Primary Room 9

May News

In May, we will be learning about dinosaurs, what do they eat? And what happened to them . We will be exploring Africa, its people, landmarks, and culture including language, food, music, clothing, and animals. Our book of the month will be The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. There are many fun days in May such as our annual Mother’s Day tea party! We are looking forward to celebrating all our wonderful mothers.

April Recap

April was a great month in room 9! We spent most of the month learning about our planet earth and Oceania. At circle we discussed the layers of the earth and the different oceans of planet earth, and how we can reduce, reuse and recycle to take care of our planet earth. We explored Australia and New Zealand by talking about landmarks and culture including language, food, music and clothing. I have made continent folders in the classroom to allow children to explore photos, currency, stamps, fabric, and other nicks knacks from the different continents of the world.

 

Our literature book this month was Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and Jhon Archambault. We read the book once a day, the children really enjoyed it. It gave them the opportunity to learn about the alphabet.

 

 Enrichments were fun with lots of art projects that were related to our planet earth and our literature book of the month Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. We listened to music by Mozart and the traditional music of Australia, New Zealand, and the pacific islands. Cooking is always fun with hands-on measuring, mixing, and putting together different snacks to eat, the best part is getting a yummy treat at the end! We made some yummy rainbow fruit skewers, and a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree. The children continue to learn about ABCMOUSE.com on the computer. The children continued to take care of the garden and hopefully we will start seeing some flowers bloom and vegetables sprouting!

March Recap

March was a great month in room 9! We spent most of the month learning about Rainforests and South America. At circle time, we discussed what Rainforests are, and where they are found in South America. We also learned about the different layers of the Rainforest and what lives in each layer. We explored South America by talking about landmarks and culture including language, food, music, and clothing. I have made continent folders in the classroom to allow children to explore photos, currency, stamps, fabrics, and other knick-knacks from different continents of the world. We also celebrated Dr. Seuss birthday and read so many of his books. We also discussed St. Patrick’s Day, why we celebrate it, and we made so many art projects related to it. We discussed Spring, and how the weather starts getting warmer during this time.

 

Our Literature book this month was One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss. The children made an art project that was related to it, and we had so much fun reading it during circle time. Enrichments were filled with lots of art projects associated with Dr. Seuss, Spring, and St. Patrick’s Day. We listened to Music by Antonio Vivaldi. He is most famous for his Seasons collection, and the children were introduced to Spring. Cooking is always fun with hands-on measuring, mixing, and putting together different snacks to eat. The best part is getting a yummy treat at the end! The children explored dishes that were related to Dr. Seuss with some green eggs and ham treat, rainbow toast, ants on a log, shamrock shakes and rainbow fruit skewers. The children continued to learn about ABCMOUSE.com on Computers.

February Recap

February was a great month in Room 9! We spent most of the month learning about Cultural Awareness and Friendship. At circle time, we discussed how to be a good friend by offering help when we see a friend having a hard time doing something we already know how to do, and to offer comfort when we see a friend who might be sad, nervous, or unsure. Our Valentine’s celebration was a hit with lots of fun cards and a special snack. We explored Asia by talking about landmarks and Culture including language, food, music, and clothing. I have made continent folders in the classroom to allow children to explore photos, currency, stamps, fabric, and other knick-knacks from the different continents of the world. Our Literature book this month was Little Blue and Little Yellow, which went well with our Friendship theme and gave us the opportunity to discuss people's differences and whether that should impact their Friendship. There was a little side learning of color mixing, and we learned what happens when we mix blue and yellow! The children enjoyed mixing the colors for their art. We read the book once a day during circle time, the children thoroughly enjoyed it.


Enrichments were fun and contained lots of art projects about Friendship. The children were introduced to the art of Yayoi Kusama and her dot painting. Children had the opportunity to make a heart artwork reflecting Kusama’s style. A Friendship wreath was made as well. The children listened to music by Johannes Brahms who is well known for lullabies. Cooking is always fun with hands-on measuring, mixing, and putting together different snacks to eat. The best part is getting a yummy treat at the end! The children continue to learn about ABCMOUSE.com on the computers and practice using the site and the mouse. 

January Recap

January was a great month in room 9! We spent most of the month learning about Winter Animals and Hibernation. We learned a lot about animals, such as Penguins and Polar Bears and what makes them different. We also learned about what Hibernation is, and which animals need to hibernate. The children created many fun art projects that were related to Winter, and its Winter Animals. We explored Antarctica and discussed its climate and animals. We also learned about Martin Luther King Jr. and his “I Have a Dream” speech. 

Our literature book this month was The Mitten by Jan Brett which went well with our Winter theme. We read the book once a day during circle time and the children really enjoyed it. We also created an art project that was related to the book and tied it all together. 

Enrichments were fun with lots of art projects. The children learned about Van Gogh; they learned about his life and the type of art he produced. They worked on an art activity related to The Mitten, our literature book of the month. We listened to music by Beethoven and did a rhythm stick activity to Beethoven’s 5th symphony. Cooking is always fun with hands-on measuring, mixing, and putting together different snacks to eat. The best part was getting a yummy treat at the end of our cooking experience. The children also made inside snow, which was super fun! They really enjoyed making and playing with it. The children continued to learn about ABCMOUSE.com on our computers. And finally, in gardening, the children explored everything about succulents. They learned how they are different than other plants; they also learned how to propagate them, and created their own succulent garden at school where they will continue to take care of the gardens and planters around the campus. 

December Recap

December was a great month in Room 9! We spend most of the month learning about different celebrations around the world such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas. At circle time, we discussed the different celebrations around the world, and the children made many fun art projects that related to celebrations around the world, such as menorahs and Christmas trees. We explored Europe and its northern, western, and eastern countries. We discussed their traditional food, landmarks, and culture, including language, music, and clothing. I made continents folders in the classroom that allowed children to explore photos, currency, stamps, fabric, and other knick-knacks from the different continents of the world. Our Literature book this month was The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, which went well with our theme and gave us the opportunity to discuss how important it is to be giving and generous, without expecting anything in return. We read the book once a day during circle time, the children really enjoyed it.



Enrichments were fun with lots of art projects. The children learned about Edgar Degas, a French artist, and made their own Degas dancers. We listened to music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a Russian composer who created the Nutcracker Suite, which is still treasured by children today. The children explored the music of The Nutcracker and watched some of the waltz as a treat! Cooking is always fun with hands-on measuring, mixing, and combining different snacks to eat. The best part is getting a yummy treat at the end! The children explored and made some fun holiday snacks like a snowman out of a banana, and a reindeer from celery. And finally, in gardening, the children started an indoor herb garden, and they learned about the different types of plants that can grow indoors as well as outdoors. 

November Recap

November was a great month in Room 9! We spent most of the month learning about harvest and healthy bodies. During circle time, we discussed Veterans' Day and why it is celebrated. We also talked about Thanksgiving and expressed gratitude for the things we had. The children had a lot of fun creating turkey art projects. We explored our state, California, and the USA, discussing people, landmarks, culture, traditions, and what makes the USA unique. Our literature book for the month was Fill a Bucket by Carol McCloud and Katherine Martin. We read the book once a day during circle time, which the children loved. It taught them how to experience the joy of giving and receiving, and we even made a bucket art project that the children enjoyed making. We discussed how important it is to fill other people's buckets and our own by being helpful, respectful, and kind to our friends, parents, and teachers. Enrichments were fun, with lots of exciting art projects. The children were introduced to Jackson Pollock's paintings and made their art using the splatter technique, also known as the drip technique. In music, they learned about jazz music and some of its famous musicians and tried to describe the difference between jazz and other types of music. Cooking was always fun with hands-on measuring, mixing, and creating different snacks, leading to the best part – a delicious treat at the end. The children made some tasty fall treats, like an apple pie roll-up and pumpkin pie in a cup, and a yummy fill-a-bucket treat that went well with our literature book of the month. They also continued learning about ABCMOUSE.com on the computer.



Finally, in gardening, as the season changed, the children started planning a winter garden with broccoli, fava beans, and other fun things to grow. In December, we learned about worldwide celebrations, such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas, and explored the different regions in Europe. Our literature book of the month was The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. We had many fun days in December, such as our winter holiday recital celebrations. Here's wishing everyone a fantastic holiday season and a happy and prosperous new year! It was an exciting month in Room 9 as we explored various topics. We spent most of the month learning about the harvest season and how to maintain healthy bodies. During circle time, we had thoughtful conversations about Veterans' Day and the significance of celebrating it. We also discussed Thanksgiving and expressed gratitude for the things we had. The children had a lot of fun creating turkey art projects, and we explored the state of California and the United States, discussing people, landmarks, culture, traditions, and what makes the USA unique. Our literature book for the month was Fill a Bucket by Carol McCloud and Katherine Martin. We read the book once a day during circle time, and the children loved it. It taught them how to experience the joy of giving and receiving, and we even made a bucket art project they enjoyed. We discussed how important it is to fill other people's buckets and our own by being helpful, respectful, and kind to our friends, parents, and teachers. Enrichments were a fun and engaging way to help children learn. During these sessions, they participated in various art projects, including Jackson Pollock's famous drip technique. They were also introduced to the world of jazz music and its most prominent musicians, as well as the differences between this style of music and others. Cooking was another exciting activity, with plenty of hands-on opportunities for measuring, mixing, and creating snacks, leading to the best part – a delicious treat at the end. As fall approached, the children made seasonal delights, such as apple pie roll-ups, pumpkin pie in a cup, and a tasty fill-a-bucket treat to pair with our literature book of the month. The children also continued to explore ABCMOUSE.com on the computer and began planning a winter garden, selecting various plants such as broccoli and fava beans to grow!

October Recap

October was a great month in room 9! We spent most of the month learning about the five senses and feelings. At circle time we discussed fall, and how the leaves change color in fall. We also discussed Halloween and made some fun art projects related to the five senses, fall, and Halloween. We explored North America by discussing its landmarks and culture, including language, food, music, and clothing. I have made continent folders in the classroom to allow children to explore photos, currency, stamps, fabric, and other nick Knacks from the different continents of the world.


Our Literature book this month was We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger. This book allowed us to talk about fall, and how the leaves change color during this season. We read the book once a day during circle time, the children enjoyed it.

Enrichments were fun with many art projects that were related to fall and Halloween, the children explored the art of Picasso and created some inspired pumpkins. We listened to music by Camille-Saint-Saens, who was famous for the carnival of animals. Cooking is always fun with hands-on measuring, mixing, and putting together different snacks to eat, the best part is getting a yummy treat at the end. The children made some yummy apple fruit yogurt donuts, some harvest trail mix, some cream cheeses/sun butter jelly spiders, and some pumpkin fluff. In computer, the children continued to practice and progress through ABCMOUSE.com. Finally, in gardening, the children learned about the different parts of a plant, they also learned about pumpkin dissection, harvesting, and seed saving.

September Recap

September was a great month in Room 9! We spent most of the month learning about ourselves and getting to know one another, our favorite food color, and what we want to be when we grow up. It was a terrific opportunity for children to get to know each other and to be introduced to new friends. The children made some nice self-portraits with each other. We explored the seven continents and their assorted colors on the map and the globe. I have made some continent folders in the classroom to allow children to explore photos, currency, stamps, and other nick knacks from different continents.

September's literature book was The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn; it went well with our back-to-school theme. We read the book once a day and discussed how, sometimes in life, we must do things that we don't want to do, but we do it anyway, and great joy can come from doing so. We also did an art project related to the book of the month; the children enjoyed it.

Enrichments were fun, with many art projects exploring the All About Me theme. The children studied the orchestra in music and learned what a conductor is. Cooking is always fun; the children made All About Me people, apple pie in a cup, a fallen tree, and a school bus snack. In computer, the children used ABCMOUSE.com to learn how to use a computer and mouse and engage in fun activities. And finally, in gardening, the children learned all about plants and the various parts of a plant. They also learned how to water plants and plant flowers, snap peas, radishes, and carrots; they enjoyed it tremendously.

Curriculum for May:

Themes: Dinosaurs & Africa

Geography: Africa

Literature: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Enrichments:

  • Art
  • Computer
  • Cooking
  • Music
  • Spanish

Reminders:

  • Please check your child's bin to ensure they have weather appropriate clothes and they are the correct size- please label all your items
  • Check in with the teacher to see that everything on file is up-to-date

Upcoming Dates:

Teacher Appreciation Week

May 6th - 10th, 2024

Mother’s Day Tea Party

May 10th, 2024

9:00am - 10:00am

Parent/Teacher Conferences

May 14th - 15th, 2024

School Closes at 3pm

Memorial Day

May 27th, 2024

School Closed