Wednesday May 18

A small group of friends began the day singing a new song “Super Manners” (sung to the tune of “I’m a Little Tea Pot”):

I have Super Manners, yes I do!

I can say “please” and “thank you”!

When I’m with my friends I listen and share,

That’s the way I show I care!

We played a few rounds of our Body Part dice game, exploring and talking/singing about different body parts.

At the art table, we made individual thumb and finger prints, using a stamp pad. We talked about how our skin had unique lines and textures, but mostly just enjoyed getting purple ink all over our hands! F.3.7 Make patterns on their own.

Another read aloud of Dr. Meow’s Big Emergency led to an interest in hospital ID bracelets. Using masking tape, we created our own. F.1.39 Talk about action pictures of family, pets, or self.

F.2.1 Identify a favorite story. F.3.16 Describe features of familiar places (e.g., buildings, stores).

Melinda led an science/art experiment: “What happens when you draw with chalk on wet and dry paper? Furthermore, what will happen when you paint over your chalk sketch with water?” Friends examined how chalk color changed as they created and how the chalk felt different drawing on wet and dry paper. F.1.8 Engage in a scientific experiment with a peer or with small groups of children using sharing/turn taking skills.

We resurrected a Wee Friends Favorite song “Mind Your Manners”, singing, dancing and stretching our bodies. We ended our Creative Music time with a music meditation, talking about how fast our heart was beating and how to breath deeply to slow it down as we relaxed our bodies. F.2.5 Hum or sing along to tune playing on radio, tape/CD player, or television.

Today for lunch, we served rice with chicken and corn, pears and salad.

Have a great day!

Tuesday May 17

Today began with an anatomy game/song! We created a large cube (dice) taping pictures of different body parts on it. We rolled the dice and when we landed on a body part, we sang:

“Eye, Eye, it’s the picture I see,

If you have an eye than blink with me!

Stand up, blink up and down,

And when you’re through blinking,

Sit back down.”

After interest in the song waned, we switched the game to identifying the letter that the body part started with (ex: What picture is this? SPINE! What letter does SPINE start with?”)

After the swimmers left for the Y, younger friends continued exploring the caterpillars, putting them into a plastic tub and returning them to the wild. 🙂

Three older friends helped Amy Crosson plant vegetables. Yesterday, Amy brought in rhubarb bread made from the rhubarb on our playground! Thank you Amy!!

Friends trimmed the grass growing in plastic cups. They created art with the cut grass using white paper and glue.

Enjoy this day!

After the two year olds left for the Farm, Melinda led an art exploration asking the question “What happens when you paint over crayon?” With different color combinations, friends first drew with crayons on paper and then painted over it studying the effect that different crayon/paper colors had when combined with red paint. F.1.6 Wonder about or ask questions about works of art. F.2.16 Demonstrate increasing skill in using different art materials. (e.g., paper, paint, clay, scraps, buttons)

Outside, friends discovered a sac of Eastern Tent caterpillars on the plumb bush. Friends hand picked them and put them in a plastic container. This afternoon we will study them up close! F.3.9 Observe and explore a variety of live plants and animals. F.3.12 Talk about different types of plants and animals that inhabit the earth.

Beginning the Basics introduced “Mind Your Manners” this morning. Understanding the natural curiosity (and fun!) to experiment with “bathroom words”, we created a message board that listed Appropriate Words and Inappropriate Words for our school environment. We played “No! Teacher! No!”: a game similar to “Mother May I” where the teacher says a word and if it’s Appropriate, the friend can move forward one big step. If it’s Inappropriate, the friend exclaims, “No! Teacher! No!” We role-played what to say when a friend grabs a toy or book out of your hand. We will practice these life skills along with continued potty and hand washing reminders/activities. F.2.11 Pretend through role-playing. F.2.2 Express self in dramatic play

Enjoy this beautiful day!!!!!!

Happy Friday!

Don’t forget to check the blog and the flickr account for new photos of Wee/Wee Friends!

WF:http://www.flickr.com/photos/weefriends/sets/72157626581289749/

WWF http://www.flickr.com/photos/weefriends/sets/72157626710618538/

It was a busy, peaceful morning at Wee Friends! There were many small group, child initiated activities happening. In the hopscotch room, several friends created a house with a dog pen. Friends took turns commanding the dog to sleep, wake up and get up!

A couple friends explored new materials to hammer with and new places to exercise their hands and the hammer!  Also, we created art with black paper, glue and white paper cut in different shapes and we also read lots of books!

 

 

 

Have a terrific weekend!

Tumbling Day for WF!

While the 2 groups were out at tumbling, the WFer’s stayed busy playing games with Melinda, playing with shaving cream, and choosing other self initiated play. 

The shaving cream activity was well recieved by all of the children!  The kids used paint brushes and plastic pieces to create textures and patterns on their tray. F.1.5 Use the five senses (touching, smelling, seeing, hearing, tasting) to investigate the environment and to gather information. F.2.10 Participate in activities using materials with a variety of shapes and patterns. F.3.2 Investigate and talk about the characteristics of matter (e.g., liquids and solids, smooth and rough, bend-not bend).F.2.9 Use different colors, surface textures, and shapes to create form and meaning.

Several other interest areas stayed busy all morning.  The housekeeping area was a busy whirl all morning and the workshop had children pounding and creating too.  Thankfully, the rain storm was shortlived and we were able to play outside at our normal time!

Water! Water! Water!

This morning Melinda set up the water table outside. Wee and Wee Wee Friends poured, measured, dipped, scooped and stayed cool playing with the water. She added additional tubs to the cottage climber and sandbox for more fun!

Inside, friends watered their grass seeds, examining how they’ve grown and discussing how the soil changes when you add water.

Today a small group of friends investigated a couple body related books and discovered the names of certain bones (skull, spine, thigh, neck), as well as explanations for muscles and nerves. We read Doctor Meow’s Big Emergency. In the story Tom Cat falls out of the tree and breaks his leg. Inspired by Tom Cat’s trip to the doctor for a cast, we gathered newsprint paper and friends chose a bone on their body to wrap. We sang “Dry Bones”, identifying names of bones as we sang. We also sang a few rounds of “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.” We applied medicine (lotion) to ouchies and ended our lesson at the art table creating bone inspired art with Q-Tips, white paint and black paper.

For lunch we served whole wheat couscous with chicken, pears and carrot/snap peas.

Please remember to bring a couple extra sets of summer clothes for your child. Often times, after a water activity, we change them into dry clothes. Thank you!

Enjoy this fabulous weather!