St. Luke’s Preschool

Winter Newsletter 2017

Happy New Year!

Our winter newsletter includes our studies from Halloween through Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It’s a busy time of year at preschool. The children have settled nicely into a daily routine with their teachers and classmates and have become comfortable in creating and trying new things. It’s a time of year to celebrate several events and holidays.

Our studies included Apples, Christmas, and the Arctic. We also continue to explore Lines, Light, and Love. There are lines that make shapes, letters, numbers, and connections. Light shines through colors, makes shadows and reflections, and shines through us as we try to be more like Jesus. Love guides us to be kind to one another, be of generous spirit, and be grateful for the gifts we have been given.

The Veterinarian Office was transformed into a Fruit Stand for our Apple Study after Halloween. The children made prints of cranberries and apples and compared the similarities and differences between them. Real and pretend pie making was lots of fun. The children made applesauce for another yummy snack.

We talked about being thankful and made a list of things and people we are thankful for. The children made a special thank you card for Mrs. Bartel.

Our Halloween Celebrations were lots of fun with beautiful, healthy treats from our Room Mom, Jen Andreozzi and from Melanie Roy. Thank you to Lauren Ethier for coming in to help out. We did lots of singing and dancing and read many seasonal books over the last couple weeks of October. The children made cat and dog costumes to add to the fun.

• Apple tree painting

• Cézanne apple still life art

• Mobile Loaves & Fishes

• Fruit Stand • LEAVES!• Seeds & rice

in the sensory bin with jewels, leaves and acorns.

Our Study of Light & Lines using the light table, overhead projector, loose parts,

& paper & markers continues…

Gifts for Parents

Buddy Bears &Books

Patterns onCandy Cane tree ornaments

LightExplorations

Light refraction with mirrors

Lines & Shadows

Reflection & Prisms

Mary & Joseph made their way around the classroom as they journeyed to Bethlehem to help the children understand the effort it took to travel at the time of the first Christmas. The all school Advent mini services, the Advent Wreath and Mary & Joseph’s journey helped the children mark the days to our preschool Christmas celebrations and Christmas.

The four year olds made crèche figures and everyone drew pictures of the manger scene and retold the story. The children were also busy elves in the art room making very practical can organizer gifts for their parents and in the activity room making patterned bead candy cane ornaments. We hope you enjoyed hanging them on your Christmas tree and reading the meaning of the candy cane. Thank you to moms Jen Andreozzi, Niki Dominguez, and Vanessa Floderus who came in to make cookies with the children.

Each year the month of December at the preschool is all about Jesus. The Dramatic Play Area becomes Bethlehem and the children play out the story of the Nativity. It is a gentle, loving celebration of a holy season. Gifts are made to give to others, songs are sung to praise our Lord and art is done for self-expression and to document the children’s learning.

What would you like to know about Jesus?

Daniel- How did Mary and Joseph know how to get to Bethlehem? Did God die?

Claire F.- Is his spirit in heaven or is his body in heaven? Elijah- How can Jesus and his family walk on the clouds? Maeve- How can they walk to Bethlehem without being hungry? Laura- Did they go to a restaurant on the way to Bethlehem? Beatrice- Why didn’t Mary and Joseph ask if they could share a hotel room? Elijah- Why is it so chilly when it’s December there, where the snow is on top of the mountain?Beatrice- Because December is cold.Ava- Chilly & cold at the mountain.Talia- Snow only up not down the mountain.Claire F.- Because the grass is at the bottom

.Grace- Why are the sheep there?Beatrice- They make clothes out of the wool.Daniel- You can eat the sheep.Elijah- To drink their milk.Talia- To make cheese.Benjamin- What do the shepherds do?Claire F.- They take care of the sheep.

They cut & wash the sheep’s wool.Beatrice- So the sheep don’t run off.Claire F.- Why was Jesus born in a stable?Beatrice- The hotels were too crowded,

so He has a bed made out of hay.Daniel- He has a wood bed.Ben- So He can stay warm.Talia- Because the animals can watch Jesus.

THEN… WHAT THE CHILDREN LEARNED…

SANTIAGO- THIS IS BETHLEHEM. MARY & JOSEPH, THE SHEPHERD & THE LAMB WERE THERE. JESUS WAS STILL IN MARY’S BELLY. GABRIEL WAS FLYING TO TELL MARY THAT JESUS WAS GOING TO BE BORN. THE STAR TELLS THE WISEMEN WHERE TO GO.

ELIJAH- IT WAS MORNNG TIME & WHILE THEY WERE SLEEPING MARY HAD A BABY IN HER BELLY & IT CAME OUT. MARY PUT HIM IN A MANGER. SHE NAMED HIM JESUS. JOSEPH WAS HOLDING HANDS WITH MARY & WATCHING THE BABY.

BENJAMIN- THIS IS THE BARN WHERE JESUS WAS BORN. THIS IS MARY. THIS IS JOSEPH. THIS IS JESUS IN MARY’S HANDS.SHE IS HOLDING JESUS WITH JOSEPH. THERE’S 4 SHEEP & 2 SHEPHERDS WHO CAME WITH THE SHEEP. THERE ARE STARS & THE MOON IN THE SKY AT NIGHT. THE ANGELS WANTED TO SEE JESUS. 3 WISEMEN CAME TO SEE HIM.

DANIEL- THIS IS THE DONKEY & THESE ARE THE BERRIES IN THE GRASS FOR THE ANIMALS TO EAT. THIS IS THE CAMEL FOR THEM TO GET TO BETHLEHEM. THAT’S BABY JESUS IN THE MANGER. JOSEPH & MARY ARE WITH HIM. THESE (PINK) ARE THE ANGELS.

LUKE- THIS IS BETHLEHEM. MARY & JOSEPH ARE THERE BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING A BABY. GABRIEL CAME TOO. THEY NAMED HIM JESUS. HE IS SPECIAL BECAUSE HE’S THE SON OF GOD. THERE WERE 3 WISEMEN & GABRIEL, WHO CAME WHEN JESUS WAS BORN.

MAEVE- I LOVE MARY. SHE’S MY FAVORITE CHARACTER. SHE’S A GIRL WHO IS SPECIAL BECAUSE SHE HAD BABY JESUS. THIS (BROWN FIGURE) IS GOD. HE IS WITH MARY TO HELP HER. THIS (BLACK FIGURE) IS JOSEPH. IN THE SKY ARE THE ANGELS (SMILING FACES). IT IS NIGHT.

“Snowy” Sensory TableAdvent Muffin MakingMaking paper chains to

decorate our roomMaking cookies with moms

We have had some special time with our 8th Grade buddies over the past few months. The 4/5 year old students meet with their buddies, two at a time, first thing in the morning to do a game the teens have prepared for the preschoolers with Mrs. Dennis. They made washcloth bears together for a Christmas workshop that was lots of fun. Thank you to Sheila Fluet and Rebecca Ferreira for helping out with the folding directions as the buddy pairs made their bears for each other. The buddies also gave their preschoolers God’s Eyes for New Year’s Day to remind them that God is always watching over them.

The children were curious about reindeer so we did some research and decided to draw some using fingerprints and Sharpie markers. Our prayer table and book shelves were filled with books about Christmas for the children to read and help them understand the true meaning of the holiday. Our teachers and our 8th grade buddies read us lots of stories, too. After Christmas we learned about the visit of the Wisemen to Bethlehem.

The weather this January has already cooperated with our study of snow and cold areas of our world. The North Pole is so fascinating to the children at Christmas time, so we began an exploration of the polar regions. The Dramatic Play area has been a real hit with the igloo and winter clothes. Soon it will include some bear costumes! Our study of the Arctic includes the animals (to continue their interest in reindeer) and Northern Lights (to stretch their intrigue with the light table). We will have a presentation board with documentation of our Light Study in the cafeteria with the SLS Science Fair boards. Be sure to check them out! The children cut snowflakes to decorate our room for winter & get some practice using scissors.

We joined the kindergarten with Miss Williams for a class full of fun games & exercises. Thank you Miss Williams!!

The children have added to the Circle of Grace all year. Things that belong are good. Things outside of the circle are not good.

For Epiphany Mrs. Bartell gave each child a star to remind them to be “Stars for Jesus”- to light the way to the Holy Spirit. Here, we are actually being stars!

Apple Farmer Annie, Monica WellingtonApples, Apples, Apples, Nancy WallacePick a Circle, Gather Squares, Felicity CherneskyCranberries, Inez SnyderPie in the Sky, Lois EhlertOne Little, Two Little, Three Little ApplesThe Apple Pie Tree, Zoe HallLittle Apple, A Book of Thanks, Brigitte WeningerApples Here!, Will HubbellA Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds, Jean RichardsUnder the Apple Tree, Steve MetzgerLittle Mouse & the Big Red Apple, WilliamsonUp, Up, Up! It’s Apple Picking Time, Jody ShapiroJohnny Appleseed, Jodie ShepherdTen Red Apples, Pat HutchinsBoo to You!, Lois EhlertSixteen Runaway Pumpkins, Dianne OchiltreePumpkin Cat, Anne MortimerDr. Pompo’s Nose, Saxton FreymannI’m Thankful Each Day, PK HallinanIn November, Cynthia RylantStill-Life Stew, Helena PittmanRah, Rah, Radishes! A Vegetable Chant, April SayreWho Will Carve the Turkey This Thanksgiving?,Jerry PallottaRed Leaf, Yellow Leaf, Lois EhlertPete the Cat and the Five Little Pumpkins, Eric LitwinMoonlight Miracle, Tony MaglianoCounting to Christmas, Nancy TafuriBear Stays Up for Christmas, Karma WilsonThe Christmas Story, Gennady SpirinMary’s Baby, Jane ChapmanThe Story of Christmas, Vivian FrenchJingle Bells, Darcy MayThe Wild Christmas Reindeer, Jan BrettOutside!, Deirdre GillChristmas at the Top of the World, Tim CoffeyRoom for a Little One, Martin WaddellHurry! Hurry! Have You Heard?, Laura MelmedSt. Francis Celebrates Christmas, Mary Caswell Walsh

Gingerbread Christmas, Jan BrettThis is the Stable, Cynthia CottonMax’s Christmas, Rosemary WellsThe Christmas Star, Marcus PfisterJ is for Jesus, Crystal BowmanGoodnight Manger, Laura SassiThe Animal’s Santa, Jan BrettAnnie and the Wild Animals, Jan BrettWhere Is Christmas, Jesse Bear?, Nancy CarlstromWho Is Coming to Our House? Joseph SlateWho’s that Knocking on Christmas Eve?, Jan BrettHow the Reindeer Got Their Antlers, Geraldine McCaughreanImogene’s Antlers, David SmallWhen It Starts to Snow, Phillis GershatorOver in the Arctic, Connie & Peter RoopAlaska’s Three Bears, Shannon Cartwright

Reminder: Please have you child wear mittensevery day! (10 fingers in 1 pair of gloves x 18 children in each class= thank you for MITTENS!) Boots are needed on snowy days. Please place boots on the cubby room floor. Slippers are welcome. The children are becoming proficient in dressing themselves.

Books read from Veteran’s Day to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:

Thank you to:All the preschool families for the notes, cards, gifts, treats, paper goods, Scholastic orders, and support!!Jen Andreozzi for being an amazing Room Mom!Mary Goff for helping out when teachers are absent! Joyce Boyle (Grannie B) and Vanessa Floderus for their continued help at lunch!Sheila Fluet and Lauren Ethier for helping when teacher meetings take us away from preschool in the afternoon.The Reginster/Miller family for their generous donations!Kelli Baggott for being our wonderful Thursday morning volunteer!