Week 3 Apples and Fall Theme
Spoede Pre-K Group Photos From Dance Party Oct. 2
Dear Pre-K Families,
This week, we sorted apples using their attributes of color, size, shape. On Thursday we compared apples by taste. I introduced a game called What's My Rule? on Monday at circle time. The "What's My Rule?" game is an exceptional learning tool for Pre-K because it introduces foundational algebraic thinking and classification skills through low-stakes, play-based observation.
Develops Sorting and Attribute Recognition: Children learn to focus on specific characteristics—such as color, shape, size, texture, or function—and group items based on shared properties rather than viewing them in isolation.
Introduces Early Algebraic Thinking: By analyzing which items belong in a group and which do not, children practice pattern recognition, set theory, and logical deduction long before encountering formal math equations.
Encourages Hypothesis Testing: Players observe a set, form a mental guess about the hidden criteria, test their theory by suggesting a new object, and adjust their strategy based on the outcome.
Strengthens Executive Functioning: The game exercises working memory (remembering which items passed or failed), cognitive flexibility (shifting attention from color to size when a guess is wrong), and impulse control (waiting to analyze before shouting out answers).
Builds Descriptive Language and Vocabulary: Explaining why an item fits the rule forces children to use precise adjectives, category labels, and comparative language ("They all have straight lines" or "These all roll").
Adaptable and Accessible: The game requires no specialized materials and can be played using classroom objects, picture cards, or student characteristics (e.g., sorting children by shoe type or shirt color), making it easy to adjust on the fly for different developmental levels.
Monday - We enjoyed our share about our weekend. We played a What's My Rule? Game which focuses on classification skills based on attributes, such as color, words or no words, long sleeves or short sleeves, pants or shorts, tie shoes or no- tie shoes. Teacher picks a rule and without telling the students, ask them to stand because they belong in the rule. The students have to guess "What's My Rule?. If the kids guess and it is not the rule, teacher explains why it can't be that rule. We made Happy 50th Birthday/ Custodian Appreciation Cards for Ms. Debbie, our wonderful Spoede Custodian.
Tuesday - As a class, we worked together and used apples to measure each student. We talked a little about standard versus non-standard measuring tools. We also discussed how the accuracy of measuring with apples was not perfect because some apples are bigger and smaller than other apples and we did not use the exact same apples every time on each student. We enjoyed singing and movement with Ms. Li for Music Class. We bounced along to the song, "We're Goin' on a Hayride" with Beanie Babies as passengers. We also learned a couple songs about pumpkins, and got to pass and roll a giant stuffed pumpkin around the circle.
Wednesday - We worked on a color by number scarecrow picture for morning work. We also Learned about the Letter T with a big line down and a small line across the top, and worked on This is My Letter Tt Book. Ms. Davenport did some individual assessment on recognizing numbers.
Thursday - Enjoyed apple tasting, comparing the taste of red, yellow, green and orange-ish apples. We also did Apple Juice vs Apple Cider tasting. Painted paper orange to use for pumpkins in a pumpkin patch. Students worked on Cutting out Circles to use for their pumpkins this upcoming week.
Friday - Enjoyed Art with Ms. Tara. We used paint pens, oil pastel crayons and dot paints to cover a paper which will be used to cover a shaker instrument we will be making on the next art day. Made H is for Haunted House projects where the students cut out all of the parts (H for the building, 4 squares for the windows and 1 triangle for the roof, and glued them together to make a Haunted House. The students used stickers and some white pastel oil crayons to decorate the houses and background for Halloween. Enjoyed a visit from the Creve Coeur Fire Departments where we received lots of fun goodies from the Fire Department.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
Join us for a spooktacular night of Trunk or Treat, a photo booth, prizes for the best decorated trunks, and more! Want to decorate a trunk? Only 35 spots are available, so register here and register early! Participating trunks should bring enough candy for approximately 300–400 kids. Not decorating a trunk? Register here and join the fun! Please bring a bag of candy to the front office to help keep our trick-or-treaters stocked! Pre-order dinner: Large Costco cheese pizzas are available for $15 each. Order here! A bathroom will be available onsite. Important: Participating vehicles must be parked by 6:00 PM and cannot leave until the event concludes at 7:30 PM. ____________________________________________________________________________ We hope you enjoy the pictures from the week. Monday Good Morning, Ms. Davenport. Nice Monday Morning welcome!   Monday Morning Share about our weekend at circle time.           Morning Recess - They Love their chalk hands and Ms. D.'s umbrella.                     Sorting Apples by color           Measured our first student and realized we were going to need more apples, which we received in time for measuring on Wednesday.   Colored and wrote a Happy Birthday/ Thank You card for Ms. Debbie, our wonderful custodian            Tuesday Pre-K Students Measuring Pre-K Students with Apples                                                                                    Music With Ms. Li.   Movement and Song to "Goin' On a Hayride" with beanie babies bump, bump, bumping down the road.          Pumpkin, Pumpkin round and fat, Turn into a Jack-O-Lantern just - like - that.                  Learned another pumpkin song while passing a giant pumpkin around the circle.                                     
 Wednesday Working on the This. is My Letter Tt Book                 Playing with witches fingers     Thursday Apple Tasting Day! We tried red, yellow, green and orange-ish apples.                                       Painting paper Orange for a Pumpkin we are doing later.       First Pr-K Lost tooth!   Art with Ms. Tara. We used dot markers, oil pastel crayons, and paint markers to color paper that we will use as covering of our shake instruments we will make next Friday in art.                                                                                             H is for Haunted House                                Visit by the Creve Coeur Fire Department.   \ |
