Monday, May 12, 2014

End of year reminders!

Next week, May 19 - May 21 there is NO hot lunch served.  Please bring a cold lunch these 3 days!

The last day of preschool is Wednesday, May 21.

Join us for "Popsicles at the Park" on Thursday, May 22 from 9:00 - 11:00 am at Laurel Park.  Come and play with your preschool friends and enjoy some yummy popsicles to kick off the summer!

Welcome back to preschool!  The kiddos were ready to jump right in this morning!

Check out the new addition available during free choice!  Pieces of pool noodles and bamboo sticks! (A big thanks to Mrs. Douglas' class for sending them our way!)  We did decide on a few rules:

They have to stay at the big table or the train table!

They are for creating, not for swords!

Be gentle with the bamboo sticks...one end is a pointy!

They did great following directions and had the best time using their small motor skills to gently put the pieces together to create, create, and create!

"Look Mrs. Mudd, a giant cube!"

Addy was sure to start her day off with her favorite...finding her name in stickers!!!

These girls socialized while creating in their journals!  

Isaac watches closely to see if his car will make it all the way to the end of the ramp he created! (And, it did, per Isaac, "Yay! I got first place!")

Back by popular demand...Who's Missing?  

Many of the children told me last week how much fun they had with this activity, so...to wrap up morning meeting, we practiced our recalling skills (cognitive).  Some of the children were given a chance to be "The Recaller".  He/she went to the opposite side of the room and hid his/her eyes. Another child hid under the blanket.  "The Recaller" returned and had to tell the group which child was "missing"!  Not only did we work on recalling, but also self regulation.  It was difficult to keep the secret of who was under the blanket, when all he/she wanted to do was shout it out!!!  This time was more difficult than last, as we had ALL students participating together.  Having to remember the 14 other students sitting on the stage is VERY tricky.  We still did a wonderful job!

As this school year is nearing the end, many of our friends will be heading off to Kindergarten next year!  So, some of those students got to "Tiptoe into Kindergarten" today for small group time.   First the children dictated to me what he/she thinks he/she will learn in Kindergarten and what he/she will miss most about preschool.

Then, we ventured up to the "big" school!

Next, we tiptoed in to Miss Limback's room to see what does happen in Kindergarten!

While there, we drew in our "Tiptoe into Kindergarten" journal, a picture of what we saw!

When we returned we each decided what our favorite thing about Kindergarten will be!  Look for the journals of these 5 future Kindergarteners in his/her folder today!

To begin small group time for the rest of our friends, we read (using the free online song):

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons.  

Poor Pete looses his 4 buttons, but is he sad...goodness no!!!  It's okay, he still has his belly button!

Each child had the chance to get Pete his buttons back!!!  He/she could choose how many buttons to color on Pete and then had to write that number on the paper (look for these in backpacks/folders today).  The ability to count and use one-to-one correspondence are early math skills!

Counting Clouds...I held up a circle with a number on it (something between 1 & 20).  Each child placed that number of clouds (mini marshmallows) in the sky (blue paper).  Success for some children is being able to identify/quantify numbers 1 - 10, while others it may be to identify/quantify numbers 1 - 20. 

As each child rotated around the table, he/she identified the number next to Pete.  He/she then placed that number of buttons on Pete the Cat's shirt! Being able to identify numbers and connect them to a quantity are early math skills!

Then we all had a little time to play outside together!!!

Sam got to be guest reader today!

During Jesus Time we heard the story of Philip meeting the man from Africa.  The man was reading the Bible but didn't understand it.  Philip, with the help of the Holy Spirit, shared the Good News with the man.  On their journey, they came across some water and the man asked Philip to baptize him!!!  We were reminded that the Holy Spirit is with us to help us share the Good News of Jesus everyday!