Since COVID has changed our lives and turned it upside down, we have had to make changes in our day-to-day routines and schedules. One of the ways we included reading environmental words was to go to the grocery store and take a ride around town. 

It is common for children to be able to “read” words when they are familiar with them and see them on a regular or routine basis. Passing by a local drive thru or grocery store can spark some conversations about what your child sees or knows. You can talk about the letters, which letters, letter sounds and even the colors. You can point out items inside the grocery store (assuming most of you are going back there). 

Your child might not be able to tell you what words say, but point out the bigger letters on cereal boxes or chip bags. They are usually bright in color and attract attention. In the classroom, we have environmental print and pictures on some of our blocks. When children build with what they know, they are showing their knowledge of the world around them. Try asking your child what they see when you are driving home. 

Don’t forget to point out your street sign and name the letters on it before you get to your house. You can also make it a game to see who can say all the letters first. You will be surprised as to how much these boys and girls can do! 

3/14-3/18 St. Patrick’s Day

3/21-3/25 spring

3/28-4/1 pets

4/4-4/8 bugs and insects

We will continue to work on keeping our hands to ourselves for the next several weeks. We have had many discussions about this skill and have been coming up with consequences when a peer does not remember the rule. We read the book “Hands are not for hitting” all the time and remind our peers when they are doing something that is not okay. We use words like “That hurts me”, “You may not touch me like that”, and “Keep your hands to yourself”. We will continue this skill until our boys and girls understand that hitting and using hands is not okay or welcome in the classroom. 

3/14 National Napping Day

3/17 St. Patrick’s Day

3/24 National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day

3/31 Henry Meadows’ 5th birthday