January's theme, Awesome Animals

Dear Families,

It’s time for “Awesome Animals!” Children love animals so our new theme is an excellent way to help them learn about the characteristics of different kinds of animals, animal homes, and animal life cycles, which are all important concepts in science. There are many things you and your child can do together to explore the world of animals.

• Start with your own pet, if you have one, to teach your child about pet needs and pet care.

• Talk about the animals you see around your home. Observe what they look like, where they live, what they eat, and how they move.

• Teach safety rules for being around animals.

• Identify the animals you see in books and on the computer and television so your child will learn animal names.

In this theme, we will also focus on developing the ability to pay attention. Encourage children to increase their attention by spending time focusing on the natural world together. This will be many children’s favorite theme, so talk with them every day about what they are doing and learning. Teach your child to be kind to animals!

Visit us Dec 20/21st Students wear PJ's

What: Storytime in our PJ’s and Cookie Decorating

When: Thursday Friends-December 20th (1:00-1:30)

Friday AM Friends December 21st (10:45)

Friday PM Friends December 21st (1:00)

Where: Our Classroom (103)

We hope you can join us for this exciting activity.  
Please limit adults to 1 per child, as too many adults can be overwhelming
during large group activities. It is also appreciated if other arrangements
can be made for siblings so your ECDC student can be the star of the day,
and enjoy special time with you!

Please RSVP by returning the form to school by Friday, December 13th,
or email bennettma@frankilinps.net.

If you would like to donate items for decorating such as icing, candy, etc please send them in your child's backpack prior to December 20th.
Items donated will be shared among all the classes and distributed to ensure safety for all students with food allergies.

A few items that would be nice to have, plastic knives, holiday plates, Skittles, M&M's, Gummy bears, Tubes of colored icing, sprinkles.

Please encourage students, if they are comfortable, to wear their PJ's to school that day! Proper foot wear is needed, please no slippers.
Students will arrive to school at their regular time.

We hope you can join us for a fun day!

Winter has arrived

Friendly Reminder

Winter has ARRIVED!!  Please REMEMBER to send your child with items to play outside!!  Coats, snow pants (when there is snow on the ground), hats, mittens, boots, etc.  We try to go outside every day, weather permitting.

Make sure to LABEL all your child’s belongings!!

Everyone has black snow pants & boots

Don’t forget to pack a pair of shoes/sneakers in your child’s backpack to change into after.  For Safety Reasons, we ask that you NOT send in slippers. 

If your child’s backpack is too small or to heavy feel free to send in 2 bags.

A back pack for everyday items and a second reusable bag for winter belongings.

Thank You!

Community Helpers

Dear Families,

Our class has begun a new theme on “Our Community.” We will be exploring ideas about places in the community, people in the community, transportation, and taking care of the environment!

The goal of this theme is to have children develop responsibility in their daily lives while learning good citizenship.  Here are some ways you can show community involvement and teach responsibility at home.

• Take your child to community places and events, such as story hour at the public library or a high school sporting event.

• Talk about community workers, such as crossing guards and store clerks, and how to be respectful of them.

• Point out community resources that are part of your daily life, such as trash collection, mail delivery, bus service, and so on.

• Teach your child how to “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!”

• Give your child the responsibility of a daily job. This theme strives to make children responsible for their actions, now and in the future.

The concepts and life skills they learn will be invaluable. Make “going green” a family activity!

Our Community Literacy Tip

Reading signs in and around the community is an important part of developing literacy. Help your child read community and street signs, store signs, signs outside and inside buildings, and signs posted in store windows.

School/Home Connection

Connecting School to Home In science, we will learn that objects can be made from paper, metal, and glass. Help your child identify the materials to help you sort items for recycling.

Books on Youtube

Knuffle Bunny

Dot the Fire Dog

Fire Safety : Please be aware we have briefly discussed 9-1-1, fire drills and smoke detectors, as age appropriate.  Please continue this conversation with your children at home.

Welcome Volunteers

Hello Families
I am excited to announce that we will have many volunteers in the classroom in the coming weeks and months.  Parents will be visiting playing games and reading stories.  See the sign up genius in the links below, if you would like to volunteer in your child's class.  We will be welcoming, middle school helpers in most classes very soon. High school helpers will begin this week in the MWF PM class Ms Gretchen and Ms Izzy and senior ambassador Ms Marilyn will be joining us on Wednesday mornings from 9:30-10:30.

Sign up Genius :click here/class volunteer

                           class reader

Separation Anxiety/web resources

Hello
I wanted to take the time to share this article and web resources with all of you.
This link is to an article that discusses strategies to help students who are having difficulty adjusting to school.  click here

Please be sure to let me know if you or your child needs help, from staff, with the school transition or anything else school related.  A small question not asked, can often lead to a bigger problem later.

As a reminder the entire PBS Kids web site is an excellent resource for learning games and parenting resources.

pbs.org/parents/parenting/

/pbskids.org

additional web site:

early-education website

 Ms. Marylin

Families Unit

 Dear Families, 

Our class is beginning the theme, “My Family.”  on Monday October 8, 2018, we will be exploring the different members of families, family roles, and unique qualities of families. This theme is all about you, so here are some ways you can support what your child will be learning at home.  Look at family photos with your child and talk about family members and their special qualities. Share special family traditions and how they began. Enjoy a family activity with your child, such as cooking, reading together, or playing a game. Talk about family roles and responsibilities and choose one or two ways in which your child can help other family members. Throughout the My Family theme, I will be teaching children about kindness and what they can do to express kindness to others. You can help by identifying examples of kind acts at home and when you go places. Enjoy talking and spending family time with your child!

A few additional notes:

• We have sent home a cut out of a house for you to make a family collages with your child.
• There is no right  or wrong way to do this project.  It should be a reflection of your family that you'd like to share with your child's classroom. Please be aware that these collages may be laminated and keep in school for a few months and then returned to you. 
• If you have lost or did not receive your house collage, please let the staff know.

A classroom favorite: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, a great story to reinforce letter concepts.

September

The students have begun to learn the school routines. 
All students have been able to locate their own cubbies, unpack their snack and wash their hands. 

Just a reminder please check the box for your child's folder, bring the folder home and empty it every day.

As the weather begins to cool off please dress your child in layers as the playground may be cool and the classroom may be warm.  We go out everyday, unless it is raining or extremely cold or hot as determined by the main office.

Here is a video to help your child independently learn to put on their own coat. 
A few pointers, stand by the tag, put arms in the tunnel and flip.
preschool coat flip

We will begin our new unit on Families October 9th.

First week fun!

This week we read the story of the Gingerbread Boy and acted out the chant:

Run Run as Fast as you can

You can’t catch me

I’m the gingerbread boy.

After reading the story we looked around our school to see where the gingerbread boy ran. Here are a few places we found…..

Motor Room: Where we run and play and visit with Miss Joanne

Miss Diane’s Office Where some friends practice speech and language

Upstairs Motor: Where some friends will work with Ms Joanne or Miss Sandra

Take a Break Lounge:  Where some friends may choose to take a break

Miss Sarah:  Our Team chair who sometimes comes into our room to play

Miss Laura:Who helps everyone with everything.

Welcome to the 2018/19 school year

Hello
Welcome to Ms Marylin's Blog.
Below if the link to view the Power Point to familiarize yourself with the classroom.
Just click the link and you can view the power point.

Ms Marylin Open House Power Point

Books About The First Day of School

The first day of school can be full of excitement, along with some nervousness for students, parents, AND teachers.  Reading a book or two with your preschooler can help alleviate some of the anxiousness for both of you and also open up the conversation about what to expect.  Story time is also a great time to discuss some of the emotions you and your preschooler may be having about starting a new school year.

Here are a few books on the topic!

  Chu’s First Day of School by Neil Gaiman

  Ming Goes to School by Deirdre Sullivan

  Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes

I Love School by Philemon Sturges

I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas

  Maisy Goes to Preschool by Lucy Cousins

My Preschool by Anne Rockwell

 Preschool Day Hooray by Linda Leopold Strauss

  The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

Community Helper

We have begun a Unit on Community Helpers.

In this unit we will discuss the community students live in, Franklin and who are the people in the community that help them. 

Below is a video about the Town of Franklin

City of Franklin

We will also be learning about community helpers:

community helpers

A few reminders:  

• Any day it is safe to go out and play we will.  Please continue to dress your child for the weather.  It is helpful if students wear sneakers while at school and change into boots as needed.
• We will add and remove children from the classroom from time to time.  Due to privacy students comings and goings will not be announced but recognized as appropriate in class.  If your child is directly affected by the changes please reach out to Ms Marylin privately. 
• Valentines day will be celebrated on 2/13 & 2/14 students are welcome to send in 15 cards with only their names on them.
• No School February vacation 19-23
• Thank you for all the wish list items it has made a difference in your child's class.

January update/ Wish List/ Valentines

Happy January- Happy 2018

We are in need of a few items to help make your child's school day go a bit smoother:

• -Extra mittens for those who may  have forgotten.
• -Gallon Zip Lock Bags    Thank you
• -Quart Size Zip Lock Bags  Thank you
• -Sandwich  Size Zip Lock Bags Thank you
• -Individual Bags of Gold Fish for extra snacks Thank you
• -Foaming sensitive skin hand soap
• -Extra envelopes 
• -Valentine Stickers.

Please only send in 1 or 2 items if you are able. Your support is appreciated.

This unit we are discussing the Arctic

How is my backyard different than the Arctic?
Here are a few videos to further the discussion:
Baby Beluga
What is the Arctic
10 Arctic Animals



In February we will be discussing friendship and celebrating Valentine's Day.  Children are welcome to send in 15 cards, without candy, on or before 2/13/ or 2/14.  All cards should be in a zip lock bag with your child's name on the outside of the zip lock bag.