by Sarah Segall | Nov 14, 2015 | Preschool
El Pasado y El Presente
This week we began our new unit about El Pasado/Past y El Presente/Present. We read about different ways that people used to dress before and how they dress now. The students were able to point out the different kinds of television, telephones, toys, etc. We had fun comparing through different examples and activities during this topic.
The students had a great time recognizing different things of the past and present. Another activity was for them to determine if pictures represent the past or the present based on the fashion. They were given pictures by the teacher and then put in the correct place. They enjoyed this activity. They were surprised by some of the oldest toys and older televisions.
La letras y los números
This week we learned about the letter Ss /la letra Ss. Please be sure to point out the letter that we practice when you are reading. The English letter name for Ss is /es/. While the Spanish pronunciation is S (eh seh). Examples of words we used this week with this letter are: museo/museum, casa/house, silencio/silence, and serpiente/snake.
We also learned all about the number 7 this week. We worked with the number 7 doing different
activities, such as counting through the body of a gusano/worm, placing numbers inside of each part of the body. We sang songs related to the number 7 and letter Ss.
by Sarah Segall | Nov 8, 2015 | In The Loop, Preschool
Thank you to our fabulous S.P.A. and to all those who helped make our annual Pumpkin Fun Run such a success!!
The students ran a TON of laps and raised over $3,500! This will go a long way towards making our dream of an outdoor learning space into a reality.
We plan to:
- add a fence
- put in natural seating for group discussions
- add a viewable worm composter
- add a viewable plant growth container
- add a water feature pump for exploration
- add a natural building/engineering section for free exploration
THANK YOU for helping to make this possible!
by Sarah Segall | Nov 8, 2015 | In The Loop, Preschool
SWS will be hosting an Usborne Book Fair the week of 11/30-12/4. We will have tables of books set up for students to look through and make wish lists and for parents to place orders. After school on early release Wednesday 12/2 would be a great time to look through the books with your child. An Usborne representative will be availabe on 12/2 after school. The displays will also be available during the parent teacher conference day on 12/4.
Usborne e-show order link
This link can be used now and will be open until 12/06/15 and can be shared with parents and anyone out of town/state who may want to order as part of the book fair. All orders placed using this link will go towards the total, and will help the school earn free books!
Flyers for this bookfair will be sent home by 11/16.
by Sarah Segall | Nov 7, 2015 | Preschool
El gusto
This week we work about sense of taste / gusto. We read about different ways we use the sense of taste /el gusto while the students were playing with this sense. The students had a great time tasting different flavors as sour/ácido, salty/salado, sweet/dulce and bitter/amargo. Another activity was for them to guess the different flavor that the teacher gave them using only their sense of taste/ el gusto. They enjoy this activity (especially tasting sweets).
La letras y los números
This week we learned all about the letter M m /la letra M m, and the number 6. Be sure to point out this letter when you are reading. The English letter name Mm can be pronounced in English M(em). While the Spanish letter name pronunciation is M (em meh). Example Spanish words beginning with M are: mamá /mom, mano /hand, mono /monkey, mariposa /butterfly, murciélago /bat.
We incorporated our touch investigation with the letter M.
We worked with the number 6 doing different activities. One very well received activity was counting stars, placing a sweet flavor Mm’s inside of each star. We sang LOTS of songs related with the numbers and letter Mm.
by Sarah Segall | Oct 31, 2015 | Preschool
Oso Polar
El oido
This week we worked with our sense of hearing / oido. We read about different ways we use the sense of hearing /el oido in the book Oso Polar Oso Polar, que es ese ruido? The students had a great time playing and using this sense, making different noises, working with sequences through the book, Oso Polar Oso Polar, que es ese ruido?. One activity was for them to guess the noises the teacher did using only their sense of hearing/ el oido.
Even super heroes need to practice sequencing, cutting, and gluing.
La letras y los números
This week we went over the vowels A, E, I, O , U /las vocals. And the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Be sure to point out the letters that we practice when you are reading. The English vowels are A, E, I,O, U. Each of these can be pronounced at least three ways: as a long sound, as a short sound, and as a schwa. While the Spanish pronunciation is very simple, each vowel/ vocal can be pronounced only one way. A/ah/, E/ay/, I/i/, O/o/, U/u/
We also worked with the numbers one to five doing different activities, as a book of vowels and numbers, singing songs, counting numbers 1 through 5, and number recognition.
by Sarah Segall | Oct 24, 2015 | Preschool
El Olfato
This week was all about our sense of smell / el olfato. We read about different ways we use el olfato as well
Taking turns in our baking project.
as participating in several activities where students played using this sense. The students had a great time making cupcakes. In this activity they used their sense of smell with each flavor that we used. We also worked with sequencing the steps during this activity. Another activity was for them to guess what was inside each o
f a set of glasses using only their sense of smell/ el olfato.
Letras y Números
This week we learned about letter U/ vocal u, and the number 5. Be sure to point out the letter U when you are reading. The English pronunciation of this letter is the long vowel sound /u/:u-e, use, ew /u/ as unicorn. The Spanish pronunciation stops with just the /u/ sound. (Think of this as the monkey’s favorite letter. u-u-u.)
We also incorporated our previous touch investigation with our letter U’s.
We worked with the number five doing many different activities. One activity was an ice cream cone with five ice cream flavors, counting numbers 1 thought 5, identifying groups of 5. See if your child can put together different groups of 5 items. Can they find the number 5 anywhere? On mailboxes, or house numbers during a fall walk?
Pumpkin Fun Run
The Pumpkin Fun Run was exactly that, Fun! The preschoolers who attended did a fantastic job not only at the fun run but during the walk to and from the track! They sure did get their exercise in that day!
Halloween at SWS
Students can wear their costumes on the last class before Halloween, Thursday and Friday. Please be sure not to send little pieces/props that might get lost. We will incorporate some Halloween math activities into our special day.
by Sarah Segall | Oct 23, 2015 | In The Loop, Preschool
Our next Scholastic book order is due this Monday, October 26th. All orders should be done online.
- VISIT scholastic.com/readingclub
- ENTER the one-time Class Activation Code H2CQB
- SHOP from a carefully curated selection of the best books, value packs, and Storia eBooks
- SUBMIT your order and earn FREE Books for our classroom
- All book orders will be shipped to our classroom so we can celebrate the joy of reading together!
by Sarah Segall | Oct 16, 2015 | Preschool
El Tacto
This week was all about touch / el tacto. We read about different ways we use el tacto, but mainly the students thought we were playing! It is very fun to be hands on, literally.
The students had a great time getting messy, digging their hands into bags in order to guess the objects using only their sense of touch.
Another activity was for them to guess what was inside each of these balloons using only their sense of touch and their prior experiences.
This week we learned all about the letter O and the number 4. Be sure to point out the letter O when you are reading (or if any family members have this letter in their name). The English pronunciation of this letter ends with a /w/ sounds. The Spanish pronunciation stops with just the /o/ sound (no lip movements during the making of any Spanish vowels).
We incorporated our touch investigations with our letter study and made many different letter O’s. Ask your child to find certain textures on the O and then to find something with a similar texture around the house or outside.
by Sarah Segall | Oct 10, 2015 | Preschool
Field Trip
We have planned our first preschool field trip for Wednesday, October 28 at 11:15. We will meet at Bizi Farms for a farm tour, hay maze, petting zoo, hay ride, picking of our favorite pumpkins, and then pumpkin washing. Please feel free to bring a lunch for after the field trip. (Field trip transportation is provided by the preschool families. We will not have preschool classes on the day of the field trip.)
We have put a sign-up sheet outside the preschool classroom door. This helps give us an accurate count for the day of the field trip.
We will use this field trip to reinforce all our fall studies as well as using our 5 senses on the farm.
Los 5 Sentidos
Learning about our body parts and their different functions makes for great preschool exploration. This week we focused on la vista, sight.
Our book of the week was Oso pardo, Oso Pardo/ Brown Bear, Brown Bear. This is a fabulous book to 
learn anima
l names and colors. We definitely use our sight for identifying colors! This also helped us play some fun I spy games/ Veo con mi ojito. (I see with my little eye.)
We worked on sequencing images from this story. Sequencing images is a great reading comprehension skill. It is the first step in story ‘retelling.’ You can try this at home after you read a story. Ask, “What happened at the beginning of the story?” (You can ask specific questions about the beginning, middle, and end of the story.)
We also used our eye spy game to look for letters and numbers around the classroom. This week we focused on the letters A, E. I. Really cementing the concept that letters make specific sounds is our goal here at the beginning of the year. Our older students will use this concrete concept when we begin syllables with our consonant study.
You can reinforce the concept of letters making sounds, which make up words, which then make sentences stories, by talking looking for our letters in the books you are reading at home or on signs when out for a walk or drive. Letters are everywhere and pointing them out to our little ones opens a whole new world for them.
These same activities can be done with number identification.
activities, such as counting through the body of a gusano/worm, placing numbers inside of each part of the body. We sang songs related to the number 7 and letter Ss.
