Wow! The students returned to school from winter recess ready to get right back to work! They entered on Monday morning with huge smiles and open arms to greet all of the friends they missed during the holidays. Both parents and teachers alike were overcome with joy to see the genuine excitement on the students’ faces while mid-embrace.
Monday’s letter I activities began with the students completing their letter I identification activity sheets. The students had to trace/write the letter I, distinguish the letter I against other letter sounds, and color the letter I pictures. It was hard work but definitely fun! In the afternoon, the students created a list of words starting with the letter I.
The teachers were so Impressed with the student list – especially with the different letter I geographical locations! Clearly, some of the students (and parents) had been practicing I words for the list over the weekend!
On Tuesday, the I fun continued as the students continued to work on their letter I tracing and identification activity sheets. During the afternoon, the students went around the classroom locating the letter I wherever they could. Not only was there the letter I all around the room – there were so many students wearing I’s on their clothes! The students had a blast finding the I’s on their clothes and on their friends too!
Using glitter, pom-poms, feathers, sequins, tissue paper, and glue, the students decorated their own letter I on Wednesday morning. Once the students had finished assembling the craft items to their I’s, the teachers asked each student, “What is your favorite letter I word?” Needless to say, ice cream, ice pops and iguana were definitely the most common responses.
All of the I’s looked so beautiful and shiny, they made for a great I week bulletin board!
On Wednesday afternoon, the students had Spanish class where they reviewed Los Colores (the colors). After singing some songs and greeting each other, the students were divided up into small groups where they practiced pronouncing and sorting items according to the colors.
The older groups of students learned some special vocabulary for light and dark variants of the colors.
On Thursday, the teachers mixed things up a bit and conducted Spanish class in the morning! Using different color paints, the students followed Miss Saily’s directions to create their “Spanish Paintings”. The students were excellent listeners and did a great job deciphering what Miss Saily was saying when she said, “Usa la pintura azul, por favor”… (use the blue paint please) or “Usa la pintura naranja, por favor”. (Use the orange paint please)
In the afternoon, the students had music where they perfected the art of the Air Instrument. While taking turns playing different Invisible Instruments along with the music, the teachers lead a discussion about tempo, the speed or pace of a piece of music. The teachers played music, paused it and the students had to say whether it was a fast tempo and slow tempo. Once the students had gotten tempo down pat, the teachers discussed the difference between loud and soft music. Things got really interesting when the music was slow and fast or loud and slow. The students wrapped up the day by playing the air violin to Mozart’s Serenade No. 13 or “A Little Night Music” (Allegro) which was not only fun but exhausting!
Follow this link to play the song and watch your child air violin like a true professional!
Friday morning started with a computer presentation all about the theme of letter I week – Iguanas! The students learned a lot of iguana facts such as where they live and what they eat, but by far, the most interesting fact that the students learned was what iguanas can do with their tails when they are attacked by a predator.
“Like many lizards, iguanas can “drop” or autotomize their tails. Iguanas have muscle bundles with special attachments to the vertebrae in the tail. These are areas where it is easier for the tail to break, should a predator grab hold of the iguana’s tail. In the wild, of course, attack by a predator would be the likely cause of a tail break. The detached piece of tail thrashes and wriggles to distract the predator while the iguana runs to safety.” (taken from greenigsociety.org)
Tail dropping is not just a feature of iguanas. Many reptiles can drop their tails. Click here to view a short clip of a gecko tail wiggling after it has detached just as it would to distract a predator while the rest of the iguana runs away.
Apparently, what may look a little strange to adults is HYSTERICAL to preschoolers. The students thought it looked like the tail was dancing! After seeing this clip, they could hardly wait to get started on their morning work.
First they had to color the predator bird on their paper. Next, they had to use scissors to cut or “drop” the iguana tail. Lastly, they had to position their iguana as it made its getaway! Here is what the completed craft looked like.
On Friday afternoon, PPA was paid a special visit by not one, but TWO, guests! Miss Brittany’s Mommy, Lori, and Miss Brittany’s sister, Megan, stopped by to meet the students and explore the classroom. Lori and Megan helped us wrap up the week by having a super silly music session and dance party. In the spirit of letter I week, the students enjoyed moving around like iguanas and listening to a fun vowel song about two of their favorite fruits – Raffi’s Apples and Bananas!
Thanks again to our special visitors for spending the afternoon with us. We hope you had as much fun as we did!
As always, have a great and safe weekend!
-PPA
P.S.
PARK PREP STUDENT SAVES
FAMILY FROM FIRE!
A four year old Park Prep student who had recently gotten out of the bath noticed the family’s kitchen was rapidly filling with smoke and ran to alert her parents by screaming, “FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!” Fortunately the parents acted quickly to put out the fire and air out the smoke and no one was harmed.
The parents credited their daughter’s knowledge of what to do in a fire to Park Prep Academy’s “Letter F is for Fire (Safety and Prevention) Week”. Everyone at Park Prep Academy is so proud of this student’s heroic effort and is thankful that no one was hurt. We also hope that our students never have to use their fire safety knowledge again!