Week of May 15th!!

WEEKLY REMINDERS

• Friday, May 19, 2023 - School Closed all grades; all classes. 
• Tuesday, May 23rd at 10:00 AM - Moving up Ceremony. 
• The Moving Up Ceremony theme is Under the Sea. 
• June 15th After School program last day
• June 23 Last Day of school dismissal at 11:00am   

Always make sure to read the OLQM School Blog for additional information, located

If you have any questions or concerns, you can email me at mrsgonzalez@olqmnyc.org or text/call (862)248-2941. 

Unit Topic:

Plants 

Essential Question for the Unit:

How do plants grow and why are they important?  

Focus Questions for this Week:

What are plants? 

Focused Learning Activity for this Week

  Flower Shop 

The teacher will work with students in the dramatic play center. She will discuss the roles available to children in the classroom flower shop and what each job requires. Students will choose a job, either customer, cashier, or florist, and assume the roles they selected.

 

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

PK.SOC.3 Demonstrates an understanding of roles, rights, and responsibilities

Foundational text for the week:

 Flower Garden by Eve Bunting

Link to the foundational text HERE! 

Questions that will be asked throughout the week related to the foundational text:

Level 1: Recall 

What did the girl plant in her garden? Where did the girl plant her garden? Why did the girl plant a garden? 

Level 2: Skill/Concept 

Where did the girl get the flowers for her garden? How do you know? Why do you think people smiled at the girl when she was on the bus? Where does the girl live? How do you know?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking 

How do you think the girl’s mom felt about her birthday gift? Why? How do you think the girl felt about making a garden for her mom’s birthday? Why?

Level 4: Extended Thinking 

Let’s look closely at the garden and see what we notice. What do you notice about the plants in the garden? How are they similar? How are they different? Which one do you like best? Why? 

Lesson and activities for the week:

Blocks- Students will be invited to build a garden using blocks and materials added to the block center.

Pretend Play- The teacher will turn Dramatic Play into a flower shop by adding pretend flowers, containers, pictures of flower arrangements, a cash register, a notepad, writing utensils, etc. Children can pretend to make, buy, and sell floral arrangements. Vocabulary words such as bouquet, floral arrangement, florist, and flower will be highlighted.

Art- The teacher will supply pipe cleaners as well as tissue paper circles. Children can pierce the middle of the tissue paper circles with the pipe cleaner, adding as many as they would like, then fold the circles up to create a flower. After creating these flowers children can use them in the Dramatic Play flower shop.

Science- The teacher will provide individual pictures of the plant life cycle. Students will be asked to sequence the pictures. The teacher will provide pictures/diagrams for children to refer to as they discuss each stage in the life cycle. 

Math- The teacher will cut out several paper watermelons, add a number to each one, and ask the children to put the appropriate number of seeds on each watermelon. Students are encouraged to write the corresponding number.

Library- Students are invited to read books about our theme, plants.

Writing- Students will write letters on a sheet of construction paper.  They can glue seeds onto the letter.  The teacher will talk with students about words that start with the letter.

Sensory- Students will be able to play with their own individual containers of play-doh.

 

  

Mother's Day Virtual Performance Information 

Zoom ID: 661 149 9774

Password: prek2

Link to Performance click HERE!!

Week of May 8th!!

REMINDERS

• Continue to sign in to Seesaw to complete activities assigned. 
• Friday, May 12, 2023 - Mother's Day Celebration via Zoom at 9:00am 
• Tuesday, May 23rd at 10:00 AM - Moving up Ceremony. 
• The Moving Up Ceremony theme is Under the Sea. 
• June 15th After School program last day
• June 23 Last Day of school dismissal at 11:00am  

Always make sure to read the OLQM School Blog for additional information, located HERE!!

If you have any questions or concerns, you can email me at mrsgonzalez@olqmnyc.org or text/call (862)248-2941.

Unit Topic:

Water 

Essential Question for the Unit:

What does water do?  

Focus Questions for this Week:

How does water help us?

 Focused Learning Activity for this Week:

Stalks and Water

The teacher will supply students with a container of colored water. The students will be invited to add a leafy celery stalk to the water. The teacher will ask students to predict what will happen if they leave the stalk in the water overnight. The teacher will record students’ predictions and invite them to monitor the stalks periodically. As the colored water becomes visible in the celery stalk or leaves, the teacher will invite students to discuss how the stalk transports the water. The following day, the teacher will refer back to students’ predictions to summarize and draw conclusions.  The teacher will inform students that water helps move nutrients through plants. This helps plants stay alive. Without water, plants will start to wilt and eventually die.

 Open-ended questions

What did you observe here/when ____?

What did your sense of ____ tell you about ____? 

I wonder what would happen if ____?

How do you know? How could we find out?

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

 PK.SCI.5 Plans and conducts investigations to determine how familiar plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive in the environment

Foundational text for the week:

Ivy and the Lonely Raincloud by Katie Harnett 

Link to the foundational text  HERE!!

  

Questions that will be asked throughout the week related to the foundational text:

Level 1: Recall 

Why was the raincloud sad at the beginning of the book? 

Where did the raincloud look for a friend? 

Level 2: Skill/Concept 

No one wanted to be friends with the raincloud. Why? 

Ivy was grumpy for most of the book. Why was Ivy so grumpy? How did the raincloud help Ivy? 

Level 3: Strategic Thinking 

Why can it be nice to have friends? 

How did Ivy and the raincloud grow beautiful flowers together? 

Level 4: Extended Thinking 

At the end of the book, it looks like the raincloud was inside the flower shop with Ivy. What would you think if you went in a store and there was a raincloud there? What would you do? 

Rain from the raincloud helped Ivy grow beautiful plants, how does water help you? 

Lesson and activities for the week:

Blocks- Pictures of bridges will be added to the center. Students are encouraged to try to build bridges. 

Pretend Play- Large cardboard boxes will be added to Pretend Play for students to pretend they are in a boat. 

Art- Students are invited to draw a picture with crayons. They may choose to draw an underwater or rainy-day scene. After their drawings are complete, watercolor paints will be used to lightly paint over their crayon drawings. 

Science- Students are invited to sort animals into two categories: those that live in water and those that live on land. 

Math- Seashells will be added to the math center. Students will be able to match the correct number of shells to a number card. 

Library- Students are invited to read books about the theme, of water.

Writing- Students will be asked the question, "Where can we find water?" and be asked to write or draw their answers.

Sensory- Sand and water, or Play-Doh.

Week of May 1st!!

WEEKLY REMINDERS

• Prek-3 moving up ceremony will be on May 23rd at 10:00 AM. Students may wear tropical or floral clothing for the event.   
• Always make sure to read the OLQM School Blog for additional information, locatedHERE!!
• If you have any questions or concerns, you can email me at mrsgonzalez@olqmnyc.org or text/call 862- 248-2941.

 

Unit Topic:

 Water 

Essential Question for the Unit:

 What does water do?  

Focus Questions for this Week:

What happens to water when it changes temperature? 

Focused Learning Activity for this Week:

The teacher will work with students in the Science.  Students will be shown an arrangement of objects and asked to predict if the object will sink or float in a bucket of water. Students will then test their predictions and discuss why each item sank or floated. 

Critical thinking questions/statements: 

What happens when ___? Why? 

How do you think that works? Why? 

How could you change that? 

What does that remind you of? Why? 

What would happen if ___?  Tell me more

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

· PK.AC.3: Demonstrates understanding of what is observed.

· PK.AL.4. Exhibits curiosity, interest, and willingness to learn new things and have new experiences.

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION 

For all children to be successful, multiple entry points will be considered. The teacher will tailor instruction to the needs of each individual student. 

For example, 

       •         Repeat directions

       •         Extend time 

       •         Preview questions (if applicable)

       •         Provide 1:1 support 

       •         Adapt materials

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

PK.SCI.1 Asks questions and uses observations to test the claim that different kinds of matter exist as either solid or liquid

Foundational Text for the Week:

·Float by Daniel Miyares

Link to foundational text HERE!!

QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ASKED THROUGHOUT THE WEEK RELATED TO THE FOUNDATIONAL TEXT:

Level 1: Recall

· What did the boy make out of newspaper?

· What did the boy play with outside in the rain?

· How did the boy’s boat get into the river?

Level 2: Skill/Concept

· The boy put his boat in puddles outside. Where did the puddles come from?

·Why did the boy have to chase his boat?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking

· How did the boy feel when his boat got wrecked in the river? How do you know?

·How can you find out if something floats in water? What are some things that float?

Level 4: Extended Thinking

·Why do you think this book is called Float?

·The boy’s boat floated in the puddles but when it went in the river it fell apart. Why?

·Why do some things float and some things sink?

Lesson and activities for the week:

Blocks- Pictures of bridges will be added to the center. Students are encouraged to try to build bridges. 

Pretend Play- Large cardboard boxes will be added to Pretend Play for students to pretend they are in a boat. 

Art- Students are invited to draw a picture with crayons. They may choose to draw an underwater or rainy-day scene. After their drawings are complete, watercolor paints will be used to lightly paint over their crayon drawings. 

Science- Students are invited to sort animals into two categories: those that live in water and those that live on land. 

Math- Seashells will be added to the math center. Students will be able to match the correct number of shells to a number card. 

Library- Students are invited to read books about the theme, of water.

Week of April 24th !!

WEEKLY REMINDERS

• Prek-3 moving up ceremony will be on May 23rd at 10:00 AM  

• Always make sure to read the OLQM School Blog for additional information, locatedHERE!!

• If you have any questions or concerns, you can email me at mrsgonzalez@olqmnyc.org

 

Unit Topic:

 Water 

Essential Question for the Unit:

 What does water do?  

Focus Questions for this Week:

 What happens to water when it changes temperature? 

Focused Learning Activity for this Week:

Water and Ice

The teacher will invite children to explore and discuss water and Ice.  What do they know about water? What do they know about ice? What do they know about the relationship between water and ice? After discussing the relationship between water and ice, the teacher will provide ice for the children to explore. The teacher will ask about melting and what happens when the ice melts. The children will be encouraged to think of ways to melt the ice. Their responses will be recorded on paper.

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION 

For all children to be successful, multiple entry points will be considered. The teacher will tailor instruction to the needs of each individual student. 

For example, 

       •         Repeat directions

       •         Extend time 

       •         Preview questions (if applicable)

       •         Provide 1:1 support 

       •         Adapt materials

Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard Addressed:

PK.SCI.1 Asks questions and uses observations to test the claim that different kinds of matter exist as either solid or liquid

 

 Foundational text for the week:

Alfie: The Turtle That Disappeared by Thyra Heder

Link to the foundational textHERE!!

 Questions that will be asked throughout the week related to the foundational text:

Level 1: Recall 

When did Nia get her turtle, Alfie?

What are some of the things Nia did with Alfie? Why did Alfie leave his aquarium?

Level 2: Skill/Concept 

At the beginning of the book, Nia is telling us the story. Halfway through the book, Alfie is telling us the story. Why do they both tell the story? How long was Alfie in the pond? How do you know? 

What happened to the water while Alfie was in the pond?

Level 3: Strategic Thinking 

How do you think Nia felt when Alfie disappeared? 

Nia taught Alfie to dance. He said he practiced wiggling in his shell. What do you think it looks like when a turtle dances? Let’s try it! Why do you think Alfie wanted to get Nia a birthday present?

 Level 4: Extended Thinking 

Alfie was asleep in the pond for one whole year- from Nia’s seventh birthday all the way to her eighth birthday. How do you think it would feel to sleep all the way from one birthday to the next one? Why? 

Why do you think Alfie thought his birthday present for Nia was perfect? 

Lesson and activities for the week:

Blocks- Pictures of bridges will be added to the center. Students are encouraged to try to build bridges. 

Pretend Play- Large cardboard boxes will be added to Pretend Play for students to pretend they are in a boat. 

Art- Students are invited to draw a picture with crayons. They may choose to draw an underwater or rainy-day scene. After their drawings are complete, watercolor paints will be used to lightly paint over their crayon drawings. 

Science- Students are invited to sort animals into two categories: those that live in water and those that live on land. 

Math- Seashells will be added to the math center. Students will be able to match the correct number of shells to a number card. 

Library- Students are invited to read books about the theme, of water.