The Weekly Update #4

There are so many things to celebrate in March! These activities are not only fun but can also help with the development of skills like fine motor skills, creativity, and basic understanding of nature, history, and math. Have fun!

1. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day (March 17th)

• Shamrock Craft: Create shamrocks using green construction paper, glitter, and stickers. Talk about the symbolism behind St. Patrick's Day and the color green.
• Rainbow Science Experiment: Use a glass of water, a flashlight, and a white piece of paper to show how light creates a rainbow.

2. Spring-Themed Activities

• Plant a Seed: March marks the start of spring. Have your child plant seeds (like flowers, vegetables, or herbs) and observe their growth. Teach them about the importance of sunlight and water.
• Spring Nature Walk: Take a walk outside to look for signs of spring, like budding trees, blooming flowers, or birds returning. Create a nature scavenger hunt with items to find along the way.
• DIY Bird Feeder: Make a simple bird feeder with pinecones, peanut butter, and birdseed. Hang it outside and watch for birds.

3. World Wildlife Day (March 3rd)

• Animal Research: Choose an animal to research as a family. Watch documentaries, read books, and create an animal poster.
• Create Animal Masks: Have the kids pick their favorite animals and create masks using paper plates, markers, and craft supplies.

4. Pi Day (March 14th)

• Pi Day Party: Celebrate the mathematical constant Pi! You can eat pie, make a Pi-themed craft, and talk about the concept of circles.

5. Women's History Month

• Read Stories of Influential Women: Read books about women who made a difference, like Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, or Maya Angelou.
• Create a "Women in History" Wall: Have your child draw pictures or make posters of famous women, then create a small wall display.

6. National Reading Month

• Family Reading Time: Dedicate time each day to read together. Have fun with dramatic readings or act out stories.
• Bookmaking: Help your child create their own book by drawing pictures and writing simple sentences. They can "publish" it and read it to the family.

7. Weather Exploration

• Weather Chart: Create a weather chart and track the weather every day in March. Discuss different types of weather (rain, snow, sun, clouds).
• Cloud Identification: On a sunny day, lie on the grass and observe different types of clouds. Make a chart with different cloud shapes or types.

8. March Family Games

• Indoor Obstacle Course: Use pillows, chairs, and other household items to create a fun obstacle course. Set a timer and race to complete it.
• Scavenger Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt list with items you can find around the house. Add challenges or riddles to make it more exciting.

9. Color & Shape Recognition

• Color Hunt: Pick a color for the day and go on a color hunt around the house or outside to find objects that match.
• Shape Sorting: Cut out different shapes from construction paper and have the child sort them into groups (triangles, circles, squares, etc.).

10. National Nutrition Month

• Healthy Snack Creation: Teach children about healthy eating by making simple, fun snacks together, like fruit salad, veggie faces, or yogurt parfaits.
• Fruit and Veggie Art: Use fruits and veggies to create fun pictures or collages.

11. National Craft Month

• DIY Instruments: Create simple musical instruments from household items (like a drum from a box, or maracas from plastic bottles). Have a mini concert as a family.
• Paper Plate Animals: Use paper plates, paint, and other craft supplies to create animal faces.

Hobart is all about helping the community! If you ever need any resources or support, please feel free to reach out and I will do my best to help find you the resources you need!

The Early Learning Center does a weekend food assistance program! Your child should have gotten a paper copy of this in their folder. If you need returned the form back to the school, then you are all set! If you haven't filled it out and would like to participate, please fill out the link below and we will make sure your child is added to our program!

There is also a list of resources that can be beneficial to you as well! You can click on the link below and see what resources there are. If you don't find what you are looking for or have further questions, please reach out!

You can also go to www.findhelp.org for even more resources!

Every week I go into classrooms to work on social emotional skills! Every month you can check out what I am doing here!

Lesson 1: Manners with Do Unto Otters

In our first lesson, we read Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller, a delightful story that teaches children about kindness and respecting others by following the golden rule: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

Key Takeaways:

• The Golden Rule: We talked about how, just like the otters in the story, we should treat others with kindness, respect, and good manners.
• Good Manners: The story highlighted important manners such as saying “please” and “thank you,” greeting others politely, and showing respect for other people’s feelings and belongings.
• Empathy and Respect: We discussed how understanding how others feel helps us know how to treat them kindly and respectfully.

At Home Tips:

• Practice the Golden Rule: Encourage your child to practice the golden rule at home by treating family members with kindness, saying “please” and “thank you,” and showing respect for others' feelings and space.
• Manners Game: Turn using good manners into a fun game. For example, give your child a challenge: "Can you say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ five times today?" Celebrate each time they do so.
• Role-Playing with Stuffed Animals: Use stuffed animals to role-play different scenarios. One animal can ask for something politely, and the other can respond with kindness. This allows children to practice manners in a fun, low-pressure way.
• Read Do Unto Otters Again: Revisit the book at home and have a discussion about how they can practice the lessons from the story in their daily life. Ask them, "How can you treat others like the otters treat each other?"

Lesson 2: Understanding Emotions with The Color Monster

In our second lesson, we explored the book The Color Monster by Anna Llenas, which tells the story of a monster who feels all sorts of emotions, each represented by a different color. This helped us better understand our own feelings and how to express them.

Key Takeaways:

• Identifying Emotions: We talked about how each color in the story represents a different emotion:

  • Yellow = Happiness
  • Blue = Sadness
  • Red = Anger
  • Green = Calm
  • Purple = Fear

• Recognizing Emotions in Ourselves: Children learned to recognize what emotions might look like on their own faces and in their bodies. We also discussed that it’s okay to feel different emotions at different times.

• Coping with Emotions: We practiced calming techniques, such as taking deep breaths, counting, or using words to express our feelings instead of acting out.

At Home Tips:

• Use Color and Emotions: Ask your child how they’re feeling each day and help them associate their emotions with the colors from The Color Monster. You can say, "Are you feeling red today like the monster, or are you feeling calm like green?"
• Emotion Wheel: Create a simple emotion wheel at home with different colors and ask your child to point to how they’re feeling that day.
• Practice Deep Breathing Together: When your child feels upset, practice deep breathing by pretending to "smell the flowers" (inhale) and "blow out the candles" (exhale). This can help them calm down and regain control over their emotions.

1. Building a Strong Foundation

Kindergarten is a critical year for your child’s development, where they begin to learn essential skills that will set the stage for future success. Each day in school is filled with important lessons—whether it’s learning to read, practicing math, or developing social skills—and missing even a single day can mean missing out on key concepts.

2. Social and Emotional Growth

In kindergarten, children not only learn academic skills but also important social and emotional skills. They are learning how to make friends, share, take turns, and communicate effectively. When students are absent, they miss opportunities to interact with their peers and practice these essential life skills.

3. Establishing a Routine

Kindergarten is often the first experience a child has with a structured school routine. Regular attendance helps children adjust to this routine and develop good habits, such as arriving on time, following schedules, and completing tasks. These habits are important for their overall success in school and beyond.

4. Building Confidence

Being present and engaged in class helps children feel confident in their abilities. When they participate in lessons, ask questions, and complete activities with their classmates, they gain a sense of achievement and pride. Missing school can lead to feelings of being left behind or disconnected from the class.

5. Teacher Support

Your child’s teacher is here to support their learning and growth, but they can only do so effectively if your child is consistently present. Teachers are better able to meet your child’s individual needs when they have regular interactions and can provide timely feedback.

What You Can Do:

• Make School a Priority: Help your child understand that school is important and that their presence matters.
• Keep Routine: Establish a bedtime routine to ensure your child gets enough sleep and is ready for school each day.
• Communicate with Us: If your child needs to miss school for any reason, let us know in advance

Hello! I’m Miss Taylor Louie, and I’m thrilled to be the school counselor here at the Early Learning Center. My role is to support students in their academic, emotional, and social development, helping them navigate the challenges of school and life with confidence and resilience.

I’m passionate about creating a safe and inclusive environment where every student feels heard and supported. Whether it's helping with academic planning, providing guidance on personal issues, or facilitating group counseling sessions, my goal is to empower students to reach their full potential.

If you or your child ever need someone to talk to, whether it's about school, friendships, or anything else, I’m here to listen and help. Feel free to reach out to me via email at tlouie@hobart.k12.in.us and let’s work together to ensure a positive and successful school experience!

Looking forward to a great year ahead!

Hello! I’m Ryan Williams, and I’m in my second year as the Behavior Interventionist at the Early Learning Center. My role is to support students in managing their behavior while promoting social and emotional growth through personalized strategies that foster meaningful opportunities for development.

Before stepping into this role, I taught middle school math for 17 years. I earned my master’s degree in School Counseling and am excited to serve the Hobart community in this new capacity. Having been a Brickie myself since kindergarten, I’m passionate about helping our young Brickies grow and thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

If you’d like to discuss how we can partner together to support your child’s continued growth, I’d love to be part of that journey. Feel free to contact me at rwilliams@hobart.k12.in.us or 219-942-7263 ext. 8822.

Thank you, and I look forward to the great year ahead!

Hi, everyone! My name is Mrs. Lyndsey Deaton, and I am the Wellness Supervisor at the ELC. I work closely with Miss. Louie, the school counselor, and Mr. Williams, the behavioral interventionist. My goal is to help students form their own tools and goals necessary to help self-regulate their emotional and behavioral choices in a safe and positive way. This ensures a better learning experience for not only themselves, but those around them. A few examples of how I achieve this would be providing support within the classrooms, talking students through their emotions with calm down techniques, weekly goal checks and collaborating with teachers in weekly meetings. I am passionate about seeing students progress and grow throughout the year as they hit their behavioral goals and seeing the joy that it brings them. Feel free to contact me at 219-942-7263 x8818 or at ldeaton@hobart.k12.in.us for any questions or if you'd like to work together to ensure a positive school experience! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your child's learning journey!

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or need anything. I am here to help!

Take care,

Taylor Louie

tlouie@hobart.k12.in.us

(219) 942-7263 ext. 8804