Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Newsletter 5/20/15

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
May 20th - End of the Year Preschool Program and Pizza Party; 6PM
May 21st - Last day of school; 11AM dismissal; End of year picnic starting at 11AM

THIS WEEK’S LITERACY EXPERIENCES
Morning Books
"Sheep Blast Off" by Nancy Shaw
"Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She was Extinct" by Mo Willems
"Old Black Fly" by Jim Aylesworth
"You are (Not) Small" by Anna Kang

Afternoon Books
"Swimmy" by Leo Lionni

PLANNING & RECALL
This week's planning time is a mini lesson on patterning. The teacher begin the pattern using 2 or 3 different shapes of various sizes or colors, and each child adds the next shape in the pattern when it's their turn to plan. The children have enjoyed working together to figure out the pattern. We also reinforce skills such as counting and comparing the amount of shapes or colors we've used.  

BIBLE LESSON
We use this final week of school to talk about heaven and Jesus' second coming on Judgment Day. In this life, we're going to face all kinds of troubles, sickness, and pain. This is a result of sin. We look forward to the perfection of heaven where we'll live with Jesus forever, with no more tears, troubles, or sin. We thank God that there is nothing we have to do to earn eternal life but that he's given it as a free gift to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior.

Bible verse: Psalm 119:105 "Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path."
Bible song: "Your Word Is A Lamp to my Feet"

MUSIC and MOVEMENT
The children have been working so hard to prepare for their program on Wednesday night. After one more full run through on Monday, we used Music and Movement time for the children to choose some of their favorite songs and dances to review one last time. 

SMALL GROUP TIME
This week during Small Group Time, we’re focusing on the Key Developmental Indicator (KDI): Experimenting and Art. Since the weather has been so beautiful, we've tried to take advantage of doing Small Group time outside. On Monday the children enjoyed painting our windows by using tempera paint mixed with a few drops of dish soap. On Tuesday we watch ziploc bags expand and explode when we add baking soda and vinegar and then seal the bag. On Wednesday we paint designs on the pavement using paintbrushes and water. Since Thursday is a short day, we spend small group time collecting all of our supplies, extra clothes, and artwork before the it's time for the picnic.



























Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Newsletter 5/13/15

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
"One More Sheep" by Mij Kelly and Russell Ayto
"Rex Wrecks It" by Ben Clanton
"Chooky-Doodle-Do" by Jan Whiten
"Job Site" by Nathan Clement

Afternoon Books
"Alpha Oops" by Alethea Kontis

PLANNING & RECALL
We continue our use with the white boards during planning time this week. The children practice drawing shapes on the board when it's their turn to plan. This is quite a bit trickier than identifying numbers and letters. Many of the shapes are easy but some of them challenge the children's fine motor skills as they attempt to draw them. 

BIBLE LESSON
While Stephen was being stoned to death, a man named Saul stood nearby watching it happen. Saul was a Jewish leader and a strong persecutor of those who believed in Jesus. This week we learn how Saul was traveling to a town called Damascus when suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him and he fell to the ground. He heard a voice say, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" The voice was the voice of Jesus - the very person whom Saul was persecuting. The men traveling with Saul were stunned speechless and when Saul got up from the ground he realized he couldn't see anything. His companions led him in to Damascus. Once there, Saul was visited by a disciple of Jesus there named Ananias. Ananias placed his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul - the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here - has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately something like scales fell of Saul's eyes and he could see again. Saul was then baptized and became a follower of Jesus. His name would later change to Paul and he would become one of the greatest apostles and defenders of the faith.

When we learn about Saul and how the Holy Spirit worked that conversion in his heart, we rejoice in God's grace and love for us. We too were born dead in our sins - enemies of God just like Saul was. We praise God that through our baptisms and through his Word, he calls us to faith and makes us his children. 
Bible verse: Psalm 119:105 "Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path."
Bible song: "Your Word Is A Lamp to my Feet"

MUSIC and MOVEMENT
Music and Movement time are combined this week as we continue our practice for the Spring Program on May 20th. We are getting excited to perform for our parents and families so this week we practice in front of some other students in our elementary school. 

SMALL GROUP TIME
This week during Small Group Time, we’re focusing on the Key Developmental Indicator (KDI): Experimenting and Art. Young children experiment for two basic reasons. They investigate materials and processes out of curiosity, and they also experiment to solve problems they encounter in play. They try one or more ideas as they look for a solution that works. In both cases, children are actively engaged in handling materials, observing the outcomes of their actions, and forming ideas about the world. On Monday we had the chance to manipulate water balloons as we popped them on the pavement outside. Miss Z. would ask us to identify either a letter, number, or shape and we would try to throw the balloon hard enough to break it. It took some of us a while to figure out how hard we needed to throw the balloon so it would pop. On Tuesday we explored and experimented by creating huge bubbles using a mixture of water, dish soap, cornstarch, and baking powder. We dipped a hoola hoop in the mixture and lifted it up, creating a very large bubble. On Wednesday we create artwork by attaching markers to the backs of toy cars using tape and create a masterpiece as we drive those cars around the paper. On Thursday we experiment with blocks of ice. Big blocks of ice have all kinds of toys and treasures frozen in them and we tried to thaw or break the ice to free them. On Friday we go outside again to create birthday cakes using a mixture of flour, shaving cream, food coloring and "sprinkles". 
Lots of mini-picnics going on here.

Painting our feet for Mother's Day picture. 

This tickles!

Boys making us freshly baked cookies. 

Singing "Alleluia" with Pastor Ewings after Bible Time. 

Water balloon pop game.

The girls watching the balloon popping fun.

Mid action shot!

















Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Newsletter 5/6/15

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
"A Funny Little Bird" by Jennifer Yerkes
"The Bear Who At Your Sandwich" by Julia Sarcone-Roach
"The Way I Feel" by Janan Cain
"Pete's a Pizza" by William Steig

Afternoon Books
"Reptiles and Amphibians" by Simon Mugford

PLANNING & RECALL
We continue our use with the white boards during planning time. Children have the opportunity to practice fine motor skills, as well as letter recognition and formation as they write the letter Miss Z. or Miss W. gives them. 

BIBLE LESSON
The Holy Spirit had worked in the disciples heart at Pentecost, giving them strength and power to go out and tell others about Jesus and what he had done for them by dying on the cross to wash away their sins. Other people besides the disciples were eager to go out into the world, sharing their faith and the good news about Jesus. One of these faithful believers was named Stephen. He was bold in proclaiming the good news and also performed all kinds of great wonders and signs among the people. Some of the leaders of the church began to oppose Stephen and the things he was saying, stirring up the people - including the elders and teachers of the law. They demanded Stephen to be brought in to them, where they then accused him of speaking out against the church and the law. Ultimately, the leaders led Stephen outside the city where they stoned him to death. Even in his dying hour, Stephen prayed to his heavenly Father to forgive these men for what they did. Stephen looked up and saw heaven opened with Jesus standing at the right hand of his Father.

Stephen was a bold and faithful follower of God's Word, who was not afraid to tell people about Jesus. How often are we afraid to tell others about what Jesus has done for them? Let us use Stephen as a wonderful example of how to be bold, even if we face persecution for sharing our faith. As God himself promises: "Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown."

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 and MOVEMENT
Music and Movement time are combine this week as we begin to practice for our Spring Program on May 20th. We review the ten songs we plan to sing for our families, as we introduce props and other materials we'll use for the performance. 

SMALL GROUP TIME
This week during Small Group Time, we’re focusing on the Key Developmental Indicator (KDI): Counting. Psychologist Howard Gardner had this to say about young children and counting: "Often with surprising speed and ferocity, preschoolers see the world as an arena for counting. Children want to count everything--facial features in a drawing, beads, blocks, candles, holes, tires, letters, lights." This week we count dot markers and work on one to one correspondence with dot cards, we count unifix cubes as we create towers of varying heights, we count bears when we play "Bears on a Boat" and we go outside to count and collect a variety of items into baskets.