A Week of Excitement in Early Pre-K!

Zelamem and Danait
4 days ago
4 min read

Dear parents,

We hope you had a wonderful week. In our Early Pre-K classroom, the children experienced another exciting week full of discovery, creativity, and hands-on activities. Each experience was designed to nurture early math skills, cognitive growth, social development, and the children’s natural curiosity. We are delighted to share some of the highlights from the week with you.

Happy Birthday

Large group

During our large group session, our class delightedly explored the number 11. We practiced counting together, identifying the number, and relating it to real-life examples to help make the concept meaningful. The children eagerly participated by counting objects aloud, recognizing the number in sequence, and showing growing confidence in their number awareness. This activity helped strengthen their early math skills while encouraging focus, turn-taking, and active listening in a group setting.

We also explored shapes by learning about the 2D shape oval and the 3D shape pyramid. Through discussion and visual examples, the children learned how to identify these shapes and recognize where they can be seen in their everyday environment. We talked about the flat surface of the oval and compared it to the solid, pointed structure of the pyramid, helping the children understand the difference between 2D and 3D shapes in a simple and age-appropriate way.

To conclude our session, we enjoyed revising Zoo Phonics, which continues to be a favorite part of our day. The children enthusiastically sang along, practiced the letter sounds, and acted out the corresponding animal movements. This revision helped reinforce phonemic awareness while making learning fun and memorable. Overall, the large group session was filled with active participation, joyful learning, and meaningful connections that support the children’s academic and social growth.

Math

During this week's math session, we extended the concept of measurement by exploring the ideas of heavier and lighter in a hands-on way. Using a variety of familiar classroom materials such as books, blocks, toys, and containers, the children compared objects by lifting them, holding them in their hands, and talking about how each item felt. This simple yet powerful activity helped them develop early measurement skills while strengthening their ability to observe, think, and use descriptive language. The children were excited to make predictions, share their ideas with friends, and proudly say whether an object was heavier or lighter.

Throughout the session, the children also practiced important social and thinking skills as they worked together, took turns, and listened to one another’s opinions. By using real objects instead of abstract numbers, the learning felt meaningful and fun, allowing the children to clearly understand the concept through experience. This activity supported their mathematical development while also boosting confidence, curiosity, and communication skills. It was wonderful to see how engaged they were as they discovered that math is not just about numbers, but about understanding the world around them.

Science

During our science session, the children happily revisited what they learned in the previous lesson about wild animals. To spark their memory and excitement, we began with a friendly discussion where the children named different wild animals and shared which ones they remembered best. This recall activity helped reinforce their understanding while building confidence in expressing their ideas. It was wonderful to see how much they remembered and how eagerly they participated, proudly naming animals and the features they could recall.

To bring the learning to life, the children then created the faces of their favorite wild animals using simple materials. As they worked, they talked about the animals they were making: roaring lions, tall giraffes, and playful monkeys. Connecting their artwork directly to the science concepts they had learned. This hands-on activity supported creativity, fine motor skills, and deeper learning, while also making the session joyful and meaningful. The student’s excitement showed just how effective learning can be when imagination and science come together.

Literacy

During our this week's literacy session, the children were joyfully introduced to reading simple CVC (consonant–vowel–consonant) words using the “at” word family, after we went through all the Zoo-Phonics as a recall. Through engaging and interactive activities, the children learned how sounds come together to form words such as cat, bat, and hat. They practiced listening to each sound carefully, blending them smoothly, and recognizing familiar patterns. This approach helped build their confidence and made early reading feel exciting and achievable rather than overwhelming.

As the session progressed, the children eagerly participated by reading aloud, matching words to pictures, and celebrating each small success. Working with the “at” ending allowed them to see how changing the beginning sound can create new words, strengthening their phonics skills and laying a strong foundation for future reading. It was wonderful to watch their pride grow as they realized they could read on their own, marking an important step in their literacy journey.

Art

During our art session, the children were excited to bring their ideas to life by practicing their planned drawings on A3-sized paper in preparation for our upcoming canvas projects. Before they began, each child shared their ideas and visualized what they wanted to create, turning imagination into a clear plan. This thoughtful process helped them understand that art is not only about drawing, but also about thinking ahead, making choices, and expressing ideas with purpose. As they worked, the children focused on shapes, lines, and details, showing growing confidence in how they translated their thoughts onto paper.

This practice session played an important role in building both creativity and essential learning skills. By planning and drawing ahead of time, the children strengthened their fine motor skills, concentration, and problem-solving abilities. It also encouraged patience and perseverance as they learned that great work often starts with practice. This experience has prepared them beautifully for the next stage of our project, where they will transfer their ideas onto canvas with even more confidence and enthusiasm.