Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Thank you for checking out our Tuesday!

A few reminders...

There is NO School for ELP & Preschool this Friday, March 8.

Preschool is singing at church...our class (together with Mrs. Linneman’s and Mrs. Rouland's PS classes) is singing at Zion Lutheran Church at the 5:00 pm service this Saturday, 3/9.  Please join us for worship and to hear little ones sing praise to Jesus!  Please arrive at 4:45 pm and meet in the welcome center (just outside the sanctuary).  Your child will sing at the beginning of the service and will then join you for the rest of worship.

There is NO School the week of 3/18 - 3/22 for spring break!

On to our day...

While others were enjoying free choice time, each friend (not here yesterday) began his/her day with a special check-in!  Each child completed his/her "March My Name" for his/her portfolio.  Each friend was asked to write first and last name! We did great! While each friend wrote his/her name I took special note of :

pencil grip

right or left hand

copied name or wrote from memory

Coloring is a great way to improve the skills needed for writing and drawing!

Building with magnatiles is a fun way to explore 3D shapes, problem solve, and improve hand-eye coordination!

Hudson and Will talk over what they are going to add next!  They think they are playing, but they are also improving important social skills that will last a lifetime!

Cutting with a scissors is a great way to strengthen the finger, wrist, and hand muscles needed for writing!

A little dramatic play at Palace Pets, to role play real-life situations!

 To wrap up morning meeting, we "tested" what we remember about positional words!  But, before doing that we took a roll, counted or stated the number of dots, found that number on the paper, and I read to them the corresponding positional word.  Each friend then found their spot in the pet store to "complete" his/her word!

Can you guess what number each friend rolled today???

Now that the fish arrived in our classroom and is adapting to his new home, the little guy needs a name! Today we voted, choosing one of two names, "Freckles" or "Midnight"! Each friend improved small motor control manipulating a sticker to place his/her vote.

We then compared to find that, as of today, "Midnight" has the most and is the new name for our fish! We could tell this by seeing that the line was longer, but we also counted to confirm!  Since "Freckles" came in a close second...we decided he should have a middle name too!  So...next time you visit the classroom, take a few minutes to meet..."Midnight Freckles Mudd"!!!

It's is always a treat to improve our large motor movement in the commons, whether it's on a scooter or running with friends!

Mrs. Cooper decided to give it a try today, with a little help from a friend!

We began a STEAM activity today.  First we read "A Home for Dixie".  After reading this book, we discussed what the problem of the story was (three puppies had been abandoned and rescued) and how the problem was solved (A family wanted a dog, so they researched and decided to rescue a puppy. That's how they found Dixie and gave her a home)!  We wondered how did the family get that puppy home???

We quickly decided that they must have used a pet carrier.  Yesterday one friend asked, "What is a pet carrier?"  So we went to our smartboard again today to ask google to show us images of a "pet carrier". Below is one that we were most familiar with...

We then discussed and explored the below items, wondering what we could use (along with shoe and other small boxes) to create a pet carrier to bring a pet home in! Stay tuned as we work on building pet carriers over the next week or two!

Time for small groups (centers)!

Uh oh...I needed some help.  I had a bunch of pictures that got all mixed up!  Some were things that made soft sounds, some made loud sounds.  Thank goodness my friends were able to sort them in to loud vs. soft for me!  (Sorting is an early cognitive skill).

St. Patrick's day is just around the corner...so...time for some fun shamrock BINGO!!!  Find the match of what Mrs. Cooper was holding and cover with rocks. It was hard to find some of the matches, they were quite similar!

We planned and worked together as we improved spatial awareness and problem solving skills while putting together a "pets" puzzle with 24 oversized pieces!

In our journals, each friend wrote words from our animal/pet word wall!  Not only improving letter recognition, but also his/her writing skills!

Since it's so cold and everyone had to stay inside today, we did a large group activity with a couple of other preschool classes!  

Tiptoe until you hear the whistle, then run back!

Run...

Skate...

Hop...

Cora took a few minutes as photographer this morning...here are a couple of her best pics!

During Jesus Time today Zippy came to visit again and he was sad.  He had gotten into a bit of trouble at the parade he went to yesterday.  A soldier rode by in the parade and he wouldn't stop playing to stand to honor the soldier.  Soldiers, firefighters, police officers and people like them are all very brave.  We honor people who do brave things.  We then remembered that Jesus, our Savior, did the bravest thing ever for everyone in the whole world!  He died on the cross to save us from sin, death, and the devil!  So, at worship, we praise, honor, and thank Jesus for saving us!

See you again tomorrow!