Saturday, April 28, 2012
Tt is for tree
This week we read two books that featured an apple tree. I'm lucky to have an apple tree in my backyard blooming. The first book is Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. The children loved that book and when I asked them "why" questions, they were very insightful. The second book is The Apple Pie Tree, by Zoe Hall. Reading books about the theme is a great way to lead them in to discussions.
For art, the children cut out pre-drawn rectangular trunks and a tree top. I've seen a lot of improvement in some of the children who didn't know how to cut in the beginning of the year. Then they pasted them onto blue construction paper. Finally, the children put their pinky finger in a red ink pad and pressed it on the tree top to look like red apples. The second art project was to sponge paint pre-cut paper leaves. In the first group, I put out yellow, brown, green glitter paint, and light green. For the second I pre-mixed green with different colors to make different color green like yellow, white, orange, brown, white, silver glitter, and gold glitter. Both groups' leaves turned out great despite the differences.
This theme could have been done during the fall when leaves turn colors, but I wanted to do it during the spring right after we talked about Earth Day.
For our centers, on day one, the children sharpened pencils, put paper clips on paper, and screwed nuts and bolts together. For the second day, the children had free choice with all of the "toys" available.
I'm not sure if I mentioned this in an earlier blog, but I rearranged the schedule. The children were very used to the previous theme and I felt a change needed to happen to snap them into more excitement. I realize children thrive on routine, but sometimes they also need change. Kind of like when you rotate toys at home. It's more exciting and the children jump from one activity to the next. I had a discussion with a lot of preschool teachers on line where around this time of year, the children get antsy and need a change. It might be the longer day, the anticipation for kindergarten, developing and testing new limits and abilities, or just bored with the same old same old. The new schedule is featured on my website http://www.frenchvalleykpreppreschool.com/curriculum.htm and is very exciting.
Here are this week's photos:
For art, the children cut out pre-drawn rectangular trunks and a tree top. I've seen a lot of improvement in some of the children who didn't know how to cut in the beginning of the year. Then they pasted them onto blue construction paper. Finally, the children put their pinky finger in a red ink pad and pressed it on the tree top to look like red apples. The second art project was to sponge paint pre-cut paper leaves. In the first group, I put out yellow, brown, green glitter paint, and light green. For the second I pre-mixed green with different colors to make different color green like yellow, white, orange, brown, white, silver glitter, and gold glitter. Both groups' leaves turned out great despite the differences.
This theme could have been done during the fall when leaves turn colors, but I wanted to do it during the spring right after we talked about Earth Day.
For our centers, on day one, the children sharpened pencils, put paper clips on paper, and screwed nuts and bolts together. For the second day, the children had free choice with all of the "toys" available.
I'm not sure if I mentioned this in an earlier blog, but I rearranged the schedule. The children were very used to the previous theme and I felt a change needed to happen to snap them into more excitement. I realize children thrive on routine, but sometimes they also need change. Kind of like when you rotate toys at home. It's more exciting and the children jump from one activity to the next. I had a discussion with a lot of preschool teachers on line where around this time of year, the children get antsy and need a change. It might be the longer day, the anticipation for kindergarten, developing and testing new limits and abilities, or just bored with the same old same old. The new schedule is featured on my website http://www.frenchvalleykpreppreschool.com/curriculum.htm and is very exciting.
Here are this week's photos:
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| Putting paperclips on paper |
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| Sharpening pencils |
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| He brought me over to show his creation. Beautiful!!! |
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| I said, "What would happen if you added that block?" So he started stacking more. When it crashed, he was tickled. |
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| There she blows! |
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| Friday class free-painting with watercolors |
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| Nuts and bolts |
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Ee is for Earth
Happy Earth Day!! Explaining Earth Day is challenging. I asked them if they'd like to live in trash like in the movie - "Wall-E" and they said, "No!" I went on to explain how we need to separate our trash so that things like cans and bottles can get reused. If we recycle, new materials don't need to be made, which can save us energy and the use of energy is causing our earth to heat up. There's so much to tell them!
For art, the children followed along with Ms. Esther when they did the sand painting. Each color had blue Crayola sand mixed in. Sand paint feels heavy and is gritty. We used aqua for the ocean, brown for the earth or dirt, green for the plants and mountain, yellow for the desert, and blue for the sky. I didn't get any pictures of this. Most of my students did a great job following along with me! My Pre-Kers are going to do really well in kindergarten, because they can follow the teacher!
The second art project, I call "Sand Splat Art", because you fill a stocking with sand, tie it, soak it in paint, and then drop it on a paper. They are hanging in the preschool room. The children don't like the idea of not being able to take their art home. Studies show that their art should also be displayed in preschool, so they feel some ownership and good that their work is displayed proudly.
Our center was dress up clothes. I need to change the way these are put away, because it takes so much time. I think next year, I'll have the clothes hanging and then a bin where they throw all the accessories in, instead of worrying about which accessory goes with which costume.
Our letter was the letter Ee and our puppet pal was Esther the Elephant! They thought that was funny that it was named after me.
Sometimes I borrow the actions for phonics from the Leap Frog DVDs. For the letter "Ee", the action is an old guy who can't hear right and he says "eeeee?" as he cups his ear.
Next week is Tt is for trees.
Enjoy the photos:
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
For art, the children followed along with Ms. Esther when they did the sand painting. Each color had blue Crayola sand mixed in. Sand paint feels heavy and is gritty. We used aqua for the ocean, brown for the earth or dirt, green for the plants and mountain, yellow for the desert, and blue for the sky. I didn't get any pictures of this. Most of my students did a great job following along with me! My Pre-Kers are going to do really well in kindergarten, because they can follow the teacher!
The second art project, I call "Sand Splat Art", because you fill a stocking with sand, tie it, soak it in paint, and then drop it on a paper. They are hanging in the preschool room. The children don't like the idea of not being able to take their art home. Studies show that their art should also be displayed in preschool, so they feel some ownership and good that their work is displayed proudly.
Our center was dress up clothes. I need to change the way these are put away, because it takes so much time. I think next year, I'll have the clothes hanging and then a bin where they throw all the accessories in, instead of worrying about which accessory goes with which costume.
Our letter was the letter Ee and our puppet pal was Esther the Elephant! They thought that was funny that it was named after me.
Sometimes I borrow the actions for phonics from the Leap Frog DVDs. For the letter "Ee", the action is an old guy who can't hear right and he says "eeeee?" as he cups his ear.
Next week is Tt is for trees.
Enjoy the photos:
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| Birthday Boy! |
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| A bunch of sillies! |
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| He gets to ALL of the jobs!! |
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| Passing out napkins for the cupcake and to wipe off the frosting. |
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| He liked the double sided markers! |
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| Not enough time to dress in costumes, so they chose to play with trains. |
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| Trying to write the letter Ee |
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| I can do it!!! |
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| We're on a train to take the patients to the hospital |
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| He seems like a natural. |
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| Friday - using the sand paint to do what they want. |
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| An Earth Day rainbow! |
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| There's sand in that stocking. |
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| "Ohhhh, now I understand! This is fun! Can we use two?" |
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Zz is for zoo
This week we talked about the zoo. I showed them different categories of animals, including insects and asked them which animals or bugs belong in the zoo. They knew that dogs and farm animals don't belong in the zoo. They seem surprised to hear that bugs are in the zoo. I explained that the zoo is a place to see animals we don't get to see around where we live as well as certain bugs from South America or Africa.
I have a wonderful CD called "Peter Paul and Mommy" and on it there is a song called "I'm going to the zoo" as well as "I'm being swallowed by a boa constrictor." We also did some movements to other zoo themed chants.
For art, the children cut out straight strips from black paper. They arranged and glued the strips down and colored around the strips. To me it looked like zoo enclosures. They also made lions out of paper plates. This project took a long time. I sent the rest of it home with the Tuesday/Thursday class and the M/W/F class finished it on Friday.
Our centers were to unlock locks, string beads, and sort ocean animals. They did a great job!
On Saturday, several families went to the San Diego Zoo Safari park to see the butterfly exhibit. I posted photos on our Facebook page. It goes with several of our themes including this one - zoo. Here is the link for the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/French-Valley-K-Prep-Preschool-LLC/279554935403169
Enjoy the photos!
I have a wonderful CD called "Peter Paul and Mommy" and on it there is a song called "I'm going to the zoo" as well as "I'm being swallowed by a boa constrictor." We also did some movements to other zoo themed chants.
For art, the children cut out straight strips from black paper. They arranged and glued the strips down and colored around the strips. To me it looked like zoo enclosures. They also made lions out of paper plates. This project took a long time. I sent the rest of it home with the Tuesday/Thursday class and the M/W/F class finished it on Friday.
Our centers were to unlock locks, string beads, and sort ocean animals. They did a great job!
On Saturday, several families went to the San Diego Zoo Safari park to see the butterfly exhibit. I posted photos on our Facebook page. It goes with several of our themes including this one - zoo. Here is the link for the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/French-Valley-K-Prep-Preschool-LLC/279554935403169
Enjoy the photos!
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| Children practice cutting, spacial arrangement, gluing, and coloring |
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| My example |
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| The children "read" 2 times while they wait for their friends to wash their hands |
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| Birthday girl! |
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| A wonderful class! |
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| I did it! |
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| Here's your drinks! |
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| Making the lions |
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