Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool

Season of Senses

2012-01-02T13:45:00.000-08:00

Last month the Itty-Bitty Bookworms explored their five senses using the season of Christmas. We started making a Season of Senses book and wrote in journals about the different senses we explored. We also started off the month by learning some fun new Christmas songs and poems. We practiced all month long so we would be ready to perform for our families at the Christmas party. Throughout the month, the Itty-Bitty Bookworms also learned new sight words, were introduced to blends, and put their word building skills to good use and started writing in their daily journals. To celebrate the Christmas season, we made yummy gingerbread houses that turned out really cute! On the last day before break, the Itty-Bitty Bookworms got to wear their jammies to school for our Christmas party. We watched Christmas movies while we made Christmas trees and wreaths out of wrapping paper. At the end of our party the Itty-Bitty Bookworms did a great job performing the songs and poems we had been practicing all month. Then much to the parents surprise, we had moms and dads participate in our favorite song,"The Reindeer Hokey Pokey". It was too fun watching the kids and parents sing and do all the motions to this song! It was a great way to wrap up a fun day!

Playing, "Who Stole the Reindeer from Santa's Sleigh"?

Making gingerbread cookies in Santa's kitchen

Using fine motor skills to make play dough Christmas trees. Beads for ornaments, too!

Making jingle bell Christmas wreaths

What great parents!!

Tis the Season to be Jolly

2012-01-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

Last month the 3 year-old class was definitely jolly! We had fun celebrating the Christmas season with a variety of arts and crafts, Christmas books, fine tuning motor skills with Christmas lacing, learning new Christmas songs and finger poems and we even made yummy gingerbread houses. We ended the month with a pajama Christmas party. The kids looked absolutely adorable in their jammies! We had fun watching a Christmas movie while we made Christmas trees out of ice cream cones, green frosting and froot loops. It was hard not to eat them! We also decorated a Christmas wreath to take home and hang up in a special spot.

Food Bank Donation

2011-12-14T12:42:00.000-08:00

Last month both of the Itty-Bitty Bookworm classes worked together to collect food for a local food bank. We discussed throughout the month how lucky we are to have enough food and that we were going to work on collecting food for those in need. We set a goal of filling the basket and I'm very pleased to say that we exceeded our goal!! Kayla was able to help too by coming along with me to the food bank to load up the cart and then help me unload at the food bank. Thank you so much to all of the families that contibuted to our efforts!

Itty-Bitty Little Turkeys

2011-12-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

Last month the Itty-Bitty Bookworms celebrated all we have to be thankful for! We started out the month by discussing all of the things that we are thankful for and learned about the first Thanksgiving and who the pilgrims were. We wrapped up the month with our Friendship Feast.

3 Little Turkeys

2011-12-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

Last month, the little Itty-Bitty Bookworms celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with a variety of activities, games, arts and crafts and songs. We read books about Thanksgiving and discussed what each of us were thankful for. One thing that we all were thankful for was our wonderful families. We were able to get creative with our families by decorating a turkey feather that was displayed in our classroom on the giant Tom the Turkey. Each feather was different and made our classroom turkey special. We read books about pilgrims and even made pilgrim hats that we wore during our Friendship Feast. We also learned our numbers one through five and made a fun turkey hat to show off our number order skills. We had a fun month remembering all that we have to be thankful for at home and for the friends that we have here at school!

Happy Halloween

2011-11-06T22:02:00.001-08:00

Last month the Itty-Bitty Bookworms had fun learning the last of our Nursery Rhymes and doing a variety of Halloween themed activities. We wrapped up the month by having a Halloween party which was a lot of fun! All of the kids looked so cute and we had so much fun playing games, eating snacks and making our mummy craft.

This month we will be starting our Thanksgiving unit. We will be discussing all of the things that we are thankful for, learning about the history of Thanksgiving, having fun with some silly turkey activities and learning all about the fall season.

Thanks to the families that have contributed items to our Food Bank basket. We look forward to reaching our goal-a full basket to donate to the Food Bank!

I would like to wish all of my preschool families a Happy Thanksgiving!

Ms. Tara

Little Goblins

2011-11-06T22:01:00.001-08:00

The Little Goblins (3 year olds) also had fun learning through a variety of Halloween themed games, songs, and activities.

"I Spy With My Little Eye..."

2011-10-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

Last month the littlest Itty-Bitty Bookworms had fun with a variety of color activities. We painted, read books, ate snacks and dressed in the color of the week. Our favorite way to practice colors though was playing the game, "I Spy With My Little Eye...".

"A" is for Apple

2011-10-18T13:22:00.000-07:00

Last month the Itty-Bitty Bookworms learned about apples and started our Nursery Rhyme unit. The month was filled with apple books, songs, poems, activities, games and even a yummy apple treat!

Hidden in the fun of learning about apples and nursery rhymes, the children were practicing their rhyming, identifying beginning sounds, counting syllables, number recognition and number order skills.

I look forward to another month of learning and fun with your child!

Ms. Tara : )

Getting Acquainted

2011-09-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

Last month, the Itty-Bitty Bookworms spent most of the month learning the rules of the classroom and how to play appropriately with friends. It is important to get rules, procedures and expectations in place before starting our true daily schedule. Having these rules and procedures in place will ensure that the children know what is expected of them and understand what behavior is acceptable when playing with friends. This will allow me and the children to focus on what is really important and that is learning while having FUN!

We also, finished our unit on how each of us is special and unique. The children each brought in their ME Bags and it was fun learning about each of the children. We also celebrated the importance of family and each child brought in a special picture of their family which they decorated at home and then brought in to share. We discussed how all families are different but the one thing that all families have in common is how much they love us!

Please check your child's monthly calendar for the skills that your child will be working on this month. I have provided some links that suggest activities, provide developmental checklists, and offer ways that you can help your child master the skills we will be working on in the classroom.

Ms. Tara : )

Please appreciate this picture! It took a ridiculous amount of noises and silly behavior to get everyone looking at the camera, at the same time AND smiling! : )

The Itty-Bitty Bookworms dressed up like what they wanted to be when they grow up. Their outfits and reasons why they wanted to be what they dressed up like, were absolutely adorable. LOVED this day! In case you are wondering exactly what they are dressed up as...starting from the left, we have a Pirate Princess, a Princess, a Rock star, a Daddy (complete with dad hat, wedding ring and drawn on beard, a Mommy (she is holding a diaper bag), a Princess Mommy (aren't we all??), and a Pirate (he REALLY wants to be an astronaut but couldn't find an outfit). How cute are they?? Watch out world, here they come!!

Off to a Good Start!

2011-09-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

Last month the littlest Itty-Bitty Bookworms began learning our classroom rules and how to play nicely with friends. It is not reasonable to expect 3 year-olds to sit still for any amount of time so we do a lot of activities that get us up and moving around the classroom. The little bookworms are slowly learning that when we are at the floor for circle time and story time, we do need to sit still. I must say, they are doing a GREAT job! The bookworms also began identifying their name, learning positional words, identifying the first letter in their name, the correct way to hold scissors and had fun playing together at centers.

Please check the monthly calendar for the skills your Itty-Bitty Bookworm will be working on this month.

Ms. Tara : )

3 year-old's First Day!

2011-08-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

The 3 year-old Itty-Bitty Bookworms had a great first day! We had fun playing together at the Morning Activity, sharing at centers, looking at books together, playing a match the colors game, singing, and coloring pictures.

I look forward to watching the littlest Itty-Bitty Bookworms learn and grow!

Ms. Tara

Meet the 3 year-old Itty-Bitty Bookworms!

Pre-K 1st Day of School!

2011-08-10T23:04:00.000-07:00

The Pre-K Itty-Bitty Bookworms had a great first day of school! We had fun getting to know our new friends while playing at the Morning Activity, read books about the first day of school, talked about how each of us is different and special, played games, and explored centers. We also started to learn the classroom rules and discovering what it means to play nicely with others.

I look forward to a year filled with fun and learning!

Ms. Tara

Meet the Pre-K Itty-Bitty Bookworms!

Welcome!

2011-08-01T09:54:00.002-07:00

Welcome to Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool!

Even if your child is a returning student, please take a moment to read through the posts as some information has changed.

Preschool gives children the emotional, social and academic exposure they need to be successful in their future education. At Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool, your child will be actively learning in an in-home small group setting, allowing the teacher to spend more one-on-one time with each student to ensure that every child is being taught and challenged to the best of their potential. The small group setting creates a safe learning environment where children feel comfortable exploring and asking questions.

At Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool, "Character Counts"! Along with striving to prepare your child for Kindergarten, character traits, manners, and age appropriate social skills will be nurtured.

I am excited to announce that I now offer a class Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00-10:00 for potty trained 3 year olds. The tuition for this class is $100 a month. The 3 year old class offers young children an opportunity to explore and learn appropriate social skills, improve fine and gross motor skills and introduces them to developmentally appropriate skills and concepts that they will be learning in preschool.

I look forward to working with you so, together, we can create a pleasant beginning to your child's educational experience.

Ms. Tara

Back To School

2011-08-01T09:54:00.001-07:00

I can not believe how fast the summer has come and gone and it is already time for school to start! The first day of school for Pre-K students is Wednesday, August 10th and Thursday, August 11th for the 3 year old class. I look forward to the upcoming year and watching your child learn, grow and explore!

Each month, your child will be experiencing learning through thematic activities, stories, songs, poems and arts and crafts. Throughout the month of August, I will devote our time to helping make transitions feel safe, slowly introducing rules and procedures, meeting new friends, and getting used to a structured setting that allows your child to feel secure in their new environment.

I will be updating the blog monthly so please check back as I will post information on what your child is doing in class, monthly themes, weekly skills that we will be working on, upcoming events, pictures and parent reminders.

I'm here for you and your child. If you should ever have any questions or concerns throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can schedule a time to meet with me before or after school, email me at tarawilliams78@hotmail.com or call me at 993-7386.

OPEN HOUSE/MEET THE TEACHER

Wednesday, August 3rd from 5:00-6:00.

Feel free to stop by and visit your child's classroom. Visiting the classroom may help ease any tension that your child has on the first day of school. You and your child will have the opportunity to get a sneak peak at the classroom, find their seat, meet some friends that they will be going to school with and have an opportunity to meet with me to discuss any questions or concerns that you may be having at this time.

Enjoy what is left of the summer and I look forward to seeing you and your child at Open House.

My Goal

2011-08-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

My goal, as a teacher, is to instill in my students a lifelong love of learning. I will guide them to see the goodness inside themselves, and help them develop to their full potential.

I will create a safe and nurturing environment in which your child will grow academically, socially and emotionally.

Make Your Day

2011-08-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

Your child is young and is still learning appropriate social skills. The Itty-Bitty Bookworms classroom will help your child learn what is acceptable behavior and prepare him/her for the structure of the Kindergarten classroom by exposing them to routines and procedures that they will be expected to follow.

Rules and procedures will be enforced using the 1-2-3 Magic program. The program encourages good behavior while managing difficult behavior in a quick, non-threatening manner that allows the teacher to maximize instruction time.

The program uses a counting system in which inappropriate behavior is quickly counted. You will be able to see if your child made their day by looking at the daily agenda sheet inside their Bookworm Binder.

"Assessments"

2011-08-01T09:50:00.002-07:00

Throughout the month of August, I will be pulling your child back individually to assess what skills they already have in place. This will serve as a starting point for me once we begin academics in September. I will teach to the whole a particular skill or objective but then meet your child's individual needs during our one-on-one time, seat work and center activities. My goal is to meet the needs of your child and help them perform to the best of their ability.

I understand that some children may not demonstrate all of the skills that they have in place during the first assessment. I will do formal and informal assessments to get a better understanding of your child as an individual.

I will keep you informed with any assessments done by communicating with you in the Bookworm Binder.

Curriculum

2011-08-01T09:50:00.001-07:00

I will use Arizona State Standards as a guide for planning developmentally age appropriate lessons for your child. The resources I use will be designed for Preschool and Kindergarten children and will be modified to fit the needs of each child.

I will incorporate art projects, music and storytelling into the daily curriculum which entails Math, Language Arts, Creative Arts, Science and Social Studies. Each lesson will be designed to teach your child a balance of preschool skills and learning objectives.

Your child is an individual and therefore all children can not be expected to perform or learn at the same pace. Lessons will be modified to fit the individual needs of your child.

Daily Schedule

2011-08-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

Here is an example of the Pre-K daily schedule:

9:00-9:30 Morning Activity: The morning activity allows the children to engage with their peers and encourages appropriate social skills, manners, sharing and improves vocabulary.

9:30 Morning Meeting/Calendar-We will sing our morning song, introduce days of the week, holidays and months of year, counting and explore patterns during calendar time. Children will also participate in show-n-tell, phonics and phonemic awareness activities.

9:45 Story Time We will read a story every day that implements the theme, holiday or topic of the month. Story time will also include activities and questions to promote and improve pre-reading skills and comprehension.

10:00 Craft Time Your child will have an opportunity to improve their fine motor skills while using that imagination of theirs to create arts and crafts projects.

10:30-10:45 Snack I will be providing a snack for your child. Please make sure to let me know if your child has any food allergies that I should be aware of. I will not be providing juice, so please send a labeled sippy cup or water bottle to school each day.

After your child has finished snack, they will have an opportunity to enjoy a book with friends or by themselves in the reading corner. I also encourage children to use the potty at this time.

10:45 Whole Group Lesson The activities during this time will vary depending on the theme and objectives we are learning in class. Lessons will be developmentally appropriate and meet the needs of all learning styles and personalities.

11:00 Reading Groups and Centers During this time, I will be meeting with children and working with them on skills and objectives that are designed to prepare them for Kindergarten. Lessons during this time will cover pre-reading, writing and math skills.

The remainder of the class will be completely center “work”. The children choose the center that interest them and are free to move about the centers. Centers are developmentally appropriate and offer students the opportunity to practice the skills taught in class, while having FUN!

11:45 End of Day Activities The end of the day activities will start with cleaning up centers. Students will then color their calendar to indicate the color light that they earned that day. We will then wrap up the day with reading our monthly poem and story time. The monthly poem will provide the students with exposure to directionality, one-to-one correspondence, locating familiar words and sight words, and fluency.

12:00 School Day Ends-Please be prompt when picking up your child.

This is just an overview of our daily schedule. Your child’s day will include many more activities, objectives and skills that will prepare them for kindergarten academically, socially and emotionally.

Here is an example of our daily schedule for the 3 year old class:

8:00 Morning Activity The morning activity allows the children to engage with their peers and encourages appropriate social skills, manners, sharing and improves vocabulary.

8:15 Story Time We will be reading short and age appropriate stories that engage, capture and maintain the attention of these young children.

8:30 Arts and Crafts Your child will have the opportunity improve their fine motor skills while using that imagination of theirs to create arts and crafts projects.

8:45 Games Games will be centered around improving gross motor skills, teamwork and good sportsmanship.

9:00 Snack I will be providing a snack for your child. Please make sure to let me know if your child has any food allergies that I should be aware of. I will not be providing juice, so please send a labeled sippy cup or water bottle to school each day.

After your child has finished snack, they will have an opportunity to enjoy a book with friends or by themselves in the reading corner. I also encourage children to use the potty at this time.

9:15 Lesson The activities during this time will vary depending on the theme and objectives we are learning in class. Lessons will be developmentally appropriate and meet the needs of all learning styles and personalities.

9:30 Centers The class will be completely center “work”. The children choose the center that interest them and are free to move about the centers. Centers are developmentally appropriate and offer students the opportunity to practice the skills taught in class, while having FUN!

9:45 Sing and Dance What child doesn't love to sing and dance? During this time we will use songs and movement to learn and have FUN!

10:00 School Ends Please be prompt when picking your child up from school.

Character Counts

2011-08-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

We will be discussing what respect means and how we can show others that we respect them. This trait will be especially important during the first month of preschool. Your child will be learning to share, wait their turn, use good manners, dealing with anger, and practicing the "Golden Rule". Please reinforce these behaviors at home and praise your child when you see them demonstrating, RESPECT.

Supply List

2011-08-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of supplies that your child will need to bring with them on the first day of school.

Sippy cup or Water Bottle-Please write your child’s name on their sippy cup or water bottle. We like to share but not water bottles! : ) Water only!

Extra clothes- Just in case of an accident, please put in a labeled Ziploc baggie, a pair of shorts, a shirt, and underwear.)

OPTIONAL ITEM

Backpack-Your child does not need to bring a backpack but may do so if they would like to. Please keep in mind that your child will be bringing home the Bookworm Binder everyday along with arts and crafts activities.

DONATIONS

If you would like you may contribute supplies to our classroom throughout the year. Some items are used up quickly, need constant refilling and are greatly appreciated! : )

Glue sticks (We use a TON of glue sticks)
Index cards
Stickers
Snacks
Washable markers
Napkins
Clorox wipes

General Information Overview

2011-08-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

Itty-Bitty Bookworms Pre-K Program runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 until 12:00. Children will be involved with the Morning Activity from 9-9:30. Our Calendar Time will begin promptly at 9:30.

The 3 year old class runs Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00-10:00. Your child MUST be potty trained by the first day of school.

Your child will be provided with a snack but tummies will start rumbling close to 12:00. Your child will be ready for lunch, please be prompt when picking up him/her from school.

Tuition is $150.00 for Pre-K and $100.00 a month for the 3 year old program. Tuition is due in full regardless of holidays, vacations or illness. I do not require registration fee, supply fee or require students to bring in snacks. The full tuition is due by the 5th of each month.

Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool follows the Apache Junction Unified School District calendar.

First day of school will be August 10th for Pre-K and August 11th for the 3 year old class.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns throughout the year. You can reach me at: 993-7386 or email me at: tarawilliams78@hotmail.com

Spring is in the Air

2011-05-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

Flowers are blooming, the grass is growing, and the bugs are in the air. We kicked off the season of spring by learning about a kids favorite thing...BUGS! The Itty-Bitty Bookworms learned about butterflies, ants, and bees. The kids had fun exploring the world of bugs through non-fiction text, arts and crafts, poems, and of course, pretending to be their favorite bug. The Itty-Bitty's were also introduced to the concept of right and left. We played the Hokey-Pokey, decorated hand prints that had a big, L or R on them and did interactive games everyday before snack to master this concept. April brought two holidays that we celebrated; Earth Day and Easter. On Earth Day we brainstormed ways that we can take care of our Earth and each child chose their favorite way and made an Earth Promise. We also melted blue and green crayons together to resemble the Earth and then glued the Earth crayon to their hand print to remind each child that the Earth is in their hands. To wrap up the month we had an Easter egg hunt and performed a Spring song, bug poem, Earth Day song, and Easter song for our families.

As usual, the Itty-Bitty Bookworms are learning concepts and skills through work and play. Enjoy taking a look back at your child in action...

Celebrating the Joy of Reading

2011-04-03T20:42:00.000-07:00

Last month was a busy month for the Itty-Bitty Bookworms! We celebrated Read Across America week and had a blast. We started off the week celebrating Dr. Seuss by reading a few of our favorite Dr. Seuss books followed by fun projects and even some cooking. Each student also brought in their favorite book to share with the class and even got to dress up like their favorite character from the story. The Itty-Bitty Bookworms got to put their green thumbs to use by planting a rainbow of flowers after reading, "Planting a Rainbow" by Lois Ehlert. The kids had fun exploring different authors, listening to each other's favorite stories, making arts and crafts related to the stories we read and of course, eating green eggs and ham. Yum. Surprisingly, all but one of the kids ate it all up. We were also lucky enough to have wonderful parents come in as guest readers. What a fun month of celebrating the joy of reading! Enjoy taking a look back at your Itty-Bitty Bookworm hard at work and play!

Read Across America

2011-03-01T14:53:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again, time to gear up for NEA's Read Across America! I will be sending home a letter detailing the events planned as the Itty-Bitty Bookworms celebrate, Read Across America.

The National Education Association's, Reading Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading.

Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school.

Make reading fun and an important part of your everyday routine:
• Read stories before nap and/or bedtime
• Have books in the car for your child to look at
• Listen to books on tape in the car (one of my favorites)
• Let your child see YOU reading
• Visit the local library and let your child pick out books of interest

Just remember the impact that reading 15 MINUTES a day can have on your child!

Happy Reading!

Happy Healthy Hearts

2011-03-01T09:09:00.000-08:00

Last month the Itty-Bitty Bookworms learned several ways that we take care of our bodies. We started off the month by learning about the Food Pyramid and all of the healthy foods that we should eat. We celebrated the end of that unit with a "Healthy Snack Party". The kids each brought a healthy snack to share with the class and wow, did they eat up!

We then discussed how germs can make us sick and the importance of washing our hands. We also discussed how we can take care of our teeth so that we don't get cavities. We wrapped up our unit by doing something else that is an important part of keeping our bodies healthy, exercising (or in their case, playing). The kids dressed in their comfy shoes and were ready for a day of playing hopscotch, jumping in the bounce house, playing outside, and having a balloon and dance party.

Another exciting event that took place last month was our field trip to the fire station! We were invited to take a tour of the fire station, walk through the fire truck and were given a special firefighter helmet to take home.

Enjoy taking a look back at your Itty-Bitty Bookworm hard at work and play!

Happy Hearts

2011-02-02T15:11:00.000-08:00

This month we will be learning about how to keep our bodies healthy by eating the right foods, personal hygiene and the importance of exercising. Reinforce this important topic at home, check out the link below to find out how...

http://kidshealth.org/kid/

Welcome to Our Winter Wonderland

2011-02-01T21:51:00.000-08:00

Last month we learned about all things winter. We discovered how water becomes ice, how ice melts, appropriate winter clothing, learning about how we are each unique just like snowflakes, dressing up in the Winter Wonderland dramatic play area, and reading a variety books about winter, snowmen and penguins.

In addition to learning all about the season of winter, the Itty-Bitty Bookworms studied the letter "F", practiced blending sounds to make new words, counted syllables, found words with matching beginning sounds, recognized rhyming words and had fun with friends engaging in the variety of developmentally appropriate centers.

Last but not least, the Itty-Bitty Bookworms performed their monthly songs, poem and finger play for their parents. As always, their hard paid off and they did a great job!

Taking a Look Back...

2011-01-13T20:36:00.000-08:00

Last month was full of fun and hard work! The Itty-Bitty Bookworms had a good time engaging in a variety of arts and craft projects to decorate our classroom for Christmas. I think the favorite activity was decorating (and eating) gingerbread houses. The room was filled with the smell of sugar and kids had a blast! Throughout the month the kids practiced their Christmas songs that they were going to perform for their families. On the last Friday before the break, the families were invited to come and watch the Itty-Bitty Bookworms perform and then decorate cookies and ornaments together. The kids did great and it is always so nice to see all the support from the families.

Did you Know...

2010-11-30T22:33:00.001-08:00

Did you know that this month is National Stress Free Family Holiday Month? Want to find out more? Visit http://www.parentingwithoutpressure.com/holidays/nsffhm.htm

December is also, Read a New Book Month. What are you waiting for? Christmas vacation is a great time to visit a local library and/or book store and check out a new book!

Busy Bookworms

2010-11-30T21:00:00.000-08:00

As you can see, it was another busy month here at Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool! As we are approaching the half way point of the school year, the children continue to fine tune their skills in the five main areas of child development: cognitive, social and emotional, speech and language, and fine and gross motor. Little do the children know that they are acquiring, or mastering, these skills as they learn through small and whole group lessons, art, music and hands-on activities.

Here are some of the skills that your child was introduced to last month...
-number recognition
-sorting
-sequencing events in a story
-number order

The children also had a blast dressing up like a member of their family in the dramatic play area.

At the end of the month, the class enjoyed sharing a meal together at our Friendship Feast. The children were offered chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, green beans and pumpkin pie. Yummy! After our feast, the Bookworms performed (for a full house) the turkey finger play, song and poem that they practiced all month long. They worked so hard practicing and it paid off, they did great!

Enjoy taking a look back at your child hard at work and play.
**Don't forget to check out what's new under the Motivation and Kids Health links!**

Motivation and Kids Health

2010-11-29T19:22:00.000-08:00

I came across this FANTASTIC article on instilling intrinsic motivation in young children. The article is lengthy but is an easy read and well worth the time. I hope you can take a few minutes to read the article and find it as helpful as I did.

I also came across this very informative website that offers information on a variety of parenting and child development issues.

You can find the article and website under the Motivation and Kids Health link.

Happy Reading!

Project HELP

2010-11-23T13:51:00.000-08:00

Over the past month, the Itty-Bitty Bookworms have been collecting food and other items of need to donate to the local organization, Project HELP/Apache Junction Reach Out Food Bank. Our goal at the beginning of the month was to fill up our laundry basket, and not only did we fill it but when I took it to Project HELP it was overflowing with donated items! The kids were so proud and felt so happy that they were able to help others. Thank you so much to all of the families that contributed!

Thanksgiving Means...

2010-11-07T23:24:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time when we feel grateful for the friends and family we have, the home we live in, our health and the food we eat every day. While we are thankful for all of our blessings, there are families in our community that are not as fortunate. Please use this time of year to discuss with your child the importance of being grateful for what we have and ways that we can help others in need. One way that we can help those in need is by donating food and other items that families in the community are in need of on a daily basis.

I will be setting out a white basket that the students can donate items to those less fortunate. These items will be collected throughout the month and delivered to the Apache Junction Food Bank on Tuesday, November 23rd. I have attached a link to the site that lists specific items that the Food Bank is in need of this time of year.

http://ajfoodbank.org/how-the-program-works

Thank you for your support!

Family Fun

2010-11-07T22:58:00.000-08:00

Keep the wonders of childhood discovery, inquisitiveness and enthusiasm alive. Nourish and participate in the joy of learning that kids are born with (Department of Education).

* Make a collage of things that remind your child of Fall.
(Fine Motor and Vocabulary)

* Play together outside.
(Gross Motor)

* Rake up a big pile of leaves and jump in them!
(Gross Motor

* Visit the library and check out your favorite books about fall.
(Literacy, Comprehension, Vocabulary)

* Make a "Tree of Thanks". Each member of the family says what they are thankful for and then writes it on a leaf to make a beautiful fall tree of thanks.
(Fine Motor, Oral Language, Thinking Concepts)

* Have each member of your family draw a picture of what the season of fall looks like then compare and contrast your pictures.
(Fine Motor, Perceptual Ability, Critical Thinking, Social Skills)

* On a chilly night, make some cider or hot cocoa and construct a puzzle.
(Fine Motor, Spatial and Reasoning Skills)

Fall is Here!

2010-11-07T22:08:00.000-08:00

Last month, the children were introduced to the season of Fall. We discussed what the new season will bring us and started a month full of Halloween and Fall themed lessons, centers, books, crafts and a super fun dramatic play area- a pumpkin patch! Throughout the month the Itty-Bitty Bookworms were introduced to new vocabulary terms and were exposed to rhyming and sentence flow when reciting our Halloween poem, finger play and song that was performed for parents at our Halloween party.

Since the weather has somewhat cooled off, the children were able to put those gross motor skills into good use and have some time to play outside.

We continue to practice and strengthen pre-reading skills such as identifying rhyming words, clapping syllables, identifying words with same beginning sounds during our morning activity where the students improve their oral language development and master the phonemic awareness and phonics skills that are an important foundation for your child's success in reading.

The Itty-Bitty Bookworms have also been keeping their hands busy applying their knowledge of counting groups of objects using one-to-one correspondence, recognizing and extending patterns, and ordinal numbers.

The students learned the letter C through books, sorting activities, art projects that required the use of fine motor skills, and had fun dressing up with articles of clothing that started with the letter C while serving the "customers" that came to the Itty-Bitty Bookworms Cafe.

Once again we worked hard and played hard and had another fun-filled month at school, where learning is FUN!

At Home-School Connection

2010-10-04T22:31:00.000-07:00

Enjoy some of these suggestions for activities that can be educational while enjoying time together as a family.

*Go for a walk or bike ride and look for things that begin with the letter...

*Play Simon Says

*Go outside and draw with chalk

*Read a story

*Play Bingo using letters, numbers, shapes or pictures

*Paint a picture of what the trees look like in the Fall

*Play a rhyming game while driving in the car

"A" is for Apple

2010-10-04T21:24:00.000-07:00

Last month we started the school year off with an Apple theme. The kids enjoyed learning a variety of skills throughout the thematic unit. Enjoy taking a look back at your Itty-Bitty Bookworm applying math and reading skills, improving fine and gross motor skills, improving listening comprehension, getting creative with a variety of apple and "A" themed art projects, cooking and learning necessary social skills while playing and interacting with friends.

Helpful Resources

2010-09-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

So, if you are like me then you are constantly asking yourself, "Is my child doing what he/she should be doing at this age?" or "What can I do to help my child...?" I have listed some links that have GREAT information, checklists, and ideas on a variety of areas to help your child be successful in school.

In addition to the links listed on the blog, I also wanted to let you in on a little secret. Some learning can be reinforced by letting your child watch...television! It is true, there are some fantastic television shows that reinforce skills that are taught in the classroom.

Between the Lions: You can watch BTL on Sundays at 11:30 on Channel 8. BETWEEN THE LIONS is funded in part by a Ready To Learn cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education through PBS.

Leap Frog Series: You can find these DVD's at Walmart.
Letter Factory
Word Factory

Taking a Look Back...

2010-09-03T23:06:00.000-07:00

Last month our class had a great time getting to know a little bit more about each other and our families. All of the families did a great job decorating their piece of the quilt and it was so fun to see how each families square was so unique. We slowly eased in to routines and a taste of what the "grind" would be like in September. The kids have all adjusted so well and have such a great time playing and learning together. It looks like it is going to be a great year!

The Itty-Bitty Bookworms

2010-08-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

Meet the 8 new (one student was gone the first week) Itty-Bitty Bookworms!

All About ME

2010-08-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

This month the children will be doing a variety of "getting to know you" activities. The children each shared their "ME bags" so we could learn a little bit about each other. It was fun to learn about what was special to each child. The children were excited when they learned they had something in common with a new friend. Last week the children also made "ME cookies", designed their own "ME doll", and decorated their first initial. We will continue to celebrate the uniqueness of each child as we get to know each other and get settled in to the school year.

Welcome

2010-07-11T23:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool!

Preschool gives children the emotional, social and academic exposure they need to be successful in their future education. At Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool, your child will be actively learning in an in-home small group setting, allowing the teacher to spend more one-on-one time with each student to ensure that every child is being taught and challenged to the best of their potential. The small group setting creates a safe learning environment where children feel comfortable exploring and asking questions.

At Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool, "Character Counts"! Along with striving to prepare your child for Kindergarten, character traits, manners, and age appropriate social skills will be nurtured.

I look forward to working with you so, together, we can create a pleasant beginning to your child's educational experience.

Back to School

2010-07-11T23:16:00.000-07:00

I can not believe how fast the summer has come and gone and it is already time for school to start! The first day of school is Monday, August 9th. I look forward to the upcoming year and watching your child learn, grow and explore!

Each month, your child will be experiencing learning through thematic activities, stories, songs, poems and arts and crafts. The new theme will be introduced in the monthly newsletter along with At-Home Activities, Family Activities and Suggested Books and Websites. Throughout the month of August, I will devote our time to helping make transitions feel safe, slowly introducing rules and procedures, meeting new friends, and getting used to a structured setting that allows your child to feel secure in their new environment.

I will be updating the blog monthly so please check back as I will post information on what your child is doing in class, monthly themes, weekly skills that we will be working on, upcoming events, pictures and parent reminders.

I'm here for you and your child. If you should ever have any questions or concerns throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can schedule a time to meet with me before or after school, email me at tarawilliams78@hotmail.com or call me at home, 354-1850.

OPEN HOUSE/MEET THE TEACHER

Monday, August 2nd from 5:00-6:00.

Feel free to stop by and visit your child's classroom. Visiting the classroom may help ease any tension that your child has on the first day of school. You and your child will have the opportunity to get a sneak peak at the classroom, find their seat, meet some friends that they will be going to school with and have an opportunity to meet with me to discuss any questions or concerns that you may be having at this time.

If you plan to attend, please email me at tarawilliams78@hotmail.com and I will send you my address and directions.

Enjoy what is left of the summer and I look forward to seeing you and your child at Open House.

Ms. Tara

My Goal

2010-07-11T23:15:00.000-07:00

Curriculum

2010-07-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

I will use Arizona State Standards as a guide for planning developmentally age appropriate lessons for your child. The resources I use will be designed for Preschool and Kindgergarten children and will be modified to fit the needs of each child.

I will incorporate art projects, music and storytelling into the daily curriculum which entails Math, Language Arts, Creative Arts, Science and Social Studies. Each lesson will be designed to teach your child a balance of preschool skills and learning objectives.

Your child is an individual and therefore all children can not be expected to perform or learn at the same pace. Lessons will be modified to fit the individual needs of your child.

Make Your Day

2010-07-11T23:08:00.000-07:00

Daily Schedule

2010-07-11T23:06:00.002-07:00

Here is an example of what your child's day will look like throughout the month of August.

9:00 Morning Activity

9:30 Morning Meeting-We will sing our morning song, discuss the days agenda, children will have an opportunity to share, and we will complete our daily calendar.

9:45 Did You Know-Introducing the topic of the day.

10:00 Character Counts-Discussion and story on Character Counts Trait.

10:15 Art-We will be doing art activities each school day. I will let you know in advance if a project will be especially messy, so you can dress your child accordingly.

10:30 Story Time-During this time your child will also be able to look through books of interest in the reading corner.

10:45 Group Game-Children will be involved in a group game that incorporates the topic or particular skill of the day.

11:00 Snack and Potty Time-I will provide a small snack and juice for each student. Students will also be encouraged to use the potty at this time. After snack time, the students are free to read books in the reading corner.

11:15 Small Group Activities-This time may be used to do centers, games, listening center or group discussions.

11:30 Story Time-I will use this time to read the children a story followed by a discussion about the book to build comprehension and vocabulary skills.

11:45 Music-Time to sing and dance! Children will have the opportunity to participate in dancing to a children's music video. Children not wanting to participate may do centers.

11:55 End of the Day Wrap Up-We will discuss our day and any upcoming events.

12:00 School Day Ends-Please be prompt when picking up your child.

Assessments

2010-07-11T23:06:00.001-07:00

Character Counts

2010-07-11T23:05:00.000-07:00

RESPECT

We will be discussing what respect means and how we can show others that we respect them. This trait will be especially important during the first month of preschool. Your child will be learning to share, wait their turn, use good manners, dealing with anger, and practicing the "Golden Rule". Please reinforce these behaviors at home and praise your child when you see them demonstrating, RESPECT.

The Dreaded Drop-Off

2010-07-11T23:03:00.000-07:00

The first day of school is exciting and scary at the same time. This is true for the kids, parents and yes, even the teacher. The first day of school will be filled with many emotions. Starting a new routine at an unfamiliar place can be scary for your child, however, just keep in mind, they WILL be okay and it WILL get easier with time.

I can recall many days,when I would drop my daughter, Kayla off at preschool and she would cry and I mean the gut-wrenching cry! It was heart-breaking! She would literally chase me out the door and cling to my legs begging me not to leave. I get sad just thinking about how tough those days were. I had to pry her off of my legs and leave...just leave. I felt terrible, horrible. HOW could I leave my child when she is calling for me? I would get in the car, drive to work and cry. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't just quit my job. How could I make her feel better about me leaving her at school? Well...after talking to many friends at school, Kayla's preschool teacher and a good friend, which happened to be the school counselor, I was reassured that this was a normal, healthy and necessary part of growing up. I can't be by her side forever. It was my job to reassure her that everything would be ok, even when I'm not there. So, after many days of dropping her off and then immediately calling her teacher to see if she was okay, and being told "Yes, the tears stopped as soon as you left and she is playing with so and so", I soon figured out that maybe this "drop-off" was harder on me than it was on her.

Don't expect your child, on the first day, to skip in without a fear in the world. Most likely they won't. Being a parent and a teacher who has seen many tears over the years, I can reassure you they will be okay. : )

Helpful hints for making the dreaded drop-off easier for everybody...

Make the drop-off, FAST. Quick, hug, kiss, reassure your child that you will be back and of course, the "I love you".

If you seem sad and uneasy, your child will pick up on that and assume that something must be wrong.

Start reading some books about characters that are starting school.

Ask your child how they are feeling and discuss any concerns.

Call me. If you need reassurance that your little one is okay...call. Been there, done that. I don't mind!

Supplies

2010-07-11T23:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of the following supplies that your child will need to bring with them on the first day of school.

Sippy cup- Please write your child's name at the bottom of the cup. Water only!

Extra clothes- Just in case of an accident, please put in a labeled Ziploc baggie, a pair of shorts, a shirt, and underwear.)

OPTIONAL ITEM

Backpack-Your child does not need to bring a backpack but may do so if they would like to. Please keep in mind that your child will be bringing home the Bookworm Binder everyday.

DONATIONS

If you would like you may contribute supplies to our classroom. Some items are used up quickly and need constant refilling.

Glue sticks

Crayons

Snacks

Juice- Apple or White Grape

General Information

2010-07-11T22:59:00.000-07:00

Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 until 12:00. Our Morning Activity will begin promptly at 9:00, so please make sure your child is on time.

Your child will be provided with a snack but tummies will start rumbling close to 12:00. Your child will be ready for lunch, please be prompt when picking up him/her from school.

Tuition is $150.00 a month and can be paid on the first of each month or bi-weekly.

Itty-Bitty Bookworms Preschool follows the Apache Junction Unified School district calendar.

End of the Year Celebration and Graduation

2010-05-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

On the last day of school, the Itty-Bitty Bookworms performed some summertime songs and finger plays that they had been practicing for their parents and grandparents. They all did such a great job, I was so proud! After the whole class performed, we had a special graduation ceremony for our friends that are going on to Kindergarten. They wore a graduation hat, received a diploma and then sang a preschool graduation song. It was a special day for the kids and parents as their first educational milestone has been achieved.

We had such a busy, rewarding and fun school year, I can't believe that it has come to an end! I'm so proud of the accomplishments that each child has made over the course of the school year!

I wish everyone a fun and safe summer!

Ms. Tara

May Memories

2010-05-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that the school year is over! Here is a look back at some of the fun activities the Itty-Bitty Bookworms did over the last month of school. The kids enjoyed celebrating Cinco De Mayo, Crazy Hair Day, Dress-up Day and having fun together as usual!

Cowboys, Dunes and Deserts

2010-04-02T02:16:00.000-07:00

The Itty-Bitty Bookworms will be learning about an environment that they are familiar with, the desert. Your child will be learning about Deserts around the World, Desert Animals, Desert Plants and Desert Culture.

Your child will be working on the letters "Z", "Y" and "R". Your child will be able to identify the letters, distinguish between capital and lower case and choose a picture/word with the beginning sound. This month we will begin to blend sounds to make a single syllable word ( /m/ /a/ /n/ makes man). Your child will continue to work with rhyming words, familiar sight words, sequencing and reading comprehension.

We will also be working with the numbers 7 and 17. Students will be able to identify the numbers as well as counting objects with one-to-one correspondence.
This month we will be concentrating on comparing and ordering whole numbers through 20.

This month we will be reading and reciting some of our favorite Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. ”Nursery rhymes are especially powerful, because they are so memorable. Children who are familiar with nursery rhymes when they enter kindergarten often have an easier time learning to read. This is probably because rhyming helps them discover many common word patterns (such as those in quick/stick or down/crown). The ability to hear rhymes — knowing that cat rhymes with hat, but not with bag—is an essential skill for learning to read because it means that your child can discern the differences among individual sounds (or phonemes). Playing with rhymes trains her ear to hear the differences and similarities in how words sound.” Susan B. Neuman , Ed. D.

I look forward to enjoying what is left of our school year...time flies!

Ms. Tara

Author Study

2010-04-02T00:53:00.000-07:00

Kevin Henkes
This month, we will be reading books written and illustrated by, Kevin Henkes. We will be reading a book each week and doing a variety of enrichment activities each day. Ask your child about the book of the day, did they like it? If so, visit the local library and check out some other great books by Kevin Henkes.

Here are the titles we will be reading in class:
Old Bear
My Garden
Chrysanthemum
Chester's Way

Family Activity

2010-04-02T00:25:00.001-07:00

Enjoy the gorgeous weather before it is too late and go for a hike! Discuss with your child the plants and animals that are found in the desert. Don't forget your water and sunscreen!

Happy Hiking!

Read Across America

2010-04-01T22:33:00.001-07:00

The beginning of March the Itty-Bitty Bookworms celebrated, Read Across America with a variety of fun reading activities. The first day we celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday by reading "Green Eggs and Ham" so, of course, we made green eggs and ham and surprisingly the kids gobbled it all up! We also read "Horton Hears A Who" and the kids went outside to find their own clover with a speck of dust on top. Then, after reading "The Cat and the Hat", we made Dr. Seuss hats. The second day, each child brought their favorite book to school to share with their friends. Each time we read a book we found a new comfy place to read the book. The Itty-Bitty Bookworms also played an Environmental Print Bingo game, "wrote" their own stories and shared it with their friends. The students also enjoyed listening to actors read stories to them online. Finally, on the last day, we read "Planting a Rainbow" by Lois Ehlert. The students decorated their flower pots, put soil into their pots, and finally planted their flower seeds. Keeping up with the rainbow theme for the day, the students also made rainbow necklaces with fruit loops and brainstormed objects that were the same color as the colors in a rainbow (or the colors of the Skittles in our case). Throughout the week, we had some fantastic parent volunteers come into the classroom and read to the class. The kids LOVED having the mommies, a daddy and a grandpa come and read to them. I would like to thank all of the parents that helped to make Read Across America week such a fun week for the students! Keep on reading!!

Busy, Busy, Busy...

2010-04-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

March was a busy month for the Itty-Bitty Bookworms! We had a great time celebrating our love for reading during Read Across America week and trying to track down a pesky little leprechaun that kept playing tricks on us in our classroom (wink, wink). However, the leprechaun did leave a note apologizing for all of his tricks and left us the recipe to a delicious Leprechaun Punch! Enjoy taking a look back at our busy month...

Going on Safari

2010-02-28T22:42:00.000-08:00

This month your Itty-Bitty Bookworm will be going on Safari in Africa! We will be discussing Safari Gear, Grassland Animals, and African Culture.

Your child will be working with the letters "K", "V", and "B". Your child will be able to identify the letters, distinguish between capital and lower case and choose a picture/word with the beginning sound. This month we will be focusing on distinguishing between letters and words and segmenting a sentence into individual words. Your child will continue to work with rhyming words, familiar sight words, sequencing and reading comprehension.

We will also be working with the numbers 8 and 18. Students will be able to identify the numbers as well as counting objects with one-to-one correspondence. This month we will also begin identifying numbers which are one more or less than a given number to 10. Your child will continue to sort and generate and extend patterns.

I will be introducing a new genre of books with the students each month. We will be starting off with Traditional Literature. I will be reading a story each day and have also provided many other books in the classroom from this genre. If you are interested, I listed some other fun books to read with your child. If you would like, feel free to borrow a particular book from the classroom to take home and read with your child.

Nursery Rhyme for the month is "Old Mother Hubbard".

I look forward to celebrating Read Across America with the Itty-Bitty Bookworms this week! Activities include eating green eggs and ham, moms and dads as guest readers, "planting" a rainbow and sharing our favorite books. Check back for pictures from our fun-filled reading week!

Ms. Tara

Family Activity

2010-02-28T22:38:00.000-08:00

Backyard Safari
This month we will be discussing living and nonliving things. Take a "trip" to your backyard and pretend you are going on safari. What do you think you will see? What living and nonliving things did you see? Bring binoculars!

Have fun!

Looking Back...

2010-02-28T21:46:00.000-08:00

Last month the Itty-Bitty Bookworms learned about mammals. We also had fun with many Valentine's Day themed crafts, centers and of course, a Valentine's Day party.

Furry Friends

2010-02-01T22:48:00.000-08:00

This month your Itty-Bitty Bookworm will be learning about mammals. We will be discussing the characteristics that make an animal a mammal and creating some mammals that will be displayed in our classroom zoo. We will be reading books about mammals, sorting objects, practice cutting, recognizing rhyming words, practice writing names, sequencing events from a story, graphing, number recognition and simple addition and subtraction.

The sight words that your child will be introduced to this month are, "in", "he", "on" and "you". You can practice locating these words in books when reading with your child.

The nursery rhyme that we will be practicing this month is, "Humpty Dumpty".

This month your child will also be celebrating the joy of having friends. They will engage in sharing and caring activities, games, songs, rhymes and stories.

I will look forward to adding some more animals to our classroom zoo! : )

Ms. Tara

Family Activity

2010-02-01T22:37:00.000-08:00

Take a trip to the Phoenix Zoo or the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium and talk about the animals you see that are mammals.

http://www.wildlifeworld.com/

http://www.phoenixzoo.org/

OR

Talk about animals that you see in books; decide if they are mammals.

Leaving the Land of Dinosaurs

2010-02-01T21:49:00.000-08:00

Last month the children had fun learning about dinosaurs. They had fun making fossils, digging for dinosaur bones, building a volcano and creating their very own Dino Land. Here is a look back at some of their adventures...

Dinosuar Dig

2010-01-02T21:48:00.000-08:00

This month your child will be learning all about dinosaurs! Children will be learning what it means to be a paleontologist, dig for dinosaur bones, study fossils, create a volcano, and learn about six different dinosaurs. Your child will also be introduced to past and present, simple addition, riddles, rhyming words, emerging writing skills, the letters, "T", "Q" and "E", beginning sounds with the letters "T", "Q" and "E" and the sight words, "the", "and", "to" and "of".

Your child will be learning to recite the nursery rhyme " Hickory, Dickory, Dock". This nursery rhyme reinforces the sight word "the" and rhyming words.

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Christmas vacation. I'm excited to have your Itty-Bitty Bookworm back at school and look forward to fun and exploration while we learn about dinosaurs!

Ms. Tara

Family Activity

2010-01-02T21:44:00.000-08:00

Visit the Arizona Museum of Natural History and see dinosaur bones up close and personal!

http://www.azmnh.org/Home.aspx

Take a Trip Through Our Winter Wonderland...

2010-01-02T20:52:00.000-08:00

The Itty-Bitty Bookworms learned about the Five Senses last month. December was the perfect month to explore our senses and incorporate fun Christmas arts and crafts, and even a few Christmas goodies! Throughout the month, the children created a Winter Wonderland that reinforced the Five Senses with a fun hands-on project.

Sight- Christmas tree lights
Hearing- Bells on Santa's reindeer
Taste- Decorated (and tasted) gingerbread houses
Smell- Peppermint candy canes
Touch- Sandpaper gingerbread men

The Itty-Bitty Bookworms also worked hard practicing three Christmas songs which were performed for parents at the Christmas party. They did such a great job! It was adorable!

"Kindness Candy Canes" were introduced to the children this month. We have been reading books and discussing all of the ways that we can be kind to others. The children were rewarded with a sticker to put on their candy cane when I observed them being kind towards one of their friends. As soon as the kids caught on to what I was doing, they made sure that they would talk very loudly when they were polite or helping a friend. Or, if I did not observe them being kind, they would come up to me and tell me what they did or said, it was very funny! I reminded them that they never knew when I was listening or watching them and tried to give the stickers when they least expected one. Once a student received five stickers, they earned a special Christmas cookie. I'm very proud to say that every student displayed kindness and earned a special treat!

Suitcase Senses

2009-12-02T15:05:00.000-08:00

We have begun a new month and a new theme at school. This month your child will be learning about and exploring the Five Senses. In addition to learning about the Five Senses, your child will be introduced to the letters, U, I, M and J, the numbers 2,12and 20, the colors purple and white and the diamond. We will continue to work on skills such as; sequencing, writing names, story comprehension, recognizing sight words and mathematical vocabulary.

The nursery rhyme your child will be learning to recite this month is, "Hey Diddle Diddle".

This will be a fun-filled month here at school. Your child will be decorating a gingerbread house and has already begun learning Christmas songs that will be recited at our Christmas party.

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Ms. Tara

Family Activities

2009-12-02T14:53:00.000-08:00

What a great month to be studying the Five Senses! Take advantage of this time of year and have fun exploring the season using the Five Senses!

Sight-Pack in the car or take a walk and look at Christmas lights.

Hearing-Listen to Christmas music or sing your favorite Christmas song. Read Christmas books before nap or bedtime.

Smell- Bake Christmas cookies.

Taste- EAT the Christmas cookies! : )

Touch- Decorate the Chrismas tree.

Need something to do over Christmas break? Visit the library and check out the recommended books found on the back of the monthly newsletter.

A Look Back...

2009-12-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

The kids had a blast learning about all the different means of transportation last month! I am so proud of the kids and how well they work together. Preschool not only teaches Kindergarten readiness skills but the social skills that are just as important. The kids share, use manners, help each other, and have so much together!

Our Friendship Feast was delicious and the chicken nuggets were a hit! I would like to thank our special visitor (my mom) for her help!

Here is a look back at what your itty-bitty bookworm accomplished last month.

Transportation Station

2009-11-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

Your child will be learning about the different forms of transportation this month. Transportation topics include: Mass Transit, On the Road, Transportation Safety and Personal Transit. Your child will be busy at work turning our classroom into a busy city street.

Skills and objectives your child will be introduced to this month are the letters "O", "U" and "W", graphs, exploring senses, numbers 9 and 19, mathematical vocabulary, more, fewer and the same, following a recipe, sequencing, dramatic play, and many fun transportation arts and crafts.

We have also begun reciting our new nursery rhyme of the month; "Little Boy Blue".

I have attached some fun websites that you and your child might want to check out!

Ms. Tara

Family Activity

2009-11-04T14:19:00.000-08:00

Go for a bike ride and talk about all the means of transportation that you see. This is also a great time to reinforce bike safety, which your child will be learning about this month.

Happy Travels!

Halloween Party

2009-11-03T20:06:00.000-08:00

I want to thank everyone that contributed to our Halloween party. The kids had such a fun time playing games, painting, decorating cookies and especially eating all of the goodies.

I also want to thank the parents and grandparents that came to watch the Itty-Bitty Bookworms perform. They worked so hard on their poem, songs and nursery rhyme. I was so proud of them- it was adorable!

Here are a few pictures from our party. Enjoy!

The Great Outdoors

2009-10-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

This is such a wonderful time of year! The weather is starting to cool down and we can finally enjoy being outdoors-and we have! The children enjoy eating snack on the front porch and getting some fresh air. We will continue to spend time outdoors and explore nature.

This week, the children will be learning about parts of the tree, bears, acorns, the number 14, triangles, patterns and working with the sound of letter P.

You may have noticed that the children have begun creating our classroom forest. We will continue to add to our classroom creation, don't forget to check it out!!

I have added some kid-friendly websites that you and your child might have fun exploring!

Happy Fall!

Ms. Tara

Featured Family Activity

2009-10-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

Together, plan and pack a picnic. Visit a local park, picnic area or even your very own backyard to find an area with lots of trees. While you eat your lunch, look for birds and animals, and have a discussion about them. What do they look like? What do they sound like? Where do they live? What do they eat? Close your eyes and listen to the wind and the other sounds of nature around you. Enjoy!

Exploring Nature

2009-10-11T20:54:00.000-07:00

We said good-bye to our rain forest and have started to explore the great outdoors! Last week the children began learning about living and non-living things, the letter P, colors orange and brown and the number 4.

The children went outside and picked up flowers, leaves and sticks and glued them on to our nature collage. They enjoyed being outside and exploring the living things that we find in nature.

We have also begun decorating our classroom for Halloween. Check out the bulletin board in the classroom that displays the ghosts that they made with their feet!

Treehouse Club

2009-10-04T21:44:00.000-07:00

The children had a great time last month learning about the Rain forest! However,we are now ready to explore the Great Outdoors! This month your child will be learning about: living and non-living things, animals that live in the woods, exploring nature using sense of touch, types of trees, comparing and contrasting things found in nature, parts of a tree, animal homes found in trees, the letters, P, C and X, the numbers 4 and 14, and the colors brown and orange. Your child will continue to work on Math and Phonics/Reading skills at their individual level when they work with me in small groups.

Check back weekly as I update the blog with pictures of your little "outdoorsman".

Take advantage of the cooler weather and enjoy the Great Outdoors!

Ms. Tara

Rainforest Explorer's in Action

2009-09-22T22:50:00.000-07:00

Your little bookworm has been working hard these past few weeks of school! We are finished working with the letter "A". Your child should be able to identify capital and lower case "A" and make the letter sound. The letter "L" has also been introduced. Some of the children began working on identifying words that have a particular letter sound at the beginning of a word and writing capital and lower case "A".

We continue to learn about rainforests and use a globe each school day to locate South America. Our classroom rainforest is almost complete! I will post pictures of our creation next week.

During our calendar time we have begun to discover and extend patterns, count the number of days in the month and discuss the days of the week. The children are encouraged to tell you what day of the week it is when you pick them up from school.

We have been "hunting" for circles in the classroom and the children have been excited to discover all of the circles that are in our enviornment. Continue the hunt at home or while you are in the car.
The children have been introduced to the parts of book such as; the cover page and the title. Before read a louds, we discuss the cover and predict what the book might be about. During reading, we discuss pictures, predict, sequence events and discuss story events. After finishing a book we review what we read and discuss our favorite parts. Children love to talk and talking about the book they are reading enhances comprehension and gives a purpose for reading.

The children have adjusted to routine and enjoy choosing a learning center of interest and exploring at their own pace either alone or with a friend.

We have had such a successful first full month of school and I enjoy working with the different personalities and age levels that make our classroom a fun learning experience for everyone.

What to Expect From Your Little Explorer This Week

2009-09-08T22:27:00.001-07:00

This week we will be talking more about some of the animals that live in the rainforest; alligators, butterflies, jaguars and monkeys. Most of these projects will be hung in our classroom to add to our rainforest that we started creating last week. We will continue to do work with the letter A, and will be introducing the letter L. We will continue to work with the number 3 and circles.

Emmy's family had a fun way of exploring more of our rainforest theme and took a trip to the Rainforest Cafe in Arizona Mills Mall. Great idea!!

Enjoy the short week! : )

Getting Adjusted

2009-09-08T22:18:00.000-07:00

We started our new theme last week, "Rainforest Explorer". We have discussed what makes a rainforest so green and located South America on the globe. We also began working with the letter A, the number 3, and circles. The children began more of a school routine and we are slowly getting used to breaking away from the "fun" centers to come back and work with me.

Check back soon for updated pics...

What to Expect..."Let the Fun Begin!"

2009-08-30T20:57:00.001-07:00

The children have spent the past two and half weeks getting accustomed to coming to school and the routines we have established. The children have been learning what is acceptable behavior without any consequences and learning how to share and talk respectfully to their friends.

Tomorrow we will discuss and begin implementing, Magic 1-2-3 in the classroom. You will know what light your child received each day at school by checking the calendar located inside their Bookworm Binder.

I have met individually with each child and have assessed their skill level. I have designed individual plans and goals that I will be working with your child on this week. I will work with your child during our centers time. I have included a copy of your child's weekly plans in their folder.

Since I will be working with each student one on one, the children will have more time exploring at different centers. Centers will be changed to align with the theme and/or objective we are working on in class. Centers will include: Computer, Dramatic Play, Math, Challenge, Art, Game, Free Exploration, and Reading Corner.

I'm looking forward to working with your child! Let's have a great week!

Ms. Tara

Check it out!

2009-08-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

Your child will begin learning and exploring with letters. I have found this DVD to be a great help when I began teaching Kayla her letters and sounds. The DVD is fun and entertaining and does a great job introducing letters and sounds.

LEAP FROG: LETTER FACTORY

I have also used other LEAP FROG DVDs and Kayla loves them! LEAP FROG: Talking Words Factory and LEAP FROG: Learn to Read at the Storybook Factory.

If you have a great learning DVD that you would like to share, let me know and I will post it for other parents to "check it out".

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2009-08-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

We were busy little bookworms this week! We finished up our last week of "Little Doctors in Africa". We wrapped up the unit by learning about our stomach, throat, lungs and heart. The kids had a great time doing a science experiment, playing in shaving cream, frosting their ice cream cone cupcakes, painting and exploring the different centers.

What to Expect This Week...

2009-08-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

This will be our last week as, "Little Doctors in Africa". I will be "testing" the kids throughout the week on letters, shapes, colors, and numbers. I will use this information to help me plan for next week when we start more of our academics. I understand that there are a variety of ages in the classroom and I will plan the one-on-one time that I spend with your child to meet his/her specific needs. The class, as a whole, will be working on a specific objective or skill but your child will be working at his/her individual skill level. I will put the results any assessment that I do with your child in his/her folder each day so you are able to see what they have been tested on.

This week, we will also be learning about our stomach, throat and heart.

Have a great week!

Looking back...

2009-08-23T21:52:00.000-07:00

We did it! We survived our 1st official week of preschool! We learned about doctors, lions, zebras, colors, shapes, our eyes, sharing, dressing up, and having fun at our Friday dance party. The kids are adjusting well to our routine and the preschool transition.

Enjoy some of the pictures taken throughout the week. If there is a particular picture that you see on the blog that you would like to have, let me know and I would be happy to print it out for you.

P.S. The kids LOVE our Friday Dance Parties! The DVD that the kids dance to is, "The Laurie Berkner Band, you most likely have seen her on Noggin. Each song has a music video that the kids enjoy watching while they dance away!

Enjoy!

Little Bookworms

2009-08-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

We had a great first day! Well, as great as it can go in a preschool classroom. : )

The kids were so well behaved and seemed so excited to be in school and make new friends. I got a chance to see how well they play with each other and what nice manners they already have in place.

Today, we read books, sang songs, colored, played at centers and had a snack. I did not want to rush into any structured activities that might overwhelm the children, so we just took it easy and had a good time.

I'm so very excited to have your child a part of our classroom and I know this is going to be a fun-filled year for everyone!

See you on Friday...

Ms. Tara

A Good Start

2009-08-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of the parents that were able to attend Open House. It was fun to see the kids already exploring around the classroom and making new friends!

Please have your child bring back their Bookworm Binder to school with them on Wednesday. The only paper from the binder that you need to bring back is the Personal Information and Consent Form.

I will have the front door locked until 8:45. When you arrive at school, feel free to come in and help your child put their binder in their cubby and get settled in at the activity that will be set out for them. I will lock the doors after everyone arrives for safety reasons and then unlock the doors again at 11:25.

See you soon...

Back to School

2009-07-31T11:58:00.003-07:00

I can not believe how fast the summer has come and gone and it is already time for school to start! The first day of school is Wednesday, August 12th. I look forward to the upcoming year and watching your child learn, grow and explore!

Each month, your child will be introduced to a new theme. August's theme will be, "Little Doctors in Africa". You will receive a newsletter on the first day of school explaining in detail more about the monthly theme. Throughout the month of August, I will devote our time to helping make transitions feel safe, slowly introducing rules and procedures, meeting new friends, and getting used to a structured setting that allows your child to feel secure in their new environment.

I will be updating the blog frequently so please check back often as I will post information on what your child is doing in class, monthly themes, weekly skills that we will be working on, upcoming events, and parent reminders.

I'm here for you and your child. If you should ever have any questions or concerns throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can schedule a time to meet with me before or after school, email me at tarawilliams78@hotmail.com or call me at home, 354-1850.

Enjoy what is left of the summer and I look forward to seeing you and your child on the 1st day of school!

Ms. Tara

Daily Schedule

2009-07-31T11:58:00.001-07:00

School hours are from 9-11:30. You may drop your child off between 8:45-9:00. I will rotate activities that your child can work on if you drop them off before the start of the school day. Please do not drop your child off any later than 9:00.

Here is an example of a what a typical day will look like throughout the month of August.

9:00 Morning Meeting-We will discuss the days agenda, children will have an opportunity to share, and we will complete our daily calendar.

9:10 Did You Know-Introducing the topic of the day.

9:20 Feather-Discussion on Character Counts Trait.

9:30 Art-We will be doing art activities each school day. I will let you know in advance if a project will be especially messy, so you can dress your child accordingly.

9:45 Story Time-During this time your child will also be able to look through books of interest in the reading corner.

10:00 Group Game-Children will be involved in a group game that incorporates the topic or particular skill of the day.

10:30 Snack and Potty Time-I will provide a small snack and juice for each student. Students will also be encouraged to use the potty at this time.

10:45 Small Group Activities-This time may be used to do centers, games, listening center or group discussions.

11:00 Money-This concept will be explained in the parent newsletter.

11:15 Music-Time to sing and dance! We will have a dance party every Friday. Children will have the opportunity to participate in dancing to a children's music video. Children not wanting to participate may do centers.

11:20 End of the Day Wrap Up-We will discuss our day and any upcoming events.

11:30 School Day Ends-Please be prompt when picking up your child.

Tuition

2009-07-31T11:57:00.004-07:00

You may pay tuition monthly or bi-weekly. The cost of August tuition will be $100, due to the short school month. The cost of the regular $150.00 tuition will resume in September. If you registered before June 26th, you can take $50 off of August tuition per the Special Offer advertisement on the blog.

Assessments

2009-07-31T11:57:00.003-07:00

Character Counts Trait of the Month

2009-07-31T11:57:00.001-07:00