Vowels and Consonants

Do you know what a vowel is?  

Toys: ABSeas, letter magnets, ABC puzzles, Skee Ball, and Lace-up Shoes.

Circle Time:
Show clip from Leappad Talking Words Factory DVD on vowels and consonants.  "Vowels are the glue (letters) that stick the words (consonants) together!"

Magnet Letter Sorting Game:  Using The sign in board, we sorted letters as a class into vowels and consonants. Then we "Stuck" basic words together: I-n, f-i-n,  t-i-n, p-i-n, w-i-n

My Vowels Song:
We shouted Aa, Ee, Ii, Oo, Uu, and then whispered (sometimes Yy).  

Snack: Pretzel bags, raisins, and fruit leather.

My Vowels:

We recognized that each child had a vowel in their name. We went through and found the vowels in everyone's names. 
Outside Recess: water table! 

Songs: 
Popcorn Popping (using empty water bottles in socks.)

We drew trees, which we will paste popcorn on next class!

Signs of Spring:
We've been singing "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree" (and using our Poppers--empty water bottles in tube socks).  Today, we found popcorn popping on the neighbor's apricot tree!  We also smelled hyacinths. 

Show n teach!

Vacuuming and Cleaning

Daily Question: Do you like to vacuum?

Toys: Kung Zhu, Zhu Zhu Pets and Babies and Doorbell Doll House and Keys.

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."

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.  I was impressed that the children were very polite about cleaning. I told them that they would be very good helpers at home!

We asked each of them how they could help clean at home. Maybe you can remind them!
Tanner: mop
Ben: brush and scrub
Lena: sweep
Maelo: Vacuum
Anna: mop
Luke: clean up the paint
Eva: clean the carpet upstairs
Raegan: make her bed
Harris: vacuum
Lukas: wipe off dirt
Zakai: vacuum

Snack: Veggies (carrots, celery, olives) and dip, animal crackers.

During Snack time we listened to The Little Red Hen

V is also for Vegetables!  What are your favorite vegetables?  Who has grown vegetables?  Several students were excited about taking seeds from a red pepper to grown in her garden. When we asked the children to list vegetables, they all said different fruits. We read a book about vegetables to help them remember. We talked about carrots, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, pumpkins, and many more!

Planting Fun.  We had a lot of fun planting our own vegetable (lettuce) seeds!  We learned that vegetables need sunlight, water, and room to grow!

Un-Birthday Celebration: Ben
Ben is an energetic, and enthusiastic little boy. He has always motivated his older brother Brody to try new things and pushed him to be more adventurous. Ben is competitive in almost everything he does, he has always tried to keep up with his older brother. In Ben's mind there is nothing he couldn't do, he is very confident and has had the attitude of "concurring the world" since birth. Ben loves to ride his bike, or scooter, play soccer, baseball, and swim. He also loves to color, and help mom bake. Ben is very thoughtful of other people, he is always looking for ways to help. When his younger brothers are sad he will try and make them happy by bringing their favorite stuffed animal to them, or give the baby his binki. Mom can always count on ben to be willing to help. He helps around the house, or with the "babies" while we're out. Ben's favorite color is blue, he loves the show "paw patrol" (rescue puppies), super hero squad, and ninja turtles. He also plays with all of these toys on a daily basis. He has a great imagination and loves to pretend. Ben's dad is a correction officer at the state prison (point of the mountain). Ben's dad has shown him how to shoot a BB gun, and their favorite activity is to wrestle! Ben's mom has a masters degree in education (curriculum design), she's taught kindergarten and preschool. Ben and his mom love to read books, color, build Legos, or learn new things together. Ben has 1 older brother Brody(7yrs), and 2 younger brothers Braxton (2yrs), Brantley (7mo.). Brody is in the French immersion program at edgemont.
Ben's grandparents live on opposite coasts (Florida/California). 

Ben's Q&A
Lena: Favorite color? RED AND BLUE
Anna: Favorite lego? STAR WARS
 Luke: Toy? Star Wars
Harris: Bad guy? Darth Vader

Show N' Teach:

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,

Cleaning Books:
Humpty Dumpty (Nursery Rhyme)
The Little Red Hen by Lucinda McQueen (Audio CD)
Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Berenstain Bears Clean House by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Franklin is Messy by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark
Diggy Dan (a Room Cleaning Adventure)
What a Mess! by Stephen Krensky and Joe Mathieu
My Messy Room by Mary Packard and Stephanie Britt

Vegetable Books:
Vegetables, Vegetables! (Rookie Reader)
Tops and Bottoms (Caldecott Honor Book, Audio) by Janet Stevens
Eating the Alphabet; Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlert.

Counting Spring

Can you count from 0-10?

Toys: Magnetic numbers, puzzles, Dress Ups, 1-2-3 Counting Game, and Cookie Counting Jar.

Circle Time:
We sang a lot of fun counting songs today, including 5 Little Ducks, 10 Little Monkeys, This Old Man, and 12345 Once I Caught a Fish Alive

We read a book In the Springtime (told from the perspective of a baby deer). We also listened to Guess How Much I Love You. We sang Popcorn Popping and Its Spring Again. (We were excited to finish up our "work" so we can go and find the "popcorn" on the fruit trees at recess).

We read Arlene Alda's 1-2-3s book and then played a fun game of "I Spy" numbers around the classroom.


Snack: Apple slices and blueberries* (*Maelo loves fresh fruit and his mother brought in apples and blueberries for us to enjoy as we celebrated Maelo today!)

Recess/Springtime Search--We enjoyed going outside and looking for signs of Spring (blooming trees and flowers, buds on trees, birds in the trees/air.)

Maelo's Un-Birthday Celebration:

Maelo's favorite color is blue. At home his favorite thing to do is organizing and packing his toys into little boxes! He loves reading Little Critter books. Maelo loves to dance to the "Crazy Frog" song (found on YouTube) and sing Twinkle Twinkle little star.

 Q&A
Anna: Favorite toy? PUPPETS
Tanner: show? GEORGE JR
Ben: candy? CANDY CANES 
Lena: color? BLUE
Raegan: puzzle? CAR ON DAD's COMPUTER
Eva: coat? BLUE COAT
Anna: lego? SPIDER-MAN
Luke: movie? DON'T KNOW
Lukas: food? MUFFINS 

Counting Jars: We had a lot of fun making a number line with our counting jars.  We estimated, counted aloud, found the corresponding written number for the jar, and then added it to our number line so we could "see" where the numbers fit on a number line.


Number Writing Practice:

Books:
Jamberry
My First Counting Book
5 Little Monkeys on the Bed
Ten go Tango
The one that got away
Little Quack

Songs: 
Popcorn Popping Children’s Songbook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 242–43 Music by Georgia W. Bello

Its Spring Again (by Janeen Brady) Vol. 2 "I have a Song for You."

Popcorn Popping
It's Spring Again

5 Little Monkeys, 
10 in the Bed (see book)

Tooth Charts!?
Rewards

I Can Tie My Shoes!

I can tie my shoelaces*? 

Shoe tying begins around age 4 and is a skill still to be mastered at age 6.

Toys: Lace up figures, shapes, and book; marbles, (new) FP Castle, Princes and Princesses, and Village. (It was fun to see how the boys got very involved in imaginary play with the princes and castle!)

Snack: Apple slices, pretzel sticks, and powdered doughnuts.

Circle Time:  Today we read about a little girl who was afraid to go to Kindergarten because she didnt know how to tie her shoes. She thought that was a rule at school! We talked about how it's ok if you don't know how to do something. You can just ask others to help you. 

Then we learned how to tie shoes! (With a lot of teacher help, of course) 

Lat year's student helps me Demo how to Tie Shoes*: 
(One trick is to tie different colored laces together in the back--children are still learning right and left hands and so colors help.)

Step one:  Have child hold one lace in each hand and "cross" together--(make an X), then tuck one end under, and pull.

 

Step two: wrap "bunny ear" (loop) around thumb and pinch with left index and thumb. 

Step Three: With right hand, "chase" lace around the loop 

and poke little bunny ear through.

Step Four:  Pull second ear through loop

 

Step Five:  Pull ears apart and tight.

 Finished!  So proud.

*There are several ways to tie shoes (cross rabbit ears, etc.  See Links for Rhymes, songs, "Magic Fingers" Youtube, and suggestions.)

Show n teach: U words

Zakai: Dump truck that goes 'Up' when you pull the lever

Anna: unicorns!

Lena: unicorns!  
Books:   
Whose Shoes Are These? A Learn to Tie Your Shoelace Book by Lisa Carr (Barnes and Noble).
*Countdown to Kindergarten by Alison McGhee, Ill. by Harry Bliss
Where Are my Shoes? (Baby Bop) Larry Daste 
Sand in My Shoes by Wendy Kesselman and Ronald Himler
Holly's Red Boots by Francesca Chessa

Links: 

• Magic Fingers ("Teach Your Child to Tie Shoes in 5 Minutes" Youtube)
•  Tying Shoes: A Collection of Songs and Poems
  

Skills to practice at home:

• Threading small items--yarn threading block necklaces, and threading cereal rings (coat string ends with tape), lace ups, etc.

• Practice shoe tying (dad's Church shoes, mom's tennis shoes, etc.)

Uncles, Aunts, and Family (Letter U)

Uncles, Aunts, Family and the Letter U.
 Do you have an uncle?  

Toys:  Mini Puppet Theater, Large People Puppets and Fairy Tale Puppets, Dress ups, and Doorbell/Key House, Rose Petal Cottages.

Snack: Animal Crackers and "ants on a log" (Celery, Craisins, and Peanut butter).

Circle Time: 
Miss Jessica reviewed the Days of the Week Song (sung to Adam's Family), "There's Monday and there's Tuesday, 

Letter "Uu" 
What other words begin with U?  Unicorn!, umbrella, "um," "Uh-oh!"

Little Pup wanted to go "Up" but no one was listening until his father heard his "Uh-u-up" and helps him.  [Explaining who an "uncle" is can be confusing at this age.]

What is a Family? Who is an uncle?  Who is an aunt (Pronounces "ant" or "Au-nt.")?
Who is your grandfather or grandpa?  Your father's father. Most students had a grandpa and some even a Great Grandpa! We read a book called Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say-- a simple, beautiful picture book about a Grandpa's adventure leaving Japan and coming to live in America and then returning to Japan before the War.  His daughter has a son, the author, who eventually returns to America but misses Japan and his Grandfather.
Raegan shared that she misses her Dad who is working in California and flys up to visit every few weeks.  "I love my Dad.  I miss him!"

I showed my family picture to the children .We discussed how families are different--My son has two bigger sisters and two younger sisters and more than anything in the world--wanted a brother!  He even begged Santa for a brother (and nothing else!).  Some kids do not have a brother or sister in their family but have close friends or a parent.
We read a book 5 People in my Family.  This book outlined a family with two boys and a girl, a mom and a dad and another monster family.  It emphasizes  counting, 1-5 and 5-10.

We read a story, Baby Says by John Steptoe, in which the whole story is written using only seven words and two children's expressions (baby and brother).

"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!

Recess: we got to go down below and play today!

Books on Family:
Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say.
Baby Says by John Steptoe
5 People in My Family (Sesame Street)
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

The Same or Different? Opposites

Do you know your opposites?

Toys: Spaghetti Dolls, Houses, and school bus; Opposite Puzzles, Buck-a-Roo, and ABSeas Games.

Snack: Carrots, Craisins, and Graham Crackers.

Fun to point out different opposites at Snack Time. Rebekah is holding a thin and fat carrot. I'm holding a small and a big cracker. 

Circle Time:  
Math-Graph...most of the class did not know what an opposite was!8-3
 An opposite is something completely different from another thing.
A person or thing that is totally different from or the reverse of someone or something else.
We had fun talking about opposites--
city/country, wet/dry, front/back, sitting/standing, winter/summer, coming/going, clean/dirty, in/out, whole/smashed, top/bottom,  

My daughter, "Miss Rebekah," joined us today and helped us to practice our opposites. (High school Juniors took the ACT exam and all other grades stayed home today).  Miss Jessica is on a cruise in Mexico.  Lucky lady!

My Opposites Game:  
 
Inside Recess:   
We watched Harry The Dirty Dog (Scholastic, DVD)
We reviewed Safety Ideas and when to call 9-1-1 (in fire, accident, or robbery, for instance).  Please help you student(s) to know their full name, their parents first names, your address, and phone number.  One way to learn this is to have them practice repeating these facts (7 times).

Snow Day!

Books on Opposites:
Black? White! Day? Night!; A Book of Opposites by Laura Seeger
Opposites (First Concepts) by Melanie Whittington 
What's Opposite? by Stephen R. Swinburne 
Earth, Sky, Wet, Dry; A Book of Nature Opposites by Durga Bernhard 
The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss
Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman
The Opposites by Monique Felix 
Exactly The Opposite by Tana Hoban
Is it Rough? Is it Smooth?  Is it Shiny? by Tana Hoban
Opposites by George Siede and Donna Preis
Tops & Bottoms (Audio) by Janet Stevens

Tiger Has a Toothache!

Tiger has a Toothache! (Letter T and Dental hygiene)

Have you been to the dentist? Most of the class has seen a dentist! Wow.  Super job, parents! (In past years, typically half of the class has seen a dentist by preschool.)

Toys: Dr. Drill and Fill, Monkey Mouth with Play Doh, Fruits and Vegetables Toys, Play Kitchen and Play Houses. 
Students had a lot of fun "drilling and filling" the teeth we formed in play-doh.  Probable future dentist here!  Next, the students established a"girls only" and "boys only" house.  Lots of free-time play today!

Snacks: Cheese cubes and Ritz crackers.  (We talked about healthy snacks verses treats and what our body and teeth need to be healthy.  Some experts say it can take up to 7 tastes for our children to develop a taste for something new.  Keep offering mom and dad, it's working! )

Circle Time: Teeth Talk
T the Tiger has a Toothache! We heard a song about T the Tiger who is tapping a troublesome tooth on a terrible Tuesday, "t-t-t"  Eventually, the troublesome tooth falls out and Tiger says, "Tah-da!"  We talked about teeth falling out!  How exciting (and scary)!

Letter "T" Detectives: T-Rex, Triceratops, turtles, two, too, to, today, table, talk, top, Tanner!, teeth, tooth.
*It was fun to ask about the difference between the words tooth and teeth.  Tooth refers to one and more than one, we use "teeth."


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 (canines for ripping and molars 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 pieces of food which the toothbrush cannot reach.

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

Show N' Teach:
Anna: Turtle and triceratop

Dexter: Grandpa sent his Woolly Mammoth petrified tooth into preschool today!  We got to hold it (very heavy) and feel the flat grooves in the tooth and remember back to our Dinosaur unit and learning about carnivores and herbivores.

Harris:
Lena: Turtle and a tiger.

Lukas: was excited to show us his T-Rex T-shirt and his sharp (canine) teeth.

Luke:

Tanner: Tanner begins with "T," and he brought a Transformer in to show us.

 Zakai: Truck and Cars.  It was fin to see the large trucks and compare them with the opposite small cars.


A special thanks to Dr. Markham's Office at Provo Pediatric Dentistry for the boys and girls Toothbrush Bags, which included a new toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss.

T The Tiger Tooth Chart--Bring the chart back in a week, March 12, for a prize (and we will put it into your child's Alphabet Book).


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
Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth (Audio)
A Quarter from the Tooth Fairy by Caren Holtzman and Betsy Day
Going to the Dentist (First Experiences) by Sally Hewitt
Arthur's Loose Tooth by Lillian Hoban