Monday, March 5, 2018

Monday, March 5, 2018

Welcome back to a new week in Mrs. Mudd's class!

Two quick reminders...

Grandparent/Special Friend Day is this Thursday!!! Recently in your child’s folder was the detailed information in regard to grandparents/special friends’ day on Thursday, March 8th. (The papers are green) Because this is a special day, there is a LOT of information to be given, so please make sure to read over the sheet carefully and let me know if you have any questions.  The last page is a schedule of activities for the day!  If you could please share with/give this agenda to your child’s special guest(s), that would be great!

11:00 Dismissal this Friday, March 9…there is NO half day care option this day.  Please make arrangements to pick up your child at 11:00 am this Friday, 3/9.  We will NOT be eating lunch at school, but we WILL have morning snack.

And...here's the start to our week:

While others were enjoying free choice time, each friend 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 try writing his/her name without using his/her nametag! We improved just since February! While each friend wrote his/her name I took special note of :

pencil grip
right or left hand
copied name or wrote from memory



 
 
 

 







Mrs. Helmkamp stayed with us a bit this morning, putting together and showing us how to use Google Cardboard.  Once all together, it holds a phone or iPod, and it works as a visual reality instrument. Many friends took a turn "flying" a plane using Google Cardboard!





 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 airport to "complete" his/her word!


On the airplane...


Beside the X-ray machine...


Behind the ticket counter...


In between the airplane and the gate...


Rainy, rainy weather led us to the commons for large motor time...






Last week Mara's mom enjoyed a flight to Florida!  She took many GREAT pictures of an airplane, different parts of the airplane (inside and out), and some great pictures out the window!  We LOVED talking about each picture and what all we could learn from each one!



Time for small groups (centers)!

We improved our small motor control and ability to follow directions as we painted our suitcases for traveling on our airplane!


We strengthened the finger, wrist, and hand muscles as each friend created an airplane out of playdoh!


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


With Mrs. McBroom (Mrs. Dose was not here this morning) each friend took a turn rolling 2 dice.  He/she stated/counted the number of dots, then each friend placed that number of lucky charm cereal pieces on his/her rainbow.  The ability to count and match that number to a quantity is an early math skill.














We enjoyed getting the wiggles out and being loud in the gym!




During Jesus Time we began learning the story of the 10 lepers.  Jesus was able to heal all 10 men, but only 1 returned to thank Him.  We realized that sometimes we forget to be thankful.  We remembered to thank Jesus for the the good things He gives us.  And, for forgiving us when we forget that all good things come from Him!

Have a great rest of your Monday!

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Thursday, March 1, 2018

 We had a great Thursday in preschool!

The "snow" was open again today for our friends to explore and create!  This will be the last week of the snow and we are excited to see what will be in the sensory table next!





Coloring is a great way to improving writing/drawing skills...strengthening the finger, wrist, and hand muscles!


Harper brought in two "A" word pictures from home today...Aurora and Arielle!
She taped them in just the right spot on the letter "A"...



 Many friends picked out and told me just where to hot glue the dials and knobs for the cockpit of our airplane!


With a new month upon us, we took a look at our February pie graph that was now colored in!  We thought it was kind of silly that October, January, and February look almost the same!  The ability to compare more, less, and the same is an early math skill.


And...more commons fun on scooters for morning large motor time!





Emily returned the favorite book bag today! She shared with us "Goodnight Moon!". We loved hearing from Emily about her favorite part of the book, and seeing her drawings.  We then enjoyed hearing the story as Mrs. Mudd read it to the class.

This activity is one way to encourage the love of reading.  Also, this activity allows the children (and teacher) to be introduced to new books!  Furthermore, it helps to continue to build home and school connections!


We enjoyed an excellent book from the library! This easy to read book pointed out many things that happen from start to finish when taking a trip on an airplane!  It was awesome to see most of the things in the book, we had set up in our "Amazing Airlines" airport!


We then took a "flight" around the world!  We flew (more like a bird) over the mountains, the arctic, the desert, the ocean/beach, China, Paris, and much more before we landed at Epcot in Disney World!  If you've ever been on the Soarin' ride at Epcot (updated within the last 2 years), this is the youtube video of that experience! We LOVED it!!!


Time for small groups (centers)!

Friends worked together to make more written signs for our airport.  We improved letter recognition, number recognition, and writing skills as we made our signs!


Earlier this week each friend was given a heart with his/her name and 3 lines drawn on it.  Each friend cut his/her heart on the lines, making 4 "puzzle" pieces.  Today, with Mrs. Dose, each friend put his/her heart puzzle back together, gluing it on a piece of paper.  This activity not only worked our motor development and spatial awareness, it also showed persistence, and the ability to listen to and understand directions.


We improved our sorting skills as each group decided how they were going to sort all of the  airplanes we have around the classroom...by type, by size, by color...there were so many choices!


As March has arrived we have some "new" to us books on the bookshelf.  We improved our early literacy skills as we took turns "reading" to a friend!














And...our airport flight schedule is complete!!!  If only these prices were true!


 We enjoyed our time in the gym today as we got the wiggles out!!!





During Jesus Time today I retold the story of Jesus forgiving Zacchaeus as I folded a paper to look like a house.  I then closed the "doors" on Zacchaeus, as most wouldn't want a bad man like that in their house.  But, Jesus chose to go to his house, so I cut my folded paper in half to open the "doors".  When we unfolded the paper we found it was now a cross! This cross reminded us that Jesus saved each of us and loves us no matter what!!