Thursday, October 29, 2015

Down in my Heart

This week was a very short week for the students - filled with excitement and energy! The students are very excited for Halloween and our Trunk or Treat event. (taking place tomorrow at Faith Lutheran School from 5-7pm) Due to such a short week, the students have had to focus on the topics very quickly. Many of which will be mentioned again next week if necessary.
'nap time' during work time
Morning Stories: 
Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae
Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton
Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E. Shaw
Sleep Big Bear Sleep by Maureen Wright
Swim Swim by Lerch
Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin

Bible Time:
The students are hearing the bible story about God calling Moses. The students are able to hear more about Moses (whom they had in their lesson last week) and learn more about his life. The students have been focusing on Mark 16:15 this week. "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." They have been looking at reviewing 'I am Jesus Little Lamb.' Due to such a short week, Pastor Chris Ewings was not able to join us for Bible time this week. He will be joining us next week Tuesday.
"Look! I am making a chapel. It's chapel day today!"
Movement Time: 
They have been working on reviewing some of the basic movements from the previous week (skipping, hopping, and galloping) The students are also working more specifically on side-sliding this week. We have been doing this outside before we have recess (due to the book fair). The students have also had the opportunity to play the Animal game. The students 'go to sleep' and when they wake up they have to act like a certain animal. 

Music Time:
The students are reviewing the concept of TEMPO this week (due to the short week). We have also been discussing the different types of sounds that instruments. They have also been able to understand that you can start a song at a certain tempo, but then change throughout the song. The students are now comfortable demonstrating a tempo for their fellow students - the students listening are able to distinguish the different types of tempo taking place.

Small Group:
This week the KDI's (Key Developmental Indicators) are Natural and Physical World: Children gather knowledge about the natural and physical world. The other KDI is Tools and Technology: Children explore and use tools and technology.

Wednesday: Students were able to work with ice chunks. The students were free to use droppers with food coloring to change the ice chunk. They were then able to use salt to hear what happens when you combine the two together.


Thursday: They were once again able to work with ice chunks. This time, the students were able to use various tools to attempt to free the animals from the ice.


Friday: The students were able to go on a hunt for various items from nature. They then took the items they found outside and created a picture with them. The items able for use were leaves, mud, dirt, grass, etc.

Afternoon Story:
Franklin wants a Pet by Paulette Bourgeois

Afternoon Tables:
The students were able to once again work with the ice chunks available from small group, have snack, or do one of the various activities below.

Wednesday (Manipulatives): beads and pipe cleaners
Thursday (Art): Finger painting or creating a picture using various items (funky scissors, tape, glue, feathers, pom poms, tissue, paper leaves)
Friday (Sensory): Playdough and floam

painting with q-tips and glitter glue

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

God is in Control

The students are focusing on their ABC knowledge this week. They are doing this throughout the day - not just during small group. The students have shown special interest in books this week and are choosing to spend their time enveloped in stories. What a wonderful thing to show interest in!

Morning Stories:
Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
Pigs to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Pout Pout Fish in the Big Big Dark by Deborah Diesen
Pumpkin Countdown by Joan Holub
Pigeon Finds a Hotdog by Mo Willems

Bible Time:
This week they are focusing on Baby Moses. The students are able to hear the story and understand how different life was for children during this time in Egypt. They were able to have a visit from Pastor Chris Ewings who led them in the bible story. (He visits us every Tuesday to talk about the bible story)They are looking at Psalm 31:15a, "Our times are in his hands." We have been discussing that God is in control of our lives. He is able to keep us safe and provide for us each and every day. We have been singing Psalm 150 with the students as well. 

Movement Time:
They are still focusing on the different types of paths (wavy, zig-zag, straight). They are able to move their bodies in different ways on the lines - while making sure to stay on the paths. This is a fun way to get the kids moving. Last week there was tape to show the paths - this week the students are having jump ropes represent the pathways instead. This presents more difficulty and the students are no longer able to run on the path without focusing on the task as well. 

Music Time:
This week the students continue to focus on TEMPO. This topic is becoming more familiar to the students. They are able to understand that songs can be fast or slow. Songs can also go from being slow to moving fast and vice versa. They are learning a new song this week: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush. The students are clapping throughout the song to keep a steady beat while understanding what the tempo is at the time.

Small Group Time:
This week the KDI (Key Developmental Indicator) is Alphabetic Knowledge: Children identify letter names and their sounds.
Monday: The students were able to explore in sensory bins to find the letters in their names. The students were able to just explore in the sensory bins or look for the first letter in their names as well.


Tuesday: They were able to do upper and lower case matching. The students took a piece of paper that had the upper case letters and place the lower case clothes pin to match. This was difficult for some of the students, we will bring this activity back again later in the year.


Wednesday: Students were working on writing their names this day. They had a blank sheet of paper and an example of their name to follow. Some students did not need the example - others did. Forming the letters proved to be difficult for some.



Thursday: Alphabet puzzles were the focus today. Some of the students have had difficulty putting puzzles together. In order to help one another and work together, the students were able to have a partner to work with them on the puzzles. There were several puzzles ranging from easy to difficult.
Friday: We are combining a fine motor and alphabet exercise. The students are taking eggs and matching upper and lower case letters once again. Repetition on the alphabet is a great way for the students to become familiar with the letters.

Afternoon Story:
Franklin's Secret Club by Paulette Bourgeois

Afternoon Tables: 
This week the sensory table had beans with various measuring cups and funnels. Reminder: the students can choose from the various items listed below, the sensory table or having snack.

Monday (Math): number popsicles, sorting pie, and counting bears.
Tuesday (Fine Motor): sewing cards, pencil and paper with stencils, and connectors.
Wednesday (Manipulatives): puzzles and snap and build game.
Thursday (Art): Cottonball painting and watercolors.
Friday (Sensory): None, there is a half day of school! Happy break!







Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus

This week was busy with several different activities for the students - including three birthdays on one day and the Health Fair this Saturday from 8-12pm. The students were able to focus on a mathematical KDI this week, specifically patterns. They are working on recognizing their own names during planning this week. The Highscope curriculum has the students have a planning time before they go to work (play). This week, each of the students names are in a bag and when their name is pulled out they must recognize it and then share their plan for the day. 

Morning Stories:
If you give a pig a pancake by Laura Numeroff
Llama Llama time to share by Anna Dewdney
Otis by Loren Long
Olivia and the Fairy Princesses by Ian Falconer
Roar of a Snore by Marsha Diane Arnold
Water and shapes this week in the sensory table.
Bible Time:
The students are hearing about Joseph forgiving his brothers. The students are able to see the importance of being able to look past something that might upset us or make us sad - and give forgiveness to those who have wronged us. They have been looking at Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind to one another, forgiving each other." The song that the students are learning this week is 'Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.' The students were able to once again have Pastor Chris Ewings come in for a devotion with the children based on the words of our Bible story. He is also teaching them a song this week, 'How Deep the Fathers Love for Us' - with actions.

Movement: 
The students have been focusing on different types of paths this week. In the fellowship hall, I set up three different types of paths. A straight path, zig-zag path, and a wavy path. The students are able to go through various movements on the paths. We have been hopping, running, walking, and galloping on the paths. The students have also been doing the usual stretching and an introduction song to get them moving. The students requested the 'Popcorn Song' from SPARK. 
Birthday celebrations this week during work time!
Music:
This week, they are focusing specifically on TEMPO. We have been using this term in class. The students are able to recognize the tempo of a song. Is it fast or slow? Are we singing slow and then getting faster? The students are working on using these specific terms to describe the tempo of a song. This week we have been learning "Did you ever see a turtle?" and the second verse being titled, "Did you ever see a rabbit?". The students are enjoy using their bodies to move as the animals and the tempo they each represent.


Small Group:
This week the KDI (Key Developmental Indicator) is mathematical: Patterns. Children identify, describe, copy, complete, and create patterns.
Monday- The students were able to create designs. They were able to decide what they wanted the pattern to be. The piece of paper had three sections for the students to color/draw in. They were able to then decide what type of pattern or design they wanted to have. This proved to be a challenge for the students. This is something we will visit again in the school year.
Tuesday- They were able to focus on AABB patterns using linking cubes. The students were able to look at examples of the patterns and recreate them. They had the opportunity to also make their own patterns while identify the colors.


Wednesday- The students were able to create patterns using legos. The students were able to work with a pattern to create a pattern on the board with the legos. This again caused the students to review their knowledge of colors.
Thursday- They were able to create patterns on string using colored noodles. The students were able to decide on their own patterns, although examples were given for the students to follow. 
Friday- Students were able to use stamps to create patterns.

Afternoon Story:
Franklin gets Lost by Paulette Bourgeois

Afternoon Tables:
During the afternoon tables students are able to choose from various activities, snack, or using the water table which contained blocks this week.
Monday (Math)- geoboards, numbered popsicle matching game, and counting bears.
Tuesday (Fine Motor)- pipe cleaners with beads and various puzzles.

Wednesday (Manipulatives)- link n logs and magnetic shapes.
Thursday (Art)- Sponge painting and marble painting. The students could also choose to look at books after completing the projects.
Friday (Sensory)- Playdough and creating pictures in a tray with sugar.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

God keeps His promises

This week the students were able to have a visit from Pastor Chris Ewings and also Pastor Oldfield. Pastor Ewings was able to teach us the Bible story for this week. Pastor Oldfield read a children's book with the students in the afternoon. The students are continuing to work on their counting and days of the week in our morning message. The students enjoy being able to work together to share during work time to play with our new toy (pictured below). The students love being able to use our grocery cart throughout work time.

Morning Stories:
If you give a mouse a cookie by Laura Numeroff
Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
Say hello to Zorro! by Carter Goodrich
Yes we can! by Sam McBratney
This is NOT my hat by Jon Klassen
A Monster at the end of this book by Jon Stone
The students enjoy pretending they are the teacher during work time.
Bible:
This week the students had the opportunity to listen to "Joseph becomes a Ruler in Egypt." Pastor Ewings came in and spoke with the children about the story. The focus bible passage for this weeks story is Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." We have been singing 'I am Jesus Little Lamb' more and more each week. We are onto verse three of the song. I encourage you all to read through these stories with the children. Especially this week, it is a difficult story for the students to understand.

Movement:
They have been working on hopping this week. The students are still reviewing the basic terms used in the SPARK curriculum. They start out movement on their homes. They tend to do an activity or dance before stretching their muscles for the main lesson. After introducing the concept and demonstrating, the students are able to show their hopping skills. 
Creating tracks is very popular this week during work time!
Music:
This week in music the students are still focusing on a steady beat. They are able to use rhythm sticks and shakers to do this. The students have been focusing on keeping a steady beat during Twinkle Twinkle and Row row row your boat. By keeping a steady beat, the students are better able to sing together and learn the words to our songs. Giving the students instruments helps them to remain focused but also have some fun!

Small Group:
The KDI (Key Developmental Indicator) for this week is Art: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through two- and three-dimensional art.
Monday: The students were able to see different types of lines (using tape) on a piece of paper. They took paint and creating a picture on this piece of paper - once completed, the tape was then removed. This revealed a different design on their paper and showed the lines!
Tuesday: The students were able to create trees using part of their arms and their hand. After the paint was dry, the students were able to create leaves using their fingers.





Wednesday: The students were able to take an outline for a candy corn and sort pieces of paper into the corn. The colors of paper were white, yellow and orange. The students were able to glue the pieces and create their own candy corn.
Thursday: They were able to paint with legos today! The students were using the legos to create prints onto pumpkins for Fall.
Friday: The students were challenged to use their fine motor skills in creating a pumpkin using beads and pipe cleaners.
The students could play with the rice table this week during work time!
It contained measuring cups, funnels, and scoops.
Afternoon Story:
Franklin Plays the Game by Paulette Bourgeois
Cooking in the kitchen during work time!
Afternoon Tables:
These are items the students can choose to play with after waking up from nap. The students can go to the tables, play in the sensory table or have snack.
Monday (Math): Dominoes, number cards and dot cards, pattern blocks, and counting bears to create patterns.
Tuesday (Fine Motor): Zippers, buckles, shoe laces, clips, and the sorting pie.
Wednesday (Manipulatives): Magnetic shapes, items to test with the magnets, and the rice table.
Thursday (Art): Students were able to draw or create a picture on a coffee filter with marker. (After completing the coffee filter, it will be sprayed with water and blend together to make a butterfly)
Friday (Sensory): No activities, there is a half day of school.
Pastor Oldfield came in to read to the children!

Please consider joining us for the Health Fair on the 17th! We would love to see you there!