3K Learners

Current Unit: Current Unit: Unit 1 - Building Our Classroom Community

Next Unit: Unit 2 - Ball Study

Summary of Unit: The beginning of a new school year is a very exciting and sometimes stressful time, especially for our youngest scholars! They are exploring the classroom and becoming familiar with and more comfortable in their new environment. The children are saying goodbye to their families and hello to new adults and friends. The first unit, Building Our Classroom Community, is designed to help the children start to understand that they are part of a class and introduce them to a class routine and schedule. This first unit serves as a foundation for the remainder of their 3K experience. 

Our second unit is called Ball Study.  Students will spend five weeks exploring balls and how along with being fun to play with, they provide us a variety of knowledge and experiences. The Ball Study will use children’s interest in playing to help them explore and investigate topics such as science, literacy and art.  

Home/School Connection: 

• Please continue to have daily conversations with your child about school, the routines, & how to be a good friend. Daily conversations at home support the teachers in the classroom. Remember, we are a team!
• To prepare for our next unit, start to play simple games using various sized balls. For example, sit across from your child and roll a ball back and forth. Have your child practice catching a ball using 2 hands. 
• Make predictions: roll different types of balls to see which ball goes the furthest or which is the fastest. 

Reading: 

During our daily read aloud, students are being introduced to different types of books and stories. We take picture walks through each book in order to become familiar with the story and make predictions about it before reading. Questions are asked throughout our read aloud lessons.  Students are learning to use the pictures as they listen to the story to help with their understanding.

At home you can:

• Look through a book before reading and ask them to use the pictures to help you tell the story. 
• Read books about various topics to your child. 
• Point out objects in the story that are familiar to your child.
• Ask your child to point to objects in the picture.

Writing: During our Ball Study, the children will be introduced to our Writing Center. Children will have the opportunity to explore this center daily during Choice Time. This area has a variety of writing tools, such as markers, pencils, crayons, stamps and ink pads,etc. There is also a variety of paper and envelopes.

At home you can:

• Provide a variety of writing tools. Encourage your child to practice holding the crayon with a three finger grip. Ask your child to tell you all about their picture!
• Strengthen your child’s fine motor hand muscles by playing with clay or play-doh. This will be extremely helpful with skills such as writing and cutting. It’s also a lot of fun! 

Math: 

Our math center is open for play! In this center your children have the opportunity to explore a variety of math manipulatives that introduce and teach various early childhood math skills such as colors and shapes. 

At home you can: 

• Identify colors and shapes you see. Include colors and shapes in your daily conversations. For example, “Can you put your red cup in the sink?”,“I love your blue shirt!”

Gross Motor / Movement

The students have been going outside everyday!  They love this time!  In our small playground, the students get to go down the slides, climb ladders and play on the playground equipment. The playground is also a natural learning environment for your child to practice being a good friend, sharing and taking turns.  If the weather is not cooperative, the students will move their gross motor play inside!

Parent & Student Voice:

We would love to know what your child tells you about school! What is their favorite center? What do they love about that center? What time of day is their favorite? Why?

Along with talking to the children in school, every few weeks I will send a dojo asking you if you would like your parent voice included in our newsletter!