Animals

The Acorns have focused on animals this month, learning about amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. We have read many books about frogs, turtles, owls, ducklings and various mammals. Some books have been fiction while others have been non-fiction. We talked about the differences between real facts and information and made-up stories and imagination.

Brukner Nature Center brought some live animals to the school this month. The children touched the bumps on the back of a toad, felt a turtle’s shell, watched an owl turn its head and saw an opossum eat!

Imagination and Play Dough

The children enjoyed creating habitats and making up stories for small plastic animals at the play dough table. Along with green play dough, they have used small sticks and stones to create places for the animals to live. They interacted with each other, creating stories about the animals as they worked (developing hand muscles as well learning to share).

Snack Math

Each day the children have a sign to read informing them of how much to serve themselves at snack. The children learn to read and follow these instructions. Most snacks fall into either the “1 scoop” category or the “4 cracker” category. This month they found a sign instructing them to take 3 crackers and 3 cubes of cheese. This sign required them to stop and think a bit more. They all carefully counted out each snack item. Several quickly discovered that 3 and 3 made 6 pieces all together.

Bible Story on Fridays

For the next few weeks we will be focusing on the theme of “God is with Us”. We will work with Psalm 23 (God is my shepherd, I have thing I need) and the story of the shepherd seeking the one lost sheep (Luke 15:3-6) as we talk about God being with us all the time, even in sad and happy times. We will explore how God is with us in safe and scary times as we hear the story of Jesus calming the fierce storm (Mark 4:35-41).  Through the story of the healing of a sick boy in John 45:46-53, we will discuss how God is with us in healthy and sick times.

Every day we work with letters and numbers in these ways:

• During our class meeting, we talk about the letters in the names of our helpers. We match the letters to our alphabet. We make the letters in sign language. We listen to the sounds the letters make. We draw the letters in the air or in the carpet. Some days we make charts of those that have a certain letter in their name (or who has double letters, or an “r” at the end, etc.). We count the lists of names and talk about which list has more or less.
• We predict which numeral we will put on the calendar. We draw the numerals in the air or carpet. We look for patterns in the numbers.
• We count how many children are present. We count how many snack pieces to serve. We use any opportunity to talk about “how many”, “how many more”, “how many all together”, “which is more”, etc.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

This month we are working with the books Chicka, Chicka Boom Boom (about letters) and Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 (about numbers of course). One day each child received a lowercase letter card. As I read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom again, the children placed their letter on our “coconut tree” on the wall when they heard their letter mentioned in the story. Later in the story when the “Mama and Papa” letters comforted the little letters, the boys matched their lowercase letter with the corresponding capital letter listed on the wall. We also have been enjoying many nursery rhymes about numbers.

Bible Story on Fridays

For the next few weeks we will be focusing on the theme of “Jesus Friends”. We heard the story of Mary and Joseph bringing baby Jesus to the temple. At the temple Simeon and Anna welcomed and held baby Jesus. Another Friday we heard the story of a grown Jesus who welcomed and held the little children.
After hearing each Bible story, I invite the children to share what they think is the most important part of the story. Today I said, “I wonder what is the most important part of this story.” One boy piped up, “That kids are important to Jesus.”
We will be hearing stories about Jesus’ fishing friends, Martha and Mary and Zaccheaus. We will discuss how Jesus is our friend and how we can be a friend to others.

Three Bears and Porridge

The Awesome Acorns have enjoyed exploring the folk tale of Goldilocks and the three bears this week. We have read several versions, including one of an Inuit girl who snooped around the igloo of 3 polar bears by Jan Brett. We also read Somebody and the Three Blairs which is about a cub who snoops in the Blairs’ home. Then we started the story Goldilocks Returns about when Goldi is an old woman and returns to the deep, dark woods. We will find out how it ends on Monday!

We made porridge today and added our own toppings. We talked about how porridge is an old word for dried grains or legumes cooked with water. Now we use the words “cooked cereal” or “soup” instead of porridge. We made oat porridge (better known to the kids as oatmeal). Everyone tried some porridge, although some ate more than others!

We learned the nursery rhyme “Peas Porridge Hot” and learned peas porridge is soup made from dried split peas.

The children discovered faux fur pieces and various sizes of chairs and bowls in the Dramatic Play area. They have enjoyed playing the story of the 3 bears. They also have been playing with various woodland animal puppets and making up their own story land for the animals.

Bike Day

Remember to bring a bike, trike or scooter to school on Monday. Hopefully it will be a day we can ride outside on the blocked off parking lot!

Last Week

Unfortunately next week is the last week of school! What a great year this has been. Thank you for sharing them with me each week. Wednesday will be our last day in the classroom. (No school on Friday.)

Picnic at the Park

Meet all the other Main Street friends at Kyle Park on Thursday morning after 10:30. Bring your own lunch and drink.

It is good to be back from spring break.  The children have enjoyed being back at school and being together again.

Library Visit

We enjoyed our time with Ms. Julie Wednesday, hearing books and finger plays about chickens and ducks.

Outdoors

We have enjoyed our time outside this week—walking to the library and playing in the Play Garden. The children have really enjoyed digging for worms and building ships out of the logs. The children have also enjoyed the new garden tools that appeared this week.

Bible Story

We are now learning about Jesus’ ministry.  Friday’s story will be Jesus blessing the children.

Spring

We have been reading books about spring and looking for all the changes outside.  We have noticed many new changes since our snow storm two weeks ago!

Field Trips

Next Wednesday we will meet at the school at 9:10 and then leave for a trip to Brukner Nature Center.  Please dress for the weather.  We will be back to school by 11:40.  We still need drivers.  Let me know if you can drive.

Monday, April 26 we will take a field trip to the Bair Dairy Farm east of Tipp.  For the safety of your child around the large animals and historic barn, we need an adult to accompany your child to the farm. We have visited the farm for several years, and always enjoy the experience of a real working farm!

KINDERGARTEN READINESS

Enjoy nursery rhymes together. Pick up a book of nursery rhymes and enjoy reading them together so often your child learns them by heart.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Field Trip to Brukner, Wed., April 14 (drivers needed)

No School Friday, April  16 (Preschool closed for conferences)

Sign up for conferences on Wed., April 21—sign-up sheet in waiting area

Wed., April 21—Lunch Bunch

Mon., April 26—Field Trip to Bair Dairy Farm outside of Tipp; each child will need an adult to accompany her/him to the farm

Fri., May 7—Spring program and art gallery, 10:30 AM

AJ, Annaleah, Gwen, Kaden and Katie looked at the lines that made up the letters of their names this week. They had to figure out which lines were straight and which lines were curved.  Then they glued collage materials to these lines such as straws, yarn, ribbon, etc.

Wind Small Group

Connor, Dahlia, Edward, Evelynn, Jack and Sydney began constructing wind chimes this week.  Each has strung some “found items” on fishing line.  In April we will be asking more questions as we work.  Do I like the sound it makes?  Can I change the sound it makes? Will it hold up in the wind?

Play Garden

We have been enjoying our time outside this month. The children have enjoyed digging in the Digging Area, finding worms, building with the sticks and logs in the Building Area, creating “hide-aways” in the cornstalk tunnel, jumping from stump to stump and running in the sunshine!

Plant Observations

We have been observing bean seeds planted in a clear cup.  One cup is in the window sill.  One cup is in a dark cupboard.  We have observed that the plant in the dark has the longest stem, but the leaves are small and very yellow.  The plant in the window sill has a shorter stem, but the leaves are bigger and dark green.  Connor observed one day, “The plant in the sun is black-green, and the plant in the dark is white-green.”

NO SCHOOL NEXT WEEK!

KINDERGARTEN READINESS

Work on rhyming words. Make a game out saying words that rhyme with simple words such as pot and sun.  Read books with rhymes, and pause and let your child fill in the last rhyming word in a verse.

UPCOMING EVENTS

No School Mar. 29- April  2 for spring break

Field Trip to Brukner, Wed., April 14 (drivers needed)

No School Friday, April  16 (Preschool closed for conferences)

Conferences will be the week of April 19-23 for Acorns and Cubs