“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what
they are capable of becoming.” – Goethe

Dear Parents, February 2012

2012 is off to a great start. The students came back from Winter Break enthusiastic to learn and the
teachers came back eager to teach. It is an illustrious combination!

In January, we finished our Arctic Theme that encouraged children to learn about life at the North
Pole. The students studied polar bears and created a book that compared their lives to a polar bear
called, Polar Bears and Me. While learning about the magnetic North Pole, the kids discovered how
a compass works and participated in an orienteering activity outside. They also created a picture in
which the animal they were presented with needed to be camouflaged as we learned about this
important survival technique.

We also began our Author Study in January. So far, the children have discovered and rediscovered
the works of Laura Numeroff, Kevin Henkes and Eric Carle. This theme has brought many
opportunities for children to write, enjoy math and participate in science as we integrated the subjects.
Using literature has helped children discover a common frame of reference in which to base the
activities upon. Children relate to the subject and build schemes from known and newly acquired
knowledge.

February will bring the last weeks of our Author Study with Eric Carle and Audrey Wood. We will then
head into the theme of Visual Arts in which students will learn about different artists around the world.
Please look for new ceiling tiles!!

Language Arts: The Author Study has provided us with many opportunities to use literature as a
basis for writing activities. The children created progressive puppet stories with sock puppets
inspired by Laura Numeroff’s If You Give a Moose a Muffin. They practiced asking questions, instead
of producing statements, when they wrote a letter to Ms. Numeroff asking her anything form “what is
your favorite color?” to “Does your mom like you?” Kevin Henkes’ books Little White Rabbit and
Jessica helped children use their imaginations while journaling “I wonder what it would be like to be
_____” and creating an imaginary friend.

In handwriting and alliteration, the children practiced writing the letter, Gg, Jj, and Qq and listened for
the sounds for –e, -ice and –ay. This month we will focus on the letters Uu, Ss, Pp and Rr and the
sounds –art, -ou and –ush.

Math/Science: January lent itself to many scientific acquisition and experiences. The children
learned about wildlife in the Arctic and what is needed to sustain life. With this, we discussed why we
do not live there…no electricity, no roads, no houses, no Costco…With Laura Numeroff’s circle
stories, we discovered cause and effect and did an experiment about prediction when we poked
pencils into a bag of water. Also to support cause and effect, we used liquid colors to mix and predict
color outcomes in the science center.

For math, the children have worked with varying degrees of counting, number recognition, addition
and subtraction. Two particular activities, Muffins on a Plate and Ladybug Math correlated with books
such as If You Give a Moose a Muffin and The Very Grouchy Ladybug that allowed students to
challenge their math skills.

In February, our math and science will be again integrated into theme. Children will be seriating
objects from smallest to largest, thinnest to fattest and from smaller to larger number values. They
will also be sorting objects by secondary characteristics as they sort items from the room and children
in class. Scientifically, the children will discover what happens to a paper straw wrapper when it gets
wet and why things sink and float.

PE/MUSIC: Healthy children are active children and boy are our children active! The children have
enjoyed outdoor activities such as Polar Bear Tag to support the Arctic Theme and Square Dancing
to go along with Laura Nueroff’s Chimps Don’t Wear Glasses. They have been enjoying a parachute
game that encourages isolating upper body movements called Cat and Mouse. Since Kevin Henkes
often uses mice in his stories, the children have played a form of Three Blind Mice in music as
students without tails try to steal the tails of the students who do have one. Music is a favorite time of
day and The Bean Bag Boogie and Going on a Squeegee Hunt were two favorites this month.

Coming up in February the children will enjoy activities that promote movement in PE with Animal
Action and Jump Jim Joe and storytelling through music with Peter and the Wolf.

Social Learning Model: Discovery Trails encourages children to learn to live in a community with
both give and take. Part of this model encourages children to listen to others and take into
consideration others’ needs and feelings. Because of this idea, we do many activities that will
encourage working together. In January, the students participated in games such as cooperative
building in which four students worked together to build ONE tower and they also played Monkey
See, Monkey Do in which they had to observe another student and copy his or her movements.

Spanish: In Ms. Houston’s Spanish class the children have had the pleasure of hearing books from
our author study in Spanish! They have been reading Laura Numeroff, Kevin Henkes and so many
others. They have learned to say pequeno (small) and grande (large) and used different hat sizes to
demonstrate. The students have also been practicing reciting the ABC’s in Spanish and numbers up
to 20. Greetings, such as Buenos Diaz, Buenas Tardes and Buenas Noches, have also been
reviewed.

Art/Drama: In art and drama, Mrs. Ruth refined and presented the The Three Tales of Three on
January 13th. The children had a great time and I am sure we can all agree how wonderful each and
every actor/actress performed. In art, the children have been learning different techniques such as
mixing warm colors and making watercolor shapes. The students have also created their own flowers
using the methods of Georgia O’Keeffe and Vincent Van Gogh. To support these ideas, Mrs. Ruth
has shared integrated literature with Katie and the Sunflowers and My Name is Georgia.

Sock it to ‘em!

Between February 3rd – February 17th we will be collecting new socks for donation. If
you would like to help, please bring the new socks in and place them into our
collections box that we will have available. The children will be learning about helping
others and how valuable their assistance can be.

Dates to Remember:
February 3-17: Sock Drive Please help the homeless by bringing in new socks
for any age and gender.
February 14th: Valentine’s Day and correlating activities
February 20th: President’s Day, NO SCHOOL
February 21st: Grading Day, NO STUDENTS
February: Intent to enroll for 2012-2013 Begins
March 1st: Summer Camp Registration Begins
March 13th: Open House 5-7PM for new students for the 2012-2013 school year.
Refer someone to the Open House and receive 20% off Summer Camp Tuition!

Bicycle Day Success!!
In support of Kevin Henkes’ story Chester’s Way we had our first bicycle day here at Discovery Trails.
Children brought their bikes and helmets and had a blast racing, cruising and Sunday driving on the
playground. Thank you all so much for the support for this event. The children were overwhelmed
with excitement (and we were just a little bit too!)!

Intent to Enroll: Intent to enroll forms for the 2012-2013 school year will be going home shortly.
Please be sure to fill out a form as soon as possible so that we can see how many open spaces we
have available for new students next year. We understand many students are heading off to
Kindergarten or 1st Grade next year. We are sending them home anyway with the idea there may be
a younger sibling or a friend that may be interested.

Report Cards: Trimester Two Report Cards will be available for pick up on February 22nd. We are
not holding formal conferences this time but if you would like to arrange one, please let us know. We
will also be calling some as well and we will let you know.

Open House
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
5-7 PM
Children will enjoy We’re Going on a Bear Hunt! activities while
parents learn about the best, high-quality preschool program
in Colorado Springs.
 
Have a wonderful February and please let us know if you have any questions or need anything
at all.

Sincerely,
Jen and Peggy

 

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
~ Chinese proverb

Dear Parents, January 2012

Welcome to 2012! Is it a bad thing that some of us still think it is 1992? Yikes! It always seems that the children grow so much after returning from Winter Break. We have too, just not in the same way!

2012 will be full of the excitement of learning, the joy of discovery and the hope of warmer days.

December was a busy and enjoyable month. In it’s few short weeks, we finished our Math and Numbers Theme, participated in Holidays Around the World and began our Snow and Arctic Unit.

Our Math and Number Theme took the kids in many directions in the relationship between literature and math. The children were exposed to counting, adding, subtracting, creating equal sets, patterning, graphing, estimating and skip counting. After enjoying the book Quiet Night, the children counted animals and created a class book. While reading the book Splash, the children worked on number sentences and followed math symbols to add and subtract what fell into the pond. The children estimated the number of objects and the lengths of items after reading such stories as Who Sank the Boat. Graphing and sorting were emphasized using Skittles and M&M’s and the M&M Counting Books. The book Pairs of Socks opened the door to counting by 2’s to find out how many feet were in the classroom. Creating equal sets was another skill that was practiced. The children listened to the story, The Doorbell Rang. In this story, “mom” made a dozen cookies to be shared between her two children. Every time the doorbell rang, more children came in and the twelve cookies had to be divided again and again so that each child had the same amount of cookies.

During the Holidays Around the World, the students were exposed to several traditions and customs of their classmates and others they may meet. We learned about Kwanzaa, Norwegian Christmas, Hanukkah, Las Posadas and Diwali.
We were honored to have the following parents join us with their expertise:
Sonja Braun-Sand: baked Krumkake with the students
Dayna Kohn and Shimon Kohn: discussed Hanukkah, shared Latkes and played dreidel with the children
Renju Peroor-educated all of us about India and the celebration of Diwali

Just before the Winter Break, we began the study of Snow and the Arctic. With this theme we will learn about the North Pole, ice, snow and Polar Bears. It is with this theme that we have introduced the scientific method of asking questions, observing for change, making predictions (hypothesizing), drawing conclusions and discussing the results. The children observed ice melting and what will melt snow the fastest using this system of inquiry-based education.

Language Arts: In December, our handwriting emphasis changed to practicing writing the numbers 0-9. Our sounds revolved around –at and
–ix and the children wrote a class book based on Quiet Night. Journaling was also highlighted last month as the children wrote/drew their favorite holiday, a pair of “something,” and a certain number of objects.

In January we will be moving from the Arctic and Snow theme to our Author Study. After we write our own Polar Bear Comparison Book, we will investigate the works of Laura Numeroff, Kevin Henkes, Eric Carle and Audrey Wood. During this time we will be creating our own books, writing a question to Ms. Numeroff, creating a 3-stage story with a beginning, middle and end, authoring “If you give a ____ a _____,” writing Gg, Jj and Qq and listening for the sounds of –ee and –ight.

Math/Science: As mentioned, the month of December was full of math. The children learned that math is a way to appraise numbers, evaluate measurements, review comparisons and assess groups.

In January, the children will continue advancing their individual math skills to include estimating the number of chocolate chips in a cookie, counting muffins on a plate, deciding the outcome of cause and effect and finding sums in addition sentences.

For science, the children enjoyed observing ice and snow and they will write a book comparing themselves to Polar Bears. We will also be learning about the magnetic poles and how a compass works. With this, we will do some orienteering outside. The children will concentrate on the role of camouflaging for survival and dissect owl pellets to discover what owls eat. They will also enjoy “invisible writing” and play a game based on whether or not a Polar Bear would eat them.

P.E.: For physical education the children enjoyed games that reinforced large motor skills. The played a relay race as penguins, thew snowballs and “ice skated.” In January, we will work on upper body strength while playing games with the parachute, wiggling through obstacles and playing basketball.

Music: In December the children practiced singing songs for the parent program on December 20th. This month, the children will be working on crossing the midline. Midline crossing helps children to develop bilateral coordination skills. This is important for brain development as it creates pathways between the hemispheres of the brain and for skills that require a dominant hand and a helping hand such as cutting. Crossing the midline also helps with core stability and trunk rotation.

The Three Tales of Three

On January 13th, the children will be presenting The Three Tales of Three. All students who attend Discovery Trails are involved. The children that attend school on Fridays, may stay at school for the 4 o’clock performance. Those who do not, should be at school at 3:30 to get ready. The children have worked very hard on this play and are delighted to show you what they have learned. Please remember that the room will be very crowded and to shower and smell good for that day! Please be seated and quiet so that the children can begin right at four.

A cast party of snacks and drinks will follow the performance.

Dates to Remember:
January 11: Challenger Space Program Visit-9-10AM
January 13: The Three Tales of Three 4 PM
January 16: Martin Luther King Day-No School

On behalf of Ms. Baker and Mrs. Priest, we wish you all a safe, healthy, wonderful New Year.

Sincerely,
Jen Baker and Peggy Priest

Dear Parents,

December 2011 News

Welcome to December! The children have stayed happy and busy as we engulf ourselves in an erratic school schedule due to the holidays. As a word of warning, many children have difficulty coming back to school in January after a long break. Holidays are fun, but they can be very stressful for children. Sometimes families have company for prolonged periods of time, travel to other parts of the country or world and daily routines are thrown out the window. After being home with parents, children may also show concern about what the parent will do without them when they return to school. To help your child with the “January blues,” get back into pre- holiday routine as soon as possible. Allow yourself, and your child, to relax and recover before school begins again January 4th and stay consistent. Before school resumes, remind your child how you want them to be in school and how much fun you know they have at Discovery Trails. Help them by talking about the teachers and his or her friends the child will see and be excited to let them go to school once again. If your child still has trouble re-adjusting to school after a few weeks, please let us know. We will work with you to help your child feel safe and secure at school just as before the holidays.

The month of November was very exciting. The students began the month learning about breads. The Bread Unit allowed us to do many science experiments, read correlating books and taste different types of bread. After this theme, we went on to First Americans. The students discovered the past and present lives of Native Americans, learned about diverse tribes and realized the importance of the horse to Native Americans. During this unit, we took a trip to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings where the children made clay pots, traveled through the pueblo and admired real Native American tools and jewelry. We ended the month with a Thanksgiving Feast for the children and their families. Despite packing the rooms with some 55-60 people like sardines, the food and company made up for any inconvenience. It was a hectic ending to a very busy month.

Language Arts: In November our language building emphasis was on the letters Ii, Ee, Ff, and Cc and the sounds –ay, -and and –op. The children enjoyed creating a cooperative class story using Native American symbols. The story went like this:

Once upon a time there was a Native American child. He shot a bow and arrow. He saw a beautiful girl. A fish saw corn. The girl and the boy shot a bear. Thefish swam away. The boy and the girl got tired and went to the tipi. The big bear and the little bear woke them up. The big bear tried to eat them. They shot him with a bow and arrow. The bear died.

In December, we will be taking a slight break form “Letters of the Week” as our focus will be on numbers. We will be writing numbers instead of letters, but we will continue rhyming sounds of –op, -oo and –at.

Math: For math in November, graphs and games were integrated into the curriculum. The children graphed and discussed more, less, zero and equal as they decided which bread they liked best. They also participated in a balance graph answering “yes” or “no” to whether or not they liked the buffalo meat they tried. They then decided which answer had more by viewing the balance and which side was lower. We conversed about how this kind of graph can give us “some” information but not all such as “how many,” “how many more?” and “how many less?” Some of the children enjoyed a game that introduces smaller and bigger numbers. The children rolled a dice and whoever had the biggest number, got a jewel. They continued to play until the jewels were gone. The children then counted how many they had and determined who had more or less.

In December, we will have a two-week unit on Math and Numbers. We will learn how math is a way to measure and compare things and will live and sleep MATH!

Science: Science is such a “draw-in” for young children. Anything scienc-y amazes and astonishes children like magic. During the bread unit, yeast was our best friend! We enjoyed watching how yeast worked in dough and we observed how yeast, water and sugar created carbon dioxide in a ziplock@ bag. The student loved watching the bag enlarge and viewing the bubbles it was making inside.

In December, science will be emphasized in the Arctic and Snow Unit. We will observe ice, make sno-cones, understand the importance of blubber and learn about Polar Bears and their habitat.

Cooperative Learning: During the past month, the students have had many opportunities to learn with and from each other. The Native American symbol story was one activity, but we had several more. One game we played together with one goal was “Pass the Bagel.” The children were each given a chopstick. One child started passing the bagel. The bagel had to circle around to the end without anyone using how or her hands. In PE, the children played a game called Squirrel and Nuts. In this game, the kids each had a partner in which they had to hold hands. Each pair had a hula-hoop that was their “home.” “Nuts” (popsicle sticks) were placed around the classroom and each group had to pick them up and bring the back to their home together. On one particular day, the children learned about the Hopi tradition of making gifts for each other. The boys made a kachina doll for a girl and the girls made par fleches for the boys. It was amazing to see the thoughtfulness that went into each gift. Another activity was on Gingerbread Man Day. Individually, the children made their own gingerbread cookies to take home, but we all created one big gingerbread man for the class. When the students went outside to play, the gingerbread man ran away. He left clues around the classroom and as a group the children went on a mission to find him. Don’t worry, all ended well!

Preschoolers are at the perfect age to begin learning to cooperate. At this age, they begin to learn they are part of something bigger than themselves. The benefits of this are endless. A cooperative attitude will help kids develop strong friendships, succeed in school and contribute to society.

PE: InPE this past month,we were able to integrate a lot of Native American games into the curriculum. The children became engaged in a game called “Bowl and Pit.” They each had a bowl and threw peach pits in the air and tried to catch as many as they could. They also played a snake stick game that allowed them to use math skills as well. While learning about the importance of the horse, each child made their own stick horse and during PE we raced them around the playground. Who knew horses could not only run, but skip, scoot, walk backwards and jump!

In December we will be working on our throwing skills. The children will do some activities using scarves and balloons as well as participate in a “throwing obstacle course.”

Music: Again, the themes of November led to many music ideas. The children were able to participate in Native American dances and the Silly Squirrel Dance. The children also danced with yarn and scarves and played patterns in a “kitchen band.” The children really liked re- enacting the story The Bear Snored On creating roles for themselves and recalling the movements of the animals in the story.

Next month the musical emphasis will be on learning the songs and poems to present to the parents after the Winterskol Party on December 20th.

Holidays Around the World: During the week of December 12th, we will be celebrating holidays from cultures around the world. This year we will be celebrating Kwanzaa, Norway’s Gnome Nisse, Hanukkah, Los Posadas and Diwaldi. We are excited about having parents join us including Sonja Sand, Arjun Peroor, Shimon Kohn and Dayna Kohn.

Art/Drama: In Art we (Mrs. Ruth and the students) have been focusing on drawing skills and the elements of art. The students were using lines; curved horizontal and vertical and shapes; circles triangles and squares to draw turkeys for Thanksgiving. They also drew American Indian clay pots using symbols and watercolors.

Students acted out familiar stories to improve acting and performance skills. They love to square dance and sing songs for their performance of the The Three Tales of Three.

Spanish: Hola! We (Ms. Houston and the kids) have been working very hard this year on some of the basics. We started off the school year with numbers and colors and have moved on to farm animals, parts of the body, shapes and textures, weather and feelings. We had a lot of fun

exploring Dia de los Muertos, a holiday celebrated at the same time as Halloween and made our own pretend ‘Caldo’ (soup) while we celebrated Dia de la Accion de Gracias (Thanksgiving). Each week I try to reinforce numbers, colors, greetings, numbers, etc. with games, crafts and stories, in addition to our new lessons. We are working on our Abcedario coloring books this week, and will soon start on a clothing theme.

We are having a wonderful year so far! Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns.

Dates to Remember:

December 20th: Winterskol Party for children from 2:30-3:30-at 3:30. We will invite the parents in to listen to a short concert!

December 21-January 3: WINTER BREAK-NO SCHOOL

January 11: Challenger Space Program Visit 9-10AM

January 13: Mrs. Ruth Presents: The Three Tales of Three @ 4 PM (more information to come)

December Show and Tell:

December 2: Bring 10 of one thing

December 9: Bring 20 of one thing

December 16: Favorite Holiday Item

Sincerely, Jen and Peggy

“Every closed eye is not sleeping, and every open eye is not seeing.”

~Bill Cosby

 

Dear Parents,

November is here and truly it seems amazing that the students have fallen into routine and now seem so “grown up.” Now that the classroom rules and schedules have been established, the children spend more time on learning and enjoying each other’s company. Each day, the kids come to school eager to learn and ready to share experiences. This is such a wonderful time of year.

We just finished up the Growing Season and Apples themes. The children learned a lot about what plants need to grow, how seeds travel, the anatomy of seeds and apples and Johnny Appleseed. We will begin November with a short unit on Breads. This theme will help us to gain knowledge on how wheat is grown and how it goes fro plants, to the miller, to the factories and then to the store. We will taste several types of breads, bake our own and do an experiment with yeast. Then we will move into our First Americans Theme. Our goal is not to teach them everything about Native Americans, but to introduce them to real people, some who lived long ago and some who live still today, and about their belief systems. We will learn about some different tribes, such as the Pacific Northwest Indians, the Ojibwa Tribe and the Hopi. We will also focus on the significance of the horse and Native American symbols. 

Language Arts: In October we finished up the Five Senses Theme with touch. The students used their language skills to describe objects using adjectives. Object were passed around, an by touch the children described what they felt from bumpy to smooth, from hard to soft and from pokey to prickly. The unit was culminated with a reflection book the students made bringing all the senses together called, My Five Senses.

The October theme of The Growing Season and Apples brought new opportunities for language. The children listened to fiction and non-fiction stories about plants and trees and discussed feelings. They also drew pictures describing the poem Apple Happy, Apple Sad.

In the last few weeks the letters we have focused on were Aa, Oo and Dd. We also emphasized the sounds os –all and –ee.  

In November, we will concentrate on sequencing stories such as The Little Red Hen and The Bear Snores On. We will also use Native American Symbols to create picture stories and follow directions and clues the Gingerbread Man leaves us after he runs away! 

Math/Cognitive Thinking: The focus on math this last month has been based on the themes and literature. The children participated in an apple tasting chart in which they tasted red, green and yellow apples and charted their favorite. They also used apple shapes to create simple and complex patterns. After reading, Ten Apples Up On Top, the students drew a picture of themselves and placed apples in order from 1-5 or 1-10 depending on ability.

In November, the children will participate in gathering information from charts with bread tasting activity and whether or not they like buffalo meat. We will also practice counting ad adding numbers together with some Native American games such as the Snake Stick Game and Bowl and Pit Game.   

Science:  Science ran rampant in our classroom in October. During the Touch Unit, the children learned how we can touch anywhere that we have skin but we can feel things better with the tips of our fingers. The children tried to predict what object was in a bag through the use of the sense of touch and painted with sandy paints. They also painted with their feet and “enjoyed” walking through bins of spinach, beans, rocks, sugar and water. We learned what elements are needed for plant growth and how seeds travel. We learned that seeds can be blown in the wind, float down a river or stream, be carried by animals and birds by mouth or fur and they can even travel when an eats a seed then defecates it out. The “poop” word was used, and yes there were some snickers, but science can be funny. The students also dissected plants and seeds and are in the process of observing root vegetables grow in the science area. As cooks and bakers, the children made apple muffins, cinnamon apple cider and cooked applesauce. 

In November, we will utilize a lot of science especially in the Breads Unit. We will observe yeast in action, bake our own bread and gingerbread, paint with “nature’s paints and participate in a Recycling Experiment in which the end results will not be found until May. 

PE: Cooperative games were enjoyed in October that emphasized on physical skills. We enjoyed going through and obstacle course outside, walked along chalk tightropes and played “Flower Power Tag.” 

This month we will continue our emphasis on skills through games. We will work on throwing and catching and play a cooperative hula-hoop “mobile.” We will have a Native American corn dart game in our classroom for even more practice. The children will also rope horses and have stick horse races. 

Music: Many of the songs and movements in October reflected our plant theme. The children really enjoyed “Roots, Stems, Leaves, Flowers, Fruits and Seeds” song with corresponding movements. We also used rhythm sticks to keep time, emphasize dynamics and pattern. We also enjoyed games such as “Little Worm, Little Worm” and “Pass the Apple.” 

In November our music program will integrate Native Americans and we will dance the Rain Dance, the Rattlesnake Dance and re-enact First American stories.

Art/Drama: Mrs. Ruth and our aspiring artists and actors have been busy. In art, the children have been “building a house” with oil pastel and watercolors and doing “fall prints” through scratching and printing. To support the drama portion, the children made masks to go along with their basic acting skills activities. They have been acting out the Three Tales of Three that includes Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. These are all being told through characterization role-playing, acting and puppeteering. The children have learned about voice projection and the terms props, stage and audience. 

Spanish: Hola! I am Ms. Houston, your child’s Spanish teacher at Discovery Trails Academy. We have been working very hard this year on some of the basics. We started off the school year with numbers and colors and have moved on to farm animals, parts of the body, shapes and textures, weather and feelings. We reinforce these weekly with games, counting, stories and crafts. We have just finished our unit on Dia de los Muertos, a very important holiday for the Spanish speaking community. We will be having a little party on October 31st. We are going to decorate ‘sugar skulls’ and have a few yummy treats.

We are having a wonderful year so far! Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns. rachelhouston82@hotmail.com

 Field Trip to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings:  On November 9^th, at 10AM, we will head to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings to support our First American Theme.  The children will learn about pueblo loving and how these homes were built. They will have the opportunity to grind corn and make a clay pot.  We should be returning form the trip no later than noon. More information will be sent home with the permission slips. 

Thanksgiving Feast:  On Friday, November 18^th, we will have our annual Thanksgiving Feast. All families and children are invited to be here at noon to share a potluck meal as a community. Please remember the seating is not ideal and we have limited table space. However, we have lots of flooring and lots and lots of love! We will ask families to sign up for food. This can be traditional Thanksgiving food or any other family favorite. 

We are looking for two or three parents who would be willing to come in an hour or so early for the feast to decorate and set up. If you are “decoratively inclined” or just want to help, please let us know. 

As a side note, school will continue that day to 3:30 for children who attend on Fridays. However, we have found that many children have difficulty separating from parents more than once and we will not plan anything “important” for the afternoon. If you would like to take your child home after the meal please feel free to do so. 

Show and Tell:

November 4: Cc

November 11: Ee

November 18:  Ff

Siblings: As per our policy, we ask that siblings of students stay close to parents at drop off and pick up times. Much of what we do for the preschool children is not appropriate for younger or older siblings. We have had brothers and sisters swallow objects too small for their age and curricular items broken and mistreated by older siblings. Drop off and pick up are busy times for us and the children’s safety is our first priority. At pick up, we want to be sure the right kids go with the right adults and do not go out the door without supervision. It is difficult and being distracted by other children’s behavior and questions could have scary consequences. 

We tell the students that at the end of the day, playtime is over and they have successfully cleaned up and prepared the class for the next day. It is important that siblings model this behavior and support what we have told the students. Thank you for your cooperation. 

Needed Items:  If anyone has any paper towel rolls at home, we would gladly take them off your hands! We need them for totem poles…. =D

Dates to Remember:

November 9:  Field trip to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings

November 18:  Thanksgiving Feast-Pot Luck

November 21-25:  Thanksgiving Break-No School

Sincerely,

Jen Baker and Peggy Priest

“When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out.”

― Erma Bombeck

 

Dear Parents,

As we enter October, we reflect on the amount of growth each student has had since the beginning of the school year. Each child understands the expectations and follows the routine of the day. Management tags, our classroom management system, are being used appropriately and the children have learned what to expect from day to day. It is amazing to see this much progress in such little time. We cannot thank you enough for allowing us to be a part of your family’s life and thank you for bringing your kids to Discovery Trails.

The past month has been busy, as always. The children have been discovering the Five Senses. Our senses help us to make logic of the world and they support our efforts to be aware and safe. The children have learned much about the anatomy of the tongue, ears, nose, eyes and skin and how each one sends messages to our brains where the brain will recall the memory or store the new information for a later time.

In the month of September:

Language Arts: Here at Discovery Trails we believe in teaching writing to learn to read. The art of writing is a process and follows stages. The first stage of emergent writing is scribbling/drawing. Children use pictures to represent words. The next is “pretend” writing in which young children make wave-like structures on paper and call it “writing.” Then children begin to form letter-like symbols. From there, they begin to write random letters knowing that each letter is important. Soon children begin to use “inventive” spelling as they write letters to represent the sounds they hear. At this point, children will write “KT” for cat and “APL” for apple. Finally, young children move into conventional spelling. Each stage is as important as the next and needs to be nurtured for success. Listening for sounds and writing what each child hears, helps to establish phonics and sounding out of words for reading.

This month the children have done a lot of “writing.” The children have made books and pages designed after stories such as Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you Hear?, The Black Book of Dots, Lucy’s Picture, Ferdinand, My Many Colored Days and It Looked Like Spilt Milk.

We practiced listening to the sounds of and writing the letters, L.I,T and O. The rhyme-a-week sounds we worked on included –ig, -og, on and –ow.

In October, we will emphasize verbal language and imagination with “magic pocket” stories and work with writing “Apple Happy/Apple Sad” as well as a mini-book about seed travel. We will continue our handwriting practice with the letters Aa and Dd and the rhyming sounds of –all, -ee, -at and –ay.

 

Math/Cognitive Thinking: We have worked a lot with estimating and predicting in September. The children estimated how many cups of water would fill a diaper? What is in the bag? and What picture will your puzzle piece make? The children also worked with cause and effect answering, “If _____then _________.” Counting has also been an emphasis as some children are learning to one-to-one count objects while others are adding objects together. As always, we did several graphs including a “yes” and “no” graph asking, “would you cross the Sillibobble Sea for a banana?” and graphing animal cookies after learning the sign language movements to the song “Animal Crackers.”

In October, our math and cognitive thinking unit will highlight order such as number order, smallest to largest, sorting and more graphing.

Science: The Five Senses Theme is very heavy on science. The children have learned about the anatomy of the sensory organs including vocabulary such as neuron, eardrum, malleus, incus, stapes, taste buds, muscles, pupil, lens, optic nerve, iris, nares, sinus, olfactory bulb, nasal bone and cartilage. Within this unit we also did a germ experiment showing how germs can travel from hand to hand using glitter “germs” and how sound travels through the air with a vibration experiment.

In October, we will be learning about the process of seed to plant and discovering and labeling parts of the plant. We will learn how seeds can travel and go to different places with and without our help as well as the lifecycle of an apple tree. Dissecting the plant and seeds will also be a great learning experience for our students.

PE: September skills relied on large locomotor control with skipping, walking backwards, shuffling, galloping and walking heel/toe. Games were introduced with rules including “Planters and Lumberjacks” and “Lions, Tigers and Bears.”

October skills will see an extension of large motor control along with some fine motor skills such as crossing the midline during “Miss Mary Mac” and the “Scissor Walk.”

Music: Music and PE are often very similar in appearance as moving the body with control is important. The students have been learning about voice dynamics, using sticks to recognize rhythm and listening to the sequence of instruments.

In the next few weeks, we will include dance in our music curriculum while we “feel” the music dancing with scarves, yarn and balloons. We will learn “This is the Way We Go ‘round the Apple Tree” and the words to “Way Up High in the Apple Tree.”

Art/Drama: Mrs. Ruth has helped the children discover color and color blending with several techniques including the use of the color wheel. She has also used literature, like My Many Colored Days, to show how color and mood can be intertwined. For drama, the children have begun “acting” with pantomime and storytelling. Along with this, the children are learning dance with the first steps in square dancing. Mrs. Ruth is planning two performances this year. The first, a Talent Show, will be sometime before the holidays and the second, a grouping of three stories so all children will have a part, will happen in the second semester.

Spanish: The children are really enjoying Spanish with Ms. Houston. The children have been counting, learning colors, saying the days of the week and the months of the year and the telling the weather in Spanish. Ms. Houston has integrated common English stories and songs and incorporated them into Spanish. She even wrote her own “Polar Bear, Polar Bear” book in Spanish! They kids also celebrated Mexican Independence Day in September.

Field Trip to the Colorado Pumpkin Patch: On Thursday, October 6th, we will be heading to the Colorado Pumpkin Patch. We will leave here approximately 9:15-9:30 and returned between 11:30-12:00. We will provide the snack for the day and depending on the weather, we will eat it here at school or at the Pumpkin Patch. The Patch has some very fun activities including petting goats, chickens, alpacas, sheep, rabbits and ducks. Please let us know if your child has an allergy to any animal. There is also a hay pyramid, a corn box, hay slide and face painting. At the end, the children will pick a pumpkin to bring home. We need two parent volunteers who are willing to ride in the vans for added safety.

Johnny Appleseed Traveling Party: To culminate our Apple Theme, we will be having a Johnny Appleseed Traveling Party on Wednesday, October 26th. The students will be learning about the four major states that John Chapman travelled to plant apple seeds and for the party, there will be different activities at each state. We will need at least four parent volunteers to run stations so if you are interested please let us know. We need slave labor help from 9-11AM. The stations will include “apple bobbing,” an apple toss game, apple printing, snack and stringing Apple Jacks. The children are encouraged to dress as Johnny Appleseed if possible. ALL students, whether Wednesday is a scheduled day or not, are invited to be a part of this day from 8:45-11-ish.

 

Dates to Remember:

October 6: Field trip to the Colorado Pumpkin Patch

October 10: Columbus Day, No School

October 21: Grading Day, NO STUDENTS

October 26: Johnny Appleseed Traveling Party 9-11AM

October 27-28: Parent/Teacher Conferences, No School

 

Parent/Teacher Conferences: We will be holding our parent/teacher conferences on October 27th and 28th to discuss your child’s progress. We will be given an assessment packet and be shown some of your child’s work. We are able to answer any questions you may have specifically about your child at this time. If you know you have a specific question or concern ahead of time, please email us so that we can have the documentation you may need readily available. A week before the conferences, we will have a sign-up sheet for the Thursday and Friday conferences with 30 minutes each. We will begin our conferences at 8:00AM and end between 3:30 and 4:00PM. We ask that the students NOT attend the conference as we discuss things like development that the children may not understand is typical for their age.

**The report cards will become available on Tuesday and Wednesday the 25th and the 26th of October**

 

Here’s to a wonderful and productive October!

Sincerely,

Jen Baker and Peggy Priest

 

 

“Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me. ”

~Fred Rogers

 

Dear Parents,

The first few weeks of school have gone by so quickly. The children have learned the routine of the day and are beginning to understand the rules of the class. Our class focuses on kindness. The children are learning to be considerate and helpful to one another. This is a progressive lesson as children move from the egocentric stage of development to understanding the views of others’. This does not happen overnight, but slowly with consistent positive reinforcements and role modeling day to day.

The students have enjoyed doing activities and assignments geared to support their learning of the new classroom. The children wrote their own rules after reading Todd Parr’s Do’s and Don’ts. In case any of you want to know, you may “listen to teachers,” but “you can’t wear your underwear on your head.” They also were provided the opportunity to learn math, language and social skills on Watermelon Day and Pete’s a Pizza Day. One of the most compelling lessons the children enjoyed was reading the story, Is There Really a Human Race? After reading this book, the students participated in games in which no one won; everyone cheered the success of each other. (Now, one may wonder if this would work in politics….?)

 

Coming the Month of September

Language Arts: In September the children will be enjoying more literature-based activities and writing assignments. Tying literature to these activities gives every child a core frame of reference. By differentiating the expected outcome, these activities support all learners. The students will be creating class books based on Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear, The Black Book of Colors and It Looked Like Spilt Milk. Sign language will be the focus for the poem Animal Crackers that will also integrate math by charting and sorting animal crackers. Also, following the reading of the book, Lucy’s Picture, the students will create a picture that they can feel.

Handwriting: At Discovery Trails we practice handwriting. Children learn to write the same letters they see in books, strengthening the reading-writing connection. Learning to print focuses the students’ attention on the distinctive shapes and features of letters, leading to improved letter and sound recognition. September Letters: Ii, Tt, repeat Ll, Ii and Tt, and Oo

September Rhyming Sounds: -ow, -on, -og and –ig

Science/Math: The Five Senses theme is heavy in the subject if science. During this theme the children will learn about the anatomy of the tongue, ear, nose, eye and skin. Each organ of the five senses will be supported by activities such as water magnification and how sound waves travel.

In math, the students will be reviewing and learning about simple and complex patterns as well as drawing lines from number to number in sequence, rolling dice and jumping crocodiles to reach the banana tree and estimating the number of marbles in a sock.

PE: The focus of the physical education class this month will be primarily on balance. The children will practice heel-toe walking on paths and the balance board and play games that involve changing hands to throw and do other activities.

Music: In September, our music program will emphasize rhythms, beats and syllables. The children will also listen and sequence sounds in order of first, second and third and they will move to music with scarves and dance a partner mirror dance in which pairs of children must “mirror” each other.

Show and Tell

September 9: Ii

September 16: Tt

September 23: Ll, Ii or Tt

September 29 (Thursday): Oo

We do ask that parents help their student choose items, but please do not DO it for your child. Part of home-school connection is allowing children to practice what they have learned at school, at home. Many times we have heard a student exclaim, “My mom forgot to put my show and tell in my backpack,” or “I don’t know what my Dad gave me for show and tell.” We are pretty certain parents know their letter sounds, now lets let the children learn them too.

Discovery Trails Field Trips: Here at Discovery Trails, we do not feel that a child’s education is limited to four walls. We believe in exposing the children to the world in a positive way. Because of this we go on an average of five field trips per year. Because these trips are included in the tuition cost, our schedule of trips is based on two factors:

1. The amount of days your student is enrolled

2. The availability of the trip’s destination

We try to be fair in our planning of trips. Children, who attend five days per week, get five trips. Students, who attend three days per week, get three and those students who attend two days per week, get two. With this in mind, we will plan three trips on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday (our preference is Wednesday) and two on either Tuesday or Thursday.

In addition, we try to plan special visitors to our class as well. Sometimes, these are in place of a field trip if it accomplishes the same goal. Again, we try to plan as fairly as possible by varying days, but our scheduling is also dependent on the guest(s). Sometimes are guests are parent volunteers and they come on days that are convenient for them.

Please let us know if you have any questions about our field trip/special guest policies.

Don’t Forget:

· Be sure your child brings a jacket everyday-cooler mornings are coming

· Apply sunscreen every morning throughout the month of September

 

Just a Reminder: Sick Policy…

All of us involved in your child’s life want to keep sickness to a minimum. Children who do not feel well have a difficult time enjoying the activities offered at Discovery Trails and can easily spread illnesses to other children. Colorado law requires that a child with a contagious disease be kept at home. Contagious diseases are defined to include, but are not limited to, severe colds, fever, flu, or rash. Children are sent home if these symptoms develop at school. The office will report diagnosed contagious diseases, other than colds, to the families of fellow class members.

Exclusion from school will occur if your child exhibits any of these symptoms:

· Fever or feverish appearance

· Sore throat or trouble swallowing

· Nausea and vomiting

· Wet productive cough or severe coughing

· Diarrhea

· Sores or infected skin patch (crusty, bright yellow, dry or gummy areas of skin)

· Red eye or eyes with discharge

· Unusual spots or rashes

· Unusual behavior (child is cranky, lethargic, cries more than usual, feels generally uncomfortable or unwell, or cannot participate in the activities of the day.)

 

Dates to Remember:

September 14: Field Trip to Starsmore Discovery Center

September 19: Picture Day-information and schedule coming home soon

September 30: Noon Dismissal

October 6: Field trip to Colorado Pumpkin Patch

October 10: Columbus Day-NO SCHOOL

 

Sincerely,

Jen Baker and Peggy Priest