Pre-K 4    Week of January 3, 2022

Please Read All The Reminders

*UPDATE* Doors close at 8:15AM as we return back to following our Safety Plan from the previous year. No one will be permitted into the building as the doors will be closed after 8:15AM. There will be no early pick-up permitted. Students are to remain home if they need to see the dentist, or make an appointment, etc.

Under New York State and City Health codes all Pre-K and Kindergarten students are required to have an annual Flu shot by December 31st. Students will be required to remain at home until proof is provided that your child has received the Flu vaccine. 

If you or your child is experiencing fever, fatigue, congestion, headache, or any other covid like symptoms, please remain home and obtain a negative result before coming to the school building. Remote work is always available for students at any time.

Please remember to bring sleeping mats to school.

As always, please make sure to read the OLQM school blog for additional updates and information located HERE!

Contact info:

MrTaraza@olqmnyc.org (I usually try to reply within the same day).

 If there are any questions regarding the 3-K/Pre-K for all program that can not be answered by the office or classroom teacher, please feel free to contact the

Help Line at 888-227-8175


Mr. Taraza

            Dear Families,

            I am so excited to be your child's teacher this year!  My name is Mr. Taraza and I am a graduate student at The City College of New York. I have dedicated my entire professional career to serving children and families in my community for over 6 years! It is my mission as well as my passion to educate, engage, and empower children of all backgrounds and varying abilities in order to successfully prepare for a smooth transition into Kindergarten and to instill a life long love for learning.

Throughout the school year, children will be learning various concepts such as quantitative reasoning, measurement, problem solving, verbal reasoning, identifying letters/letter sound relationships, and identifying shapes and colors. We will also be planning/conducting various science experiments throughout the year which may require contributions from parents if needed. 

Our learning centers are designed to allow children to explore and construct their own knowledge with teacher guidance, through active exploration, fostering independence and social emotional skills through collaboration with peers and their play. Children will also practice skills learned from circle time discussions/read alouds and demonstrate their knowledge and express their creative aesthetic through their imaginary play and physical representations in each learning center.







Unit Topic:

Transportation

Essential Question:

How does my community use various modes of transportation?


Focus Question for The Week:

What kinds of transportation do I use and why?


Foundational Text for The Week:

The Lost Property Office by Emily Rand

 


Focused Learning Activity for The Week

Tire Tracks



Teacher will encourage children to dip vehicle wheels into paint and then drive the vehicles on paper. Before children drive the vehicles on paper, teacher will encourage them to predict what they think will happen and why.


Vehicle Shapes



Supply an assortment of shape cutouts and small vehicles or pictures of vehicles. Invite children to reference the vehicles and/or pictures of vehicles to create their own vehicles. Before children begin working, encourage them to look critically at the vehicles provided and to think about what shapes they will need in order to make their own. 


Pre-K Common Core Learning Standard(s) Addressed

PK.PDH.5. Demonstrates eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills

PK.MATH.13. [NY-PK.G.2.] Names shapes regardless of size


Lessons and Activities for The Week

Blocks

Provide students with long wooden planks and ask students how they think they can create a ramp. Teacher will then ask how we can make the ramp more or less steep. Students will then be able to predict which ramp will make the car go down the fastest and why.


Art

Provide children with popsicle sticks and glue to craft planes and cars.

Science

STEM

Provide children with simple directions for folding a paper airplane and invite children to try to fold their own. Encourage children to explore how they might make the planes fly. Before planes take off for their flight, ask children to predict how far it will go. With a tape measure record the distance the planes traveled. Encourage children to manipulate the plane toss to see if they can change the flight path or make it go even further.


Math

 Provide children with sorting cards to sort different modes of transportation into groups. Children will learn to sort land, air, and water transport methods. After sorting encourage children to count how many objects they've sorted.


Library

Students are encouraged to look at two non-fiction books about transportation and compare and contrast what they see.


Writing

Provide children with crayons, markers, and pencils to draw a picture of their favorite mode of transportation.


Sensory

Students will be able to play with their individual containers of play-doh.


For more information on the Lesson Plan, click HERE!

To view this weeks' foundational text, please click HERE!


If you have any questions or concerns, you can email me at MrTaraza@olqmnyc.org or email Mrs. Zogka at MrsZogka@olqmnyc.org. 


If there are any questions regarding the Pre-K for All program that cannot be answered by the office or classroom teacher, please feel free to contact the Help Line at 888-227-8175


                      Week of December 20, 2021

Reminders

If you or your child is experiencing any of these symptoms it is best to stay home and monitor until they show signs of improvement. Children can work remotely through the SeeSaw App on Days they cannot attend in person due to illness.

COVID-19 vs. Flu: How to Tell the Difference and Protect Yourself

CLASSROOM WINTER HOLIDAY PARTY 12/21. WE ARE ACCEPTING PIZZA DONATIONS $5, CUPCAKES, and JUICE

FLU SHOT REQUIRED TO RETURN TO SCHOOL. DUE BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK. IF CHILD IS NOT VACCINATED, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO RETURN ON 1/3/2022.

Contact info:

MrTaraza@olqmnyc.org (I usually try to reply within the same day).

As always, please make sure to read the OLQM school blog for additional updates and information located HERE!

 If there are any questions regarding the 3-K/Pre-K for all program that can not be answered by the office or classroom teacher, please feel free to contact the

Help Line at 888-227-8175

Objects All Around Us


Exploration Two:

Our Environment


Essential Question:

What can we discover about community?


Focus Area:

Seeing


Weekly Focus:

Objects All Around Us


Focused Learning Activity for the Week:

Children will explore sensory foam paint to illustrate and name an object that they see.

 

Materials


  • paper towel
  • sensory foam paint
  • tray

 

Place a paper towel onto a tray. Supply different colors of sensory foam to paint with.

 

▲ Goal IT-PMP 6. Child coordinates hand and eye movements to perform actions.

 

● Goal P-ATL 10. Child demonstrates initiative and independence


Foundational Text for the Week:

The Kissing Hand


Questions that will be asked throughout the week related to the foundational text:

  • Who is the main character in the story?

  • What does mommy give chester to calm him down.


Learning Centers Available for the Theme:

Blocks- Children are encouraged to use explore the block center. They will be shown a few unit blocks, shown where they can be found in the classroom, and shown how to match them to their outline in order to clean up.

 

Dramatic Play- Children are invited to explore the dramatic play area and use the props provided. Dramatic Play will be set up as a kitchen.  Teacher will introduce basic materials, how to use them, and how to put them away.

 

Art- Children are invited to explore the art area. They will be shown a paint container, brush and paper. Teacher will model how to dip brush in paint and paint a few brushstrokes on paper. Students will be shown where materials can be found in the classroom and what they should do when they finish painting.

 

Science- Children will be shown a few items from a collection of natural objects. Teacher will model how students can begin to explore some of the materials. They will be shown where these materials can be found in the classroom and how to put them away when finished.

 

Math- Children will be shown a couple of puzzles. Teacher will model how to take apart and how to put a few pieces together. Students will be shown where puzzles can be found and how to put them away.

 

Library- Students are able to explore books from the classroom library.

 

Writing- Students are invited to explore the materials provided in the writing center. They are encouraged to explore their name cards.  

 

Sensory- Students will be shown a small amount of sand and a few toys. They will be shown where these materials can be found in the classroom.



For more information on the Lesson Plan, click HERE!

To view this weeks' foundational text, please click HERE!


If you have any questions or concerns, you can email me at MrTaraza@olqmnyc.org or email Mrs. Zogka at MrsZogka@olqmnyc.org. 


If there are any questions regarding the Pre-K for All program that cannot be answered by the office or classroom teacher, please feel free to contact the Help Line at 888-227-8175


                     Week of December 13, 2021

Reminders

FLU SHOT REQUIRED TO RETURN TO SCHOOL. DUE BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK.

Contact info:

MrTaraza@olqmnyc.org (I usually try to reply within the same day).

As always, please make sure to read the OLQM school blog for additional updates and information located HERE!

 If there are any questions regarding the 3-K/Pre-K for all program that can not be answered by the office or classroom teacher, please feel free to contact the

Help Line at 888-227-8175

Objects in Our Classroom


Exploration Two:

Our Environment


Essential Question:

What can we discover about community?


Focus Area:

Seeing


Weekly Focus:

Objects in Our Classroom


Focused Learning Activity for the Week:

G is for Gingerbread




G is for Gingerbread

 

Children will practice hand-eye coordination and use small muscles to cut out paper, squeeze glue, and draw with markers to craft a Gingerbread Cookie.

 

Materials:

 

Construction paper

Scissors

Markers/Crayons/Color Pencils

Glue

Craft Gemstones/pom poms


Standard Addressed:

● Goal P-PMP 3. Child demonstrates increasing control, strength, and coordination of small muscles.

Snowflake Marble Painting
Materials Needed

  • Blue Paint
  • Marble
  • Snowflake cut out
  • Glitter
  • Tray or shoe box


Standard Addressed:

 

● Goal P-PMP 3. Child demonstrates increasing control, strength, and coordination of small muscles.

● Goal P-ATL 7. Child persists in tasks.



Children will  be creating a mixture that resembles a similar color, texture, and consistency of snow.

 

Materials:

White Hair Conditioner

Baking Soda

Standard Addressed:

● Goal P-SCI 1. Child observes and describes observable phenomena (objects, materials, organisms, and events).

 

● Goal P-SCI 2. Child engages in scientific talk.


Foundational Text for the Week:

The Snowy Day


Questions that will be asked throughout the week related to the foundational text:

  • Who is the main character in the story?

  • What does Peter do before he goes outside in the snow?

  • What does Peter do in the snow?

  • Why does snow fall on Peter’s head?

  • . What happened to Peter’s snowball??


Learning Centers Available for the Theme:

Blocks- Children are encouraged to use explore the block center. They will be shown a few unit blocks, shown where they can be found in the classroom, and shown how to match them to their outline in order to clean up.

 

Dramatic Play- Children are invited to explore the dramatic play area and use the props provided. Dramatic Play will be set up as a kitchen.  Teacher will introduce basic materials, how to use them, and how to put them away.

 

Art- Children are invited to explore the art area. They will be shown a paint container, brush and paper. Teacher will model how to dip brush in paint and paint a few brushstrokes on paper. Students will be shown where materials can be found in the classroom and what they should do when they finish painting.

 

Science- Children will be shown a few items from a collection of natural objects. Teacher will model how students can begin to explore some of the materials. They will be shown where these materials can be found in the classroom and how to put them away when finished.

 

Math- Children will be shown a couple of puzzles. Teacher will model how to take apart and how to put a few pieces together. Students will be shown where puzzles can be found and how to put them away.

 

Library- Students are able to explore books from the classroom library.

 

Writing- Students are invited to explore the materials provided in the writing center. They are encouraged to explore their name cards.  

 

Sensory- Students will be shown a small amount of sand and a few toys. They will be shown where these materials can be found in the classroom.



For more information on the Lesson Plan, click HERE!

To view this weeks' foundational text, please click HERE!


If you have any questions or concerns, you can email me at MrTaraza@olqmnyc.org or email Mrs. Zogka at MrsZogka@olqmnyc.org. 


If there are any questions regarding the Pre-K for All program that cannot be answered by the office or classroom teacher, please feel free to contact the Help Line at 888-227-8175


 Week of December 6th, 2021


OLQM BLOG ANNOUNCEMENTS:

December 10th - Reminder if a child in 3K/PreK or Kindergarten does not have the Flu Vaccine they are not permitted to attend class as per  NYS Health Department Regulations - there are no exemptions for the flu vaccine!


Hello and Welcome to PreK-6 (3K for All) Blog!


This weeks focus is "Our Physical Characteristics"





To view the full lesson plan and daily activities for this week, please click here.

To view this weeks foundational texts click here , here, and here


I'm A Color Scientist





Provide children with paint and have them experiment with color identification and color mixing

 

 Materials:

 

  • Paint Red, blue, yellow
  • white paper
  • paint brush 

 

● Goal P-SCI 1. Child observes and describes observable phenomena (objects, materials, organisms, and events).


I Love My Selfie



Give each child a piece of paper with a large circle drawn on it and have them draw their face.

 

 Materials:

 Face Template *Click Here*

  • markers
  • Crayons
  • skin tone crayons
  • Pencil

 

● Goal P-SE 9. Child recognizes self as a unique individual having own abilities, characteristics, emotions, and interests.

● Goal P-SE 11. Child has sense of belonging to family, community, and other groups.


Candy Cane - AB Pattern


 

Children craft Candy Cane Patterns with fingerpaint.

 

Materials:


Red Finger Paint

White Finger Paint

Construction Paper

Glitter (Optional)

 

● Goal P-MATH 7. Child understands simple patterns.

Promoting Inclusion with The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates

Promoting Inclusion with The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates Dear reader: I hope that you find pleasure and joy in reading about my thoughts ...