Friday, September 2, 2016

Happy Friday from Mrs. Mudd's class!

Ella and Claire improved hand-eye coordination and problem solved together while building this tower of cups!

Laina and Emma improved scissor cutting skills while creating with some of our "good junk"!

Brooke role played real life situations, being a wonderful mommy, taking care of her babies!

These friends used problem solving skills as they built lego towers around different toys, making them "hide"!

A gorgeous morning for large motor time outside...jacket weather will be here before we know it!

We were excited to have another guest reader today, Mrs. Wegner, Zion's literacy coach.  She shared with us, "The Mine-o-Saur".  We used pictures as clues to figure out what was going to happen next.  We also learned that sharing with others is a great way to show God's love!

There are still many open days if you would like to be a guest reader for our class on Fridays from 9:45 - 10:00.  Let me know if you are interested and I can send the link for you to sign up!

Time for small groups (centers)!

Each friend drew a self portait! We used mirrors to help us remember what we looked like!  While each friend loved looking at themselves and drawing his/her portrait he/she also improved symbolic development, early writing/drawing, fine motor control, and knowledge of self!

We improved large motor control as we had a dance party to veggie tales songs!

We improved sorting skills while placing the blocks in 3 stacks: small, medium, and big.  If we mastered that, we then sequenced the blocks from small to big. (early math skills)

With Mrs. Dose we each took a turn rolling dice.  We had to say the number of dots, then Mrs. Dose would give an activity to do that number of times!  If a 2 was rolled...shout out 2, then maybe do 2 jumping jacks!  Quantifying and one-to-one correspondence are early math skills.

We enjoyed more outside time before lunch...

taking a little road trip!

Or...just doing a little "hanging" out!

During Jesus time today we talked about how Noah and his family might have felt while on the ark.  They might have been happy, having a warm, dry "home".  They might have been scared with all the rain, and thunder, and a boat rocking from side to side.  Either way, we remembered that God cares for us and always protects us. Even when we are scared, we just need to remember that God is always with us!

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Welcome to our Thursday...check out our day in preschool!

Our friends (not here yesterday) were a bit surprised when check-in was a bit different this morning!  Each friend was given the opportunity to measure "How Many Inches Tall Are You?" (Using and understanding standard forms of measurement is an early math skill).

Then, each friend found that number on our graph and wrote his/her name in the correct box on the graph!  I did help them quite a bit this morning.  But, as we do more of this type of check-in throughout the year, they will become much more independent! 

We were excited to see that our easel for painting was back today (yesterday it was holding a special sign in the hallway!).  A great way to express creativity while improving small motor control.  And today some discovered that you can make new colors if you mix 2 colors together!

Now that all friends have been measured we noticed that we only had one number, 45,  with zero (or none).  We decided that 41, 42, and 43 had the most with 3 each; but that 41, 42, and 43 also had the same!  Understanding more, less, and the same is an early math skill!

We also noticed, during morning meeting, that our first pie graph had been colored in!  We learned that a pie graph is shaped just like a pie, and it is filled in by "pieces", just like you can have a piece of pie!  We also learned that since there is the more yellow than black, we had more sunny days in August than cloudy.  We are excited to see what September looks like at the end of the month, so we can compare it to August!

We headed to chapel, led by Mr. Debrick.  He asked us if we knew ways he could send a note to our parents.  Many answered with a text or an email, but then he pulled out an envelope...you could even send a letter in the mail!  We learned that Jesus wants us to talk to him, through prayer.  Jesus taught us how to pray through the Lord's Prayer.  When we pray we can give all our worries to God.

This year, the first early childhood chapel of each month, we will be learning all about different parts of the Lord's Prayer.  This extends a great opportunity for you to talk about prayer and pray with your child at home.  In your child's folder is a Lord's Prayer coloring sheet for your child to keep at home, to spark prayer time for your family!

SJ did a great job as messenger, taking our chapel offering to the altar!

We explored more today with our Handwriting Without Tears wood pieces.  We focused on big lines and little lines.  We held a big line in different positions.  First imitating me, then positioning them on his/her own.  This enables children to watch and follow directions while learning words that describe positions (spatial relationships).  Understanding spatial relationships is an early math skill.

Put the big line UP!

Put the big line UNDER your arm!

We then used the same wood pieces to begin understanding vertical, horizontal, and diagonal.  Moving the pieces in vertical and horizontal directions prepares children to make capital letters E, F, H, I, L, and T.  While moving the lines diagonally prepares to make capitals A, K, M, N, R, V, W, X, Y and Z. 

Time for small groups (centers)!

With me we practiced letter identification/recognition (early literacy skill), and writing 6 different letters (E, F, H, L, I, and T).  I showed the group the letter, if a friend knew the letter he/she would shout it out (yes...we were excited to get to shout in the classroom!).  We would then say it together.  Finally each child did his/her best to write the letter as I spoke how to write the letter (for L, big line down, little line across the bottom).  This may have been a first time to write letters not in his/her name...very proud of each friend!

With Mrs. Dose we worked collaboratively on a piece of art for our classroom!  We remembered that "God Keeps His Promises" by coloring and creating an awesome rainbow.  Excellent job following directions and working as a team!

After working hard as artists, we improved large motor control with a little dance party (to 2016 VBS songs).  Not only did we get the wiggles out, we had to remember 2 directions:

No running

Stay on the brown carpet

We sorted pom poms again by size (small, medium, and big).  But, today, we did it by ourselves AND we had to use tongs (strengthens finger, wrist, and hand muscles) to pick up the poms! No fingers allowed!!!

And...we were blessed with a beautiful day to be outside!  As soon as we finished with small groups, we headed out for extra fresh air today!