Praise the LORD, O my soul

What a crazy week! The kids are extremely excited about Christmas! It is wonderful to see the joy on their faces as we talk about the birth of our Savior. They get especially excited when they remember parts of the story and can help share in Bible time. This week we were able to practice for the Christmas program with the older students at school as well as at UAA. 

A student enjoyed using the shovels
to play hockey this week!

Morning Stories:
Christmas is Here! by Lauren Castillo
Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
Catch that Cookie! by Hallie Durand
An Otis Christmas by Doren Long
If you take a mouse to the movies by Laura Numeroff

Planning Time:
The students were able to recognize their written name again, pulled from a mailbox. The students planned and then I wrote down what the students planned for the day. When we recalled, I checked off the items that students followed through with on from their plan.

Sensory Table:
The table was filled with rice this week. Students were able to use a toy version of the Nativity with animals and people to represent the story of Christmas.

Bible Time:
This week the students were able to hear the story of Jesus birth! We even touched on the visiting of the wise men this week. The students enjoyed being able to contribute to the telling of the story. We were able to focus on Psalm 103:1, "Praise the LORD, O my soul." Throughout bible and music time this week, the students were able to practice singing their songs for the Christmas program on Friday. We worked on "Sing Glory Glory", "How Deep the Father's Love", and "Joy to the World" (verse 1). The students have done a very good job of learning the words as well as the actions for the songs.

Movement Time:
The students were able to work on the star jump this week. They have been working on developing their skills to move their bodies a certain way. Last week we focused on single leg balance. The students continue to review this. The new star jump this week caused some difficulty for students. Moving your arms and legs at the same time can be difficult. They continue to practice. This is something we will introduce again after break so that the students can review a lot of the information we covered before break.

Music Time:
They have been learning more about pitch this week. The students were focusing on a new song, "We can make a new song!". They were also able to review previous lessons from music and also singing their songs for the Christmas performance. The students have been doing well focusing on a given concept and reviewing the songs. The actions are coming along and they now know them well enough that they can focus more on the words of the songs.

Small Group Time:
In small group this week the students have been focusing on Art for Christmas specifically. This is the KDI (Key Developmental Indicator) for Art: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through two- and three- dimensional art. 

Monday: The students were able to  decorate a paper ornament with glitter and stickers. This helped them work on fine motor and the art concept.

Tuesday: They were able to decorate a paper Christmas tree. The students used sequins and stickers to decorate. We also placed ribbon the tree. 

Wednesday: The students were able to use scrubbing brushes to create a wreath. The students then used their fingerprints to create berries on the wreath. We placed a bow on the finished product.

Thursday: They were able to finger paint today. We then turned our finger painting projects into presents with a bow on the top. 
Friday: No small group due to our Christmas practice.

Afternoon Story:
The Berenstain Bears and the First Christmas by Joy and Mike Berenstain

Afternoon Tables:
The students are able to choose between the sensory table, snack, and the following activities:

Monday(Math): geoboards, number puzzles, and counting bears.
Tuesday(Fine Motor): red and green pipecleaners to make candy canes with beads, tweezers with pom poms (muffin tins with numbered bottoms), and letter clothes pins (match upper and lower case letters)
Wednesday(Manipulatives): plastic blocks to build, marble run, and animals books.
Thursday(Art/Literacy): reflection art projects with paint, candy cane painting (shaving cream, red food coloring)
Friday(Sensory): No Table activities, we have a half day of school!

I pray you all have a wonderful Christmas break as you celebrate the birth of our Savior! 

Joy to the World

This week the students have been preparing for Christmas! Next week is our last week of preschool before break. What a joy it is to help your children prepare their hearts for the coming of their Savior. I pray that you all are having a wonderful week leading up to Christmas. I know it is a busy time of year, but I hope you are having time with your family and friends to celebrate the birth of our Savior!

Morning Stories:
Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems
The Berenstain Bears and the Nutcracker by Jan and Mike Berenstain
Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney
Mooseletoe by Margie Palatini
Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

Planning:
The students were given the opportunity to recognize their written name. The students names were pulled from a bag and the students were asked to recognize it and plan.

Sensory Table:
Students were able to experiment this week. We brought in snow for the students to use with colored water. The students were able to use eyedroppers to add the color to the snow.

Bible Time:
The students were able to hear God's Message for Mary this week. Pastor Chris Ewings was able to visit with the students and share with them the story as well. The students are able to better prepare for the coming of Christ. They focused on John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son." The students were also able to learn 'Joy to the World' this week. We will be singing verse 1 in the Christmas program next week. The students are very excited to be able to sing and perform in front of their fellow students and parents. 

Movement Time:
During movement this week, the students were able to review various locomotor movements once again. They also worked on balancing on a single leg. This proved to be a difficult task for the students. We have been working on lifting our leg and straightening our arms so that we can balance on one leg. The students are doing their best to be able to do this. We will continue to work on it throughout the rest of the week as well as next week.

Music Time:
This week the students are taking a step back from their typical lessons. We have been focusing on reviewing the songs we will sing for Christmas. The students have been singing 'Sing Glory Glory', 'How Deep the Father's Love' and 'Joy to the World'. When there is time, I have brought out our bells for the students to use. We have been singing Jingle Bells this week. The students enjoy being able to play an instrument and learn actions throughout the lesson.

Small Group Time:
This weeks KDI (Key Developmental Indicator) is under Social Studies. The students have been focusing on Community Roles: Children recognize that people have different roles and functions in the community. Each day the students have been focusing on a new role and reading a book to go with an activity.

Monday: They were learning about Doctors this day. The students were able to create an ambulance after reading about the duties of a Doctor.

Tuesday: It was all about the Dentist. The students were able to read a story as well as practice brushing their teeth with brand new toothbrushes!
Wednesday: Their focus was on the police or state troopers. We were able to read a story about the police and talk about what a state troopers does in the state of Alaska.
Thursday: The students were focusing on Firefighters. The students were able to hear a story and create their own firetruck.
Friday: The students were able to sort through various roles and do a puzzle based on the community roles that were covered this week.

Afternoon Story:
Franklin and the Tooth Fairy by Paulette Bourgeois

Afternoon Tables:
The students were able to choose from one of the following activities, the sensory table or snack.

Monday (Math): tracing numbers and stacking numbered cups.
Tuesday (Fine Motor): stencils with pencils and paper and floor puzzles
Wednesday(Manipulatives): Sort it out books, link n logs, and blocks
Thursday (Art & Literacy): design a snowflake using shaving cream and glue, contact paper with blue and white tissue squares, or books
Friday (Sensory): personal sensory bins with beans and corn.

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

The students have been busy and full of energy this week! What a wonderful way to start the celebration of Christ's coming. It is a joy to serve your children as their teacher. It is wonderful to see how much these children have grown in only a few short months. What a blessing! The students were able to have their normal rotations this week. They also had a field trip this week to see Madeline and the Bad Hat at the Atwood Concert Hall! 

Morning Stories:
Thud, Thump, Moo by Doreen Cronin
I wish you more by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Beep Beep Go to Sleep! by Todd Tarpley
Alexsander and the wind up mouse by Leo Lionni
Bark, George! by Jules Feiffer

Planning/Recall Time:
The students were able to see a map of the room (taped onto a cookie sheet) and used a magnetic letter (the first letter of their name) to place on the map of the classroom. 

Sensory Table:
The students were able to use beans, ladles, cups, spoons, and dishes to make 'hot chocolate'. In the sensory table were beans for the students and cotton balls. They were able to create the hot chocolate with the given items. A few students chose to make soup instead!

Bible Time:
This week the students were able to learn about the three men and the fiery furnace. The students were able to have a visit from Pastor Chris Ewings. He was able to have a devotion with the students about the Bible story this week. They were also able to learn a new song for Christmas. They focused on Matthew 4:10b, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." They students were able to understand that in the Bible story, the people were worshipping other gods. Not the true God. We are to remain focused on Him and prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord. They continue to learn more verses of their song, "Sing Glory Glory" for the Christmas program.

Movement Time:
The students were able to focus on reviewing several locomotor movements this week. In the past, the students were learning about animal movements. This week we reviewed those animals movements, but also had the students reviewing some of the other types of movements they can do with their bodies. The students continue to practice doing these different types of movements. They can be difficult at times.

The students were having 'nap time' during work time!

Music Time:
The students are still learning about Pitch this week. They were able to focus on using their voices in different ways. The students learned a new song, "Hey, Hey - Look at me!" as well as review "How Deep the Father's Love for Us" which they will sing for the Christmas program on the 18th of December. They have been working on reviewing several different concepts as well. The students have been learning more songs and fingerplays this week. 

Small Group Time: 
The KDI (Key Developmental Indicator) for this week is under Mathematics- Number words and symbols: Children recognize and use number words and symbols. 

Monday: The students were able to use a chart. They recognized the numbers at the bottom of the chart and were able to place a certain number of bears in the column based on that number.

Tuesday: The students were able to use a coloring sheet of cookies. They were in charge of putting the proper amount of chocolate chips on the cookies as given by the number.

Wednesday: The students used the same chart from Monday. This time, the students were able to glue tissue squares to the chart to represent the number at the bottom!

Thursday: The students were given muffin tins. At the bottom of each muffin tin, there were numbers. The students had to place the correct amount of buttons in each muffin tin.
Friday: The students were able to match the number of dots with the written number using clothespins and a paper chart for the students to follow. 

Afternoon Story:
Franklin and the Bike Helmet by Paulette Bourgeois

Afternoon Table Activities:
This week the students could choose from the sensory table activity (making 'hot chocolate'), having snack, or one of the following items:
Monday (Math): measuring cups with beans, number popsicle stick game, and counting bears.
Tuesday (Fine Motor): beads with pipe cleaners to take home and a pie sorting game with tweezers
Wednesday (Manipulatives): alphabet letter game, tiny legos, and small colorful blocks to build.
Thursday (Art/Literacy): matching lowercase and uppercase with clothespins, books, and making a snowman with shaving cream, glue, and various items.
Friday (Sensory): kinetic sand (the kids loved it!), sensory bins with rice and the sensory table.