Group Meeting: Our big day is drawing near. We talked about our program coming up tomorrow and how the day would run.
Story: Since the children enjoyed the Clifford's Thanksgiving filmstrip back in November, we decided to watch the Clifford's Christmas filmstrip. Clifford and Emily Elizabeth are preparing for Christmas. They are counting down the days until Santa arrives. On Christmas Eve, Santa mistakenly lands on Clifford's roof. He can't find the chimney. Ask you child to tell you what happens next.
Small Group: We made a paper Christmas tree using strips of paper that were cut into different lengths. The children had to put them in order form largest to smallest to make the shape of the tree. They glued a trunk to the bottom and put a star sticker on top.
Large Group: We are definitely ready for the Holiday Program! See you there!
Snacks: The morning class had Club crackers and juice brought by Addisyn. The afternoon class had apples, Cheez-its, and milk brought by Jameson. Thank you!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Costumes
Group Meeting: Today was all about the costumes. The costumes for our program are nothing elaborate. They are made of poster board and glitter, but the children were very excited to try them on today.
Story: Our story today was How Spider Saved Santa Bug. We read a book with the same characters at Halloween. Spider, Ladybug and Fly are worried. They sent letters to Santa Bug, but now the letters have come back. Santa Bug is missing. The bug friends decide to fly to the North Pole to find out where Santa is before Christmas is ruined. The bugs arrive at Santa's castle, but Mrs. Santa Bug doesn't know where he is either. With a little detective work, the bugs figure out the mystery. Ask you child to tell you where Santa Bug was found.
Small Group: The children helped me made adjustments and repairs to the costumes that they will be wearing on Thursday.
Large Group: We held a dress rehearsal today. Everything is going well. We will take a break from practicing tomorrow. We look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday.
Snacks: The morning class had apples, peanut butter, and milk brought by Addison. The afternoon class had Nutrigrain bars and milk brought by Noah. Thank you!
Story: Our story today was How Spider Saved Santa Bug. We read a book with the same characters at Halloween. Spider, Ladybug and Fly are worried. They sent letters to Santa Bug, but now the letters have come back. Santa Bug is missing. The bug friends decide to fly to the North Pole to find out where Santa is before Christmas is ruined. The bugs arrive at Santa's castle, but Mrs. Santa Bug doesn't know where he is either. With a little detective work, the bugs figure out the mystery. Ask you child to tell you where Santa Bug was found.
Small Group: The children helped me made adjustments and repairs to the costumes that they will be wearing on Thursday.
Large Group: We held a dress rehearsal today. Everything is going well. We will take a break from practicing tomorrow. We look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday.
Snacks: The morning class had apples, peanut butter, and milk brought by Addison. The afternoon class had Nutrigrain bars and milk brought by Noah. Thank you!
Monday, December 16, 2013
Group Meeting: We planned our week as we preparing for the program on Thursday. Today, we will wrap presents and practice our program in the Great Hall. Tomorrow will be dress rehearsal day. On Wednesday, the 2 Day Preschool class will be using the hall for their program, so we may not get to practice much on that day.
Story: We read The Mitten Tree. In this story, Sarah is a woman who lives alone because her children have grown and moved away. Every morning, Sarah watches the neighbor children walk to the bus stop which is by the blue spruce tree. One morning she notices that some of the children do not have mittens. She knits pairs of mittens and hangs them on the blue spruce tree. The next day, the children find them. When all of the children have new mittens, Sarah finds something on her front porch. Ask your child to tell you what it is.
Small Group: We are preparing our secret for the Holiday Program.
Large Group: We practiced the program in the Great Hall. We found that the Great Hall is a great place for making echos.
Snacks: The morning class had Go-gurt and juice brought by Dawson. The afternoon class had Fruit and Grain bars and milk brought by Wyatt. Thank you!
Story: We read The Mitten Tree. In this story, Sarah is a woman who lives alone because her children have grown and moved away. Every morning, Sarah watches the neighbor children walk to the bus stop which is by the blue spruce tree. One morning she notices that some of the children do not have mittens. She knits pairs of mittens and hangs them on the blue spruce tree. The next day, the children find them. When all of the children have new mittens, Sarah finds something on her front porch. Ask your child to tell you what it is.
Small Group: We are preparing our secret for the Holiday Program.
Large Group: We practiced the program in the Great Hall. We found that the Great Hall is a great place for making echos.
Snacks: The morning class had Go-gurt and juice brought by Dawson. The afternoon class had Fruit and Grain bars and milk brought by Wyatt. Thank you!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Group Meeting: We have been talking about gingerbread people all week, but had not tasted a gingerbread cookie. So, I stopped at Hy-vee on the way to school and bought a package of gingerbread cookies for us to try. Most of the children agreed that they were yummy. We even ate the ones with missing limbs!
Story: We read the story of The Elves and the Shoemaker. This is an old story, so I first had to explain to the children that a shoemaker was a person who made shoes by hand. In this story, the poor shoemaker has just enough leather left to make one pair of shoes. He cuts the leather and leaves it on his workbench overnight. In the morning, he finds a perfect pair of shoes waiting on this workbench. A customer comes in and offers him two gold coins for the shoes. The next night, the same thing happens. He and his wife hide in the closet to see who is making the shoes. Ask your child to tell you who it is.
Small Group: We worked on another Christmas secret. Sorry, I can't tell!
Large Group: Following the story, we played the "shoe game". The children removed their shoes. They put one in the middle of our rug and hid the other somewhere in the classroom. Then they had to select another child's shoe and find the match for it. To get their own shoes back, we reversed the process. So simple, yet so much fun.
Snacks: The morning class had graham crackers and juice brought by Grace. The afternoon class had Christmas pretzels and milk brought by Leigha. Thank you!
Story: We read the story of The Elves and the Shoemaker. This is an old story, so I first had to explain to the children that a shoemaker was a person who made shoes by hand. In this story, the poor shoemaker has just enough leather left to make one pair of shoes. He cuts the leather and leaves it on his workbench overnight. In the morning, he finds a perfect pair of shoes waiting on this workbench. A customer comes in and offers him two gold coins for the shoes. The next night, the same thing happens. He and his wife hide in the closet to see who is making the shoes. Ask your child to tell you who it is.
Small Group: We worked on another Christmas secret. Sorry, I can't tell!
Large Group: Following the story, we played the "shoe game". The children removed their shoes. They put one in the middle of our rug and hid the other somewhere in the classroom. Then they had to select another child's shoe and find the match for it. To get their own shoes back, we reversed the process. So simple, yet so much fun.
Snacks: The morning class had graham crackers and juice brought by Grace. The afternoon class had Christmas pretzels and milk brought by Leigha. Thank you!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Gingerbread
Small Group: We reviewed the story from yesterday. I showed the children materials that we had placed in the art area for them to create their own paper gingerbread person. Every gingerbread person looks a little different from the next, but they all look yummy.
Story: We read Santa's Secret Helper. In this story, Santa needs some extra help with his deliveries. He asks a special friend to help him. The special friend dresses up just like Santa, delivers toys just like Santa, takes care of the reindeer just like Santa, and says Merrrrry Christmas just like Santa. Who is this special helper? Ask your child to tell you!
Small Group: We have plastic gingerbread boy and girl toys. We used them to do patterning. We could do boy/girl patterns, hats/no hats patterns, shoes/no shoes patterns, dots/stripes patterns, etc.
Large Group: We practiced our Holiday Program. We didn't practice yesterday because I thought that the children needed a break. I was surprised at how disappointed they appeared to be because we didn't do it.
Snacks: The morning class had bread stick Handi-snacks and juice brought by Riley. The afternoon class had Pebbles cereal bars and chocolate milk brought by Kadence. Thank you!
Story: We read Santa's Secret Helper. In this story, Santa needs some extra help with his deliveries. He asks a special friend to help him. The special friend dresses up just like Santa, delivers toys just like Santa, takes care of the reindeer just like Santa, and says Merrrrry Christmas just like Santa. Who is this special helper? Ask your child to tell you!
Small Group: We have plastic gingerbread boy and girl toys. We used them to do patterning. We could do boy/girl patterns, hats/no hats patterns, shoes/no shoes patterns, dots/stripes patterns, etc.
Large Group: We practiced our Holiday Program. We didn't practice yesterday because I thought that the children needed a break. I was surprised at how disappointed they appeared to be because we didn't do it.
Snacks: The morning class had bread stick Handi-snacks and juice brought by Riley. The afternoon class had Pebbles cereal bars and chocolate milk brought by Kadence. Thank you!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Run, run as fast as you can!
Group Meeting: We are being very secretive today. We are making special plans for our Holiday Program including a surprise for our families. Please don't ask too many questions today. It's hard to keep a secret!
Story: We read The Gingerbread Man. We had read a very similar version of this story about a month ago. However, this story had a slightly different ending. I asked the children to listen and tell me how this story was different from the previous version. Ask them to tell you!
Small Group: Again, I can't tell you. Sorry!
Large Group: We acted out the story of The Gingerbread Man. The children were very good actors as they chased the Gingerbread Man all over the room. I love it when I hear the kids say, "Can we do it again!"
Snacks: The morning class had bagels and juice brought by Aiden. The afternoon class had Cheez-its and milk brought by Lily.
Mrs. Hoogheem was absent today due to illness. We hope that she returns tomorrow!
Story: We read The Gingerbread Man. We had read a very similar version of this story about a month ago. However, this story had a slightly different ending. I asked the children to listen and tell me how this story was different from the previous version. Ask them to tell you!
Small Group: Again, I can't tell you. Sorry!
Large Group: We acted out the story of The Gingerbread Man. The children were very good actors as they chased the Gingerbread Man all over the room. I love it when I hear the kids say, "Can we do it again!"
Snacks: The morning class had bagels and juice brought by Aiden. The afternoon class had Cheez-its and milk brought by Lily.
Mrs. Hoogheem was absent today due to illness. We hope that she returns tomorrow!
Monday, December 9, 2013
What a cold winter's day!
Group Meeting: We talked about giving and receiving gifts. This time of year, the children are telling me what they have put on their Christmas list. We tied this back to our food pantry field trip. Giving the food to the people that needed it was a good thing to do. We want to continue that. Your child should be bringing home a note explaining what we would like to do next.
Story: The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy is the story of a puppy, Petey, who wanted to receive a boy of his own for a Christmas gift. His mother told him that if he was good, she would get him a boy. However, when Christmas came, she could not find any boys who did not already have a puppy. So, Petey set out to find a boy of his own. Ask you child to tell you if he found a boy.
Small Group: The children were given zip-lock bags containing cubes. They were to count the cubes and determine how many were in the bag. Then, they had to find a Christmas present cut-out that had the numeral printed on it that would tell how many cubes were in their bag. They tried several times to match number with numeral. Keep counting with your children at home. We would like them to be able to count between 10-20 items.
Large Group: We practiced our program on the risers today. This puts us up high for the grown-ups to see!
Snacks: The morning class had peanut butter crackers and milk brought by Payton. The afternoon class had bananas and juice brought by Allison. Thank you!
Story: The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy is the story of a puppy, Petey, who wanted to receive a boy of his own for a Christmas gift. His mother told him that if he was good, she would get him a boy. However, when Christmas came, she could not find any boys who did not already have a puppy. So, Petey set out to find a boy of his own. Ask you child to tell you if he found a boy.
Small Group: The children were given zip-lock bags containing cubes. They were to count the cubes and determine how many were in the bag. Then, they had to find a Christmas present cut-out that had the numeral printed on it that would tell how many cubes were in their bag. They tried several times to match number with numeral. Keep counting with your children at home. We would like them to be able to count between 10-20 items.
Large Group: We practiced our program on the risers today. This puts us up high for the grown-ups to see!
Snacks: The morning class had peanut butter crackers and milk brought by Payton. The afternoon class had bananas and juice brought by Allison. Thank you!
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Group Meeting: Our tree study is now complete. We made a list of everything that we had learned about trees. It was quite a long list. I think the children were surprised at how many things we had learned.
Story: We read Froggy's Best Christmas. In this story, Froggy is celebrating Christmas for the first time because frogs typically hibernate and sleep through Christmas. Froggy's best friend Max wants Froggy to celebrate. So, he wakes him up and takes him out to find a Christmas tree. They find their friends and take a tree back home to Froggy's house to decorate.
Small Group: We reread the list of things that we had learned about trees. Each child was asked to draw a picture of something that we had learned. The pictures will be put together in a book. We will take turns taking the book home to read.
Large Group: We needed to practice our Christmas songs, but I knew the children were getting a little bored with standing and singing. I got out the parachute and we practiced singing while moving the parachute to the motions. I don't know that we got a lot of singing done, but we had fun with the parachute.
We also completed the Q page in our workbook by making 4 Q's and coloring a quilt.
Snacks: The morning class had granola bars, bananas, and juice brought by Parker. The afternoon class had crackers and juice brought by Campbell. Thank you!
Story: We read Froggy's Best Christmas. In this story, Froggy is celebrating Christmas for the first time because frogs typically hibernate and sleep through Christmas. Froggy's best friend Max wants Froggy to celebrate. So, he wakes him up and takes him out to find a Christmas tree. They find their friends and take a tree back home to Froggy's house to decorate.
Small Group: We reread the list of things that we had learned about trees. Each child was asked to draw a picture of something that we had learned. The pictures will be put together in a book. We will take turns taking the book home to read.
Large Group: We needed to practice our Christmas songs, but I knew the children were getting a little bored with standing and singing. I got out the parachute and we practiced singing while moving the parachute to the motions. I don't know that we got a lot of singing done, but we had fun with the parachute.
We also completed the Q page in our workbook by making 4 Q's and coloring a quilt.
Snacks: The morning class had granola bars, bananas, and juice brought by Parker. The afternoon class had crackers and juice brought by Campbell. Thank you!
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Group Meeting: We have been doing a lot of review this week. Tomorrow, we will wrap up our study on trees. In doing a review, I can see how much the children have learned about trees and get some ideas of where to go next.
Story: We read A Grand Old Tree. It is a tree's life story from a sapling to when the tree dies of old age. The tree flowers, grows fruit, and drops it's leaves many times. It is home to birds and animals. It's seeds begin new babies. Even when the tree dies at the end, it provides a home for a raccoon and then turns into soil so that new trees can grow.
Small Group: We are learning about the letter Q this week. We practiced making Q's on our wet, dry, try boards.
Large Group: We practiced our Christmas program today. Then we enjoyed a musical dance called "Let Me See Your Boogaloo". Ask you child to show you how they Boogaloo, Frankenstein, Hairy Gorilla, and Funky Chicken.
Snacks: The morning class had Goldfish and juice brought by Lucie. The afternoon class had grapes and milk brought by Gavin. Thank you!
Story: We read A Grand Old Tree. It is a tree's life story from a sapling to when the tree dies of old age. The tree flowers, grows fruit, and drops it's leaves many times. It is home to birds and animals. It's seeds begin new babies. Even when the tree dies at the end, it provides a home for a raccoon and then turns into soil so that new trees can grow.
Small Group: We are learning about the letter Q this week. We practiced making Q's on our wet, dry, try boards.
Large Group: We practiced our Christmas program today. Then we enjoyed a musical dance called "Let Me See Your Boogaloo". Ask you child to show you how they Boogaloo, Frankenstein, Hairy Gorilla, and Funky Chicken.
Snacks: The morning class had Goldfish and juice brought by Lucie. The afternoon class had grapes and milk brought by Gavin. Thank you!
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Group Meeting: We read the story of the Three Little Pigs yesterday. So, today I showed the children the puppets that we have to go along with this story. We have placed them in the media center so that the children can act out the story on their own. We also have the flannel board story that they can use.
Story: We are finishing up our study on trees this week. We read A Tree is Good For... This was a good book for us to use as a review. Ask your child to tell you one thing that a tree is good for.
Small Group: We learned how to use shapes to draw a house. We wanted to draw a sturdy house like the little pig in yesterday's story. We used rectangles, triangles, squares and circles. This is something that you and your child can do together. It's great for fine motor skills, learning about shapes, and how to put things together to create something else.
Large Group: We learned a few more songs and motions for our Holiday Program. I hope your child was able to tell you their part in the program.
Writing Center: We have placed Christmas card pictures in the writing center along with a few word cards so that the children can create holiday cards for friends and family.
Snacks: The morning class had Rice Krispie treats and juice brought by Carter. The afternoon class had bananas dipped in granola and milk brought by Robert. Thank you!
Story: We are finishing up our study on trees this week. We read A Tree is Good For... This was a good book for us to use as a review. Ask your child to tell you one thing that a tree is good for.
Small Group: We learned how to use shapes to draw a house. We wanted to draw a sturdy house like the little pig in yesterday's story. We used rectangles, triangles, squares and circles. This is something that you and your child can do together. It's great for fine motor skills, learning about shapes, and how to put things together to create something else.
Large Group: We learned a few more songs and motions for our Holiday Program. I hope your child was able to tell you their part in the program.
Writing Center: We have placed Christmas card pictures in the writing center along with a few word cards so that the children can create holiday cards for friends and family.
Snacks: The morning class had Rice Krispie treats and juice brought by Carter. The afternoon class had bananas dipped in granola and milk brought by Robert. Thank you!
Monday, December 2, 2013
A New Month
Group Meeting: We took a look at the December calendar to see what events would be coming up for us. Of course, the first thing that the children had to tell me was that it is now Christmas. So, we looked up that date on the calendar and realized that we have a few more days to go. We marked the date of our Holiday Program. We do not have any birthdays in December, so we will not have a Birthday Day.
Story: We read The Three Little Pigs. The version that I selected was a new one that I hadn't used before. The story is the same, but the author really stresses how the third little pig was very careful to put time and effort into his work. The wolf could not blow down his house, and the pig thought of a way to make the wolf leave the forest. Ask your child to tell you what that was.
Small Group: We are going to wrap up our Tree Study this week. We are reviewing some of the things that we have learned. We looked around our classroom to find things that are made of wood. We have a lot of furniture and toys that are made of wood. We decided that trees are very important.
Large Group: We are beginning to prepare for our Holiday Program. In the program, the children will play the part of a bell, a snowflake, a cookie, or a candle. I had them pick pictures out of a basket to determine which part they would portray. We will work a little on this program every day. You should be hearing a few new songs soon.
Art: We put pine tree cutouts at the table with tissue paper and glitter glue. The children could choose to create a tree to put on our windows for decoration. We also added green, red, gold and silver paint to the easel.
Housekeeping Area: Our grocery store is closing. The interest has subsided. Tomorrow, we will be opening a coffee/hot chocolate shoppe that also sells cookies. Yum!
Snacks: Both classes enjoyed Go-gurt and juice today brought by Hudson and Leah F. Thank you!
Story: We read The Three Little Pigs. The version that I selected was a new one that I hadn't used before. The story is the same, but the author really stresses how the third little pig was very careful to put time and effort into his work. The wolf could not blow down his house, and the pig thought of a way to make the wolf leave the forest. Ask your child to tell you what that was.
Small Group: We are going to wrap up our Tree Study this week. We are reviewing some of the things that we have learned. We looked around our classroom to find things that are made of wood. We have a lot of furniture and toys that are made of wood. We decided that trees are very important.
Large Group: We are beginning to prepare for our Holiday Program. In the program, the children will play the part of a bell, a snowflake, a cookie, or a candle. I had them pick pictures out of a basket to determine which part they would portray. We will work a little on this program every day. You should be hearing a few new songs soon.
Art: We put pine tree cutouts at the table with tissue paper and glitter glue. The children could choose to create a tree to put on our windows for decoration. We also added green, red, gold and silver paint to the easel.
Housekeeping Area: Our grocery store is closing. The interest has subsided. Tomorrow, we will be opening a coffee/hot chocolate shoppe that also sells cookies. Yum!
Snacks: Both classes enjoyed Go-gurt and juice today brought by Hudson and Leah F. Thank you!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Happy Thanksgiving!
Group Meeting: The children shared their plans for Thanksgiving. Some of us are traveling and some are staying home. Many children mentioned being excited about seeing cousins or friends that they haven't seen in awhile.
Story: We watched a filmstrip of Clifford's Thanksgiving. Yes, you read right, a filmstrip. When I first started teaching many years ago, filmstrips were very popular. I've kept them over the years and am always amazed at how much the children enjoy them. In today's story, Emily Elizabeth is going to visit her grandparents for Thanksgiving. Clifford, her big red dog, is staying with the neighbors. Clifford decides to go to the city to visit his mother. Ask your child to tell you what he sees when he gets to the city.
Small Group: We created the turkey that your child brought home today. This was a good exercise in following directions.
Large Group: We played the game "The Farmer and the Turkey". We learned this game last week and enjoyed it again today.
Art: This week, we put balloons in the paint at the easel and used them to create wonderful pictures.
Snacks: The morning class had crackers, cheese and juice brought by Evie. The afternoon class had carrots, grapes, and juice brought by Ryan. Thank you!
I'm sorry for the late post today. I had to be absent this afternoon. My mother is experiencing some medical issues and I wanted to be with her. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Story: We watched a filmstrip of Clifford's Thanksgiving. Yes, you read right, a filmstrip. When I first started teaching many years ago, filmstrips were very popular. I've kept them over the years and am always amazed at how much the children enjoy them. In today's story, Emily Elizabeth is going to visit her grandparents for Thanksgiving. Clifford, her big red dog, is staying with the neighbors. Clifford decides to go to the city to visit his mother. Ask your child to tell you what he sees when he gets to the city.
Small Group: We created the turkey that your child brought home today. This was a good exercise in following directions.
Large Group: We played the game "The Farmer and the Turkey". We learned this game last week and enjoyed it again today.
Art: This week, we put balloons in the paint at the easel and used them to create wonderful pictures.
Snacks: The morning class had crackers, cheese and juice brought by Evie. The afternoon class had carrots, grapes, and juice brought by Ryan. Thank you!
I'm sorry for the late post today. I had to be absent this afternoon. My mother is experiencing some medical issues and I wanted to be with her. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 25, 2013
Turkey Time
Group Meeting: To follow up on our field trip, we made a list of things that we learned at the food pantry. I think it may be hard for children to comprehend that some families don't have food or money to buy food, however, if we start teaching them at an early age to give to others, it will continue when they are older.
Story: Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving is the story of a class of children on a field trip. While traveling down the road, they hear a noise. When they stop to investigate, they discover a small turkey farm. They have fun with the turkeys until they find out what the farmer plans to do with them on Thanksgiving. They come up with a plan to save the turkeys. Ask your child to tell you the plan!
Small Group: We put paper turkeys in order according to the number on their feathers. They were numbered 0-13.
Large Group: We played Marching Around the Alphabet. I placed letters on the floor in the shape of a circle. The CD song tells the children to march around the circle until they hear the whistle. When the whistle blows, the children are to pick up a letter and tell the teacher what it is.
Snacks: The morning class had cheese sticks and juice brought by Luca. The afternoon class had cheese crackers and juice brought by Chloe D. Thank you!
Story: Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving is the story of a class of children on a field trip. While traveling down the road, they hear a noise. When they stop to investigate, they discover a small turkey farm. They have fun with the turkeys until they find out what the farmer plans to do with them on Thanksgiving. They come up with a plan to save the turkeys. Ask your child to tell you the plan!
Small Group: We put paper turkeys in order according to the number on their feathers. They were numbered 0-13.
Large Group: We played Marching Around the Alphabet. I placed letters on the floor in the shape of a circle. The CD song tells the children to march around the circle until they hear the whistle. When the whistle blows, the children are to pick up a letter and tell the teacher what it is.
Snacks: The morning class had cheese sticks and juice brought by Luca. The afternoon class had cheese crackers and juice brought by Chloe D. Thank you!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Field Trip
We learned a lot at our field trip today. I will put together some of the information that we learned today along with a few notes that Barb Emerson shared with me following our visit. Several parents commented to me that this is something that we sometimes forget about, and I'm afraid that I'm guilty of that as well. I am thinking about having a collection once a month of particular items to take to the Food Pantry. I'll let you know more about that as well.
Snacks: The morning class had Teddy Grahams and juice brought by Jordyn. The afternoon class had Cheese Ritz Bits and juice brought by Mason. Thank you!
Snacks: The morning class had Teddy Grahams and juice brought by Jordyn. The afternoon class had Cheese Ritz Bits and juice brought by Mason. Thank you!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Field Trip Tomorrow
Group Meeting: We are preparing for the field trip to the food pantry. We talked about how thankful we are for a warm house, good food, and clothes to wear. However, I told them that not everyone has those things. We want to help the people that do not have food or have enough money to buy food. Tomorrow, we will take food to the food pantry to help those who do not have enough.
Story: We read a Thanksgiving story called I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie. This is a book that uses the same story line as There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. However, the things that she eats are Thanksgiving items. She eats so much that she grows rather large. Ask your child to tell you what happens to her at the end.
Small Group: I wanted to see how many children would be able to retell the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I gave the children picture cards of the story and asked them to put them into the correct order. We talked about how a story has a beginning and end. The parts in the middle have to be in the correct order, or the story doesn't make sense.
Large Group: The morning class played the game "The Farmer and the Turkey". However, in the afternoon, we had birthdays to celebrate, so we didn't have enough time. We will plan to play it next week.
Snacks: Today was Birthday Day. We made turkey sandwiches, but they were not what you'd think. We took a piece of bread and used a turkey cookie cutter to make a turkey shape. We spread butter on the turkey, sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar, and added Froot Loops to make a colorful tail. We also had Birthday Brownies. The morning class did not have any children celebrating in November. In the afternoon class, we celebrated Allison and Mason's birthdays.
Story: We read a Thanksgiving story called I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie. This is a book that uses the same story line as There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. However, the things that she eats are Thanksgiving items. She eats so much that she grows rather large. Ask your child to tell you what happens to her at the end.
Small Group: I wanted to see how many children would be able to retell the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I gave the children picture cards of the story and asked them to put them into the correct order. We talked about how a story has a beginning and end. The parts in the middle have to be in the correct order, or the story doesn't make sense.
Large Group: The morning class played the game "The Farmer and the Turkey". However, in the afternoon, we had birthdays to celebrate, so we didn't have enough time. We will plan to play it next week.
Snacks: Today was Birthday Day. We made turkey sandwiches, but they were not what you'd think. We took a piece of bread and used a turkey cookie cutter to make a turkey shape. We spread butter on the turkey, sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar, and added Froot Loops to make a colorful tail. We also had Birthday Brownies. The morning class did not have any children celebrating in November. In the afternoon class, we celebrated Allison and Mason's birthdays.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
I am Thankful
Group Meeting: We discussed what it means to be thankful. I have a book that shows children expressing thankfulness for family, friends, home, etc. We read the book and named things for which we are thankful. I think this would be a great discussion to have at home. Tell your child what you will be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Story: Today, we had a Thanksgiving story. Who Will Carve the Thanksgiving Turkey? is the story of a boy who is wondering who could help his mother carve the turkey. He thinks of some animals that could help such as a shark, elephant, seal, but there are always reasons that these animals may not be just right. Ask you child to tell you who carves the turkey at the end of the story.
Small Group: After our discussion at Group Meeting, I gave each of the children a hand shaped cutout. I asked them to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful. We looked at each other's pictures and added words. Then, we took our hand shapes out into the hallway where I have a large turkey on the bulletin board. We used the hand shapes in the place of feathers for the turkey's tail and wings.
Large Group: We went to the Outdoor Classroom one more time. I think the rain forecast will put the end to our chance to get outdoors for a few days.
Snacks: The morning class had carrots, dip, and juice brought by Reese. The afternoon class had cheese sticks and juice brought by Evelyn. Thank you!
Story: Today, we had a Thanksgiving story. Who Will Carve the Thanksgiving Turkey? is the story of a boy who is wondering who could help his mother carve the turkey. He thinks of some animals that could help such as a shark, elephant, seal, but there are always reasons that these animals may not be just right. Ask you child to tell you who carves the turkey at the end of the story.
Small Group: After our discussion at Group Meeting, I gave each of the children a hand shaped cutout. I asked them to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful. We looked at each other's pictures and added words. Then, we took our hand shapes out into the hallway where I have a large turkey on the bulletin board. We used the hand shapes in the place of feathers for the turkey's tail and wings.
Large Group: We went to the Outdoor Classroom one more time. I think the rain forecast will put the end to our chance to get outdoors for a few days.
Snacks: The morning class had carrots, dip, and juice brought by Reese. The afternoon class had cheese sticks and juice brought by Evelyn. Thank you!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Thanksgiving Time
Group Meeting: We will be talking about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday for the next week. We started today by making a list of everything that we know about Thanksgiving. I asked the children if they knew where they would be spending Thanksgiving. A few said "at home" or "at grandmas". I told them to ask their parents tonight and report to the group tomorrow.
Story: To give us some information about the holiday, we read Thanksgiving Day. In this book, a class of preschoolers is putting on a play about Thanksgiving. Some are dressed up as Pilgrims and others as Wampanoags. They tell about the Mayflower, starting new homes in America, and helping each other. It ends with a turkey dinner for all.
Small Group: We are making a big sign for our grocery store. The children cut out pictures of food items from the newspaper ads and glued them onto a large piece of paper. I helped them label the food. I noticed that some children have cut with a scissors before and some have not. This is something that you can work on at home. I used to give my kids the coupon section from the Sunday paper and have them cut coupons for me. Even if I didn't use them, they felt that they were helping me.
Large Group: We went to the Outdoor Classroom. We added hoops, balls and jump ropes.
Art: We are using water colors at the easel and feathers were added to our collage items.
Snacks: The morning class had oranges and juice brought by Mason. The afternoon class had banana bread and milk brought by Lana. Thank you!
Tanglefoot Lane is open. Hooray! Please use this entrance now and make the curve to the north. See the Parent Handbook if you have any questions. Thanks for your patience!
Story: To give us some information about the holiday, we read Thanksgiving Day. In this book, a class of preschoolers is putting on a play about Thanksgiving. Some are dressed up as Pilgrims and others as Wampanoags. They tell about the Mayflower, starting new homes in America, and helping each other. It ends with a turkey dinner for all.
Small Group: We are making a big sign for our grocery store. The children cut out pictures of food items from the newspaper ads and glued them onto a large piece of paper. I helped them label the food. I noticed that some children have cut with a scissors before and some have not. This is something that you can work on at home. I used to give my kids the coupon section from the Sunday paper and have them cut coupons for me. Even if I didn't use them, they felt that they were helping me.
Large Group: We went to the Outdoor Classroom. We added hoops, balls and jump ropes.
Art: We are using water colors at the easel and feathers were added to our collage items.
Snacks: The morning class had oranges and juice brought by Mason. The afternoon class had banana bread and milk brought by Lana. Thank you!
Tanglefoot Lane is open. Hooray! Please use this entrance now and make the curve to the north. See the Parent Handbook if you have any questions. Thanks for your patience!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
The Grocery Store is Open
Group Meeting: We had a lot of activity at the grocery store today. One child commented that "there are sure a lot of people here". We went over the rules of the store and talked about taking turns being the clerk and bagger. We will have the grocery store around for a while, so we told the children not to worry about getting a turn.
Story: The children enjoyed Goldilocks and the Three Bear so much yesterday, that we decided to revisit it today. This time, I used flannel board pieces to retell the story. The children may use these pieces in the media center on Monday.
Large Group: The children acted out the story of Goldilocks. I have paper masks of the characters. We made a few primitive props. It was great. The children knew their lines without any prompting. Ask your child to tell you which character he or she portrayed. Her's a few pictures to give you an idea of what we did.
Small Group: Because of the new grocery store and interest in the art center today, we did not have a small group activity.
Snacks: The morning class had graham crackers and juice brought by Maddie. The afternoon class had applesauce and milk brought by Leah Z. Thank you!
Story: The children enjoyed Goldilocks and the Three Bear so much yesterday, that we decided to revisit it today. This time, I used flannel board pieces to retell the story. The children may use these pieces in the media center on Monday.
Large Group: The children acted out the story of Goldilocks. I have paper masks of the characters. We made a few primitive props. It was great. The children knew their lines without any prompting. Ask your child to tell you which character he or she portrayed. Her's a few pictures to give you an idea of what we did.
Small Group: Because of the new grocery store and interest in the art center today, we did not have a small group activity.
Snacks: The morning class had graham crackers and juice brought by Maddie. The afternoon class had applesauce and milk brought by Leah Z. Thank you!
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Grocery Store Grand Opening Tomorrow!
Group Meeting: Items for the grocery store are starting to come in. We will begin play tomorrow. During our group meeting, I asked the children to help me make rules for the grocery store. I told them to think about what they do when they are with their parents at the store. Some of the rules that they thought of were walk with the cart, wait a turn in line, children must stay with their parents, quiet voices, and no pets. We will make a list of these rules and post them in our store.
Story: We read Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I'm sure that most of you are familiar with this story. There are a lot of good things in this story to begin discussions. We talked about opposites, hot/cold, hard/soft, and high/low. Someone mentioned that Goldilocks did not follow her mothers instructions about staying out of the forest. Someone else said that she shouldn't have walked into a strangers house. Lots to talk about! We will visit this story again tomorrow.
Small Group: We practiced making the letter C with our wet, dry, try boards.
Large Group: We played a game called "Walk Around the Shapes". I placed shapes (circles, triangles, squares, and rectangles) on the floor. The children walked around the shapes as the music played. When the music stopped, they had to stop by a shape. There was always one shape to many. If you had a shape that was just like the remaining shape, you had to do a movement. Ask your child to tell you what that was!
Snacks: The morning class had blueberry muffins and milk brought by Lucy. The afternoon class had grapes, cheese, and milk brought by Marlie. Thank you!
Story: We read Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I'm sure that most of you are familiar with this story. There are a lot of good things in this story to begin discussions. We talked about opposites, hot/cold, hard/soft, and high/low. Someone mentioned that Goldilocks did not follow her mothers instructions about staying out of the forest. Someone else said that she shouldn't have walked into a strangers house. Lots to talk about! We will visit this story again tomorrow.
Small Group: We practiced making the letter C with our wet, dry, try boards.
Large Group: We played a game called "Walk Around the Shapes". I placed shapes (circles, triangles, squares, and rectangles) on the floor. The children walked around the shapes as the music played. When the music stopped, they had to stop by a shape. There was always one shape to many. If you had a shape that was just like the remaining shape, you had to do a movement. Ask your child to tell you what that was!
Snacks: The morning class had blueberry muffins and milk brought by Lucy. The afternoon class had grapes, cheese, and milk brought by Marlie. Thank you!
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Growing and Changing
Group Meeting: I used a non-fiction book to show how trees change throughout the seasons. We talked about how trees grow and change. We also talked about how we grow and change. I asked the children if they had ever seen pictures of their parents as children. Did the parents grow and change?
Story: We read A Tree for Pablo. It is Pablo's birthday. Every year, Pablo spends the night after his birthday with his Grandfather. Grandfather planted a tree for Pablo when he was a baby. Grandfather decorates the tree for Pablo's birthday. Pablo and Grandfather talk about the different ways the tree has been decorated each year. The pictures show Pablo growing and the tree growing as well.
Small Groups: We used Geoboards. Geoboards are plastic squares that have little pegs on them. The children stretch rubber bands over the pegs to make lines, shapes, letters and numbers.
Large Group: We sang and tapped big lines to the song Tap, Tap, Tap from Handwriting Without Tears.
Snacks: The morning class and the afternoon class had the same snacks today. Logan and Chloe S. brought cheese sticks and juice. Thank you!
The children are bringing home a note about the Grocery Store that we are adding to the Housekeeping Area.
Story: We read A Tree for Pablo. It is Pablo's birthday. Every year, Pablo spends the night after his birthday with his Grandfather. Grandfather planted a tree for Pablo when he was a baby. Grandfather decorates the tree for Pablo's birthday. Pablo and Grandfather talk about the different ways the tree has been decorated each year. The pictures show Pablo growing and the tree growing as well.
Small Groups: We used Geoboards. Geoboards are plastic squares that have little pegs on them. The children stretch rubber bands over the pegs to make lines, shapes, letters and numbers.
Large Group: We sang and tapped big lines to the song Tap, Tap, Tap from Handwriting Without Tears.
Snacks: The morning class and the afternoon class had the same snacks today. Logan and Chloe S. brought cheese sticks and juice. Thank you!
The children are bringing home a note about the Grocery Store that we are adding to the Housekeeping Area.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Group Meeting: We had a lot to talk about as we started our day. We are going to create a grocery store in the Housekeeping Area. I wanted the children to think of all of the things that we will need to get the store up and running. We made a list and tomorrow I will send home a note asking for the things that we need. I completed the name book/directory that we started on Thursday. I told the children that they could use it to practice printing the names of their classmates or if they wanted write a letter to a friend. I also told the children that they would be meeting a new friend today, Magic C Bunny (see below).
Story: The story I read today was If Big Can...Little Can. During small group time, we talked about trees growing, so I used this book to talk about how they are growing and changing as well. In the story, Little Koala is trying to keep up with Little Bear. We compared this to big siblings and little siblings. There are some things that Little Bear can do that Little Koala can't do yet. However, there are also things that Little Koala can do that Little Bear has outgrown. At the end, the find that friends need to find things that both can do together.
Small Group: I brought in some tree cookies (slices of tree trunk) so that we could look at the rings. I explained to the children that every year, the tree grows and adds a ring to the outside. If we want to know how old the tree is, we have to count the rings. The tree cookies had many, many little rings. Instead of trying to count all of them, we drew our own tree sections and counted the rings that we drew.
Large Group: We are learning about the letter C. The Handwriting Without Tears program has a special bunny to help the children remember how to make the letter C. Magic C bunny lives in a magician's hat. He reminds us to make the letter C with the curve going to the left, under the smiley face. It may seem like the letter C is not difficult to make, but for a lot of children, making curves and making them go the right way is hard. Magic C bunny helps!
Art: We added new painting sponges to the easel and colored sticks and tape to the table.
Snacks: The morning class had mandarin oranges and milk brought by Max. The afternoon class had bananas and juice brought by Lucy. Thank you!
Story: The story I read today was If Big Can...Little Can. During small group time, we talked about trees growing, so I used this book to talk about how they are growing and changing as well. In the story, Little Koala is trying to keep up with Little Bear. We compared this to big siblings and little siblings. There are some things that Little Bear can do that Little Koala can't do yet. However, there are also things that Little Koala can do that Little Bear has outgrown. At the end, the find that friends need to find things that both can do together.
Small Group: I brought in some tree cookies (slices of tree trunk) so that we could look at the rings. I explained to the children that every year, the tree grows and adds a ring to the outside. If we want to know how old the tree is, we have to count the rings. The tree cookies had many, many little rings. Instead of trying to count all of them, we drew our own tree sections and counted the rings that we drew.
Large Group: We are learning about the letter C. The Handwriting Without Tears program has a special bunny to help the children remember how to make the letter C. Magic C bunny lives in a magician's hat. He reminds us to make the letter C with the curve going to the left, under the smiley face. It may seem like the letter C is not difficult to make, but for a lot of children, making curves and making them go the right way is hard. Magic C bunny helps!
Art: We added new painting sponges to the easel and colored sticks and tape to the table.
Snacks: The morning class had mandarin oranges and milk brought by Max. The afternoon class had bananas and juice brought by Lucy. Thank you!
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Who takes care of trees?
Group Meeting: We made two lists today. The first list was of people who care for us. The second list was people who care for trees. We compared lists. Our story helped us add to the second list.
Story: Growing Trees is a non-fiction book about how trees grow, and the people who take care of them. We learned some big words. A forester is a person who cares for trees in the forest. A nursery worker cares for trees on a tree farm or tree store. An arborist is a person who cares for trees if they become sick or injured.
Small Group: The children have become interested in making projects or letters for their friends. We decided to make a book with names and pictures of our classmates so that we can print each others names on things that we are making. Today, the children wrote their names and had a picture taken to put into the book. I will print the pictures and laminate the pages tomorrow.
Large Group: We went outside to the Outdoor Classroom. A little cold, but not too bad!
Snacks: The morning class had graham crackers and juice brought by Addisyn. The afternoon class had cheese crackers and juice brought by Jameson. Jameson's favorite snack is pickles. He brought a jar along to see if anyone else liked pickles. A few children did. I saw some sour looking faces! Thank you!
Story: Growing Trees is a non-fiction book about how trees grow, and the people who take care of them. We learned some big words. A forester is a person who cares for trees in the forest. A nursery worker cares for trees on a tree farm or tree store. An arborist is a person who cares for trees if they become sick or injured.
Small Group: The children have become interested in making projects or letters for their friends. We decided to make a book with names and pictures of our classmates so that we can print each others names on things that we are making. Today, the children wrote their names and had a picture taken to put into the book. I will print the pictures and laminate the pages tomorrow.
Large Group: We went outside to the Outdoor Classroom. A little cold, but not too bad!
Snacks: The morning class had graham crackers and juice brought by Addisyn. The afternoon class had cheese crackers and juice brought by Jameson. Jameson's favorite snack is pickles. He brought a jar along to see if anyone else liked pickles. A few children did. I saw some sour looking faces! Thank you!
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Group Meeting: We have learned about foods that grow on trees. Now we will shift our focus to how people grow and take care of trees.
Story: Yesterday, our story was about how animals plant trees. Today, our story was about a person who liked to plant apple seeds. His name was Johnny Appleseed. We learned about how Johnny liked apples and growing apple trees. He traveled west with the wagon trains and planted apple trees along the way. When we finished the story, we discussed how easy it is for us to get apples and how hard it must have been for people long ago to have to wait for apples to grow.
Small Group: We are learning how to make the letter U. We practiced today using our wet, dry, try boards.
Large Group: We did a variety of gross motor skills today. I have square mats that have pictures of children on them performing a skill. We took turns looking at the different mats and performing the action that was on the mat such as skipping, jumping, crab walking, balancing, etc.
Snacks: The morning class had animal crackers and milk brought by Addison. The afternoon class had apples and milk brought by Noah. Thank you!
Story: Yesterday, our story was about how animals plant trees. Today, our story was about a person who liked to plant apple seeds. His name was Johnny Appleseed. We learned about how Johnny liked apples and growing apple trees. He traveled west with the wagon trains and planted apple trees along the way. When we finished the story, we discussed how easy it is for us to get apples and how hard it must have been for people long ago to have to wait for apples to grow.
Small Group: We are learning how to make the letter U. We practiced today using our wet, dry, try boards.
Large Group: We did a variety of gross motor skills today. I have square mats that have pictures of children on them performing a skill. We took turns looking at the different mats and performing the action that was on the mat such as skipping, jumping, crab walking, balancing, etc.
Snacks: The morning class had animal crackers and milk brought by Addison. The afternoon class had apples and milk brought by Noah. Thank you!
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
November is here
Group Meeting: We looked at the November calendar today to note the important dates for this month. There are no birthdays in the morning class, but two children in the afternoon have November birthdays. We talked about the field trip that will take place on November 21st. We also noted that we will be absent from school for two days to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Story: We read Who Will Plant a Tree? During our tree study, we have talked about planting trees from seeds. In this story, we found out that animals plant trees too, but it's usually by accident. Squirrels dig holes and hide nuts in the ground. If they forget where the nuts are, they grow into trees. Sometimes an animal gets seeds stuck to their fur. When the seeds fall off, a tree is planted. Sometimes animals eat seeds and poop them out. A tree is planted. Some children thought this was gross, others thought it was hilarious. In the end, we decided that animals are very important to the tree population.
Small Group: We sorted play food into groups according to beginning sounds. For example, one group was banana, bread, broccoli and beans. Another was pineapple, peas, and pretzel.
Large Group: Since we couldn't go outside today, we got out the parachute. We put silk fall leaves in the center and tossed them up. Then we took turns running under the parachute. Fun!
Snacks: The morning class had Go-gurt and juice brought by Dawson. The afternoon class snack was brought by Wyatt. Thank you!
Story: We read Who Will Plant a Tree? During our tree study, we have talked about planting trees from seeds. In this story, we found out that animals plant trees too, but it's usually by accident. Squirrels dig holes and hide nuts in the ground. If they forget where the nuts are, they grow into trees. Sometimes an animal gets seeds stuck to their fur. When the seeds fall off, a tree is planted. Sometimes animals eat seeds and poop them out. A tree is planted. Some children thought this was gross, others thought it was hilarious. In the end, we decided that animals are very important to the tree population.
Small Group: We sorted play food into groups according to beginning sounds. For example, one group was banana, bread, broccoli and beans. Another was pineapple, peas, and pretzel.
Large Group: Since we couldn't go outside today, we got out the parachute. We put silk fall leaves in the center and tossed them up. Then we took turns running under the parachute. Fun!
Snacks: The morning class had Go-gurt and juice brought by Dawson. The afternoon class snack was brought by Wyatt. Thank you!
Monday, November 4, 2013
What do we eat that grows on a tree?
Group Meeting: During the past few school days, we have made two lists. One list is of the things that grow on trees that animals like to eat. The other list is of things that grow on a tree that people like to eat. Today, we compared the list to see what things we both liked to eat.
Story: We reread Henny Penny. This time, I left out several words to see if the children could fill in the missing words. I stopped when we got to Foxy Loxy and asked the children what they would tell Henny Penny if they could. Many of them yelled, "stop, don't go with Foxy Loxy". At the end of the story, one little girl said, "this story has a sad ending". I agree.
Small Group: I brought several fruits from the grocery store that we had listed on our "Grows on Trees" list. We cut them open to find the seeds and tasted a few. However, we could not get the coconut open. I asked the children to think of a way that we could open it. Some suggested a hammer. Some thought we should drop it from the roof. I'll bring a hammer tomorrow and we'll see what happens.
Large Group: We tried to go outdoors this morning, but it was raining. We stayed inside and played "Animal Action". However, we did get outside this afternoon. I feel like our days of outdoor play are slipping away!
Art: We have added Nuudles at the art table and sponge paints to the easel.
Snacks: The morning class had animals crackers and juice brought by Grace. The afternoon class had pretzels and juice brought by Leigha. Thank you!
Story: We reread Henny Penny. This time, I left out several words to see if the children could fill in the missing words. I stopped when we got to Foxy Loxy and asked the children what they would tell Henny Penny if they could. Many of them yelled, "stop, don't go with Foxy Loxy". At the end of the story, one little girl said, "this story has a sad ending". I agree.
Small Group: I brought several fruits from the grocery store that we had listed on our "Grows on Trees" list. We cut them open to find the seeds and tasted a few. However, we could not get the coconut open. I asked the children to think of a way that we could open it. Some suggested a hammer. Some thought we should drop it from the roof. I'll bring a hammer tomorrow and we'll see what happens.
Large Group: We tried to go outdoors this morning, but it was raining. We stayed inside and played "Animal Action". However, we did get outside this afternoon. I feel like our days of outdoor play are slipping away!
Art: We have added Nuudles at the art table and sponge paints to the easel.
Snacks: The morning class had animals crackers and juice brought by Grace. The afternoon class had pretzels and juice brought by Leigha. Thank you!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Happy Halloween!
The children seemed to enjoy their Halloween Parties today. As I've stated before, this is the first time that I have had the children help us with the planning of the parties. I think they enjoyed it as much as I did. The pinatas were a lot of fun to plan, create and tear apart. The trick or treating at Senior Star was wonderful. Thank you to all of the parents and grandparents who helped us make this possible. I was not able to take any pictures today due to time. If anyone has pictures that they would be willing to share, I'd appreciate it if you could email them to me. Thanks!
On Monday, we should be back to our normal routine!
On Monday, we should be back to our normal routine!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
What's Your Henny Penny Name?
Group Meeting: Again, we went over our Halloween party plans to see what needs to be finished up before Thursday. This is the first time that I've had the children help with this process. I've enjoyed it and it seems that the children have, too.
Story: We read Big Pumpkin which is one of my favorite Halloween stories. If you are familiar with the old story of The Big Turnip, then you will be familiar with this one. In Big Pumpkin, a witch has planted a pumpkin seed so that she will have a pumpkin from which to make pumpkin pie for Halloween. However, the pumpkin grows so big that she can't get it off of the vine. Several of her friends, Vampire, Ghost, and Mummy stop by to help her, but they are not strong enough, either. Along comes a little bat. Ask your child to tell you what happens next.
Small Group: Yesterday, we read Henny Penny. All of the characters in this story have names that rhyme such as Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey, Goosey Loosey, Cocky Locky and Foxy Loxy. During group time today, we tried putting different letters at the front of our names to create our own rhyming name (or Henny Penny name). Ask your child if he or she remembers their Henny Penny name and make up one for yourself.
Large Group: We played a game called "Squirrels in the Trees". In this game, two children join both hands to be a tree. Another child stands between them and is the squirrel in the tree. Once everyone has a role, there is one child left to the be squirrel with no tree. That squirrel yells "run squirrels" and all of the squirrels have to leave their tree to find a new tree. However, the lone squirrel tries to take their tree. Everyone child had a turn to be a squirrel and a tree.
Snacks: The morning class had a Goldfish/pretzel mix and juice brought by Aidan. The afternoon class had Cheez-its and juice brought by Lily. Thank you!
Story: We read Big Pumpkin which is one of my favorite Halloween stories. If you are familiar with the old story of The Big Turnip, then you will be familiar with this one. In Big Pumpkin, a witch has planted a pumpkin seed so that she will have a pumpkin from which to make pumpkin pie for Halloween. However, the pumpkin grows so big that she can't get it off of the vine. Several of her friends, Vampire, Ghost, and Mummy stop by to help her, but they are not strong enough, either. Along comes a little bat. Ask your child to tell you what happens next.
Small Group: Yesterday, we read Henny Penny. All of the characters in this story have names that rhyme such as Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey, Goosey Loosey, Cocky Locky and Foxy Loxy. During group time today, we tried putting different letters at the front of our names to create our own rhyming name (or Henny Penny name). Ask your child if he or she remembers their Henny Penny name and make up one for yourself.
Large Group: We played a game called "Squirrels in the Trees". In this game, two children join both hands to be a tree. Another child stands between them and is the squirrel in the tree. Once everyone has a role, there is one child left to the be squirrel with no tree. That squirrel yells "run squirrels" and all of the squirrels have to leave their tree to find a new tree. However, the lone squirrel tries to take their tree. Everyone child had a turn to be a squirrel and a tree.
Snacks: The morning class had a Goldfish/pretzel mix and juice brought by Aidan. The afternoon class had Cheez-its and juice brought by Lily. Thank you!
Monday, October 28, 2013
It's Halloween Week
Group Meeting: We are continuing our plans for our upcoming Halloween party. We need to complete our pinatas and will work on this during art. We also have something new in the sensory table that needed a little instruction. Ask you child to tell you what was new in this table.
Story: We read Henny Penny. This is a classic story that also goes by the title Chicken Little. In this story, Henny Penny, who is a worrier, is hit on the head by a falling acorn. She doesn't see the acorn and thinks that the sky is falling. She tells her friend Ducky Lucky that the sky is falling and that they must tell the king. Henny Penny and Ducky Lucky rush to tell the king and are soon joined by Goosy Loosy, and Turkey Lurkey. However, on the way, they meet Foxy Loxy. This is where the trouble begins. Ask you child to tell you what happens next.
Small Group: The children worked on the treat bags that will be put into the pinatas for the Halloween party.
Large Group: We went to the Outdoor Classroom.
Snacks: The morning class had blueberry muffins and milk brought by Payton. The afternoon class had celery, dip, and juice brought by Allison. Thank you!
My normal routine is to complete the blog post as soon as the afternoon class is over. However, we have been having trouble with our internet connection in the afternoon. I will be contacting our server tomorrow to find out why this is happening. In the meantime, I will try to complete it from home as soon as I can. Thanks for your patience.
Story: We read Henny Penny. This is a classic story that also goes by the title Chicken Little. In this story, Henny Penny, who is a worrier, is hit on the head by a falling acorn. She doesn't see the acorn and thinks that the sky is falling. She tells her friend Ducky Lucky that the sky is falling and that they must tell the king. Henny Penny and Ducky Lucky rush to tell the king and are soon joined by Goosy Loosy, and Turkey Lurkey. However, on the way, they meet Foxy Loxy. This is where the trouble begins. Ask you child to tell you what happens next.
Small Group: The children worked on the treat bags that will be put into the pinatas for the Halloween party.
Large Group: We went to the Outdoor Classroom.
Snacks: The morning class had blueberry muffins and milk brought by Payton. The afternoon class had celery, dip, and juice brought by Allison. Thank you!
My normal routine is to complete the blog post as soon as the afternoon class is over. However, we have been having trouble with our internet connection in the afternoon. I will be contacting our server tomorrow to find out why this is happening. In the meantime, I will try to complete it from home as soon as I can. Thanks for your patience.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
We're Back!
If you've been trying to find out what's been going on at preschool lately, you probably noticed that I haven't posted for three days. Monday and Tuesday were Parent/Teacher Conference Days. I didn't have enough time on either day to sit at the computer. On Wednesday, we had computer troubles and weren't able to log on. So, thanks for being patient!
Group Meeting: We have been making plans for our Halloween Party. Today, we decided that we needed to make some decorations. We put our heads together to think of what we could create. The children were given a few ideas of what they could make at the art table.
Story: Our story was When The Monkeys Came Back. This is the story of a girl who lives near a rain forest. Every morning and evening, she hears the monkeys howling and barking in the trees. One day a man comes and pays her father a lot of money for their property. Soon, people arrive and cut down the trees and build roads. One day, the girl notices that she cannot hear the monkeys any more. Ask you child to tell you what the girl does next. This was a long book with lots of content. It may have been difficult for the children to grasp all of the concepts. However, I was surprised at how intently many of the children listened.
Small Group: We played a matching game of beginning sounds. The children had to try to match pictures of words that sounded the same.
Large Group: We went to the Outdoor Classroom. It had been a while! Although it was cold, they enjoyed it.
Art: The children used paint, glitter glue, glitter, markers, and crayons to decorate Halloween shapes.
Snacks: The morning class had carrots, dip and juice brought by Parker. The afternoon class had strawberry grahams, and milk brought by Campbell. Thank you!
Group Meeting: We have been making plans for our Halloween Party. Today, we decided that we needed to make some decorations. We put our heads together to think of what we could create. The children were given a few ideas of what they could make at the art table.
Story: Our story was When The Monkeys Came Back. This is the story of a girl who lives near a rain forest. Every morning and evening, she hears the monkeys howling and barking in the trees. One day a man comes and pays her father a lot of money for their property. Soon, people arrive and cut down the trees and build roads. One day, the girl notices that she cannot hear the monkeys any more. Ask you child to tell you what the girl does next. This was a long book with lots of content. It may have been difficult for the children to grasp all of the concepts. However, I was surprised at how intently many of the children listened.
Small Group: We played a matching game of beginning sounds. The children had to try to match pictures of words that sounded the same.
Large Group: We went to the Outdoor Classroom. It had been a while! Although it was cold, they enjoyed it.
Art: The children used paint, glitter glue, glitter, markers, and crayons to decorate Halloween shapes.
Snacks: The morning class had carrots, dip and juice brought by Parker. The afternoon class had strawberry grahams, and milk brought by Campbell. Thank you!
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Eating a Coconut Tree
Group Meeting: Now that we know about the parts of a tree, we are going to learn about what lives in a tree. I asked the children to help me make a list of things that live in a tree. Next week, we will find out if this list is correct. We've already started to do some research.
Story: We reread A Tree Named Steve. Since we have read it twice, your child should be able to tell you the major parts of the story. Why did the family name the tree Steve? What did Steve do to help the family? What happened to Steve at the end of the story?
Small Group: We counted cubes and matched the number to the numeral. We are learning to count items by lining them up so that we don't count the same item twice.
Large Group: We completed the letter H page in our workbook. We made four letters and colored a house.
Snacks: Today was Birthday Day. The children made coconut trees from the story Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The trunk was a graham cracker, the leaves were green apple slices, the coconuts were grapes, and the letters were Alpha-bits cereal. We intended to celebrate Parker's birthday in the morning, but he was absent due to illness. We did celebrate Mrs. Hoogheem's birthday. She's ___ years old (more than 5).
Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on Monday afternoon/evening for the afternoon class and Tuesday for the morning class.
Story: We reread A Tree Named Steve. Since we have read it twice, your child should be able to tell you the major parts of the story. Why did the family name the tree Steve? What did Steve do to help the family? What happened to Steve at the end of the story?
Small Group: We counted cubes and matched the number to the numeral. We are learning to count items by lining them up so that we don't count the same item twice.
Large Group: We completed the letter H page in our workbook. We made four letters and colored a house.
Snacks: Today was Birthday Day. The children made coconut trees from the story Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The trunk was a graham cracker, the leaves were green apple slices, the coconuts were grapes, and the letters were Alpha-bits cereal. We intended to celebrate Parker's birthday in the morning, but he was absent due to illness. We did celebrate Mrs. Hoogheem's birthday. She's ___ years old (more than 5).
Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on Monday afternoon/evening for the afternoon class and Tuesday for the morning class.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
More Rhyming
Group Meeting: We played another rhyming words game today. I put pictures of familiar items into a bag. The children took turns selecting a picture out of the bag and trying to think of a word that would rhyme with the picture word. This wasn't easy, so we had a lot of help from friends.
Story: We read The Biggest Leaf Pile. Four leaf friends are turning colors now that it is fall. Soon the winds blows them off of the tree. Fortunately, they land together in a big pile. A blue jay flying over tells them that they are in the biggest pile he has seen. Suddenly, the leaves begin to argue about which one of them should be the top leaf of the pile. However, they don't argue for long because something is coming! Ask you child to tell you what it is.
Small Group: We did wet, dry, try with the letter H.
Large Group: We used the wooden pieces from the Handwriting Without Tears program to create letters of the alphabet. It was too cold to go outdoors, but tomorrow, we are planning to go out for another tree search. Please dress warmly!
Snacks: The morning class had Cheez-its and juice brought by Hudson. The afternoon class had Cheez-its and milk brought by Leah F. Thank you!
Story: We read The Biggest Leaf Pile. Four leaf friends are turning colors now that it is fall. Soon the winds blows them off of the tree. Fortunately, they land together in a big pile. A blue jay flying over tells them that they are in the biggest pile he has seen. Suddenly, the leaves begin to argue about which one of them should be the top leaf of the pile. However, they don't argue for long because something is coming! Ask you child to tell you what it is.
Small Group: We did wet, dry, try with the letter H.
Large Group: We used the wooden pieces from the Handwriting Without Tears program to create letters of the alphabet. It was too cold to go outdoors, but tomorrow, we are planning to go out for another tree search. Please dress warmly!
Snacks: The morning class had Cheez-its and juice brought by Hudson. The afternoon class had Cheez-its and milk brought by Leah F. Thank you!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Rhyming Words
Group Meeting: We played a rhyming words game today called "Riddle, Dee, Dee". After I said the rhyme, the children tried to think of words that could also be included in the rhyme. For example, I used ball and call. They thought of fall, tall, and wall. This is a great game to play with children and can be played while you are waiting for something or when you are in the car. Say a word and have your child come up with a rhyming word.
Story: We read The Grouchy Ladybug. In this story, a grouchy ladybug does not want to the share aphids that it and another ladybug has found on a leaf. The grouchy ladybug starts to pick a fight with the other bug, but backs down and goes off to find someone bigger to fight with. Ask you child to name a few of the animals that the ladybug meets before deciding that sharing is better than fighting.
Small Group: We used the acorns, pine cones, and chestnuts that we have picked up from our tree study and made patterns with them. Acorn, pine cone, acorn, pine cone, etc. We made ABAB patterns, ABBA patterns, and ABC patterns.
Large Group: Because it was wet and chilly today, we stayed indoors and played Four Corners. Ask your child to tell you how we play this game.
Sensory Table: We took the rice out of the sensory table and added Moon Sand. The Moon Sand is white and clings together like wet sand, but is not messy like real sand. If your child comes home with a white powdery substance on their clothing, it's probably from the Moon Sand.
Snacks: The morning class had carrots, dip and juice brought by Evie. The afternoon class had graham crackers and juice brought by Ryan. Thank you!
Story: We read The Grouchy Ladybug. In this story, a grouchy ladybug does not want to the share aphids that it and another ladybug has found on a leaf. The grouchy ladybug starts to pick a fight with the other bug, but backs down and goes off to find someone bigger to fight with. Ask you child to name a few of the animals that the ladybug meets before deciding that sharing is better than fighting.
Small Group: We used the acorns, pine cones, and chestnuts that we have picked up from our tree study and made patterns with them. Acorn, pine cone, acorn, pine cone, etc. We made ABAB patterns, ABBA patterns, and ABC patterns.
Large Group: Because it was wet and chilly today, we stayed indoors and played Four Corners. Ask your child to tell you how we play this game.
Sensory Table: We took the rice out of the sensory table and added Moon Sand. The Moon Sand is white and clings together like wet sand, but is not messy like real sand. If your child comes home with a white powdery substance on their clothing, it's probably from the Moon Sand.
Snacks: The morning class had carrots, dip and juice brought by Evie. The afternoon class had graham crackers and juice brought by Ryan. Thank you!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Leaves
Group Meeting: We have been spending a lot of time talking about various parts of the tree. Today, we focused more on leaves. I brought in various examples of leaves. I showed the children how to do leaf rubbings so that they can see the veins in the leaves. We are watching to see how quickly the leaves in our yard will change colors and fall off of the trees.
Story: I am a Leaf is the story of a leaf from summer to fall, winter and spring. The leaf's job is to make tree food. Ask you child to name the critters that were on the leaf during the story.
Small Group: I gave the children a large basket of items that we have collected from trees. I asked the children to sort the items into categories. We made six categories of items. Then we made comparisons.
Large Group: We are learning about the letter H this week. We made the H with wooden lines and learned the H song. We went to the Outdoor Classroom as well.
Art: We had easel paint available. We also added "noodles" to our assortment of things to color, cut, and glue. I saw some pretty neat creations.
Snacks: The morning class had peanut butter crackers and juice provided by Luca. The afternoon class had Rice Krispie Treats and milk brought by Chloe D. Thank you!
Story: I am a Leaf is the story of a leaf from summer to fall, winter and spring. The leaf's job is to make tree food. Ask you child to name the critters that were on the leaf during the story.
Small Group: I gave the children a large basket of items that we have collected from trees. I asked the children to sort the items into categories. We made six categories of items. Then we made comparisons.
Large Group: We are learning about the letter H this week. We made the H with wooden lines and learned the H song. We went to the Outdoor Classroom as well.
Art: We had easel paint available. We also added "noodles" to our assortment of things to color, cut, and glue. I saw some pretty neat creations.
Snacks: The morning class had peanut butter crackers and juice provided by Luca. The afternoon class had Rice Krispie Treats and milk brought by Chloe D. Thank you!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
New Books and CDs
Group Meeting: With the bonus points that we received from our last book order, we purchased 6 books on CD for our media center. I took a few minutes to show them to the children and also reminded them about how to work the CD player and earphones.
Story: The Fox and the Falling Leaves was our story for today. A young fox notices that the leaves on his favorite tree are changing colors and falling off. He is concerned because he thinks the tree is sick. He tries to put the leaves back on the tree, but soon they are all gone. His mother tells his not to worry, it's autumn. The next morning, he wakes up and finds something beautiful on the tree. Can your child tell you what it is?
Small Group: We played a game with alphabet cards. If the group of children could identify the letter on the card, they got to keep it in their pile. However, if they did not know the letter, I got to keep the card. At the end, we counted to the cards to see who had the most. Happily, I lost every time.
Large Group: We did the workbook page for letter E. We also went to the Outdoor Classroom. We typically go outdoors everyday, but sometimes we get so busy that we run out of time.
Snacks: The morning class had Handi-snacks crackers with cheese and juice brought by Jordyn. The afternoon class had Chickadees (cheese crackers) and juice brought by Mason. Thank you!
Art: The glitter has been put away following class today. I know many of you will be happy about that, but we thought everything looked beautiful!
Story: The Fox and the Falling Leaves was our story for today. A young fox notices that the leaves on his favorite tree are changing colors and falling off. He is concerned because he thinks the tree is sick. He tries to put the leaves back on the tree, but soon they are all gone. His mother tells his not to worry, it's autumn. The next morning, he wakes up and finds something beautiful on the tree. Can your child tell you what it is?
Small Group: We played a game with alphabet cards. If the group of children could identify the letter on the card, they got to keep it in their pile. However, if they did not know the letter, I got to keep the card. At the end, we counted to the cards to see who had the most. Happily, I lost every time.
Large Group: We did the workbook page for letter E. We also went to the Outdoor Classroom. We typically go outdoors everyday, but sometimes we get so busy that we run out of time.
Snacks: The morning class had Handi-snacks crackers with cheese and juice brought by Jordyn. The afternoon class had Chickadees (cheese crackers) and juice brought by Mason. Thank you!
Art: The glitter has been put away following class today. I know many of you will be happy about that, but we thought everything looked beautiful!
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
How Do Trees Grow?
Group Meeting: We talked about how trees grow. The children knew that acorns and pine cones were seeds for trees, because we had talked about that when we found them in our yard. Today, I asked if all trees had seeds and if all seeds were the same. So, we are going to try to find different tree seeds. If you have any tree seeds at home, please send them. I am looking for maple tree seeds (children call them helicopters), apple tree seeds, peach pits, cherry pits, walnuts, pecans, etc.
Story: The book we read today was a counting book called Trees Count. The children counted leaves, knotholes, apples, pecans, and many other things that are parts of a tree. How many trees are in your yard?
Small Group: We played a shape matching game today. All of the children were able to match shapes and some were able to identify shapes such as circle, triangle, and square.
Large Group: We did two group activities today. We did the wet, dry, try part of Handwriting Without Tears for the letter E. We also went outdoors to measure the circumference of several trees with yarn. We compared the length of the yarn to see which tree was the largest.
Snacks: The morning class had Chez-its and juice brought by Reese. The afternoon class had granola bars and milk brought by Evelyn. Thank you!
Art: The children have been anxious to bring home their painted pine cones, acorns, sticks, and branches. We hope the glitter is not a problem. We have been doing a lot of vacuuming here, but it is very pretty.
Story: The book we read today was a counting book called Trees Count. The children counted leaves, knotholes, apples, pecans, and many other things that are parts of a tree. How many trees are in your yard?
Small Group: We played a shape matching game today. All of the children were able to match shapes and some were able to identify shapes such as circle, triangle, and square.
Large Group: We did two group activities today. We did the wet, dry, try part of Handwriting Without Tears for the letter E. We also went outdoors to measure the circumference of several trees with yarn. We compared the length of the yarn to see which tree was the largest.
Snacks: The morning class had Chez-its and juice brought by Reese. The afternoon class had granola bars and milk brought by Evelyn. Thank you!
Art: The children have been anxious to bring home their painted pine cones, acorns, sticks, and branches. We hope the glitter is not a problem. We have been doing a lot of vacuuming here, but it is very pretty.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Drawing Trees
Group Meeting: We repeated an activity that we did last week. I drew a tree while we sang the song "The Green Grass Grows All Around". The children remembered the parts of the tree to add while we were singing. This led into our small group activity.
Story: We reread Abiyoyo. The children really liked this story from last week. Before I read it today, I asked the children to help me remember what happened in the story. We made a list of all of the things that we could remember. Then I read it. Afterwards, we checked our list to see if there was anything that we had missed.
Small Group: We drew pictures of trees. Using the song from Group Meeting time, each children drew their own picture of trees. They included a trunk, limbs, branches, and leaves. Some of the children added nests, eggs, birds, squirrels, apples, and acorns. I will share these pictures with parents at Parent/Teacher Conferences.
Large Group: We played a game called "The Name Dance". The children took turns clapping out their name to see how many claps (syllables) were in their name. Then, the child whose name we were clapping had to show us a dance to imitate. While we chanted the name, we did the dance. Everyone enjoyed coming up with fantastic dances. I was surprised at how quickly some could figure out how many syllables were in their name.
Snacks: The morning class had graham crackers and juice brought by Mason. The afternoon class had yogurt and juice brought by Lana. Thank you!
Story: We reread Abiyoyo. The children really liked this story from last week. Before I read it today, I asked the children to help me remember what happened in the story. We made a list of all of the things that we could remember. Then I read it. Afterwards, we checked our list to see if there was anything that we had missed.
Small Group: We drew pictures of trees. Using the song from Group Meeting time, each children drew their own picture of trees. They included a trunk, limbs, branches, and leaves. Some of the children added nests, eggs, birds, squirrels, apples, and acorns. I will share these pictures with parents at Parent/Teacher Conferences.
Large Group: We played a game called "The Name Dance". The children took turns clapping out their name to see how many claps (syllables) were in their name. Then, the child whose name we were clapping had to show us a dance to imitate. While we chanted the name, we did the dance. Everyone enjoyed coming up with fantastic dances. I was surprised at how quickly some could figure out how many syllables were in their name.
Snacks: The morning class had graham crackers and juice brought by Mason. The afternoon class had yogurt and juice brought by Lana. Thank you!
Monday, October 7, 2013
Thank you to Farmer Gene
Group Meeting: Because we had such a good time at the farm, we thought that we should make a thank you note for Farmer Gene. During our meeting time, we tried to remember all of the things that we saw at the farm. It was interesting to me that the thing that the children remembered the most was the mud! Just about everyone remembered how muddy their shoes were when they went home. Now they know what it's like to be a farmer!
Story: We reread the story Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. We have put up at coconut tree on our wall. As we learn the letters of the alphabet, we will put them up in the tree. "Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom, will there be enough room? I guess we'll find out.
Small Group: The children used ideas from our group meeting and drew pictures for Farmer Gene. We will mail them to him along with a thank you note.
Large Group: We played a game called "Say It, Show It". During this game, I would hold up a numeral card and see if a child could identify it. If not, we would help them figure out the name of the numeral. We are working on numerals 1-10.
Art: We collected a number of items on our tree walk last week. We have placed these items at the art table along with paint, glue, and glitter. The children could select an item and decide what they wanted to do with it. We have glitter everywhere, but it is beautiful!
Snacks: The morning class had animal crackers, cheese sticks, and juice brought by Maddie. The afternoon class had Clementine oranges and milk brought by Leah Z. Thank you!
Story: We reread the story Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. We have put up at coconut tree on our wall. As we learn the letters of the alphabet, we will put them up in the tree. "Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom, will there be enough room? I guess we'll find out.
Small Group: The children used ideas from our group meeting and drew pictures for Farmer Gene. We will mail them to him along with a thank you note.
Large Group: We played a game called "Say It, Show It". During this game, I would hold up a numeral card and see if a child could identify it. If not, we would help them figure out the name of the numeral. We are working on numerals 1-10.
Art: We collected a number of items on our tree walk last week. We have placed these items at the art table along with paint, glue, and glitter. The children could select an item and decide what they wanted to do with it. We have glitter everywhere, but it is beautiful!
Snacks: The morning class had animal crackers, cheese sticks, and juice brought by Maddie. The afternoon class had Clementine oranges and milk brought by Leah Z. Thank you!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Wet, but fun day at the farm!
I want to thank all of the parents and grandparents who escorted us to the farm today. Even though we got wet and muddy, it was still fun. Here's some pictures.
Morning Class
Afternoon Class
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