X-Rays, Doctors and Careers

Daily Question: Xx Have you ever had an x-ray?

Toys: Train Table and FP Little People Village


Snack: Carrot and celery sticks, graham crackers, fruit snacks, and doughnut variety.

Happy "Un"Birthday to Olivia!
Olivia will turn four on Friday, March 30)

Olivia (currently) likes the color blue. (Earlier this year it has been red, pink, and purple). She has an older brother named Colton and an older sister, Natallia. Her father "works." She has a friend named Savannah. She likes her cousin, Presley best. She also likes to "play at the beach in San Diego." She likes to play with "cars...and My Little Ponies." She likes to talk about Nana and her pets (bunnies, dog, etc.). She loves her Daddy and Mommy.

Circle Time: We had a fun time reading The Big Book of Me and talking about Careers today.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Hugh: A Construction Worker who builds buildings.
Olivia: Dora! (Even with added suggestions, it always came back to Dora. Perhaps a Language Translator?)
Susie: A Doctor or Nurse. I want to help people.
Eva: (Eva heard Olivia and agreed with Dora...she talked more about Boots the monkey.)

We also talked briefly about the letter Xx and the sound that it makes. X is curious. It sounds like "Z" at the beginning of a word (xylophone) and "Ks" at the end of a word (like ox).


We are enjoying the wonderful weather. The children were so hot inside that they suggested we play outside with the Sand and Water table outside for recess. Great Idea!

Shapes Review: I sent home a mini shapes card with an elephant cartoon. Parents, please put this up (briefly) where they can see it and quiz them on their shapes--esp. rectangle and triangle.

We missed Preston today. We hope he is feeling better and joins us again next time.

Career Books:
When I'm Big by Nila Aye and Tim Drury (Scholastic)
When I Grow Up by Jean Bethell, Ill. by Ruth Wood (Wonder Books, Easy Reader)
Who Are You, Sue Snue? (Random House/Jim Henson)

Xx Books:
Fox in Socks; A Tongue Twister for Super Children by Dr. Seuss
Foxy Fox by Barbara deRubertis, Ill. by Eva Vagreti Cockrille

Songs:
Janeen Brady "I Want to Be a Mother"

I Know My Shapes!

Question: Do you know what a rectangle is? A rectangle looks like a square but has two long sides and two short sides. An example of a rectangle is a door.

Toys: Play-Doh, Tinker Toys, and Wooden shapes puzzles.

We welcomed Nathan's younger brother, Jaxon, to class today.

Play-Doh Fun!

Snack: Grapes (oval), Cheez-its (squares), cucumber spears (triangles on the inside), apple slices (round, star inside), banana (crescent), avocado (tear drop or oval shape).


Circle Time began at snack time. We had fun looking into a bowl of fruit and finding all the shapes that were hidden there. We talked about other fruit like strawberries (cut sideways=hearts), starfruit (star shape--showed picture. Taste is tangy like citrus but sweeter), melons (cut=crescent shape), plums, oranges, apples, apricots, peaches (circle shapes).

We enjoyed reading and learning about shapes.

Preston helped me put up our Shapes posters.

Our Alphabet story today was Alphabet Soup: A Feast of Letters about Otter who moves into a new house. He decided to have a "put luck" party and invited his 26 best friends. (As you may have guessed, each animal friend starts with the letter of the alphabet and brings a food item for the soup or to share). This seemed appropriate for Nathan who will be moving to a new home soon.

Today was Nathan's last day in our preschool. His father is finishing up graduate work at BYU and the family will be moving back East in April. What a fun time we had together! We gave Nathan a bag with a letter, poem, some photos, and Forget-Me-Not seeds to plant in his new home.
Nathan brought everyone in class a going away goodie--chocolate covered marshmallow bunnies. Yum!

Visual Shape Recognition: We traced over the letters to shape words and outlined the shapes as we said each one.

Shape Games (and fun assessment): Cranium Hullabaloo. In this clever and fun game put to music, students must listen for directions to lead them to a "cranium pad" of a certain shape, color, or with an animal, food, or instrument on it. Kids are having so much fun moving and listening--they don't know they are learning as well.


Extension Activity: Why not go on a shapes hunt around your house or neighborhood? You could say..."I spy with my little eye" or be Shape Detectives. Homes have rectangular doors, magazines, books and bricks. Windows are often square. Trampolines, bowls, frames can be circular. Some roof tops and gables can be triangular. You get the idea--have fun learning and talking about shapes!


Shape Books:
Fun with Colors and Shapes (World Book)
My First Book of Shapes (Baby Einstein ) by Julie Aigner-Clark, Ill. by Nadeem Zaidi
Colors and Shapes (Let's Look, DK) Essential Preschool Learning
Baby See-a-Shape Shapes by Mark Tattam (Make Believe Ideas Limited)
Making Shapes: A Very First Math Book Ill. by Jo Moon *finger traceable shape tracks
The Silly Story of Goldie Locks and the Three Squares (Hello, Math lvl. 2) by Grace Maccarone, Ill. by Anne Kennedy. Math Activities by Marilyn Burns

Alphabet Book:
Alphabet Soup: A Feast of Letters by Scott Gustafson**Love the illustrations/story.

Parents for Free Shape Printables and Flash Cards click here: TLSBooks

Our Saint Patrick's Day Celebration

Daily Question: Do you know what a shamrock is? A shamrock is a three leaf (Old White) clover--the symbol of Ireland.


Toys: Mr. Potato Head, Linkin Blocks, Wooden Puzzles, car race track and village rug.
(We welcomed Olivia's friend, Savannah, to our preschool today)




Snack: Cucumber slices, pretzels, and rice crispy squares with green sugar sprinkles.


Music: Celtic Music and Janeen Brady's song, "Wearing O' The Green."

Each child got to choose a shamrock sticker at the start of class today.

Circle Time: Today we talked about Ireland and it's influence in America, like the holiday Saint Patrick's Day*. The Irish eat a lot of potatoes, had a famine and many people left Ireland and immigrated to America. There was a kind man of the church, Saint Patrick, who taught Irish children that the clover was a symbol of the Godhead: God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

We talked about tricky Leprechauns (who are related to the Fae, or fairies). We enjoyed several stories about these wee folk and their gold.

Outside Fun: with the Sand and Water Table.

What Would YOU do if you caught a Leprechaun?
Nathan: "Bite him!"
Susie: "Not look away! Not listen to a trick he says."
Preston: "Catch him!"
Hugh: "I would watch him to see if he was or wasn't going to run away."
Savannah: (Thinking).
Olivia: "Put him in his home, where the squirrels can't get him!"

* Even if you are not Irish, March is a great month to get to know one or two of your ancestors--like a Great grandfather or Grandmother, where they came from, what they looked and talked like, and a favorite recipe or tradition they did.

Leprechaun Treasure Hunt: We had fun when we caught a Leprechaun, Timmy O'Clover, tapping with his little hammer. We followed him around the yard, keeping a close eye on him, to find his pots of gold for us to keep and take home.


Take Home Activities: We got to take home a Leprechaun to color, a couple of mazes to solve, and another coloring picture on Saint Patrick's Day (this Saturday, March 17).




St. Patrick's Day Books:
The Luckiest Leprechaun; A Tale-Wagging Tale of Friendship by Justine Korman, Ill. by Denise Brunkus
Clever Tom and the Leprechaun by Linda Shute
Tim O'Toole and the Wee Folk; An Irish Tale Told and Illustrated by Gerald McDermott
Leprachauns; Tale of the "Little People." (Pamphlet)

Vacuuming and Cleaning

Daily Question: Do you like to vacuum? (The class was pretty split on this one. Nathan and Olivia said "no!", Hugh and Susie wrote "yes.") We missed Preston today.


Toys: Spaghetti Doll Village and Town Rug and Cars

Snack: Strawberry Go-gurts, Chex Sweet and Salty Mix, and Pink apples slices. Delicious!

Cleaning Up and Vacuuming: The students were very happy to grab a Clorox wipe and wipe down the surfaces of the tables and chairs, bathroom counter, and floors. We then talked about vacuuming and how to go "back and forth" with the vacuum so it can suck in the tiny pieces of trash and dirt. It was cute to hear Olivia chant, "back and forth, back an forth" as she pushed the vacuum. I was impressed that the children were very polite about cleaning, "Miss Julie, may I push the vacuum now, please." I told them that they would be very good helpers at home!




Circle Time: Today we talked about the letter V. We heard a story and song about V the Vulture who lived in a valley and who was vacuuming (V v v ) and her sister complained because the vacuum was so loud she could not hear her violin.
Children pretend to push a vacuum with their hands and say "v v v."

V Activity Page: We had fun tracing and saying the sound to V aloud. We then colored the V pictures on the bottom of the page.

V words: volcano, vulture, violin, vegetables, vacuum,

Outdoor Fun.

Cleaning Books:
Humpty Dumpty (Nursery Rhyme)
The Little Red Hen by Lucinda McQueen (Audio CD)
Tops and Bottoms (Caldecott Honor Book, Audio) by Janet Stevens
Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Franklin is Messy by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark

Uncles, Aunts and Family Members

Daily Question: Do you have an uncle?

Toys: Mini Puppet Theater, Large People Puppets and Fairy Tale Puppets, Dress ups, and Race Car Set.
Nathan's Fairy Tale Puppet Play.Olivia and Susie's Puppet Show!

Hugh is a friendly Fireman.

Nathan is giving us his "Pirate Eye."

The Pretty Princesses!

Snack: Animal Crackers and Apple Slices

The student had fun making up and performing plays and then dressing up. We had a policeman, fireman, pirate, and several princesses.

Recess Time! Sand pile, slides, twirly-whirl, and sunshine!


Circle Time:
We read a book Baby Says by John Steptoe in which the whole story is written using only seven words and two children's expressions (baby and brother). Another story, I'll Love You Forever by Robert Munsch the children enjoyed. We talked about how even when the father was older, he was still the "baby" of his mother.

"Uu" Story and Activity: We listened to the story and song about a Puppy named U that said "Uuu" to go Up and asked his uncle, and aunt, who wanted to stay under the umbrella. Finally, his father hears him and lifts him up under the umbrella where he is utterly happy. Children lift arms above their heads and say "U u u." (Uh, uh, uh).

We enjoyed coloring and cutting out our own Puppy Family and gluing them onto Popsicle sticks to preform a play for us!



Books on Family:
Baby Says by John Steptoe
I'll Love you Forever by Robert Munsch and Sheila McGraw
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
A Weekend with (Cousin) Wendell by Kevin Henkes
Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes
The Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe (Nursery Rhyme)
My Great-Aunt Arizona by Gloria Houston, Ill. by Susan Condie Lamb

Letter T and Tooth Day

Daily Question: Have you ever been to a dentist?

Toys: Play food, shopping baskets, cash register, Play Doh and Shrek Mouth/Cavity Set.


Snack: Apple Slices (in pineapple juice), celery sticks, and graham crackers. We enjoyed our healthy snack today! (Thank you parents for the fun and delicious snacks you send in). Most students called the celery "lettuce" but all but one tried them and liked them--even asking for more.

Circle Time: Teeth Talk--We learned about our first set of 20 teeth, called Primary Teeth. We learned that this set will fall out and we will grow a bigger set of Permanent Teeth (these won't fall out). We learned why teeth are important (for speech, eating, smiling, etc.). To take care of our teeth, we learned why and how to brush with a soft toothbrush and a small amount of toothpaste, floss in between teeth to get the things that get caught, and rinse with water to avoid cavities (holes in our enamel--the hard part of a tooth). When we eat sugary sweets, plaque forms and eats the enamel on our teeth if it is not removed by brushing. We visit the dentist twice a year to get our teeth cleaned, to get fluoride to protect our enamel, and to check for cavities--so he can fill them if needed.

Healthy Eating--We talked about the different kinds of teeth we have in our mouths (for ripping and for grinding and chewing). To keep our teeth healthy, we should eat crunchy vegetables and fruits, and drink milk and water, and eat sweets only occasionally. Also, we need to brush our teeth in the morning and at night, and floss to get the things the pieces of food the toothbrush cannot reach.

Vocabulary Words:
cavity
dental floss
plaque
smile
dentist
enamel
toothbrush
toothpaste

We heard a song about T the Tiger who is tapping a troublesome tooth, "ttt"
T The Tiger Tooth Chart



Books on Teeth:
The Tooth Book by Theo LeSieg (Dr. Seuss)
Take Care of Your Teeth by Don L. Curry (Rookie Read-About Health)
My Tooth is Loose! by Susan Hood, Ill. by Julie Durrell (FP 2)
My Loose Tooth by Stephen Krensky, Ill. by Hideko Takahashi (Step into Reading 2)
"Smile," Says Little Crocodile; A Book About Health Care (Magic Castle Readers)
I Spy Funny Teeth Riddles by Jean Marzollo, Photographs by Walter Wick