Tuesday, February 14

Group Meeting:  Happy Valentines Day!  Since today was a party day, we didn't do Math Journals or Letter Learning.  Instead, we played games and opened Valentines from our friends.

Story:  The story for today was The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting.  Mr. and Mrs. Bear have never celebrated Valentines Day because they are usually hibernating.  This year, Mrs. Bear decides to set her alarm and wake up to surprise Mr. Bear with Valentines.  However, when it's time to wake up Mr. Bear, she can't get him to open his eyes.  Ask your child to tell you how she plans to wake up Mr. Bear and if it works.

Snack:  The children enjoyed the Valentine cookies and snack mixes brought by the Party Parents.  We want to thank them for their help today.  It was a very nice party!

AM book:  Big Rig Rescue by Chris Gall brought by Dillon

PM book:  The Queen for today was absent due to illness.  We hope she's able to return tomorrow!

Monday, February 13

Group Meeting:  The handshake for this week is "back to back".  Your child can show you how it's done.  We've been learning two songs about love.  Your child may be able to sing "A Little Red Box" and "Love Grows".

Story:  The story for today was I Love You, Blue Kangaroo by Emma Clark.    Lily has a stuffed kangaroo that she sleeps with every night.  When she goes to sleep, she says, "I love you, Blue Kangaroo".  One day, her aunt gives her a teddy bear.  She puts the bear right next to her in bed which moves Blue Kangaroo to the side.  As she receives more stuffed animals, Blue Kangaroo is slowly moved to the end of the bed, and one night, falls out.  Blue Kangaroo walks to her brothers room and gets in bed with him.  Will Lily miss him?  Will she get him back?  Ask your child to tell you what Lily has to do to get Blue Kangaroo.

Small Groups:  The children were given boxes of conversation hearts to sort by color.  They put the hearts on a line graph to see which color they had the most of and which they had the least of.

Large Group:  The morning class played a sorting game.  It was so nice outside by the afternoon that we took the children outside to draw on the sidewalk.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Tt.  The afternoon class ran out of time to trace and print the letter Tt.  We put it in their bags for them to do at home.

Snack:  The snack for today was cheese slices, Wheat Thins, and water.  

AM book:  There is a Giraffe in My Soup by Ross Burach brought by Lucy.

PM book:  You're All My Favorites by Sam McBratney brought by Mary.

Tomorrow is our Valentines party.  If your child has not brought Valentines to school yet, please do so tomorrow.  Thanks!

Thursday, February 9

Group Meeting:  The children are starting to "mail" their Valentines.  If your child hasn't brought Valentines yet, they can do so on Monday.  

Story:  The story for today was Pancakes, Pancakes by Eric Carle.  When Jack wakes up one morning, he tells his mother that he wants pancakes for breakfast.  His mother tells him he must help gather the ingredients.  He takes the wheat to the miller for flour, gets eggs from the chickens, milks the cow, churns butter, and collects wood for the wood stove.  Then he helps his mother mix the batter and flip the pancakes.  Jack puts something sweet on his pancakes.  Ask your child to tell you what it is.

Small Groups:  The children took turns helping me mix the batter for pancakes.  With oven mitts on both hands, they took turns flipping the pancakes on the griddle.  Ask your child to tell you the color of the pancakes.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Ss.  The children traced and printed the letter Ss.

Let's Find Out:  For Black History month, we learned about the artist Alma Thomas.  Alma like to use lots of colors in her art work.  For more information, go to letsfindout.com  Sign in as a student and use the password redeemer.

Snack:  The children enjoyed the pancakes with the same topping that Jack did.  We had milk and water to drink.

AM book:  Gaston by Kelly Dipucchio brought by Audrey

PM book:  The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Andersen and Eve Tharlet brought by Emery

Wednesday, February 8

Group Meeting:  The children have their Valentine boxes decorated.  Tomorrow, we will start to "mail" the Valentines.  

Story:  The story for today was Hugs and Kisses by Christophe Loupy.   Hugs is a puppy who wants to know something.  He leaves the barn where he lives with his family and roams the barnyard looking.  He meets a duck, horse, pig, bunny, and butterfly.  They all give him something that helps him figure out what he wanted to know.  Ask your child to tell you what the animals give him and what he discovers.

Small Groups:  The children were given heart cards with the numerals 1-10 printed on them.  We put them on a 10 frame in numerical order.

Large Group:  The children participated in an obstacle course of crawling, balancing, and hopping using a tunnel, balance beam, and hoops.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Rr.  The children moved to Awesome Rainbows and traced and printed the letter R.

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

AM Book: Frozen Search for Olaf by Disney brought by Nalani 

PM Book:  Cinderella by Disney brought by Swayze

Wednesday, February 7

Group Meeting:  We are starting to prepare for our Valentine's Day Party.  We talked about Valentine traditions such as giving cards, candy, hugs and kisses.  

Story:  The story for today was Will You Be My Valentine? by Steven Kroll.  A class of preschoolers are getting ready for Valentines Day.  They take turns picking a name out of a hat and will make one special Valentine for that child.  Thomas has chosen Gretchen.  Thomas really likes Gretchen.  However, Gretchen doesn't like him.  Thomas tries to play with her at school, but Gretchen tells him that she just doesn't like boys.  Thomas' mom has an idea.  Ask your child to tell you what happens next.

Small Groups:  The children were given an emergent reader; Will You Be My Valentine?   We read through it together repeating the words to the story.  The objective of this activity was to have the children become familiar with how a book is read.  We looked at the cover.  We turned the pages one at a time.  We looked at the pictures and pretended to read the words.  Your child may be able to read it to you!

Large Group:  The children played a game in which they had to find a card hidden in the classroom with two pictures on it.  If the pictures rhymed, they placed their card on the smiley face.  If the pictures did not rhyme, they placed it on the frowning face.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Qq.  We traced and printed the letter Qq.

Snack:  The snack for today was celery, peanut butter, raisins, milk and water.

PM book:  The Little Red Racing Car by Dwight Knowlton brought by Eli.

Monday, February 6

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

Story:  The story for today was Hammer and Nails by Josh Bledsoe.  Darcy is disappointed after finding out that her playdate has been canceled.  Daddy offers to step in as a playmate, but Darcy has to agree to do some things that Daddy wants to do.  Darcy and Daddy take turns selecting activities.  Daddy dresses up in a tutu.  Darcy helps with the yard work.  Daddy teaches Darcy to hammer nails.  Darcy teaches Daddy to do something with another kind of nails.  Ask your child to tell you what it is.

Small Groups:  The children used tissue paper and heart shapes to create window decorations for Valentine's Day.

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Pp.  The children did the Penguin Dance and traced and printed the letter Pp.

Study:  This week, we will be learning about wedges.  A wedge can hold something in place or separate something into separate pieces.  Ask your child to give you some examples.

Snack:  The snack for today was crackers, cheese sticks and water.

AM book: Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London brought by Isabel.

PM book:  Piggy Pie Po by Audrey and Don Wood brought by Mila.

We will start decorating Valentine boxes tomorrow.  If your child has not brought a box to school yet, please send it tomorrow.  If you need another set of directions, let me know, and I can email them to you.

Thursday, February 2

 My apologies for not posting for the past two days.  I was a little under the weather but returned to school today.

Group Meeting:  Today is Groundhogs Day.  Did the groundhog see his shadow?  It was a sunny day so we are guessing that he did.

Story:  The story for today was Groundhog Day Suit by Dee Smith.  A groundhog is in his burrow getting ready for Groundhogs Day.  He wants to look really good when he comes out of his hole.  He makes a spiffy shirt and decorates it with stars, swirls, and jewels.  He combs his hair and checks himself in the mirror.  Will he see his shadow?

Letter Learning:  The letter for today was Oo.  We danced to the Octopus Dance and traced and printed the letter Oo.

Let's Find Out:  Our magazine was about groundhogs.  The video told us what groundhogs eat, where they live, and how they sound a warning when danger is near.  If you'd like more information, go to letsfindout.com, login as a student and use the password redeemer.

Snack:  The snack for today was wheat bread, turkey slices, milk and water.

AM book:  Frozen II by Disney brought by Jasleen

PM book:  The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle brought by Mya