Mary Had a Little LambMary had a little lamb!
It's fleece was white as snow!And everywhere that Mary went!
The lamb was sure to go!He followed her to school one day!
Which was against the rule!It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school!And when the teacher turned it out!
But it lingered near!And waited patiently about
Until Mary did appear!Why does he love Mary so?The eager children cried!
Why Mary loves that lamb you know!The teacher did reply!
Time is passing by so quickly and our Little Lambs
are growing right before our eyes.
In the month of February the Little Lambs 1 will
focus on *"Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear I Love You".
Exploring objects with the hands, eyes and ears,
exploring and noticing how things are the same and
different and exploring picture books and
magazines are a few of the Key Developmental
Indicators that will be encountered.
Teddy Bear Song(sung to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb")
(Child's Name) has a teddy bear,Teddy bear, teddy bear
(Child's Name) has a teddy bearIt's brown and furry all over.
(change last line to fit description of child's teddy bear.)
We will be asking parents to bring in their child's
favorite Teddy Bear throughout the month.
Mary Had a Little LambMary had a little lamb!
Whose fleece was white as snow!Everywhere that Mary went!
That lamb was sure to go!It followed her to school one day!
Everything was new!The children were surprised to see!
That lamb was really you!
Mary Had a Little LambMary had a little lamb!
Whose fleece was white as snow!Everywhere that Mary went!
That lamb was sure to go!It followed her to school one day!
Which was against the rules!It made the children laugh and play!
To see a lamb at school!Bobby had a billy goat!
Whose legs were stout and strong!And everywhere that Bobby went!
That goat would ‘tag along’!It followed him to school!
That same day that Mary’s lamb was there!Mary’s lamb upset the ink well!
Bobby’s goat ate the teacher’s chair!
We will continue with language development
through nursery rhymes, this month with an
intentional focus on, “Baa! Baa! Black Sheep!”,
“Mary had a Little Lamb!” and “Little Bo Peep!”
Little Bo PeepLittle Bo Peep has lost her sheep!
And doesn’t know where to find them!She’ll look for them and bring them home!
Staying always close beside them!
Baa! Baa! Black SheepBY MOTHER GOOSEBaa! Baa! Black sheep!Have you any wool?
Yes sir!Yes sir!
Three bags full!One for the master!
And one for the dame!And one for the little boy!Who lives down the lane!
We will continue our one-on-one rituals while
changing diapers and during feeding times, singing
songs and recite nursery rhymes and finger plays.
During our “Awake and Alert” Time, we will have a
puppet show for the Little Lambs.
Teddy Bear Song(sung to the tune "You Are My Sunshine")
You are my teddy bear!My only teddy bear!You make me smile!You are my friend!
You'll never know dear!How much I like you!
I'm so glad you are my Teddy bear!
Five Little Teddy BearsOne little Teddy Bear!Wondering what to do!Along came another!
Then there were two!Two little Teddy Bears!
Climbing up a tree!Along came another!
Then there were three!Three little Teddy Bears!
Ate an apple core!Along came another!
Then there were four!Four little Teddy Bears!Found honey in a hive!Along came another!
Then there were five!
* Wondering about history of those beloved Teddy Bears?
Mary Bellis provides the following information, which I hope
you find interesting.
Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United
States, is the person responsible for giving the teddy bear his
name. On November 14, 1902, Roosevelt was helping settle a
border dispute between Mississippi and Louisiana. During his
spare time he attended a bear hunt in Mississippi. During the
hunt, Roosevelt came upon a wounded young bear and ordered
the mercy killing of the animal. The Washington Post ran a
editorial cartoon created by the political cartoonist Clifford K.
Berryman that illustrated the event. The cartoon was called
"Drawing the Line in Mississippi" and depicted both state line
dispute and the bear hunt. At first Berryman drew the bear as a
fierce animal, the bear had just killed a hunting dog. Later,
Berryman redrew the bear to make it a cuddly cub. The
cartoon and the story it told became popular and within a year,
the cartoon bear became a toy for children called the teddy
bear.
Who made the first toy bear called teddy bear?
Well there are several stories, this is the most popular one:
Morris Michtom made the first official toy bear called the
teddy bear. Michtom owned a small novelty and candy store in
Brooklyn, New York. His wife Rose was making toy bears for
sale in their store. Michtom sent Roosevelt a bear and asked
permission to use the teddy bear name. Roosevelt said yes.
Michtom and a company called Butler Brothers, began to
mass-produce the teddy bear. Within a year Michtom started
his own company called the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.
Be well!
Leola, Kristi, Venicia and Shea
I Can Hear, Smell and TouchI can hear my name!
And the sounds around me!I can hear the song!
And music around me!I can smell the food I eat!
I can smell the scents around me!I can touch this instrument!
And hear what I play!I can touch everything with my hands!
January’s theme was “I Can Hear, Smell and
Touch.” We explored these senses using instruments,
shakers, a variety of textured materials and scented
materials. We continued to sing throughout the
month and many stories were read. It is good to see
how interested and attentive your Little Lambs are
during these activities.
In the month of February, the theme is “I Can
Move.” The Little Lambs move the whole and
parts of their bodies to explore objects, pull up,
crawl and shift. Some of our Little Lambs are
walking. We will engage in some exercises
to help strengthen the children’s bodies;
crawling through a tunnel, dancing to music,
using walkers and rolling balls.
We will offer jumbo crayons for the use and
refinement of fine motor skills and use edible paint
to do some Valentine’s Day projects.
10 Little HeartsOne little, two little, three little hearts!Four little, five little, six little hearts!
Seven little, eight little, nine little hearts! Bring love on Valentine's Day!
The Little Lambs continue to grasp food and feed
themselves. Also, we will introduce sippy cups. If
you have not yet done so, please provide a sippy cup
for your child.
Head! Shoulders! Knees! and Toes!Head, shoulders, knees and toes!
Knees and toes!Head, shoulders, knees and toes!
Knees and toes!And eyes and ears and mouth and nose!
Head, shoulders, knees and toes!Knees and toes!
Two little feet! Ten little toes! Two little feet!Ten little toes!
Leave their impressions today!Soon they will wear two little shoes!And be running and jumping at play!
Two little feet!Too little time!
Before they are walking to school!Kicking a rock, or skipping a rope!Wading a puddle or jumping a pool!
Happy February!
Ms. Wendy, Ms. Lajuan
and Ms. Sara
CRUNCH! CRUNCH!I eat carrots for lunch!
MUNCH! MUNCH!Rabbit eats them by the
bunch!TICK! TOCK!
I hear the clock!SCRAPE! SCRAPE!A key is in the lock!
BOW! WOW!The dog barks!
MOO! MOO!Calls the cow!
MEW! MEW!Begs the cat at her bowl!
EEK! EEK!Squeaks the mouse from
his hole!All these noises!
Calling to me!I'll turn them into poetry!
NOISE POETRY
The Valentine's Song(sung to the tune “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
Valentines say, "I love you!""I love you!" "I love you!"
Valentines say, "I love you!""I really, really do!"
This month marks important dates for the
Caterpillars. Parent Teacher Conversations and
Conferences, Groundhog’s Day, Valentine’s Day and
Chinese and Vietnamese New Year.
If You Want to Show Your Love(sung to the tune “If You’re Happy and You Know It)
If you want to show your love!Share a smile!
If you want to show your love!Share a smile!
If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!
Share a smile!
If you want to show your love!Lend a hand!
If you want to show your love!Lend a hand!
If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!
Lend a hand!
If you want to show your love!Use kind words!
If you want to show your love!Use kind words!
If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!
Use kind words!
February is known as the “Month de l’Amour.” We
will be talking about Love. Our theme this month is
“I Love You” we will emphasis love expressions
such as blowing kisses, give each other hugs,
waving goodbye or hello to one another.
Our toddlers really seem to enjoy the seasonal songs
and finger-plays.
10 Little Hearts One little, two little, three little hearts!Four little, five little, six little hearts!
Seven little, eight little, nine little hearts! Bring love on Valentine's Day!
Love, Love, Love (sung to the tune “Three Blind Mice")
Love! Love! Love!Love! Love! Love!See how it grows!See how it grows!
I love my friends and they me!We love each other, that’s plain to see!
There's plenty of love in our School Family!Love! Love! Love!Love! Love! Love!
The Love Bug It begins with a grin !
(smile broadly)
It turns to giggle!(put both hands on mouth and giggle)
You start to laugh!(throw head back and laugh out loud)
Your legs start to wiggle!(put feet in the air and shake)
You look all around for someone to hug!(move eyes back and forth)
What can you do?(shrug shoulders)
You've caught the love bug!(hug another child or yourself)
ACHOOO!
We will also have some special treats for our little
ones.
Sincerely,
Ms. Yelli, Ms. Tyree, Ms. Loan
Happy New Years! We started 2016 “ Down on the
Farm” exploring animal sounds, homes and families.
By the end of the month, they were “moo-ing”,
“baa-ing” and “cock-a-doodle do-ing” all over the
place.
February is here and we will be learning about
“Things We Love” people, places, food and some of
our favorite objects and materials as well. We will
be using pictures to create artwork and collages of
things and people we love. The Koala Babies’
caregivers would like to ask parents to send in
family photos of the children’s close relatives and
siblings.
If You Want to Show Your Love(sung to the tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you want to show your love!Share a smile!
If you want to show your love!Share a smile!
If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!
Share a smile!
If you want to show your love!Lend a hand!
If you want to show your love!Lend a hand!
If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!
Lend a hand!
If you want to show your love!Use kind words!
If you want to show your love!Use kind words!
If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!If you want to show your love!
Use kind words!
We will begin to learn Sign Language for “I love
you” and we will also encourage and practice saying
it verbally.
“FAMILY”(sung to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
Let's all live in peace!Let's play in harmony!
Red, yellow, brown, or white!We're all one family!
The Koala Babies will celebrate Black History
Month.
Friends! Friends! 1,2,3!Friends!Friends!1, 2, 3!
All of my friends are here with me!(Name) is my friend!(Name) is my friend!(Name) is my friend!(Name) is my friend!
Friends!Friends!
1,2,3!All of my friends are here with me!
In the spirit of Valentine's Day we will incorporate
hearts into our learning as well. We will explain the
shape and what is stands for. We will read “ Happy
Valentine's Day Mouse.” The Koala Babies will be
having a Valentine's Day Party and Dance which
parents are welcome to attend. The celebration will
include exchanging Valentines, enjoying treats and
dancing until we cannot dance any more. We ask
the children to come dressed in their best red and/or
pink for the dance. You can also just send the
clothing in and we will change them before the
party.
H-E-A-R-T(sung to the tune of “Bingo!”)
There is a shape!It stands for love!
And "heart" is its name!H-E-A-R-TH-E-A-R-TH-E-A-R-T
And "heart" is its name.
The Valentine's SongValentines s(sung to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
ay, "I love you!""I love you!" "I love you!"
Valentines say, "I love you!""I really, really do!"
Now that all our Koala Babies are up and moving
we won't just be going for walks, we will also be
heading to the backyard for the playground! Also,
we will be transitioning from our sippy cups to open
mouth cups. This is exciting and maybe quite
messy, so, we ask our parents to please supply
ample amounts of extra clothing. We continue to
thank you for all your help and support.
Ms. Shontee, Ms, Nee Nee and Ms. Stefanie
We are going into a new LOVE filled month!
January was spent learning all about the season of
Winter; frigid air, animals who live in cold places,
and things that should be worn to help keep us warm
during the winter season. The most popular activity
was touching and feeling artificial snow and making
small snowmen and snowballs at our water table.
Also in January, some our little ones celebrated their
second Birthday! Happy Birthday Aaron, (January
7), Henry Scott, (January 20) and Belis, (January
22). February Birthday celebrations will include
Brianne, (February 10) Wren, (February 16) and Ms.
Nina, (February 25).
10 Little HeartsOne little, two little, three little hearts!Four little, five little, six little hearts!
Seven little, eight little, nine little hearts! Bring love on Valentine's Day!
The theme for February will be "Love Is In The
Air". During this month the children will talk about
Love. We will talk about God's love, family love,
and self-love. We will also focus on African
Love, Love, Love (sung to the tune “Three Blind Mice")
Love! Love! Love!Love! Love! Love!See how it grows!See how it grows!
I love my friends and they me!We love each other, that’s plain to see!
There's plenty of love in our School Family!Love! Love! Love!Love! Love! Love!
Until next time!
Ms. Tanganyika Ms. Nina
Ms. Delia
American History. We will celebrate Valentine’s Day
with a Valentine’s Day Dance and Card Exchange on
Friday February 12. Please be sure to look out for
further information.
“FAMILY”(sung to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
Let's all live in peace!Let's play in harmony!
Red, yellow, brown, or white!We're all one family!
Our Winter PTCC will be held February 8. Sign up
sheets are available at the Parent Table.
As always, thank you so much for your continued
support of the day-to-day running of the Polar Bear
School Family!
Hello February! The past month was full of
transitions for the Brown Bears. We started toilet
learning and are learning family style dining;
amongst other things. Activities that we enjoyed
throughout the month of January include painting
snow, making snowmen, experiencing the cold
through ice play, practicing our colors, and learning
new nursery rhymes.
As we enter the month of February, our theme is
“Love is in the Air.” Our goals as we progress
though the month will include hearing rhyming
words, focusing on family and who we love, and
Black History Month. The objectives during the
month are participating in listening and responding,
responding and identifying pictures and photos, and
expressing emotions. We will also spend time
working on the concept of same/different and the
number of things.
Nursery rhymes that we will incorporate in our
classroom include:
I Love You, You Love Me“I love you!You love me!
We're a happy family!With a great big hug!
And a kiss from me to you!Won't you say you love me too?”
If You Love Me and You Know It Clap Your Hands“If you love me and you know it!
Clap your hands.If you love me and you know it!
Clap your hands.If you love me and you know it!
Then your face will surely show it!If you love me and you know it!
Clap your hands.”
Five Little Speckled Frogs“Five little speckled frogs!
Sat on a speckled log!Eating some most delicious grubs!
Yum!Yum!
One jumped into the pool!Where it was nice and cool!
Now there are four green speckled frogs!Glub!Glub!”
(Repeat song counting down to one speckled frog)
Throughout the month of February, the Brown Bears
will read many books, such as: “The Valentine
Bears” by Eve Bunting, “Love is a Special Way of
Feeling” by Joan Anglund, “Be My Valentine” by
Charles Schulz, “Ten Tiny Fairies” by Dawn Bentley
and Heather Cahoon, “Ten Little Ladybugs” by
Melanie Gerth, “Opposites” by Sandra Boynton,
“The Foot Book” by Dr. Suess, and “Go, Dog, Go”
by P.D. Eastman.
In addition to what we will be focusing on in the
month of February, we are also looking forward to
International Day. We will continue to focus and
learn more about our country through art, music, and
reading.
Through planned and prepared activities we will
encounter many of the Key Developmental
Indicators including:
Expressing initiative
Distinguishing 'me' from others
Solving problems encountered in exploration and play
Doing things for and by themselves
Expressing emotions
Showing empathy toward the feelings and needs of others
Developing social play
Imitating and pretending
Exploring building and art materials
Responding to and identifying pictures and photographs
Moving the whole body (rolling, crawling, cruising,
walking, running, balancing)
Listening to music
Responding to music
Listening and responding
Participating in communication give - and – take
Communicating verbally
Exploring picture, books, and magazines
Enjoying stories, rhymes, and songs, Exploring objects with
hands, feet, mouth, ears, eyes, Exploring and noticing how
things are the same or different
Experiencing 'more'
Experiencing one-to-one correspondence
Exploring the number of things
Observing people and things from various perspectives
Anticipating familiar events
Noticing the beginning and ending of a time interval
Experiencing 'fast' and 'slow'
Repeating an action to make something happen again,
experiencing cause and effect
We will continue to go outside, weather permitting,
even if it is only for a shorter period of time. Brown
Bears’ parents, please dress your children warmly in
winter coats, hats, and gloves. Please label
hats and gloves. Thank you for your
continued support and collaboration!
Wishing you all a Happy February!
Ms. Caterina, Ms. Elizabeth, and Ms. LiPing
Happy February!
Winter is already under way. In January, the Busy
Bees enjoyed creating art work whose theme was
“Everything Snow”. They painted snowflakes, snow
storms, made penguins, and snowman. They gathered
at the window sharing the experience of staring up at
the sky trying to see the weather!
The Martin Luther King Peace March was a success
and enjoyed by the children. We celebrated with a
special live performance in the Fellowship Hall
before the Peace March.
In February the Busy Bees will take a look at
“Giants”. Giants come in many forms. This unit
explores everything from Fairy Tale giants to
dinosaurs to tall building to mountains. It’s a great
unit for teaching perspective.
Busy BeesSome of our activities will include bead patterns,
stringing a big, bigger, and biggest pattern, building
a tower taller than they are and smaller, painting
their favorite animal giant and more as the children
indicate interest expanding on planned and prepared
lessons as well as contribute their own ideas.
Some of the books that will be read around which
Language and Communication Key Developmental
Indicators will be encountered include:
The Ant and the Elephant
Digging up Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs Dance
The Little Mouse
The Selfish Giant
The Key Developmental Indicators that will guide
our lesson planning will include:
- Sense of self- identifying me from others
- Creating representation- exploring building
and art materials
- Exploring objects- noticing how things are the
same or different
THE GIANT CARROTOnce there was a gigantic carrot!
The farmer tried to pull it out!But it didn’t work!
Then the farmer called over a grandmother!They pulled and pulled!With all their might!But it didn’t work!
Then the grandmother called over a little girl!
And the little girl, the grandmother and the farmer pulled the carrot!
But it didn’t work!Then the little girl called the cat over then the cat, the little girl, the grandmother and
the farmer pulled and pulled!But it still didn’t work!
Then the cat called the dog over then the dog, the cat, the little girl, the grandmother and the farmer tried to pull the carrot out!
But it didn’t work!Then the dog called the beetle!
And with one big thug!The carrot came flying out of the ground!
And they made a soup out of it!
Some of our other activities will include celebrating
Black History month, exploring some of the
amazing individuals who contributed their gifts and
talents.
Making ValentinesToday we’re making Valentines!With scissors, paint and glue!When yours is dry and ready,
I’ll be sending it to you!I’ll put it in an envelope!
I’ll write your name in red!I’ll sign it hugs and kisses!
From your very “Best Forever Friend!”
The Busy Bee’s Valentine’s Day Celebration will be
held on February 12, at 3:00 PM. Ice cream and
everything red, will be served and exchanging cards,
parents are invited.
10 Little Hearts(sung to: "One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians")
One little, two little, three little hearts!Four little, five little, six little hearts!
Seven little, eight little, nine little hearts!Bring love on Valentine's Day!
Love Is A CircleLove is a circle!
Round and round!(make a circling motion with arm)
Love goes up!(raise arms up)
And Love comes down!(lower arms)
Love is on the inside!(pull hands inward towards chest)
Trying to get out!(pull hands away from chest)
Love is whirling and twirling about!(move hands in a spinning motion)
Our mid-year conferences will take place on 10
February.
Notes from Ms. Evelyn
Congratulations to Rose’s parents for having a baby
girl. Her name is Nora Grace. She was born on 4th of
January. Joy and blessings
Ms. Bernita and Ms. Evelyn
InchwormsLOVE SOMEBODY
Love somebody, yes I doLove somebody, yes I doLove somebody, yes I do
Love somebody,But!
I won't tell you who!
Welcome month of Love!
Roses are red, violets are blue, we love your
children as much as you do!
10 Little Hearts(sung to: "One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians")
One little, two little, three little hearts!Four little, five little, six little hearts!
Seven little, eight little, nine little hearts!Bring love on Valentine's Day!
Love Is A CircleLove is a circle!
Round and round!(make a circling motion with arm)
Love goes up!(raise arms up)
And Love comes down!(lower arms)
Love is on the inside!(pull hands inward towards chest)
Trying to get out!(pull hands away from chest)
Love is whirling and twirling about!(move hands in a spinning motion)
This month we will continue learning the letters in
our names, colors and shapes. The children have
begun the toilet learning process. We will continue
to encourage the children to use the toilet and begin
using underpants instead of diapers. We will
continue Family Style Dining at lunch. The children
doing very well with passing and the food to one
another and saying “Please” and “Thank you”.
We would like to remind you of the Parent/Teacher
Conferences, Thursday, 11 February. Please be sure
to sign-up.
I Love You So!I'm glad it's Valentine's Day today!
It's a special day, you know!It gives me an extra chance!
To say, "I love you so"!
We will also have a Valentine Day Party Friday, 12
February.
Happy Birthday
Halima 2/7
Happy Valentines Day!
Ms. Shanna
Ms. Halima
LadyBugsThe Rose is Red! The Violet is Blue!
The rose is red!The violet’s blue!
The honey’s sweet!And so are you!
Thou art my love!And I am thine!
I drew thee to be my Valentine!The lot was cast and then I drew!And fortune said it should be you!
February is a month when we express our emotions
to the ones that we love with cards, candy, flowers,
kind words or a simple hug!
In January, the goals set for the children were “New
Beginnings!” and “Reviewing Past Activities!” The
children reviewed the letters in their names focusing
letter on the first of their name through books, and
songs about the alphabet. We have begun toilet
learning and the children are practicing healthy
habits in the bathroom. The class is using “Family
Style” dining at mealtimes where the children serve
themselves portions of food and pour their own
milk. We are also learning a new lunch prayer.
We will carry January’s theme of “Winter and Ice”
into February continuing to explore water, and ice
elements as well as how to stay healthy while
enjoying the cold weather.
Other themes that the Lady Bugs will explore in
February include:
“Emotions”, “Healthy Bodies” and “Famous
Americans”.
Goals and objectives around which lessons will be
planned and prepared include practicing good
nutrition learning about the food groups and the
importance of eating healthy and getting enough
exercise. The children will think of ways to show
their love to people who are important to them.
Key Developmental Indicators that will be
encountered are self-identifying emotions and
expressing how they feel towards loved ones.
Gross motor-body awareness skills such as running,
jumping, “skating “ on paper and exercising
movements will be incorporated as daily activities.
Language-learning/saying words and phrases from
songs and poems related to themes.
Reading/writing- Valentine cards.
H-E-A-R-T(sung to: "B-I-N-G-O")
To show you like your special friends!Just give them each a heart!
H-E-A-R-T!H-E-A-R-T!H-E-A-R-T!
Each heart says I like you!
Practicing personal and healthy behaviors – doing
things for themselves, serving self at mealtimes and
toilet training.
Some of the activities the children will participate in
are: Communication, Language and Circle Activities
– The children will communicate verbally reasons
why we say “I love you” to special people. Talk
about what we need to stay healthy, (food, water,
sleep, exercise, and fresh air).
Listening and responding to weather questions,
“What is a shadow?” “How do you make a
shadow?” and “Is today a shadow day?”
HERE'S A LITTLE GROUNDHOG(sung to "I'm A Little Teapot")
Here's a little groundhog!Furry and brown!He's popping up!To look around!
If he sees his shadow!Down he'll go!
Then six more weeks of winter!OH, NO!
Math – Number heart puzzles.
Creative/art activities – Magic Valentine crayon
rubbings. Use various art materials making holders
for Valentines. Shadow play using light.
Large motor – Circle game “Heart, Heart, who’s got
the heart?
Dramatic Play – Playing Post Office and visiting the
Doctor’s.
Five pretty valentines!With lace galore!
I gave one to__________(insert child's name)
And then there were four!Four pretty valentines!
So lovely to see,!I gave one to __________!
(insert name of another child)
And then there were three!
Three pretty valentines!Just made for each of you!
I gave one to ___________!
(insert name of another child)
And then there were two!Two pretty valentines!
Having so much fun!I gave one
to____________!(insert name of another child)
And then there was one!One little valentine!Waiting for a special
someone!I gave it
to____________!(insert name of another child)
And then there were none!
Five Pretty Valentines
On Friday February 12th, the Lady Bugs will have a
little Valentine celebration where they will exchange
Valentine cards. A list will be given with the
children’s names. We will not ask for the parents to
provide goodies for this activity, the teachers will
provide them. The children will need to bring in
Valentine cards on or before Friday the 12th.
Mark your calendars for our second Parent/Teacher
Conversations and Conferences which will be on
Friday February 19th.
We would like too express our love and appreciation
to our Lady Bug families as we wish them a HAPPY
VALENTINE’S DAY!
Ms. Jackson and Ms. Ximena
FirefliesRoses are red!
Violets are blue!But no flower in this world!
Is as beautiful as you!The rose is red!The violet’s blue!Sugar is sweet!And so are you!
The Fireflies have been learning all about directions,
prepositions, and locations in the month of January.
We had lots of fun describing where materials were
in the classroom, learning sign language for our left
and right sides, and driving our cars all over the
gym.
Five Green DragonsFive green dragons making such a roar!
One danced away and then there were four!Four green dragons dancing around a tree!
One danced away and then there were three!Three green dragons dancing around you!
One danced away and then there were two!Two green dragons dancing in the sun!
One danced away and then there was one!One green dragon having lots of fun!
She danced away and then there were none!
In addition to the ideas that will be encountered and
explored by virtue of the fact that it is February;
Black History Month, American Heart Month,
CandelMass Day, Ground Hog’s Day, Ice Cream for
Breakfast Day, Superbowl Sunday, Mardi Gras, Ash
Wednesday, Lent, Valentine’s Day, Random Acts of
Kindness Day, President’s Day, Love Your Pet Day,
International Dog Biscuit Day, the big idea for
February is “It’s Nursery Rhyme Time!”
WAKE UP SONG(sung to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star")
Wake up, Groundhog!Time to see!
What the weather is going to be!Time to stretch!Time to think!Time to eat!
And time to drink!Wake up Groundhog!
Time to see!What the weather is going to be!
It's a Special Day(sung to: “If You're Happy and You Know It”)
It's a very, very special day today!(clap twice)
It's a very, very special day today!(clap twice)
Today is Presidents' Day!When we shout and say,
"Have a happy, happy, happy, happy, today!" (clap twice)
Rhymers Are Readers: The Importance of Nursery Rhymes
Most everyone was taught a nursery rhyme when
they were a child. If you weren't taught nursery
rhymes, you have probably heard at least one
nursery rhyme in your lifetime. Many people may
not understand the importance of nursery rhymes
and may think they are a waste of time. Nursery
rhymes actually help to improve your child's
language skills.
My Little StarSweetheart, you’re my little star!
How I love the way you are!And I wonder what you’ll be!As I bounce you on my knee!
Sweetheart, you’re my little star!How I love the way you are!
Start reading nursery rhymes to your child when
they are a baby; three months is a good age to start.
Reciting nursery rhymes to your baby will help them
understand the grammatical structure of language
and learn to read. Several studies have been done on
nursery rhymes that have proven that nursery rhyme
activities really do help children understand the
language.
A Wonderful Woman Lived in a ShoeA wonderful woman who lived in a shoe!
She had so many children!She knew exactly what to do!
She held them!She rocked them!
And tucked them in bed!“I love you!”“I love you!”
Is what she said!
Cognitive Development
Since nursery rhymes are patterns, they help children learn easy recall and memorization. Nursery rhymes usually tell a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. This teaches children that events happen in sequence, and they begin to learn how to understand stories and follow along. Nursery rhymes use patterns and sequence, so children begin to learn simple math skills as they recite them. Many rhymes also use numbers, counting, and other math words that children need to learn, such as size and weight. Nursery rhymes also introduce alliteration (“GoosieGoosie Gander”), onomatopoeia (“Baa Baa Black Sheep”), and imaginative imagery. Children hear these rhymes and act out what they imagine the characters are doing.
Peter, Peter Pumpkin EaterPeter, Peter Pumpkin Eater!
Had a friend he loved to greet!He treated him (her) with kind respect!
And in the morning hugged her (his) neck!
Language Development
When children hear nursery rhymes, they hear the sounds vowels and consonants make. They learn how to put these sounds together to make words. They also practice pitch, volume, and voice inflection, as well as the rhythm of language. For example, listen to how you sound when you ask questions. Do you sound different when you tell a story? In nursery rhymes, children hear new words that they would not hear in everyday language (like fetch
and pail in “Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water”).
Nursery rhymes are short and easy to repeat, so they
become some of a child’s first sentences.
Star Light! Star Bright!Star light!
Star bright!First star I see tonight!
I wish I may!I wish I might!
Have the wish I wish tonight!
Social/Emotional Development
Sharing nursery rhymes provides a safe and secure bond between parents and children. Positive physical touch between a parent and a child or between children, for example, during clapping rhymes, is important for social development. Funny nursery rhymes allow children to develop a sense of humor. Nursery rhyme characters experience many different emotions. This can help children identify their own emotions and understand the real emotions of others. When children act out the nursery rhyme stories they hear, they learn to imagine, be creative, and express themselves.
Twinkle, Twinkle Little StarTwinkle, twinkle little star!
What a wonderful child you are!With bright eyes and round cheeks!
You’re my wonderful friend from your head to your feet!
Twinkle, twinkle little star!What a wonderful child you are!
Physical Development Children develop their mouth and tongue muscles by using the different sounds in the rhyme. Rhymes that involve movement help with coordination.
In dramatic play, children use their whole bodies to
act out the nursery rhymes they hear.
Jack be BimbleJack be nimble!Jack be quick!
Jack jump over the candlestick!Jill, be nimble and jump it too!If jack can do it, so can you!
Jack was NimbleJack was nimble!Jack was quick!
Jack jumped over the candlestick!Jack kept jumping much too close!
Now his pants smell like burnt toast!
Make time to rhyme!
Ms. Erin and Ms. Katrina
Small ScholarsWe made it through our first month of 2016! It’s safe to say we
are fully “back in the swing of things,” if not better than when
we left. Throughout the month we learned about several dances,
some that came easier to us than others, we looked at directions,
such as left and right, and we also explored some letters and the
sounds they represent. The Small Scholars also brought in some
awesome letter posters that created an opportunity for the
children to teach one another and garner a deeper understanding
of the lessons. As these posters are now our walls, not only do we have some added creative décor, but to
create visual touch points for the children to reference and absorb what is being taught.
As we enter February, we will further explore our creativity by learning about some of the great artists who
have contributed some of their own creativity into our world. Through our theme ”Salvador Owli and Picas-
Whoo” children will be able to appreciate the creative arts, understand that people have diverse
characteristics, interests, and abilities, express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel
through two- and three-dimensional art, understand past, present, and future, and observe the materials and
processes in their environment. As art can be understood through various mediums we will primarily focus
on visual arts. It is through this theme that we aspire to challenge the children to use ordinary materials in
extraordinary ways, further develop their fine motor skills and prewriting skills, explore their individuality,
and continue conversation about diversity.
We will look at some more conventionally famous artist such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Claude
Monet*, and Henri Matisse. Additionally, we will also look at artist who embody an often under represented
community. These artists include Gordon Parks, Emma Amos, Jacob Lawrence, Betye Saar, and Kara
Walker, five of many amazing Black visual artists who contribute (have contributed) thought provoking
work that sheds light on a culture that is faced with many obstacles still. We will explore the techniques used
by these artists, the controversial new ideas they contributed to the world of art, and the social impact they
created on their communities.
* Claude Monet was born in 1840 on November 14 in Paris. He grew up in LeHaver, near the sea. Even when he
was young he was a very good artist. His pictures were so good that an art supply store let him hang his pictures in
their window.
Monet's parents did not want him to become an artist because they thought he would not make a good living. That
did not stop him ;at the urging and with the encouragement of his friend, Eugene Boudin who invited Monet on an
expedition to paint with him at the ocean, Monet decided to become an artist at the age of 18 and when he was 20,
he studied are at an inexpensive art school in Paris.
At the beginning of his career, Monet used dark colors, as he did in the 'Studio Corner' marked by black shades. His
painting evokes Courbet and the Realist School.
From 1860 on, Monet abandoned dark colors and worked from a palette limited to pure light colors. In 1905,
answering a question about his colors, he wrote :
"As for the colors I use, what's so interesting about that? I don't think one could paint better or more brightly
with another palette. The most important thing is to know how to use the colors. Their choice is a matter of habit.
In short, I use white lead, cadmium yellow, vermilion, madder, cobalt blue and chrome green. That's all."
The children will study several of Monet’s most famous works
with the intention of encountering the key developmental
indicators of making and expressing choices, plans, and
decisions, describing objects, events, and relations, comparing
attributes, arranging several things one after another in a series
or pattern and describing the relationships, exploring and
describing similarities, differences, and the attributes of things,
distinguishing and describing shapes, sorting and matching,
using and describing something in several ways, holding more
than one attribute in mind at a time, distinguishing between
"some" and "all", describing characteristics something does not
possess or what class it does not belong to, relating models,
pictures, and photographs to real places and things, making
models out of clay, blocks, and other materials and drawing and
painting and to introduce the following art vocabulary in
preparation of their own painting.
Analogous colors: any set of three or five colors that are closely related in hue(s).
Brushstroke: The mark left by a loaded (filled) brush on a surface. Brushstrokes can be
distinguished by their direction, thickness, TEXTURE, and quality. Some artists purposefully
obscure individual brushstrokes to achieve a smooth surface. Other artists make their brushstrokes
obvious to reveal the process of painting or to express movement or emotion.
Complementary colors: two colors directly opposite one another on the color wheel. When placed
next to one another, complementary colors are intensified and often appear to vibrate. When mixed,
brown or gray is created. Red and green, blue and orange, and yellow and violet have the greatest
degree of contrast. Red-violet and yellow-green, red-orange and blue-green, and yellow-orange and
blue-violet are also complementary colors.
Composition: the arrangement of the design elements within the design area; the ordering of visual
and emotional experience to give unity and consistency to a work of art and to allow the observer to
comprehend its meaning.
Impressionism: an art movement in which painters attempted to capture candid glimpses of their
subjects through spontaneous brushwork and an emphasis on the momentary effects of light on color.
Landscape: a painting, drawing or photograph which depicts outdoor scenery. They typically include
trees, streams, buildings, crops, mountains, wildlife, rivers and forests.
Value: the lightness or darkness of a color; contrasts between light and dark.
Waterscape: A painting of or including a body of water. It might otherwise be called a marine
picture, a seascape, or a riverscape, etc.
Warm color: Colors whose relative visual temperature makes them seem warm. Warm colors or
hues include red-violet, red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, and yellow.
Oh and how could we mention February and not mention Valentine’s Day?! In celebration of Valentine’s
Day we will participate in a card exchange. But before we exchange cards we need a cute mailbox to store
them in! We ask that children bring in a shoe box (or something similar) to be decorated no later than
Tuesday, February 9. Also, on Friday, February 12 we will have a Valentine’s Day party, where we will
exchange cards, share yummy treats, and bask in love. With that we ask that parents look above the cubbies,
in front of the calendar, and sign up for what they will be able to contribute.
Love, Love, Love (sung to the tune “Three Blind Mice")
Love! Love! Love!Love! Love! Love!See how it grows!See how it grows!
I love my friends and they me!We love each other,!That’s plain to see!
There's plenty of love in our School Family!Love! Love! Love!Love! Love! Love!
As always we thank our amazing home families for all that they
do to ensure the Small Scholars success. We can’t wait to see
what February brings.
Peace, Love, and Art,
Ms. Gaby and Mr. Ron
Butterflies“Supposing I said there was a planet without schools or teachers,
where study was unknown, and yet the inhabitants – doing nothing
but living and walking about – came to know all things, to carry in
their minds the whole of learning; would you not think I was
romancing? Well, just this, which seems so fanciful as to be nothing
but the invention of a fertile imagination, is a reality. It is the child’s
way of learning. This is the path he follows. He learns everything
without knowing he is learning it, and in doing so passes little by
little from the unconscious to the conscious, treading always in the
paths of joy and love.” -Maria Montessori, MD
The children are indeed growing in their regard for themselves and each. In questions asked or in kind
words offered, a deeper awareness of others perspective can be observed in verbal and non-verbal
situations.
Love, Love, Love (sung to the tune “Three Blind Mice")
Love! Love! Love!Love! Love! Love!See how it grows!See how it grows!
I love my friends and they me!We love each other, that’s plain to see!
There's plenty of love in our School Family!Love! Love! Love!Love! Love! Love!
As we explore themes of “Love” and “Friendship” this month, I invite children to bring pictures from home
of representations of this, such as a likeness of them and a grandparent, or them and a favorite pet, or them
and sibling and so on. We will have group discussion on why this person or animal is important to them and
how they feel about them.
As we work together with you in the education of your children, the following ideas can help in building
kindness and compassion in our students:
1. Acknowledge when your child does something kind or when you observe someone else
doing something kind
2. Treat children with respect.
3. Show children how to help someone in need.
4. You are your child’s first model, they are watching you; model positive action.
5. Be patient with your little ones, for kindness and compassion are learned in challenging
situations.
6. Teach your children how to watch others’ facial
expressions.
7. Believe that your children are capable of being kind.
The children will have opportunity to use their observation
skills to find heart shapes in nature. This may include a heart-
shaped stone, heart-shaped ice, or creating a heart-shaped
snowball.
ROSES are REDRoses are red!
Violets are blue!I am so blessed!
To have a friend like you! (point to a friend and say their name!)
We will collaborate with our Bluebird friends in making a special Valentine’s snack, measuring and mixing
together, creating a sense of community. We will have a Valentine’s exchange as well, with a list of all our
friends’ name provided.
The children will have ample opportunity to use creativity in stamping hearts onto white cloth to use as
placemats or improving cutting skills in folding paper to cut hearts.
In self-care, the children continue to practice and improve skills in zipping their jackets, pulling mittens on
the hands, etc. in order to explore the landscape of snow outdoors. We continue testing the properties of
snow, ice, and water in classroom experiments as well as continuing our study of animals that hibernate in
winter. The children are in the process of creating a habitat mural on paper depicting animals who live in
Arctic and Antarctic regions.
Toward the end of the month, our focus will turn toward the continent of Europe, locating this continent on
the map, creating a sand outline, and identifying and recreating some of the great structures of Europe with
various construction materials, including Stonehenge, the Eiffel Tower, Neuchwanstein Castle, or St. Basil’s
Cathedral.
We continue to build our awareness of the seasons with seasonal matching cards as well as a song that
includes the months of the year.
Months of the Year(to the tune of "Ten Little Indians")
January.. February... March... and April...May... June... July... August... and September...
October.... November... and December...These are the twelve months of the year.
We continue to introduce phonetic sound baskets with objects beginning with the same letter.
Ms. Elise, Ms. Manisha and Ms. Yoland
Blue BirdsFebruary is the month most associated with hearts, flowers and
friendship. The class will be exploring acts of kindness and
what makes a friend.
"Averting war is the work of politicians; establishing peace is
the work of education." Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori recognized children as the redeeming factor
in the evolution of humankind. In order to bring about a world of peace and tolerance, where war is an
absurdity, it is important to focus and teach peace early. The children in the Blue Bird School Family will
think together about peace as small acts of kindness that can be offered on a daily basis. Small acts of
kindness can be achieved by helping to clean up, a hug, the peace rose and a simple smile.
“Peace begins with a smile.” BL Mother Teresa
We will continue exploring Winter Animal Cards at Circle Time. February’s animals will include a ground
hog, coyote, and a chickadee.
We will continue to incorporate actions (modeling) and words of kindness, such as “Please”, “Thank you”
and asking a friend “Are you OK?”
Books that will be read in a group include “Love, From the Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle and
“Everyday Graces: A Child’s Book of Good Manners” by Karen Santorum and Sam Torode.
This month’s cooking project will involve making "smore friendship mix". Ingredients include Quaker heart
cereal, pretzels, peanuts, Valentine M&M’s, and alphabet crackers.
Valentine art will be done with children using "pom-pons", and fabric paint to create beautiful lunch napkins
for themselves!
Reminders for this month:
Please make sure children have appropriate clothing for the cold weather. Please make sure their "extra cloth
bins" are replenished as needed.
School will be closed on February 15 for Presidents Day!
Sign-up sheet for Parent Teacher Conversations and Conferences are available at the Parent’s Table.
Regards,
Ms. Sarla and Ms. Carmen
MAKING PEACEMaggie Clark
January flew by, and now February is upon
us. Last month we welcomed our new
student, Lila, as a Roaring Lions, and she
has settled in wonderfully our class.
The Roaring Lions have been hard at work
on their Literacy and Math workbooks. We
continue to work on upper and lower case
letter recognition and formation on lined
paper, and we are moving forward to
isolate beginning and ending sounds. We
are working to distinguish between
alliteration and rhyming, using books,
songs and written words to help us tell
them apart. Some children are even
beginning to sound out simple words, or
try some phonetic spelling of their own.
We have been using many gross motor
activities and games such as, playing letter
bingo, tossing letter bean bags, making
giant letters with our bodies, and going on
letter hunts, to engage the children with
their whole bodies.
Our literacy and character education areas
of study overlap heavily this month with
Valentine's Day
approaching soon. We
will be expanding our
conflict resolution
skills to include making
apology notes, and
creating cards to show love
for one another. We will
also make more drawn and
written plans before
we choose a plan-
do-review space,
do a science
experiment or start a
building project. We have
placed many more writing
materials throughout the
classroom to encourage the
children to bring all that
they are learning about
letters, numbers, and
written communication
throughout their play
scenarios.
We will have a
Valentine's Day party
in our classroom on
Friday, February 12 at 3:30. Each child is
asked to bring a shoebox (or box of similar
size) to school no later than 2/9 for us to make
mailboxes. The children may either buy or
make valentines for their friends, and we will
be delivering cards to each child's mailbox
throughout the day. This is a great opportunity
for the children to practice writing and reading
their friends names, which we have been
working on throughout the year.
There will also be a party sign-up sheet posted
for food items on our parent board at the
beginning of the month.
This month we will expand our math and
science studies to include using more
descriptive language about directions,
measurements, and comparisons. We will use
sound boxes, scent trays, and various art
projects to distinguish between senses, and
how we are experiencing the world around us.
We will also discuss the changes in nature that
we notice around us, and those that are soon to
come as we are *hopefully* able to spend
more time outside, and less time in the gym.
Sending you all warm wishes!
- Ms. Amanda
Roaring Lions
Sea TurtlesHello Sea Turtle parents!
I hope everyone has enjoyed the chilly, but
wonderful weather that we had throughout the
month of January. The new year has come and gone
and I have been so pleasantly surprised with the
growth all of your children have shown over the
course of the past month. I can't wait to see what the
rest of 2016 has in store for the Sea Turtles!
During the month of January our themes focused on
the different animals and areas that are associated
with the Arctic regions of the world. Our classroom
became a real life globe that had the North and
South poles come alive with different creatures that
live in both regions, including polar bears, penguins
and seals.
With the turn of the calendar also came the
opportunity to finally crack open or workbooks and
get down to business. Our themes in math included
working on position words such as above, below,
between, before and after. We also started one to one
correspondence and identifying different
numbers. We will continue to build on these skills
into February and focus on new themes such as
patterns and three dimensional objects.
Keep your eyes open for this month’s
share ideas to be posted on the parent
bored outside of the classroom. The
share ideas for February will focus
on the many different themes and
holidays that are celebrated
during the month. Not sure
who came up with the idea to
have February to have the fewest
days in any month on the
calendar, because there is so
much going on!
Our first week of the month will
focus on taking care of our
teeth and the importance of
brushing our teeth twice a
day. This theme aligns with
the National Pediatric
Dental Awareness month.
Last year, we were able to have the “Tooth Fairy”
talk to most of the classes about the importance of
eating healthy and taking care of one the most
important parts of our body, our teeth!
Obviously, we can’t forget the most important
holiday in February, Valentine’s Day! Our party will
fall on Friday the 12th at 3:30 P.M. The theme for
our party will be all about the color RED. We will
use various red fruits to make smoothies during our
party as well as other treats. Our class will also take
part in a valentine exchange amongst our class. The
class list of names has been sent in an email a few
weeks ago, so be sure to use that to start making
your valentines soon!
Other themes for the month will include celebrating
Black History, as well as President’s Day.
This month we finally get to celebrate some of our
Sea Turtle friends turning the big “5”! Be sure to
wish Atticus (2/6) and Jordan (2/9) a happy
birthday!
Happy February!
Mr. Ryan and Ms. Maria
Little ExplorersWow! January surely came and went fast and our
Little Explores are right along with the
tide! January was full of exciting moments such as,
welcoming Mr. Kaz to the School Family, studying
about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. listening to stories
and discussing our dreams about the future during
Circle Time. Prior to FBCC CDC’s Annual Peace
March, a gathering of our School Families heard a
re-enactment of Dr. King’s "I have a dream speech".
The children also began the study of ice and snow.
They explored building igloos in Block Area with
white paper covered blocks, role playing and
brewing hot chocolate in the Creative
Kitchen, modeled and displayed what to wear in
cold weather in the dress-up, discovered creative
ways to melt ice at the water table and enjoyed a
make believe "snow vortex" in our sensory play. It
was exciting to finish up our unit with not only our
first snowfall of the season, but a world-record
blizzard! We hope everyone stayed safe and warm
during those snowy days.
In February, we will open up our hearts and minds to
the concept of care. We will also discuss a few
African American inventors and their inventions in
honor of Black History month. The children will be
encouraged to participate in caring for themselves
and others, the earth, and the preservation of our
history. We will discuss how to care for each of
these topics and why it is so important. We will also
discuss African American inventors and
a few inventions we still use today.
We will have rollers and hair
accessories in dress-up, create traffic
lights in art and a medical kit in
the dramatic play area.
The children will be
encourage to journal their
ideas on ways to care for the
world around them and also any
ideas they have or would like to
create. In honor of caring others,
we will be writing letters "to our
"beary" good friends" and
creating mailboxes leading up
to our "Pals Day Out" social
gathering.
Children must learn and
understand the color of
someone's skin doesn't make
them worth any more or any less than someone else.
Children in the upper grade levels study slavery,
abolition, segregation, and prominent black figures,
but this type of instruction should begin as early as
preschool. Black history activities designed for
preschoolers help children grasp the concept of
equality. Here, learn several ways to introduce black
history in a fun and engaging way.
Black Inventors
Black inventors have contributed many things to
society. If children can see, touch, and play with
these inventions, they're more likely to appreciate
them. Create a playroom for the week or for the day
filled only with things invented by black people.
Explain to the children that someone with dark skin
invented everything in the room, and let them
explore. Here are some things to include in your
room:
Corn planter toy (corn planter invented by
Henry Blair)
Ironing board toy (ironing board invented by
Sarah Boone)
Toy Lawn Mower (lawn mower invented by
John A. Burr)
Paints (Invented by George Washington
Carver)
Keyboard (Player piano invented by Joseph
Dickinson)
Toy Guitar (Guitar invented by Robert
Flemming Jr.)
Bicycle (Bicycle frame invented by Issac
Johnson)
Stampers (Hand stamp invented by W.B.
Purvis)
Baby Buggy (Invented by W.H. Richardson)
Toy Cell Phones (Invented by Henry Sampson)
Toy refrigerator (refrigerator invented by J.
Standard)
On February 12, we will be having a "Pals Day Out"
social gathering. Each child will be requested to
bring the following: boys- a teddy bear and neck
tie, girls- a teddy bear and scarf. Continue to follow
up on the parent board for any additional
information.
Our Parent Teacher Conversations and Conferences
will be on 25 February. Please indicate your time
preference on the sign-up sheet on the Parent
Teacher.
Continue to check the parent boards daily for any
upcoming announcements.
Best regards,
Ms. Bindu and Mr. Kaz