Wednesday, May 24

Group Meeting:  Today was a little bittersweet.  The children are excited for the party tomorrow but also are a little bit sad about the last time playing with the toys, doing art, and being with their friends.

Story:  The story for today was the same story that I read on the first day of school.  The children didn't remember it at first.  It was just as good the second time around.  Do you know what it was?  Ask your child to tell you!

At snack time, we went down to the park shelter below the preschool parking lot.  They ate their snack and played in the grass.

Let's Find Out:  Our last magazine was about summer safety.  Please take a few minutes to ask your child about the things they can do to be safe.

Your child will not need to bring a bag tomorrow.  It's all party!!

Tuesday, May 23

Group Meeting:  The children took a few minutes to look at everyone's stuffed animals that were brought today.  We had plenty of extras for those who forgot.

Story:  The story for today was Cat the Cat, Who is That? by Mo Willems.  Cat the Cat has many friends such as Duck the Duck and Mouse the Mouse.  One day she meets someone that she does not know.  She is frightened at first because this animal looks a little different than her other animal friends, but the new animal seems friendly.  He greets her with a "Blarggie, Blarggie" and that's all she needs to know that they can be friends.  After the story, we talked about meeting new friends.  In the fall, everyone will be starting a new school with new friends.  We talked about giving everyone a smile to let them know that we are friendly, too.

Large Group:  We gave everyone's animal a ride in the parachute.  We lowered the parachute, counted to three, and lifted as high as we could to launch the animal into the air and gently catch it again.

Snack:  The snack for today was Cheez-its, cheese sticks, and water.  Tomorrow, the children are asked to bring their own snacks.  We do have extras for those who forget!

Monday, May 21

Group Meeting:  Today was Hat Day.  We took a few minutes to admire the hats the children wore.  If a child forgot a hat, we provided materials to make a hat or headband.  We learned the song, "My Hat Has Three Corners".

Story:  The story for today was Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina.  A cap peddler travels to a city to try to sell his caps.  He carries them stacked up on his head.  He yells, "caps for sale, fifty cents a cap".  However, no one wants a cap.  He walks into the country to rest.  He finds a tall shade tree to sit under and falls asleep.  When he wakes up, his caps are gone.  Ask your child to tell you what happened to the caps and how the man gets them back.  

Small Groups:  The children played a game with their hats.  We placed them on the table.  Everyone closed their eyes while one person took a hat away.  Everyone had to guess whose hat was missing.

Large Group:  The children listed to "How Many Ways Can You Carry a Beanbag?" and moved to the directions.

Snack:  The snack for today was wheat bread, ham slices, cheese slices, and water.

Thursday, May 18

Group Meeting:  The question for today was "Do you like hot dogs?"  Our story and snack will involve hot dogs.

Story:  The story for today was Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems.  Pigeon finds a hot dog and can't wait to take a bite of it.  However, his friend Duckling keeps interrupting him with questions.  Pigeon figures out that Duckling wants a bite of the hot dog.  Ask your child if Pigeon will share the hot dog.  

Small Groups:  The children made Pigs in a Blanket for their snack.  We flattened biscuit dough, sprinkled it with cheese, and put a hot dog on top.  Then we rolled it all up and baked it until it was golden brown.  

Let's Find Out Magazine:  The magazine for today was about bubbles.  Before we watched the video, we went outside and blew bubbles.   We learned the word iridescent and circled the items on the magazine that were iridescent.

Snack:  The snack for today was Pigs in a Blanket, ketchup, mustard, milk and water.  

The children are bringing home a note describing the special days that we will be having next week.  

Monday is Hat Day, Tuesday is Animal Day and Wednesday is Picnic Day.  It will all end with Party Day on Thursday.

Wednesday, May 17

Group Meeting:  The question for today was "Have you ever ridden in a bus?"  This went along with the story for today.

Story:  The story for today was Don't Let Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems.   The story starts with a bus driver asking the reader to watch his bus for a few minutes.  He warns us to not let the pigeon drive the bus.  As soon as he leaves, the pigeon shows up.  He asks the reader to let him drive the bus.  He begs and pleads and has many reasons as to why he should get to drive the bus.  Ask your child to tell you if pigeon gets to drive the bus.

Small Groups:  We are starting to look at a few sight words.  You may have noticed a paper in your child's bag yesterday.  We looked at the word "I".  Today's word was like.  Your child may be able to "read" this paper to you.  If they do, they can color in a star at the bottom of the paper.  I do not expect your child to know sight words at the end of the year.  Kindergarten does not require your child to know sight words to start.   These papers are a fun way to help children understand what reading is all about.

Large Group:  After the story, we lined up chairs and pretended that we were going to the zoo on a bus.  The children had to have a ticket to enter.  Such simple fun!

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

Tuesday, May 16

Group Meeting:  The question for today was "Do you have a toy that you sleep with?"  Almost all of the children said that they had a stuffed animal that they needed to have in their bed just like Trixie needed Knuffle Bunny.

Story:  The story for today was Knuffle Bunny, Too by Mo Willems.  In this sequel to yesterday's story, Trixie has grown and is ready for Pre-K.  She decides to take Knuffle Bunny to show her classmates.  However, when she arrives at school, she discovers that she is not the only one with a Knuffle Bunny.  Sonia and Trixie argue about their bunnies until the teacher takes them away until dismissal.  When Trixie gets home with Knuffle Bunny at the end of the day, she discovers something.  Ask your child to tell you what happens!

Small Groups:  I am doing some assessing for the end of the year.  Everyone has made progress!

Large Group:  We went to the Outdoor Classroom.

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

Monday, May 15

Group Meeting:  We have had a lot of fun learning about insects.  I told the children that we can continue to look at insects especially when we are out in the play yard.  However, our focus this week is going to be on another favorite author of mine, Mo Willems.  Reading month is never long enough to get all of the good books squeezed in!

Story:  The story that I read today was Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems.  Knuffle Bunny is a stuffed rabbit that belongs to Trixie.  Trixie is a toddler who hasn't yet learned to talk.  Trixie and her dad go to the laundromat and as always, Trixie takes Knuffle Bunny along.  After they load the washing machine, they start to go back home.  On the way, Trixie realizes that she doesn't have Knuffle Bunny.  She tries to tell her dad but doesn't have the words to tell him.  Ask your child to tell you how they realize that Knuffle Bunny is still at the laundromat.  Also ask your child to tell you Trixie's first words.

Small Groups:  The children drew pictures of their favorite things to do at school.  We will put them on the bulletin board for the last day party.

Large Group:  The children went to the Outdoor Classroom.

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

Thursday, May 11

 Group Meeting:  The question for today was "Would you rather be a bee or a butterfly?"  Reasons for choosing the butterfly were because they are pretty and because they can fly.  Reasons for choosing the bee were because they make honey and because they can sting.

Story:  The story for today was The Bug Girl by Sopia Spencer.  In this true story, Sophia tells us that her love for bugs began at an early age, 2 1/2 years old.  When she started Kindergarten, the children in her class thought her knowledge of bugs was amazing.  When she started first grade, the children started to tease her and tell her that she was strange.  They made fun of her love for bugs.  So she stopped.  It made her sad.  Her mother contacted an entomologist and asked for some support.  She discovered a wonderful group of people who supported her love for bugs.

Let's Find Out Magazine:  Our magazine took us back to April when we read the Eric Carle book, A House for a Hermit Crab.  This issue is all about real hermit crabs and how they select seashells for their homes.  Please help your child complete the back page of the magazine.

Snack:  Today was May Birthday Day.  The children made apple nachos.  They took turns cranking an apple peeler/slicer  to make apple spirals.  They drizzled them with honey and sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top.  We also had birthday zebra cakes (Walmart was out of Cosmic Brownies😉)   Milk and water was served as well.

Wednesday, May 10

Group Meeting:  The question for today was "Do you like honey?"  Our insect of focus today was the bee.  

Story:  The story for today was To Bee or Not to Bee by P.J. Kennan.  Benny the bee thinks that he would like to be something besides a bee.  He flies around asking other insects about what they like to do.  He finds that mosquitos drink blood, flies eat garbage, and dung beetles like poop.  After looking at all of the other insects, he decides that being is bee is what he is supposed to be.

We went to the Outdoor Classroom today for play time.  We took art supplies and toys out with us so that we could play in the sunshine.

Large Group:  We watched a video about bees and how they make honey.

Snack:  The snack for today was Very Berry Cheerios, milk and water.

Group Meeting:  The question for today was "Would you rather have wings or arms?"  After everyone signed in, I asked them to explain why they chose what they did.

Story:  The story for today was Are You a Beetle? by Judy Allen and Fiona Osbaldstone.  This book describes the life cycle of a the tiger beetle.  Most beetles start out as larva in the ground.  After they grow, they create a pupa case.  They emerge from the pupa case as tiger beetles.  Tiger beetles are green with white spots.  Ask your child to tell you why they are called tiger beetles if they don't look like tigers?

Small Groups:  The children matched rhyming word pictures in the Ladybug Matching game.

Large Group:  The children went outside for an obstacle course.  They had to throw, run, and balance through the course on the grass.

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

Monday, May 8

Group Meeting:  The question for today was "Which insect do you like best?"  The children were given a choice of butterfly, preying mantis, or ladybug.  Ask your child to tell you which insect had the most names under it.

Story:  The story for today was The Ants Who Couldn't Dance by Susan Rich Brooke. A group of ants at a picnic see people dancing.  They want to dance too.  After trying, they decide that they should grab the left over food and head back to the ant hill.  Along the way, they see a beaver, a squirrel and a bird dancing.  They are disappointed that they can't dance.  Then an ant has an idea.  What if they could line dance?  Will this work?  Ask your child to tell you.

Small Groups:  Children working in pairs were asked to sort a tub of plastic insects into groups.  Some chose to sort by color.  Some chose to sort by type of bug.  We tried to think of other categories that we could sort the bugs into.

Large Group:  The children followed a yoga video about a stick bug who wants to go to a ball to dance with the other bugs.  We did lots of stretching and flexing.

Snack:  The snack for today was whole wheat waffles, cinnamon butter, milk and water.

Thursday, May 4

Group Meeting:  The question for the day was "Did you see an insect on the way to school today?"  Most of the children said that they did not, but a few said that they saw ants on the sidewalk.

Story:  The story for today was I Can't, Said the Ant by Polly Cameron.  A teapot has fallen on the floor and is asking for help to get back on the shelf.  The teapot calls out to an ant but the ant thinks he can't.  In this book of rhyming words, the ant finds that with help from his ant friends and a few spider friends, that he can get the teapot back on the shelf.

Small Groups:  We went outside on an insect hunt.  We looked under trees, in the grass, under rocks, and in the dirt for various ants.

Let's Find Out Magazine:  The magazine for today was about movement, specifically push and pull.  If you'd like more information, go to letsfindout.com Login as a student and use the password redeemer.

Snack:  The children had a choice today of pears, peaches, or mandarin oranges.

Tuesday, May 2

Group Meeting:  The question for today was "Would you pick up this insect?"  The picture was of an ant.  Most of the children said that they would, but a few thought that ants were "yucky".

Story:  The story for today was Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Lois Ehlert.   This story follows ten caterpillars as they search for food to eat before creating a chrysalis.  Along the way, they meet other little insects and dodge a chicken, fish and a toad that may want to eat them.  Ask your child to tell you what happens to the caterpillar at the end.

Small Groups:  The children used their hands to clap out the syllables in the names of insects.  

Large Group:  I hid pictures of insects and animals around the classroom.  The children had to find them and decide which were insects and which were animals.  They have learned that insects have three body sections, antenna, and six legs.

Snack:  The snack for today was bananas, peanut butter, Nutella, milk and water. 

Our field trip will be held tomorrow.  We will meet at the preschool and carpool over together.  We will be inside and outside, so dress appropriately.  

Monday, May 1

Thank you to everyone who was able to come to the Art Show on Thursday.  It was wonderful to see everyone!

Group Meeting:  This week, we are starting a study of insects.  We will be answering a question every day as we sign in.  The question for today was "Do you know the name of this insect?"  If you don't know, ask your child!

Story:  The story for today was Bumble Bee, Bumble Bee, Do You Know Me? by Anne Rockwell.  This is a book of flower and insect names.  We saw butterflies, katydids, June bugs, and leafhoppers.  The flowers were zinnias, roses, lilies, and daisies.  This will help us with insect identification.

Large Group:  The children played an insect guessing game.  I described an insect to see if they could name it or match it to the picture.

Letter Learning:  We finished the letters last week on Thursday with the letter Uu.  We will play letter games for the remainder of the school year.

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