The Three's Handbook

WELCOME to the SHOOTING STARS CLASSROOM!!

Hi, we would like to extend a friendly welcome to your child and his/her family. The Shooting Star’s class is a developmentally appropriate classroom for 3 year olds. Our activities will help to develop your child’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Our curriculum will include math concepts, science, music, art, language, geography, problem solving, self-help skills, fine/gross motor skills, self-esteem building, and listening skills. Each child will have the opportunity to interact with others and also receive individual attention.

Open-door Policy: We welcome all parents to stop by anytime and join us in our day.

Classroom Setup: Please label the items you bring in for your child to insure their return.
*Mail slots: Each child has a mail slot on top of the bin cabinet. Please check them daily for notes and crafts that go home.
*Bins: Each child has a labeled bin (“cubby”). Please be sure to provide a complete
extra set of season appropriate clothes for your child (shirts, pants, socks, and
underwear).
*Parent Information Board: This is the area where parents can gather all the information for our classroom. Our lesson plans, daily schedule, snack, and lunch menus will also be posted.
*Nap time: Naps are taken between 12:30 and 2:30 daily. We provide the sheet and cot. Your child may bring a blanket, pillow, and one small soft toy to sleep with if desired. These items will be sent home every Friday to be washed.

Absences: If you know your child will not be attending a day of school, or will be coming in late, please call the Children’s House Office (523-0122) by 9:00 so we are able to have a lunch count for that day.

Medicine Policy: When your child requires medication, please sign it in on the medicine form located on the cabinet above our sink. Please be sure to write the time, dosage, and prescription number. We do keep all medicines in a locked box on a shelf. All medicine must go home every Friday.

Reward Program: Each child will start the day with his or her star on the bright shining star at the top. If bad choices are repeated, his or her star falls to the middle, then to the bottom. If the star stays at the top all day, the child adds a sticker to his or her chart. As the chart fills, rewards will be given.

Video Day: Thursday’s are our video day. All children are welcome to bring in videos to share with their friends (G-rated).

Circle Time: During this time we will talk about our calendar (days of the week, seasons, months), counting, and the day’s weather. We will also use this time to introduce the day’s “big idea”. We’ll read stories, sing songs, and play games that support our unit of study.

Birthday Parties: We encourage all children to celebrate their special day with their friends. Due to DCFS regulations, all treats must be store bought. Please check with teachers about allergies in the classroom. We are a peanut and rice free center.

Dress Code: Please dress your children in play clothes. Girls must wear shorts under their dresses. Please make sure your child has appropriate footwear, as we take many walks and play outside.

Summer Program: In the summer time, the Shooting Stars will be walking to the library Illinois State Museum, taking swimming lessons at the YMCA, and different field trips throughout the summer. This is a great way to have fun and learn in a different environment than the classroom. Information will be sent out during the month of May. Consent forms will need to be signed.

Daily Schedule – Shooting Stars

7:30-8:30 Free choice

8:00-8:40 Clean up

8:40-9:00 Circle time

9:00-9:30 Breakfast

9:30-10:00 Activity time (centers)

10:00-10:30 Gross motor activities (playground/playroom)

10:30-11:15 Activity time (centers)

11:15-11:30 Clean up

11:30-12:15 Lunch

12:15-12:30 Clean up lunch/Bathroom

12:30-2:30 Nap

2:30-3:00 Snack

3:00-3:50 Activity time

3:50-4:00 Clean up

4:00-5:00 Gross motor

5:00-5:30 Rainbow Room

Skills-Concepts for the Three’s Room

Children between the ages of 36 to 48 months of age expand his/her cognitive, affective, and physical growth. During your child’s time in the Three’s room, the listed abilities will emerge as they turn four. The variety of activities in the Three’s classroom is designed to help every child to meet these goals. The following is a list of the concepts and goals for a child turning four.

COGNITIVE

Personal Curiosity/Autonomy
1. Shows curiosity and the need to investigate/explore anything new
2. Asks questions (Who?, What?, When?, Where?, or Why?)

Senses
3. Demonstrates accurate sense of touch, smell, and taste
4. Identifies common sounds
5. Places objects on their outlines
6. Observes objects closely

Memory
7. Recalls three objects that are visually presented
8. Identifies what’s missing from a picture
9. Acts out simple everyday activities

Logical Thinking
10. Places three pictured events from a familiar story in sequence and expresses each picture sequence in three thoughts

Relationships
11. Pairs related objects and pictures, such as shoe and sock
12. Recognizes which doesn’t belong in a group of three items
(examples: banana, chair, and apple)

Creativity
13. Draws a face with facial parts and stick arms and legs
14. Dramatizes a simple story
15. Uses animistic thinking (stuffed animals have human characteristics)
16. Plays using symbols (objects stand for real objects)

Language

Sentence Structure
17. Speaks in four to six word sentences
18. Uses I, you, me he, and she correctly
19. Engages in simple conversation
20. Memorizes and repeats simple rhymes, songs, or finger plays of 4 lines
21. Understands sentences and questions as indicated by a relevant response
22. Names plural form to refer to more than one
23. Describes action in pictures

Listening
24. Listens to short stories and simple poems
25. Follows two directions
26. Understands opposites (up/down, open/closed, stop/go, happy/sad, etc.)
27. Understands prepositions (in, out, over, under, on, off, top, bottom, in front of, in back of)

Labeling
28. Names concrete objects in environment
29. Recognizes and names articles of clothing worn
30. Recognizes and names pieces of furniture

Self
31. Points to and names body parts (head, hands, arms, knees, legs, chin, feet, and face parts)
32. Tells own full name, sex, and age
33. Feels good about self and abilities

Social Studies/Interpersonal
34. Enjoys being with other children
35. Begins learning the give and take of play
36. Begins participation in a group

Concepts
37. Begins to understand that self and others change
38. Understands that parental figures care for home and family
39. Understand that people are alike and different in how they look and feel
(3 ½ to 4 years of age)

Math/Counting
40. Rote counts to ten
41. Understands number concepts (when presented with a given number of objects, child can tell how many there are up to six)

Classifying
42. Sorts objects into two given categories (by size, shape, or color)

Size Differences
43. Understands concepts of full and empty
44. Understands big/little, tall/short

Shapes
45. Points to and labels shapes
46. Matches shapes (circle, square, triangle, and rectangle)

Sets
47. Matches sets containing up to five objects
48. Constructs sets of blocks when given a model

Science

Concepts
49. Understands that there are many kinds of animals
50. Understands that animals move in different ways
51. Understands that most plants make seeds for new plants
52. Understands that seeds grow into plants with roots, stems, leaves, and flowers
53. Understands that air is everywhere
54. Understands that water has weight

Colors
55. Matches colors
56. Points to appropriate color upon command
57. Names three primary colors (red, yellow, and blue)

Gross Motor

Arm-Eye Coordination
58. Catches a large ball from 5 to 8 foot distance
59. Throws a ball overhand with accuracy from 4 to 6 foot distance
60. Rolls a large ball to a target
61. Throws a bean bag at a target 5 feet away

Body Coordination
62. Walks forward/backward on and 8 foot line
63. Jumps three jumps with both feet
64. Hops on one foot two or more times
65. Moves body in response to simple teacher commands
66. Walks on tiptoe
67. Rides a tricycle
68. Claps with music

Fine Motor

Finger Strength and Dexterity
69. Makes balls and snakes with clay
70. Pastes with index finger

Eye-Hand Coordination
71. Strings at least four half inch beads
72. Puts pegs into pegboard
73. Screws and unscrews nuts, bolt, and lids of various sizes
74. Holds crayon with finger rather than fist
75. Paints with a large brush on large piece of paper
76. Copies horizontal lines, vertical lines, circles, crosses, diagonal lines
77. Uses scissors but does not necessarily follow lines
78. Puts together a 6 or 7 piece puzzle
79. Laces following a sequence of holes

*The Skills/Concept exert is taken from “Year ‘Round Activities for Three-Year-Old Children”, written by Anthony J. Coletta, Ph.D. & Kathleen Coletta.