Dinosaurs!

 We continued our summer fun this week with the theme, "Dinosaurs!"

I had been on vacation the previous week, and I brought back a treat to share with my class! Yum!

During summer camp, we always have Yoga day where the school does a child centered yoga workout. The video we've been using is great because most of the poses are named after animals.

We also have splash day, where all the kids put on their bathing suits and we play outside in water tables and have a fun squiggly sprinkler to run through.

We also have some older children that have joined our class for the summer. While my kids are having their rest in the middle of the day, these children have extra play time out of the room and they also work on some practice sheets that I got from the Summer Bridge Books for K-1 and 1-2. They are great worksheets to keep the older kids practicing their skills over the summer! I love the Pk-K book and I use it through out the year for their letter worksheets.

We read this week: Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
                               Curious George's Dinosaur Discovery by Margret and HA Reys
                               The Dinosaur Who Lived in My Backyard by B.G. Hennessy
                               Detective Dinosaur by James Skofield
                               The Smallest Stegosaurus by Lynn Sweat

Our question of the week was "If you were a dinosaur, would you be a carnivore or herbivore?"

For our theme of the week,  the kids wrote in their journals about if they like dinosaurs or not.

While my class writes in their journal each week, the older kids (Kindergarten and 1st grade) work on these reading response sheets about the book that we read that day.

The kids drew the background for their hand print dinosaurs! They drew the background and did their hand print, and the teacher finished it off with a quick dinosaur head.

I cut out different small dinosaurs and the children made "rubbings" by placing them under their paper and using crayons.

I drew pictures of some dinosaurs for the kids to color and cut out. Some of them kept the dinosaurs the same and some mixed them up. It all turned out so cool and they were each so happy with their creations.

I have a dinosaur match game, check it out here, that I love because it not only has cards with dinosaurs but also has things like claw, horn and footprint. My class loves a good game of memory anytime, and these are nice because the cards are thick and sturdy, not easily bent.

Using salt dough (I used this recipe) we made dinosaur fossils!! These were so fun to make. I made the salt dough and turned it into small balls. The kids flattened it out a bit and pressed in the dinosaur figurine of their choice. I baked them for like 4 hours at 250 degrees so that they would keep their light color. I sent them home that day and the kids loved them!

I made a little board game with construction paper and we used small dinosaur figurines as the playing pieces. I honestly can't remember where I found this game last year, I think it was on Pinterest.

Our movie for the week was Toy Story!

Our song of the week was "The Clouds are Passing By" to the tune of farmer in the dell.

(C) 2001 - 2011 Jean Warren www.preschoolexpress.com

The games that we played this week at morning meeting were so fun!

We played "1,2,3" which we have played before and is definitely a fan favorite! We stand in a circle and each child says 1,2 or 3 consecutive numbers starting with 1 up to 9. So for example: "1,2,3" "4" "5,6" "7,8,9" and the next child who would have to say 10 sits down and is out of the round. Then it starts back at one. My class really loves this one, and usually if we play it in the morning, I will hear them in centers or at their lunch tables playing their own facilitated versions of the game.

We played "I have, who has?" which I originally saw being played in a Montessori class. It's so cool to see the children take over the game and help their friends follow along. I currently have three versions that we play, but I am planning on making one with numbers and maybe a grab-bag of random things. That might be fun! This week we played Colors and the Alphabet.

"Just Like Me" is a great game when a child is feeling a little bit sad or just to get the class feeling like a group! I start by modeling with a few statements, i.e, I like vanilla ice cream. If a child also like vanilla ice cream, they stand up and yell, "just like me!" After I model a few statements like that, I will pick a few children to be the leader. It's so cool to see them thinking about what they want to say!

"Zoom" is a fun and quick game to play with a class of any age. First you need to pick a direction that the zoom is going to go around the circle. The person starting says zoom and turns their head the the person next, and it goes around the circle. Once the class gets comfortable with this game, I will record how long it takes us!

We played "Number Ball" with a beanbag. We toss the beanbag around the circle and the kids have to say the next number. We stand in a circle and toss the beanbag across to friends and try to beat our record!

That's all for now! Leave me a comment please if you visit! =]

At the Zoo!

 I was away this week and I am so thankful for everyone who took care of my class for me!!

 My class continued their summer fun this week with the theme, "At the Zoo!"

During summer camp, we always have Yoga day where the school does a child centered yoga workout. The video we've been using is great because most of the poses are named after animals, like a dog.... woof woof!

We also have splash day, where all the kids put on their bathing suits and we play outside in water tables and have a fun squiggly sprinkler to run through.

We also have some older children that have joined our class for the summer. While my kids are having their rest in the middle of the day, these children have extra play time out of the room and they also work on some practice sheets that I got from the Summer Bridge Books for K-1 and 1-2. They are great worksheets to keep the older kids practicing their skills over the summer! I love the Pk-K book and I use it through out the year for their letter worksheets.

We read this week: Splat the Cat and the Cool School Trip by Rob Scotton
                               Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire
                               The Perfect Tail by Mie Araki
                               Curious George Feeds the Animals by Margret & HA Rey
                               A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead

Our question of the week was "What is your favorite animal to see at the zoo?"
Unfortunately this got erased before a picture could be taken. =[

For our theme of the week,  we made a class book about animals at the zoo! First we brainstormed a list of different animals that are at the zoo and the children chose what they wanted to make their page about! I love when we make class books like this, the kids love them and so do our parents! It's so great when I see parents reading through the book with their children either at pick up or at drop off times.

The kids wrote in their journals about something that they see at the zoo.

While my class writes in their journal each week, the older kids (Kindergarten and 1st grade) work on these reading response sheets about the book that we read that day.

On Pinterest I found this great zoo flap book that the children created!

I made this zoo game with a large piece of construction paper. Add some small zoo animal figurines, a dice and some excited kids and we get a super fun time!

Using shapes cut out from different colors of construction paper, the children created their own zoo animal. I adapted this from this monster activity that I found on Pinterest. I love that it is a project that really is all about the process, and the kids were so happy with their finished products!

I made pages of a few different habitats and three animals that live in each one. As small groups, the children worked together to correctly put the animals in their homes. The kids felt like the Kratt Brothers while they were doing this. Our class LOVES their show!

And our movie for the week was Horton Hears a Who!

Our song of the week was "We're Going to the Zoo" to the tune of farmer in the dell.

(C) 2001 - 2011 Jean Warren www.preschoolexpress.com

The games that we played this week at morning meeting were so fun!

We played "Number Ball" with a beanbag. We toss the beanbag around the circle and the kids have to say the next number. We stand in a circle and toss the beanbag across to friends and try to beat our record!

"The Weather Changed" is a fun game. The kids decide on movements for 5 different weathers before we start. I start as the Weather Person and go through the different weather, while we change the movements. Then the kids get a turn as the weather person!

We played "Body Drumming". Using only our bodies, we do different motions to make sound and rhythm. I model first and either make a pattern for the children to follow or I have them follow a sequence of 3 or 4 motions. Then I will pick a few children to be the leaders. I love this activity because it's something a little different, you can't get "out" and it's fun to see them trying to focus on when the motion is going to change.

"Just Like Me" is a great game when a child is feeling a little bit sad or just to get the class feeling like a group! I start by modeling with a few statements, i.e, I like vanilla ice cream. If a child also like vanilla ice cream, they stand up and yell, "just like me!" After I model a few statements like that, I will pick a few children to be the leader. It's so cool to see them thinking about what they want to say!

We played "1,2,3" which we have played before and is definitely a fan favorite! We stand in a circle and each child says 1,2 or 3 consecutive numbers starting with 1 up to 9. So for example: "1,2,3" "4" "5,6" "7,8,9" and the next child who would have to say 10 sits down and is out of the round. Then it starts back at one. My class really loves this one, and usually if we play it in the morning, I will hear them in centers or at their lunch tables playing their own facilitated versions of the game.

That's all for now! Leave me a comment please if you visit! =]

The Beach!

 We continued our summer fun this week with the theme, "The Beach!"

During summer camp, we always have Yoga day where the school does a child centered yoga workout. The video we've been using is great because most of the poses are named after animals, like a snake.... hissssss!

We also have splash day, where all the kids put on their bathing suits and we play outside in water tables and have a fun squiggly sprinkler to run through.

We also have some older children that have joined our class for the summer. While my kids are having their rest in the middle of the day, these children have extra play time out of the room and they also work on some practice sheets that I got from the Summer Bridge Books for K-1 and 1-2. They are great worksheets to keep the older kids practicing their skills over the summer! I love the Pk-K book and I use it through out the year for their letter worksheets.

We read this week: Pig Kahuna Pirates by Jennifer Sattler
                               On a Pirate Ship by Anna Milbourne
                               A Day at the Beach by Mircea Vasiliu
                               On the Seashore by Anna Milbourne
                               Penguin on Vacation by Salina Yoon

Our question of the week was "What beach do you go to?" This one was interesting!

For our theme of the week, I made a little "sensory bin" I see how much the kids like the sensory tables in the younger rooms, and I really wanted something for my kids to play in occasionally too. I found this large rolling storage bin that I can put on the science center table for the kids to play with! To fit with our theme, i put some sand with sifters, measuring cups and spoons. I found colored sand in the art closet and sprinkled some in there too. They absolutely love it!

The kids drew and colored a scene on a beach, and then they got to glue some sand on it too.

From this website I found the idea for a beachy version of "Mother May I?" called "What Time is it Mr. Lifeguard?" The lifeguard turns around and the kids ask 'what time is it?" The lifeguard picks a time i.e 3pm and the children then take that many steps i.e 3 steps. So fun!

Measuring things around the room is a really fun math activity. This week we used pirate dubloons to measure things! I made this worksheet and the children each found two things in the classroom to measure! Then I threw them in the sensory bin!

We made a class book about things that we like to do at the beach! I love making class books like this, the kids love them and so do our parents! It's so great when I see parents reading through the book with their children either at pick up or at drop off times.

We tossed a beach ball around and got those gross motor muscles and hand eye coordination working! I got this really cute beach Ball from Pottery Barn Kids a few years ago. It's a little thicker than most beach balls I've seen, so I know it will last a loooooong time! =]

The kids wrote in their journals about different things that they see when they are at the beach. We are so lucky with where we are because the Jersey Shore is only about an hour away.. which is one of my favorite places in the world! I grew up down at the beach and I love that my kids get to visit there as well!

While my class writes in their journal each week, the older kids (Kindergarten and 1st grade) work on these reading response sheets about the book that we read that day.

From the book Alphabet, Colors, Numbers and Shapes the kids worked on their color word knowledge to correctly color in the fish.

And our movie for the week was.... The Little Mermaid!

Our song of the week was "Pretty Shells" to the tune of Jingle Bells.

(C) 2001 - 2011 Jean Warren www.preschoolexpress.com

The games that we played this week at morning meeting were so fun!

We played "Alphabet Catch" with a beanbag. We toss the beanbag around the circle and the kids have to say the next letter in the alphabet. We started tossing it to the person next to use, once the kids get more comfortable with the game we'll stand in a circle and toss the beanbag across to friends.

"Zoom" is a fun and quick game to play with a class of any age. First you need to pick a direction that the zoom is going to go around the circle. The person starting says zoom and turns their head the the person next, and it goes around the circle. Once the class gets comfortable with this game, I will record how long it takes us!

"Pop!" is a really fun game, and definitely a favorite. We stand in a circle and each child says one number as we go around. But each round there is a pop number. Instead of saying that number, you POP! the person that would be next, out. We work very hard on having good sportsmanship, and the kids have fun even if they're out because they know they get to play again in the next round!

We played "I have, who has?" which I originally saw being played in a Montessori class. It's so cool to see the children take over the game and help their friends follow along. I currently have three versions that we play, but I am planning on making one with numbers and maybe a grab-bag of random things. That might be fun! This week we played Colors and the Alphabet.

We played "Crocodile by the Lake". I found the idea for this game last year and adapted it to be my own. I turned a box into a crocodile with bulletin and construction paper, then filled it with little cards that have a letter, number or shape on them. The children have to reach into the crocodile's mouth (while he's sleeping of course), pull out a card and name what's there. Also hidden in the belly of the crocodile though are SNAP cards (the crocodile wakes up and SNAPS his mouth shut!). Once we pull three SNAP cards, the game is over!

That's all for now! Leave me a comment please if you visit! =]