MRS. ALBERT
EC4B
2018-2019

 


Respect, Responsibilty, and Reverence is the school-wide goal for the behavior expected from all students, faculty, and staff here at SJB.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at:
aalbert@sjbdel.org
 

                                             

October 22

Welcome to Hh week.  The theme for the week will be Halloween!  It is going to be very exciting to learn about Halloween.  Today we learned about the letter Hh, how to write it and what the H sound says.  When we say the H sound we notice we can feel the air coming from our mouths.  We say the sound lightly.  The students are doing great with this.  We also started to write the letter Hh.  We noticed that the capital and lower case H do not look alike.  The capital H uses straight lines while the lower case h uses a straight line and then a curve.  We will continue to practice these letters throughout the week.  

Today we started halloween week with ghosts activities. In the morning we made ghost slime in a baggie.  The slime is great for sensory.  The students enjoyed making it and loved the feel of it even more!  During tray work the students worked on making ghosts that know hang in our classroom.  There were a lot of steps to complete their ghosts. They did a GREAT job with this.  At the end of the day everyone had a marshmallow ghost.  YUM!

A few reminders as the weather is changing.  PLEASE make sure your child's sweatshirts and coats are labeled.  It is very hard to keep track items as students are taking items off throughout the day.  Hats and gloves should also have your child's name on them.  When they come in I try and have your child place those items in their backpack right away but it is amazing how those items jump out of the bag as soon as we turn our backs!  Sheets and towels also need names.  The students are earning more responsibilty during the day.  Students are placing blankets in their cubbies after rest.  There are times the students confuse cubbies.  Names will help us a ton!

Lastly, cold season has arrived.  We are doing our best at school to help keep our friends healthy.  I am wiping tables, washing hands and cleaning toys.  I need you to do your part to help make the season easy for all our families.  Please have your child wash their hands when they get home and get to bed early; rest is going to be very important to stay strong and healthy.  If your child is not feeling well give them a day at home to rest.  They are 4, feeling good when they come to school makes a better day for us all.  Also, if your child is running a fever remember they need to be fever free 24 hours before running to school.  I know taking off work is no easy task, but if we all do our part we can help prevent relapes throughout the year.

Stay warm out there!  Fall has arrived.
Mrs. Albert

October 19

Welcome to Fun Friday! Today we brought our Pumpkin theme to a close.  I have to say we learned a lot about pumpkins.  Thank you for those families that sent in special treats to make the week extra special.  Of course a huge thank you for the parents that joined us on our field trip.  

Today the students worked on a Pumpkin STEAM activity.  We began the activity with a PLAN.  We had to use our sense of sight and touch to explore the items we would be using.  After we discussed the materials the students came up with an idea of what they wanted to build.  After the students came up with a plan it was time to DO.  The students returned to their seats and began to build.  Their building was not easy, it required a lot of problem solving.  Students had to think about weight and size to help keep their projects standing.  After the students had a chance to build it was time to share.  I am always amazed with what the students come up with.  They did a GREAT job.





Monday we will begin our Halloween theme.  The letter for the week will be Hh.  It is going to be another FUN FILLED week.

THERE WAS AN EMAIL ABOUT CHICK FIL A ORDER FOR NOVEMBER 16.  WE WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THIS CHICK FIL A!!!  WE WILL HAVE OUR THANKSGIVING FEAST THIS DAY!!!  INFORMATION WILL COME OUT.

Have a wonderful weekend with your families.  Some of my friends told me you have busy and exciting wekends planned!  Have Fun!
Mrs. Albert

October 18

We are working hard on our handwriting skills.  I am so impressed with how the students are taking their time and really trying hard with their handwriting.  Pencil grip is so important.  When they are holding their pencil and crayon the proper way they have more control and they are able to write/color longer without getting tired.  Tomorrow each child is going to try and sign in their name all on their own.  I am guiding them to remember how to form letters, start with a capital letter and end with lower case letters.  They are really doing a GREAT job.  As a teacher I can say I am LOVING the writing program... and it's because of the students!

Tomorrow is TAG DAY!  The students may dress down and wear PINK.  The students love their tag days so have fun with it!  Also, there will be pretzels for those who ordered.

Lastly, the weather is changing.  Please continue to dress your child in apporpriate attire.  Please make sure your child's NAME is inside/on/outside somewhere on the sweatshirts!  Keeping track of 21 sweatshirts is no easy task!

Thank you for your continued support! I am seeing GREAT behavior, GREAT listening skills and GREAT choices being made in our class.  Remember, positive reinforcement goes a long way!!!
Mrs. Albert
October 17

Welcome to Wonderful Wednesday!  Today we continued with our Pumpkin theme.  We took pumpkins to a whole new, yummy experience! The students learned that not only can we make a Jack o Latern out of a pumpkin but people also bake with pumpkin.  We came up with a great list of items that we can eat with pumpkin in it.  So it wouldn't be the same to talk about pumpkin food without trying something.  So, today during snack all of my friends were able to try pumpkin pie.  From the looks of it lots of our friends LOVED the pumpkin pie.
     

After we tried our Pumpkin Pie we took a survey to see who enjoyed the pie.  14 friends liked the pumpkin pie and 8 friends didn't like the pie.  After we collected the votes we discussed the results. Some friends told the class that 14 was more than 8, 14 was bigger than 8, 8 was smaller than 14 and 14 won because it was a bigger number.  I love how we are building our math vocabulary!

During tray work the students made their own pumpkin pie.  They turned out really cute.  The students also met with Mrs. Donovan to practice writing their P's.  They are doing so well.  I know every child can do it, we just need to encourage them to take their time when working.

A reminder, Friday is a TAG DAY.  Students may dress down and wear pink.  Start looking for your pink!

Have a wonderful night!
Mrs. Albert

October 16

The sun is out and we are feeling GREAT!  The students came in found their name and then signed in.  I am so pleased with how well the students are holding their pencil and forming their letters.  This will take time, but with practice we are going to be masters at writing our names by December!
Today I had a few student teachers lead our morning circle.  It was so fun to watch the confidence within the students and the support from their classmates.  The class followed the two students as they sang their ABC phonics song.  At the end one student whispered to the two students and said "Good Job" with his thumb up.  That is what makes me proud as a teacher.  The kindness and support we have in this class.  Academics will always fall into place, kindness is the foundation.
Today the students had a FUN time exploring!  In science we explored items that sink and swim.  The kids loved this.  Some of my friends had a chance to select items throughtout the classroom to test.  I hope your child tells you a little bit about the experiement.
           
During tray work the students had a chance to build, create and problem solve.  This was a day full of hands on opportunity to build fine motor skills.  Using tweezers to pick up candy corn and count them as they place them in a cup was a hit.  Students also pin pinched the letter Pp.  Some students worked at the balance scale with candy pumpkins and candy corn.  I have to say I was impressed with the vocabulary they used as they compared the weight.  Many students also had a blast making bridges for their pumpkins.  It really was a fun and busy day!
     




In your child's folder today is a Saint's Project.  Please take it out and read it.  This is one of the best projects of the year.  The students learn so much and they love to share what they learn.  If you have any questions feel free to contact me.  
I hope you get a chance to hear a little about your child's day.  It was an exciting one!
Enjoy the sunshine!
Mrs. Albert

October 15

I want to start with a BIG THANK YOU to all my parents who joined us Friday on our Field Trip.  It was a wonderful trip.  The weather worked in our favor and the adventures at the farm were amazing.  I hope the students had a GREAT time and slept well for you Friday night. 

                      
This week we are going to continue with our Pumpkin theme.  Today the students reviewed the life cycle of a pumpkin.  I even had the green pumpkins for the students to touch.  During tray work the students had a chance to paint pumpkins for our pumpkin patch.  However, they were not given orange paint!  They had to use red and yellow.  They loved when they mixed the two colors they were able to make orange!  Mixing colors is fun.
Today the students started writing their names.  For now on when the students come to class they will sign in.  For the first time the students did a GREAT job.  Writing should not be an difficult situation.  Rather I want the students to feel happy about their hard work. I will be working on letter formation, starting their name with a capital letter and the rest of the letters with lower case letters.  This is a process and I can assure evreyone will leave writing their name.

             
Thank you for encouraging your child to be five star listeners, do their best and have fun when they come to school.  It was really a GREAT day!!!
Fondly-
Mrs. Albert 

October 11

It may have been a dark, dreay day outside BUT it was full of sunshine in our classroom!  The students are working and playing so nice together.  This morning students got right to work building bridges and homes for their pumpkins.  I can hear them making plans, asking questions and discussing their results.  It is so fun to watch.  At four it is not always easy to use our words and share our toys, but that is what this class is built on.  The students are growing so much!

              

 



Tomorrow is our field trip to Coleman's Tree Farm.  Please look at the weather and dress your child so they are comfortable.  We will be outside for the field trip.  Students are to wear their uniform and a light coat or sweatshirt if cool.  We will be heading into a pumpkin patch so think of a comfy shoe that you are ok with getting a little muddy.  COMFORT is my first thought; not fashion!  They wil have a chance to play on the playground so also consider that.  We will be eating lunch at the farm.  Please pack a brown bagged lunch for your child.  We will not be saving containers or water bottles.

Chaperones please check in at the front office and then head over to the classroom.  If you are at my classroom by 8:00 we will be in a great position.  We will leave the school at 8:15 and should return around 1:00.  Please bring a bag that can carry your child's lunch. Also, some of you already contacted me, if you are taking your child after the trip you do not need to send in your child's backpack in the morning.  I will dismiss you and your child from the bus when we return.  

We are looking forward to a GREAT FIELD TRIP.  For many of the students this is their first time on the bus!  It will be a special day!!!
Stay Dry and Pray for a Beautiful Day tomorrow!
Mrs. Albert

October 10

Wow!  Today was a BUSY day!!!  We were working so hard the day just flew by.  Pumpkin week is turning out to be a fun week.  Today we were able to dicover what was inside the pumpkin.  We started out the morning reviewing the life cycle of the pumpkin.  We then introduced the parts of the pumpkin.  It was not easy but I was able to cut a pumpkin in half.  When we opened the pumpkin their was a bunch of yucks and ahhhhs!  We learned that the pumpkin is covered in skin to keep the pumpkin safe.  It also has a stem that connects to the vines on the ground. Inside there is a lot of pulp which holds tons of seeds!  During tray work students had a chance to explore the pumpkin feeling the pulp and digging out the seeds.  They also used magnify glassed to enlarge the seeds and pulp.  This was a big hit.  When the students met with me they had a  chance to make a label their very own pumpkin.  They turned out great!  I was really impressed with how well they knew the parts of the pumpkin.
During tray work they also worked on placing the Five Little Pumpkins on a gate.  They had to cut and then place the pumpkins from 1-5 all be themselves.  I was so proud of how well they worked and completed the task.
An orange paper about the field trip is being sent home today.  Please take it out and review.  Clothing is very important!  We will be in a pumpkin field, so if you feel your child needs rain boots they can wear them!  I want every child to be comfy and warm.  Do what is best for your child.  If it is cool send them with a light coat or sweatshirt.  We will eat lunch at the farm so please pack a brown bag.  Please no containers or water bottles to carry around!  Chaperones please bring a bag to carry your child's lunch. Chaperones if you plan to take your child after the field trip I will dismiss you and your child from the bus.  If you plan on taking them please email me and I will send home their towels and sheet Thursday!  Thank you!
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Mrs. Albert
October 9

Welcome to Pp week.  The theme for the week is going to be Pumpkins!  We are going to learn so much about pumpkins and have many hands on experiences with pumpkins.  First thing in the morning we learned a new song, Five Little Pumpkins. They sat on a gate!  So what the students were able to do was build their own gate for five pumpkins to sit on.  They had to discuss as a group what supplies they wanted to use, gather the supplies and build their gate.  They did a great job with this activity.  Their was a lot of problem solving and team work that was required.  All week the students will have an opportunity to build a gate with different supplies for the pumpkins!

                     

                    

                   

                    

                    

              
Today we also learned the life cycle of the pumpkin.  The students realized the life cycle of a pumpkin is a lot like the life cycle of an apple!  During tray work the students had the chance to color and place the life cycle of the pimpkin in correct order. What a wonderful job they did!

A reminder Friday we will be going on our field trip.  ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE A BROWN BAGGED LUNCH.  Students must wear school uniform.  Please dress them appropriate for weather; sweatshirt or light coat if it is cool.  Chaperones please bring a backpack/bag to carry your child's lunch.  Chaperones please arrive at school at 8.  Please check in at front office and then come to the classroom.  A note with details will be sent to my chaperones.

It is going to be an exciting week!  
Mrs. Albert

October 5

What a FUN Friday.  We brought our Fire Safety week to a close.  The students shared their meeting spot with the class.  Many of my friends mentioned the mailbox or a tree would be their family meeting spot.  Thank you for taking the time to discuss your meeting spot with your child. Today we also discussed emergencies.  The students shared their ideas of what would be an emergency where we would need to call for help.  We watch a short video about the numbers 911. Hopefully none of us would have to use those numbers but in case of an emergency the students learned about it.  The students had a paper phone where they practiced pressing the numbers 911.They did a great job!
Today the students also had a chance to make yummy fire jello! The students had a chance to scoop out red and orange jello.  I then sprayed their jello with whipped cream to make sure the fire was out!  It was fun and yummy!!!  A great way to end the fire week.

October 4

What a TERRIFIC Thursday! I cannot thank Nathan's Daddy; Fire Fighter Tim for taking time out of his BUSY schedule to visit our classroom.  The students were so excited to see him.  Mr. Taggart covered such important information.  He started with what is an EMERGENCY?  He made a GREAT point, it is not just a fire.  In the event of a true emergency there is a number you can call for help,: 911.  Mr. Taggart also dicussed meeting spots for the family.  In case of an emergency and you need to get out of the house you should have a meeting spot outside.  Please talk to your child about a meeting spot that would work for your family.  You want to make sure that they are not hiding at this spot!  They want to be safe and visible for an adult to find.  I will ask your child tomorrow where their family meeting spot will be at your house. Mr. Taggart also put on all his gear and made lots of different sounds for the children.  Wow, Fire Fighters can be really loud!  That is a good thing, your child should be loud too when their in an emergency!  I hope your children share the visit with you.  It was very special.

              
Today I will be sending home sheets and blankets.  Please remember to return Tuesday.  Tomorrow will be a half day.  Dismissal for car riders will be 11:35.  Eagles club kids will go at 11:35 and have lunch.  Please remember to send in a snack!  
Enjoy the beautiful day-
Mrs. Albert

October 3

What a WONDERFUL Wednesday.  All of the students came in with their listening ears and their thinking caps!  We have such a wonderful balance of play and structure.  The students are blossoming right before my eyes.  Teamwork is becoming a theme in the classroom.  The students are learning to share and listen to their friends needs wants.  Not easy but we are getting there!
Today we continued our Fire Safety theme.  We discussed mascots.  When Mill creek Fire Deaprtment came to vosit they shared that their mascot was a Dragon.  We also discussed that many times when you think about a Fire House you relate a Dalmation.  During tray work every child used a lot of glue to piece together a Fire Dog; dalmation.  They did a great job with this. 
Tomorrow we will have a special visitor.  Mr. Taggart will come to our class and speak about Fire Safety.  We are so excited.
Thank you for getting in the permission slip for the field trip.  We have them all in!  A reminder, you will pay for the field trip through smart tuition.  Chaperones if I did not post your name above that means I am still waiting for your clearance.  I hope to hear before the trip.  If not you can join us on the next one.  I am sorry for any inconvience.  This is all completed out of school so I have no push to get the clearnace any faster.
If you are picking your child up early for the Blessing of the Pets please send a note in tomorrow.
Fondly-
Mrs. Albert

October 2

As soon as I think things can't get any better they do!  The students are doing such a wonderful job listening and participating throughout the day!  Today we continued with our Ff week.  The students were able to come up with a few more F words to add to our ongoing list.  The thing I love best is sometimes a student may say a word that does not start with the letter F.  When they do I have them say the word again.  They quickly realize that their mouth is not forming the f sound.  That is what it is all about; being aware of the sound and how their mouth is making that sound!  During tray work the students had a chance to write the letter F on a chalkboard.  Not only did this activity help with writing the letter but they are also working on their fine motor skills holding a piece of chalk.  I see so much improvement already!
Today during our Fire Safety Theme we discussed fire.  We learned that fire needs air to get bigger.  One of my friends told me the air is called oxygen.  I shared with the students that when there is a fire if it continues to get air the fire will get bigger.  If we caught on fire we do not want to run around, this would only cause the fire to get bigger.  So the students practiced how to STOP, DROP, COVER THEIR FACE and ROLL.  By doing this we are not letting the air get to the fire! I also introduced the students to a fire extinguisher.  We were able to find three in our hallway.  The students learned that an adult or fire fighters can use this to put a fire out.  I took this opportunity to show the students what it would look like if we had a foarm like solution and put it on the fire.  I used baking soda and vinegar.  The reaction made a foam that we put on top of a little candle.  Wow!  The fire went out!  We also did another experiment where we cover a little candle and covered it with a cup.  Aftet a minute being covered the flame went out!  I hope your students share a little bit about teh experiments with you!
During tray work the students met with me to make a Fire Man/ Fire Lady.  They turned out so cute!
                           

Have a wonderful Tuesday!
Mrs. Albert

October 1

Welcome to Ff week!  This is going to be a Fun week!  The theme for the week will be Fire Safety.  We will be learning about fire trucks, firemen/firewomen, firedogs, fire, 911 and stop, cover your face, drop and roll.  Today Mill Creek Fire Department came to visit.
During tray work everyone had the chance to make a fire truck.  We learned that a fire truck helps keep the community safe.  We learned that if we hear a fire truck on te road that our parents should pull over so the fire truck can get to the emergency as fast as they can!  We also learned that the fire truck carries lots of items to help them at the emergency.  Fire trucks are really important!
Today we also learned about the letter Ff.  We sang our F phonics songs.  When we make the f sound we do not open our mouths.  This sound is made in the front of our mouths.  The students did a Fantasitic job with making the f sound.  The students also had a chance to write the letter f on the smartboard.  We used a long line, short line, short line.  Wow!  I was impressed!!  They also completed the F page in their ABC book.  The students are doing a great job holding their crayon with correct pencil grip whcih reflects in their coloring.  We have come so far in such a short period of time.  I am really excited to watch this growth!

            

             

          
              

               
            
Thank you for encouraging your child to be that Five Star Listener!  We are completing so much and really enjoying learning!  Without you this wouldn't happen!
Fondly-
Mrs. Albert

September 28

Apple week was a success!  We learbned so much about apple, we had tons of apple experiements and we had a chance to taste apple cider, apple slices and apple pie!  Thank you for making all of this possible.  I can tell you the students enjoyed every minute of all the traets!
                                                  Making Apple Pie!
           
 
                                                   Adding the Apples
                

                                        Later we added Tin Foil for the Tin

                

                               They Turned out GREAT!  They are hanging in our room!
                 
              
 

Today we focused on writing the letter A.  I see so much progress already with how the students are holing the pencil.  When I remind the students to check their pencil grip they can self correct their hold.  This is really neat!  This was the first day we used our Handwriting Without Tears.  We focused on writing the letter A.  We used straight line, straight line, small line.  When we do this book it requires the students to stay with me and listen.  They did AWESOME!
Next week we will start the letter Ff.  The theme for the week will be Fire Safety.  This will be another fun week as we have Mill Creek Fire Department visiting Monday and Mr. Taggart visiting Thursday. It will be a fun and exciting week for sure!
I hope everyone has some down time this weekend and can enjoy their family.  I will see everyone Monday morning!
Mrs. Albert

September 27

What a special day!  Today the Bishop came to SJB and met with the students.  At 10 we gathered in the church spoke with the Bishop.  We have been practicing a special song for the Bishop the past few days.  The 3, 4 and kindergarten students sang Jesus Loves the Little Children.  When they began to sing I was almost brought to tears.  They really did a wonderful job.  For the first time in church I was proud of each student sitting thier with their listening ears and polite behaviors.  Please tell your child you are so proud of them!

We also continued with our Apple theme.  Our sceince experiment was observing a plain piece of apple, a piece of able placed inside a closed container and a piece of apple with lemon on it.  We were using our sense of sight to observe which apple would turn brown first.  Again, my mind was blown when a child raised her hand and explained that she thought the plain apple would turn brown first because it was exposed to the air.  How awesome is that!  Ask yoor child what happened to the apples.  They had fun with this experiment.

We also had got to our apple taste test!  Every child had a chance to try a yellow and red apple.  After we ate the apples we gathered our data.  It turned out 11 students liked the yellow apple and 10 students liked the red apple.  We were able to compare the two numbers figuring out that 11 was more than 10.  10 was less than 11.  It was another fun and interactive activity.

I hope your child shares with a little about their busy day.  I know the students worked extra hard to be Five Star Listeners.  Thank you for your support.

Fondly-
Mrs. Albert

September 26

What a wonderful Wednesday!  The students came into the classroom ready to use their creative little minds.  I had many differnt objects out for the students to explore and create with. What they do with those objects is up to them.  Everyone sees things differently and that is pretty neat.  The students had to work together to create and problem solve.  It was really neat to watch.

                                


Today I also introduced Johnny Appleseed.  We learned a lot of fun facts about him.  First of all, his birthday was September 26!  I couldn't have planned that any better!  However, we did a little math and realized it was 244 years ago.  One of my friends commented that came before us.  We also learned that Johnny walked all over the world with No SHOES!  Silly guy.  He had a bag of seeds he spread all around creating apple nurseries.  The big hit was Johnny wore a pot as a hat.  Howver, there was a reason for that... maybe your child can share with you.  During tray work each child had a chance to make their very own Johnny Appleseed hat.
Tomorrow we will be heading to church to sing a song to the bishop.  Please remind your child that when we are at church they are good listeners and sitting nicely.  This is part of our daily lives here at SJB.  I thank you for your support and encouragment.
I also want to remind everyone that the preschool program has many pieces.  Play based learning is huge, however it is not the only part of the day.  There are times throughout the day where I will also read books and ask questions.  During this time I ask the students to be Five Star Listeners.  If you are unsure of my curriculum feel free to take a look at my Back to School Night slide show provided on this page.  Your support and encouragement at home will make a huge difference in what your child and their classmates get out of the program.  I will remain consistent and clear with my classroom rules and routines.  I am moving forward academically and wish for all students to participate and learn.  Thank you for your support with behavior.  
Field Trip forms can be returned.  Payment for the trip can be completed at your smarttuition.  I DO ASK THAT CHAPERONES HOLD OFF PAYING.  I NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS A BACKGROUND CHECK COMPLETED. Thanks
Have a wonderful night.
Mrs. Albert
 
September 25

The morning was busy!  The students came into the classroom eager to learn and explore.  There were a few new additions to the class. Today we had a market set up to sell apples and fruit.  This was a big hit!  The kids loved using their imaginations. Two of my friends brought in bird nests for the students to examine.  They used their senses to identify what the nests were made of and how they were the same and different.  We noticed that one of the nest was bigger than the other.  It also had a hole deeper in the middle.  We wondered if it was really a bird nest? We looked up rabbit nests on the internet.  Some of us were thinking that we may have had a rabbit nest in our classroom.  It is wonderful to question and think about things.  Even if we don't know for sure it was fun to investigate.  
Today we also conitnued with our Apple theme.  We quickly reviewed the Apple Life Cycle.  I hope you had a chance to hear the life cycle from your child last night.  They really amaze me.  After we reviewed I went over the parts of an apple.  As we identified the parts of the apple I modeled with a real apple.  During tray work the students had a chance to examine the parts of the apple that were placed on a tray.  The students also met with me during tray work to color in the parts of the apple.  This is in their folder for your child to share.  Students also had a opportunity to paint their very own apple.  They are doing great with their crafts!
This afternoon is frazzberry takeover.  If you have a minute go grab some yogurt!  Its always fun to see friends outside of school and you are also supporting SJB.  Thank you for that!
Also, yesterday I sent home the permission slip for the field trip.  The only thing you need to return is the form signed and completed.  No money will be sent to me.  You wil pay through smarttuition once it is set up.  
I hope you all enjoy the night.  I am praying for blue skies to return!!!
Mrs. Albert

September 24

Welcome to A week.  The theme for the week will be Apples.  I am so excited for this week.  We are really going to start the academic piece for our preschool program. Of course there will be tons of fun that goes along with our academics.
The morning I introduced the letter Aa.  We sang our letter A phonics song.  The students learned when they make the a sound they can feel the sound in their throat.  I was so pleased with how well they made the a sound.  All week we will sing the phonics song.  By the end of the week they will be singing it in their sleep.  We also learned a lot of words that started with the letter A.  This was new to them.  When they say a word they need to also listen to what they are saying.  We started to get the hang of it after I gave them a few hints.  As you are driving in the car or sitting around the dinner table point out words that start with the letter A.  Again, bringing real life experiences into their education will help them make those connection.  If your child finds a picture or an object that starts with the letter A feel free to send it in to share.  The kids love sharing!!!
Today the students also began to learn how to write the letter A.  We learned that the capital A is formed with straight lines.  Students had a chance to write the letter A on the smart board.  They did a great job.  I am reinforcing correct pencil grip and where we start to form the letter.
During calendar we continued to identify patterns, counting all the way to 24, singing the days of the week and months of the year.  Most importantly today we realized that the weather is starting to change.  We are leaving summer and entering into autumn.  With that we learned that the weather will start to feel different.  Many of my friends had their sweatshirts today.  That was a clue that it felt cooler out today.  We also continued to learn about shapes.  The students had to use their pencil to trace, connect and draw their very own square, triangle and circle.  This was not an easy task but they did a wonderful job.  The students had to listen to directions, follow me and form the shape with me.  I explained to the children that they are NOT suppose to know how to do this yet!  They come to school to learn how to do it.  This is a very important message, I do not expect perfection.  I am looking for growth during the school year.  I think the kids felt relief when I explained this to them.
Today we learned about the life cycle of an apple.  I showed everyone a seed.  We leraned that a seed is very important.  The seed will grow into a tree which will eventually fruit apples.  During tray work everyone had the chance to make an apple life cycle head band.  During tray work the students also had a chance to explore apple sauce oobleck.  I hope your child can tell you about the oobleck.  It was a hit!

              

APPLE SAUCE OOBLECK!

Thank you to those families that volunteered to send in apple items.  For some crazy reason I wrote October as the due date.  I was wrong... Sorry.  If you can send those items in this week that would be great!  If not I understand.  
Tomorrow is Frazzberry H&SA takeover.  I am sure the kids would love to stop by and have some yogurt after a busy day at school.
Have a Absolutely wonderful night-
Mrs. Albert
 
September 21
Thank youfor taking the time out of your busy schedule to attend Back to School Night.  I hope I was able to provide you with some insight on the mind of a 4 year old and the 4 year old program.  I know I went home feeling like I had a plan to help your child grow and develop based on my own goals but also your goals.  Your goals were geared toward your child and really made sense to me as I read over them.  Continue to set goals for yoruself and your child at home.  The growth you will see this year will be amazing and awarding!  Enjoy the journey; even those tough moments.
Today we brought our All About me theme to a close.  The last of of our friends had a chance to share their items.  The students really had a blast sharing their items and having the class learn about them.  Thank you for helping make the week special for our class!
Today I began assessments.  I am so impressed will how well the students cut, wrote their name and identified their shapes.  We are starting in a great place!!!  Continue to expose your child to scissors, crayons and pencils at home.  The more they practice the better they will get.
Next week we will be starting our Apple theme.  This is going to be a fun week learning tons about apples!  A big thank you to those families who volunteered to send in items next week to make our Apple Week FUN!!!
Have a Blessed weekend-
Mrs. Albert

September 20

Today was a BUSY day!  The students had the chance to go to technology and gym class today.  I was so proud of how well the students walked through the big building, up the stairs and down the stairs to get to the classes. I think they thought they were pretty big!
This morning I took a moment to look at my class.  I have to say they truly are a special group.  They are palying together, using words and helping out in the classroom.  Providing the students with responsibility and ownership of the toys and jobs in the class is holding them accountable for their actions.  To be honest they really love helping out!

            

Cleaning Up 

A reminder tonight is back to school night, 6:30 in the classroom.  I hope to see many of you there!  We will be goal setting and learning about the classroom routine and curriculum.
Fondly-
Mrs. Albert
September 19

The sun was shining and we were feeling great.  Students came in like all stars, smiles and energy ready to go!  We continued our All About Me theme.  The students are really enjoy learning about each other.  It is so fun to share in front of the class.
Today I read the story Chrysanthemum to the class.  It was about a little mouse who was named Chrysanthemum.  Her parents thought her name was perfect just like her!  However, the kids at school didn't think it was so special.  This made Chrysanthemum sad.  By the end of the story the kids at school realized her name was pretty neat and ended up wanting to change their names.  We discussed that all of our names make us special!  During tray work the students met with Mrs. Donovan and wrote their name on their own.  They also met with me and made their very own Chrysanthemum.  They turned out really cute!  
Today we also had a guest reader!  Liam's dad who is a Spanish teacher at SJB came in and read us the story Ribbit!  I was so proud of how well the students listened and engaged in the story.  Liam's dad reminded us of the moral of the story; is nice to to be kind to others and make new friends even if they are different from you.  Thank you Mr. Habbersett for taking time to read to our class!
                      
A reminder tomorrow is Back to School night.  It will be at 6:30 in my classroom.  I hope to see you all there.
Enjoy your evening with your family,
Mrs. Albert

September 18

Terrific Tuesday!  This morning was another wonderful start to our day.  The students are coming in and getting right to the daily routine.  Now that we are getting comfortable I am reminding the students that when they are playing with friends we are using the toys the correct way.  We should not be hitting or throwing our toys around the room.  Reminding your child at home how to play at school and how we play at home may be a little different.  Following classroom rules will keep all of my friends happy and safe.

Today we continued our All About Me theme.  The students had a chance to share what makes them special!  They came up with so many great ideas.  I think the one thing we always came back to is that they love.  They have a love for life, a love for family, a love to learn and a love for their friends.  I truly believe that makes them all EXTRA SPECIAL!  During tray work the students looked in a mirror and said why they are special.  It was so cute how they were checking out their eyes, their teeth and even their funny faces.  After they looked in the mirror they make their own I Am Special mirror.  They turned out really cute!  

                     

During tray work the students also focused on developing their fine motor skills.  I had stations set up for cutting, stringing beads, using tweezers and coloring.  All of these activities are important to develop future writing activities and crafts.  I can tell already a big difference with some of my friends.  

In Math today we learned about shapes.  We sang a song about shapes and then moved onto identifying shapes around the classroom.  It is a wonderful thing when a child can connect real life objects to what we are learning in class.  When you are driving in the car you may want your child to look out the window look for something that is a circle shape, triangle, square or rectangle.  I promise you their answers will make you smile.  They are a really smart group of kids!

A reminder Thursday is back to school night.  This event is for parents only.  It will be in the classroom at 6:30.  I will be reviewing the class expectations, routines and curriculum.  If you have any concerns feel free to email me.

Thank you for helping your child complete their All About Me bags.  The kids are having a great time with this and we a learning a ton about our friends!

Stay dry out there!!!  I know I'm praying for the sun.
Mrs. Albert

September 17

Welcome to All About Me week.  This week we will be learning a lot about our frieinds.  Each day friends will be sharing a few things about themselves.  Please try and remember your child's all about me bags!  They love to tell others about themselves.  Thank you for supporting me with this activity.  
Today the students shared with the class what they would like to be when they grow up.  The students came up with wonderful careers and I have to say they really are in tune with their interests.  I could really see every child in the dream job they selected.  During tray work the students decorated a person to look like them and write about what they want to be when they grow up.  They did a wonderful job with this activity.
Today we also filled the room with science!!!!  One of our friends brought in cicada skins.  The students had a chance to touch and look at the skins.  Many of our friends had a lot of prior knowledge about the cicada bugs.  The students also had a gummy bear experiment.  Every child was given a gummy bear.  They placed the gummy bear in a cup of water.  What would happen? The students made a number of predictions.  One of my friends told me that the gummy bear will absorb the water!  What does absorb mean?  Good thing I brought in my washcloth and bowl of water.  We learned that when something absorbs it means it will hold the water.  They were amazed by this.  Throughout the day we will be checking on our gummy bear.  I am sure they will be excited to tell you all about their gummy bear.

                                 GUMMY BEAR EXPERIMENT


                                               OBSERVING THE CICADA BUGS

A reminder Thursday is Back to School Night.  It will be 6:30 in the classroom.  I hope to see you all there!  
Thank you again for all your support and encouragement.  The students are doing great!!!

                                                      MORNING PLAY DOH
                                
                                                         SENSORY TABLE
                  
Mrs. Albert

September 14

What a Fantastic Friday!  I am so proud of how well the students did their first full week of school.  Every child is walking into the classroom with a smile and ready to go.  Turning in their folders, finding their names on the smart board and engaging in an activity of their choice is second nature to them now.  
During calendar the students are counting, identifying an ABAB pattern, saying the days of the week, singing the months of the year and discussing the weather.  It is all about exposure at this age.  I am always amazed how much they soak in and most importantly at their own pace.  
This morning many of my friends used their senses to investigate a birds nest.  They LOVED this!  To observe the items a bird uses to make a nest is pretty amazing.  Students used maginfy glasses to observe with their eyes and tweezers (which is GREAT for their fine motor skills) to pull the nest apart.  The conversations the students had as they observed was priceless!  Learning by doing is key!
              
Today I read the stroy If You Bring a Mouse to School.  The mouse had a lot of different things he wanted at school.  After we read the story each child had a chance to share what they would bring to school.  During tray work they met with Mrs. Donovan and drew a picture of what they would bring to school.  Some thought of a snake, their toy train, a cat, a dog and so on.  It is fun to use our imagination.  The students also met with me to make their own mouse puppet.  The students had to glue and piece together all the pieces.  They all did a great job following the steps needed to complete the craft.
Next week we will begin our All About Me theme.  Remember to send in your child's all about me bags on their given date.  The kids love to get up and share their items so please try to get the items in their bags.
I am also sneding home towels and crib sheets.  Please clean them and return them Monday.  I appreciate all your support with this.  I can tell you the kids are cozy and clean when they lay down to rest.
Today while we were outside I taught your child about outside safety.  If I ever blow my whistle the students know they need to stop, look, get to me and listen.  They are doing GREAT with this.  Once the students got to me I started walking with quick feet.  Today we walked right on the sidewalk in the neighborhood to the green mailbox.  I shared with the students if we need to leave the school as a class we will get to the green mailbox.  When on the back grass area I again blew my whistle and the students came to me.  We then used quick feet to walk to the bridge.  This practice was done at a age 4 level; meaning I did not go into details why we were doing this and I did not make it a scary experience.  I focused on listening, following directions and staying together!  Please talk to yoru child about this drill.  Mrs. Donovan and I are here to keep the children safe.  If you have any questions feel free to contact me.  
MONDAY IS A TAG DAY!!!  Students are allowed to dress down in RED, WHITE and BLUE clothes.  Please make sure your child is wearing sneakers.  We will be outside playing.
Thursday October 20 is Back to School Night at 6:30.  I hope to see you all there.  
Have a wonderful weekend with your child.  Take a minute to look at the world through their eyes.  It is a pretty neat place to visit!
Mrs. Albert

September 13

All of the students looked so great this morning.  I know it is not always easy when your child has to dress up and get out of routine.  I think considering the change in routine you all did wonderful.  Take a deep breathe you made it through picture day!

Today we read the story Splat the Cat Goes to School.  Splat is such a fun and sweet cat.  He went to school and was told he had to think about one thing he loved about his summer vacation.  He had a tough time with this because he had so many adventures!  He realized when he went back to school that it wasn't the adventures that were so much fun but it was WHO he had the adventures with!  We discussed that it is really special to do things with the people we love. 
During tray work the students had a chance to make there very own Splat the Cat.  They turned out so cute!  I am exposing the students to many different materials to create.  I am not concerned about perfection, nor do I fear mess.  The students will learn and delovop by doing.  Providing you child with scissors, paints, paint brushes, glue and crayons will help them develop their fine motor skills.  As adults we need to remember it is the process how a child gets to the end result.  We should not focus on the apperance of the end result. I am proud of everything the students do!  They are growing and learning each day.  
It is hard to believe tomorrow is Friday.  We will be bringing out getting to now our school theme to a close.  I thank you for all your communication and support during our first FULL week of school.
Fondly-
Mrs. Albert 

September 12

What a wonderful Wenesday!  Today we read the story Curious George Goes to School.  We learned that George can really make a mess.  By the end of the story George always seems to make things better.  It was so neat, George made a surprise visit to our classroom today.  He watching the students and was so impressed with the students in our class!  During tray work the students had a chance to cut, paste and color a school bus that George is driving.  When the kids glued on George they couldn't help but laugh at how silly it was.  All of the students did a GREAT job folllowing directions to complete this craft.  

                     

During recess today the students really explored nature.  The students found a birds nest.  We could tell that the bird used mud, sticks and grass to make the nest.  Many of my friends also found a little yellow flower.  We taught the students that it is called a butter cup and we can tell if a person likes butter by placing the flower under someones chin.  It was a wonderful recess exploring the world around us.


A reminder, tomorrow is picture day.  ALL students are allowed to dress in their Sunday Best.  Please remember we will place outside so appropriate shoes are important for the day.
Thank you for encouraging your child to walk to the classroom by themselves!  Today was by far the most successful morning yet!!!!
God Bless-
Mrs. ALbert 

September 11

Welcome to Terrfic Tuesday!  Today I introduced the students to our new morning routine.  Each child came in unpacked their backpacks and found an area in the room to play and interact with their fireinds.  This may look like play but it is so much more for teh students.  They are learning to communicate, make decisions, problem solve and become creators.  For the first day I have to say the morning routine was a success. 
The students are also identifying their name.  Each child is responsible to go to the white board and find their name.  They use the pointer to touch their name and drag it to the apple.  I am amazed with what a great job they are doing identifying their name as well as using the white board. 


Today we read the story The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade.  A cute story about a little girl who was paying attention to everything happening in school.  She noticed not everyone was a peacemaker.  She told the students that we should be kind to each other.  All of the students agreed.  They were not aware that they were acting like peacebreakers.  Once they started to show acts of kindness to each other the children had smiles on their faces and they were happy.  Here in EC4B we continue to be those PEACEMAKERS who are kind and loving to one another.  I can tell you that our room is filled with LOVE.  All of the students are very special.
After library we went on a tour of the big building.  We met many new friends and learned where their office is.  It was so nice to meet all of these speicial people that work at SJB.

We were invited into Mr. Hart's Office. The kids loved the candle smell :)

Thank you for sending in information such as Tag Day forms and Picture Forms.  Your promptness helps us stay on top of all that needs to be ready for your child.  If there are any questions feel free to email me!
A reminder Thursday is picture day.  Your child may dress in their Sunday best.  If your child has fancy shoes on you can send their sneakers in and I would be happy to switch shoes after the picture.
I hope everyone has a wonderful night!  
Mrs. Albert
 

September 10

Welcome to SJB week.  This week we will be learning about our school Saint John the Beloved. The students will be meeting new faces and visiting new places on our campus.  During the week we will also continue to practice our daily routine.  The students are doing a great job walking in the classroom and unpacking their belongings.  Tomorrow I will be allowing the students to come in unpack and go to their place in the room of their choice to play.  I think they are ready for this!
Today we read the story No David!  What a silly little boy David is.  He was not always making the best choices.  We learned that David could make the choice to be a PEACEMAKER or a PEACEBREAKER.  After we discussed David's choices I presented the students with our our own choices we can make at school.  They did a wonderful job identify things we can do to be a PEACEMAKER; share, speak with kind words, be a good listener.  We also identified choices that may be a PEACEBREAKER behavior; not try, yell, cut in line.  During tray work time each student was able to their very own David puppet.  These are in their folders to share with you.


Today Mrs. Wagner our music teacher came to our classroom.  I was so PROUD of how well my students followed Mrs. Wagner.  They used different music items with ease.  I think they are going to have a wonderful time with Mrs. Wagner.

Marching Around the Room With Mrs. Wagner

There are a few items in your child's folder today.  Please take some time to look through the folder.  Thursday is PICTURE DAY!  Please complete the form which is in their folder or you can order pictures on line.  If you order on line please send in your conformation to me (it will make it easier to make sure I have everything organized).  There is also a form about Tag Days.  Please fill out and return to school if you would like your child to participate.
Thank you for all your continued support!  The students are doing TERRIFIC!!!!
Fondly-
Mrs. Albert 
 

September 7

Welcome to Fantastic Friday! The students came down so nice this morning!  So many of my friends were walking down by themselves and unpacking their bags.  I was so proud of all the students. Once all of our friends were here we were able to start our morning.
We started our morning with our Good Morning and ABC phonics song.  I smiled when the students started singing with me.  Just day two and they are absorbing everything I expose them to.  They are amazing.  As a whole group we gathered on the carpet and began with prayer and the pledge.  I then introduced the class to our weather frog.  Every morning we will look at the window and use our observations to discuss the weather.  Our observations helped us decide what to dress the frog in.  We then started to keep track of how many days of school we have been attended!  Today we were able to count all the way up to 2!!!  We discussed what other items come in two: we have two shoes, two hands, two eyes.  During calendar we learned that today was September 7, 2018.  The students were able to count all the way up to 7 and again follow the ABAB pattern to let me know today was red day.  I took a shot at it and went over to our number apples.  I asked can someone figure out the pattern, do you know they did it!!!  Red, green, red, green.  I was so impressed and said I LOVE MY JOB!!!  
Today I read the story the Kissing Hand.  It is a sweet story about a little raccoon who was sad to go to school because he was going to miss his mommy.  She told him a secret to help him get through the day.  Ask your child what the secret is?  If they need help there is a paper in their folder that can help them!

I hope you all enjoy your weekend with your family!  Next week will be a full week of school so it will be busy for sure.  The students will begin all of their specials and learn about their SJB community.

Have a Fun Filled Weekend!
Mrs. Albert
 

September 6

We have such a SWEET class!  I am so proud of all my students and parents.  You all made the trasition so easy this morning.  The students knew what to expect and did not get overwhelmed.  I couldn't have wished for a better first day!!!
We were very busy today learning about rules and routines.  The students cleaned up their tables while we sang the clean up song.  They then each joined me at the carpet.  There we sang happy birthday to our freind AJ.  How cool is that having your birthday on the first day of school!  I also introduced the calendar to the students.  They listened to the days of the week and months of the year songs.  We also counted to the number 6 and learned that today is September 6, 2018.  As if that wasn't enough the students followed a pattern and knew that we needed a yellow 6.  The pattern was red, yellow, red, yellow.  
The students also had a chance to play in different centers.  We went over how we share our toys, if we want something another person has we will use our words and of course we learned how to clean up before we move on to a new activity.  They really enjoed this time and did a GREAT job playing with each other.
Pete the Cat came to visit.  Pete just loved the students!  Pete taught us the song the Wheels on the Bus with motions.  We were rocking the classroom with the song! We also read the story Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes.  It was so much fun as I was reading I had students reading with me.  As a whole group we colored a picture of Pete.  This is in their folder for you to see.  They followed steps to color the picture.  I have to say they all did a WONDERFUL job!!!  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!!  Here is a picture of the class with Pete.

We had Gym today!!!

Tomorrow is going to be another BIG day.  Now the kids understand what is going on.  Try and have your child in bed early tonight, school was a BIG deal for their little bodies.  If your child is nervous tomorrow morning or a little upset it is OK!  It is very common and normal for this to happen the second day.  Once your child is in the room they will be fine.

I am asking that parents say good-bye to your child either at the main door of our school or the door of the classroom.  I really want the children to learn how to do for themselves.  They showed me today they are all able to do this.  They really are a special class.

Have a wonderful night hear about your child's new adventures.  It is going to be a TERRIFIC year!!!
Fondly-
Mrs. Albert

September 5

It was WONDERFUL to meet all of my new friends!  We are going to have such a fun year filled with excitement, growth and learning.  I will wish on my star tonight that all of my friends have happy dreams.  In the morning remind your child of all the fun they will have playing with their new friends!  Stay calm and play it cool.  They are going to do GREAT!  
Mrs. Donovan and I are looking forward to the new school year.
God Bless-
Mrs. Albert


 

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BACKGROUND CHECK INFORMATION:

Anyone that is interested in participating in any school/class activities will need a background check (this include our loving grandparents that take part in our fun). I am including the steps needed to complete this check.  I ask that you take care of this ASAP.  I can not allow you to attend the first field trip if you are not given the OK. Each adult will need their own $30 check along with their own background check. If you have a background check please send an email to Mrs. Maltesta so she can update her information.

Contact person will be Marie Maltesta.  Please contact her at mmaltesta@sjbdel.org
Send in a check for $30 made out to Saint John the Beloved.  Please send the check to Mrs. Albert in an envelope.  The envelope should be labeled BACKGROUND CHECK and who the background check is for.
Once Mrs. Maltesta receives your check will be sent an email with the code and directions to complete your background check.  

I thank you for following through with this promptly.  The great thing is the background check is good for 5 years!!!  We have lots of fun activities planned and would love for you to be part of them!!!

All school parents who wish to volunteer and participate in Field Trips, Field Days, Lunch/Recess Monitors, etc. must request a Background Check (if you have not already had one done).  Please submit your name, a $30.00 check made payable to "SJB", and your email address to Mrs. Marie Malatesta.  Her email is mmalatesta@sjbdel.org and her phone is 998-5525 ext. 205.


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