We’ve begun our alphabet unit here at Harbor City School!  Peter and I have noticed how excitedly our students respond to anything having to do with the alphabet.  They love finding the letter that begins their names when we write them on the sidewalk, as well as using the magnetic letters to spell their names on the white board.  In response to this, we’re implementing a 26-week program (eep!) wherein we’ll study one letter each week.  We’ll begin the week with a book that prominently features that letter, use stencils to paint the letter of the week, and post our weekly letter on the wall.  At the end of each week, each child will have family homework for the weekend: creating a letter collage!  As we move through the unit, if it feels like one week is too long to spend on a single letter, we’ll quicken the pace.  Some days will focus more heavily on the letter of the week, while other days we’ll have a different small-group project with less alphabetic emphasis.

Today we began our study of the letter A.  We read a new book called Amanda and Her Alligator, which also featured our classroom puppet, Chuck!  We noticed that we have 1 friend at school today whose name starts with the letter A, and many of us have the letter A somewhere in the middle or end of our name.  We made giant A stencils and found items around the room that begin with the letter A.  We also jazzed up the ABC Song and sang it together as we walked to the park!