Christmas!

This week we are thinking about Christmas and all the traditions or customs associated with Christmas.

Table activities include baking soda, vinegar and candy cane experimenting, jingle bells and magnet wands, making light string patterns, Christmas tree scissor cutting activity, coloring pages and puzzles.

Small group activities include naming shapes and putting them where they belong on a Christmas tree, Christmas baking soda experiment, and opening our presents on Friday.

KDIs of the week-

Shapes: Children identify, name, and describe shapes. - We are thinking about Christmas shapes too!

Self-identity: Children have a positive self-identity.- Jesus came for us! How he loves us!! We are special to him! 

Jesus Time- This week we keep the story going. Last week we stopped when baby Jesus was born. Things were still and quiet in the stable. This week we hear about what the shepherds heard and saw! During the night, shepherds were watching their sheep and an angel appeared to them. The angel said, "Don't be afraid! I have the best news! A Savior is born for you today in Bethlehem! This is how you will know who he is. He is lying in a manger, wrapped in clothes." Then thousands of angels appeared with the angel and praised God! After the angels went back into heaven, the shepherds rushed to Bethlehem to look for the Savior. They found him just as the angel said. They praised him and were so excited that they returned to the fields telling everyone they saw what they had seen and heard! We are so excited to share the news with you too this Sunday!!

Books of the week- "A Christmas Wish for Corduroy" based on a story by Don Freeman, "A Night of Great Joy" by Mary Engelbreit and "Christmas in the Barn" by Margaret Wise Brown.

This Friday is our party, so bring your gift. If you would like to bring a little fruit, veges or crackers or cheese, that would be fine. I doubt much will be eaten. We will be practicing the Christmas service  and having morning meeting and free play time. Then we will open gifts and have our snacks and play a game or two and maybe get outside.

On Sunday, please be a church at least 15 minutes before the service you chose to attend- so 8:15  04 10:45. The service lasts about an hour. We look forward to seeing you there!

Have a wonderful Christmas holiday!! We resume school on Monday, January 7, 2019!

Mrs. Schneck

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

This week we are listening for the letter Hh and the sound it makes. We hear about the holidays and think of Christmas. The original word was Holy day- a day set apart for God. We set apart Christmas to celebrate Jesus' birthday.

Morning activities include coloring ornaments, invite to create Christmas trees, ribbon cutting, wrapping stars with ribbon, beading candy canes and Christmas character puzzles.

Small group include matching letters on our letter wreath, decorating cookies and adding a Hh is for holidays page to our journal.

KDIs for the week-

Alphabetic knowledge: Children identify letter names and their sounds.- we worked well on matching and naming our letters.

Fine-motor skills: Children demonstrate dexterity and handeye coordination in using their small muscles. - lots of work on this this week- cutting, beading, wrapping. 

Jesus Time- This week we hear about Jesus birth. Mary and Joseph were ordered to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be counted by the Roman government. It was a long trip for a very pregnant young girl. They may have ridden a donkey or walked, the Bible doesn't say. The trip may have taken as long as 7 days. It does seem they were some of the last ones to make it to Bethlehem as there was no room left for lodging. Finally someone made room for them in a stable, probably a cave carved into the hills outside Bethlehem. It was warm and dry, but probably also smelly and crowded. There Mary gave birth, to her first born, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger. It was done, God became man to save us from our sins. As they sat in the quiet, resting after their long ordeal. Mary thought and treasured. It wouldn't stay quiet for long, soon the shepherds would burst in on the scene. We'll hear about them next week.

Books of the week- "Mortimer's Christmas Manger" by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman, "Mooseltoe" by Margie Palatini and "Snowmen at Christmas" by Mark Buehner.

Lots going on in the next two weeks-

 This Saturday, Christmas service practice from 9am-10:30am. This is a time change from my original note.

Sunday, December 23rd is our Christmas service. You can choose to attend either the 8:30 service or the 11:00 service. There is a sign up sheet in the sign in room at preschool. If you are unable to attend, please let us know that as well.

Wednesday we will decorated cookies from 10:45-11:15, bring your own or decorated some that I am making.

Your child picked a name today for our Christmas gift exchange which will take place on Friday, December 21st. Here is the list in case you have lost yours-

Jace has Noah
Natalie has Jesse
Noah has Rosie
Abigail has Abel
William has Charlie
Charlie has Brennan
Maicoll has Peyton
Rosie has Jace
Brennan has Maicoll
Abel has Tessa
Harper has Abigail
Peyton has William
Tessa has Harper
Jesse has Anna
Anna has Natalie

In general, the girls love unicorns and the boys love superheroes.
Good luck!

Have a marvelous week!

Mrs. Schneck

Gg is for gingerbread

 This week we are having fun with gingerbread and listening and looking for the letter Gg.

Morning activities include creating a paper gingerbread man, playing with gingerbread people clay mats, baking play, cookie cutter printing,gingerbread sorting and gingerbread playdough.

Small group activities are a torn gingerbread man, decorating real gingerbread cookies and adding a Gg is for gingerbread page to our journals.

KDIs for the week are-
Community: Children participate in the community of the classroom. - We are working together and helping each other out pretty well. We talk about how to be friends and work together.
Building relationships: Children build relationships with other children and adults. - There's never just one gingerbread, we learn about friendship from our stories and activities this week.


Jesus Time- We move into Christmas stories this week. Today we were introduced to Mary and Joseph and the angel. Mary was a young woman engaged to Joseph. They both lived in the town of Nazareth. Joseph was a carpenter. One day while Mary was home, an angel appeared to her and told her that she was going to be the mother of the Son of God. She was afraid and confused. How could she have a baby? She wasn't married yet. The angel explained that this baby would be true God and true man. Mary accepted what the angel said.

When Mary told Joseph, he thought she had done something wrong. He still loved her, so he was going to quietly end their engagement to not bring her any shame. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife. The baby she was carrying was from God and would be true God and true man.

Mary and Joseph were married and were soon on their way to Bethlehem to be counted by the Roman government.

Books of the week-
"Gingerbread Friends"  and "Gingerbread Christmas" by Jan Brett and "Maisy makes Gingerbread" by Lucy Cousins.

Hopefully we'll get outside every chance this week! Let your little one know where you've put their gloves, I know we have ones to borrow and they like to, we'll try to help them find their own.

Sign up for the Christmas service of your choice or let us know if you are unable to come! Christmas fun is on it's way! Have a wonderful week!

Oo is for occupation

 What do you want to be when you grow up? What's your mom's occupation or your dad's occupation? This week we are thinking about our occupation and the sound and shape of Oo.

Morning activities include dramatic play to "try out" different occupations such as flower shop, pet shop, post office, airport, library and restaurant.

Small group activities are coloring a picture of yourself dressed for what you want to be, drawing where you'd like to work and putting a picture of you in it and adding a "When I grow up, I want to be... page to our journal.

KDIs for the week include-

Community roles: Children recognize that people have different roles and functions in the community.- As we study occupations, each person does something different for their job.

Diversity: Children understand that people have diverse characteristics, interests, and abilities.- We had lots of different choices today, police officers, artists, ballerinas, veterinarians. 

Jesus Time- This week we hear the story of Jonah. Jonah was sent to Ninevah by God, but he didn't want to go. He tried to run away from God, boarding a ship that was sailing in the opposite direction of Ninevah. God made a storm come up. Jonah was sleeping in the hold, when the sailors woke him to draw straws and see who God was angry with, he drew the short straw. He told them to throw him overboard, he knew that he was the cause of the storm. When they reluctantly threw him over, the seas calmed and Jonah was swallowed by a huge fish. He spent 3 days inside the fish's belly, cramped, covered in fish slime and seaweed, possibly irritated by stomach acids and he prayed! He repented, and God had the fish cast him out on the shore closer to Ninevah. Jonah went and proclaimed repentance or vengeance on Ninevah. He thought the people wouldn't listen, so after 40 days of preaching, he sat outside the city to wait for it to be destroyed. But they did listen! The king of Ninevah lead his city in repentance so they were not destroyed. Jonah kept complaining and God showed him that he deserved nothing. Everything he had received was a blessing! And so it is with us! WE are so blessed!! Lord, please help us to not complain, especially during this holiday season when our joys so often turn to grumbles and sharp tempers, keep us centered on you and your love for us!

Books of the week- "Roberto, the Insect Architect" by Nina Laden and "Everybody Works" by Shelley Rotner and Ken Kreisler.

We have started learning our song and recitation for our Christmas program. This year it takes place on Sunday, December 23rd. The preschoolers are only asked to do one service, although you can do both if you desire. The services take place at 8:30 or 11:00 am. I will have a sign up sheet out next week. If you are unable to attend, you can let me know on the sign up also.

Have a fantastic week!

Mrs. Schneck

Happy Thanksgiving!

This week we are doing activities around the theme of Thanksgiving!

Table activities this week include making a paper turkey, Thanksgiving themed dot paintings, Thanksgiving pattern blocks and candy corn activities.

For small group this week, we are making a name turkey and adding a "I am thankful for..." page to our journal.

KDIs of the week are-

History: Children understand past, present, and future.- We are talking about why we celebrate Thanksgiving and some of the history of it.

Counting: Children count things. - We'll be counting candy corn and feathers this week. 

Jesus Time- This week we hear another story about a young person helping someone to increase their faith. This week's story is about Naaman and his young servant. Naaman was a general in the army of Aram, one of Israel's enemies. When they had defeated the Israelites, a young girl was taken and she became a slave of Naaman's wife. Naaman had leprosy, an incurable and contagious illness. The young slave girl suggested to her mistress that he go to see the prophet Elisha and be healed. Naaman went to see Elisha with a letter from his king, riches and promises of wealth. When he went to Elisha's house, he was told to go wash in the Jordan River seven times and he would be healed. Naaman thought that wasn't miraculous enough to work. Why didn't Elisha make a big deal of healing him? He grumbled and started to head home. His servants intervened, just give it a try, they urged! So he did wash in the Jordan and he was healed. His skin was like a baby's, smooth and soft!  He returned to Elisha and apologized and confessed his faith. Because of a slave girl's bravery, he believed. 
How often aren't we afraid of what could happen as we share our faith? God is with us!! He will protect us and make His word work wonders!

Books of the week- "Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving" by Dav Pilkey, "Thanksgiving Day Thanks" by Laura Elliot and "Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks" by Margaret Sutherland.

Here is a picture of what your children are thankful for today-

Ff is for feathers

This week we are looking at feathers and birds and listening and looking for the letter Ff.

Table activities this week include cutting feathers, carefully putting feathers in colanders, beading on feathers, investigating feathers, cutting paper feathers and coloring pictures of feathers.

Our small group activities include investigating different kinds of feathers- flight feathers, down feathers and feathers for display(like peacocks). We also did an experiment to show how water fowl oil their feathers to keep them dry by putting baby oil on a feather and putting it in water and then putting a plain feather in water. On Wednesday, our feathered friends from Wild Wing Bird Rehab are paying us a visit at 9:30! If you wish to donate to their work, you can bring it on Wednesday. Friday we will add an "Ff is for feather" page to our journal.

KDIs of the week are-
Natural and physical world: Children gather knowledge about the natural and physical world.- We are learning about birds and feathers this week!

Use of resources: Children gather information and formulate ideas about their world. - How do ducks stay dry? How do feathers help birds fly? Why do birds preen? Lots of things to investigate and try to figure out answers for! 


Jesus Time- Last week we heard about Samuel and Hannah. This week, Samuel is an old man and Israel's judge. God tells him to go and anoint a man to be the next king of Israel because that is what the people want. He goes to a man named Jesse's house and looks his sons over one by one. When he gets to the youngest, he asks Jesse if he has anymore sons, and Jesse says he has one more, but he's just a boy and a shepherd. Samuel anoints that young boy, David, as the next king of Israel. Meanwhile, Saul is the king and his army is fighting the Israelites' enemy, the Philistines. The Philistines have a champion, a nine foot tall warrior named Goliath. Goliath goes into the valley between the armies each day and challenges the soldiers of Israel and mocks their one God. David is bringing food for his older brothers, who are in the army, and hears Goliath. He is amazed that no one is going out to fight him! He volunteers! King Saul and the rest try to dissuade him- he's too small, just a boy! Goliath is a seasoned warrior! David is upset about what Goliath is saying about his God and he knows that if he goes to fight Goliath, God goes with him. So he chooses five smooth stones, he goes to meet Goliath with his slingshot. Goliath laughs, thinks it is a joke. David places a stone in the sling, swings it around and lets the stone go. It hits Goliath in the head and sinks in and kills him. David also cuts Goliath's head off with his own sword. God gave David total victory! He is with us in our battles and gives us the victory too!

Books of the week- All the pigeon books I own by Mo Willems, "Have You Seen Birds?" by Joanne Oppenheim and Barbara Reid and "The Perfect Purple Feather" by Hanoch Piven.

Have a fantastic week! Next week is Thanksgiving already!! I can hardly believe it! We have school on Monday and Wednesday! No School Friday! Enjoy your food, family and all other blessings!!

Mrs. Schneck

Bb is for bubbles!

We are experimenting with and blowing bubbles this week along with listening and looking for the letter Bb.

Table activities include playing with bubble foam, making bubble wands, blowing bubbles on the table and with found objects, playing with foam letters in bubbles and making bubbles in a cup.

Small group activities include making bubble prints, tensile bubbles and adding a Bb is for bubbles page to our journals.

KDIs of the week are-
Alphabetic knowledge: Children identify letter names and their sounds.-the difference between P and B sound and the print- they should know the difference by the end of the week.

Pretend play: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through pretend play. - What can we pretend? Knowing the difference between pretend and real.

Jesus Time-
This week we hear the story of Hannah and Samuel. Hannah was an Israelite woman who had no children and very badly wanted one. She prayed when she and her husband went to temple for a child. The priest, Eli, heard her sobbing and wondered why she was so sad. When she told him, he assured her that God had heard her prayer and she would have a child. She did have a little boy and named him Samuel. She vowed that she would give him back into the service of the Lord. When Samuel was about 5 years old, she traveled with him to the temple where she talked again to Eli. She gave Samuel into his care. Samuel assisted Eli in the temple, cleaned, prepared the temple for worship and lived there. He worked for the Lord when he was about the age of the children in preschool! We don't have to send our children to live in the back of the church, but they can still do things out of thankfulness to God. Being kind, sharing their possessions, honoring their parents are all ways they can show their love for God!

Books of the week- "The Bubble Factory" by Tomie dePaola, "Pretend" by Jennifer Plecas. We may read other bubble books if I can get them!

Have a beautiful week!
Mrs. Schneck

Pp is for pumpkin!

 This week we are experimenting with pumpkins and listening for the letter Pp.

Table activities include pounding golf tees into pumpkins, making paper jack'o'lanterns, pumpkin playdoh, pumpkin play sensory bin, pumpkin coloring pages and making a pumpkin with beads and a pipe cleaner.

Small group activities are dissecting a pumpkin, decorating a pumpkin and adding a Pp is for pumpkin page to our journal.

KDIs of the week are-

Gross-motor skills: Children demonstrate strength, flexibility, balance, and timing in using their large muscles.- Pounding in pegs, bowling with pumpkins, lots of strength and timing used in our play this week.

Phonological awareness: Children identify distinct sounds in spoken language. - Picking out the p's in our speech and making the sound. 

Jesus Time- This week we move forward over 40 years. We quickly went over what the Israelites went through in the desert. The parting of the Red Sea when the Egyptians were chasing after them, sending 12 spies into the promised land only to have 10 of them come back and admit defeat and two spies saying that with God's help, they can defeat them. God made them wander in the desert for 40 years because they didn't believe that they could conquer their enemies with his help. Finally after 40 years is over, the Israelites are ready to enter the promised land. 
Joshua, one of the believing spies, is in charge now. He shows the Israelites one of the first cities they are going to conquer, Jericho. Jericho is surrounded by a wall as thick as a house. Two spies are sent in to see if it has any weaknesses. They can't find any, but God has a different plan to defeat Jericho. The Israelites will walk around Jericho's walls once a day for 6 days and then on the 7th day, they will walk around it 7 times, blow their horns, shout and the walls will tumble to the ground. They do exactly as God says and it happens!! God gives them the city of Jericho!

Books of the Week- "Inside a House That is Haunted" by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, "Too Many Pumpkins" by Linda White, "Pumpkin Heads" by Wendell Minor and "Pumpkin Pumpkin" by Jeanne Titherington.

Remember that Wednesday we can wear our costumes!!

Have a wonderful week!!

Ii is for Insect

This week we are listening to the short sound of Ii and learning about insects.

Table activities are playing with rubber bugs, making bugs out of paper, painting bugs and color matching bugs.

Small group activities are making a model of an insect- three body parts- head, thorax and abdomen and six legs. Hopefully they came away with some information. On Wednesday we will add an Ii is for insect page to our journals.

KDIs of the week-

 Empathy: Children demonstrate empathy toward others.- One of our books puts us in the ant's place and we are encouraged to think of how it would be for someone else if we were in their place.

Book knowledge: Children demonstrate knowledge about books.- Different kinds and formats of books- this week we are reading fiction or pretend books. One is written like a diary.

Jesus Time- This week we are learning about the 10 plagues that God sent to Egypt when Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go. God changed water into blood, sent frogs, tiny flies, sickness to the animals, sores, hail, darkness and locusts. Finally God sent the worst plague of all, death of the firstborn. But the Israelites were kept safe through it all. God gave them directions on how to avoid the final plague so the angel of death would pass over their families. 

Each time, Pharaoh promised to let God's people go and each time, he changed his mind when the troubles were past. How often we do the same, "God just get me out of this mess and I promise I'll go to church more or read my Bible more." Trouble passes and we forget. God's love for us is constant, it's our love for Him that needs work. Keep trying, don't turn your back on God, he is always there!

Books of the week- "Diary of a Worm" by Doreen Cronin, "Diary of a Spider" by Doreen Cronin, "Some Bugs" by Angela Diterlizzi, "Hey, Little Ant" by Phillip and Hannah Hoose and "How Many Bugs in a Box?" by David A. Carter.

There is no school this Friday because of Parent Teacher Consultations! Surprise!! I forgot to include that on the calendar! Sign up for a time slot if you haven't yet.

Picture Re-take day is this Thursday, October 25th. If you would like a retake, bring your old photos and meet over at church around 8:45.

Next week students can wear their costumes on Wednesday for Halloween and we may even trick or treat at the big school so they can see us! Join us for Trunk or Treat on Saturday from 10-12noon!

Have a super week!

Mrs. Schneck

Rr is for reptile!

This week we are learning about reptiles and the letter Rr. We had a reptile visitor today, Stubby, the leopard gecko and hope to have another visitor later in the week!

Our table activities are looking at models of reptiles, pulling snakes out of jello slime, making noodle snakes, alligators in a bubbling swamp, and coloring pages.

For small group, we are making paper plate snakes with lots of scissors skills,  a turtle with a mosaic shell and adding the letter Rr to our journals.

Our KDIs of the week are-

 Vocabulary: Children understand and use a variety of words and phrases.-We are introducing words that have to do with reptiles- don't be afraid of using "big" words with small children- it greatly enriches their vocabulary and understanding!

Communicating ideas: Children communicate their ideas about the characteristics of things and how they work.- Why is something a reptile? How are reptiles different than other animals? What are their characteristics?

Jesus Time- We skip ahead in our Bible stories. We are still in Egypt, where we left Joseph and his family, but now there is a Pharoah who doesn't remember Joseph. This Pharoah is threatened by the number of Jacob or Israel's family who live in Egypt. He decides to curb the growth of these people by having the baby boys thrown into the river to drown. One Israelite mother, Jochabed, saves her little son. She cares for him for three months, hiding him and trying to keep him quiet, but then he just grows too big! She makes a basket-boat for him and with his big sister watching, sets him to float down the Nile. An Egyptian princess sees the basket and asks one of her servants to fetch it for her. She is surprised to see it is a baby. She wants to keep it and immediately, the baby's sister is there, offering to find someone to care for it for her. She runs to get her mother, who gets to take care of the child until he is about 5 years old. The princess names the baby Moses, which means drawn from the water. At 5 years of age, Moses goes to be raised by the Egyptians in the palace.

God is preparing him for his future!

Books of the week are - "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile" by Bernard Waber, "The Mixed-Up Chameleon" by Eric Carle and "A Color of His Own" by Leo Lionni.

You should have received an email about Parent-Teacher conferences. They are scheduled for Thursday, October 25 in the evening and Friday, October 26 during the day. We won't have school that Friday. If you didn't receive the email, let me know. I will send it to you!

Fall Festival at Camp Killarney is this weekend! http://www.killarneycamp.org/ Click on the link for more info!

Also coming up- Trunk or Treat at Peace Lutheran- Saturday, October 27 from 10am-12noon- Come enjoy games and trick or treating!

Have a great week!

Mrs. Schneck

Paint Day!

Since we have only one day of school this week, we made it a paint day!

This morning we could fingerpaint or blow paint, for small group we painted with watercolors and even outside we could paint our preschool with chalk paint!

We hope you can join us on our field trip tomorrow at Camp Killarney, 1200 Chisolm Rd. Onsted, MI 49265. We will meet there at 10am, explore some stations, climb a big hill and have a campfire with marshmallows! The cost is $6 per participant over 3 years of age! Bring your mud boots and extra towels, just in case!

We hope you have a great week!!

Mrs. Schneck and Mrs. Oetzel

Blog for October 1, 3, and 5

This week we are having fun pretending to camp and listening and looking for the letter Cc.

Morning activities include playing with a Playmobile camping set, pretending in tents with camping gear, making a bead necklace with camp charms and camp coloring pages.

Small group activities include using scissors, glue and paint to make a campfire, making a lantern and adding the letter Cc to our journals.

KDIs of the week are-

Pretend play: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through pretend play.- As they play in the tents or with the playmobile figures they are playing out story lines and taking up different roles. Fun to listen and see what they come up with!

Building relationships: Children build relationships with other children and adults. - Along with pretend play, no one is camping alone- the children are getting to know one another and building friendships. 

Jesus Time- This week our story is about Joseph. Joseph was one of Jacob's sons. When Jacob fled to his Uncle Laban's house, he ended up marrying both of Laban's daughters. This wasn't how God intended things to be. His favorite wife was Rachel and Joseph was Rachel's son. Rachel's sister Leah had 10 of Jacob's sons. Joseph was his favorite and he showed it. The older 10 sons were responsible for taking care of Jacob's hundreds of sheep and goats. Joseph would be sent out to make sure they were doing their job. Joseph also shared some dreams he had that he felt meant they would one day bow down to him. The last straw was a gift of a multi-colored coat that Jacob gave to Joseph. It was a sign that he was the overseer, the boss, over his older brothers. One day, when Joseph was making his way out to check up on his older brothers, they saw him and began to plot to get rid of him. They threw him in an empty well, took his beautiful coat and thought about killing him. When a merchant caravan came their way, they decided to sell him. Joseph was on his way to Egypt as a slave. They took his coat, ripped it up, dipped it in the blood of a goat they had killed and told their father that they found the bloody ripped up coat on their way home. Joseph must have been killed by a wild animal. Their father believed it and was very sad. Joseph meanwhile, was made a slave to Potiphar in Egypt. He worked hard and was made the head of Potiphar's household.  
Joseph had some pretty bad things happen to him, worse are yet to come! But through it all, God was with him always- in the pit, as a slave, everywhere he goes! God is with us too, always!

Books of the week- "Curious George goes Camping" by Margret and H. A. Rey, "A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee" by Chris Van Dusen and "Charlie Goes Camping" by Carrie Weston and Tim Warnes.

Going to Camp Killarney next Tuesday will bring our units on trees and camping to a great conclusion!! If you haven't yet turned your slip in, there is still time!!

Next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday there is NO SCHOOL!! We will be in Stevensville for Teacher's Conference!

Have a terrific week!
Mrs. Schneck

Trees

"I think that I shall never see, a poem as lovely as a tree" Joyce Kilmer

This week we are looking at trees and the letter Tt. 

Table activities are using playdough with tree parts, building and exploring with parts of the tree like bark, pinecones, cut rounds of branches, a Tt letter hunt, tree geoboards and leaf rubbings.

Our small group activities include making a leaf person, painting a tree and adding the Tt is for tree page to our journal.

Our KDIs of the week are-

Use of resources: Children gather information and formulate ideas about their world. - we use what we have to build and stack and investigate it. Using leaves to make a person- how to make it look like legs, arms or a body.

Natural and physical world: Children gather knowledge about the natural and physical world.  - Seeing the different parts of a tree, talking about how trees grow, what they are good for.

Jesus Time- This week our story is about Abraham's grandchildren- Jacob and Esau. Jacob and Esau were twins born to Isaac's wife Rebekah. Even in the womb, she felt these babies wrestling with each other and Jacob was born holding on to Esau's heel. As they grew older, their rivalry continued. Esau was an outdoorsman, hunting and bringing back game for the family to eat. Spending nights away from home on his excursions. Jacob was a shepherd who stayed close to home, keeping his family's sheep. God had promised that Jacob would receive the blessing of the elder son even though Esau was the oldest. When Isaac was very old and close to blind, he instructed Esau to go and kill a game animal and make him the spicy stew that he loved and he would give him the blessing. Rebekah and Jacob overheard and decided to trick Isaac. She told Jacob to kill one of his sheep, dress in Esau's clothes and put sheepskin on his arms so they would feel hairy like Esau's. She made the spicy stew and Jacob served it to his father, pretending to be Esau. He received the blessing.

When Esau returned and brought the stew to his father, he found out that Jacob had stolen his blessing and was furious!! 

Rebekah told Jacob to run away to her brother's house and he did. That night in the middle of nowhere as Jacob laid down with a stone for a pillow, he had a wonderful dream. In the dream there were angels going up and down a staircase and God was at the very top. Even though Jacob had sinned, God still loved him and was with him! 

When Jacob woke up, he anointed the stone and every time he passed that place, he remembered how God was with him. 

He is with us everywhere, too! God loves us no matter what! 

Books of the week- "A Tree is Nice" by Janice May Udry, "Leaf Man" by Lois Ehlert and "As An Oak Tree Grows" by G. Brian Karas.

Our next field trip is coming up quickly! It is Tuesday, October 9th  at Camp Killarney in the Irish Hills. The address is 1200 Chisholm Rd, Onsted, MI 49265. 

We plan to meet there at 10:00 to have some fun in tents and trees!! We will be done with the formal program at 11:30, but you are welcome to stay and adventure on your own!

Have a great week!

Mrs. Schneck