Worms are Coming Home!!

During the past couple weeks in Science class, we set up a class worm compost bin. We have observed worms moving, studied their cocoons, and counted them to see if our worm collection grew. We also discovered that worms are great recyclers! They will eat plant leftovers and make a nice compost material that can be used on your house or garden plants. This week, your daughters have created a worm bin to go under your sink so that you can extend this experience at home!

Here's what can go in the worm bin:
-shredded paper products (not glossy pages or magazines)
-fruit and vegetable peels and trimmings
-egg shells
-tea bags
-coffee grounds and filters
-grains, beans, and breads (without butter, margarine, or mayonnaise)

What should not go in the worm bin:
-meat products
-dairy products
-oily products

Some tips:
Bury the food at least one inch deep to prevent odors and unwanted critters. Just lift a little bedding, add the food, and put the bedding back into place.
Try not to add too much of one kind of food, too many orange peels for example can add too much of a toxic chemical.
About once a week, mist the bin with water to keep it moist, just like worms like it underground. If it's too wet, add a little newspaper to soak extra moisture.
Worm composting (Vermicomposting) is not an exact science, please check on it occasionally and you may find that you have to adjust the amount of food you are adding. Your worms should be able to eat almost a half pound of food waste per day.

Springtime reminders

The warm weather is finally back. Please remember to dress your daughter in close toed shoes. Sandals, flip flops, and crocs are not permitted at school. It is also time for sunscreen to become part of the morning routine again!

What is that black box?

Here is a blog tech tip for you. The slide shows on the blog are mostly created from a web-based program called Slide. The slide show completes one or two cycles and then goes to "rest." To view a slide show again or to see one further down the blog that has already gone to rest is easy. Just click on the "embed me" tab of the slide show. Click on the thumbnail in the bottom left hand corner and the slide show will play again. Enjoy!!

Exploring letter sounds around our school

Becoming a Reader

Above all we strive to have each girl in Pre-k find the confidence to view themselves as a learner. As a learner, one thing many four and five year olds strive for is being able to read. “Reading readiness” is an intricate set of skills that have roots in your daughter’s earliest experiences. Literacy is formed on the cornerstones of four major components: reading, writing, listening and speaking. We incorporate each of these components into all portions of the curriculum in Pre-k. Along with the cornerstones and more specific details they entail (phonological and phonemic awareness, alphabetic knowledge, etc.) there are three other critical elements to reading success that must be present. These are motivation, self-regulation, and risk taking. Motivation for reading is born through positive experiences, especially being read to often. Children also connect to reading by observing adults use print and language in their world. Self-regulation involves your daughter’s ability to control her behavior. Listening to a story or directions and sitting still when necessary are skills in the classroom and in life. You'll find that self-regulation is more difficult for some children than for others, and is learned only with patience and persistence. Finally, risk taking is paramount in learning to read. Research has shown a powerful correlation between a child’s ability to read and risk taking. It takes a great amount of bravery for your daughter to take whatever skills she has in her repertoire and attempt to read aloud. Mistakes are evident and children must be willing to make them. The adults in their life must be willing to let them experience these mistakes as they continue to learn the patterns and rules of written language. Over the next 7 weeks we will continue to support your daughter in her journey to becoming a reader.

D is for Dragon Dance

What fun we had dancing through lower school and greeting our spectators. Ni-Hao!!

Our pre-k architects recreate The Great Wall of China.

How do you make a home for worms?

1. Shred paper

2. Put the paper in a bin

3. Add some dirt

4. Squirt with water

5. Add things from our classroom compost bin

How a flower makes its smell

Many girls have been kind enough to bring in the flowers blooming in their gardens. Whitney had brought in Daffodils and asked, "Ms. Moore, how does a flower make a smell?" I decided to ask the girls what they thought.

How a Flower makes its smell:

Libby From the pollen
Sky The bees because they put honey in it
The bees make honey out of flowers
Lucy Maybe the flowers have honey in them or maybe the flowers are made out of honey
Ashley I think they have honey in them. Because they are pretty.
Whitney I think there is nectar in them
Gretchen Because some have honey in them and some don’t
Ella Because they might have pollen
Storrie Because the flowers have a little seed that grows and the seed has honey in the middle of it

Our Flight To China

Enlighten Springside

As I was getting ready for the Enlighten Springside Night I was watching the nightly news. A story caught my attention that was ironically about our impact on the environment. When I came home later that night and flipped on 20/20, well there it was again. What they were sharing was an astounding visual display of our impact as individuals on the environment. Below is a link to the trailer of the documentary these stories began with. It is airing this weekend on National Geographic.

Thoughts from the Pre-k Girls

Silvia was wondering why there was a big star on the flag of China.

This is why the flag of China has a red background and stars according to Prek:

Emma: There is fire inside. Stars are yellow because that's what color stars are.

Lucy: It is warm in China. Maybe the dragon is red and yellow.

Ella: There is a dragon in China. The red and yellow might be about the dragon.

Claire: Because there are stars n China.

Olivia Z.: Maybe because there is war.

Some girls asked what war was and Storrie said: War is where people fight.

We're off to China!!

As we returned from Spring Break everyone was excited to see each other and the girls' minds were still on Penguins. Before bringing any Chinese artifacts into the classroom we interviewed each girl asking one question, "What do you know about China?" Their answers are now on display outside the classroom. To continue our transition to China we took a look at the globe. The girls have had many experiences using the globe so we introduced another way to view it: Google Earth. We entered Springside's address but it was a bit too cloudy that day to really see anything. It was all clear in Antarctica, however. Some girls swear they saw penguins on the icy continent as we zoomed in. Finally, we flew over to China. After noticing there was water on one side, what seemed to be mountains over part of the country, and noting how big it was the girls started asking questions. "Can we see a city?" "What are the buildings like?" We zoomed in on Beijing and the girls were able to locate various landmarks of the city and made many thoughtful observations.

Later in the week the girls voted on how we would get to China. They decided that the two options would be Boat or Plane. Plane was the winner so we researched what we needed to make a plane. Pairs of girls looked through plane books and we developed a pretty thorough list. Each girl as signed up for a work crew to build the plane. Ask you daughter what crew she is on.

Penguin Projects

Our official study of penguins has come to a close. Two of our final projects are now posted on a Springside wiki for your enjoyment. Please watch these movies along with your daughter and ask her about them.

Go to https://blogs.springside.org/groups/newmedia/weblog/

On a personal note....

As the description states, this blog is to provide a venue for an inside look at your daughter's learning in prek. It is also a venue to discuss why we choose certain activities and how important education, especially early childhood education, is.

I have become very close with many families from my other teaching positions. We keep in touch and I love to see how the families and kids are growing and changing. Tonight I was lucky enough to attend an event that one of my former students was participating in. The Variety: Kids with Heart Show is a talent show organized by Variety Children's Charities for children with special needs. The children's remarkable abilities outshone any disabilities that these spectacular individuals live with on a daily basis. From 5 year olds proficiently playing classical music and singing Amazing Grace to 19 year olds performing tap dancing routines that they choreographed, one act after another was inspiring. Most amazing was that each of the thirty participants stood on the stage of the sold out Prince Music Theater and performed without missing a beat. They were ecstatic but poised. They answered the questions of the co-hosts with vigor and clarity. To see my former student march up to her mark and introduce the song she was singing along with the personal meaning behind her choice brought a smile to my face and to the crowd of strangers around me.

Watching all of these young people made me think about why and how we educate our young girls. Of course we prepare them to read and write and perform mathematical operations. These are all critical skills for their education. However, what I saw in my young friend's performance was the execution of some deeper goals of school. She chose material with purpose, she articulated this purpose to herself and an audience, she presented her song so clearly and sincerely, she connected with, read and responded to the audience, and as I stood with her after the performance waiting for her parents to make their way across the theater she kindly responded to each stranger who congratulated her with a "Thank You so Much!" while extending her hand for a handshake.

Upon reflecting on all of these skills, and more, that I saw unfold before me I keep thinking of activity upon activity that we have done this week alone that supports them. As this blog is already becoming term paper length, I will not list them. I will just say that it is magnificent to be part of a community that recognizes the importance of weaving all facets of learning to provide an education that will prepare our girls for a future that we cannot predict or imagine.

Patterns, Patterns, Everywhere!!

We've been revisiting the topic of patterns this week in Pre-k. We've patterned blocks, cubes, and most fun ourselves!! Lucy designed this pattern. Can you guess our pattern? Click on the photo and you'll see the answer!!