Amy Norton's Newsletter and Plans
May 4, 2015
We currently have one butterfly and more are getting ready to emerge! They eat the juice from things such as flowers, orange pieces, or other fruit. Your child may bring something in to feed the butterflies if they would like. It is going to be so much fun for the kids to watch the butterflies fly around in the pavilions!
The dramatic play center of the life cycle of caterpillar to butterfly has been one of the kids’ favorite activities of the entire school year! They have loved getting into the “cocoon”, putting on dress up wings, and feeding the caterpillar puppets the toy food that corresponds to the food that is in the book. We have a copy of the book in the dramatic play center to refer to as the kids are working on sequencing the story.
We will continue to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and do activities associated with the book. We will talk about the realistic aspects of caterpillars and butterflies in comparison to the silly story about the hungry caterpillar. Each time a story is revisited, something new comes out to learn or attend to. The kids see things in the pictures that they may not have noticed before. When a story is read multiple times, the concepts of author, title, characters, setting, and illustrator can be talked about. We also have many activities that we have been doing on the Smartboard as well.
Here are some more links to things we will be watching at school this week. They are very interesting to the kids.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQOFh1exp3A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tvl6wz7e9M
Many of the activities that we have been doing in class lately are either on display in the classroom or they will be in your child’s portfolio that you will receive at the end of the school year. Projects will gradually begin coming home.
***Attention Moms: Please check your child’s backpack on Friday for a special gift. The kids are very excited and proud of what they are making for you. They have been very hard at work!***
Upcoming Events:
Friday, June 5th- Last day of school for our students
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Dates: May 5-May 8, 2015
Circle Time:
Tuesday, May 5- Act out story with story characters
Wednesday, May 6-Act out story with puppets/toy food
Thursday, May 7- Butterfly/Caterpillar Patterning
Friday, May 8- Hungry Caterpillar Smart Board games
Centers:
Feeling Table: Dirt with shovels, rakes, worms, bugs
Blocks and People: Blocks, Tree Houses, Large garages
Dramatic Play: “From Caterpillar to Butterfly”
Table Toys: Butterfly Memory Match, Butterfly Numeral Matching game
Small Group (Art/Math/Literacy Activities):
Tuesday, May 5- Stamp Art
Wednesday, May 6- Sequence of egg to caterpillar; PM: “Very Hungry Caterpillar” mini book
Thursday, May 7- Finish “Caterpillar Cup” project
Friday, May 8- Partner Butterflies