Mrs. Stoughton from the Mansfield Public Library comes each month!

Classroom Jobs have begun!

Here a student has been asked by our NEW SNACK SERVER if she'd like a bagel with or without cream cheese.

Here, a student is serving snack.  Children have a weekly job every third week.  Serving snack means calling students attention, leading the snack song, serving the food, including saying "Would you like some_______?", and passing out the pitchers of water or milk.

Reading Conferences-Meaning Making and Joyful Engagement

This text is used by all three of Mansfield Public Schools Prekindergarten programs.  Staff uses the conferring protocol and evaluates a child's independence with text as well as their language.

Students read with an adult to support concepts of print skills and comprehension.  Students select a text from either the "Old Favorites Box" or from our themed bookcase which are typically unfamiliar texts.  Language development, vocabulary development, book handling skills and the skill of sharing a book and talking about the book are all elements of the conference.

Map-making in Prekindergarten

Children in both sessions have been introduced to maps by viewing maps of states as well as the town of Mansfield and of course, our state of Connecticut.  As PK addresses 21st century learning, we will be turning to more collaborative projects such as this map making exercise.  Students were encouraged to look around the classroom and draw what they saw.  All groups were supported by staff.

This student is pointing out a landmark in the room.  Although she is speaking to the teacher, later she and her peers discussed what should be included on the map.  This was an excellent opportunity to address vocabulary.

A student looks on as a friend draws a feature from our classroom.  

Part of our collaborative learning is to provide feedback in a manner that is both kind and helpful.  The week after vacation, the children will be conducting a gallery walk of maps.  This will be a chance to learn how to provide peers with feedback that is kind and helpful.  As our classes learn to collaborate with other stakeholders, children should begin to see that others' ideas can bolster their own.

Discussion about what to include on the map.

Technical Difficulties!

December 19
Dear Families,
You may have wondered why there have been few recent posts from the classroom.  I got a new phone and am having a terrible time getting images from my phone onto the blog!  My apologies.  Hopefully I'll figure it out in not too long a time.

Fine and gross-motor activities for choice time.

Cutting, coloring and lacing are all excellent fine-motor activities.  Please encourage your child to cut using scissors at home, they've proved they are ready.

 

Friends built these incredible structures-this is before.

This is after.

If your child is going to play in the snow, they must have boots, snowpants and a jacket.  Gloves that are waterproof too.

Our sensory table with magnets and fun "scissor-type" scoops.  I'll be adding more metals as the week goes by.

New Art Materials and Pretend Play!

Children work together to complete a floor puzzle.  

Snack caller at work!

Our pretend fire and roasting marshmallows for a treat.