The Three Billy Goats Gruff

This week we will read The Three Billy Goats Gruff, retold and illustrated by Janet Stevens.  This is the familiar story of three brother goats who encounter a troll.  The illustrations have been modernized with details that children will love.  The Three Billy Goats Gruff is also a story about families sticking together and facing fear with courage.   The three billy goats have run out of grass on their side of the valley and must cross a bridge to the other side.  Under the bridge is a mean and scary troll, whom all three goats must face in order to cross the bridge.  As the troll roars his challenge and threatens to eat each of the younger goats, they plead that their older brother is bigger and juicier than they are.  This plea works for each of the younger two goats; when the eldest goat crosses, he meets the troll’s challenge and “kicks, pokes, and scares” him away.  The three billy goats are united on the far side of the bridge where they remain, eating sweet, green grass.

 

This story can be used to help children explore their own fears of things, real or imagined, as well as how other family members can help to cope with fear.  For some children, family structure may be a more important issue to focus on.  The story provides many opportunities to cope with separation from family, nontraditional family structure, and fear and courage in people of all ages.

 

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

This week we will begin our next module and read The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, written by Linda Williams and illustrated by Megan Lloyd.  The story is about a little old lady who sets out to gather herbs, spices, seeds, and nuts from the forest.  It is dark when she starts home.  She soon discovers that she is being followed by a pair of pants, a shirt, two gloves, a hat, and a scary pumpkin head, all of which make frightening noises.  They chase her home and try again to scare her, but she is not to be frightened.  Instead, she recommends that they stay in her garden and scare her crows away.

 

This is a fun book for children because of the repetition of sounds and actions that the various clothes and objects make (CLOMP, CLOMP; WIGGLE, WIGGLE; SHAKE, SHAKE; CLAP, CLAP; NOD, NOD; BOO, BOO) as they follow the old lady.  The children soon begin to remember the associated noises and can cheerfully render them as the story progresses.

 

On Thursday, October 29^th, we plan to trick-or-treat in a few classrooms/offices.  The children will be able to bring their costumes to school and we will have a special treat after lunch.

Picking Apples and Pumpkins

During the next several weeks, we will be reading Picking Apples & Pumpkins, by Amy and Richard Hutchings.  This fall story involves a family that goes out to a farm to pick apples and pumpkins.  While on the farm, they ride on a hay wagon, climb trees, use an apple picker, have a picnic, and buy their apples and pumpkins.  At home, they make an apple pie with Grandma and carve pumpkins with Dad.

 

This story offers us an opportunity to explore the changes that occur in the fall, such as the changing colors of the leaves, the planting and harvesting of apples and pumpkins, the variety of textures and flavors of foods made from apples and pumpkins, and the equipment on a farm.  We will be acting out a trip to a farm to pick apples and pumpkins.  During the coming weeks we plan to taste apples and graph our results.  We will be playing with miniature farms, and a pretend fruit stand.

 

At home, if you have any toys that relate to farms, you could have your child show you what we are playing at school.  When you go to the grocery story, look at all of the different types and colors of apples; look at the different sizes of pumpkins

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

This week we have been reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert and are completing activities related to this story.  In this story the very first letter of the alphabet challenges the other letters to the top of the coconut tree.  The authors use rhythm, rhyme and repetition.  We have also listened to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom on CD and will be viewing a short video version of it.

 

In class we’ve made coconut trees and alphabet people.  We will also read Chicka Chicka 1-2-3 next week which focuses on numbers.

 

If you did not get a chance to sign up for an activity in the classroom, there is a volunteer sign-up sheet on my door.

 

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.  I can be reached at 655-9666 Ext. 4169 after 2:00 p.m.  You may also email me at cclark@darienps.org or write me a note and I will call you after class.

September 9, 2009

We read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn and are completing activities related to this book.  This story is about Chester, a raccoon, who is afraid to go to school and wants to stay home with his mommy and friends.  His wise mother tells him the secret of the Kissing Hand.  She kisses the palm of his hand and tells him that he will be able to feel the warmth of her love against his cheek any time he is feeling lonely by simply putting his hand to his cheek.  He feels better about going to school when he can take his mother’s love with him, so he kisses her hand and goes off to school.  This book will allow us to discuss our feelings about going to school, to talk about our favorite things at home, and to explore the fun activities at school.

 

I will be sending home an “All About Me” poster that you can complete with your child.  We will be using these posters to discuss our families and our favorite things.

 

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.  I can be reached at 655-9666 Ext. 4169 after 2:00 p.m.  You may also write me a note and I will call you after class.

Welcome to ELP!

The Rainbow Fish

     Next week we will read The Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister (translated by J. Alison James).  This is a story about friendship, giving, differences, and beauty.  Rainbow Fish was the most beautiful fish in the ocean.  His scales were multicolored and among them were shimmering sliver scales.  Rainbow Fish did not play with the other fish, as he was too busy being admired.  One day a little blue fish asked Rainbow Fish if he could have one of his beautiful silver scales.  Rainbow Fish did not want to share his beauty with the little blue fish and so he told min that he could not have one of his special scales.  The little blue fish told the other fish in the ocean how Rainbow Fish would not share.  All of the fish in the ocean ignored Rainbow Fish, and he was sad and lonely.  He sought advice from a variety of ocean creatures.  Finally, on the advice of an octopus, he gave the little blue fish one of his scales.  The act of giving provided him with more pleasure than keeping the scales.  Ultimately he learned what it means to be a friend and was accepted by the other fish.

 

Important Reminders:

June 1 – June 4 –       Early Dismissal at 11:15

                                          Parent conferences

 

June 11                     Stepping Up Ceremony

 

June 11                     ELP Picnic at Beach – 4 p.m.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

This week we began a new module and read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.  This story focuses on the life a small caterpillar as he eats his way through one apple on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, until he is really fat and has a stomach ache.  He goes into his pupa and emerges as a beautiful butterfly.

 

Last week we were able to watch our caterpillars crawl and eat special food in the bottom of a container.  Over the weekend, the caterpillars formed into chrysalides and they are now hanging in our butterfly garden net.  We will learn about the life cycle of a butterfly.  This story is also good for teaching nutrition and the days of the week.

 

We will also read non-fiction insect books, and other books by Eric Carle:  The Very Grouchy Ladybug and The Very Busy Bee.  We plan on making caterpillars, butterflies and other insects during art, singing bug songs and moving like insects during circle activities.

 

P.S.  Reminder:  Mondays we have show and tell.  Your child may bring something from home to share with the class.

April 14, 2009

This week we read Friends, written and illustrated by Helme Heine.  Friends is a story about three farm animals: Charlie Rooster; Johnny Mouse; and Percy, a fat pig.  Together these three friends have many different adventures, always deciding as a group what they will do next.  They play Hide-and-Seek, pretend to be pirates, ride a bike, fish, and at the end of the day want to stay overnight together.  After trying out each friend’s sleeping area, the friends realize that they are unable to stay with each other at night.  They discover that good friends stick together, make decisions together, and are fair; however, they realize that they can still be good friends even though they are not together all of the time.

 

The activities in this module encourage group problem solving, sharing, and peer cooperation.  The story can also spark discussion of how friends can look and be different from you, but they are still your friends.

 

March 23, 2009

This week we will begin our next module and read A Rainbow of Friends, written and illustrated by P.K. Hallinan.  This book encourages children to accept and support each other regardless of differences.   Through a poem illustrated with cartoon depictions of children, the book points out how each child is special regardless of color, ability, interests, talents, dress, and other differences.  The words and illustrations show how children who create a “rainbow” of friends can help each other, have fun together and create a “circle of caring.”  The book can help sensitize children in your class to the fact that each of us has something to contribute.  Activities in this module will help children understand that although we may move, talk, think, see, look, and hear differently, if we care about and help one another, we can accomplish many things.

 

The activities in this module are designed to encourage the development of positive self-esteem, peer cooperation, sharing, and caring about each other.  Although many of the activities could be done in isolated play, the children should be encouraged to do them with a friend.  Many activities will also enable children to experience how seeing, hearing, or moving in a different way is a challenge.