Dear Little Stars Families,
The Little Stars have been having such a fun time with their transportation curriculum! They have read many books including the gorgeously-designed “Freight Train” by Donald Crews; the fun-rhyming “Hey Mr. Choo-Choo, Where Are You Going?” by Susan Wickberg; “Subway” by Christoph Niemann, with its eye-catching illustrations; “The Airplane Book,” a classic Golden Book about a visit to an airport; and “In the Driver’s Seat,” by Max Haynes, a delightfully engaging book that takes the reader on a zany car race. The Little Stars have also enjoyed singing many vehicle songs: “Freight Train,” “Down by the Station,” “This Train is Going to ______” (Chicago is a big favorite), “Wheels on the Bus,” “Going for a Ride in My Car Car,” and “Taxi, Taxi.” They have also played “Red Light, Green Light 1, 2, 3” by sitting on the rug in their make-believe cars, then scooching their tushies down the rug to the finish line. And the Little Stars have also had several class discussions about transportation, including responding to the questions “How did you get to school today?” and “Which train do you take?” and “Where do you like to go on the train?” On one of our relatively warmer days, the Little Stars took a walk outside to look for things that go. They observed trucks, buses, cars, strollers, and bicycles. Hopefully, with some breaks in this relentless cold and ice, they will be able to take more walks to observe neighborhood vehicles.
There have been many art activities around transportation as well. The Little Stars spent several days making their own trains. First, they each painted a tissue box, then they glued on plastic bottle tops for wheels. Finally they glued on pre-cut paper squares for windows and photos of themselves as the drivers. The Little Stars also took toy trains and trucks, rolled them through white, yellow, red, and blue paint, and then rolled them across black poster paper and observed the tracks that they made. Another day the Little Stars made traffic lights by dipping the bottoms of cups into red, yellow, and green paint, then pressing the cups onto paper to make prints. Please take a look at these prints on the closet doors. (They have also been singing a traffic light song with Brian on Mondays.) They are also in process of making freight trains by painting the tops of egg cartons and also toilet rolls (for the smoke stacks), using crumpled tissues for steam, and connecting them together. More work on the freight trains to come! The Little Stars also made vehicle prints by dipping cookie cutters in the shapes of trucks, cars, motorcycles, steam engines, and cabooses into red, white, and black paint, then pressing them onto their own individual gray construction paper piece. Please check these prints out in the block area.
Aside from transportation, the Little Stars have enjoyed many winter activities, too. They have played with snow in the classroom and read winter books such as “The Missing Mitten Mystery” by Steven Kellogg; the classic “Little Bear” (the chapter called “What Will Little Bear Wear”) by Else Holmelund Minarek with endearing illustrations by Maurice Sendak; and “Pip and Posy: The Snowy Day” by Axel Scheffler. This last book was followed by a discussion of what the children like to do on a snowy day, with replies including stomping in the snow, building a snowman, sledding, digging, and playing with parents.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Please remember that we are celebrating Love Week this week. Your child is welcome to bring in valentines – just please be sure there is a card for every Little Star.
The Collective will be closed on Monday, February 16 for Presidents’ Day.
Cheers,
Martha