Thanksgiving 2020

    🍂Throughout the month of November, SMART START celebrated the essence of Thanksgiving. This served as a time to foster feelings of gratitude in our students through a variety of fun festivities. 

We are most thankful to partake in these special formative experiences with our young learners!🍂

Read about our Thanksgiving unit below :

  
    📚The history of  the holiday was discussed during both indoor and outdoor storytime times and book displays. 

Here are some facts the class learned:

• The pilgrims left England and sailed to the "new world"/North America on the Mayflower ship
• The Mayflower landed in Plymouth, MA and formed a colony. 
• Life in the new world was difficult for the pilgrims
• The first Native Americans to help the pilgrims were named Samoset and Squanto.
• The pilgrims learned how to fish, hunt, plant and more from the Native Americans
• Both the pilgrims and Native Americans celebrated their gratitude by having a feast together 
• This meal began the tradition of Thanksgiving 

    🎨Appreciative artists decorated napkin holders using paint, glitter and other materials. The children wrapped their finished product to be given as a gift, saved for Thanksgiving day or to be used as décor.

   🖉Our grateful group gathered in the outdoor classroom to share some thankful thoughts on an "I am thankful" pumpkin chalk board. 

  📑  To reinforce the significance of gratitude, classmates compiled a list of what they are "So Very Thankful For" as a homework assignment. These were displayed in our classrooms for all to admire.  

  🍞🧈  Beginner bakers beamed while making school-made bread and butter. Pupils patiently poured all of the ingredients together to bake the bread and used their muscles and a marble to mix the butter. Both tasted delicious!

   

  Bread Recipe 

   🥕🥔Festive friends eagerly awaited SMART START's annual "Friendsgiving Feast". All brought in an item to share for the event and participated in preparations at school. 

   💛 Prior to feasting, peers proudly performed a thanksgiving poem. 

   🍽  Our memorable meal was a school-wide effort!

Thankful & Grateful for our SMART START families! Without them our school would not be possible🧡

Click below to view more Thanksgiving highlights 

🦃SMART START🦃

Election Day 2020

    Election Day in the United States occurred on November, 3rd. SMART START observed this monumental event by educating our young learners on their right to exercise their vote. 

SMART START Election

    Pupils participated in a mock election at school to elect their new class president. The two nominees were Barny the Barn Owl & Freddy the Fox. Each candidate displayed their agenda and students scrutinized these at our "debate". 

    All received a ballot and proceeded to the polls. Those in support of Barny marked their ballot with a "B" and those in favor of Freddy signed their ballot with an "F". After much contemplation, classmates cast their ballots and received an "I voted (kids vote too!)" sticker.  

    Parties assembled to hear the anticipated election results. Ballots were counted and a winner was announced... Freddy the Fox! Everybody was excited to inaugurate their new class president. 

    The group gathered to reflect on the election process. This time served as an opportunity for every child to express who they voted for and why. It was impressive how informed and assured they were when discussing their "political views". Peers pondered over their opposing opinions, but learned a valuable lesson of respecting differences in their friends. 

Click below to view SMART START's Election Highlights 

Children are the future and we hope to instill in them that their voices matter and should be heard!

🗳SMART START🗳

All About Kinsley!

    

    Miss Kinsley Rose eagerly embraced the role of "student of the month" during October. She proudly displayed her "All About Me" poster to her peers. Kinsley's enthusiastic energy was exhibited throughout each presentation. Extraordinary work, Kinsley!

Kinsley's Poster 

Class Presentations

    Celebrating Kinsley's 4th birthday party at school was such a treat! She brought in chocolate and vanilla cake pops and sparkly goody bags to share with friends. The class gifted Kinsley with a book and sang, "Happy Birthday" to her in English and Spanish. 

    Kinsley Rose began her education at SMART START when she was just an infant! We have witnessed her evolve from an adorable and bright baby to a perceptive and compassionate preschooler. Each year we are awed by Kinsley's growth as a student, classmate and person. We know you will continue to blossom, Kinsley!

💜SMART START💜

Happy Halloween!

🎃SMART START🎃

Health & Wellness

    Due to COVID-19, SMART START has enhanced its existing health and wellness curriculum. Educating our young learners on maintaining the well-being of themselves and others is our priority. 

Read below to learn more about our recent comprehensive unit:

Hygiene 🧼

    Pupils have been sporting their PPE (personal, protective, equipment) while participating in overall good hygiene habits such as handwashing, sanitizing and covering coughs & sneezes. 

    The class enjoyed learning the necessity of these practices during outdoor storytime. All have been encouraging one another to do their part in order to prevent the spread of germs. 

Nutrition 🍎

     Novice nutritionists have been considering what comprises a healthy diet. Foods containing essential nutrients and how they affect the body were discussed. All applied acquired knowledge to create a meal using a plate template and stickers of the four crucial food groups: protein, fruits, vegetables & grains. 

     Chefs mixed a variety of snacks to make a delicious and nutritious trail mix. 

    Preschoolers enhanced their math skills playing "Count the Cookies", an addition and subtraction game while Prekindergartners and Kindergartners engaged in a literacy lesson making "Sight Word Sandwiches." 

    Books and other related materials were observed at the themed display. 

    Problem solving, sequencing and concentration skills were increased while completing fruit patterns. 

    Peers played "musical strawberries" to songs about the importance of eating fruits. This music and movement activity was a rendition of "musical chairs." 

    The group gathered in our outdoor classroom to listen and learn about all things nutrition

    Classmates classified food groups by sorting items into five categories: protein, dairy, fruits, vegetables and grains. 

Human Body 🧠

    SMART START scientists studied all about the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Internal organs and their functions were taught through an informational read aloud. Each had a turn to wear our "What's Inside Me?" costume which portrays inside parts such as the heart, intestines, the brain and more!

    Future physicians examined X-rays using magnifying glasses, matched organs using magnets and tended to the needs of their "patients". All used their newfound understanding of the human body during this hands-on activity. 

    Students used stickers of internal organs to precisely label their human body template. 

    Prospective surgeons strengthened their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while playing the classic game "operation". This time also served as a pretend play opportunity as all wore gloves, medical masks and imagined they were performing an actual surgery.

    Friends had fun assembling and creating their own bodies using potato head toys. 

     

🔍SMART START🔎

All About Ava!

 

    September was all about Miss Ava! She did a phenomenal job creating her "All About Me" poster and presenting it at school. All were dazzled by Ava's dedication to this assignment and her stellar performance. Amazing job, Ava!

Ava's Poster

Class Presentations 

    The class had an awesome time at Ava's 5th birthday party at school! Ava shared delicious cupcakes and fun goody bags with her classmates. Friends sang "Happy Birthday" to Ava in English and Spanish and gifted her with a book on her favorite school subject: Science! 

    Ava has been coming to SMART START for about two years! She is insightful, intelligent and attracts the attention of her peers. Ava accomplished numerous of her goals this year. We are so excited to see what you will achieve next, Ava! 

💗SMART START💗

Back to School 2020/2021

    SMART START's academic year commenced early September. We highlighted each of our pupils by taking their picture with our "Back to School" sign. Our young learners are all unique and we wanted to showcase their individual talents, characteristics and interests. 

Here are the preschool, pre-k and kindergarten student spotlights for the 2020/2021 academic year: 

📚SMART START📚