[ARCHIVE] Pre-K CLASS

Beth Simon 

Why are real world conversations important to children? Children learn best when adults don’t talk to them about abstract concepts. Numbers and letters are part of the “abstract” world. Do we need numbers and letters? YES, absolutely! But children will learn about those things in due course. Children learn best when adults use concrete concepts that they can relate to in the world around them. 

By Kelli Harris

I recently watched a webinar on setting up intentional preschool classroom displays. Although most of the information was not new to me, it provided me with some new things to think about when I look inside a classroom. 

by Lisa Mulliken

From toddler to preschooler, my granddaughter has amassed a sizeable collection of plastic animals including farm and jungle animals, sea creatures, dinosaurs, and insects. Throughout the years, the collection has remained her favorite and most used toy. From sharks and whales in the bathtub to a cheetah in her pocket as we go for a walk, they have been constant companions. The cheetah and a squirrel have long been her favorites. Her dinosaur collection joined us for a recent family beach trip where she lined them up in the window sills and invited aunts and cousins to join her play. She can name all of her animals and knows many of their characteristics.

Plastic animals are wonderful, open ended learning materials that lead children into creative and imaginative child led play. They are easily incorporated into play with small building toys (Magna-Tiles are a current favorite at Mimi’s house!). We spend time building homes (or castles, zoos, and ice cream stores) for her animals which leads to great conversations and new vocabulary as we discuss where animals live or she shares her knowledge of dinosaurs. Playdough is used to make animal body or foot prints and animals join her water play outside on warm, sunny days.

Here are some other fun ideas for play with plastic animals:

• Play a matching game by matching a photo or sound with the correct animal. Or line up animals and have the child close their eyes while you take one away. Guess which one is missing.
• Sort animals by similarities or differences, land or water, pet or wild animal or omnivore, carnivore or herbivore.
• Name animal body parts to introduce new vocabulary such as antennae, hooves, fins, beak, tusk.
• Turn off the light and use a flashlight to make animal shadows on a wall or take them outside on a sunny day and trace their shadows.
• Take some plastic animals with you on a zoo or farm field trip and see how many you can find.
• Use a large floor map and place animals on the continent where they live.
• Read stories or sing songs about favorite animals, using the plastic animals as props.
• Add plastic creatures to a sea life sensory bottle.

Although plastic animals are often thought of as block accessories, put them in the hands of a child and they can be so much more! So, if you are looking for toys that provide a variety of learning opportunities and can grow with children through the years, pull out those plastic animals and let the fun begin!

The assessment team in PA is often asked if they have any tips to make meeting quality standards easier. Since they have experience visiting many programs in their professional careers, they have seen many programs employ strategies to make things easier, more efficient, and more effective. Implementing quality can be stressful or time consuming, but always worth it. So, this Q-T Corner moment aims at helping you along the way.

Leah Zabari

During the spring and summer months, I enjoy hiking, camping, and paddling on the lake. Last summer, I decided I was going to start visiting as many of the state parks in Pennsylvania as I could, explore hidden gems of our state, and start enjoying the outdoors even more than before. Each weekend I dedicated myself to finding new places to hike and if I wasn’t hiking, I was sitting under a tree with a book (yes, an actual book) or at the lake daydreaming while watching sail boats go by. I always feel better in my soul when I am outside breathing in the fresh air, feeling the warm sun on my face, and wandering through the woods. However, when the weather turns cold, my feelings of doing anything outdoors changes. I find myself feeling envious of hibernating bears during this time of year! This year, though, I made it a goal to brave the cold weather and continue my outdoor adventures.

By: Tracy Walter

When you hear the word “literacy”, what do you think? Do you think of literacy for children, in adults or does it make you think of literacy throughout a community?

Kitty Syster

Sorting and counting are great activities for preschool-age children, but children can lose interest in the activities when the items they are sorting and counting are always the same. Although there are plenty of commercially produced items available to purchase, they can seem repetitive in style and be costly. So, why not make your own? I have seen this accomplished with great success in multiple early learning programs over the years. You can create different sorting/counting activities with just a little bit of creativity and prep work.

By Aimee Currier 

Are you looking for something different to do with the children in your care? Maybe you need a new way to reinforce or teach math concepts, language arts or nature/science. You might be hoping to find a fun way to get children involved in creating art. Believe it or not, a walk outside can help you to accomplish all these things. 

By Amy Hoffman

I love trivia. I love learning random facts and attending trivia events, and I even developed a love of hosting a virtual trivia league last year; I’ll share more about that league later. Maybe my love of trivia is part of what made me enjoy teaching 3-year-olds. Not only did my students love to ask questions (and believe me, they REALLY loved asking), but they also loved hearing answers and finding out answers on their own.

By Kelli Harris

Cinco de Mayo is a time when Americans celebrate Mexican culture, mostly through food and drink, either at home or at their favorite local Mexican cantina.

But the real history goes something like this:

Cinco de Mayo, which translates to the 5^th of May, is always celebrated on that day and is a celebration of Mexican heritage. It commemorates the date of the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. Following the Mexican Civil War, an economically struggling Mexico did not have sufficient funds to make payments on Mexican debts to foreign governments. The country was then invaded by the United Kingdom, Spain, and France, who sought repayment of the outstanding debts. The United Kingdom and Spain signed treaties with Mexico and returned home. The French, however, did not withdraw. They engaged Mexican troops in a battle near the city of Puebla. The French were defeated and withdrew from the area. The victory was a large morale boost for Mexico which had fewer soldiers and military resources than France.

The U.S. celebration of the holiday began in California in 1863 as an expression of solidarity with Mexico against the French. By the 1930s, the holiday spread and was considered an opportunity to celebrate Mexican identity, promote cultural awareness, and build community.

Some fun facts about Cinco de Mayo:

• Although tacos are consumed the most on this holiday, mole poblano is the official dish of Cinco de Mayo.
• According to the California Avocado commission, around 87 million pounds of avocadoes are eaten on Cinco de Mayo in the United States.
• The holiday is celebrated in other countries besides Mexico and the United States. For example, Vancouver, Canada, hosts a “skydiving boogie” with aerial acrobatics. The Cayman Islands puts on an air guitar competition!
• To celebrate in Mexico, people dress up either as French and Mexican soldiers or in colorful outfits to participate in large parades.

Some ways you can celebrate in your classroom:

• Have children create sombreros or flower bands to wear.
• Make some Mexican food specialties for snack time in which children can help – guacamole, salsa, homemade tortilla chips, etc. This is also a great opportunity to incorporate some math skills and talk into the activity (measuring, looking at print to follow a recipe, etc.).
• Add a taco bar for lunch.
• Read a story about the Mexican flag and decorate your room in red, green, and white.
• Teach children Spanish words (encouraging children to use language and adding new vocabulary).
• Make maracas out of recycled materials and sing and dance to Mexican music.
• Help the children create a classroom pinata (starting several days before the holiday), fill with treats, and let them use a plastic bat to crack it open.

https://nationaltoday.com/cinco-de-mayo/

https://www.parents.com/fun/parties/special-occasions/fun-facts-about-cinco-de-mayo/