Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Newsletter 4/29/15

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
May 16th - Reading Rendezvous at the Loussac Library; 12PM-4PM
May 20th - End of the Year Preschool Program and Pizza Party; 6PM
May 21st - Last day of school; 12 noon dismissal; End of year picnic starting at 12PM

THIS WEEK’S LITERACY EXPERIENCES
Morning Books
"The Adventures of Beekle" by Dan Santat
"Hooray for Hat" by Brian Won
"Bear Sees Colors" by Karma Wilson

Afternoon Books
"Here a Face, There a Face" by Arlene Alda

PLANNING & RECALL
We tie this week's planning and recall time to the KDI for the week, which is counting. We use a white board on which the teacher has written numbers. When it is a child's turn to plan or recall, the teacher asks them to circle one of the numbers before sharing their plans. This activity works on number recognition, counting, and fine motor skills as children draw on the board.

BIBLE LESSON
Before ascending into heaven, Jesus promised to be with his believers always, to the very end of the age. Jesus also promised to send the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples, to give them power to tell others about him.  Jesus fulfilled his promise by sending the Holy Spirit to his disciples 10 days after his ascension. As they were gathered in a room in Jerusalem, the sound of a loud wind, and flames of fire appeared over their heads. All the disciples were given the ability to speak in other languages, and many crowds of people who had come to Jerusalem were able to hear and understand the good news the disciples shared about who Jesus is. Many people came to faith in Jesus as their Savior that day.

Without the Holy Spirit working in our hearts, we would be powerless to come to faith on our own. We thank God for sending the Holy Spirit - through baptism and God's Word, to create faith in our hearts so that we too can confess that "Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."
Bible verse: Matthew 28:20b "Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Bible song: "Surely I Am With You"

MUSIC 
This week we use Music Time as a chance to pick some of our favorite songs we've learned throughout the year to prepare for our Spring Program. We've enjoyed reviewing some of our favorites and practicing singing them as if we were in front of our parents.  

MOVEMENT
This week during Movement Time we play a game based off the book "Goodnight Gorilla". The story is about a zookeeper who says goodnight to the animals in the zoo, but doesn't realize that the gorilla stole the keys out of his back pocket as he was walking away. The gorilla proceeds to let out all the other animals out of their cages and they follow the zookeeper home. When the zookeeper realizes what's happened, he has to take all the animals back to their cages. The children have enjoyed acting this story out, as they take turns being the zookeeper or the animals that escape. 

SMALL GROUP TIME
This week during Small Group Time, we’re focusing on the Key Developmental Indicator (KDI): Ecology. Our goal with this KDI is for children to understand the importance of taking care of their environment. On Monday we appreciate the environment by going outside to do some leaf and bark rubbings with paper and wax crayons. On Tuesday we play a fun game where we sort different types of recycling materials into piles - and talk about what recycling is and the importance of it. On Wednesday we appreciate nature by using flowers in an experiment. We place white flowers in food coloring and watch as the food coloring moves up the stem to change the color of the petals. On Thursday we have the chance to plant a seed and talk about the life cycle of a plant. On Friday we learn how to clean up our environment by picking up "trash" in our playground area. We learn about littering and why it could be harmful to the environment. 



Measuring the distance cars can travel.





Giving us a puppet show.



A beautiful drawing  of a rabbit.

The amazing structure the children built.







Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Newsletter 4/22/15

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
May 16th - Reading Rendezvous at the Loussac Library; 12PM-4PM

THIS WEEK’S LITERACY EXPERIENCES
Morning Books
"Elephants and Big Cats" by Dr. Carla Litchfield
"Madeline" by Ludwig Bemelmans
"I Know a Bear" by Mariana Ruiz Johnson

Afternoon Books
"Maya was Grumpy" by Courtney Pippin-Mathur

PLANNING & RECALL
This week, we tie in our planning time activity to our Small Group Time KDI. We're working with ramps during Small Group Time, so for planning time we use a marble and a paper towel tube to create a ramp tunnel. Children roll the marble down the tube into a cup when it's their turn to plan.  

BIBLE LESSON
The risen Jesus spent 40 days on earth after rising from the dead. In that time he continued to appear to his disciples as well as many others - proving he really was alive. He continued to teach his disciples so that they would be ready to go out and tell others about him. Jesus told his disciples that God would send the gift of the Holy Spirit to them - giving them the strength to go out into the world proclaiming the good news of what Jesus had done for all people. As Jesus was blessing his disciples, he began to ascend up into the sky until he disappeared from sight. Jesus was returning to heaven. Two angels then appeared to the disciples and asked them, "Why are you standing here, looking up into the sky? Jesus has gone to heaven, but someday he will come back, just as you have seen him go." After this, the disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy, waiting there for the gift of the Holy Spirit, eager to tell others about Jesus.

Even though Jesus left his disciples to go back to heaven, he promised to be with them always. We too, even though we cannot see Jesus with our own eyes, have the same promise he gave to his disciples. Jesus is with us wherever we go and whatever we do. That gives us great comfort as we wait to see him face to face on the last day.
Bible verse: Matthew 28:20b "Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Bible song: "Surely I Am With You"

MUSIC 
This week for music we will be focusing on songs about animals. Some animals that are in our songs include bunnies, worms, and hippos. We'll also be working on our use of sound effects that go with each animal.

MOVEMENT
This week during Movement Time we really focus on regulating and controlling our bodies. We balance a hoola hoop on four cones and the children try getting into the hoop in a variety of ways without knocking the hoop off the cones. The children have really enjoyed the challenge of this game as they crawl under the hoop on their bellies or backs, or step over the hoop, or even jump over it to get inside. They also work as a team, cheering each other on to succeed without knocking down the hoop. 

SMALL GROUP TIME
This week during Small Group Time, we’re focusing on the Key Developmental Indicator (KDI): Natural and Physical worldThis week's focus during small group time is ramps. Children use elements in their natural and physical world to explore ramps - creating them and experimenting with them. On Monday we used some of wooden blocks to create a ramp. We then took different objects from around the classroom and predicted whether we thought they'd be able to roll down the ramp or not. On Tuesday we covered trays with wax paper and used an eye dropper to drop water onto the wax paper. It was amazing to discover the water drops stayed as perfect little droplets on the wax paper. We then tilted one side of the tray to create a ramp and watched as the droplets rolled off the paper. On Wednesday we use paper towel tubes to create ramps and we raced cars down them, measure the distance each car traveled. On Thursday we used cookie sheets to play "Will it Slide". We worked on predicting skills again as we determined which objects would slide down the baking sheet ramps. On Friday we got to go outside to use the playground slide as a ramp - collecting items in the natural world (outside) to experiment on the ramp. 




Splatter painting outside













We were all really interested in writing numbers today





Vinny and his winning grin :)



Miss Wendland, which number did I write?

Trying to crawl under the hoop without knocking it down.





Almost in!





Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Newsletter 4/15/15

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
April 18th - Kid's Day at the Dena'ina Center, 10AM-4PM

Please let Miss Wendland know if you're interesting in helping out at this event. Faith Lutheran School and Preschool will have a booth and we'll be making a Easter egg shaker craft. If you're interested in helping with that, even if it's just for an hour or less, we'd love the help!

THIS WEEK’S LITERACY EXPERIENCES
Morning Books
"Time for Bed, Fred" by Yasmeen Ismail
"Diary of a Wombat" by Jackie French
"Silly Sally" byAudrey Wood

Afternoon Books
"Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak

PLANNING & RECALL
The children have enjoyed writing about or drawing their plans for work time this week. Each child is given an index card and a pencil and they use their concepts about print or visual representation to describe what they'd like to play with.  

BIBLE LESSON
On the first Easter Sunday evening, Jesus' disciples were gathered together in a locked room. They were afraid of what Jesus' enemies might do to them. They had heard the message from the women that Jesus was alive, but they had not seen him with their own eyes yet. As they were talking together, Jesus suddenly appeared in the room with them and said, "Peace be with you!" He showed them the nail marks in his hands and feet, and the place in his side where the spear had cut him. The disciples were overjoyed to see Jesus! One of the disciples, Thomas, had not been there that evening when Jesus appeared to the rest of the disciples. After hearing the news from the others, Thomas would not believe them. He said, "Unless I see and touch the nail marks in his hands and the wound in his side, I will not believe Jesus is alive." One week later, the disciples were once again gathered in the locked room. This time Thomas was also there. Again, Jesus appeared with them in the room and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he approached Thomas and told him to feel the nail marks in his hands and touch his side. Jesus told Thomas to stop doubting and believe. Thomas then believed that Jesus was alive. Jesus told Thomas, "You believe I am alive because you have seen me. Blessed are the people who have not seen me and still believe."

Bible verse: John 11:25 "I am the resurrection and the life."
Bible song: "His Battle Ended There"

MUSIC 
In Music this week we shift our focus from instruments to beat. We use the song "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear" not only to dance out the actions, but to clap some rhythms. We focus on quarter note claps and eighth note claps. The children have really impressed me with how well they can do with clapping beats! We end Music Time by singing along with the story, "Down By the Station".

MOVEMENT
This week we will be stretching our bodies through animal yoga. We will be acting like penguins, flamingos, bears, and sea lions. After we're done being animals, we will work on our breathing skills while trying to keep feathers from hitting the ground by blowing them as high as we can. We will also practice our balancing skills by trying to carry Easter eggs on spoons around the room. If we have any time left, we will work on stretching our bodies even more by passing a ball to the child behind us in different ways.

SMALL GROUP TIME
This week during Small Group Time, we’re focusing on the Key Developmental Indicator (KDI): ArtThis week for small group time we will be working on our appreciation of the arts by creating different pieces of art. On Monday, we used new tools to put paint on an Easter egg picture. Those new tools were a clothespin and a pom pom. On Tuesday, we used different sized cups and circle shapes to create an abstract art piece. On Wednesday, we will use forks and our fingers to create a picture of a beautiful garden full of tulips. On Thursday, we will use scrub brushes to make paintings of dandelions. On Friday, we will get messy by using rubber bands to create a unique picture.

Scooping beans into paper towel tubes.

Working on puzzles.

Lovely spring time snow.....

Painting with pom poms

Beautiful pastel Easter egg paintings

Concentrating hard






Using different sized cups to make
 an abstract picture.



 
So focused. We loved doing this painting!





Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Newsletter 4/8/15

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
April 18th - Kid's Day at the Dena'ina Center, 10AM-4PM

THIS WEEK’S LITERACY EXPERIENCES
Morning Books
"Sparky" by Jenny Offill and Chris Appelhans
"Wolfie the Bunny" by Ame Dyckman
"Sick Simon" by Dan Krall

Afternoon Books
"Gaston" by Kelly DiPucchio

PLANNING & RECALL
This week we do a bean bag toss for planning time. The bean bag is tossed to each child when it is his or her turn to make work time plans. 

BIBLE LESSON
After Jesus had died that Friday afternoon, a man named Joseph asked Pilate if he could take Jesus' body down from the cross and bury it in a tomb he owned, which had never been used. Joseph believed in Jesus, loved him, and wanted to give him a proper burial. Jesus' body was prepared for burial in the tomb. Two days later, some women went to the place where Jesus was buried to add nice smelling spices to the body. As they neared the tomb, one of the women, Mary Magdalene, wondered how they would roll away the large stone blocking the entrance to the tomb. When they got there, they saw that the large rock had already been rolled away. Mary immediately ran to tell the disciples what she had seen. The other women went to the tomb, afraid of what they might find. Suddenly an angel appeared to them saying, "Don't be afraid! You are looking for Jesus. He is not here! He is alive! Now go quickly and tell his disciples." The women left, still afraid of all that had happened but excited to hear and tell the news of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.

We rejoice to hear our Savior rose from death - defeating sin, death, and the devil just as he said he would. His resurrection from the dead means that one day we too will rise from death to live eternally with him in heaven.
Bible verse: John 11:25 "I am the resurrection and the life."
Bible song: "I Know That My Redeemer Lives"

MUSIC 
In Music this week we combine our work with instruments over the past few weeks with literacy. We read one of our favorite books, "We're Going on a Bear Hunt", and add sound effects using everyday objects found in the classroom. For the swishy-swashy grass we use a broom, for the splash-splosh of the river we use a half empty water bottle, for the squelch-squerch of the mud we use a bottle of gel, for the hoo-woo of the wind we blow into the top of a water bottle, for the stumble-trip through the forest we use wooden spoons, and for the tip-top into the cave we tap our fingernails against a metal bowl. The children enjoy playing their instrument at the appropriate time in the story!

MOVEMENT
This week in movement we will be working on controlling our up and down movements through several games. Our games are called "Sleeping, Sleeping" and "Go to sleep". Both involve the children lying down and then getting up at a certain signal or alarm. Then they will go back to "sleep" again. These games will also exercise their listening skills.

SMALL GROUP TIME
This week during Small Group Time, we’re focusing on the Key Developmental Indicator (KDI): Alphabetic Knowledge. On Tuesday we spend some time forming the letters of our name and spelling our name using either Banagram tiles or a pencil to write the letters ourselves. On Wednesday we go outside to spray the shape of different letters using water and spray bottles. On Thursday we match wooden blocks with letters on them to the corresponding floor puzzle alphabet mat and on Friday we create words using letters stuck to can lids. We ask for word suggestions from the children and see if we can identify all the letters in each word. 

Playing our instruments

During Before Care we turned the magnifying glasses into an ice
cream machine. I thought that was pretty creative!

Listening for the ocean in a shell.



Dispensing the ice cream

Getting ready for the "Tooty Ta" dance!

Bottom's out!

Thumbs up, arms back, feet apart!

Tongue out, eyes shut!

The "Tooty Ta" in full force.

Painting together



It's a full house today!



Pastor Ewings' devotion on Thursday.
He talked to us about Good Friday and
Jesus dying on the cross. He passed
out nails for us to hold.







Working with letters and our name.