"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

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Water Time


Self Directed Play & Clean Up—Letter: V,B,P  Numbers: Counting by 10’s
Weather, Calendar, Counting, Letter and Number of the Week
Seat Work
Reading and Writing
Music Circle Time
Hello Song
Instruments—Drip Drop w/ tone bells
Social—Who Stole the Cookie?
Counting—Blow Bubbles and count them
Music readiness/rhythm—Rhythm Cards
Small and Large Movement Skills
Cognitive (colors, shapes, letters)—Alphabet Rumba
Singing—Child Chooses Songs
Snack & Story Time
Free Time & Group Motor Activity
Creating Project (arts and crafts) Chalk Art/Magic Water Bottles
Give children large pieces of white paper and a box full of chalk. Do this project outside, if possible, to cut down on mess. Ask children to first make chalk drawings on their papers, then pass out cups of water and paintbrushes. Children can paint over their chalk lines with water and watch how the picture changes. Put the pictures out in the sun and watch how the pictures change again. Ask children to observe and explain the changes they're seeing.
Math/Science Skills—Pattern Cards
Goodbye Song

Self Directed Play & Clean Up
Weather, Calendar, Counting, Letter and Number of the Week
Seat Work
Reading and Writing
Music Circle Time
Movement-- Ordinary Miracle Dance and Discussion
Instruments—Down by the Bay
Counting—Count rain drops and match flashcard
ABC/Reading—Spell Water as we listen to The Water is Wide
music appreciation/readiness—Musical Alphabet hiding and sorting
Singing—Child Chooses Songs
Snack & Story Time
Free Time & Group Motor Activity
Creating Project (arts and crafts)-Water Color Fishes/Drippy Rain Cloud
Math/Science Skills—Uno Attack
Goodbye Song
Announcements:  We are making something with water bottles.  If you have any empty water bottles with lids could you send them that would be great.
May 11th is coming up which is the Smithfield Health Day’s Parade.  We will be riding in our little red truck and singing and throwing candy to parade goers.  We did the parade last year and the kids had a great time.  Have your children wear their yellow preschool t-shirt.  We will meet at Sky View High at 9:45 and the parade will begin at 10:00am.  Parents are welcome to walk on the side of the truck if you would like. Let me know if you have any questions.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes


4/22/13-4/25/13  Letter G,H, K  Number:  90-100
Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales
Self Directed Play & Clean Up:  Puppet Shows, Blocks
Weather, Calendar, Counting, Letter and Number of the Week
Seat Work
Reading and Writing
Music Circle Time
Hello Song
Instruments-Three Different Instruments choices (egg shakers, bells, wood blocks)  “Can I hear the _______”
Social-The Farmer in the Dell
Counting- Hickory Dickory Dock
Music Appreciation/Readiness-Rhythm Matching Cards
Small and Large Movement Skills—Little Miss Muffet (take turns being the spider and Miss Muffet)
ABC/Reading-Three Blind Mice w/ Bells
Singing—Child Chooses Songs
Free Time & Group Motor Activity
Snack & Story Time—Strawberries -- Nursery Rhyme Book
Creating Project (arts and crafts) Kites, Sock Puppets
Math/Science Skills: Die Game with Abacus
Goodbye Song

Self Directed Play & Clean Up: Puppet Shows, Blocks
Weather, Calendar, Counting, Letter and Number of the Week
Seat Work
Reading and Writing
Music Circle Time
Hello Song
Rhythm/Instruments—Hey Diddle Diddle-tapping and visuals
Social—I’m in the Mood
Counting- Bubble Gum Bubble Gum
Music Appreciation/Readiness-Pick a card
Small and Large Movement Skills—Jack and Jill w/ actions and xylophone
ABC/Reading-Three Blind Mice w/ bells
Singing—Child Chooses Songs
Free Time & Group Motor Activity
Snack & Story Time—Pretzels--Fairytale
Creating Project (arts and crafts) Play dough--make stories and characters with the dough
Math/Science Skills: Math Cards
Goodbye Song
Home Challenge:  This week we are learning about Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales.  The language and rhythm in Nursery Rhymes especially help children develop language skills which will in turn help with learning the patterns of reading.  I encourage you to teach your child some new nursery rhymes and say them often.  You can also add clapping or tapping your feet to them to emphasis the rhythm in the verses.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Western Roundup


Theme:  Western Roundup
Self Directed Play & Clean Up:  Lincoln Logs
Weather, Calendar, Counting, Letter and Number of the Week  Letters: U, L, W  Numbers 80-90
Seat Work
Reading and Writing
Spotlights on preschool children-Simon
Music Circle Time
Hello Song
Instruments-Jimmy Crack Corn-use sticks on every “crack” in the song
Social—Horsey Horsey—teach partners the horsey trot dance
Counting—Bubble gum-with money
Music readiness/rhythm—Snake-mixed up and fix up
Small and Large Movement Skills—Match your feet to the beat—galloping like a horse
Cognitive (colors, shapes, letters)—Home on the Range w/ Microphone
Singing—Child Chooses Songs
Snack & Story Time—Flapjacks--Fastest Drawer in the West
Free Time & Group Motor Activity—Barrel Racing
Creating Project (arts and crafts) Footprint horse, Cowboy Hat
Math/Science Skills—Number puzzle game
Goodbye Song
Self Directed Play & Clean Up:  Dress ups, and lacing
Weather, Calendar, Counting, Letter and Number of the Week
This week is the Utah Earthquake Shakeout.  We will be doing an earthquake awareness day today.  We will do a drill as well.
Seat Work
Reading and Writing
10:15:  Earthquake ShakeOut!
Music Circle Time
Hello Song
Instruments—Coyote Pow Wow/drums, shakers, recorder
Social-Tell some Navajo legends to music
Counting-10 little Indians (Count forward and backwards)
Music readiness/rhythm-Echo Dog-(repeat my pattern)
Small and Large Movement Skills—Circle to the left-old brass wagon
Cognitive (colors, shapes, letters)—Rainbow Song
Singing—Child Chooses Songs--
Snack & Story Time—Indian Fry Bread
Free Time & Group Motor Activity—Cowboy beanbag toss
Creating Project (arts and crafts) Making bead necklaces, Paper weaving, (Tell the Navajo Weaver Poem)
Math/Science Skills—Counting by 10’s with the abacus
Goodbye Song
Announcements and Home Challenge: Wednesday and Thursday we will be doing an earthquake drill.  I will prepare the students before but you may also want to talk to your child about earthquakes as well.  For more information about the Utah Shake out check out this webpage:  http://www.shakeout.org/utah/   This statewide earthquake awareness is something you can also do with your family at home or at work.  We all must get better prepared for major earthquakes, and practice how to protect ourselves when they happen. The purpose of the ShakeOut is to help people and organizations do both. The following video has been created to show what may happen in a Wasatch fault earthquake, and what Utahns can do to reduce losses.

Monday, April 1, 2013

It's A Circus!


Monday and Tuesday
Self Directed Play & Clean Up:  Letters O, N, F  Numbers: 70-80
 Weather, Calendar, Counting, Letter and Number of the Week
Seat Work
Reading and Writing
Spotlights on preschool children—Tai on Monday, Grant on Tuesday
Music Circle Time
Hello Song
Instruments-Play Play Play—Let each child choose favorite instrument
Social—No one likes a Frowny Face—Talk about having a good attitude and smiling.
Counting: This little clown is fat and gray (hold up thumb)
This little clown does tricks all day (hold up next finger)
This little clown is tall and strong (hold up next finger)
This little clown is wee and small (hold up next finger)
And this little clown can do anything at all (hold up little finger)
Music readiness/rhythm—Music Copy Cat w/ xylophone
Small and Large Movement Skills
(Sung to Mary had a little Lamb)
Lets all go to the circus
The circus today, the circus today
Let's all go to the circus, today
And watch a big parade
See the clowns all tumbling around, tumbling around
See the clowns all tumbling around
In the circus ring.
Lions and tigers jumping through hoops
Jumping through hoops, jumping through hoops
Lions and tigers jumping through hoops
In their circus cage
The prancing horses step so high, Step so high, step so high.
The prancing horses step so high
In the circus ring
Cognitive (colors, shapes, letters)--Bubblegum
Singing—Child Chooses Songs
Snack & Story Time--Popcorn
Free Time & Group Motor Activity—Balance Beam and the Tight Rope
Creating Project (arts and crafts)—Elephant counter/Decorate Popcorn Bags
Math/Science Skills—Bead Counter Games
Goodbye Song

Self Directed Play & Clean Up
Weather, Calendar, Counting, Letter and Number of the Week
Seat Work
Reading and Writing
Spotlights on preschool children-Ben on Thursday
Show and Tell- Bring a favorite Stuffed animal (we will use this in music time as well)
Music Circle Time
Hello Song
Instruments—Marching Circus Band
Social—Talk about what we have learned about the circus and have them share something they would like to see at the circus or what they have seen if they have been before.  Pass a beanbag and when the music stops that child who as the bean bag gets to share.
Counting—5 little Elephants
Music readiness/rhythm—Letter Bean Bag toss on the big staff
Small and Large Movement Skills—Animal March w/ stuffed animals The Big Top
Everybody circle round and lift the canvas off the ground
Push and pull and watch it rise, the big top grows right before our eyes
Everybody circle round and lift the canvas off the ground
Sit and watch the circus acts singing
Everybody circle round form a great big ring upon the ground
Now we're set to watch the show
Circus acts both high and low
Everybody circle round and form a ring upon the ground.
 Walking Through The Circus
(Sung To: "I've Been Working On the Railroad")
I am walking through the circus (walk in place)
Happy as can be (smile real big)
I am walking through the circus (walk in place)
Just to see, what I can see (make binoculars with hands)
I can see the clown laughing (ha, ha, ha)
I can see the elephant, too (make trunk motion)
I can see the lion sleeping (yawn)
Look out (make binoculars with hands)... because he sees you too
Cognitive (colors, shapes, letters)
Singing—Child Chooses Songs
Snack & Story Time—Circus Peanuts
Free Time & Group Motor Activity--Juggling
Creating Project (arts and crafts) Clowns made with Shapes/Happy and Sad Clown Faces
Math/Science Skills—Science w/ Circus Peanuts
Goodbye Song

Announcements:  Have a great spring break.  I will give out calendars on Monday for the month of April. We will have show and tell on Wed and Thursday.  Have them choose stuffed animal to bring.  We will use these in music time as well.  
We do not have a field trip this month but in May we will do the Health Day's Parade and the Willow Park Zoo.  It is getting close to the end of the school year.

Home Challenge:  This week while we are off of school I challenge you to do something with your child everyday that will help with their preschool skills.  Do a puzzle together, Make a collage by cutting and gluing out papers, Read together, etc.