"Almost all children respond to music. Music is an open-sesame, and if you can use it carefully and appropriately, you can reach into that child's potential for development." Dr. Clive Robbins

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

UEA-We will keep with the schedule

It looks like everyone will be around so we will continue with that week as normal.  The only different thing is we are doing a field trip on Wed. and Thursday.  All parents are welcome to come with us to Macey's.  Here is the schedule for October 13th and 14th.
9:30:  Meet at my house as normal and we will do a few things here to get ready for the field trip
9:45:  Leave my house to go to Macey's
10:00:  Field Trip
10:45:  Leave Macey's for my house
11:00:  Writing Names, Reading Time, and a short Music time
11:30:  Preschool Ends
Please let me know if you have any questions.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Looking ahead to UEA Weekend

Because I was taking off for Disneyland October 25-29th I was planning on teaching all week of October 11th which I believe is UEA for schools just on the 14th and 15th.  I wanted to poll the group to see how many students will be missing class because they are going on vacation that week.  If you are planning on missing a day that week let me know and I will decide what would be best.  We have scheduled to go to Macey's on the 13th and the 14th and I would hate to have half the class miss our field trip.  Depending on how many will miss we may have the Tue-Thursday class go on the 12th.  

Friday, September 24, 2010

Exploring Space!

This week we will find out fun things about our galazy!

Sept 27th and Sept 28
Welcome Song
Weather/Calendar
Music Circle Time (space puzzle)
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with actions (show different contelations)
Starlight Starbright (flashlight with planets on them)
Alphabet Rumba
Music Choosing
Math/Science Games- Starlight, Star Bright and
Creating Project-Show how constellations work with cards and then let them create their own
Snack Time-make pudding in ziplock baggies -sip with a straw
Free Play
Reading/Writing Time-lesson 9
Story Time:  Stars, stars, stars; Our Stars
Goodbye Song

Sept 27th and Sept 28
Welcome Song
Weather/Calendar
Music Circle Time (space puffy bag)
He’s Got the Whole World in his hands (pass the round ball around while singing)
It’s a Small world (show the earth size compared to the sun)
Alphabet Rumba
Music Choosing
Math/Science Game- Moonlight Model/Sun Shadows/Solar Cooker
Creating Project-Coloring Earth with crayons
Snack Time-Eat marshmallows dipped in our chocolate we melted in the sun
Free Play
Reading/Writing Time-lesson 10
Story Time—What makes Day and Night
Goodbye Song

Home Challenge/Project:  Find time to go outside at night and look at the stars.  See if you can find the Big Dipper and the north star.  Check out these fun games with your child for 1/2 hour.  There are some great math games they would need help with them.  It's Nasa's website.  Our Buzz Light year fan will really dig this!  http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html

Recipe for the Banana boats we made last week.
Take a half of a banana, peel, and cut lengthwise.  Put peanut butter in between banana.  Make a sail out of cheese and put on with a toothpick.  Then decorate banana and sail with raisins stuck on with peanut butter.

Upcoming Calendar Item:  
  • October 11th and 12th we will be going on a field trip to Macey's Grocery Store. I have enough parents helping with this so thank you!

  • Week of October 25th-No Preschool.  Our family is taking a trip to Disneyland.  

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Invite to The Fall Festival!

This is totally unrelated to Preschool but I had to tell you about it!  =)
Just a quick invite to all of you to come to the Thomas Edison Charter School Fall Festival.  It will be a great family event.  Here is the info and if you have any questions let me know.
When:  This Friday Sept. 24th
Time:  5 pm - 8 pm
Where:  Thomas Edison Charter School South Campus 1275 West 2350 South,  Nibley, Utah 84321
Cost:  You can get a punch pass for $10 (this is 20 tickets)  Each ride or game is between 1-3 tickets each
Food:  You can also buy dinner (pizza and drinks), cotton candy, and lots of yummy Bake Sale Items.
Silent Auction:  We have amazing businesses and individuals in the valley that have donated items for the silent auction.  Come and see all the great baskets and items for auction.
I hope to see some of you there it will be a lot of fun!
All the proceeds go to help the children at the school (which my two older boys go to).
FYI:  Thomas Edison Charter School is a public school, FREE tuition.  It is a great school and this is a fun time to check it out.  Most teachers and of course or awesome Principal Mr. Budge will be there.  School Website link

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Things that Go!

Sept. 20th Week 4- Things that Go
Preschool Outline for the week.
Sept 20 and 21st
Welcome Song
Weather/Calendar
Music Circle Time
The Wheels on the bus (substitute other vehicles)
We can sound like:  Sirens, railroad crossing, cars honking etc
Row Row Row your Boat (actions and try round)
Music Choosing Songs
Math- patterning match ups
Creating Project-painting project with cars/trains etc.
Snack Time-Create sugar cookies with vehicle cookie cutters-eat
Free Play-outside play/car play
Reading/Writing Time-lesson 7 Learn letter t (use book)
Story Time:  Wheels, Things that go, The Big Red bus
Goodbye Song

Sept 22nd and 23rd
Welcome Song
Weather/Calendar
Spotlight Camry for her birthday
Music Circle Time
I’ve been working on the Railroad-act out motions
A Bicycle Built for Two-pedal feet in the air!
Red Light Green Light with instruments
Alphabet Walk
Music Choosing Songs
Math-Sorting Vehicles in piles: land, air or sea -count each pile
Creating Project-create banana boats (take pictures)
Snack Time-eat banana boats
Free Play-outside play/car play
Writing Names/Reading/Writing Time-lesson 8
Story Time:  She'll be coming round the mountain, Little Engine that could, Cars and trucks
Goodbye Song

We will start daily math concepts and lessons this week.
Home Challenge/Project:  Put magnetic letters on your fridge or magnet board for your child to play with and to build "words".  I found magnetic letters and numbers at All a Dollar, it has been a great investment!  Help your child spell their name and simple words.  They can also invent their own words and you can help them sound them out.    Did you find time to read a story or two to your preschooler today?  Yes?  Great job!!!  If not, commit to do it tomorrow.  Reading everyday will instill a love for learning, books, and reading.  

Upcoming Calendar Item:  
  • October 11th and 12th we will be going on a field trip to Macey's Grocery Store. I will need one parent that can help me transport children.  If you are willing will you please e-mail me back.  We will also need you to leave your child's boaster seat.  

  • Week of October 25th-No Preschool.  Our family is taking a trip to Disneyland.  

Friday, September 10, 2010

Animals in my World

I'm excited for our animal theme!  Here is a basic outline of what we are doing.
I'm concerned that most of you are not receiving or reading these e-mails.  I send reminders of things your child needs to bring like show and tell, and when tuition is due.  I missed seeing several of you on Friday and wonder if this is why.  I would love to know that everyone is getting these.  So I know if you got this would you please reply back to this e-mail so I know you are receiving these.  (just a simple "got it" would suffice) Thank you!
One of the skills we worked on last week was using scissors.  Some students were very uncomfortable using scissors so I would encourage you to work at home with this.

Sept. 13th and 14th Week 3- Animals in my world Box 338 Wild Animals
9:30  Welcome Song
9:35  Weather/Calendar
9:40  Music Circle Time (use the animal puzzle with names on the back of them to choose)   1.  Carnival of the Animals (set some animal figurines out and have each child choose what animal they want to act out during the music, if needed stop the music and have them choose a new animal
2. The Animal Fair (have them act them out with finger puppets
3. 10 little monkey’s jumping on the bed (use the number cards)
4.  I’m going on a bear hunt (add instruments for sound effects)
10:10 Writing names—
10:15  Creating Project  Cardboard Tube Giraffe-Do the first part of our giraffe—paint the neck of our giraffes
10:30 Snack Time
10:40 Free Play—Animal figurines and blocks
11:00 Reading/Writing Time-Lesson 6- Letter E writing
11:15 Story Time-Animals Black and White, Elephants Swim
11:28 Goodbye Song

Sept 15th and 16th Animals in my world Box 338 Wild Animals
9:30  Welcome Song
9:35  Weather/Calendar
9:40  Music Circle Time (use farm puzzle to choose songs)
  1. The Farmer and the Dell play the game in Kindergarten book
  2. Old MacDonald had a farm
  3. Baa Baa Black Sheep (have everyone be a letter and have them stand up when I say their letter)
  4. Home on the Range (inner listening)
10:10 Writing names
10:15  Creating Project-finish our giraffes-clue on
10:30 Snack Time
10:40 Free Play-Animal figurines and blocks
11:00 Reading/Writing Time-Lesson 7- Practice Writing all the letters-lined paper
11:15 Story Time-Guess Who’s in the Jungle, Baby Rhino’s Escape
11:28 Goodbye Song

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

I'm a VIP Week

This week we are learning how great we are! We are very important people and we can do many things!

This week we are saying and writing the sounds of m, s, and a (the sound we are learning now is just aaa sound like in the word "at", or "mat"). We are also learning to combine these into small words. We say the sounds slowly and then say it fast. For example. I write the word am. We say it first aaaammmm. then I say say it fast and they say "am" This would be a great thing to practice at home. You can do this with really any word. You can say for example, "motor, boat" then ask them to say it fast "motorboat" This will help them so much with reading later on.

We will also learn this week a new letter "e" (we are just learning the long eeee sound for now)

Arts and Crafts: We are painting with people sponges. They can create their own people with heads, feet, shirts, pants, hats etc. The other craft is creating a "Favorite's Collage" They will pick out favorite things from magazines and cut and glue them on their paper. Then they can share with the class their favorite things they found. If you have any extra magazines laying around that you could send we would really appreciate it.

In music time this week we are practicing taking turns by either playing instruments, and choosing movements. They will also get to do mirror dancing where they get to take turns being the leader and then also being the follower. This is a very fun game you can try with them. You stand in front of them and they can follow exactly your movements as if they are a mirror. Then take turns. You may be surprised how long they can do this for.

All our books this week are about liking ourselves and about how we are all important and needed. Here are My Hands, Imagine, I like me, Sometimes, Our Body, I was so mad, ABC I like Me.

I've decided to do the assessments in class during free time. I've done half of them so far. I have them write their name, I ask them to count as high as they can, they identify letters, and they identify some simple shapes. It takes just a couple minutes so I thought that would be easier just to have them one at a time come do it during free time.

Don' forget, the Monday Classes will have class this Friday because of Labor Day.