WF, 8/23/2017

Good Afternoon!

About three weeks ago, I wrote a ‘transition’ blog about possible transitions in the upcoming weeks. Well, the time is here. We have a new teacher in Miss Hannah who is spending a couple hours with us a week, a few new friends, kindergarten status for three of our children, and mommy’s and daddy’s back to their regular work schedule. While this is temporary, our goal is to make sure that each of our children here feel safe and loved while knowing that they can have the best time at school and still expect mommy and daddy to pick them up at the end of the day. Our communication line is ALWAYS open and our main goal each day is to set these children up to succeed!

I’ve attached an article about ‘first day jitters’. While it’s no one’s ‘first day’ technically, it gives some good tools to help children come out of the ‘anxious transition phase’. Sometimes, changes that we as adults feel are minor, matter a lot to children so making sure we’re sensitive to their feelings and emotions is crucial!

http://www.naeyc.org/yc/article/first_day_jitters

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“Share our similarities; celebrate our differences.”

-M. Scott Peck

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In large group, we read the story ‘The Family Book’. Throughout the story, we learned about families and the different variations that can occur within a family. Some families look alike, some look different. A friend popped up and said, “Like Choco from yesterday’s book; Choco didn’t look like her mommy.”

After the story, we made a family graph using tally marks. We discussed tally marks and what one tally mark meant. Each friend went through the different family members and told the group how many they have in their family. When we were done, we realized that no one has a sister! Lulu commented, “If Addi were here, she could say that she has a sister!” We found two columns in which everyone had a tally mark; mommy and daddy!

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This morning, Miss Melinda played a game titled ‘same and different’. First, we compared Emma’s cat from home and Chloe’s hippo. As a group, we talked about the similarities and differences between the two animals. The similarities that we came up with were two eyes, a mouth, two ears, and they’re both stuffed animals! The differences were that they were different colors and different sizes.

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After we were done comparing the stuffed animals, Miss Melinda gave the group a job to do; go find two items that are the same and different at the same time!

Chloe found two spiders. They were exactly the same so we couldn’t find anything that was different.

Grady brought two items from the magnetic bin in the science area. We found out that one is magnetic while the other isn’t as well as being different colors. We couldn’t find anything that was the same.

Anna brought back two balls from the magnet bin. Someone shouted, “They’re both balls so they’re the same”. While trying to think of how they were different, a friend said, “They’re different colors; one is red and one is blue.”

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We used our hands today to create cutouts for an art project tomorrow. Stay tuned..

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Breakfast– Malt-O-Meal and PPC strawberries.

Lunch– Homemade french toast casserole, PPC cantaloupe/strawberries, and fresh carrots.

PM snack– Blue corn chips with refried beans.

Wee Sprout– Cherry tomatoes from our garden.

Have a great night.

-Mindy

Link to pictures: WF 8-/23

WWF 8/23

Welcome Zoe to Wee Wee! We’re so excited you’re here!

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We started our day with puzzles…

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Played in the gross motor area together…

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Went down the slides…

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Stopped to smell the flowers…

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And did some impressive climbing!

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Breakfast was Cheerios and banana. Wee sprout was corn. Lunch consisted of homemade French toast casserole, strawberries, and peas. Afternoon snack was strawberries and cheddar cheese.

Link to photos: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AtTCDmdhjIuliNEZ1FKcyoWKskwLrw

Have a good night!

Amanda

WF, 8-22-17

Good Afternoon!

During large group, we incorporated our FAB for the week by reading the book, ‘A Mother for Choco’. In this book, ‘Choco’ who is a yellow bird, tries to find herself a mother since she doesn’t have one. After going up to many different animals to see if they’re her mother, she finally meets Mrs. Bear. Now Mrs. Bear looks nothing like Choco but takes her in and becomes her mother anyways.

Afterwards, many friends commented, “But Choco looks nothing like Mrs. Bear!” This started a conversation about how some families don’t have the same physical characteristics but they’re still family! We brainstormed words or thoughts that come to our minds when we hear the word ‘family’. Many of us had the same thoughts about what a family represents.

Social Studies: K.3.6 Identify and compare similarities and differences in families, classmates, neighbors and neighborhoods, and ethnic and cultural groups.

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This morning we worked on an art activity that helped us compare the similarities and differences in our families to go along with our FAB for the week.

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Our creativity was on display in our building structures that we built with many of our different building blocks.

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We explored the big sunflower in the garden. We noticed how big it has grown and how heavy the top is, which has caused it to droop down. It is down far enough for us to be able to see it a little closer and feel the flower petals and seeds in the middle. We even had enough cherry tomatoes that were ripe enough to pick to fill a bowl!

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Breakfast:  Kix cereal and banana.

Lunch:  Avocado chicken salad on whole grain wheat bread/tortillas, banana and peppers.

Afternoon Snack:  Whole grain wheat bagel with cream cheese and banana/mango.

Wee Sprouts:  Cherry tomatoes and cucumbers.

Have a great night!

Rebekah

Link to pictures:  https://1drv.ms/f/s!AtTCDmdhjIuliNAOmcMFyheSW1S8ow

WF, Welcome Emma!, 8/21/2017

Good Afternoon!

First off, we want to send a huge WELCOME to Emma who transitioned from Wee Wee Friends today! Her old friends were anxious to reconnect with her while new friends were excited to get to know her. We’re so happy you’re here!

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Today, our three oldest friends started kindergarten!

We incorporate curriculum through our FAB’s (Framework for Academic Balance). It is a teacher organizing tool that makes certain that our older preschoolers and kindergarteners are offered activities that encompass the Indiana Academic Standards for Kindergarten.

This week, the FAB that we’ll be working on is:

Social Studies: K.3.6 Identify and compare similarities and differences in families, classmates, neighbors and neighborhoods, and ethnic and cultural groups.

In large group, we read ‘The Story of Ferdinand” which focuses on the main character, Ferdinand, who is his own self. Ferdinand does what makes him happy, not other people. Instead of participating in bull fighting like his peers, Ferdinand sits under his favorite tree and smells flowers all day long. At the end of the story, we talked about what makes us happy. We found that what makes Lulu happy may not make Maxwell happy. As a group, we discussed what makes us the same and what makes us different.

Here are some of the things that make us happy:

“I’m happy when I’m running.”

“I’m happy when I’m smelling flowers.”

“Playing with my friends makes me happy.”

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Our five oldest friends sat on the deck waiting for the clouds to clear to see if we could see the Solar Eclipse. While we did see the sun, it wasn’t quite eclipse time.

However, after nap time we were able to see it! Maddie, Lulu, Lucy, and Max each took a turn going outside to observe the solar eclipse. It was AWESOME!

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We are so thankful we got this opportunity. These kids were pretty amazed at what they saw!

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While we were outside this morning, we picked through the garden and boy did we get a Monday harvest. Between cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, we’re going to be set for the next couple of days!

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Breakfast– Cinnamon raisin bagels with butter and PPC grapes.

Lunch– Whole wheat noodles with shredded chicken, PPC pears, and cherry tomatoes/cucumbers from our garden.

PM snack– Whole milk yogurt with PPC grapes.

Wee Sprout– Fresh carrots.

Have a lovely night.

-Mindy

Link to pictures: WF 8/21

WWF 8/21

Mack and Aggie decided to play with the baby dolls this morning. Mack was a helpful friend and brought Aggie her own blanket and diaper for her baby.

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Rose and Mack had fun on the slides outside. Some of their big kid friends came over and joined them.

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Daniel and Aggie enjoyed picking the colorful connecter links out of the basket together. They were very interested in the shapes and textures. Aggie went to housekeeping later to pull out the toy food from the cubbies, while Daniel was in the story area pulling the books off the shelves.

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Breakfast was whole wheat toast with butter and cinnamon and banana. Wee sprout was corn. Lunch consisted of whole what pasta with chicken, grapes, and corn. Afternoon snack was organic whole milk yogurt with strawberries.

Link to photos: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AtTCDmdhjIuliM4hP1YZEw34HccCsQ

Have a good night!

Amanda

WWF 8/18

This morning we climbed on the habitrail ladder like monkeys…

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Emptied the ball baskets and chased the balls around the classroom…

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Enjoyed our favorite outside activities with friends…

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And appreciated the beautiful flowers growing in the backyard!

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Breakfast was Kix and banana. Wee sprout was corn. Lunch consisted of hummus sandwiches, peas, and banana. Afternoon snack was cheese crackers and string cheese.

Link to photos: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AtTCDmdhjIuliMx30bHb0dgSLKVk1A

Have a good night!

Amanda

WF, 8/18/2017

Happy Friday!

Maddie and Lulu manipulated rubber bands this morning using plastic boards. First, they started making basic shapes such as a square before they expanded the amount of difficulty; snowflakes in a trap! It takes concentration to put multiple rubber bands on the board without them coming off.

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The rest of our morning was full of stories, experimenting with the piano, and building with various building materials such as the trio blocks!

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Breakfast– Rice cakes with peanut butter and pears.

Lunch– Homemade egg salad on whole wheat bread, PPC banana/grapes, and fresh carrots.

PM snack– String cheese and graham crackers.

Wee Sprout– Carrots.

Have a lovely weekend.

-Mindy

Link to pictures: WF 8/18

WF, 8/17/2017

Good Afternoon!

**The following six children are signed up for swim class at the Y: Riley, Maddie, Lulu, Maxwell, Anna, and Nina. Swim class will start on Tuesday, September 5th. We will leave promptly around 9:35 for every class. Please make sure that you dress your child in clothes that they can easily take off and put on themselves. As always, we will provide towels! I’ll send out another reminder closer to the first swim class Smile.

**Please clean out your child’s art cubbie at pickup. Thanks!

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In large group, we read a story titled ‘If I Had A Robot’. Throughout the story, the main character shared activities that he would have a robot do for him. For instance, eating his vegetables for him! After reading the story, we closed our eyes and thought of one thing that we’d want a robot to do for us. We made a web of our thoughts. Friends also came up with a name for their robot!

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The Britton family brought in corn on the cob today so our older friends went outside to shuck it so that we could have it for lunch. YUM!

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Lulu, Lucy, Anna and a few other friends sat at the art table this morning working on invitations. They made scribbles on paper for the words which prompted an experiment!

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Miss Melinda grabbed the wooden pre writing tools and held them up. Using a piece of paper and a marker, friends looked at the pre writing tool and tried to draw it on their paper. We did an excellent job looking at the specific details of the lines.

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Paint was requested again today so the easel was opened up. Friends waited patiently for a turn and took advantage of it! A few children used all of the space available on their paper.

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When we headed outside, we heard BIG and LOUD noises. A house across the street was getting a tree in their backyard cut down. While we couldn’t see it being cut down, we could see the branches falling! This kept our attention for quite a while!

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Breakfast– Whole grain cheerios and PPC green grapes

Lunch– Brown rice with shredded turkey, PPC cantaloupe, and fresh corn on the cob (thanks Britton family!)

PM snack– Peanuts and goldfish

Wee Sprouts– Carrots and PPC cucumber

Have a great night!

-Mindy

Link to pictures: WF 8/17