Dear Little Stars Families,

The Little Stars have wrapped up their curriculum on the five senses, with their last sensory focus on smell and taste. For smell, the Little Stars read “My Nose” by Lloyd G. Douglass, a nonfiction book about how we use our noses. They then checked out their own sense of smell by sniffing cherry Kool-Aid, hand sanitizer, and a tulip, then declared which scent they liked the best. The responses can be found in a chart in the dress-up area. They also made scented watercolor paintings by painting with Kool-Aid. For taste, the Little Stars read ” Taste – The Five Senses” by Maria Rius and J.M. Parramon (with wonderfully evocative illustrations by J.J. Puig), an easily comprehended book about different types of tastes. They then talked together about what they can taste – responses included pasta, milk, fruit, sandwiches, pears, ice cream, and chocolate. Another day they did some tastings of lemons (sour), raisins (sweet), and pretzels (salty), then talked together about how the different foods tasted and which taste was their favorite.

As the Little Stars love animals so much, the Little Stars teachers are focusing on animals for their current curriculum. They have begun this curriculum by reading many animal books, both fiction and non-fiction, including “Baby Animals” by Janet Allison Brown with endearing pictures by Paula Knight (followed by a discussion of what is their favorite animal), and “The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear” by Don and Audrey Wood, a delightfully fun story that is one of Mae’s favorites. They have also listened to recordings of animal sounds and drawn pictures to them. (Please check these drawings out above the sand table.) Another day they took a walk to a local pet store and observed different types of animal food (including mealworms and crickets for reptile pets), cat and dog beds, dog raincoats and assorted clothes, and pictures of animals on display. They also spotted animals on their walk outside, including pigeons and dogs being walked. Another fun activity was playing the game “What’s Missing?” in which the teachers placed several toy animals on the floor, covered the toys with a blanket, surreptitiously removed an animal, lifted the blanket, and asked the children to figure out which animal was missing. And even Jovan in Yoga has joined the animal action, reading the charming “Mouse Was Mad” by Linda Urban with pictures by Henry Cole, then having the children do poses of the different animals in the book and the ways they express anger. Jovan also had the children pretend they were baby birds hatching from their eggs, then flying about the gym. And just yesterday the Little Stars read “My Heart is Like a Zoo” by Michael Hall, a rhyming book of the different emotions one can feel – with an associated zoo animal – with graphic illustrations made with hearts. The Little Stars followed that story by discussing different animals they have seen at the zoo: sea lions, tigers, zebras, giraffes, elephants, a goat, a crocodile, dragons (we are guessing Komodo dragons :), peacocks, and fish. Lots more engaging animal activities to come!

Important Notice: If you have not done so already, please sign up for your Parent-Teacher Conference! The sign-up sheet is posted in the Little Stars Room, above the sign-in  book.

Thanks so much,

Martha

PS  Have you checked out the Little Stars’ spring planting lately? The lima bean plants are amazing, and the grass is growing on the window sill near the easel. So great to see what comes from little seeds!