Blog for April 10, 12 and 14

God bless your Holy Week!

This week we are talking about what it means to be a friend. We are friends with everyone in preschool, so our letter is Ee for everyone. Jesus also died for everyone. We are talking about that too.

Table activities this week are things we can do with friends, using pattern blocks, chains, decorating "friends", art together, making puzzles with a little help from our friends.

KDIs we are concentrating on this week are-
 Building relationships: Children build relationships with other children and adults.- We are talking about what it means to be a friend to others.

 Cooperative play: Children engage in cooperative play. - We have specific activities to work together on today.

Empathy: Children demonstrate empathy toward others.- We made bags today that others can drop notes into during the week. We want to encourage each other, not tear one another down.

Jesus Time- This week's story is a difficult one- Jesus is before Pilate and is crucified. After Palm Sunday and his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Jesus spends the week teaching and preaching in Jerusalem, in the temple courts, all over! Jerusalem is packed full of people ready to celebrate the Passover, their annual remembrance of God leading the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt long ago. On Thursday evening, Jesus and his disciples are celebrating their Passover meal. Judas leaves to report to Jesus' enemies where he is and betrays him in the Garden of Gethsemane later that evening with a kiss. Jesus is arrested and taken to the Jewish leaders, but they do not have the power to condemn him to death. He is taken to the Roman ruler, Pontius Pilate, and Pilate is told that he claimed to be a king. Treason against the Roman Caesar! Pilate is stuck, he knows Jesus is innocent, but if word gets back to Rome that he let a man who claimed king go, he would be in trouble. He has Jesus whipped and beaten to try to evoke sympathy from the gathered crowd. Instead he is confronted with demands of "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate washes his hands to demonstrate that he is not taking responsibility  for Jesus death and hands him over to be crucified.
Jesus is so weak, he can't carry the part of his cross that they give him. He is nailed to the cross, but says, "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing."
The only disciple who remains with him to the crucifixion is John. He gives his mother, Mary, into John's care. He asks for a drink. He tells the thief on the cross next to him that he will see him in heaven after that thief comes to faith. He cries out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" during the time of darkness from 12noon until 3pm. He proclaims "It is finished" when he has suffered for our sins and then says "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Then he dies. All for us! We talked about Jesus being buried in a cave by Joseph and Nicodemus. But the kids would not let Jesus stay there, they wanted to know the rest! He is risen!! We will talk more about the next part of the story next week!
It is a hard story to hear and understand. God bless your Holy Week!

Books of the Week- "Stellaluna" by Janell Cannon, "How to Grow a Friend" by Sara Gillingham and "Friends to the Rescue" by Suzanne Chiew.

The attendance slip for Domino Farms will come home later this week! We are set to go there on the 20th of April!

Have a blessed Easter!
Mrs. Schneck