Happy Monday!

After reading, ‘Small Pig’ in K/PREK1, we worked together to complete the chalkboard activity. First, we discussed what the word ‘opposite’ means. As we talked it through, a friend said, “So, it’s something totally different?!”

This lead into friends coming up to the board and finding the opposite of an item. For example, the first picture was a picture of a snail and the word ‘slow’. We talked about what ‘slow’ meant and what the opposite of ‘slow’ could be. Anna came up to the board and shared that the opposite of ‘slow’ would be ‘fast’ so she found a picture of something that was fast (bus). Towards the end, we were picking up the ‘opposite’ concept quickly!

K.RV.2.2: Identify and sort pictures of objects into categories (e.g., colors, shapes, opposites).

In PREK2, children got the opportunity to come up to the board and choose the object that doesn’t belong in the group. In the first group, the square stood out because the rest were triangles. Each friend was able to take a marker and circle the one item that didn’t belong.

Our fine motor skills are engaged throughout the day. At the art table, children took beads and carefully put them onto a wooden stick that was held in place by playdough. When the wooden stick was full of beads, children took the beads off one by one which requires quite a bit of focus!

We LOVE to see children in the science area, looking at various non fiction stories. This morning, Penny, Anna, and Maxwell looked at various dinosaur books that had pictures and words. One of our favorite non fiction topics is animals: small, big, or extinct. We do not discriminant!

Below I posted a few articles that talk about how to introduce non fiction stories to your child because they are so important, just like fiction, fairytales, and poetry!

https://www.nobellearning.com/links-to-parents-blog/introducing-preschooler-non-fiction/

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/early-literacy-how-introduce-nonfiction-young-children/

Breakfast– Whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and fresh apples/oranges.

Lunch– Whole wheat noodles with butter and shredded beef, fresh oranges/banana, and fresh carrots.

PM snack– Whole milk yogurt with raisins.

Wee Sprout– Fresh carrots.

Have a terrific evening.

-Mindy

Link to pictures: WF 3/11

Good Afternoon!

Enjoy a few of the pictures from our day!

Breakfast: Whole grain wheat toast with peanut butter and fresh oranges.

Lunch: Whole grain wheat pasta with shredded beef, peas and fresh apples.

Afternoon Snack:  Whole milk yogurt with graham crackers and fresh apples.

Wee Sprouts:  Corn.

Have a great night!

Rebekah

Link to pictures:  https://1drv.ms/f/s!AtTCDmdhjIuljcN7iKHNL8aXOC6nag

Happy Friday!

*We have several birthdays coming up this spring and summer so just a friendly reminder that any food brought into the Wee Friends environment needs to be tree nut free. Thank you!

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We read ‘What Would You Do With A Tail Like This?’ during K/PREK1. Friends quickly shared that we were reading a non-fiction story. Before we started reading, I posed the question, “If you had a tail, what would you use it for?”. I received several answer including:

• “I would use it to swat strangers away that I don’t know.”
• “I would use my tail to help me climb a tree and hang from it’s branches.”
• “I would use it to hit bugs!”

On each page of the story, a different body part was identified from several different animals. For instance, one page was solely dedicated to animals ears. We learned about different animals and what they use their ears for!

K.W.5: With support, build understanding of a topic using various sources. (Identify relevant pictures, charts, grade- appropriate texts, personal experiences, or people as sources)

In PREK2, children used gems to create their own pattern which is much more challenging than simply completing a pattern! The patterns that were created followed the ABAB pattern.

“Most great learning happens in groups. Collaboration is the stuff of growth.”

-Sir Ken Robinson Ph. D.

Breakfast– Rice cakes with peanut butter and fresh watermelon.

Lunch– Melted shredded cheese on whole wheat tortillas, fresh oranges/apple/banana, and fresh carrots.

PM snack– Homemade apple chips and block cheese.

Wee Sprout– Fresh carrots.

Have a terrific weekend!

-Mindy

Link to pictures: WF 3/8

Good Afternoon!

We celebrated Emma’s birthday today. She turned FOUR! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EMMA!

An experiment was conducted at the art table this morning using several different manipulatives. Using a black caldron in a bin of water, children put one item in at a time and counted how many items had to be in the caldron for the caldron to sink. After the caldron sunk, children wrote down how many items it took!

In Musik Garten this morning, we talked about a specific bird: a robin! We also discussed bird nests and what a bird would use to make one. When we went outside before lunch, a group of children took loose parts in the backyard and made a birds nest!

Breakfast– Quaker Oatmeal Squares with fresh organic cantaloupe.

Lunch– Brown rice with shredded chicken and cheese, fresh pears/oranges, and fresh pepper/cucumber.

PM snack– Emma’s birthday treat: pumpkin muffins with peanuts.

Wee Sprout– Fresh cucumber and pepper.

Have a great evening!

-Mindy

Link to pictures: WF 3/7

Good Afternoon All.

“Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression.” ~Dr. Hiam Ginnot

PLEASE NOTE: TOMORROW WILL BE A PAJAMA DAY FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO WEAR THEM.

Today we celebrated a special friend’s second birthday! We all sang Happy Birthday and had yummy homemade muffins for our afternoon snack.

A new and fun activity was introduced into the classroom and our friends are having a blast with it! Tools, tools and more tools. We have hammers, wrenches, and drills. Some friends wanted to separate the tools, some wanted to “fix” certain things around the classroom, and some just ponded with the hammers. Whatever the pleasure, we all had a  GREAT time!

Our friendly fish were hungry this morning!

Daniel and his friend Jack asked if they could help feed them. Teachers love to have our little ones help with the everyday classroom chores, and our friends ALWAYS love to help!

When a child helps their teacher and/or parents, they feel important and needed. They also will learn to respect the work we do and that it needs to be done. Most of all… they find it just plain FUN.  

Breakfast: Whole grain cheerios with Apples.

Lunch: Whole grain brown rice with shredded chicken, cucumbers, and banana.

Snack: Whole wheat carrot muffins with cream cheese. (A special Birthday treat)

Wee Sprouts: Corn.

Have a fantastic evening.

Marty

LINK TO PICTURES: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AtTCDmdhjIuljcFu0-JLpnSnHphtPw

Good Afternoon All.

“It takes a big heart to shape a little mind.” ~pintrest.com

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt illustrated by Helen Oxenbury is still a HUGE part of our daily routine. Our friends “run away” from the bear almost every day and then ask a teacher to read the story where we then again act out the motions of the book. It is simply a great and very interactive story that we ALL enjoy! Just look at those feet running as fast as they can to get away from that bear!!  

After we chased that bear away we decided to engage in some fine motor activities. Jack asked to color in his journal binder as well as help with writing his name.  Friends had a wonderful time coloring and talking to teachers about the colors they were coloring with.

Breakfast: Whole grain Kix and apples.

Lunch: Scrambled eggs, whole wheat/grain English muffins with peanut butter, cucumbers and applesauce.

Snack: Pretzels and Mozzarella string cheese.

Wee Sprouts: Carrots.

Have a nice night!

Marty

LINK TO PICTURES: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AtTCDmdhjIuljcETLsg5BpQzvpDdT

Good Afternoon!

Enjoy a few pictures from our day.

Breakfast– Whole grain oatmeal with honey and fresh watermelon.

Lunch– Scrambled eggs with whole wheat bread, fresh pears/banana, and fresh cucumber/snap peas.

PM snack– Tortilla chips and refried beans.

Wee Sprout– Fresh cherry tomatoes/snap peas.

Have a terrific evening.

-Mindy

Link to pictures: WF 3/6

Good Afternoon!

We looked through our non-fiction stories in the science area and decided on ‘Sharks’ for K/PREK1 group time. Most animals intrigue us but sharks definitely peaked our interest. We stopped throughout the story to talk about topics or statements that we found interesting. A few things we learned:

• Sharks do not have bones: they have cartilage.
• There are over 350 different types of sharks.
• Some sharks lived before dinosaurs.
• Shark fins are used for soup!
• Sharkskin is used for clothing—Penny quickly asked, “Am I wearing sharkskin right now?!”

K.W.5: With support, build understanding of a topic using various sources. (Identify relevant pictures, charts, grade- appropriate texts, personal experiences, or people as sources)

PREK2 used the pattern blocks to complete different patterns based on color. Each friend had a turn to pick out a pattern and using the blocks, filled in the blank spaces at the end.

Max and Grady built a trio block creation this morning. Max ran into the kitchen and stated, “I made a pattern with my trio blocks! Black-brown-black-brown-black-brown.”

Even when our friends are ‘playing’, they are using what they’re learning in their play which allows us as teachers to use authentic assessment to see what they’re retaining.

The woodworking bench was flowing with older peers as wood creations were created and then later painted! Lucy chose two water colors for her upside down castle that she made out of wood.

Breakfast– Total Whole Grain and fresh oranges/banana/apples.

Lunch– Hummus on whole wheat tortilla, fresh watermelon, and fresh snap peas.

PM snack– Whole wheat bagel with cream cheese and string cheese.

Wee Sprout– Fresh carrots.

Have a great evening!

-Mindy

Link to pictures: WF 3/5

Happy Monday!

After reading ‘The Rainbow Fish’, each K/PREK1 group member got one piece of paper. We went through each pattern on the chalkboard together and friends raised their hand when their piece of paper completed the pattern. The first pattern was determined and Lucy shouted, “Mine finishes the pattern!”. Once she taped her heart to finish the pattern, she said the pattern aloud again.

K.CA.5: Create, extend, and give an appropriate rule for simple repeating and growing patterns with numbers and shapes.

After reading ‘Bunny Cakes’, Miss Kim asked her PREK2 group, “What would you put into a cake?”—we have a feeling this cake would be DELICIOUS.

Several friends were anxious to explore the art project that was made available at the art table. Children used different magnets to move the paint around their paper which made different marks. It required strong, deliberate fine motor movements as the magnets on the paper were heavy and challenging to control!

Gems were put onto wooden trays so children could manipulate them. Friends quickly asked for ice cube trays as they sorted them by color. Our older peers also used them to create patterns based on the color of the gem.

Breakfast– Whole wheat bagel with butter and fresh apples.

Lunch– Whole wheat noodles with marinara sauce and shredded cheese, fresh oranges/apples, and fresh cucumber/carrots.

PM snack– Whole milk yogurt with granola and raisins.

Wee Sprout– Fresh cucumber/carrots.

Have a great night!

-Mindy

Link to pictures: WF 3/4

Happy Monday.

“Opportunities are like sunrises.” ~ Unknown

This morning we revved up our gross motor skills by getting our bodies in motion. We listened to action/movement music by Lori Berkner.

We were able to use our imaginations with the select songs that were played as well. “The Ants Go Marching, and We are the Dinosaurs” were just two that our friends loved interacting with. When we were ants our bodies marched around the classroom and when we were dinosaurs, we napped. We all had a fun time and enjoyed marching and stomping our feet and being ants.   

Breakfast: Whole wheat bagels with cream cheese.

Lunch: Whole wheat/grain pasta with shredded mozzarella and marinara sauce, green peppers, and apples.

Snack: Whole milk yogurt with graham crackers.

Wee Sprouts: Corn.

Have a nice night.

Marty

LINK TO PICTURES: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AtTCDmdhjIuljb9B3BkvECroFT3-XA