Preschool Supply List 2021-2022

Greetings!

If you have not already seen our requested supply list, please view here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-E3lM8shOkIFuKvy1PU022o38ZIbnQ5vjHqs-P2-_58/edit?usp=sharing

In addition to these school supplies, we ask that your child come on the first day of school with the following:

• 2 pocket folder (any color or design is fine)
• Large backpack that can fit the folder
• Change of clothes in a Ziploc bag- 2 shirts, 2 pants, 2 underwear, 2 pairs of socks
• Reusable water bottle to fill up throughout the day
• 3 additional face masks with your child’s initials on them (keep in a Ziploc bag in their backpack)

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at KLHopkins@cps.edu

Thank you,

Mrs. Gabelman

PS…Some of you were asking if I had an Amazon Wish List for our new classroom, and I do! Please see below:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/KRVPNZOJ9IRE?ref_=wl_share

How can every child thrive by five?

“What if I was to tell you that a game of peek-a-boo could change the world?” asks seven-year-old Molly Wright, one of the youngest-ever TED speakers. Breaking down the research-backed ways parents and caregivers can support children’s healthy brain development, Wright highlights the benefits of play on lifelong learning, behavior and well-being, sharing effective strategies to help all kids thrive by the age of five. She’s joined onstage by one-year-old Ari and his dad, Amarjot, who help illustrate her big ideas about brain science. (This TED Talk was produced in collaboration with Minderoo Foundation as an educational tool for parents and caregivers around the world and is supported by UNICEF.)

Terrific Trees with The Chicago Botanic Gardens

On Wednesday, January 23rd, we had the honor of hosting The Chicago Botanic Garden staff in room 121! They came to teach the children about “terrific trees”, and all of the benefits that trees bring to the Earth! This was a wonderful learning hour for the preschoolers, and part of our winter edition of our year long tree study! After their visit, students went into their science journals and drew about their experience, and what they learned!

Each student was able to plant “Wild Bergamot” seeds into tiny containers with soil. These plants are excellent to plant around Oak Trees. Over the next several months, we will help these seeds grow in our classroom. We will give them sunlight, water, and warm air. In May, we will plant them around the school or at home (if the children decide to go that route).

Enjoy our picture slideshow of our time learning and celebrating “Terrific Trees”!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

An Inquiry into Colors

Our preschoolers at the beginning of the year began to learn about shapes and colors! The first shape they learned about was a circle. In working with our amazing art teacher Mrs. Zapata, the children learned all about circles, sizes, and began to explore colors! After reading the stories, “The Dot” and “Press Here” by Peter H. Reynolds, the children were exploring and finding circles and color combinations everywhere we turned! This led us into a color study! We began with the story, “Little Blue, Little Yellow” by Leo Lionni! When the two colors “hugged”, they became a new color! Take a look at our video to see what the children came up with next…check out the link below!

https://www.magisto.com/video/IE0RNF4ZGGwrBA1pYw?l=vsm&o=w&c=c

The First Snow in Chicago!!!

What an amazing day we had on Friday, November 10th! The children were so adorable and excited when they noticed the big snow flakes falling from the sky. Miss Santiago and I decided to scrap our lessons for the day and embrace the weather change outside! I quickly fingered through my winter book collection and found my favorite book about “Snow”. We gathered on the carpet and read the story together with the lights off so we could see the snow falling outside. After the story, we turned on “snow music” where the children moved like a snowflake to the blue piece of paper at one of the tables. There they found a Q-tip, and white paint. Observing with their eyes the movement and sizes of the snowflakes, the children created their own painting of “The First Snow” in Chicago. Miss Santiago and I were so amazed at how engaged they children were for over 12 minutes. They were quite as a mouse and took their time creating their beautiful snow paintings! Click on the link below to watch our beautiful snow video on Magisto!

The First Snow!

Clothing Study

As many of you know, our “All About Me” unit of inquiry led into a 3 week “Clothing Study”! The children had so much fun with exploring all different types of clothing you sent in! Lots of amazing connections, experiences, conversations, and skills were learned throughout our mini study. They had a great time at the shoe store, laundry mat, and learning how to iron! Thank you to all of the families that donated clothes! I hope we were able to return all the items back to the correct owners! Enjoy our Magisto video below of a few pictures I was able to take during our unit!

Preschool Clothing Study

 

December Fun!

We had so much fun in December with all of our wonderful winter activities! Take a look at our slideshow of all the fun things we did together in December before winter break! We enjoyed making homemade play dough together, as well as working on pattern noodle necklaces! Woo hoo!

http://www.magisto.com/embed/fzggUEJSRV8zei4PYnZLBng?l=vem&o=w&c=b

December Newsletter

Our December newsletter has been posted on the “Newsletter” page. Please check it out to see what is happening in room 121 in December! Don’t forget to check out our parent volunteer calendar that is posted outside of the classroom!

CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!

WOW!!! What a week we had last week! For all of you who don’t know, I am originally from Cleveland; yes THAT city Cleveland, Ohio! What a series, and what a game 7! Although I am from Cleveland, Ohio, my heart was here in Chicago. I’ve spent more of my adult life here in Chicago than back at home, so it only felt natural to vote for my team here. (I did wear my Indians socks though).

In honor of this once in a lifetime moment, I created signs for the children to color in that said, “I was in Preschool when we won the world series in 2016!” Although many of them might not remember how amazing this past week was, I hope that you will save their poster and picture I will put in their journal to look back on it to tell them the story!

Here is the AM class and PM class videos of our CUBS celebration in room 121! Who went to the parade?

AM Class Cubs Video

PM Class Cubs Video

A Howling Halloween Good Time!

The preschoolers in Room 121 had a SPOOKTACULAR time on Monday, October 31st! Both classes were engaged in Halloween themed learning centers, and were treated to munchkins and apple cider as a sweet treat to end our time together! If you have pictures from our day, please send them my way and I will post them!

Thank you to our 14 moms who came in and helped throughout the day for each class!!! A big shout out to Sheila, Karen, Yurendira our room moms! It takes a village!

A Preschool Halloween 2016