Review, Discovery, and Outdoor Creativity in Early Pre-K!

Negede T. Aligaz
4 hours ago
3 min read

Dear Parents,

We hope you had a lovely week. In our Early Pre-K classroom, the students enjoyed a week filled with meaningful review, hands-on exploration, and joyful learning experiences. Through engaging group discussions, creative expression, and hands-on activities, the children strengthened their communication skills, curiosity, and understanding of the world around them. We are happy to share highlights from our week together!

Large Group

During large group time, we focused on revisiting and reinforcing key concepts the children have been learning. We reviewed the months of the year and days of the week, encouraging the children to participate by reciting them aloud, answering questions, and making connections to their daily routines. This repetition helped build confidence, memory, and a stronger sense of time.

We also revised numbers through counting activities, allowing the children to practice counting together as a group. Using visual support and verbal counting, they demonstrated growing number awareness and enthusiasm.

As part of our geometry review, we revisited 2D shapes and explored the 3D shape cone. The children observed its features, discussed where they see cone shapes in real life, and shared their ideas during group discussions.

To support oral language development, the children were invited to share what they did over the weekend. They listened attentively to one another, took turns speaking, and expressed their thoughts with excitement and pride. These conversations helped strengthen communication skills, confidence, and social connection within the group.

Literacy

During literacy time, the children worked on their journals, a special activity that encourages creativity, early writing skills, and self-expression. Each child was free to draw pictures of their choice, allowing them to express their ideas and experiences in a personal and meaningful way.

As they drew, the children practiced holding crayons properly, choosing colors intentionally, and adding details to their work. Many students enjoyed talking about their drawings, sharing stories, and explaining their ideas to teachers and friends. Journal time continues to support fine motor development, imagination, and early storytelling skills in a calm and focused environment.

Science

Science time was full of excitement as we revisited wild animals. Using toy animal figures and visual materials, the children explored different types of wild animals such as lions and tigers. To make the lesson more engaging, we listened to recordings of animal sounds.

The children eagerly guessed which animal made each sound, showing strong listening skills, curiosity, and critical thinking. Their reactions were full of joy and excitement as they connected sounds to the correct animals. This activity supported vocabulary development, listening comprehension, and background knowledge about animals in a fun and memorable way.

Art

Our art activity took place outdoors, where the children created their own forest-inspired artwork. They collected natural materials such as leaves, flowers, sticks, and small plants from the environment. Using A3 paper, brushes, and glue, the children carefully arranged and pasted their materials to create beautiful nature collages.

This activity encouraged creativity, exploration, and fine motor development. Being outside made the experience even more enjoyable, and the children were excited to work with natural materials while expressing their ideas freely. The activity also helped them appreciate nature and collaborate with their peers in a relaxed and joyful setting.