Grace Garden Preschool

Hi Caterpillar Families,

Another week with the fabulous Caterpillars has come and gone. Again, we focussed
on Community Helpers and the kids had fun pretending to be helpers of all kinds.
Whether they were doctors, mail carriers, or firefighters, the Caterpillars let their inner
helper shine. The First Aid kits that they made were an especially big hit. The
Caterpillars “sewed” them up before filling them with bandaids, gauze and a mask. The
Kitchen Center was transformed into a clinic and many lives were saved!

A couple popular book series really added to the Caterpillars' enjoyment of this unit.
Lego City books, with titles like Calling All Cars, Help Is On The Way, and Fight This
Fire! are captivating to this age group. Popular toy truck maker Tonka also has a series
of books dealing with community helpers. If I Could Drive A Fire Truck and If I Could
Drive An Ambulance fit very well with our unit. There is something about seeing their
favorite toys in books that really delights them!

In the next few weeks, weʼll be rededicating ourselves to the task of really learning the
connection between letters, sounds, and the words they help build. This week, we
spent some time playing with -at family words (cat, bat, sat, fat, etc..). Using the
popcorn words they already know, the Caterpillars were able to make and read some
simple sentences! The cat is fat. The cat sat on the mat. You get the picture. Next
week, I will introduce some simple readers that will help the Caterpillars expand on what
they are learning about reading. This is a really exciting time! These are the lightbulb
moments I love so much as a teacher.

Our unit over the next couple of weeks will be all about Dinosaurs. Parents, please remember to check folders daily for important communications. Also, please do make sure that your child has an extra set of weather-appropriate clothes in his or her cubby, and a warm jacket to wear on cold days since we will almost always go outside to play, even in chilly weather.

Have a great weekend!
Ms. Katie