Classroom #4 explored, investigated and compared the outside and inside of apples.. The children enjoyed used a graph to record how many red, green, yellow or gala apples we collected. The kind do also used their five senses to taste the different kinds of apples, cooked apple sauce and apple dumplings, they had fun reading, singing, counting apples and the seeds we found inside the different kinds of pumpkins.
Cooking was delicious, 
PCS Orchestra Visit to the Preschool
Each year, a few members of the PCS Orchestra visit the preschool to put on a short performance and demonstrate their instruments to our little students. Comprised mostly of 5th -7th graders, these talented students captured the attention of our little ones! This event is especially fun for our preschool teachers because many of the orchestra members were our preschool graduates!!
Big Field Wednesday
On Wednesdays we get to go to the big field after chapel in the elementary school. We run around and play fun games. Today we played “Duck, Duck, Goose” but instead of “goose” we got to choose our favorite farm animal.
Let the Gourd Times Roll
Our little ones have been having a blast in Younger Pod this fall! Check out some highlights from our enrichment patio and outdoor classroom that will LEAF you smiling!
Enrichment Patio Library
Our friends are learning how to handle books! Turning pages with tiny hands is a major fine motor challenge. Book handling, orientation, turning pages one at a time, pointing to pictures and talking about the illustrations develop important early literacy skills.
Writing Center
Our little ones are so creative and love to color, stamp and sticker. Scribbling is so important to build dexterity and begin to understand that marks and lines can represent shapes, letters, objects, and people! We’ve been working with crayons, colored pencils, oil pastels, and chalk! As the year goes on, we’ll continue to progress using other fun materials.
Art
You’ll commonly see art alternate between table art and easel art on the patio. This intentionally engages a different set of muscles. The easel is a fantastic medium for our little ones! It allows them to take a step back and see their creation from a different perspective or physically lean in to their art.
Science and Sensory
At this age, science is sparking curiosity, exploring textures, colors, cause and effect. We are giving our little ones early exposure to a wide array of tools to manipulate and move objects around–tools like safe scissors, tweezers, scoops and measuring cups.
Dramatic Play
Pretend play expands our imagination, language and social skills! We’ve enjoyed home and kitchen, a pet shop, a farmer’s market, western and are currently enjoying a petting zoo.
Building
When we build we’re making connections, exploring cause and effect (filling and dumping), developing spacial awareness and so much more! We love to build!
Gross Motor
Movement is our favorite thing to do at two! We’re putting our muscles to work, practicing skills, developing eye-hand coordination and having fun while we do it! Our October pumpkin toss was a blast. Currently, our little ones are working on coordinating upper body movements with lower body movement via our yarn ball game. Practicing gross motor movements is so important and enables our little ones to perform everyday functions and self-help skills.
Friendship
Everyday, our little ones are practicing how to show love to each others by sharing, taking turns and of course HUGS! They especially like to help each other with their “jobs” (classroom routine tasks).
A Personal Note
It is such a joy getting to spend time with your little ones in younger pod. Their unique personalities and preferences are expressed everyday in our outdoor classroom and on the younger pod enrichment patio. The time I have with them is so special to me because I get to see their faces light up with intrigue and excitement in response to the carefully planned activities that I set-up for them everyday. I can’t adequately express just how much I value each relationship and bond that I get to build with each child. I pray for your family and your little one often!
💕
Ms. Kristen
YP Outdoor Specialist
Important Dates To Remember
November 2019 Preschool News and Calendar of Events
Happy fall! I hope everyone is enjoying this nice break in the weather! While it isn’t “looking” much like fall, at least the weather is cooperating! Thank you to all parents who joined our parent-teacher conferences. We enjoyed the opportunity to speak with each of you about your little one! We hope this conference helped set the stage for a great year of learning and growing!
Please glance through the following information so you can be ‘in the loop’ about all the fun we are having at school this month! Scroll waaaay down for the calendar of events including closures, holidays, fun events and more!
NOVEMBER CURRICULUM
Our November curriculum will focus on friendship, farm life, harvest, and Thanksgiving. Our older pod will take a BIG field trip to Underwood Farms and of course, we spend time reading the book Stone Soup to prepare for our annual Stone Soup celebration!
CLICK HERE FOR THE MONTHLY SKILLS SHEET!!
WHAT’S ON THE MENU?
UPCOMING EVENTS:Â
Underwood Family Farms Field Trip (Rooms 3, 2 & 1) – November 15 – The Older Pod will enjoy a day at Underwood Farms! We will enjoy a hay ride, vegetable show/demonstration, picking vegetables, an animal show and petting zoo! Please remember to complete and return your child’s permission form ASAP!
Day on the ‘Preschool’ Farm (Rooms 4 & 5) – November 15Â – This is an ONSITE event where the Younger Pod enjoy tricycle ‘hayrides’, farm-oriented games and activities, and an animal show!
Stone Soup Days – November 21 & 22 – Please note the change of date! Stone Soup days are an annual tradition where we read the book, “Stone Soup” and then we all participate in cooking a community pot of vegetable soup. As many of our families travel for Thanksgiving, we have changed the dates of this event to November 21 & 22 so that all students can participate in the fun!
Parent Ed Night: Conscious Parenting – December 4th, 6:00 – 7:00 pm – Childcare (and pizza for the kids!) provided! Join us for this interactive workshop where you will uncover the motivations for your child’s behaviors and how to respond empathetically to them. Presented by Karen Wu.
Grandparents’ Day – December 13 – This special event is for grandparents or grand-friends only! Please make every Our guests of honor will enjoy time classroom activities and a special presentation of Christmas songs.Â
Happy Birthday Jesus Party – December 14 – SAVE THE DATE!!!! –Â This is one of the biggest events of the year…you won’t want to miss it! You will enjoy a presentation of Christmas songs by the children in the PCS auditorium, followed by crafts and games outside on the PCS courts!
NEWS, NOTES & MORE
PCS Observation Days! Looking towards PCS as your school of choice? Sign up for an Observation Day!
NEW STUDENT ENROLLMENT 2020-2021: If you have a younger sibling who will be enrolling next school year OR if you have friends interested in our preschool, our applications for 2020-2021 are now open! We love our word of mouth referrals! Note this is only for NEW enrollees…re-enrollment for currently enrolled students will open in February.
PARENT TEACHER FELLOWSHIP (PTF) VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
Click for: Â MVP OPPORTUNITIES
Click for: MEAL TRAIN – PARK FAMILY (2 MVP HOURS)
TEACHER TREATS:
Thank you for your generous donations! The teachers LOVE their treat days!
October 18 – Parents of Room 2 – AMAZING lunch, thank you!
November 22 – Parents of Room 3
December 6 – Parents of Room 4
January 17 – Parents of Room 5
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TEACHERS!!!
November 27th – Ms. Pam
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:Â Â Â
October 30 & 31 – Pumpkin & Apple Day parties (see notices in classrooms)
November 9 (Sat) – PCS Fall Festival – All Welcome!
November 11 – Veteran’s Day Observed – School Closed
November 14 – OB Day / PCS Orchestra Visits Preschool
November 15 – Older Pod Field Trip: Underwood Family Farms – Volunteers Needed!
November 21 & 22 – Stone Soup Days (Lunch Provided) **Please note the NEW dates!**
November 27 – 29 – Thanksgiving Break – School Closed
November 25 – 29 – Note: TK-8 & Business Office Closed
December 5 – PCS Observation Day – Tell Your Friends OR View the PCS Kindergarten!
December 7 (Sat) – PCS Christmas Breakfast
December 13 – Grandparents’ Day – Minimum Day, Dismiss at 12:00 p.m.
December 14 (Sat) – Preschool Happy Birthday Jesus Party, 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
December 16 & 17 – Preschool PJ & Hot Cocoa Day
December 18 – Minimum Day, Dismiss at 12:00 p.m. – Happy Holidays!’
December 19 – Jan. 4 – Christmas Holidays – School Closed
Â
Kandinsky Circles
We looked at some of Kandinsky’s paintings. I also shared with them that he was credited as the pioneer of abstract art. We then focused on one of his most famous pieces, Color Study Squares with Concentric Circles, and made their own study but removing the distraction of many colors and only using 1 color. This allowed them to focus on arranging the circles across the paper. Enjoy! -Mrs. Monica
