make circle bears in Art. We will learn about our first letter, the Letter L. In Religion, we will hear a story about how Carlos got his name and we will learn that our names are special.

Wed, 9/22 is Pizza Day - Please send money for your child if you have not yet done so.

The Book Fair is taking place all week in the Middle School Library.

Your child may bring a teddy bear from home for our sorting activities, on Wed. 9/22 and/or Thurs. 9/23.

SPX will be collecting change for the St. Francis Tuition Assistance Program. If your child brings in change, they can have a Free Dress on Thursday, October 7.

Week of 9/13/10 - 9/17/10

THEME: A CELEBRATION OF COLORS

We will continue to add to our class rainbow and will finish making our color books in Art. These will be sent home when they are finished. We will observe how colors diffuse in Science, using magic markers, paper towels, and cups of water. We will sort Fruit Loops onto colored pipe cleaners for a Math and Fine Motor activity. In the Sensory Table we will pretend to make "alphabet soup" using foam letters. We will learn some songs and finger plays from our handwriting program in preparation for starting Letter of the Week next week. In Religion we will hear the story, "Jesus Is the Good Shepherd," and will learn about all the people who love and care for us like Jesus.

Tuesday, 9/14 - School Picture Day - Wear uniform (M-W-F kids can meet us at 8:45 in the Parish Hall)
Wednesday, 9/15 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night - Wear SPX t-shirt and shorts or jeans
Friday, 9/17 - Favorite Color Free Dress for Preschool - We will also be making special hats and eating a special treat to cap off our color theme.

Thank you to all for coming to conferences! I really enjoyed meeting with you and learning more about your children.

SPX Book Fair is next week (9/20 -9/24) in the Middle School Library.

Ready to make shaving cream shapes!

Week of 9/7/10 -9/9/10

THEME: A CELEBRATION OF COLORS!

We will begin our two week celebration of colors, focusing on a different color each day. We will add to our class rainbow daily and will paint pages to make a color book in Art. We will search for colored items in the Sensory Table and will sort objects by color. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to work in a paint store. We will hear a fun story of Scat the Cat, who could change his color "just like that!" We will observe a color mixing experiment. In Religion we will be learning about Noah's Ark and the sign of the rainbow.

Thursday, 9/9 - Parent Teacher Conferences after school
Friday, 9/10 - Parent Teacher Conferences - No School

Tuesday, 9/14 - School Picture Day - Wear Uniform
Wednesday, 9/15 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night
Friday, 9/17 - Preschool Free Dress - Wear your favorite color!

At the end of our color study, we will have a celebration day on Friday, 9/17. Your child may wear their favorite color to class that day. (This will be like a free dress day so they can wear any shorts or jeans.) We will also be making special hats and eating a special treat that day.

M-W-F kids can come to get their pictures taken on the 14th. We will let you know our scheduled picture time as soon as we get that information.

Working Hard to Wash Dishes!

Week of 8/30/10 - 9/3/10

THEME: SHAPES

This week in Preschool we will learn all about shapes using flash cards, songs and games. We will be playing with a variety of shape blocks, puzzles, and manipulatives. We will make ice cream cone pictures in Art using triangles and circles. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to work and visit a beauty shop. We will search for shapes in the Sensory Table and will make shapes using play dough and shaving cream. In Religion, we will hear the story, "My Teacher Welcomes Me," and will give thanks for friends and school.

Monday, 9/6 - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
Thursday, 9/9 - Parent Teacher Conferences after school
Friday, 9/10 Parent Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL

Thank you so much to the Daugherty, Houghton, and Ray families for the generous donations of items for our treasure box! Looks like we are set for awhile but will let you know if we need more donations in the future.

If you are reading this now, you already know that I am adding to the blog weekly and trying to post pictures whenever possible!

Making Food Faces for Snack

Week of 8/23/10 - 8/27/10

THEME: MY FAMILY

We will learn about families by sharing items found at home in our family scavenger hunt, making family trees in Art, graphing the number of people in our family for Math, and acting out things that different family members do at Group Time. We will also be experimenting with the gear set in Science, washing dishes in the Sensory Table, and playing with the doll house family. We will begin learning about the wood pieces used to form letters. In Religion, we will begin using our religion program and will hear the Bible Story, "Let the Children come to Me."

Monday, September 6 - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL

Thank you to the Burke family for donating puzzles and paper for our class!
We are accepting donations for our Treasure Box. Any small items, such as Happy Meal toys, would be most appreciated. These do not need to be new - just things you might be getting rid of from your child's toy box.

Calling all Preschoolers!

Week of August 11 - 13, 2011

THEME: MY NEW SCHOOL

Welcome to all my new students and families! I am so excited for another fun-filled year of Preschool! This week we will spend time getting to know each other and our new classroom and school. We will learn about our routines and schedule, as well as our classroom rules. We'll have a lot of fun playing at centers: playing in the kitchen in Dramatic Play, playing with soft foam blocks in the Block Center, playing with sand in the Sensory Table, and making something special for Back to School Night in the Art Center. We will begin learning the Sign of the Cross and some of our prayers.

Don't forget Back to School Night for parents is Monday, August 16 at 6:00 pm. I'm looking forward to seeing you there. Also, the SPX Feast Day Picnic is Saturday, August 21 at 6:00 pm.

Week of 5/24/10 - 5/28/10

THEME: THE BEST OF PRESCHOOL

This week we will be playing with some of our favorite toys, manipulatives, center items, etc. that we have enjoyed throughout the year. We will review many things we have learned this year, finish our keepsake books, and just have fun being together!

Wed. May 26 - Super Kids Day! - Spirit Dress - We will have our own fun on the playground while the big kids play games on the field.

Fri. May 28 - Last Day of School! - Report Cards sent home

Thanks you so much for an awesome year with your wonderful children. They have learned and grown so much and I have loved getting to know each of them. I hope you have a enjoyable and relaxing summer.

Week of 5/17/10 - 5/21/10

THEME: BIRTHDAYS

This week in Preschool we will have a pretend birthday party in Dramatic Play, play with confetti in the Sensory Table, play with the train set and doll house in the Block Center, learn about how letters are put together to form words, and in Art we will begin working on keepsake books that will be sent home next week. In Religion we will learn about Moses, Joseph, and Elijah from the Old Testament. We will also work on learning our birth dates and will share stories about our favorite birthdays.

Thursday, May 20 - Jupiter Jump Party! 9:00 - 12:00 Please pray for good weather! Also, please send $1.50 for the party if you have not already done so. ***YOUR CHILD MAY WEAR SPIRIT DRESS THAT DAY!

We will be sending home your child's Handwriting Without Tears Workbook this week.

Week of 5/10/10 - 5/14/10


THEME: INSECTS AND SPIDERS

This week in Preschool we will make Honey Bees in Art and do Honey Pot Math. We will learn about the differences between insects and spiders and will have a Buggy Songfest. We will play with Rescue Heroes in Blocks and search for bugs in the Sensory Table. We will learn our last letter, Z! In Religion we will hear Bible stories about obeying God's word.

Friday, May 14 - CAFETERIA CLOSED - Please send or bring a lunch for your child. We will NOT be attending Shakespeare in the Park as a class but you are welcome to pick up your child and attend any of the performances.

Thursday, May 20 - JUPITER JUMP PARTY! All preschoolers and parents are welcome to attend. (No siblings please.) Please send $1.50 to help with the cost. Party is from 9:00 - 12:00 and we will be eating our lunch outside.

We have finished our Religion book so your child will be receiving a "diploma." For the next three weeks we will be doing Bible stories and review.

Week of 5/3/10 - 5/7/10

THEME: OCEAN LIFE

This week in Preschool we will be making Rainbow Fish in Art, going to the beach in Dramatic Play, examining seashells, making ocean habitats in Blocks, learning about the letter Y, and learning about Our Blessed Mother, Mary, in Religion. We will also be making a special Mother's Day picture which will be sent home at the end of the week.

Wednesday, May 5 - Picture packets due back

Friday, May 7 - We are going to the May Crowning Mass with our 6-R Buddies

Your child may bring a rosary from home to show to the class this week.

We had a great time clowning around last week! Our 8th Grade Teacher-for-a Day, Adam, was awesome. They all had a wonderful time.

Week of 4/26/10 - 4/30/10

THEME: CIRCUS

This week in Preschool we will be making elephants in Art, playing with circus animals in Blocks and the Sensory Table, pretending to be clowns in Dramatic Play, performing circus stunts and learning some circus lingo, and learning about the Letter X. In Religion, we will be making music for God using instruments. We will also watch a simple science experiment using popcorn and will complete a balloon math worksheet.

Friday, April 30 - 8th grade Teacher for a Day - Adam will be working in our room all day!

Thanks so much for sharing your stick horses, etc. with us last week. The kids had a ball with the Wild West theme and rodeo!

Week of 4/19/10 - 4/23/10

THEME: WILD WEST

Howdy, y'all! This will be a fun-filled week in Preschool. We'll be making vests from paper sacks in Art, going on a trail ride in Dramatic Play, panning for gold in the Sensory Table, having a stick horse rodeo, learning about the letter W, writing numbers 9 and 10, and in Religion we will learn about David who sang his prayers when he talked to God.

Tues. 4/20 - Cowboy/Cowgirl Dress
Wed. 4/21 - Free Dress, School Pictures (9:45 in Parish Hall), and Pizza Day
Thurs. 4/22 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night
Fri. 4/23 - Cowboy/Cowgirl Dress

Week of 4/12/10 - 4/16/10

THEME: CATERPILLARS AND BUTTERFLIES

This week in Preschool we will be learning all about the Life Cycle of the Butterfly by making caterpillars, cocoons, and butterflies in Art and acting out the life cycle at group time. We'll also make AB pattern caterpillars at the Art table. In the Sensory Table we will wrap pom-pom butterflies in yarn cocoons. We will play with waffle blocks in the Block Center, and we'll play with the kitchen and babies in Dramatic Play. We will learn that butterflies' wings have symmetrical patterns and colors. In Religion we will learn about prayers of Thanksgiving. We will be learning all about the Letter N as well.

Wed. April 21 - Pizza Day - Please send your child's completed form back by April 15
Thurs. April 22 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night at Maggie Moo's

Week of 4/6/10 - 4/9/10

THEME: FLOWERS AND PLANTS

Hello, one and all! I hope that you had a very blessed Easter with your families. After this week, there are only seven full weeks of school left. Can you believe it? This week in Preschool we will be making Splendid Sunflowers in Art. In Blocks we will be playing with farm sets, and in the Sensory Table we will be playing with beans. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to work at a Flower Shop. We will be planting grass seed in cups. We will draw faces on the cups and when the grass or "hair" grows, we'll have our own "Chia" friends! We'll also learn all about the Letter M. We'll learn the parts of a flower and compare real and artificial flowers. In Religion we will learn that we can pray anytime and anywhere, after we hear a story about David.

Friday, April 9 - Name That Tune Trivia at SPX

Week of 3/29/10 - 4/2/10

THEME: HOLY WEEK/EASTER

This week we will learn all about the events in Jesus' life during Holy Week by reading our children's Bible (your kids love Bible stories!) and looking at the Resurrection Eggs that help tell the story using symbols. We will make beautiful Easter eggs in Art using tissue paper and a little water. We will hunt for eggs in the Sensory Table and will pretend to get ready for Easter in Dramatic Play. We will do a simple experiment using eggs and vinegar. On Thursday we will get together with our 6-R buddies. We will work on the Letter V and numbers 7 and 8 in Handwriting.

Wed., March 29 - Report Cards Sent Home - please sign and return
Fri., April 2 - Good Friday - No School
Mon., April 5 - Easter Monday - No School

Thank you so much for all the generous donations of paper towels and wipes! This will really help us out. Thank you, too, for the on-going donations for our treasure box!

Please return Rice Bowls this week if you chose to participate in this Lenten activity.

Week of 3/22/10 -3/26/10

THEME: DINOSAURS

At long last, the week we've all been waiting for...dinosaur week! Yes, it's definitely one of the most popular, especially for the boys. We will be learning all about the different types of dinosaurs through, songs, games, experiments, and of course, a lot of play. We will be making baby dinosaurs hatching in their eggs in Art. The Block Center and Dramatic Play will be filled with lots of different dinosaurs. In the Sensory Table we will be digging for dinosaur bones (pasta in sand.) We will also be learning about the Letter A. In Religion we will continue adding to our Jesus Tree every time we read another gospel story. Also, we will be learning about Palm Sunday.

Friday, April 2 - Good Friday - No School

Monday, April 5 - Easter Monday - No School

I hope every one had a wonderful time over Spring Break. My family and I took a short trip to Memphis and had an awesome time exploring the history of blues, soul, and civil rights. Hopefully we are all rested now and ready for the home stretch.

If anyone would like to donate a box of baby wipes or a roll of paper towels to help us get through until the end of the year, it would be very much appreciated!

Week of 3/8/10 - 3/12/10

THEME: ST. PATRICK'S DAY

This week we will make rainbow headbands in Art, have a St. Paddy's Day party in Dramatic Play, search for 3 and 4 leaf clovers in the Sensory Table, and learn about the letter K. We will also learn the secret of "Magic Emerald Dust" (it's really pistachio pudding mix that turns green when you add milk -shh! don't tell the kids). We will listen to Irish music and do some Irish dancing. We will learn to draw a simple leprechaun. In Religion we will learn about St. Patrick and we will continue adding symbols to our Jesus Tree. This is like a Jesse Tree used during Advent. We are reading Bible stories about Jesus' parables and miracles and then adding a symbol for each story that we read. Also during Lent we are adding jelly beans to a class jelly bean jar for good behavior. Each color represents a different good deed or action. We hope to fill our jar by Easter!

Spring Break is next week, March 15 - 19 - No School!

3/1/10 - 3/5/10

THEME: FIVE SENSES

This week we will be learning all about our wonderful senses with many hands-on activities. In Art we will make texture books which will enable us to touch and describe different materials as well as practicing our cutting and handwriting. In the Sensory Table we will play with gloves filled with a variety of fun-to-touch stuff, including hair gel, flour, bird seed and rice. In Dramatic Play we will pretend to go on a campout, always an experience for the senses. We will taste sweet, sour, and salty snacks and make a class graph of our favorites. We will listen to familiar sounds and try to guess what they are, and we will play a listening game to see if we can identify our classmates' voices. We will smell some delicious and not-so-delicious food scents while completing a worksheet. We will also learn about the letter R, and in Religion we will continue to learn about the season of Lent and that this is a great time to help others.

Tuesday, March 2 is Family Reading Night in the Parish Hall
Spring Break is March 15 - 19!

Michael and his family are moving to Lousiana and this Wed (3/3) will be his last day. We will miss you, Michael, and wish you all the best!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

GUNG HEI FAT CHOY!

CRAZY HAT DAY!

Week of 2/22/10 - 2/26/10

THEME: MANNERS

This week we will learn all about using good manners and we will practice what we have learned by acting out different scenarios. In Art we will make place settings. We will observe two different sized parachutes and the rate at which they fall as a Science activity. We will pretend to work at a Subway Restaurant in Dramatic Play. We will practice differentiating between small, medium, and large. We will learn the letter B. In Religion we will discover that we have many church friends who help us come to know God's love.

Thursday, Feb. 25 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night

Tuesday, March 2 - Family Reading Night, 6:45 - 8:00 - for more info. see your Wednesday Packet (RSVP's due this Wed. 2/24)

Your children were very well behaved at Ash Wednesday Mass last week! Mrs. Glover and I were so proud of them!

Week of 2/16/10 - 2/19/10

THEME: CHINESE NEW YEAR!

This week we will learn all about this interesting holiday celebrated by many people around the world and we will compare it to our holidays. In Dramatic Play we will prepare for Chinese New Year (clean house, sweep out bad luck, and put money in red envelopes) and we will have a tea party. Chinese hats and parasols will also be available. In the sensory table we will use our fine motor skills to manipulate chopsticks. We will pick up pretend noodles with chopsticks and put them in take-out boxes. In Art we will make paper lanterns. In Blocks we will make homes out of red blocks for plastic tigers (this is the Year of the Tiger.) We will play a Chinese game called the Drum and the Flower. We will be learning about the letter P and we will practice writing the numbers 5 and 6. In Religion we will learn about Ash Wednesday and will attend Mass with our 6-R Buddies.

Wed. Feb. 17 - Ash Wednesday Mass with Buddies
Thurs (2/18) and Fri (2/19) - Spirit Dress Days. Our class won 2nd place in our building in the Penny Wars contest! So we get to have two spirit dress days so that all of the kids can participate.

Thanks to all who donated money to the Penny Wars for Catholic Charities. A special thanks to the Homeroom Moms and all the Parents for the the wonderful Valentine's Day Party!

We will also be enjoying King Cake on Tuesday of this week, thanks to Home and School.

Week of 2/8/10 - 2/11/10

THEME: VALENTINE'S DAY!

This week in Preschool we will make Valentine sacks in Art, listen to our heartbeats at rest and after exercise, make a graph of conversation hearts, learn about the letter D, get ready for Valentine's Day in Dramatic Play, and in Religion we will learn that Valentine's Day is all about loving and caring for others.

Tuesday, Feb. 9 - Class Pictures 8:50 am - Wear uniform - M-W-F kids may meet us in the gym.
Wednesday, Feb.10 - Pizza Day! Please send money for your child if you have not already done so.
Thursday, Feb. 11 - Valentine's Day Party 1:00pm in the Parish Hall! M-W-F kids and parents are welcome to join in the fun.
Friday, Feb. 12 - NO SCHOOL - Inservice Day
Monday, Feb. 15 - NO SCHOOL - President's Day

Thank you so much to the Homeroom Moms for planning and hosting our Valentine's Day party!
Your child may bring 20 valentines to share with friends to be passed out at the party.

Thanks to all the parents for a great turn out at Family Lunch Day and a wonderful Catholic Schools Week.

Next Wed. Feb. 17 is Ash Wednesday. We will be attending Mass with our 6-R Buddies!

HAPPY 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL!

Thought you might enjoy this adorable picture of the kids in their hats. We had a lot of fun that day and I still plan to try to do some 100 day activities with the T-Th kids this week, if we can fit it in with all the excitement of....

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK!!!!! 2/1/10 - 2/5/10

Yes, at long last the fun begins. This week we will attend the Talent Show, play in the Jupiter Jump, have lunch with our families, color pictures of Catholic School kids, make thank you cards for our parents, play in the Beauty Shop, learn the letter J, and practice writing numbers 3 and 4. The following schedule is a reminder of CSW attire:

Mon. Feb. 1 - Crazy Sock Day

Tues. Feb. 2 - Spirit Dress

Wed. Feb. 3 - PJ Day

Thurs. Feb. 4 - Favorite Team Shirt

Fri. Feb. 5 - Crazy Hat Day

Also, coming up are class pictures on Tues. Feb. 9 at 8:50 am. The M-W-F kids are, of course, welcome to meet us in the gym for pictures. And, please return pizza order forms (for the upcoming 8th grade fundraiser on Wed. Feb 10) by this Wed. Feb. 3. Thank you and have a great week!

Week of 1/25/10 - 1/28/10

THEME: HEALTHY BODIES

This week in Preschool we will learn about the difference between healthy and junk foods and will make a class bulletin board using magazine pictures. We will exercise our bodies and learn about caring for our teeth. In Art we will make salad collages. We will make "bean soup" in the Sensory Table. We will practice writing the numbers 1 and 2 in our handwriting books. We will celebrate the 100th Day of School! And in Religion we will hear the story, "Jesus Makes Two New Friends," and learn that the church is made up of the friends of Jesus

Tuesday, Jan. 26 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night

Wednesday, Jan. 27 - The 100th Day of School

Thursday, Jan. 28 - Parent Teacher Conferences After School

Friday, Jan. 29 - No School - Parent Teacher Conferences

**We will be celebrating the 100th Day of School for two days, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, so that all of the students will get to be a part of this milestone. We will be doing fun counting and art activities. A special thank you to Mrs. Ripp for helping with this!

**Due to the 100th day activities as well as the shortened week, we will not be learning a new letter until next week.

Welcome to our new student, Michael Kearney! He will be coming on M-W-F. We are so happy to have you in our class, Michael.

Last week during our Transportation unit we took a pretend trip on an airplane. After reading a book about planes, each student got a ticket and had to find their seat. Then snack was served while an "in flight" movie was shown. We have a lot of fun pretending in our room!

Preschoolers engrossed in the "in flight" movie!

Week of 1/19/10 - 1/22/10

THEME: TRANSPORTATION

This week in Preschool we will make hot air balloons in Art. In Blocks, Dramatic Play, and the Sensory Table we will be playing with a variety of vehicles, including cars, trucks, construction vehicles and trains. We will be practicing following directions and working at the tables as we complete some worksheets. We will pretend to take a trip on an airplane. We will practice writing our names. In Religion, we will learn what it means to welcome someone and we will talk about what it means to go to a Catholic School.

*Report Cards will be sent home on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Please sign and return them.

Tues. Jan 26 - Spirit Dress/Spirit Night at Incredible Pizza
Thurs. Jan 28 - PTC After School
Fri. Jan 29 - PTC No School
Feb. 1-5 - Catholic Schools Week
Sat. Feb 6 - SPX Auction

Week of 1/11/10 - 1/15/10

THEME: WINTER WONDERLAND

Yes, I know we've all probably had enough of this theme to last awhile! This week we will pretend to play in the snow in Dramatic Play, we will search for white items hidden in packing peanuts in the sensory table, and we will compare sugar and salt and will do a simple experiment picking up an ice cube on a string using salt to make it stick. We will make a snowy day in the woods picture in Art and we will learn some fun facts about penguins. We will also learn about the letter S. And in Religion we will talk about sharing good news like the shepherds did when Jesus was born.

***Important Schedule Change: We WILL have school on February 22 and 23 as the Kindergarten Testing previously scheduled for those days has now been moved to several Saturdays. See the Wednesday packet for more info.

Monday, Jan. 18 - No School - MLK Day
Wednesday, Jan. 20 - Report Cards Sent Home
Thursday, Jan. 28 - PTC After School
Friday, Jan. 29 - No School - PTC
Feb. 1-5 Catholic Schools Week

Thanks so much for sending the very cute baby pictures last week! The kids sure enjoyed sharing them and Mrs. Glover and I loved seeing them. If you forgot, feel free to send one this week.

Week of 1/4/10 - 1/8/10

THEME: SPACE

Happy New Year! This week we will be learning all about the planets and outer space. We will pretend to fly a rocket ship in Dramatic Play. We will search for stars in the Sensory Table. We will examine "moon rocks." We will take a pretend voyage into space as a class. We will learn about the letter G. In religion we will learn that new babies are a gift from God like Jesus was, and that we are all part of a family.

***Since we are learning about new babies and families in Religion, your child may bring in a baby picture and one baby item (toy, blanket, etc.) to share with the class.

Thank you so much for the wonderful Christmas party!

Wednesday, Jan. 13 - End of the 2nd Quarter
Monday, Jan. 18 - No School - Martin Luther King Day