Even though this has been a short week, we worked very hard.  The children really surprise me each day at what they have learned and are doing in the classroom. 

Centers

We have been working on our gallery display.  We decided to show off all of our research on New York City.  So, we have been making mini models of some of the famous New York attractions.  In addition, many of the children have begun making books about New York at the writing center.  There knowledge of the Big Apple has even shown up at blocks where some of the children built a model of the city complete with the Empire State Building, The Brooklyn Bridge and the Chrysler Building.  We also finished our classroom version of the book When It Snows.

Shared Reading

Audrey Wood has been our author/illustrator this week.  She has written so many great books.  Most of Audrey Wood’s books were illustrated either by herself, her husband or her son.  With the books that we read this week, we worked on the -ang  and –ing word families, the sound that is associated with the letter y when it is at the end of a word and we added two new words to our classroom dictionary. 

Math

Last week, we read the book The Doorbell Rang, by Pat Hutchins.  In this book, the children keep dividing up a batch of cookies each time the doorbell rings and more friends arrive at their house. For our math journals, the children determined how many cookies each friend would get if they shared a batch of 12 cookies with 4 people.   

Theme

The children are really learning so much about New York City.  This week, we read all of the children’s research and negotiated what we should build.  From there, we voted and the Empire State Building won.  Now, we are working hard to research this building and plan our own construction project.  So far, we have a tentative material list, a building plan and on Monday, the children will sign up for the jobs that they want to do.

Shared Journal

Journals continue to go great!  If you haven’t seen your child’s January journal, look for it to come in the next week. The improvement is amazing.

Important Dates and Notes:

In the next few weeks, we will be very busy!  Please don’t forget to mark your calendars for these upcoming events.

·        Just a note to please remember about our child who is allergic to nuts! 

·        Remember to send in an excuse when you child is absent!!!

·        We need PVC pipe for our upcoming building project.  If you would like to donate some to our class, please let me know.

·        Friday, March 3 is Read-Across-America Day.  We will wear our PJ’s to school this day!!!

·        March 8 & 9 - Teachers from South Carolina will be at AEEC to watch us learn!!

·        March 13 – Teacher Workday No School

·        March 14-17 –Spring Book Fair

·        March 16 – Family Meal for Blue Pod ($3 must pay in advance)

Kyle and Jonathan’s model of New York City.