Tuesday, November 19, 2024

 Thanks for checking out our Tuesday!

Two quick reminders...

Thanksgiving Food Drive 2024...Zion's Student Council is organizing the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for Seminarians and their families. Each grade is assigned certain items, preschool is asked to bring in canned fruits (all varieties) & canned beans (baked, kidney, chili, black, chickpea, pork and beans, french cut green beans, etc). Items will be collected thru THIS Wednesday, November 20 (there is a basket outside the classroom to place donations).

There is NO school next week (Monday, 11/25 - Friday, 11/29)…enjoy your Thanksgiving break!

Onto our day...

More painting fun to strengthen the finger, wrist, and hand muscles needed for writing!

So many friends used geoboards to improve small motor control needed for writing...

Patience and hand-eye coordination are so important to building a domino train!!!

And...a tower using ALL of the cups...

Mrs. Mudd brought with her 7 items, either a letter, number, or shape!  All 7 were covered with a towel, then 2 taken away!  What was missing? I couldn't even fool them one time, we did a great job of recognizing and recalling (an early cognitive skill)

Time for a little science!!!

Scientist Mudd arrived today with water, borax, and a snowflake (made of pipe cleaner)!

First we had to count how many cups of water it took to fill a jar (1 1/2). Next, we needed to heat the water to boiling...scientist Mudd did this and reminded friends how careful we need to be around HOT water.  Third, while the water was heating in the microwave, each friend made his/her prediction, "What will happen when the pipe cleaner is put in the solution?"

 Once the water was HOT, we counted out 5 tablespoons of borax and poured it into the water.  We observed that the water looked white or cloudy as we were mixing the solution. 

Finally...it was time to test our prediction...Scientist Mudd dropped the snowflake into the jar!  But, wait a minute, nothing happened, it just sat there!  Our friends found out that this experiment is one that we get to practice WAITING!  We have to wait to see what happens to the snowflake until tomorrow!

However, today we were in luck...we had the snowflake from yesterday's experiment! So, we found out that when the borax solution cools, it makes CRYSTALS!!!  We made a crystal snowflake ornament to hang on our Christmas tree!

We had a great time using our large motor skills outside on this perfect weather day...

Time for small groups (centers)!

SHHHHH!!!!! One of our centers today was "top secret"...you might see our work under your Christmas tree in a few weeks!!!

With Mrs. Lorenz we made ornaments for our Christmas tree!  We strung beads (some even did so in a pattern) and jingle bells on to pipe cleaners! Stringing those tiny beads while holding a pipe cleaner sure can be tricky!

Yikes...we had a little snow in the classroom!!!  Working together we sequenced snowflakes from smallest to biggest and/or biggest to smallest!

We "read to self" remembering the rules of using a book correctly (orientation: read from front to back and left to right...make sure the letters are right side up...turn 1 page at a time, gently!!!  Being able to use a book properly is an early literacy skill.)

Off to the parking lot playground to get those wiggles out...

During Jesus Time today we heard the story of the Battle of Jericho. God had an unusual plan, he made the tall, strong wall at Jericho fall by having his people use their marching feet, trumpets, and shouting. The wall came tumbling down and God kept them safe!

Enjoy the rest of your day!