Here are teacher recaps from Preschool Director Chu Hsi Tseng’s June 2024 newsletter to give a peek into the Preschool classrooms in action.
Preschool Orange Class with Fu Laoshi, Chen Laoshi & Zhuang Laoshi
It’s harvest time! We had a blast harvesting our potatoes and green onions, and then turning them into yummy roasted potatoes, French fries, and green onion pancakes. Celebrating our harvest was so fun, and we learned valuable lessons about caring for plants, being patient, and not wasting food. While our cherry carrots didn’t grow as well and the snow peas are still growing, it adds to the excitement of nurturing our plants and waiting for a great harvest.
We also kicked off a fun discussion about animals! We explored how plants and animals are alike and different, helping the kids understand their unique needs. Sorting and categorizing animals was super engaging, boosting our observation and explanation skills. A huge thank you to our preschool director Chu Hsi, Alice’s grandma Anne, and Aiden Y.’s mom for sharing cool stories and knowledge about cats, snails, and dogs. Their visits made our learning more exciting and deepened our understanding of caring for different living things.
To celebrate what we did and learned this school year, we made and ate granola bites on June 8, and had a dance party at the end of the day. Before the party, we discussed what the ingredients were and where they came from. We learned that almost all of the ingredients we need for making granola bites started with a little seed. People need to take care of them, and it takes a lot of work until it’s ready for our dinner table. We learned to appreciate what we have! We also want to take this opportunity to appreciate all of the parents. Thank you for all the support you have given us, and your understanding. We couldn’t have had a smooth school year without your help. Have a wonderful summer!
Preschool Gold Class with Chang Laoshi & Hu Laoshi
By connecting the concept we learned last month about cycles, the Gold Class friends have been identifying what cycles mean. One child said, “Cycle means it won’t stop. 它（循环）不会停。” Another explained, “Weeks and months are also cycles. 十二月然后又是一月。” As we continued to explore this concept, we started to make connections to our environmental problem with garbage, which harms both animals and us. We read the storybooks The Mess That We Made by Michelle Lord and Plastic Island by Lee Myung-ae. The follow-up discussions sparked the young minds, and we are learning how some garbage can be recycled and reused. We are brainstorming possible actions we can take, such as recycling and composting, picking up trash, and choosing reusable materials. We hope that by delivering this message, we can also encourage them to contribute to a better world in the future.
Preschool Red Class with Roan Laoshi & Feng Laoshi
Thank you, Red Class, for the wonderful school year! During the last few weeks of school, we delved into the topic of taking care of the earth. We made efforts to recycle, compost, and minimize the use of the landfill bin. Remembering to turn off the lights when leaving the classroom became a habit, and the students were conscious of the paper they used, knowing it comes from trees, so they aimed to use it efficiently to minimize waste. After the unit, we are all more conscious about doing our part to take care of the Earth, and hopefully, this lesson will continue to guide us throughout life. Hope you all have a great summer!
Preschool Green Class with Tsai Laoshi & Chen Laoshi
As we wrap up our last unit, “Care for Earth, Nurture Life,” the Green Class created a beautiful song, writing their own lyrics and taking turns to craft the melody. This song serves as a gentle reminder to protect our earth through simple daily actions like turning off lights, using less plastic, and conserving water.
Our fruit study was another highlight, inspired by a book about how seeds travel differently and continue their life cycles. Each student brought in a fruit, and we had so much fun examining the size, quantity, and weight of the fruits and their seeds. We discovered which seeds were edible and even prepared our own snacks!
In celebration of AAPI month, we learned about the delightful shaved ice culture during our community time. We used the fruits we brought to make refreshing popsicles, which was a sweet way to celebrate our time together. It was a joy to see how much we’ve grown—becoming a year smarter and more creative.
We also had heartfelt discussions about moving to our new campus. The children shared their hopes and what they’d like to bring along. We all agreed on the importance of continuing to make wonderful memories and savoring every moment together before the school year ends, just like in the picture book Memory Jars that we read.
The Green Class has blossomed beautifully this year, and we are so proud of each student’s growth and achievements. We look forward to the new adventures that await us on our new campus!