A Trip to the Library

Goodness gracious! It has been far too long since I've posted. I apologize for that. Take it as a sign of how busy we have been these last couple of weeks!

Our book study is underway, although, I have a feeling it won't get into full swing until I get conferences under control. We did take our field trip to the library this week. The kiddos had so much fun. The morning class walked to the library. It was very lightly misting, so I contacted as many adults as I could and gathered umbrellas. I think this was the kiddos favorite part of the whole day. It also worked as a great way to keep the kids with their walking partners. No one wanted to leave the safety of their umbrellas (even though they would have been completely okay if they had)! The afternoon class got the thrill of riding in cars to the library. They were so excited about this - riding in the car with their school friends = a total blast!

When we got to the library, we took a tour of the entire building. We noticed many different things about the library. It is completely decked out in Halloween decor, and this was the first thing everyone noticed. As we walked around, though, we started to notice many different kinds of books and reading materials. We noticed everything from kids books and adult books to magazines and newspapers to books on tape and movies.

After we finished our tour, Toni, the amazing librarian, came over and answered some of the kiddos questions. We found out where the books come from, how they get to the library, how they are loaded onto the trucks, and what Toni's favorite books are.

When we were done talking to Toni, we split into small groups and read books together. The library was featuring Halloween books, so they made up the majority of what we read. I know my groups loved reading about goblins, witches, and ghosts.

Taking this trip to the library was a great opportunity for the kiddos! I want to take the time to thank Judy Boeckholt, Linda Kane, and Shannyn Bectel for helping out on this trip. I couldn't have given the kiddos this opportunity without you! You are greatly appreciated!

We have continued to read favorite books this week as well. It's amazing to me how quickly the children are picking up on the early reading concepts. Check out these videos of some of the kiddos "reading" books during Learning Centers:

We have been spending a considerable amount of time preparing for conferences the last two weeks as well. I am so looking forward to meeting with everyone to talk about your fabulous children! I have so much to share, and I can't wait to get your feedback and work with you to help set goals for your kiddos! If you haven't signed up yet, please do so as soon as you can. The spots are filling up quickly, so the sooner you sign up the more likely it will be to get a spot that fits your schedule. Remember that I have time on Friday, November 9 as well, if a day time works better for you.

Our Halloween party is on Wednesday, October 31. I sent home information about the party on Wednesday and Thursday. Please check your child's bag for this information. We will be having a costume party, so feel free to send your child's costume with him/her that day. This is one of my favorite days in preschool!

Have a fantastic weekend.

Celebrating Our Rock Knowledge

We have been having a fantastic week so far! Our days have been jam-packed full of learning, and I'm so pleased with all of the growth I am seeing in the children!

We are wrapping up our rock study this week. On Monday, the children voted on how they would like to celebrate their knowledge. I presented two choices to the children: writing a book or creating a rock museum. The children in both classes voted to create a rock museum.

Today, they got busy creating their rocks for the museum. They have been using all kinds of things (everything from pom-poms to yarn to fur and fabric) to make their rocks look cool and unique. We'll continue working on our rocks tomorrow and Thursday.

Our museum will be open on Monday and Tuesday. I plan to set the museum up in the hallway outside our classroom. Please check it out when you drop-off/pick-up your child! The kiddos are so proud of the work they've been doing on their rocks, and I know they will be pleased as punch to share their work with you!

Today, we also spent some time learning about fire safety. The Lake Mills firefighters visited us during both sessions. Experience has taught me that this can be a scary time for preschoolers. Seeing the firefighters in their full uniforms (including mask and helmet) is a new experience for most of them. This was definitely true today. While we talked about the firefighters coming, how they would look, and what they would sound like, a handful of children were scared. We fought through it though, and most of the children had an enjoyable time!

After talking a bit about fire safety (calling 9-1-1, stop, drop, and roll, and having a meeting place), we got to meet the fire pup! One of the funnier moments of the day came when one of the students caught on that the fire pup was really a person wearing a costume and asked, "Can we see your face?" We also got to go out and see the fire truck. We heard the sirens and the horn and got to see the lights.

Overall, I'd say the firefighter's visit was successful and got many of the kiddos thinking about fire safety.

Just a heads up for Thursday: I will not be at school on Thursday. I will be attending a conference in Des Moines. Rebecca May will be my substitute.

(I apologize for the lack of pictures from the morning class. I used two cameras today - one for the morning and one for the afternoon. I left the one I used this morning at school. I'll try to edit this post and add pictures tomorrow.)