Thurday, April 14,2011

Today in the Preschool room we did a worksheet on the letter "E". The children learned about some words that started with E. Than they glued them onto an egg!  Malachi inspired the class to do some free art. All the children wanted to make their own design and give it to their parents. I enjoy seeing the children be so creative.

(Fine motor and new vocabulary words, imaginative)

We had lunch early today as we will be doing a tornado drill at 1:30. We had a discussion about what is expected from the children such as lining up nicely, no running or talking when we hear the alarm go off. The children were very curious about this and asked lots of questions. Malachi was asking about what is a tornado and how does it happen. So we did a little mini lesson on tornadoes. 

This afternoon we will be working on sounding out letters and I will be working with the kids to see how much they can write the alphabet on their own. This will help me know what letters each child needs improvement on.

(fine motor, writing)

WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2011

This week in the Preschool room we started talking about eggs. We talked about the color of eggs and the difference between an egg that is not cook compared to an egg that has been cook.
(observation)

We compared what would happen if we dropped a hard boiled egg verses a raw egg. We came to the conclusion that the shell would only break open if the egg was raw. The children observed that when the egg was cooked the shell would only break in pieces. The children really enjoyed observing eggs in different ways.

(science)

Today we made deviled eggs for the whole center. Some of the children did not like them at all. the children got to do the whole process in making them. They all took turns stirring the eggs and mayo, and taking a spoon and dropping them into the eggs.
(cooking, fine motors)

In the afternoons we have been having our snack outside and doing story hour as well. Today Keller and Mia were working together as a team and taking turns pushing each other on the bike. It was nice to see them settting an example on how to share and be kind to our friends. Then all of our friends got to take a turn on the bike and work together as a class. It was a pleasant day.
(gross motors, socializing, teamwork)

Toddler News

Hello and good afternoon parents of the toddler room.  Early this morning the children had some free play time. They played puppets with Ms. Jessica.  The kids love to talk to the puppets and they also love to tickle Ms. Jessica with them or be tickled. Some of the children that weren't to fond of the puppets in the beginning are warming up to them. They also played with the kitchen and made lots of food for Ms. Tiffiney to eat.

(social skills and language)

For our project today, the children used the dot dabbers to color their Easter egg. They did a great job sharing and taking turns using the dotters. They turned out to be very colorful eggs that we will be hanging in the room to enjoy for this week and next week.

(fine motors)

Due to the beautiful day outside we spent a good hour out on the play ground. The sand box was open today and they loved it. Although when we came inside it seemed like they brought half of the sand box with them. But at least they had fun.

(sensory and gross motor)

Before lunch the children helped make their beds for nap today. They did a great job and we always encourage the children's independence.

(fine motor)

Later on this afternoon we hope to have story time. The stories we will be reading are

Jack and the Jellybeanstalk and Some Bunny Loves You. We also hope to play with colored shaving cream as our sensory for the day, play hide and seek as are movement, and sing Do your ears hang low for our music.

(language, listening, sensory, and music and moement)

Toddler news

This week and next we will be doing an Easter theme.  We have alot of fun projects lined up.  Today we did our bunny and egg pictures that we made our names on with glitter.  The children enjoyed using markers along with crayons today.  An of course glitter is a blast to use!
( Fine motor skills )

Our stories today were Happy Easter Little Critter and Peter Cottontail.  All the children really liked the coloful pictures in these books.
( Listening and Language skills )

Later today in the afternoon we hope to get outside and enjoy the great weather.  Also the children will be able to play in our sensory table filled with Easter fun. 
( Gross motor and Sensory skills )

On a side note Thank You to all the parents who bring back the project folder each monday! 

Toddler News

Early this morning the children enjoyed are new singing puzzles. They have been a great hit.
(fine motor and sharing)

We also changed the sensory table for next week and the kids loved playing with that this morning. We put Easter grass, rubber ducks, and plastic eggs in the sensory table. 
(sensory and fine motor)

For story time this morning we read Waiting Out the Storm, Rain, and Diary of a Worm.  The children all enjoyed listening to the stories.
(Language and Listening)

For their project today they just finished up the rain hats and umbrellas to add to their life size portrait.
(Fine motor)

FRIDAY APRIL 8,2011

Today in the Preschool room we went to story hour at the library. Mrs. Sara read stories about camping and hiking! There was also a special guest who came to talk about hiking. She had a bag full of all the things you would need to bring while hiking in the woods. She had glasses, a water bottle, lights and a compass. The children really enjoyed looking in her bag. We also checked out books about bunnies and eggs.

In the morning we  made pink play dough for next week. All the children helped mix it together and find all the indigents.

Here is the recipe to make play dough if you would like to do it at home.

1 cup of flour

1 cup of water

2 teaspoons of cream of tartar

1/4 cup if salt

2 tablespoons of oil

Blend all together in a saucepan.

Cook on stove top until dough becomes harder. Medium heat.

 Then let cool on alumina foil.

This afternoon we will be decorating paper eggs to hang from our ceiling as next week our theme will be about eggs.

Toddler News

Early this morning the children played with some new singing puzzles we got for our classroom. The children loved them and had a blast playing with them.
( sharing, fine motor, and language )

For story time today we read several books. We were all sitting on the story rug and the children just kept bring us books to read. They really enjoyed the story time today. The children love being able to pick out the books they want us to read.
( language and listening )

Today we were able to finish two projects that will be added to the children's life size portraits. The children used the dot dabbers to color their rain hats and they sponge painted their umbrellas. These will also be added to their life size portraits.
( fine motor and sensory )

During free play the children had a great time playing with our puppets. Ms. Jessica also enjoyed getting down with the children and interacting with the puppets.

( sharing and language )

This afternoon we will try to get outside for some fresh air and possibly do some sensory with shaving cream.

THURSDAY MARCH 7TH, 2011

Today in the Preschool room we started out with circle time reading the story Sloppy Joe. This story was very funny as it talked about a little boy who was always sloppy. We talked about how cleaning up after ourselves makes us not sloppy. The children enjoyed this story and wanted me to read it again, so we did! 

Payton and Mia working hard!

After circle time our morning project was making baby puppets out of paper bags. We had tiny paper bags and decorated them as if they were just babies. 

Then the children wanted to make mommy puppets for the babies so we did. The children spent most of the morning making these.

We also had a cut out of the letter P where the children had to cut out all the words that start with P and glued the words on. This was great for letter recognition and fine motor skills. 

After we were all finished up with our projects we went for a walk outside where we saw a yellow race car! The children were mesmerized by this race car. We finished up our walk and sat down for lunch which was goulash and pears. Mrs. Michelle told them to find the treasure which was golden corn in the goulash. The children become very excited and ate their lunch well! 

During nap time Mrs. Michelle and Mia were being very silly together!

In the afternoon we will be working on our first and last names and going outside. 

Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

Today in the Pre School room we started out the morning with a new friend from the high school. Our new friend read many stories to them. The children loved seeing a new face. After circle time we did our morning project with making paper bag puppets. We talked about how their are many different ways to make puppets.

 After our morning project our new friend played in the dramatic area with them. She pretended that she was baking them cookies and they all sat around the table and ate the pretend cookies. It was really fun to watch! Very good little actresses and actors in the classroom!

Keller, Payton, and I built a house and a train track together in the block area. After we built it one way, we would knock it down and make it another way. We used all the blocks in the area to see how many different ways we could build.

We went outside, and Miss Ruth brought her dog by to show the children. All the children wanted her dog to become our class pet! The children played fetch with the dog and had lots of laughs!

In the afternoon we did music and movement with rhythm sticks. Then Malachi and Mia put on a puppet show for us. It was very entertaning.





We ended the day with practicing the sounds of each letter, and writing our last names. We have been working very hard on writing our first and last names.

Tuesday, April 5th,2011

Today in the Pre School room, the children got to decide what they wanted to do today! The children really enjoyed planning out their day. It gave them the opportunity to have a little bit of independence and to see what the children really enjoy through out the normal routine of each day.


We started the day with circle time as normal. We read the story Spring has Sprung, and talked about the four seasons and how each of them are different.  We made a list of all the differences. Then the children decided their morning project should be making necklaces. We made them out of string and beads, we also made matching bracelets. After our morning project was finished we did some free play inside the classroom. Normally free play is about 30 minutes and today they only did 20 minutes of it, which  I was surprise they did not want to go longer.


Before lunch time, Keller said he wanted to go for a walk, and the whole classroom voted and we went for a walk. During our walk, we were watching for birds and squirrels.  We had counted 10 birds and 4 squirrels that we saw on our walk. We also talked about safety when crossing the road as a refresher.

In the afternoon we traced the letter P and came up with words that have P in it or that started with it. The children are really getting so good at knowing the sounds of letters. I was very impressed with how many words they came up with.

We finished up the day by playing outside. Some of the children were playing kick ball and some were playing house.

Toddler News

Early this morning Ms. Tiffiney took out some musical instruments for the children to play with. The children enjoyed running around the room making lots of different sounds.
(gross motor and sharing)

We also played with some of our new friends in our room. They are puppets Fred, Mary, Bob, and Pippy and the children just adore then and love playing with them.
(social skills and language)

Our project of the day was marble painting rain boots for the kids to add to their life size portraits. Some children were also able to make up their finger painted rain coats that we did yesterday and finish coloring their life size portrait.

(fine motor and sensory skills)

Before lunch the children all sat down for story time. Ms. Jessica read Roger's Umbrella and Rainy Day Rhymes.
(listening and langauge skills)

Later this afternoon we hope to get outside and get some fresh air. We will also be playing with play dough and bring out the felt broad with the shapes.
(sensory and fine motor skills)

MONDAY, APRIL 4,2011

Today in the Pre school room we are learning about puppets. Puppets are a great for communicating and expressing feelings.This week we will be examine all the different types of puppets we have in the classroom and graphing it. The letter of the week is P. I have new centers in the classroom, one center is classify buttons by color, the writing area, and we have mama vs. baby which is a center where the children identify baby animal names and adult animal names.
  
This morning we had cloth puppets and the children were able to design their own puppet. Some made themselves and some made nurses and tain conductors. (self expression, creative art)

 In the afternoon the children put on a puppet show. It was a great way to use their imagination and work together as a team. The children are really enjoying learning all about puppets.

Toddler News

Welcome to another week in the Toddler Room. This week we will be talking and learning about April Showers. Unfortunately the rainy weather we are having is perfect timing for us to talk about April Showers.
This morning we had story time. We read April Showers and Rainy Day Rhymes.
(Language and Listening)
We were also able to get outside for a little while. It was a little damp and chilly so we were not out long, but while out the children had free play and did a great job sharing and taking turns.
(Social skills and Sharing)

This week we are going to be working on one big project. This morning we start the first step and that was a life size portrait of each child. Later this afternoon they will be coloring the clothes and other features on their life size portraits. Through out the week we will be adding different rain gear to their portraits.
(Listening, Taking turns, and following derections)

Today with the Toddlers

Happy April Fools Day!

Today we all "acted a fool" in the toddler room with a rousing game of follow the leader!  Toddlers love to immitate!  We also finished the rest of our lady bug projects and catterpillar projects.  We had so much fun.  We also watched the rain out the window and learned "April showers bring May flowers." we cant wait!

Toddler News

This morning the children started working on their Caterpiller project with Ms. Tiffiney. They were given a piece of paper with paint on it and some cotton balls. They were asked to spot paint and/or spread the paint using the cotton balls. Later today when it is dry we hope to cut the circles out and then have the children glue them together to form a Caterpillar.

(fine motor skills, following direction, and sensory)




Before lunch the children and Ms. Jessica were able to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. The children enjoyed some free play. Some played on the teeter taters together while some took turns on the little toy bike. Ms. Jessica and the children also practiced kicking the ball back and forth.
(large motor skills)

Later this afternoon we hope to read Aaaarrgghh! Spider! and The Eensy-Weensy Spider during story time. We're also hoping to finish up any other projects the children may have not finished so they can be dry and sent home tomorrow.
(listening skills, language skills, and fine motor skills)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30th

Today in the Pre-School room we found all the objects in the classroom that starts with B. It was nice watching the kids being able to recognize the sounds of letters. 

(language)

We also enjoy music and movement today. We listened to Sticky bubble gum CD by Carole Peterson.

(gross motors)

During nap time, the children who did not nap worked on their names. I wrote out their names and the children had to use sticky balls to put on each line of their names. This was great for them to use fine motor skills and language.

Since it was a beautiful day, we took an afternoon walk and observed the signs of spring. Keller said " Its springtime when you can see grass and not snow" all the children came up with some good observations about spring. (Science and socializing)

Toddler News

This morning the children enjoyed some music time. They played with the drums, piano, and the Shakers all while dancing around the room.
(large motor skills and sharing.)

Later this morning they put the finishing touches on their ladybugs and award trees. They painted with brushes but some also used their hands. Which is always a great sensory.
(small motor skills which also turned into a sensory.)

Before lunch we all sat on                    

the floor and enjoyed two

stories.

The very hungry Caterpiller

and Miss Spiders Tea Party.

(listening skills and language)



Today at lunch the children ate chicken and veggie stir fry with noodles, oranges, and milk. They all loved their lunch and some even had seconds or thirds.

Later this afternoon we hope to get the children outside and also start are caterpiller project.

A future teacher in the making.

Jackie enjoys playing school with the younger kids.  She is able to get the whole group engaged in listening and learning.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30th

This morning we mad Pickles in a Blanket for morning snack where we spread cream cheese on a slice of ham, add a pickle, and roll it up.  We focused on the measurement 1/3.  "Does anyone know what 1/3 is?"  Jacob replied it is another word for the number 3.

At the end of the cooking activity, we talked about what we had learned.

Jacob -  "How to make pickles in a blanket!"

Malachi - "How to roll the pickle in the ham."

Patrick - "It looks yummy, and we learned how to follow directions."

Katelyn - "I learned how to measure and what 1/3 is."

Nicole - "It was fun!"

Arwen - "Cutting it into 1/3rds."

Toddler News, Tuesday, March 29th

This morning we painted paper plate ladybugs with brushes. This worked on their fine motor skills. The children really enjoyed being covered in paint and also painting the table along with their project.

Before lunch we were able to get outside and enjoy the brisk but fresh air. The children were having a blast going down the slide and playing in the play house.

In the afternoon the children also started their tree project. They painted a green paper plate with brushes and some used their hands. This worked on their fine motor skills and was also a sensory activity.

For story time this morning the children all sat with Ms.Tiffiney and read I am a Bee.  Later this afternoon we plan on reading Lady Bug, and Can You Make a Scary Face.

TUESDAY, MARCH 29th

Today in Preschool we did a cooking activity for morning snack.  The children went into the kitchen to find all the ingredients: chocolate pudding, milk, and mini M&M's.  We also looked in the kitchen to find the utensils and tools needed.  They used great thinking and problem solving skills to answer the questions "where do you think the milk would be?', and "where would we find spoons?"
  

We used a step by step picture recipe to measure out 3 cups of milk, mix in the pudding, and stir.  We all took turns.  We used this project in our seed unit to make dirt (the chocolate pudding) and plant seeds (mini M&M's).  But the best part was eating it!

Mia is spreading her soil to get it ready for the seeds.

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2011

Today in the Pre-School room we went to the library. The children helped picked out books that they wanted in the classroom. It was nice to see the children excited about books! After we checked out, we sat outside in front of the library, where we read our books. Literacy is a great way for the children to add new words to their vocabulary. Reading lets a child explore their world around them and lets their imagination wonder. In the afternoon we did math with shapes. The children traced the basic shapes, and made flowers out of them. This was a great way to help them learn about shapes.

Toddler News

•    Welcome to another wonderful week in the toddler room! This week we will be talking and learning about bugs and insects.
•    Today we talked about where do we find ants? Our project of the day was fingerprint ants. This project worked on our fine motor skill and was a fun sensory activity. We got to listen to and look at the great pictures in our books of the day: Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! and Little Buggy.
•    This afternoon we hope to get outside for some fresh air and also some fun in our classroom using our sensory table filled with "bugs"!

FRIDAY, MARCH 25th

Early this morning Dylan, Nicole, and Rosie helped Miss Michelle prepare breakfast for the entire center. The children enjoyed making homemade monkey bread. Cooking is a great way to teach the children science, math, following directions and much more. Here is the recipe for you to enjoy making at home with your child.


 ingredients:
4 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
 Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-10 inch tube pan.
2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a medium sized plastic bag. Cut the biscuits into halves or quarters and place six to eight biscuits pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Shake well.
3. Arrange pieces in the bottom of a greased pan. Continue layering until the biscuits pieces are coated and in the pan.
4. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the layered biscuits.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Pull apart and enjoy!

Today in preschool we ...

did a project about how a flower grows. We started with the seed and used string to represent the roots. Then we used our cutting skills to cut out a stem and glue on pedals.  This project really helped the children understand what happens to a seed when it is planted as well as the growing process.

The children had a lot of interest in reading stories today.  One of the books they really enjoyed was Preschool to the Rescue, about a preschool class who rescued their toy cars from the mud.  After reading the story, we discussed what kinds of things they could do to "save the day" if someone needed help.  They were so imaginative in sharing their ideas.  This was a wonderful literacy activity and sharing experience.


In our science center this week we had a planting activity set up where children used planting cups, dirt, and seeds to explore their own ways of planting and growing seeds.

Toddler Activities :)

Today  we painted "Robin eggs" using blue and white paint.  We observed the mixing of the two colors and felt the paint on our hands.  It is not uncommon at this age for the young children to dislike getting their hands messy, some of them choose to use a paint brush instead...then when they were more comfortable they wanted to paint their hands with the paint brush.  What a learning experience!

We also used teamwork to play with a parachute.  We used listening skills to shake, lift, and go under the parachute.  We observed the pretty colors (color recognition) and laughed with our friends during this silly game.  We loved seeing the reaction on our friends faces! (Social skills)

For story time we sang along to books on CD.  By request we did each book twice (Learning through repetition) and we had fun singing along to "Rock-a-Baby Band" and "Wheels on the Bus" using hand motions with friends and teachers.  (Learning through imitation)