Rocky Hill Cooperative Nursery School

“Look at me! I’m doing it! “ Not all of our learning happens in the classroom! We have a beautiful playground/park we use everyday. One school rule that disappoints our youngest students every year is “no baby swings.” They look at the “big” swings with suspicion. Now, at the beginning of October, many eyes are bright, shining, and full of pride. They can “pump!”

Quote of the Day:

"Mrs. Linden, I painted a picture of you!"

"Oh, it's beautiful, but where are my arms?" (This was one of my returning students, so I knew I'd had arms in the past!)

"It's an abstract."

We had a marvelous first day of school yesterday! The mixed ages work out so well! The returning students were proud of their "experienced" status, and our new "threes" were able to learn by example.

I'm so excited about the schedule. Everyone benefits from the large group, yet each "age" has their own smaller group day(s) which can be tailored to them!

It's been a beautiful summer so far, and here's hoping everyone is well!

RHCNS may not be in session right now, but it doesn't mean we haven't been busy! July and August are usually when I start planning the curriculum for the upcoming year. I don't like to do the same things over and over again; it's a good time to review what worked and what didn't, and research new ideas, theories and activities.

Yesterday we went to the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association's Buttinger Nature Center.

As always, the highlights were the turtles and Mrs. Linden holding a SNAKE!

We were lucky to see the mud turtle with an egg! We watched her carry it around her tank, then EAT it!

Check out their website, it's a WONDERFUL place.

www.thewatershed.org

More photos in the image gallery!

Here's what the children especially liked:

JY: I liked looking at the big turtle and the one that was running FAST!
PL: The toy frogs and the fast turtle, too.
AbM: The birdhouse.

Numeral recognition, sequencing, eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination, balance, bilateral integration of the lower extremities, sharing, turn-taking AND stimulating the brain at the same time! (Try THAT with a worksheet!)

On Thursday, our classroom was "abuzz" with activity! The children took on the various roles that bees have in a hive! The Queen sat in her chair wearing a crown. We had bees that used paper fans to keep the hive at the proper temperature! Our "field bees" flew around to the flowers in the room to gather the "pollen" in their "pollen baskets" on their legs! When they returned to the "hive," they did a "waggle dance" to tell the other bees where the flowers were! Other bees took the pollen and made it into honey!

Hooray! A new feature! Click on "Images" to see some photos!

Many children become frustrated when given a jump rope! They think they can automatically spin it quickly and jump! This is when it's essential to take a simple skill and apply a "task analysis." (I had to do this a lot in college, and the time I didn't quite understand why, now it's automatic!)

How to jump rope:

1. Lay the rope on the ground.
2. Stand behind it, jump over with two feet. Repeat several times.
3. Pick up rope. Hold arms out to sides, put rope behind you.

Spring has come to Rocky Hill, NJ!

We've been thoroughly enjoying the beautiful weather!

Some of our outside activities (besides enjoying the playground!) have been playing with the parachute, jump ropes, and our new playground balls! Keep saving those Campbell Soup labels!