Dear Blossom Families,
Things got wild this month as we began studying Oregon animals, prepared for the Leprechaun, and welcomed Spring!
The Blossoms became very skilled at identifying animal and bird tracks, learned about the salmon’s life cycle, and went fishing from the loft! They made leprechaun traps and collected lots of leprechaun gold both in the classroom and on the playground. And we rescued Ms. Tammy from the leprechaun when he locked her in the closet!
We transformed the loft into a bear cave and made an eagle’s nest. We did a lot of pretend play as our favorite animals, both inside and outside. And Miss Madelyn helped the students build a beaver dam out of sticks and “mud”!
Salmon and their life cycle excited us the next week, and we always enjoy hearing new vocabulary words and concepts, as well as trying out new art materials and projects. While learning about salmon, we did some fun and focused salmon yoga.
Next, we studied birds, practiced birdwatching, painted our own birdhouse, made bird nests out of dough, and noticed that a bird nest across the street had turned into a squirrel den. We learned fascinating facts about falcons, eagles, and other Oregon birds.
We shared many interesting facts and stories about river otters, the gray fox, whistle pig, porcupines, owls, reptiles, coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, and other predators. We looked at photos and videos, listened to sounds, and read some nonfiction books to deepen our understanding. It was fun to see the students pretend to be various animals during free play outside and include facts and features they learned in class into their play!
We also notice signs of growth and “blossoming” in our Blossoms! They are developing new self-regulation skills, communication abilities, and prosocial behaviors, while building strong friendships and healthy bodies! We have observed them caring for one another and our classroom, taking responsibility for their messes and belongings, and working together to play and engage with classroom materials and activities. We are very proud!
In April, we will start our building study. Every day, we enter buildings! Some buildings reveal their purpose right away, while others are so impressive that they inspire us. But what truly makes a building a building? How they are constructed and what materials they are made of are questions we will explore this month. We will learn about buildings around the world and in our community. Preschoolers can build with almost anything, and this month we will do just that! As you probably know, your Blossoms are especially curious about the world immediately around them. Please let us know if you have any ideas, materials, or expertise to share! Past materials shared have included large shipping boxes, old house and building plans, and clean, recyclable items such as cereal boxes, small boxes, caps, paper towel tubes, and newspapers.
We enjoyed connecting with you during our spring conferences! Our favorite part is always sharing all the amazing things about your student and how hard they’ve been working!
Thank you for sharing your exceptional learners with us!
Ms. Stephanie, Miss Madeline, Miss Kate, and Ms. Kendra
