January
Dear Families,
Here is a basic layout of the activities, snacks, and themes we will be learning and doing during the month of January.

January 6 – 22: Shapes and Sizes

*Tuesday, Jan. 6/ Wednesday, Jan. 7 – – Letter Ii
Today we’ll be learning about circles and spheres. We will read “Circles, Triangles, and Squares” by Tana Hoban and then play a balloon stomping game! We will be creating circle prints and make English Muffin Pizzas for snack.

*Thursday, Jan. 8 – – Letter Ii
Circles are out today and squares are in! Today we’ll read “There’s a Square” by Mary Serfozo and then stack 3D squares, decorate squares, create treasure boxes, and play four square. For snack we will make cheese and bread squares.

*Tuesday, Jan. 13/ Wednesday, Jan. 14 – – Letter Jj
“Pancakes, Crackers, and Pizza” by Marjorie Eberts will start our day with triangles and rectangles. Then we will be playing ‘pizza match’ – a game of matching pizza slices to the right pizza. During choice time, we will use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of gingerbread playdough, make triangle rubbings, shape collages, and negative space pictures. For recess we will play a game of bigger than/smaller than, dancing around the shapes, or three corners.

*Thursday, Jan. 15 – – Letter Jj
We will learn about ovals and stars today. We will read “Draw me a Star” by Eric Carle and then play the fly swatter game. We will make shapes with shaving cream, learn to draw stars, sort raw and hard-boiled eggs, and during recess we will make box sculptures. For snack we’ll dine on delicious hard-boiled eggs and toast.

January 20 – February 5: Nutrition and Manners
*Tuesday, Jan. 20/ Wednesday, Jan. 21 – - Letter Kk
Today we will read “Boom baby! Boom boom!” by Margaret Mahy, or “No Milk!” by Jennifer Ericsson and we will introduce Rude Rodney. We will talk about coughing and sneezing and the polite way to do it. Then we will talk about the four food groups. In the messy table, we will milk cows, at the cut and color table we will make a food group mural, and in creative arts we will make a layered snack of ginger ale, blueberry syrup, and heavy cream (each has a different density and this keeps them from mixing – it’s pretty yummy too!)

*Thursday, Jan. 22 – – Letter Kk
Today Rude Rodney will have eaten all my chocolates without asking and we’ll discuss why that’s rude. Then we will each have a turn using please and thank-you to ask for a new chocolate. We will talk about fruits and vegetables and which is which, we will squeeze oranges in the messy table, make vegetable people in the cut and color table, and fruit prints in creative art. For music and movement we will play the fruit and vegetable game and, if there’s time, we’ll play ‘go bananas!’

*Tuesday, Jan. 27/ Wednesday, Jan. 28 – - Letter Ll
Today Rude Rodney starts by interrupting. We will read “The Berentstain Bears Forget their Manners” and talk about the touch rule (instead of interrupting, a child lays his hand on yours and you acknowledge him by laying your hand on top of his. When you’ve finished what you’re doing, then you get to his level to talk to him.) Today we’ll play with flour goop, string cereal, work on a mural, and make a pasta and rice rainbow collage. For music and movement we will play popcorn and for snack we’ll eat popcorn!

*Thursday, Jan. 29 – – Letter Ll
Rude Rodney will teach us about sharing today and we’ll read “Bear Learns to Share” by Claude Lebrun, or “My New Sandbox” by Donna Jakob. We will discuss the fourth food group – meats, eggs, and protein. We will make rubber eggs out of vinegar. The children love this because the calcium on the egg is dissolved by the vinegar’s acid and the egg feels like rubber! We will be having a small luncheon today and the children will put together our sandwiches in the messy table, make luncheon hats and placemats, and then we will have our luncheon! If there is time left over, we will play a game of ‘Poor silly kitty.’

December Newsletter

December
Dear Families,
Hello and welcome to a new month! Guess what?! I have a website now… and it’s working!!! For lesson plans and updates, please visit my website at thechildrenscornerpreschool.blogspot.com. I have just added great links for parents!
Also, as most of you know, I will be teaching zoo phonics to the children for kindergarten readiness. I will still focus on a letter a week, but no explicitly. I want the children to be introduced to the entire alphabet quickly so we can make the most of our year. I’ve looked at zoophonics and feel it is the best approach to reading I’ve reviewed so far. The children love the program because they can connect an animal and an action with each letter’s shape and sound. I encourage you to review zoo phonics on their website (zoophonics.com) so that you can support its use at home. I prefer, though, that you do not use the animals they have on the zoophonics website, because we won’t be using them (due to copyright issues). Zoophonics would not let me copyright my materials for parental use, so I am making my own names, animals, and actions for each letter and the children will be given flash cards they may use at home. I’m sending home a basic layout of the activities, snacks, and themes we will be learning and doing during the month of November. Since my Wednesday class only meets once a week, I will be combining Tuesday/Thursday lessons so that my Wednesday children learn what the older children learn - just not as in depth. We won’t have class November 27th. Thanks for all you do and enjoy your Thanksgiving!!
November 4 – 13 – GOTTA BE ME!
*Tuesday, Nov. 4/ Wednesday, Nov. 5 –MY SENSE OF SMELL and TASTE – Cc
Today will be a fun eating day full of lots of things to taste. From dill pickles, to cookies, lemons, salty chips, and more! We’ll talk about different tastes and which ones we like best. We’ll sing Make Myself Some Cookies by Thomas Moore. We’ll be making favorite food pictures, and recipe dictations, the children can explore in the restaurant at dramatic play. For snack we’ll be using a few different senses as we make and watch our very own popcorn pop!
*Thursday, Nov. 6 – MY SENSE OF SIGHT and TOUCH – Cc
We’ll see what it’s like to be blindfolded and discuss what kinds of things we would miss out on. We’ll explore with textured fingerpaints and discuss the different textures of various objects. For snack we’ll have colored Goldfish and sort the different colors!
*Tuesday, Nov. 11/ Wednesday, Nov. 12 –FEELING ME– Dd
We’ll be talking about feelings and what makes us feel the way we do. We’ll make ‘me’ puppets with pictures of each of the children on the puppets. For snack we’ll make pizza faces!
*Thursday, Nov. 13 – CELEBRATING ME!! – Dd
Today we’ll talk about the different things we learned about ourselves and the different things we can all do. We’ll also talk about when our birthdays are and why they are special. We’ll be making special ‘ME’ hats, celebrating birthdays in the dramatic play area, and learning why it’s so great to be ME. For snack today we’ll have bananas and grapes.
November 18-26 – THANKSGIVING
*Tuesday, Nov. 18/ Wednesday, Nov. 19 – MY FAMILY- Ee
We will talk about what makes a family, in the traditional sense of the word and we’ll label family members, then we will talk about other families we have and how we, as a class, are a family too. We’ll role play with puppets, read ‘The Family Book’ by Todd Parr, and make a book about our family. For snack we’ll make heart-shaped love sandwiches.
*Thursday, Nov. 20 – Thanks – Ee
We will talk about Thanksgiving and why it is a holiday. We will talk about other fall harvest holidays around the world and explain that it is a time of thanks. We’ll read, “Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks” by Margaret Sutherland, introduce Rude Rodney, and make thank-you cards. For snack we’ll serve each other cheese and crackers.
*Tuesday, Nov. 25/ Wednesday, Nov. 26 – THE FIRST THANKSGIVING- Ff
We will talk about our own family traditions for Thanksgiving and our plans for Thursday. Then we will discuss the first Thanksgiving and what happened there. We’ll read “Five Silly Turkeys” and make our own silly turkeys, play games the pilgrim children may have played, and have our own Thanksgiving dinner of mashed potato, turkey, and pie!
No School Thursday November 27th. Eat lots of (healthy) food!

Letting Children Choose
Why do we as adults pursue hobbies such as golf, crochet, or gardening? We spend time in such an activity because we find it enjoyable, we have some control over the activity, and we see it as offering some probability of success. We choose what we will crochet or plant; we decide where, when, and with whom we will play golf or tennis.
Children, too, learn best when they have some control over their learning, when activities are meaningful and relevant, and when they can make choices in the materials they will work with and how they will use them.
Children thrive when they have opportunities every day to make choices in their learning. As a teacher, I facilitate children’s choices within a carefully planned environment. I create the environment to allow each child to choose activities that are developmentally appropriate for his or her age. The children choose the peers with whom they will work and play and usually determine how they will use the available materials.
These choices empower children to take control of their own learning. Children use materials and equipment in far more creative and innovative ways than we could ever plan, and they use the materials in ways that meet their own developmental needs.
Research indicates that intrinsic motivation – when we work on a task primarily because we find it satisfying – is the most effective and engaging way to learn. In this preschool I make an effort to provide materials and activities that provide choice and interest for the children. That’s a key reason that you’ll see busy, involved children when you visit the classroom.

Nutrition and manners - Bread and Cereal

Jan. 27 – Breads and Cereals
Greeting Time (9:00 – 9:15)
Morning Circle (AM 9:15-9:30)

1. Song Can
2 Calendar
3 After singing a few songs and doing our morning calendar, Rude Rodney will join us with a blanket and a pillow. It is time for Rodney's morning nap. Miss Tammy will read a book "The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners". As the teacher reads the book Rodney will interrupt and ringing a bell as I try and finish. First he'll ask for a drink of water before his nap, then a hug, the he'll ask for the teacher to fluff his pillow just right. After the story I'll begin a conversation with the kids about interrupting.......What does it mean to interrupt? How did Rodney interrupt? What would have been the polite thing for Rodney to do? Do you ever interrupt mommy and daddy? Who would like to come up and tell Rodney what he should do instead of interrupting? No interrupting Please, Touch Rule - This is an excellent rule for the preschool classroom and an even better rule for home. I do not believe a teacher should make a child wait for a very long time before he is responded to, but there are times when the teacher is busy and the child has to wait. When the teacher is busy the child is asked to lay his hand on the teacher's hand. This lets the teacher know that the child needs to speak to her. The teacher responds by laying her hand on the child's hand. That way, the child has been acknowledged and he knows the teacher will get to him next. When she is finished with her previous conversation she should get down on the child's level and attend to his need. This helps a great deal when on the telephone at home. But remember, it isn't fair to make the child wait too long. That will only set him up for failure.
Learning Centers (AM 9:30-10:15)
Breads and Cereals
*Cut and Color Table: STRINGING CEREAL - There will be a variety of cereals at the cut and color table for stringing. There will be pattern cards available for the children to copy the pattern to make for their necklace. We will enjoy talking about what grain the different cereals are made of, tasting them and of course stringing them!!
*Messy Table: FLOUR GOOP - There will be squirt bottles like syrup, liquid dish soap bottles, etc. These bottles will be half way filled with flour and then filled up with water. The children can squirt these bottles to make goopy designs. If they want, they can squirt them onto squares of cardboard where the designs can dry hard and feel really neat! The teacher will guide discussions about how flour comes from wheat and is part of the breads and cereals group.
*Creative Art: BREAD DOUGH FUN - Bread dough will be placed at the creative art table for the children to smoosh, shape, squish, feel, and experience.
*Dramatic Play: RESTAURANT - The dramatic play area will be set up like a restaurant for the children to explore all different food groups, serve each other, order, and of course pretend to eat!!
*Snack: Mrs. Tammy will have pre-made bread for the children to see what the end product is of flour and bread dough.
Recess (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55)
*Transition: POPCORN MOVEMENT - Popcorn is a foot that fits into the breads and cereal food group. I'll explain that inside every kernel of popcorn is a tiny little space that is filled with moisture. When the kernel heats up, the moisture in the center of the kernel expand and causes the kernel to explode into popcorn. The teacher will invite the children to curl up into a popcorn kernel. I will pick each child up one by one and place them into a "skillet full of oil". Slowly turn up the heat. Not all of the kernels will explode at once so the teacher will walk around the children and touch them each on the head. Tell them to pop when they are touched and then crouch back into a kernel to pop again.
Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)
* Small Group: We'll start small group by reading "The little Red Hen". I will bring a variety of breads and cereals to the circle. This will include bread, pasta, rice, tortillas, and cereal. The children will touch, smell and taste some of the foods. It will be fun to show the children how some of the foods are different when they are cooked. For example, uncooked spaghetti is hard and breaks but spaghetti that has been cooked is soft and bendable. I will show them cooked rice, oats and bread, etc.

Shapes and sizes - Ovals and Stars

Jan. 15 – Ovals and Stars
*Thursday, Jan. 15 – Ovals and Stars
Greeting Time (9:00 – 9:15)
Morning Circle (AM 9:15-9:30)
1. Animals Exercises
2. Song Can
3 Calendar
4 Fly Swatter Game – shapes will be taped on the wall and the children are divided into two teams. Two children are given fly swatters. The first to swat the shape I call out is the winner, then the fly swatters go to the next children in line.
5. We will then move our rope into a triangle and make a human triangle.
6. Book. “Pancakes, Crackers, and Pizza” Marjorie Eberts
7,. Pizza Match. Each child chooses a piece of cardboard pizza from a bag and then adds his pizza slice to the correct pizza by matching the toppings. If a player chooses a slice from a pizza that has not yet been started, he should begin a new pizza. The game is over when all of the pizzas are complete.

Learning Centers (AM 9:30-10:15)
*Creative Art: “Draw Me a Star”, by Eric Carle, is our inspiration for creative art today. Eric Carle’s book will help teach us how to draw stars and we all will try. We will decorate our stars with glitter and other materials.
*Messy Table: Making shape cookies! We will roll out cookies and make them into our favorite shapes, and then eat them during snack time!
*Cut and Color Table: Raw or Hard boiled. When an egg is raw, it wobbles when you spin, but a hardboiled egg will spin quickly. I will have hard and soft eggs mixed up in a carton. The children will spin the eggs and sort them into different cartons, depending on if they are hard-boiled or soft.
*Dramatic Play/Manipulatives: We will continue using boxes in the dramatic play area because they are so fun and entertaining!
Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during small group.)
*Snack: Bread squares and cheese squares.
Recess (AM 10:20-10:30..PM 1:50-2:00)
Closing Circle (AM 10:30-11:00..PM 2:00-2:30)
1. Story “Fuzzy yellow Duckling” Mathew Van Fleet
2. Phonics
3. Music and Movement –
Three Corners – one child is blindfolded and the other children choose a corner to stand in. The blindfolded chil calls out a number (1,2, or 3) Everyone in that corner is out and has to sit down.
Bigger than/Smaller than – a shoe box will be placed in the center of the room. Two children will find something in the classroom that is bigger than the box and something that is smaller than the box. The children will lay the big items by the box and place the small items in the box to test the items for its size.
Dancing around the shapes - There will be a large circle, square, triangle and rectangle. I will put on dancing music and the children will dance around the shapes until I stop the music and yell out a shape and an action I want the children to perform with the shape. (i.e. hop around the triangle/ touch the square/ step on the circle)

Nutrition and Manners - Milk and Dairy

Jan. 20 – Milk and Dairy
*Thursday, Jan. 20 – Milk and Dairy
Greeting Time (9:00 – 9:15)
Morning Circle (AM 9:15-9:30)
1. Song Can
2 Calendar
3 Today I will have a puppet (Rude Rodney) that will come to class in a tissue box. When he comes out of the tissue box and sneezes all over everyone (I will be spraying water too so it seems super gross) we’ll talk about why it’s so rude. Then we’ll sing, “Have you ever seen rude rodney”.

Learning Centers (AM 9:30-10:15)
Milk and Dairy! Teaching small children good manners is most effective if you begin early. Use these lessons and concepts on a regular basis!!
*Cut and Color Table: FOOD GROUP MURAL - We'll have many food magazines set out, along with scissors and glue. The children can cut out all the pictures they can find of milk products (the teacher will help guide them). Milk products include, milk, butter, cheese, evaporated milk, ice cream, and dried milk products. The teacher will have some pictures pre-cut. There will also be crayons and markers available for added creativity!
*Messy Table: MILKING COWS - The children will get to explore what it might be like to milk cows! There will be a few latex doctor's gloves attatched to the messy table. The teacher will have a poked a few holes in the openings and filled the gloves up with milk. These will be like the "udders" of the cow. The children will have a BLAST pretending to milk cows and see who's bucket can fill up the fastest!
*Creative Art: BUTTERMILK ART - The children will dip chalk into buttermilk which makes the chalk brighter and go on easier. They can explore with their senses as they smell, feel and create with the buttermilk and chalk!
*Dramatic Play: RESTAURANT - The dramatic play area will be set up like a restaurant for the children to explore all different food groups, serve each other, order, and of course pretend to eat!!
*Snack: HOMEMADE ICECREAM - It's so fun to see how things are actually created! We'll get to shake, mix and put all the ingredients together to make this fun cold treat!!
Outside Play (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55)
*Transition: Have each child tell us a milk/dairy food and also one that is their favorite.
Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)
* Small Group: We'll start by reading the book "No Milk!" This is a cute story of a city boy who has no idea how to milk a cow. He tries to coax the cow into giving milk in a variety of ways until the cow becomes inpatient and gives the boy a hint! After discussing and reading the story we'll talk more about dairy foods, how often we should eat them, and what they are!! Mrs. Tammy will hold up a variety of plastic foods and the children will tell me if they are a milk/dairy food or not!! If there is still time we'll make a science, eating experiment called "Layers of Fun". We'll take clear cups, ginger ale, blueberry syrup, and heavy cream. The teacher will help them pour about 2 inches of ginger ale into the bottoms of their cups, the about 1/2 an inch of blueberry syrup, and finally about 1 inch of heavy cream on top very slowly. We'll observe what happens......the solutions stay separated into different layers. When we are finished looking, we'll stir the drink up and enjoy it!! Yum - blueberry cream!

Shapes and Sizes - Circles

Jan. 6 - Circles
*Tuesday, Jan. 6/ Wednesday, Jan. 7 – Circles
Greeting Time (9:00 – 9:15)
Morning Circle (AM 9:15-9:30)
1. Letter Bingo
2. Song Can
3 Calendar
4 A rope will be arranged in the form of a circle and we will all sit inside the circle. I will ask the children what shape the rope makes.
5. Ahead of time, I’ll have matching circles cut from construction paper. I will have one of the pair hidden throughout the room and I will give the other half to the children (there will be one circle per child) and they will look for the circle that matches theirs,.
6. We will sing the ‘Wheels on the bus” and talk about other things that go around and around besides a bus’ wheels. (i.e. the wheels on my bike/ a train/ a big wheel.) I can help them remember other things that go around and we will sing the song using replacements.
- a ferris wheel goes round and round all day at the fair
- a spinning top goes round and round and flies off of the table
- the dryer drum goes round and round and dries all of my clothes

Learning Centers (AM 9:30-10:15)
*Creative Art: Circle Prints. I will have thee different colors of paint and tons of items that, when stamped in paint, will leave the imprint of a circle.
*Messy Table: English muffin pizza. All the ingredients for personal-sized pizzas will be provided in the messy table and each child will have the opportunity to make their own pizza. This is a great way to experience circles!
*Cut and Color Table: Sticky dots! Each child will get white paper cut in a large circle and the chance to stick dots all over them. We will hang their creations on the wall in the shape of a circle!
*Manipulatives: Marbles and magnetics.
Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during small group.)
*Snack: English Muffin Pizzas
Recess (AM 10:20-10:30..PM 1:50-2:00)
Each child gets one round balloon attached to their ankle by a large rubber band. The object of the game is for the children to stomp on their friends balloons and pop them while protecting their own balloons. There will be stickers given to those whose balloons get popped to lesson the trama of a popped balloon.
Closing Circle (AM 10:30-11:00..PM 2:00-2:30)
1. Story “Circles, Triangles, and Squares” by Tana Hoban
2. Phonics
3. Music and Movement

Nutrition and Manners - Meat, Eggs, and Protein

Jan. 29 – Meat, Eggs, and Protein
Greeting Time (9:00 – 9:15)
Morning Circle (AM 9:15-9:30)

1. Song Can
2 Calendar
3 Rude Rodney will join us in a toy truck and zoom around the circle in and out of children. I'll ask Rodney if I can play with his truck for a while. "NO!" Rodney yells. "It's MINE!" I'll tell the children that Rodney is not very good at sharing. He doesn't have many friends because he never lets them play with his toys. And Rodney never takes turns. He cuts in line at recess and takes toys away from other children. We'll read the story "We Share Everything" by Robert Munsch and discuss why it important to share.

Learning Centers (AM 9:30-10:15)
*Cut and Color Table: MEAT, EGGS, AND PROTEIN MURAL - there will be food magazines set out for the children to find meat, eggs, and protein pictures to cut out and paste. The teacher will guide and discuss with the children as they go. They can also cut out pictures of their favorite foods to make a mural of foods they love!
*Messy Table: WHEAT - We will have wheat in the messy table today. Although we are not learning about grains and bread, it's still fun to feel and explore with.
*Creative Art: EGG FRIENDS - The children will decorate their own hard boiled egg friends with googly eyes, permanent marker, yarn, etc. They can try and take extra special care of their newly found friends!
*Dramatic Play: RESTAURANT - The dramatic play area will be set up like a restaurant for the children to explore all different food groups, serve each other, order, and of course pretend to eat!!
*Snack: OMELETT - It's so fun to cook and smell and eat this healthy snack!! Kids love to help!!
Recess (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55)
*Transition: PASS THE EGG - The children will sit in a circle and two of them will have a hard boiled egg. We'll sing the ABC's and when we stop, the two people that have an egg have to answer the question, "What is your favorite food?" After they answer the class has to decide what food group it's in and then begin again.
Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)
* Small Group: We'll start small group by reading "Eggbert the Slightly Cracked Egg" by Tom Ross. This is the story of an egg who is perfectly happy in the refrigerator until it is discovered that he has a crack. Then, he is cast out. As he discovers the world, he finds that being cracked isn't so bad. We will then do a Rubber Egg science experiment. I will have a couple of eggs in a jar covered with vinegar, they will have sat for 48 hours. Carefully we'll remove the eggs from the jar and the children can touch them carefully. They will feel like rubber. When everyone has had a chance to feel them, I'll poke one with a needle and let them watch as the insides ooze out!! The calcium on the egg is dissolved by the acid in the vinegar. The egg's membrane holds it together. We'll also discuss more about this food group - Most of the foods in this group come from animals. The exception is legumes and tofu. We will not get into a discussion how animals are killed for their meat. The children will most likely be bothered and it is not really necessary. I'll show them some examples of foods that fit into this category....pepporoni, refried beans, eggs, sausages, etc.

Nutrition and Manners - Fruits and Vegetables

Jan. 22 – Fruits and Vegetables
*Thursday, Jan. 22 – Fruits and Vegetables
Greeting Time (9:00 – 9:15)
Morning Circle (AM 9:15-9:30)
1. Song Can
2 Calendar
3 After the song can and calendar, Rude Rodney will join us! Rude Rodney will be wrapped up in a gift box. The teacher will give the gift to one of the children and I'll say, "My husband gave me a delicious box of candy. If you help me open the box, I will share my candy with all of you!" When they finish opening the box they will discover Rodney with chocolate smeared on his face and no chocolates left in the box.
Teacher: "Rodney, why did you eat my chocolates without asking?"
Rodney: "Because I was hungry."
Teacher: "All you had to do was say, "Please." I would have given you some."
Rodney: "I didn't want some, I wanted them all."
Teacher: "That's rude! Do you have something to say now that you have eaten my chocolates?"
Rodney: "They were delicious!"
I'll ask the children to help Rodney figure out the polite thing to say to somebody after they have given us something. (Rodney should say "Sorry" and "thank you"))
I will bring out a box of tootsie rolls and let the children practice saying, "Please and Thank you. "
Next we will play the game "Which is Which". I will have a variety of fruits and vegetables on a tray and two bowls for sorting. Each child will get a chance to choose a fruit or vegetable and then tell the class what it is and if it's a fruit or vegetable then place it in the correct bowl.
Learning Centers (AM 9:30-10:15)
Fruits and Vegetables
*Cut and Color Table: VEGETABLE PEOPLE - This activity is so much fun!! Each child will get a meat tray or cardboard with a large circle drawn in the middle. This will be the vegetable person's head. Then, they will be able to use a variety of sliced vegetables and glue. They can use the vegetables to make eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hair for the person!!
*Messy Table: WASHING FRUITS AND VEGETABLE - There will be water, plastic fruits and vegetables, scrubbies, and serving trays in the messy table today. The children can pretend to wash their vegetables, serve each other and play in the water!!
*Creative Art: FRUIT PRINTS - We'll have fruity paint colors put out on paper plates, and a variety of fruits to print with - banana peels, apple halves, orange halves, etc, and also large newsprint. It's easiest when these fruits are layed out ahead of time to dry a little. The children will be able to dip the fruit into the paint and print them on the newsprint!
*Dramatic Play: RESTAURANT - The dramatic play area will be set up like a restaurant for the children to explore all different food groups, serve each other, order, and of course pretend to eat!!
*Snack: APPLES AND CARROTS - We'll have carrots and apples for snack today to get our serving of fruits and vegetables in of course!! This will help improve self help skills as they serve themselves snack, get their napkins, pour their water and clean up their mess when they are done.
Recess (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55)
*Transition: We'll read a book for transition called "Eat Your Peas Louise".
Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)
* Small Group: We'll start small group by reading the book "Growing Vegetable Soup". In this book, a father and child plant seeds, water them, watch them grow into vegetables, pick them and finally make a delicious, vegetable soup. The recipe is included in this wonderful book for those with extra time and want to make a warm, nutritious snack. For a game we'll divide the children into two groups. One group is the fruit group and one group is the vegetable group. I'll have picture cards with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Each child will get a card, there may be more then one of each fruit and vegetable. The children will sit in a circle and choose one child to sit in the middle of the circle. The child in the middle calls the name of a fruit and the name of a vegetable. The players holding those picture cards must stand up and trade places. While they are trading places, the child in the middle must try to sit in one of the vacant spots before they are all filled. Whoever is left without a spot is "it".

Shapes and Sizes - Triangles and Rectangles

Jan. 13 – Triangles and Rectangles
*Thursday, Jan. 13 – Triangles and Rectangles
Greeting Time (9:00 – 9:15)
Morning Circle (AM 9:15-9:30)
1. Bingo
2. Song Can
3 Calendar
4 A rope will be arranged in the form of a rectangle and we will all sit inside. I will hold up a square and a rectangle and ask, “What is different about these two shapes” (a rectangle has two sides that are longer than its other two sides and the square has all equal sides). We will make a human rectangle.
5. We will then move our rope into a triangle and make a human triangle.
6. Book. “Pancakes, Crackers, and Pizza” Marjorie Eberts
7,. Pizza Match. Each child chooses a piece of cardboard pizza from a bag and then adds his pizza slice to the correct pizza by matching the toppings. If a player chooses a slice from a pizza that has not yet been started, he should begin a new pizza. The game is over when all of the pizzas are complete.

Learning Centers (AM 9:30-10:15)
*Creative Art: Negative space pictures – I will cut a small rectangle from the middle of a large, rectangular piece of paper. The children will be provided with markers, crayons, glue, misc. and they ca turn the rectangle into a work of art.
*Creative Art 2: Shape Collages. The children will use pre-cut shapes to create collages and abstract designs with materials provided.
*Messy Table: Gingerbread play dough or shaving cream – both are wonderful ways for children to build shapes.
*Cut and Color Table: Shape Rubbings. Different shapes will be taped to the table and children are encouraged to put their ‘copy’ paper over the shapes and rub the sides of the crayones to transfer the shapes onto their paper. When the children use a variety of colors, these pictures turn out quite beautiful.
*Dramatic Play/Manipulatives: Boxes are a favorite for children. Give a child a box and they can travel anywhere or be anything!
Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during small group.)
*Snack: Bread squares and cheese squares.
Recess (AM 10:20-10:30..PM 1:50-2:00)
Closing Circle (AM 10:30-11:00..PM 2:00-2:30)
1. Story “Fuzzy yellow Ducklling” Mathew Van Fleet
2. Phonics
3. Music and Movement –
Three Corners – one child is blindfolded and the other children choose a corner to stand in. The blindfolded chil calls out a number (1,2, or 3) Everyone in that corner is out and has to sit down.
Bigger than/Smaller than – a shoe box will be placed in the center of the room. Two children will find something in the classroom that is bigger than the box and something that is smaller than the box. The children will lay the big items by the box and place the small items in the box to test the items for its size.
Dancing around the shapes - There will be a large circle, square, triangle and rectangle. I will put on dancing music and the children will dance around the shapes until I stop the music and yell out a shape and an action I want the children to perform with the shape. (i.e. hop around the triangle/ touch the square/ step on the circle)

Shapes and Sizes - Square

Jan. 8 - Squares
*Thursday, Jan. 8 - Squares
Greeting Time (9:00 – 9:15)
Morning Circle (AM 9:15-9:30)
1. Song Can
2. Animal Exercises
3 Calendar
4 A rope will be arranged in the form of a square and we will all sit inside. I will ask the children if they notice what shape we are sitting in today. The children will get a paper square and they will touch the square to other objects in the room of the same shape.
5. Human square. To show that a square is made of four equal sides, four children who are close to the same height will lay down on the ground in the shape of a square.
6. Book. “There’s a Square” by Mary Serfozo

Learning Centers (AM 9:30-10:15)
*Creative Art: Parents will provide a square box with a lid for their child. The children will transform the boxes into treasure boxes using paint, sequins, beads, jewels, and glue!
*Messy Table: Sandboxes. Four square boxes with sand will be in the messy table. The children can draw shapes with their fingers and then erase their drawings by shaking the box.
*Cut and Color Table: Cutting squares. Squares are the easiest things for little ones to cut because they only need to cut straight lines. Squares will be drawn on construction paper and the children are encouraged to cut them out. Crayons, markers, glue, and confetti will be provided for decoration
*Dramatic Play/Manipulatives: Boxes are a favorite for children. Give a child a box and they can travel anywhere or be anything!
Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during small group.)
*Snack: Bread squares and cheese squares.
Recess (AM 10:20-10:30..PM 1:50-2:00)
Four Square
Closing Circle (AM 10:30-11:00..PM 2:00-2:30)
1. Story
2. Phonics
3. Music and Movement – three dimensional squares/stacking boxes. Five or six boxes will be put on the carpet and the children will see if they can stack them one inside the other until only one is touching the ground. When they’re finished, we’ll take the boxes apart and line them up and ask questions: “Which is biggest/smallest? Which would fit in the middle?” Then we will turn them all over and stack them on top of each other.

January Newsletter

January
Dear Families,
Here is a basic layout of the activities, snacks, and themes we will be learning and doing during the month of January.

January 6 – 22: Shapes and Sizes

*Tuesday, Jan. 6/ Wednesday, Jan. 7 – – Letter Ii
Today we’ll be learning about circles and spheres. We will read “Circles, Triangles, and Squares” by Tana Hoban and then play a balloon stomping game! We will creating circle prints make English Muffin Pizzas for snack.

*Thursday, Jan. 8 – – Letter Ii
Circles are out today and squares are in! Today we’ll read “There’s a Square” by Mary Serfozo and then stack 3D squares, decorate squares, create treasure boxes, and play four square. For snack we will make cheese and bread squares.

*Tuesday, Jan. 13/ Wednesday, Jan. 14 – – Letter Jj
“Pancakes, Crackers, and Pizza” by Marjorie Eberts will start our day with triangles and rectangles. Then we will be playing ‘pizza match’ – a game of matching pizza slices to the right pizza. During choice time, we will use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of gingerbread playdough, make triangle rubbings, shape collages, and negative space pictures. For recess we will play a game of bigger than/smaller than, dancing around the shapes, or three corners.

*Thursday, Jan. 15 – – Letter Jj
We will learn about ovals and stars today. We will read “Draw me a Star” by Eric Carle and then play the fly swatter game. We will make shapes with shaving cream, learn to draw stars, sort raw and hard-boiled eggs, and during recess we will make box sculptures. For snack we’ll dine on delicious hard-boiled eggs and toast.

January 20 – February 5: Nutrition and Manners
*Tuesday, Jan. 20/ Wednesday, Jan. 21 – - Letter Kk
Today we will read “Boom baby! Boom boom!” by Margaret Mahy, or “No Milk!” by Jennifer Ericsson and we will introduce Rude Rodney. We will talk about coughing and sneezing and the polite way to do it. Then we will talk about the four food groups. In the messy table, we will milk cows, at the cut and color table we will make a food group mural, and in creative arts we will make a layered snack of ginger ale, blueberry syrup, and heavy cream (each has a different density and this keeps them from mixing – it’s pretty yummy too!)

*Thursday, Jan. 22 – – Letter Kk
Today Rude Rodney will have eaten all my chocolates without asking and we’ll discuss why that’s rude. Then we will each have a turn using please and thank-you to ask for a new chocolate. We will talk about fruits and vegetables and which is which, we will squeeze oranges in the messy table, make vegetable people in the cut and color table, and fruit prints in creative art. For music and movement we will play the fruit and vegetable game and, if there’s time, we’ll play ‘go bananas!’

*Tuesday, Jan. 27/ Wednesday, Jan. 28 – - Letter Ll
Today Rude Rodney starts by interrupting. We will read “The Berentstain Bears Forget their Manners” and talk about the touch rule (instead of interrupting, a child lays his hand on yours and you acknowledge him by laying your hand on top of his. When you’ve finished what you’re doing, then you get to his level to talk to him.) Today we’ll play with flour goop, string cereal, work on a mural, and make a pasta and rice rainbow collage. For music and movement we will play popcorn and for snack we’ll eat popcorn!

*Thursday, Jan. 29 – – Letter Ll
Rude Rodney will teach us about sharing today and we’ll read “Bear Learns to Share” by Claude Lebrun, or “My New Sandbox” by Donna Jakob. We will discuss the fourth food group – meats, eggs, and protein. We will make rubber eggs out of vinegar. The children love this because the calcium on the egg is dissolved by the vinegar’s acid and the egg feels like rubber! We will be having a small luncheon today and the children will put together our sandwiches in the messy table, make luncheon hats and placemats, and then we will have our luncheon! If there is time left over, we will play a game of ‘Poor silly kitty.’