January 2026
Important Dates
- Monday January 5, 2026: Students return to school- welcome back!
- Monday January 19, 2026: Martin Luther King Day- no school
Reminders
- Please check your child’s folder every day, and please return the folder to school the next day.
- Please remember to label all of your child’s belongings: write your child’s name on their jackets, water bottles, lunch boxes, lunch containers, etc.
Creative Curriculum
Unit of Study: Wheels
Focus questions
- What different types of wheels are there?
- How do wheels move?
- How do we use wheels?
- How do they help us?
Math Focus
Time and Shapes
Time: Sequencing and daily routines
Shapes: Identifying shapes and being able to describe their attributes.
Center Time
At school, center time is an important part of our day. Children are engaged in meaningful activities that help them meet the academic standards. Please see attached for a peek of what goes on in the Blocks Center.
Letter to Families
Dear Pre-K Families,
This month our class is learning about Time and Shapes.
- Time: Children discuss the sequence of their routines, and when they do different activities, by categorizing them into morning, afternoon, and night.
- Shapes: rectangles, ovals, stars, diamonds, hearts
Here are some fun activities that are easy to do at home to help reinforce these concepts:
- Talk with your child about their daily routine. What did you do this morning when you woke up? What did you do this afternoon after school? What did you do at night before bed?
- Go on a “shape hunt” with your child around your home or in the neighborhood. Have your child name the different shapes they see. For example; a window (rectangle), a mirror (oval), or a street sign (diamond.) Encourage your child to describe the shape. How many sides does it have? Are the lines curvy or straight?
Thank you for working with us. If you have any ideas that you would like to share, please let us know.
BLOCK CENTER
Wooden blocks are one of the most valuable learning materials that we have in our classroom. They come in many shapes and sizes. In the block center at school, children get to use their imaginations and create their own unique structures.
Math Concepts
While working at the block center, students are developing many different math skills. They are measuring, comparing, counting, sorting, balancing, and problem solving.
Language Development
As they are building with blocks, students are discussing their structures with teachers and classmates and are using position and direction words. For example: the bridge is over the water, cars drive in the tunnel, the water is under the bridge, etc. Students may make up a whole story to go along with their creation.
What you can do at home
You may want to purchase wooden table blocks or make a set out of milk cartons and boxes. Add props to further play, such as small plastic animals, cars, and people. Encourage pretend play and vocabulary development.
☺ Pre-K Teachers