Our little builders worked hard again this week as we created and built a variety of structures. Our week began with writing in our journals what we would build if we were construction workers. At group time we practiced positional concepts with trucks and rocks and predicted rolling different objects down ramps. Which would roll and which would not roll and why? We discovered round objects rolled and flat items did not roll. Some rolled further because they were heavier. During center time we hammered golf tees into styrofoam, made buildings with foam blocks and shaving cream, patterned with construction trucks, found hidden alphabet letters in rice using tongs, strung wooden shapes with metal S hooks, sequenced 5 pictures of building a house, made a zoo for our animals using blocks, made homes with Lincoln logs, put small construction puzzles together and much more. Everyone enjoyed using construction trucks, pebbles, blocks, screws and dirt (playdoh). The next day we discussed skyscrapers. I showed them different pictures of skyscrapers and we used a variety of recycled materials to make our own class skyscraper!
It was fun to watch a video of a real building getting demolished using a wrecking ball. During center time, everyone enjoyed making towers and using the wrecking ball to demolish it. On Thursday, we decided to demolish our skyscraper using the wrecking ball! It took 3-4 tries to get it down! It was so much fun!!! We also used a smaller wrecking ball to knock towers down made with little blocks. We followed the card that showed us how to build different towers.
The hippos signed in to what was their favorite construction truck! The students also made a house out of cardboard in which they cut the roof out, added doors and windows and painted it using paint sticks. After it was completed we wrote the students addresses on them. We work on learning the street number and name during our opening time. In addition, we are working on recognizing our last name.
Our letter this week was K for key, kite and kangaroo. We went over the sound, things that start with the letter K, and built the K using magnet pieces. On Monday, we practiced tracing the letters P, B, and R on sandpaper, then copying them on our little blackboards. Our 2nd steps lesson focused again on the four steps to calming down. The lesson stressed using these steps over yelling or hurting the other person. To calm down we touch our stomach and say stop. Then we name the feeling and take belly breaths to calm down.
Our new character word is Be Brave. We listened to a book about trying new things and we sang the brave song. Next week, we will bring the students to the front of the class and go over the brave hearts you sent back to school.
Learning goals this week: cutting, learning personal information-address, fine and gross motor, recognizing and comparing numbers, making decisions independently, alphabet recognition and sounds, patterns, positional concepts, letter formation, persistent behaviors, curiosity, sequencing, resolving conflicts when they arise, respectful behaviors and having FUN!!
Books We Read
Pete the Cat Construction Destruction
Dig Dogs Dig
Mighty Dads
Construction Demolition Site
I Try New Things
YouTube video of a wrecking ball
Questions to ask your child:
1. What did we knock down with our wrecking ball? (blocks/towers buildings/skyscrapers)
2. Do construction trucks work as a team? (yes)
3. If you were to build something, what would it be?
4. When is your birthday?
5. What are your parents names? What is your last name?
6. What did Pete the Cat construct? (a playground)
Things to do at home:Play a game where you roll a dice and add that many blocks to a structure. Practice counting the blocks. Take turns with a sibling or parent in making one structure instead of separate structures. This way you are using teamwork to make a structure like the construction trucks do when they build a home or building.
Reminders
***Send Valentines in by Monday, February 12th to school. Please sign your child's name on each card. Please do NOT write who it is going to. This will help tremendously when passing out the cards to others. Also, please do not send food with your valentine cards.
2/14 Friendship Party-Wednesday at 11:00 All are invited
2/19 No School Presidents Day
Next Week
Friendship, Valentines, Shapes, Post Office
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| Practicing positional concepts |
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What will you build?
Journal entry |
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| We cut the roof out for our cardboard homes. |
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| Look at my book! |
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| Playdoh and tools! |
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| Look at our skyscraper!! |
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| Building zoos for our animals! |
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| We used a variety of recycled materials to construct our skyscraper! |
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| Which letter did you find? |
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| Patterning trucks and squares. |
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| S links to work on fine motor. |
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| We decorated our crowns during art class. |
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| We had a blast using the wrecking ball to demolish our skyscraper!1 |
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| Ramp rolling activity as a group. |
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| I am getting a pretend video of the wrecking ball! |
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We counted how many blocks we used to build our building
before using the wrecking ball! |
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| We got our the materials to build bridges like we did last week! |
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| We sequenced pictures to build a house. |
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| Who liked which truck? We signed in using our last names. |
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| Happy 3 1/2 birthday, Elle. |
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| Copying towers to use with the small wrecking ball. |
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| Which object rolled? Which one was the fastest? |
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| Show and Tell |
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| Show and Tell |
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| Show and Tell |
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| This tower is as tall as I am. |
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| Working together to make the buildings for the wrecking ball. |
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| Our class skyscraper completed! |
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| Structures out of noodles. |
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| Making buildings with foam blocks and shaving cream! |
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| We made structures out of noodles! |
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| Tracing P, B, and R then writing them on the little chalkboards. |
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