Monday, January 30

Group Meeting:  The handshake for this week is the Butterfly Handshake.  Ask your child to show you how it's done.

Story:  The story for today was Drew the Screw by Mattia Cerato.  Drew is a screw that lives in the garage with the tools.  The tools are have a purpose.  They are working together to build something.  Ask your child to tell you what the tools are building and what Drew does to help.

Small Groups:  Each child was given a clump of clay.  They rolled it and flattened it into a circle.  They took screws of various sizes and lengths and pressed them into the clay to create impressions.  We will let the clay dry.  

Study:  The simple machine that we will be learning about this week is the screw.  I had several examples of screws including jar lids, a hose nozzle, nuts and bolts, and a light bulb.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Ll.  We danced to the "Lizard Dance and Freeze", traced and printed the letter Ll.

Snack:  The snack for today was Scooby Snacks, milk, and water.

Wednesday, January 25

Group Meeting:  We discussed Grown-up Day which is tomorrow.  The children told who they would be bringing to school with them.

Story:  The story for today was Froggy's Lemonade Stand by Jonathan London.   Froggy has an idea.  He will make a lemonade stand and make money.  He makes lemonade with lemons, sugar, ice, and water.  While he waits for a customer, Froggy gets hot.  He starts to drink the lemonade.  When his friends arrive to buy lemonade, he has none.  Ask your child to tell you how they come together to make more lemonade.  This book was chosen for the story today because we will be using levers to make lemonade.

Study:  The children used citrus squeezers to squeeze the juice out of four lemons.  We mixed the lemon juice with one cup of sugar, and 2 quarts of water.  We put it in the refrigerator to cool and enjoyed it after our snack.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Jj.  We danced to Koo Koo Kangaroo's "It's My Jam", traced and printed the letter Jj.

Large Group:  The children learned to run a relay race.  We used tongs (levers) to hold  puff balls and take them back and forth across the room.  They learned to wait a turn and to go to the end of the line when their turn was over.

Snack:  The snack for today was Life cinnamon cereal, milk, and water.

AM book:  Tangled by Disney brought by Theo

PM book:  Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss brought by LeRoy.

Tuesday, January 24

Group Meeting:  We started a new round of Show and Tell today.  The King or Queen of the day is invited to bring their favorite book to school.  They will tell us why the book is their favorite.  I will read the book at Snack Time while the children are eating.  I will share the title of the book at the bottom of the blog. The Kings and Queens are chosen by random using name cards that are drawn from the previous King or Queen.

Story:  The story for today was The Nuts: Keep Rolling! by Eric Litwin.  Hazel and Wally are part of the Nut Family.  They wish that they were bigger.  As they roll on the ground, mud collects around them making them look bigger.  As they roll over hills and valleys, they come across various animals and people that may want to catch them.  What do they do?  They keep rolling, keep rolling, keep rolling.  The moral of the story is that not matter what comes your way, keep rolling.  I chose this story because later in the day, we will be using nut cracker (lever) to open a few walnuts.

Study:  I demonstrated various levers that your child might have at home such as a nut cracker, a hand truck, a can/bottle opener, a citrus squeezer, and a pair of tongs.  Tomorrow, we will use the citrus squeezer to make lemonade.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Ii.  We did the "Insect Dance" and traced and drew the letter Ii.

Snack:  The snack for today was cinnamon bread, juice and water.

AM book:  Don't Let Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems brought by Tobin

PM book:  Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson brought by Ava

 

Monday, January 23

Group Meeting:  The handshake for this week is the Elbow Handshake.  We great each other with a soft tap of the elbow and a "glad you are here today" greeting.

Story:  The story for today was Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett.  Sam and Dave want to dig a hole and find something spectacular.  Several times, Sam and Dave get very close to a jewel, but always change direction before getting it.  Their dog can smell a bone at the bottom of the hole.  Who will get to the bone first?  Ask your child to tell you how this story ends.  I read this story because a shovel is a simple machine, a lever.

Small Groups:  The children measured their height using paper mittens.  How many mittens tall is your child?  We will display their measurements on the hallway bulletin board for Bring a Grown-up to School Day.

Study:  This week, we will learn about the simple machine, lever.  We watched a children's video about how levers work.  Tomorrow, we will try some.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Hh.  We did the "Hat Dance" by Jack Hartmann.  We traced and printed the letter Hh.

Snack:  The snack for today was carrots, ranch, milk, and water.

Thursday, January 19

Group Meeting:  We had some more children bring in simple machines today.  We took a few minutes to let the children check them out.  Thank you for sending them.  We will take care of them and return them when our study is complete.

Story:  The story for today was Are You Sure, Mother Bear? by Amy Hest.  Mother Bear has told Little Bear that it is time to sleep.  It is winter and bears sleep in the winter.  Little Bear is not sure.  She is afraid that she will miss the stars at night, the moon in the sky, rolling in the snow, and most of all, Mother Bear.  Mother Bear assures her that everything will be right in it's place when they wake up in the Spring.  

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Gg.  We played air guitars to the song "Body Boogie".  We traced and printed the letter Gg.

Let's Find Out Magazine:  Our magazine was about a Bear Scientist.   We watched a video about Ava and how she follows and studies bears.  More information is available at letsfindout.com  Sign in as a student and use the password redeemer.

Snack:  The snack for today was corn chips, salsa, milk, and water.

Wednesday, January 18

Group Meeting:  A few children have started to bring in some simple machines.  We will put them on the tables at arrival time and in the science area during play time for them to explore.  

Story:  The story for today was Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari.  Zara has a dog named Moose.  Moose loves hellos from Zara such as pets, rides in the car, and snuggles.  Moose does not like goodbyes such as staying home and being in his kennel.  When Zara goes to school, Moose escapes and tries to join her in the classroom.  The teacher and principal do not think that Moose should be in school.  What should Zara do?  Ask your child to tell you how she solves this problem.  I read this book today because Zara is in a wheelchair.  When she gets in and out of her van, she needs a ramp (inclined plane).  We talked about how inclined planes make things easier for everyone.

Study:  The children used blocks to make ramps.  I gave them a basket of items to put on the ramps to see if the items would move.  We experimented with raising and lowering the ramps.

Small Groups:  In our Writing and Drawing Journals, we drew pictures of what we would do outside if it was snowing.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Ff.  We did a "fish dance", found other picture words that began with the F sound, and traced and printed the letter F.

Snack:  The snack for today was Goldfish, string cheese, and water.

Tuesday, January 17

Group Meeting:  We started by singing the welcome song that we have learned at the beginning of the month.  We changed the handshake to a high five to tell our friends that we are happy to be at school together.

Story:  The story for today was Chicken, Chickens by Valeri Gorbachev.  Two little chicks are visiting the playground for the first time.  It is very busy with animal friends.  Several friends invite them to join on the seesaw and the merry-go-round, but they think they are too little.  Then, they see a slide.  They want to try the slide but are a little scared.  Someone comes along to help them see how they can slide.  Ask your child to tell you how this story ends.  I read this story because a slide is an inclined plane.  We will be talking about inclined planes this week.

Study:  We are starting a study of simple machines.  Please take a few minutes to read the note in your child's folder about simple machines.  This week, the simple machine is an inclined plane.  I told the children that a plane is a flat surface like a block.  When I lift one end, the plane is inclined.  I will be using these vocabulary words as we learn about the simple machines.  I read the non-fiction book Inclined Planes for Children.  We saw pictures of ramps, slides, escalators, etc.  We also looked at some pictures of inclined planes that you may have at home.  Ask your child to find one.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was E.  We made the e sound by saying elephant and doing the elephant dance.  Then, we traced and practiced printing the letter.

Small Groups:  The children made snowflakes with diffuser paper and liquid watercolor.  You will see these in our windows soon.

Snack:  The snack for today was apples, Nutella, juice and water.

Wednesday, January 11

Story:  Before reading the story, I showed the children a pizza cutter.  A pizza cutter has a wheel which is a simple machine.  Then, I read the story The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza retold by Philemon Sturges.  This story is very similar to the story I read yesterday.  However, there is a difference.  Ask your child to tell you how this story is different that the one we read yesterday.

Small Groups:  The children were given pictures of the characters in our story.  They named the character and clapped the number of syllables.  They used daubers to make the number of syllables on their paper.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was C.  The children moved to the song "Riding in My Car" by Miss Nina.  They traced and printed the letter C.

Large Group:  The children moved to a song about following directions.

Snack:  The snack for today was yogurt, granola, juice and water.

We will be going outside for play time tomorrow.  Please have your children dress accordingly.  I will be absent in the afternoon attending a funeral.  We do not have school on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Tuesday, January 10

Group Meeting:  We are learning a new welcome to school song called "Rise and Shine".  Perhaps your child can sing it for you.

Story:  The story for today was The Little Red Hen retold by Bonnie Dobkin.  I had read the same book at the beginning of the school year and many children remembered that.  The Little Red Hen finds wheat seeds.  Who will help her plant them, harvest and take the wheat to the mill, mix the dough, and bake the bread?  Not I, says the dog, cat and goose.  Who wants to help her eat the bread?  Ask your child to remind you of how this ends.  

Small Groups:  After hearing the story, the children used picture cards to put the story in proper sequence.  They helped me retell the story.

Large Group:  Before the story started, I showed the children a loaf of bread similar to the one that The Little Red Hen was going to bake.  I used a knife (simple machine, wedge) to cut it.  We shared the bread.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was B.  We danced to the boot song, found the B pictures on the Promethean board and traced and printed B.

Snack:  The snack for today was Quaker Oat Squares, milk, and water.

Monday, January 9

Group Meeting:  We are exploring a topic for a study.  This week, I will be introducing some simple machines to the class.  If there is an interest in learning more, we will do a simple machine study for the rest of January and into the beginning of February.  I'll share more information soon.

Story:  The story for today was My Neighbors and Their Simple Machines by Erin Seagraves and Heather Baker.  Before I read the story, I showed the children three items; a screw, a spatula, and a wrench.  These are three simple machines.  In the story, a girl is walking through her apartment complex and is noticing the neighbors that are using a simple machine.  The window washer is using a pulley, Mrs. D'Angelo is cutting bread with a knife (wedge), and the repair man is fixing the door knob with a screw.  We use simple machines every day.

Small Groups:  In their Writing and Drawing Journals, the children were asked to print as many letters as they could.  Most children could write the letters in their name.  Some were able to draw more letters and some made pretend letters.  

Letter Learning:  We are starting another round of the alphabet.  This time, we will be doing them in alphabetic order.  For the letter A, we saw a picture of an alligator and did the "Alligator Stomp" with Jack Hartman.  After that, the children traced the letter A, upper and lower case, and tried to print it by themselves.

Large Group:  The children played with Stomp Boards which are levers.  They placed bean bags on one end and stomped on the opposite end to make the bean bags fly in the air.  They played with a partner taking turns stomping and catching.

Snack:  The snack for today was pears, milk, and water.

Thursday, January 5

Group Meeting:  I was glad that it snowed this morning.  While I didn't enjoy driving in it, our Let's Find Out magazine was all about snow and snow people.  It worked out perfectly.

Story:  The story for today was The Mitten Tree by Candace Christiansen.  In this story, a lady notices that some of the children who wait for the bus by her home do not have mittens.  She digs out her scrap yarn and begins to knit mittens.  She hangs them on the tree by the bus stop so that the children will find them.  One day, she discovers that something has been left on her front porch.  Ask your child to tell you what it is.  We talked about how doing something kind for someone can cause them to be kind to someone else.

Small Groups:  The children printed their names in the Writing and Drawing Journal.

Let's Find Out Magazine:  We watched a video about how snow is formed and the fun things that we can do in the snow.  The magazine described how to make a snowman.  For more fun activities, go to letsfindout.com and sign in as a student.  Use the password redeemer.

Large Group:  We learned the song "Hot Chocolate".  Today would be a good day for hot chocolate!

Snack:  The snack was Wheat Thins, turkey slices, and water.

 

Wednesday, January 4

Group Meeting:  It's good to be back at school!  We started the day by looking at a new schedule.  I decided to switch a few things around on our daily schedule.   I posted the new schedule on the wall so that the children can keep track of what happens next.

Story:  The story for today was Meet January by April Martin.  January is a girl who loves to cuddle in blankets, make s'mores, and read books.  She did a lot of those things during winter break.  Now, it's time to go back to school.  January likes school because of her friends, but she does not like being cold.  Walking to school is a challenge for her.  Her nose, toes, and even her hair are cold.  When she gets to school, her friends help her warm up by doing something special for her.  Ask your child to tell you what it is.  

Small Groups:  The children started a Writing and Drawing Journal.  Today, they drew a picture of a person on the first page of their journal.  We will use these writing journals to draw pictures and later will add words to our drawings.

Letter Learning:  We will start to print the alphabet again next week.  Today, we did Jack Hartman's "Act Out the Alphabet" video.  We saw a letter, made the sound and acted out a word that started with that sound.

Large Group:  The children practiced throwing and catching with a bean bag.

Snack:  The snack was bagels, cream cheese, juice and water.