Faith Lutheran Preschool eNews: Newsletter 1/14/15

Important Dates to Remember:
January 19th - Martin Luther King Jr. Day; No Preschool

THIS WEEK’S LITERACY EXPERIENCES
Morning Books
"The Bag I'm Taking to Grandma's" by Shirley Neitzel
"The Littlest Owl" by Caroline Pitcher
"A Perfectly Messed Up Story" by Patrick McDonnell

Afternoon Books
"Franklin's Bicycle Helmet" by Paulette Bourgeois

PLANNING & RECALL
This week we use a toy train or airplane, which parks in front of each child when it is their turn to share work time plans.

BIBLE LESSON
God anointed a man named Saul as the first king of the Israelites. After becoming king however, Saul began to disobey God and stop trusting in the Lord. God chose someone to take Saul's place after he died. A young man named David was the person he chose to be the next king. David was a shepherd and a musician - spending time in the fields at home and also at King Saul's palace playing music on his harp. One day David's father sent him to bring food to his brothers who were soldiers in Israel's army and to find out how the battle with the Philistines was going. When David arrived he saw a large Philistine soldier named Goliath who was over 9 feet tall. Goliath was taunting the Israelite soldiers and mocking God, claiming nobody could defeat him. David decided that he wanted to fight Goliath, and knew that God would be on his side. Using a small stone and his sling shot, he managed to hit Goliath in the center of his forehead. Goliath fell to the ground, dead. After seeing him die, the rest of the Philistines ran away and God granted the Israelites victory against their enemies.

David trusted in God's protection, help, and strength to defeat Goliath and the Philistines. We're reminded that God is also our protection, help and strength in times of trouble. After all, God has taken care of our worst problem by sending his Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for our sins by dying on the cross
Bible verse: Psalm 56:11a "In God I trust, I will not be afraid."
Bible song: "Surely It Is God Who Saves Me"

MUSIC
In Music this week we continue to explore the concept of pitch. A third concept of pitch is introduced this week: middle sounding pitches. We now practice matching pitches that are low, middle, and high. Children begin to understand that pitches can be played or sung in any order. In the song, "I Can Sing High", we practice hand motions and body motions to indicate high, middle, and low pitches. This also begins to lay a background for learning to read musical notation.

MOVEMENT
We enjoy using bean bags again this week during movement time. It is quite the challenge to get the bean bag to balance on our head without holding it, as we march around the room to the song “Bean Bag Parade”. This week we’ve also included the game “Help me, Please!” which provides for some more social interaction and practice using manners by saying please, thank you, and you’re welcome. If the bean bag falls of our head while we’re marching, we ask for help from a friend to pick it up. We end movement time this week with the song “Toss and Catch”.

SMALL GROUP TIME
This week during small group time, we’re focusing on the Key Developmental Indicator (KDI): Fine Motor Skills. Experiences that develop strength, coordination, and endurance in using their whole hand to manipulate materials include hole punching and threading with string, cutting and gluing, using tweezers to grip and sort beans and tiles, tearing paper and magazines, pinning clothespins on a clothesline and using Q-tips to paint.