Holidays around the World

We started out the week looking for our elf, Freddy Sparkleberry.  We found him hiding in the media room.  He had a globe, Christmas books, and a present surrounding him.  We opened the present and it was a stacking elephant game.  Freddy told us St. Nick left it for the class!  The globe was for us to learn about countries around the world and their holiday traditions.  We started with the United States.  We talked about Santa, reindeer, and giving presents to each other.  We heard a story called Max's Christmas by Rosemary Wells.

 On Tuesday we celebrated Ellie's 4th birthday!

We sang Happy Birthday to Ellie before we had the fish themed snack she brought in to share!

We had blue jello with gummy fish, fruit snacks and seaweed! (green grapes!!)  Thanks for the great snack Ellie....Happy Birthday!!

On Wednesday we learned about The Netherlands. We found The Netherlands on the globe.  Wren's dad is from the Netherlands and Wren brought some books and treats for us from Holland, Wren also brought in dutch treats, (cookies and chocolates) for us to try. Thanks Wren for helping us learn about The Netherlands!

A special treat that Saanvi shared with us...yum!!

On Thursday we learned about India and a holiday called Diwali which is a Festival of Lights.   We found India on the globe then looked at the pictures that Saanvi brought in to share.  She told us about lighting off fireworks and wearing a beautiful dress as well as making crafts, special foods and exchanging presents!  Saanvi brought in a special Indian treat that her mom made for us for snack.  It was delicious!!  Thanks Saanvi for helping
us learn about India and Diwali.




Other highlights of the week:

• Working on Santa Art project
• Playing with green, peppermint scented play dough and Christmas cookie cutters
• Using Christmas rubbing plates
• Hearing lots of Holiday stories
• Practicing our Christmas sing
• Looking for Freddy Sparkleberry every day
• Working on a special Christmas surprise for our families....shhh....don't tell

Nursery Rhymes

We started the week learning the Humpty Dumpty rhyme.  We had fun reading it in a big book as well as learning a Humpty Dumpty rap.  The kids absolutely loved doing the rap and the dance that goes with it.  Here's the link:  Humpty Dumpty Rap

We made our own Humpty Dumpty's and even put a band aid on him since he fell off a wall!

We learned more nursery rhymes throughout the week.  On Wednesday we celebrated Henry's 4th birthday.  He brought in yummy cupcakes and juice for us as a birthday treat.  Thanks Henry and Happy Birthday!

We set out laminated name tags before snack so the kids have to find and read their name.  They practice tracing their names while waiting for snack.  Their last name is on the back!

It is so much fun celebrating birthdays with all the kids!  Happy Birthday, Henry!

Turkeys and Thanksgiving

We had a busy few weeks.  We spent time reading several books about the first Thanksgiving, learning songs and poems about turkeys, and reading books about being Thankful.  We played the Thankful Game where we went around in a circle and we each had to say something for which  we're thankful.  The catch was it had to be something you couldn't buy!!  We got ideas like I'm thankful for the stars, butterflies, the moon, the grass, playing outside, friends, family, and bunnies.  We had fun making butter on Tuesday.  We poured whipping cream into a jar and passed it around in our circle while we each shook it as hard as we could!  It went around about 3 times before it had turned into butter!  We each got some on our plate and spread it on a graham cracker for our snack.  Yum! 

One of the Thanksgiving songs we learned

Spreading our homemade butter on our graham cracker.

We made the letter of our first name using do a dots.

This was a glueing project.  We had to count out 6 feathers, figure out where to glue them, then added eyes, a beak and feet.  Finally we added our message...the kids couldn't wait to share these with their family!

We had fun making our own art with do a dots when we finished making our letters. 

Our homemade butter.  

Having fun playing with cars and trucks.

The train table is always a favorite station during center time. 

Legos, preschool k'nex, puzzles, ponies....just some of the choices during morning quiet time.

Fairy Tales

We heard 3 great fairy tales this week.  On Tuesday we heard Goldilocks and the 3 Bears, Wednesday The Three Little Pigs and on Thursday we heard The Three Dassies by Jan Brett.  This is a contemporary fairytale based on the 3 Little Pigs.  Here is the link to the video in case you'd like to watch it and share it at home with your child.  The Three Dassies

Other highlights of the week:

• We played outside extra long all week and enjoyed the beautiful fall weather!
• Mrs. Swietlik came in on Wednesday and helped us build various materials...we used duplos to try and make the brick house from The Three Little Pigs.
• We had music with Mrs. Jenkins on Tuesday.
• We held a mock election to vote for leader of the stuffed animals.  The candidates were Barry Bear and Mousie.  Barry Bear won in a very close vote of 7-6.
• We used do a dots with Mrs. Chyko to  create letters, numbers and other designs.
• We used stencils in the morning with Mrs. Gould to create various scenes.  Often we tell Mrs. Gould about our pictures and ask her to write down words to go with them. 
• We celebrated Max's 5th birthday!

After we heard The Three Little Pigs we each decided which pig we'd like to make.  Some kids chose the little pig who built his house of sticks, while others chose the one who built his house of straw or bricks.  Our favorite part of the story was saying together "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!!"  We read the James Marshall version of this fairytale.  

We finished our "counting hens" project.  This activity is an example of  how we accommodate the different developmental levels of children we have in our class.  Some of the kids can count to 10, put the matching number of dots on their hens, and write their numerals independently. Others need various levels of  help while grasping the concept of one to one counting, how to hold a marker, and writing numerals. Our goal is to meet each child at their current developmental level and gently lead them as they grow in their learning.

Happy 5th birthday Max!  We loved the ice cream sandwiches you brought in for a treat.  Hope you had a great day!

Numbers

We had fun learning about numbers this week.  We read several counting books but the kids favorites were My Very First Book of Numbers by Eric Carle and Chicka Chicka 1,2,3 by Bill Martin Jr. 

link to video

The weather was nice this week so we made sure to spend some extra time outdoors. 

During activity time Joan asked the kids what numbers they'd like to write.  She helped them write the number and then go over them with do a dots.  The art center had a project where the kids used

Q-tips dipped in paint  to put dots on hens.  Then we counted the dots.  When the kids finished with that they had fun painting on blank paper with q-tips!

Other fun things we did this week:

• learned the nursery rhyme 1, 2 buckle my shoe
• used the flannel board to count different objects
• read a big book about math
• used an abacus
• heard the story 10 Little Puppies with a special abacus attached to the book so we could count and add

We celebrated Matthew's 5th birthday on Thursday.  He brought in a special snack to share with us and brought in treat bags as well.  Thanks, Matthew...Happy Birthday!!

The kids love celebrating birthdays!! 

Matthews birthday treat....super, delicious sugar cookies!  We loved how they fit in with our number unit!

Costume Party

 We went on a Halloween Parade and trick or treated in the church office, the pastor's office and the Sunday School office.  We loved showing off our costumes!

When we came back from our parade we heard some Halloween stories and sang some Halloween songs.  Then it was time for our snack!

The table looked so pretty... 

and the food was delicious.  It was fun to frost and decorate a pumpkin shaped sugar cookie!

Clementine pumpkins!  

After snack we decorated white gourds,

picked out and put on Halloween tattoos,

made a Halloween mask,

and played a ring toss game!

When we finished with all the activities we had a chance to play!

Our finished gourds...we have fantastic artists in our class!

Halloween

We have been getting ready for our Halloween Costume Party.  To help us prepare we've been making fall crafts and hearing lots of fall and Halloween stories!  We finished painting our fall pumpkins and had fun making "stained glass" with leaves and contact paper!

Last Tuesday was our first extended day.  The kids really enjoyed having lunch with their friends and then walking down to Wildwood Park on 1st Ave. 

We learned about the beautiful colors we see in fall.  We planted a chrysanthemum to help make our preschool a little prettier during the fall. 

Our first "lunch bunch" of the year!

Boy did we love playing at the park!  We were so lucky with the beautiful weather!

Our pumpkin bread was delicious!  We loved having it for snack!

GG came in and read us Room on The Broom today.  What a great Halloween story.  I've attached the link so your kids can watch the video at home!link to Room on The Broom

Pumpkins

We started the week with wear orange to school day. We heard a book about pumpkins, mixed red and yellow paint to create orange, and cut open a pumpkin to see what was inside.  We put all the seeds and pulp into ziploc bags, sealed them and passed them around so the kids could see and feel the pulp and seeds without getting their hands slimy! Then we put the pumpkin in the oven and baked it.  We had music with Mrs. Jenkins and activity time while the pumpkin was baking!

Our art activity this week was painting paper plates and turning them into pumpkins!

Mixing colors is so much fun!  See if your child remembers what two colors make orange!

On Wednesday we were planning to go on a fall walk but it was sprinkling outside.  We played a CD called A Walk Through the Forest and acted it out inside instead.  At the end of the day Hadley's GG came in and read super cool stories to us.  We needed a flashlight for The Secrets of Winter and the other one was titled The Book with No Pictures.  We were giggling so hard when we heard it because it such a silly story!! 

We needed a flashlight to help us see the hidden picture....so cool!

Here's a link to Secrets of Winter which is a shine a light book. 

We heard the story Going on a Leaf Hunt during circle time on Thursday. The weather was nice so we took our fall walk.  We looked at the fall colors on the leaves then went on a leaf hunt.  At the end of the day, Mrs. Gould, Mrs. Swietlik, and Mrs. Chyko  gave us a horse chestnut to add to our leaf collection because it is another sign of fall.

Look what happened to our pumpkin!  Now it's a puree!

Making "Friendship Pumpkin Bread"  We all had a turn to stir the batter.

We put the bread in the oven and went on our leaf hunt.  The room smelled so good when we came back in.  We're all looking forward to Tuesday's snack!

The Farm

We spent the week preparing for our trip to the pumpkin farm.  During circle time we played the game "Pumpkin, pumpkin where is my pumpkin?"  I hid pumpkins around the room with letters on them. The kids had to search for a pumpkin and then when we got back together say what letter was on their pumpkin!  They loved playing this and wanted to do it over and over!  We also learned the rhyme Five Little Pumpkins.

5 Little pumpkins sitting on a gate,

The 1st one said, "Oh my, it's getting late!"

The 2nd one said "There are witches in the air!"

The 3rd one said, "But we don't care!"

The 4th one said, "Lets run and run and run!"

The 5th one said,"I'm ready for some fun!"

WOOO went the wind and out went the light

and the 5 little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

There are hand motions that go to the above rhyme...see if your child can show them to you!!

The kids had fun hearing stories about farms, bringing in things from home that had to relate to farms to share during show and tell, and playing with our little people farms.  

We also had fun celebrating Lewis' birthday!  On Wednesday he brought in yummy fruit snacks to share with his friends.  Thanks Lewis and happy 3rd birthday!

Happy birthday, Lewis!!

The kids were so excited leaving school on Wednesday, they couldn't wait to meet their class at a farm!

Which pumpkin should I choose?

The kids loved having moms, dads, and grandmas along on the trip!!

A fun family outing!!  

Heading back!

"This was fun, but I'm tired!!"

The 2016-17 "Maple Leafers"!