Ms. Cassi’s Newsletter January 12, 2018

Literacy/Read Aloud This week we read an interactive storybook called “A Cold and Snowy Day”. The children helped put items on the boys so he could go outside and play in the snow. The children put on mittens, , , , pants,and boots.

Large Group

Cassi: In large group we explored some new books all about winter. The children ​ enjoyed reading The Snowy Day, The Mitten and Winter. We sang our core songs and the two new ones Ms. Nicole made song boards for. Since this was our first week of winter, we talked about the clothes we need to wear when it is cold.

Nicole: This week in large group the children began to learn two new winter clothing ​ song. We sand “Put on your shoes” by Super Simple Songs and “Winter Mitten Song” by Kidboomers. Then we viewed a book on the Smartboard targeting winter clothes you need to put on to get ready to play in the snow. We targeted the following winter clothing items: hat, mittens, scarf, coat, snowpants, and boots. Then the children completed a writing activity sharing what they put on in the winter. The children completed the sentence “I put on _____”. We made our choices on Tuesday and completed our book page on Thursday.

Music and Movement

In Music and Movement this week, we had the children getting dressed for outside play (we didn’t actually go out). With the help of our students using devices, they were able to tell the other children what to put on. As they were getting dressed we talked about body parts. (Wednesday and Friday)

We focused on the question “where”. We created a simple phrase “where put it” on our core vocabulary poster. Then each child was given a “where” stick (popsicle stick with a symbol for “where” attached to it). We looked at winter clothing items and discussed where we put them on our bodies. Then we sang a song while touching that body part with our “where” stick. Example: While tapping the “where” stick on our heads we sang “The hat goes on my head, the hat goes on my head, hi-ho the derry-o the hat goes on my head”. We targeted: hat, scarf, mittens, snowpants, coat, and boots. (Tuesday and Thursday)

Small Group

Cassi: #1 In this group we talked about big vs. small using winter clothing. Children ​ were presented with two mittens and asked to find the big/large mitten. When shown two , they were asked to find the small one. Core words: look, take, big, small, #2 In this group we played winter clothing Bingo. Children had to pick a card, show their friends the card and then place a marker on the matching picture.

Nicole: This week we used our adapted spinner to spin winter clothing items. The ​ children took turn spinning and tell their friends what clothing item needed to be placed on the boy or the girl to dress them to go outside in the cold weather. We targeted the following: hat, mittens, scarf, coat, boots, and pants. The children worked on expressive vocabulary, following directions, and turn taking. We worked on the following core vocabulary words: what, in, open, I, look, take, out, my, turn, put, on, and ready.

Karen: This week in OT small group we built a structure using extra large Legos, placed ​ cardboard mittens into a large container and then removed knitted mittens from an oven mitt, unrolled the mittens and then put on the mittens! Individual Occupational Therapy ​ Warm-ups: ​ ● Removed mitten buttons from therapy putty ● Placed mitten buttons into into therapy putty Pre-writing: ● Scribbled or colored a picture of a boy shoveling snow with his dog ● Drew pre-writing lines and forms Bilateral/fine motor skills: ● Snipped and cut paper ● Sort Match Attach-manipulated nuts and bolts ● Easy Snap Construction Set-built forms ● Ruff’s House Tactile Set- removed and placed textured bones from/into a dog house

This Week’s Choice Time Areas: Fine Motor/Table Toys

In this area the children were able to choose the toys they wanted to play with. Some of the kiddos played with the Magna Tiles, Piggy Color Bank, small blocks, puzzles, and stringing beads.

Sensory/Feeling Table When we had snow…. The children put on some warm gloves and played in the snow. We made mini snowmen, made snowballs and just explored the snow.

Blocks

In this area we had the winter clothes available for the children to put on during play time. Additional Notes ​

Your Team:

Cassi Williston, Classroom Teacher [email protected]

Nicole MacKinnon, Classroom Speech Language Pathologist [email protected]

Karen Busse, Classroom Occupational Therapist [email protected]

Susan Simnick, Classroom Physical Therapist [email protected]

Janice Thomas, Teaching Assistant Janice Jacklich, Teaching Assistant Katie Difino, Teaching Assistant