Letter G Day and Clouds

The Letter of the Day is G and the Shape is Heart:

During centers, the class played with "Goofy Glasses":

The shape for the day was the heart. It comes with the cutest poem that we went over as a class:

Harry Heart is my name

The shape I make is my game

With a point on the bottom

And two bumps on top

When it comes to love

I just can't stop.

We also learned that G is for Gold and Green, and various members of the class sported the colors today.

Today for the first time the class learned about AB Math patterns. It is never too early to expose kids to pre-math concepts. Preschoolers are already stacking blocks and organizing their toys or collections in a certain way since they were about 18 months old. Now they can see that they can create and organize patterns once they learn the concept of it.

(Explaining more about patterns for the parents reference):

In preschool, identifying and creating patterns is just the beginning of the mastery of life-long mathematical skills.

The easiest patterns are those involving two colors or variables (for example, red, blue, red, blue), referred to as an AB,AB pattern. More complex patterns include ABC, ABC; AABB,AABB; AAB,AAB; ABB, ABB; and ABCD,ABCD.

Once children are aware of patterns they will begin to see them in everything. They might notice that breakfast is served in a pattern:  yogurt, eggs, pancakes; yogurt, eggs, pancakes or that they have school one day, and stay home the next. 

When you go to the grocery store, notice patterns in the food displays, display cases, and even the floor tiles. Even grocery shopping can be a learning time if you take note of what is around you.

Nature provides patterns in flower petals, colorful gardens, and even in the coats of animals such as tigers and zebras.

The preschoolers created their AB math patterns using the heart shape:

The class learned about clouds. We talked a little bit on the preschool level about the water cycle and how clouds form, and where they come from. We talked about what comes out of clouds (rain, snow, lighting)

We also read the Cloud Book by Eric Carle:

We sang a Cloud Song:

Floating Clouds up in the Sky

(tune of Twinkle Little Star)

Floating clouds up in the sky,
Changing shapes as you pass by.
Floating by without a sound.
Won't you come and touch the ground?
Floating clouds up in the sky,
Changing shapes as you pass by

These are also the other books we went over during circle time selected based on the letter G:

Grover's Guide to Good Manners

Three Billy Goats Gruff (circle time story)

Just Grandma and Me (the kids looked at it during centers)

Letter A Day And All About Me

First Day of Preschool

The first day of school started off by mingling with simple centers and getting used to a new environment. Something simple as knowing where the bathroom is located at is very important to preschool. We spent this day focusing on procedures, rules, and routines so that future preschool days can run smoothly and become more enjoyable for all.

Taking turns and sharing at preschool can be hard but a very important skill to master.

Sometimes it takes awhile to get used to the camera and getting your picture taken by your teacher whom you don't know real well yet:

Pre-writing skills and fun at centers:

Manipulatives and fine motor skills organizing the sand in a zen-like pattern:

Preschoolers are notorious for organizing and cataloging toys or objects. This is a form of pre-math skills and developing their thinking and cognitive skills:

Looking at the details of the shells through the ladybug magnifying glass:

The first day went really well. At the end of the preschool day everyone were buddies and looking forward to continuing preschool!