THEME: BEES AND BUTTERFLIES

This week the classroom will be buzzing with learning experiences! We will explore a variety of bugs and learn their characteristics and ways these creatures are important in nature. Activities planned include: creating thumbprint insects, assembling a large bug floor puzzle, painting with watercolors and observing the new Painted Lady Caterpillars in the science area. We will keep you posted on their metamorphosis.

WEEKLY UPDATE: MAY 21 – 25, 2018

This is the final sharing week for the year. The children may bring in a sharing item of their choice!

This week we will explore the world of water. The classroom activities will focus on rivers, oceans, ponds and lakes. We will discover the differences between them and learn which animals call these habitats home. At circle time we’ll conduct a sink or float experiment and at music time we’ll sing Down By the Bay, Yellow Submarine, Baby Fish, Row, Row, Row Your Boat and more!

REMINDERS, REQUESTS AND OTHER INFO:

**Each week of the summer program is full with a short wait list. Those who have already signed up need to return their forms and registration fees by Friday,

May 18^thto hold their spots. We would like to accommodate PPP families on the waitlist so please return your forms/fees by May 18^th. Thank you!

*Curious Creatures will be visiting PPP on Thursday, May 31^stfor two shows.

See attached notice. There is a signup sheet for non-Thursday students to attend.

*Be sure to wear red, white and blue on Friday 18^thfor some patriotic fun!

*Friday June 1^stis the last Lunch Bunch for the school year!

*The May Lunch Bunch payment is due by Friday June 1^st!

*The Yellow Apples have begun practicing songs for their graduation ceremony to be held on Tuesday June 12^that 9:30. More info will come home next week.

*The last day of preschool is Monday, June 11^th.

THEME: COMMUNITY HELPERS

This week we will explore a variety of occupations. Beauticians, teachers, community helpers and health care workers will be included. The learning centers will include:

-reading books about occupations,

-playing with pizza dough,

-painting with combs and brushes,

– a writing activity on “When I Grow Up” and

– the letter of the week activity is Y is for yellow.

**This is SHARING WEEK. The children may bring in an item related to any career on their scheduled sharing day.

REMINDERS, REQUESTS AND OTHER INFO:

*We welcome anyone who would like to come in this week (or in the next

few weeks) to share their occupation with the class. Please see a teacher

for scheduling.

*Registration for 2018-2019 is ongoing. There are openings for both red and yellow apples for the fall. If you know of anyone looking for preschool please have them call or email for more information. Thank you!

*The art show was a huge success! The children were so proud to have their art work and photos displayed and we appreciate all your support! See reverse side for raffle winners.

*The class picture will be taken on Wednesday, May 2^nd at 9:30!!

Non-Wednesday students are asked to come for the picture at 9:30. Picture order forms will come home as soon as we receive them from Hockmeyer Studios.

Purchasing the picture is optional but we hope all will come to be in it!

*Registration forms for the summer program will come home after April vacation.

If you have already signed up you are guaranteed a spot. The registrations forms should be returned by May 25^th; after that date the program will be open to new families. The weeks are filling up quickly so please sign up if you would like your child to attend.

This week our classroom will be busy with scientific activity!

At circle time a variety of simple experiments will be conducted and during free choice time we will do a follow-up activity to enhance the learning experience. We plan to experiment with water, bubbles, magnets, and make a lemon volcano and slime and silly putty in the sensory table!

We’ll experiment with crayon resist to make the letter X this week.

REMINDERS AND REQUESTS:

*If your child is going to be absent from school, please call to let us know

or send an email. Thank you.

*This is a good time to check the spare clothes in your child’s backpack.

Please be sure to include socks, underwear, and clothes for spring!

*There is a signup sheet for Tasty Tuesday on April 10^th.

*Thank you for the quick response to the summer program signups.

The deadline for signing up is May 1^st. The weeks will be finalized after that date.

*April vacation week is 4/16 – 4/20.

THEME: SPRINGTIME / WEATHER

During these two weeks we will explore the season of Spring. Hopefully the snow will have melted and we’ll have warmer weather and it will feel like spring is in the air! The activities will include observing signs of spring outdoors, reading books about spring and weather in springtime. Music and movement time will have us “shadow dancing” and “freeze dancing” and using scarves and streamers as we move like the wind!

The letter of the week activity is W is for weather.

REMINDERS, REQUESTS AND OTHER INFO:

*There is no school on 3/30 for Good Friday.

*Lunch Bunch will not be held on Friday, April 6^th.

The Art Show is Saturday, April 7^th. Baked goods can be dropped off on Friday

or on Saturday morning by 10:15. Please no peanut products.

*Progress reports are coming home this week. These do not need to be signed

or returned. Please contact your child’s teacher with any questions.

*There is a signup sheet for Tasty Tuesday on April 10^th.

* PPP will hold a ½ day summer program in July;

July 9^th – 12^th (cooking and crafts) and July 16^th – 19^th (Western theme). There is the possibility of a third week July 23^rd – 26^th (nature week) if there is enough interest. The program is held Monday – Thursday each week and runs from 9:00-12:30. Children bring their own lunch and snack is provided.

The cost is $120 per week per child. There is a 10% discount for one child when siblings attend. There will be a sign up sheet for those who may be interested.

The program requires 12 students each week to be held. Registration forms will come home at the end of April.

THEME: EATING UP THE BOOK

The focus of our learning experiences this week will be on our favorite authors and illustrators. Each day at circle time we will read a book with a food theme by a selected author and the classroom centers will involve these books/authors also. The book selection includes:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) retold by Philemon Sturges

If You Give A Moose A Muffin by Laura Numeroff

More Spaghetti, I Say! by Rita Golden Gelman

Five Little Monkeys Bake a Birthday Cake by Eileen Christelow

*This is a sharing week. On your child’s scheduled sharing day they may bring in one of their favorite books.

The letter of the week activity is V is for violets. .

REMINDERS, REQUESTS AND OTHER INFO:

*Congratulations to big brother Cooper Belisle and family on the birth of

Olive Kay on February 23^rd!

*MARK YOUR CALENDARS: the Art Show will be held on Saturday April 7^th from 10:30-12:00. A bake sale and a book raffle will be held also. See attached.

*There is a signup sheet for contributions of baked goods for the Art Show.

*The April snack calendar is coming home today. There will be one more snack

calendar for May/June.

*Children’s medical forms are current for one year from the date of the

physical exam. If your child has had a recent physical please send in a copy

of the current physical form to be kept on file. Thank you.

THEME: THE ART STUDIO

Art is an expressive and aesthetic activity that can be enjoyed throughout life;

it is also a theme that children especially enjoy. During our focus on art for these two weeks the children will explore a variety of artists, their tools and supplies. They will also learn where works of art can be found. Each day we will create a work of art inspired by an artist and many of our masterpieces will be on display at the Art Show in April.

(Please note this theme will be for two weeks and replaces the rainforest theme.)

The letter of the week activities are T is for tiger and U is for unicorn.

REMINDERS, REQUESTS AND OTHER INFO:

*The April snack calendar will be available to sign this week.

* The Art Show will be held on Saturday, April 7^th from 10:30-12:00. More

information will come home as the date nears.

We hope you will all come by and see our artistic creations!

*The NSMT is mailing the show tickets to PPP. I will send them home as soon

as they arrive so everyone has their tickets prior to the performance.

*Be sure to wear green on Friday, March 16^th for some St. Patrick’s Day fun!

THEME: WE LIKE PETS

You may hear us singing- “How Much is that Doggie in the Window?” as we learn about pets this week in school. During the week the children will discover the kinds of animals typically kept as pets and the care and feeding of pets and the occupations of people who work with pets. Some of the learning experiences your child may participate in are:

-graphing our favorite pets

-playing an animal soundtracks lotto game

-creating animal puppets & fish bowl art

-measuring our heights with dog bones

-visiting the animal clinic set up in the dramatic play area

The letter of the week activity is S is for snake.

REMINDERS, REQUESTS AND OTHER INFO:

*This is a sharing week. On your child’s regular sharing day they may bring in their

favorite stuffed friend for a checkup at the animal clinic set up in dramatic play.

*The Yellow Apple Group has begun home visits with the class book buddy. Knufflebunny and two books by Mo Willems will go home with each child in the yellow apple group and the children are asked to write about their experience in the class journal. All are anxiously awaiting their turn!

*We are currently accepting registration forms for the new school year. There

are openings for both red and yellow apple groups. If you know of anyone looking for preschool they may call or email to schedule a visit.

*We plan to be on the playground for 30 minutes each morning. We’re still thawing out from this cold winter so boots, hats, mittens (snow pants are ok too!) should be worn to enjoy playground fun!

WEEK OF: JANUARY 15 – 19, 2018
THEME: FLY ME TO THE MOON

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1….Blast off! Your children will blast off into space as we explore this outer space theme. We’ll learn about the stars and constellations, the names of the planets and some interesting information about the moon and the sun. We plan to paint with moon paint, explore moon rocks and moon sand in the sensory table, and create a rocket ship for the classroom. We’ll dress up as astronauts in the dramatic play center and learn this song at music time:
Zoom, zoom, zoom. I’m going to the moon.
Would you like to take a trip? Climb aboard my rocket ship.
(crouch down while saying) 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
(jump up on) Blast off!
The letter of the week activity is N is for night.

WEEK OF: JANUARY 22 – 26, 2018
THEME: SPACE

Our exploration of space continues…
This is a sharing week. The children are asked to bring in a space related
item on their scheduled sharing day.
The letter of the week is O is for outer space.

REMINDERS, REQUESTS AND OTHER INFO:

*The February snack calendar will be available to sign on Tuesday 1/16.
*Registration for the 2018-2019 school year is ongoing. PPP families are
encouraged to return the forms by January 26th to receive your first choice
schedule. Registration is open to new families after that date.
*We are collecting buttons for a special space project. If you have any to
contribute please send them in this week. Thank you!