Good Shepherd Nursery School

February, 2008

CALENDAR NOTES

February 18-22          NO SCHOOL – Winter Vacation

March 21                     NO SCHOOL – Good Friday

March 25                    Sing-Along (P2, PK2)

March 26                    Sing-Along (P1, PK1)

DIRECTOR'S NOTES

Our book corner now has a lovely blue vinyl-upholstered child size sofa and chair.  Many thanks for this generous gift that will delight children for many years to come! 

We’d also like to extend our thanks to all of our parent volunteers.  We so appreciate all that you do, whether it is cutting out paper shapes, disinfecting toys, baking treats, or helping out in the classrooms!  You are of immense help to all the teachers.

CIRCLE TIME

Teddy Bears - It was fun to take turns listening and talking about our favorite teddies and the other stuffed animals who are so precious to each child.

Dental Health- The children enjoyed talking about their experiences at the dentist’s office, and reviewing what we learned from Miss Jeannie, the dental hygienist who visited our school. 

Feelings- During Valentine’s week we discussed a variety of feelings that we all experience such as love, happiness, pride, anger, sadness, shyness, embarrassment, etc.  Puppets helped us learn the appropriate way to express those feelings. 

Nursery Rhymes- We’ll end the month of February reciting familiar nursery rhymes, and making up some of our own!

SMALL GROUP

We practiced duplicating shapes such as a circle, square and triangle.  This is  an important pre-writing skill as   the lines, curves and angles in these shapes are found in each letter of the alphabet. 

CRAFT

Water Color Painting- The children loved using water colors to paint beauti-ful teddy bears during teddy bear week.   

Screen Painting-  Our senses came alive during dental health week as we placed peach colored paper underneath a wooden frame containing a screen, then used toothbrushes to brush mint-scented aqua paint across the screen.  It looked like toothpaste, it smelled like toothpaste, and it sounded like someone brushing their teeth as the paint passed through the screen onto the paper!

Valentine Bags- This week the children are decorating white paper bags to put their valentines in, and talking excitedly about our upcoming Valentine’s Day parties!

SCIENCE

During “senses” week, the children had the opportunity to play “Match That Sound”.  There were 6 pairs of wooden blocks with different sounds in them.  The object was to match the sound by shaking the blocks.  Colored dots on the bottom served as clues to help the children see if they guessed correctly.

MATH

The children were able to make up different games using small blocks and cards with pictures of differently dressed teddy bears.  Many liked rolling the blocks like dice and finding the matching card, while others liked playing concentration with the cards.   

WRITING

Pre-Writing Skills:  To go along with the teddy bear and dental health themes, pictures of bears and teeth were placed on clipboards covered with tracing paper.  Markers and colored pencils were available for tracing and coloring in their creations. 

DRAMATIC PLAY ROOM

Recently our Dramatic Playroom transformed into a hospital/veterinary office.  Crutches, canes, doctor and nurse scrubs, ace bandages and medical kits offered some valuable role-playing opportunities.  Our “real” stethoscopes allowed the children to actually hear their own heartbeats, which they found exciting.  Role playing of doctor, nurse and patient, using medical instruments and “shots” allows children the opportunity to gain some mastery and control over their real life experiences.  These opportunities help alleviate any fears and anxieties children may have in their lives.

A basket of stuffed animals was also available.  The children mended an owl’s wing, a dog’s leg, and a frog’s loss of his “ribit”!  Their teddy bears also received lots of medical attention and shots in the animal hospital.

EASELS

SENSORY TABLE

PLAYDOUGH

Pink floam has been out at the playdough table for a fun, different-textured experience.  The children have enjoyed making snow people, and using Valentine cookie cutters to bake cookies and muffins.

QUOTES

Child, entering school with a smile:  “I like being a kid!” 

While in the “hospital” in the Dramatic Playroom-
Child using a stethoscope on Miss Julie who asks “What do you hear?”
Child:  “Nothing!” 

Miss Julie, having her arm wrapped in a bandage:  “I guess I won’t be playing football in the Super Bowl with my arm like this”.
Child:  “If they don’t win the Super Bowl, I’m playing hockey!” 

Before the Super Bowl-
Miss Cathy:  “So who’s going to win the Super Bowl?”
Child:  “I think the cheerleaders!” 

After the Super Bowl-
Child: “The Patriots is not going good for Daddy!” 

Miss Brenda, talking about reading before bed:  “Do you like when your Mom and Dad read you a story?”
Child:  “Ya, but when Daddy reads the story then he falls asleep.” 

Child:  “Want to hear a joke from my circle?”
Miss Brenda:  “Oh, do you tell jokes at circle time?”
Child:  “No, it’s just that the boys won’t be serious.” 

Child:  “You have a washer and dryer?”
Miss Cathy:  “Yes, at my house.”
Child:  “You have a house?  I thought you sleeped here!” 

We hope you have a fun-filled vacation!

   Miss Brenda              Miss Kelly

   Miss Maryann         Miss Julie

   Miss Andrea              Miss Nancy

                            Miss Meg