Bears! Bears! Bears!

This week we channeled our inner bears! We had fun bear dancing, singing about bears, and painting smelly bears too!

We sang this little song with our students this week. This is a fun little action song that helps to develop body and spatial awareness.

Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, reach up high,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the sky,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, bend down low,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your toes,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the lights,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say “good night”.

Smelly Bears

After reading Britta Teckentrup's book Big Smelly Bear we enjoy a painting sensory experience. We mixed cinnamon with brown paint to create some delicious smelling art!

Bear Cave!

We had fun creating a bear cave out of some old boxes this week. We always welcome big boxes. If you ever have a big box to get rid of, we would love to take it off your hands!

Bear Drumming and Dancing

We enjoyed watching Laura Grizzlypaws' Bear Dance on Monday and Tuesday. This video inspired us to take turns playing the drum and dancing like a bear. Our students tried dancing high, medium, and low just like the dancing we seen on the video. Here is the video if you want to watch and dance along at home as well!

Calming Tools

Throughout the school year we will be introducing our students to different tricks and tools they can use for calming and self-regulation when they are upset. One tool we practiced this week was feather breathing. This simple activity involves breathing with a feather (either blowing the feather or rubbing the soft feather on your arms, etc.) while listening to some relaxing music. It is important to introduce calming techniques to children when they are calm and regulated so they are able to use the tool during moments of frustration. 

We Remember

We had a brief pre-kindergarten friendly chat about Remembrance Day on Wednesday and Thursday this week. After discussing the importance of the poppy we created poppies to hang up in the gym for the Remembrance Day.

Click here to see the rest of the pictures from our week.

Christmas Card Fundraiser

Every year Robina Baker School does a Christmas card fundraiser. Your children have each made a cute little Christmas card that you will have the chance to order! Watch for the samples coming home over the next couple of school days. (Please note, a couple of children were absent the week we made our Christmas cards. Unfortunately if your child was not at school to make a card, you will not see a sample card coming home). 

We did cards with all of our students (even if the parents opted out of fundraising) because they are so cute! You are by no means obligated to order cards, participation in this fundraiser is completely optional.

Coming Up

Next week we will continue with our bear theme. Important upcoming dates:

• November 11th - Remembrance Day, no school
• November 12th - Midterm Break, no school
• November 13th - PD Day, no school
• November 14th and 18th - wear your pajamas and bring your favorite bear to school
• November 19th and 20th - Jersey Day, wear your favorite jersey to school

Halloween!

One Little Ghost

We learned a new Halloween rhyme this week. The students participated by listening and showing their character when it was their turn. We used pictures but you can also use your fingers to show how many.

ONE LITTLE GHOST
One little ghost flew down the street.
(Wave hand through the air.)
"I wonder," he said, "what I will meet--
(Place finger to temple, thinking.)
One hairy spider,
(Hold up one finger, then move hand like spider.)
Two black cats,
(Hold up two fingers, then put two fingers from each hand on head for cat ears.)
Three wild witches with pointy hats,
(Hold up three fingers, then place fingertips of hands together to form hat.)
Four old owls in a hollow tree,
(Hold up four fingers, then form an oval with both hands for eyes to look through.)
And five brother bats to fly with me!
(Hold up five fingers, then hook thumbs of both hands together and flap fingers for bat wings.)

Painting Ghosts

We used clothespins and cotton balls to dab paint on ghosts for art. Holding the clothespin is a fine-motor skill and great pre-writing activity.

Halloween Party Centers

During our Halloween celebrations students rotated through 4 centers. They did Pumpkin Carving, a Scavenger Hunt throughout the school, enjoyed a Light table story called The Witches Brew, and
Pumpkin Volcanoes! We participated in a costume parade and enjoyed a special snack together.

THANK YOU SO MUCH to all the parents who volunteered, sent in a snack, and dressed up your little one in a costume. We had so much fun!

See more pics of our Halloween party here.

Upcoming!

Nov 6th and 7th: Early Dismissal Days

November 11, 12, 13th: No school (Remembrance Day, Midterm Break, PD)

Nov. 18th and 19th: Jersey Day

Pumpkins!

5 Little Pumpkins

The Pre-K students worked on pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills as we recited and acted out this Pumpkin poem. We practiced counting 1 to 5 as our five little pumpkins lined up. They did a terrific job saying their line when it was their turn. 

Fizzy Pumpkins

In this science/art activity, students observed what happens when we mixed baking soda and coloured vinager to make fun fizzing pumpkins. The Pre-K's painted the white mixture on the pumpkin then used a dropper (a great fine-motor task) to drop on the colours. Seeing our pumpkins fizz was so exciting!

Candy Corn Pumpkins

In another pumpkin art activity this week, we painted glue on candy corn and completed the pumpkin face design. This is another fabulous activity for developing fine-motor skills and eye-hand coordination.

Mission Impossible

An obstacle course was set up in the gym this week. The Pre-K's went under, over, and through to complete the course and save the world. It was a lot of fun! The Pre-K's were awesome ninjas as they worked on developing gross-motor skills and navigated the course.

See more pictures of our week here.

Upcoming!

October 31st: Halloween, all students will attend

• morning students will attend the morning party
• afternoon students will attend the afternoon party
• There is no need to pack your child snacks on the day (unless you think they will not want our party food). Please check your email to see if it is your turn to send a party snack!

• November 6 and 7th: Early dismissal days
• November 11-12 Midterm Break/ PD Day, No School

Leaf Man

This week we incorporated body awareness into our fall theme by introducing both Mat Man and Leaf Man to our students. After teaching our students the body awareness song Mat Man, we used pressed leaves to create a Leaf Man craft.

Leaf Man

Mat Man

Painting with Pine cones!

On Thursday we used pine cones to create some beautiful artwork. The smell of the pine cones added a sensory experience to this hand-eye coordination activity.

Unfortunately we were so busy having fun this week that we only managed to snap a few pictures. You can see the pictures we took by clicking here. 

Halloween Party

We will be having a Halloween party on Thursday, October 31st. All of our students are welcome to come to school in their costumes on this fun day! The morning students are welcome to attend the morning party (8:30 - 11:35 am) and the afternoon students are welcome to attend the afternoon party (12:10 - 3:15 pm).

Throughout the school year, we will ask families to send in special party snacks each time we have a party. This allows every family to have a turn to bring a snack in, and also prevents us from receiving more party food than we can eat! Please watch for the snack list to see if it is your turn to send a snack for our Halloween party. 

Coming Up!

• October 21st - PD Day No School
• October 22nd - 23rd - School Book Fair
• October 31st - Halloween Party Day for all students.
• morning students will attend the morning party
• afternoon students will attend the afternoon party
• There is no need to pack your child snacks on this day (unless you think they will not want our party food)
• November 6th & 7th - Early Dismissal Days
• November 11th - 12th - Midterm Break, No School
• November 12th - PD Day - No School

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm a Little Turkey

We sang a cute turkey song this week to the tune of I'm a Little Teapot. It has a few actions to go with it. Our favourite action was hiding our faces at the end!

I'm a Little Turkey (hands on hips)

Look at Me (point to eyes)

I'm as Chubby as can be (make a big turkey belly)

You may think I'd be a tasty bite (eating action)

But I'll be hiding on Thanksgiving Night! (cover face to hide)

Turkey Painting

The Pre-K's practiced their fine-motor skills dabbing and gluing these adorable turkeys.

There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Turkey

We read a silly story. The Pre-K's enjoyed feeding their item into the Old Lady as we read the story.

Turkey Centres!

We had a gobbling good time at our Thanksgiving centers this week! Gross-motor bowling, fine-motor painting, and some science exploration complete with a variety of tools.

Turkey Bowling

Corn Cob Painting

Squash Investigation

Mindful Moments and Read-In

We have so much busy fun in Pre-K sometimes we stop an enjoy some quiet time too. This week we practiced with Mindful colouring and Relaxation time with fidgets and soft music.

Mrs. Kloschinsky visited our class for Read-In Week and shared a very funny story about Boogers. Yes, boogers. We learned some etiquette on how to deal with boogers when we get one. 1) Use a finger ghost (kleenex wrapped on finger), go somewhere private, wash your hands after, and never ever eat them! :)

Upcoming!

October 14  Thanksgiving,  No School

October 21 - PD Day No School

October 22-23 - School Book Fair

October 31 - Halloween Party Day for all students

Thank you to the families who have sent Socks and/or Food Bank donations!

Pictures!!!

You will notice we finally got the green light to post photos on the blog. Here is the link to our previous week's pictures: Sept-Oct Photos  Enjoy!

All the Leaves are Falling Down!

Fall Action Song

We welcomed fall this week with this action song. Each student counted 2 leaves to hold and throw as we sang "all the leaves are falling down". Students loved reenacting making a leaf pile and jumping in! You can sing this song at home.

Orange Shirt Day

We observed Orange Shirt by wearing orange and discussing how important it is to be nice to everyone. We talked about times we've had our feelings hurt and how everyone's feelings matter. We listened to a friendship song, The More we get Together. 

Q-Tip Leaf Painting

The Pre-K's created lovely fall leaf art using a bundle of q-tips as a painting brush. This activity is great for building fine-motor skills.

Nature Walk and Leaf Collecting

This is a fun seasonal read. A couple of our classes went on a leaf walk to gather leaves for one of our centers this week.

Leaf Art

The Pre-Ks were so creative making art with fall leaves while building fine-motor skills.

Emergency Evacuation Drill

We practiced what to do if there was an emergency evacuation this week. "Stop and Line Up" was the message we practiced. The students did a great job following the directions and lining up quietly outside at our meeting spot.

Coming Up!

October 9 -  Picture Retake Day

• If your child missed picture day, or if you would like retakes done, you are welcome to bring your child in for retakes, even if it is not their regularly scheduled school day or time. Retakes will be happening first thing in the morning. 

October 14 - Thanksgiving No School

October 21 - PD Day No School

October 22-23 - School Book Fair

October 31 - Halloween Party Day for all students