Our new Nature All Around Us theme began with a walk around our school to search for signs of Spring! We found lots of signs that things are starting to sprout all around us! 

Theme 7 ~ Nature All Around Us

Dear Families,

For the next few weeks, children will investigate nature with a new theme called “Nature All Around Us.” This theme covers many of our favorite science topics, such as plants and how they grow, the sun and the moon, and weather and the seasons. Take advantage of all that nature has to offer to help your child learn about the world around us.

• Try your hand at family gardening by planting something (indoors or outdoors) and watching it grow.

• Observe and discuss the weather every day and how it relates to the clothing your child wears and outdoor play activities.

• Watch the national weather on TV with your child and talk about the weather in different parts of the country.

• Point out signs in nature that show what the season is.

• Do sky gazing with your child to look for pictures in the clouds during the day and twinkling stars at night.

This is also going to be the perfect theme for encouraging curiosity, because asking questions is an important learning tool for young children. Experience nature and the outdoors with your child!

Literacy Tip

Spend time in conversation with your child to develop vocabulary and knowledge of the world. Label what you see and explain how things work.

Connecting School to Home

We will learn how the weather affects our daily lives, which is a concept in social studies. You can reinforce this concept by letting your child help choose what to wear every day based on the weather.

Together plant a fruit or flower seed in a window box or window sill flower pot. Have your child water it each day and observe what happens.

Take a Field Trip!

Tour a Plant Nursery - Make arrangements with a plant nursery to have children tour the grounds and explore different kinds of plants and how they grow. Ask if a nursery worker can provide a hands-on demonstration showing how they care for plants and what the different plants require.

Visit a Flower Shop - Make arrangements to visit a local flower shop so children can look at all the beautiful flowers. Ask the florist to make a flower arrangement and to describe the characteristics of each flower in the arrangement.

Big Day for Pre-K Book Suggestions

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

A Day in a City by Nicholas Harris

It's Fall (Celebrate the Seasons) by Linda Glaser

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

Kipper's Snowy Day by Mick Inkpen

Red Rubber Boot Day by Mary Lyn Ray

Raindrop, Plop! by Wendy Cheyette Lewison

Seasons 123 by Patricia Whitehouse

Because I Love You So Much by Guido van Genecthen

Heat Wave by Eileen Spinelli

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson

The ABCs of Fruits and Vegetables and Beyond by Steve Charney

Weather ABC: An Alphabet Book by B. A. Hoena

Theme 6 ~ Growing Up Healthy!

Dear Families,

Because there is nothing more important than your child’s well-being,
our next theme is all about “Growing Up Healthy.” Children will learn about nutritious eating,
exercise, and other positive ways of taking care of themselves.
We will also learn what to do in case of an emergency.

Health and safety begin in the home,
so please help your child by supporting what our class will be learning.

• Make and discuss healthy food choices during mealtime and when shopping for groceries
or eating away from home.

• Cook with your child to teach him/her about the ingredients in foods.

• Review family safety procedures, especially what to do in case of a fire and
how to exit the home.

• Teach child-appropriate safety guidelines to use at home,
such as never turning on the stove or lighting a match.

• Help your child memorize his or her home address and phone number.

Children must develop self-awareness at a young age in order to be healthy for life.
It is one of our year-long goals, but will be a special focus during this theme.
Help your child develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime!

Literacy Tip

Teach your child how to read/recognize exit and other emergency signs and symbols.

Connecting School to Home

Tap into the activities your child will be doing during this theme,
such as making a self-portrait, to help your child become aware of personal characteristics,
strengths, and limitations.

Help your child explore his/her five senses in and around your home.  
For example, smell food cooking, look out the window together, taste new foods,
listen to music, or feel different fabrics.

Take a Field Trip!

Go Grocery Shopping ~ Have your child vote on a favorite healthy snack to prepare.  
Make a list of ingredients that you will need and take a trip to the local grocery store
so children can purchase the ingredients. While you are there, walk through the store and
ask children to identify the healthy foods they see.

Big Day for Pre-K Book Suggestions

Noisy City Day by Sara Anderson

Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo by Kevin Lewis

Favorite Foods: Colors and Shapes by ticktock Media, Ltd.

Max Cleans Up by Rosemary Wells

Sleep Is for Everyone by Paul Showers

Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore

Strega Nona's Harvest by Tomie de Paola

From the Garden: A Counting Book About Growing Food by Michael Dahl

No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids by Jean E. Pendziwol

You Are Healthy by Todd Snow

How Do You Know?: A Book About the Five Senses by Lisa Jayne

Alphabites by Charles Reasoner

An Alphabet Salad by Sarah L. Schuette

To start off our new unit, we created a grocery store in our Dramatic Play Center. It has been a big hit!

We have been talking about healthy food choices, cooking, and ingredients in recipes.

One of our questions of the day was, "Do you like yogurt?" The responses were counted up and we determined which column had the most votes and the least votes.

We also learned about keeping our teeth healthy. We had a visitor from Walpole Dental Health Associates come teach us the importance of brushing our teeth and eating healthy foods.

One of our favorite activities of the "Imagine It, Make It" curriculum unit was using to tools to build our creations.