PANDA POST
January, 2017
PANDA HAPPENINGS
The Pandas made an easy transition back into
the classroom after our December break and
enjoyed getting reacquainted and playing with
their friends.
We spent the first week reading books that
were the “Teacher’s Choice,” basing our activities
on the books. After reading The Napping House,
the children were able to make their own Napping
House book as well as play in the block area and
recreate all the characters napping. Inspiration
from the book The Magic Hat found many of the
children decorating their own Magic Hats with a
variety of materials including sequins, tissue
paper, feathers and paper flowers.
We are now exploring the Wonders of Winter!
Our Dramatic Play area is now a “Hot Cocoa
Stand” where the children are enjoying serving
hot cocoa and drinking it with their friends.
At the sensory table the children were able to
find different items and animals frozen in ice and
by adding salt and tapping at the ice, discovered
that the ice would melt and the objects were able
to come loose from the ice. Another STEM
activity involved the skill of sequencing where the
children made their own story strip of a snowman
being built. They did this by putting the 4 pictures
of the snowman “story” in the correct order. Upon
completion the children were able to decorate
their story as well as retell it to classmates and
teachers. Being able to retell a story assists in
developing literacy in young children as well as
math sequencing. Additional winter activities
included making snowflakes out of pipe cleaners,
“splat painting” a snow scene with white paint and
glitter as well as winter mazes, and decorating
winter pictures with bingo dobbers.
“START AT THE TOP”
The Pandas are growing increasingly interested
in letters and writing words, especially their
names. To encourage the children’s interest and
curiosity, we have introduced the beginnings of
the “Handwriting Without Tears” program used
throughout the Wayland School System.
We began with the song “Where Do We Start
Our Letters (At the Top)”, which is where most of
the letters start when we print them. We are also
using the vocabulary affiliated with the program to
print the letters (“Big Line, Little Line, Big Curve,
Little Curve”). The children are enjoying our new
song and will soon be given the opportunity to
construct letters with the wooden curves and
lines, roll play dough letters and write and trace
letters on salt trays.
MYSTERY BUCKET
We have begun sending the Panda Mystery
Bucket home! This is an activity that is extremely
popular each year. As the children’s names are
randomly chosen, they have the opportunity to
bring the bucket home, and return it to school with
a “mystery” hidden inside. Three clues are
shared to assist friends in guessing what is
contained inside. Guessing what is in the mystery
bucket is an exciting addition to our daily group
circle. After the mystery is revealed each child
gets their picture taken which is added (with their
clues) to our Panda Mystery Bucket Book.
Looking at the book with friends and teachers is
always an enjoyable activity in our room!
We do ask that when it is your child’s turn to
bring the Mystery Bucket home, that you bring it
back in a timely fashion so that all of the children
in the class can enjoy this experience.
OUR FAVORITE:
Stories: The Napping House
Snowmen at Night
Froggy Gets Dressed
THANK YOU TO…
. . . Will’s mom, Katie, Avery’s m om, Larina, and
Charlie’s mom Katie for reading to the class.
Songs: “Hokey Pokey”
“I’m a Little Snowman”
“Where Do We Start the Letters”
“Snowpants, Boots”
Yoga:
“I Am Strong” (Hero)
“Ski” (Chair)
“Snowflake” (Star)