Blog for April 23, 25 and 27

This week we are concentrating on the concept of opposites.

Table activities this week include painting on black paper with white paint and white paper with black paint, sorting big and little pompoms, playing in warm and cold water, sorting long and short and soft and hard and making necklaces out of big and little beads.

Our small group activities this week are experimenting with floating and sinking, making a long/short dog and adding a sad/happy face with what makes us sad or happy in our journals.

Our KDIs of the week are-

Spatial awareness: Children recognize spatial relationships among people and objects.- Near and Far, high or low, some opposites that include spatial relationships.

Measuring: Children measure to describe, compare, and order things. Comparing to see which one is bigger or heavier or longer.

Classifying: Children classify materials, actions, people, and events.-Using our sense of touch to classify objects as soft or hard, smooth or rough.


Jesus Time- This week we are hearing about Jesus' ascension. Jesus had appeared to his disciples and others many times in the 40 days after his resurrection. He was on the beach one morning while his disciples were out fishing, just like they used to do before. They weren't having much luck. So he called out to have them put their net down on the other side. When Peter realized it was Jesus, he through off his coat and waded back to shore. After they had eaten, Jesus called Peter over and asked him three times if he loved him. Peter replied that, "Yes, Lord I love you!" Jesus asked him to feed his lambs and sheep. When the time came for Jesus to return to heaven, the disciples and others were gathered around him on a hill outside Jerusalem. Jesus gave them their mission- Go and tell the whole world about me! I will always be with you until the end of the world! As he raised his hands to bless them, he was lifted up into the sky and the disciples stood there watching until a cloud hid him from view. As the disciples were staring up, two angels appeared and reassured them that Jesus would come back the same way he went up. May God keep us in His word and in His grace until He returns!!

Books of the week- "The Foot Book" by Dr. Suess, "Marta! Big and Small" by Jen Arena, "Big Bear Small Mouse" by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman and "Opposites" by Eric Carle.

Kindergarten visit emails went out today!

God bless you with a phenomenal week!!

Mrs. Schneck

I'll leave you with a video of some ballet that our class has been into for a couple of weeks!
4 year old dance

Blog for April 16, 18 and 20

We are planning on a week of super fun!! Our theme this week is superheroes and how to be one!

Table activities include superhero free play, Hulk slime, superhero puzzles and patterns, make yourself a superhero and a super sensory bin.

Small group activities are making a superhero mask, putting yourself in a super hero scene and what's super about us for our journals.

KDIs for the week are-

Self-identity: Children have a positive self-identity.- God has created each one of these children in a special way!! You are his priceless treasure! Jesus loved each one of us enough to die for us!! We are super!

Moral development: Children develop an internal sense of right and wrong.-Superheroes always do the right thing whether they feel like it or not.

Conflict resolution: Children resolve social conflicts. - We are learning to talk to each other and be super patient and super kind with each other.

Jesus Time- This week we hear about Thomas. The first time that Jesus appeared to his disciples, Thomas wasn't with them. Even though we don't know for sure where Thomas was, we do know that he was a twin. I like to think that he was giving his twin brother a heads up as to what happened to Jesus and what might happen to Jesus' followers. When Thomas returned, he didn't believe that Jesus really rose from the dead. He stated, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”(John 20:25) 
The disciples were locked in the room once again when Jesus appeared one week after his first appearance. This time Thomas was there. Jesus went right up to Thomas and said, Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:27)
Thomas proclaimed, "My Lord and My God!"
Jesus then gives a blessing to us by blessing those who have not seen, yet have believed! How blessed we are that the Holy Spirit works faith through the Word in us!

Books of the week- "Even Superheroes Have Bad Days" by Shelly Becker, "Bedtime for Batman" by Michael Dahl,illustrated by Ethen Beavers, "Good Morning, Superman" by Michael Dahl, illustrated by Omar Lozano and "Sweet Dreams, Supergirl" by Michael Dahl, illustrated by Omar Lozano.

Kindergarten visits will start next week. If you would not like your child to have a visit, please email me. Otherwise, each child will go with a friend for a short visit from about 8:30-9:45, just to get a taste of kindergarten. I will send each parent an email saying when your child is scheduled to go and you can drop them off in the kindergarten room in the big school and then they will come here at the kindergarteners first recess.

Have a super week!!

Mrs. Schneck 

Blog for April 9, 11 and 13

Welcome back from spring break! It seems like spring is taking a break itself, but hopefully it will be here soon!!

This week we are listening and looking for the letter Xx, like we hear at the end of box. We are playing with boxes this week!

Morning activities include free play with boxes, coloring inside and outside the box, making and decorating little boxes and cardboard stackers.

Small group activities are decorating a box and adding Xx is for box to our journal.

KDIs for the week are-

Pretend play: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through pretend play- What can you imagine your boxes to be?

Gross-motor skills: Children demonstrate strength, flexibility, balance, and timing in using their large muscles.-Big muscles and balance to stack boxes!

Cooperative play: Children engage in cooperative play. -We are working together to build and pretend. 

Jesus Time- This week we hear about how Jesus appeared to the disciples on their way to Emmaus and in the locked room in Jerusalem. The women had seen angels in the tomb and told the disciples what they said- Jesus is Risen!! The disciples still doubted the women's words. Ten of the eleven were locked in a room, fearful of the Romans, despondent over the death of their teacher, hopeless. Two other followers of Jesus were walking to the town of Emmaus, about 7 miles away from Jerusalem. As they walked, they talked about the events of the past week, Jesus triumphal entry, his betrayal, his trial, crucifixion and death. A third man joined them and asked what they were talking about. They  were amazed that he hadn't heard about the news in Jerusalem, so they filled him in. As they walked, he asked them questions about Jesus, leading them from Old Testament prophecy to prophecy, showing how Jesus was the fulfillment of the promised Messiah. They stopped to eat and invited him to sit with them. As he lifted the bread to bless it, their eyes were opened! THEY HAD BEEN TALKING TO JESUS THE WHOLE TIME! He disappeared from their sight and they ran back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples what they had seen. Jesus also appeared among the 10 in the locked room. He showed them his hands, feet and side and asked for something to eat to prove he wasn't a ghost. Thomas was missing. Jesus blessed and encouraged his disciples! There is so much more proof, but we believe without seeing. Jesus calls us blessed!!

Books of the week- "Fox in Socks" by Dr. Suess, "We're in the Wrong Book" by Richard Byrne and "Not a Box" by Antoinette Portis.

Have a terrific week!!
Mrs. Schneck

Blog for March 26, 28 and 30

Happy Easter!! This week we are listening and looking for the Ee for Easter.

Table activities include egg stacking, egg cutting, an Easter sensory bin, painting with plastic Easter eggs, making a bead carrot and spring dot painting.

Small group activities this week- Monday-using liquid watercolors to paint on fabric to make an egg shaped fabric suncatcher, Wednesday- egg letter recognition, Friday- add Ee is for Easter to our journal.

Our KDIs of the week are-

Emotions: Children recognize, label, and regulate their feelings-This week we see it in conjuction with our Jesus time- things that make us feel happy or sad- a very serious, yet joyous story!

Reflection: Children reflect on their experiences.-What Easter traditions do you have? What do they mean?

Building relationships: Children build relationships with other children and adults.- We are going to try to make new friends even as we get closer to the end of the year!


Jesus Time- This week we hear sad and glad news! We start off on Maundy Thursday, when Jesus shares a final meal with his disciples and gives them a new commandment- "Love one another". He also gives them his body and blood with the bread and wine at the institution of communion. He sends Judas on the way to betray him and takes his remaining disciples into the Garden of Gethsemane. In the garden, Jesus asks his disciples to keep watch with him as he goes further on to pray. Jesus prays and asks God the Father if there is any other way that he can pay for the sins of the world. He is in agony over his coming death. Even though he wishes there were another way, he submits to the will of the Father. He prays three times, each time coming back to check on his disciples, who have fallen asleep. Finally, he wakes them up and lets them know that it is time for him to be arrested. Jesus is arrested, taken before the court of the Jews and the Gentiles and he is condemned to death for claiming to be the Son of God. The Roman soldiers beat him and mock him, put a crown of thorns on him and force him to carry his cross. Jesus is nailed to the cross and hung between two thieves. Even now, he forgives those who nail him to the cross, he forgives and dies for the sins of those who mock him. He assures the thief who repents that he will see him in paradise. He suffers for the sins of all people of all time, your sins and my sins. The sky turns dark, the earth quakes, the thick curtain in the temple is torn in two, dead people rise and come out of their graves. "It is Finished!"
Jesus commends his spirit into his Father's hands. Two of Jesus secret disciples, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, take Jesus body, wrap it in linen and put it in a new tomb carved from the rock, like a small cave and roll a stone in front of the opening. Roman soldiers are sent to guard it so no one can steal his body and claim that he rose. Some women who are followers of Jesus plan to come and complete the preparation for his burial. When they return early Sunday morning, they worry about who will roll the stone away. When they arrive, the stone is gone and so is Jesus. One of the women is frantically looking for the gardener to ask him what happened. The other women approach the tomb. When they do, they see angels as bright as lightning who ask why they are looking for the living among the dead? "He is not here, he is risen just as he said. Go and tell his disciples." They do just that! Mary, who was looking for the gardener, sees a man and asks him where Jesus' body has been taken. The man says, "Mary." and Mary sees that it is Jesus!! He is risen!! He is risen, indeed!

Books of the week- "The Easter Story" by Allia Zobel Nolan, "Happy Easter, Little Critter" by Mercer Mayer and "An Easter Alleluia!" by Anita Stohs.

Next week- NO SCHOOL-SPRING BREAK! Classes resume April 9th!

Have a wonderful Easter! He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Mrs. Schneck

Blog for March 19, 21 and 23

Qq is for queen is our letter this week! We are having a royal time!

Our table activities include building castles with blocks and playing with castle figures, making a crown, making a castle from paper shapes, castle coloring sheets and digging for treasure for our color castle.

Small group activities are making a shield, making a sand castle that will last and adding Qq for queen to our journal.

KDIs of the week are-

 Phonological awareness: Children identify distinct sounds in spoken language- Q is a tricky letter and we made its sound and talked about it's partner, u.

 Pretend play: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through pretend play.-As we build and play in our castles, we take on different roles. We even pretended to joust today on our scooters.

History: Children understand past, present, and future.-The kings and queens of long ago and the kings and queens of today.


Jesus Time- This week our story takes us to the beginning of Holy Week. Jesus is welcomed as a King on Palm Sunday. Jesus plans to go to Jerusalem with his disciples where he knows he will be put to death. The disciples don't really understand what is happening yet. Jesus asks his disciples to go borrow a donkey for him to ride into Jerusalem on. A King riding on a donkey symbolized that he was coming in peace. Jesus was coming to make peace between us and God. Jesus rode into Jerusalem, people lined the streets and waved palm branches at him, shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord." They thought that Jesus was coming to overthrow the Romans, but he was really coming to overthrow death, hell and the power of the devil for us. As he rode into the city further, some Pharisees (men who opposed Jesus) criticized his followers. Telling Jesus that he needed to tell them to be quiet. Jesus told them if they were made to be quiet, the very rocks would cry out! Hosanna means 'save us'. Jesus was ready to go to the cross to save us all!


There is a lot going on this week-

Tomorrow, Tuesday is Kindergarten Round-up. Come see what our program is all about from 6:30-8:00pm. Also, last year I gave the preschoolers a chance to have a Kindergarten Sneak Peek where they went to kindergarten in the morning and stayed until about 10am, then they came over to preschool. We haven't done that yet this year because our kindergarten teacher has been on maternity leave. She is returning soon and we will get the chance to have our sneak peeks then!

Thursday and Friday- Parent Teacher Conferences- if you wish to have a conference, please sign up at
 http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4aa8a82fa6fc1-parent

Saturday- Easter for Families- Come start your Easter celebration together with the Easter story, crafts, songs, snacks and games that the whole family can enjoy! 9:30-11:30am

Have a fantastic week!
Mrs. Schneck

Ee is for experiment

Sorry that I originally blogged this under the three year old's blog page!


Ee is for experiments! We are going to be doing a lot of experimenting this week and having our visit to the Michigan Science Center!

Table activities this week include- magnet play, baking soda and vinegar play, ramps and friction, oil and water play, blocks and balances and static electricity with balloons and tissue paper butterflies.

Small group activities are all experiments this week- We always start with a guess- what do you think will happen if...? Then we test our guess. We did learn the word hypothesis today!
Lava lamps- we poured baby oil and colored water together, learned that oil and water don't mix and added fizzing cold tablets to make the water go up like a lava lamp.- Why it works-The cold tablets react with the water to produce carbon dioxide gas bubbles. These stick to the water droplets. The water/gas combo is less dense than the oil, so they rise to the top of the glass.
No Leak Bag- We will poke sharpened pencils through a quart ziploc bag filled with water and, viola, no leaks! Why it works -The ziploc bag is made out of a polymer whose molecules are like long strands of spaghetti, when the sharp pencil tip pushes through, the flexible strands form a temporary seal around the pencil.
Rain Cloud experiment- We will partially fill a container with water, then spray shaving foam "clouds" on the top. We will use pipettes to put colored water on top of the clouds and it will eventually leak through the clouds to come out in the clear water, just like rain falls out of clouds when enough water molecules join together for gravity to pull it down.

KDIs of the week-
Experimenting: Children experiment to test their ideas. 
Predicting: Children predict what they expect will happen. 
Drawing conclusions: Children draw conclusions based on their experiences and observations. -
It's all about the scientific method this week!

Jesus Time- This week our story is not about a miracle, but about how Jesus reaches out to all sorts of people, even people we don't think he should. Jesus was walking through Jericho and a short man named Zaccheus wanted to see him. Zaccheus was a tax collector, working for the enemy of Rome, and often collected more than he was supposed and pocketed the extra. Zaccheus was too short to see Jesus, so he climbed a tree. As Jesus passed by, he looked up in the tree and called to Zaccheus, "Come down, I'm coming to your house today." The people were surprised! Did Jesus know who this man was and what he had done? After Jesus and Zaccheus visited, Zaccheus was sorry for the way he had lived. He gave half of his goods to the poor and paid back anyone he had cheated four times the amount he had cheated them out of. 
Jesus came to save sinners, there is no one past his grace. He loves people we may think unlovable and he can change their hearts! 

Field trip to the Michigan Science Center on Thursday. Book order due Friday.

Kindergarten round-up on Tuesday, March 20 from 6:30-8:00. We have a terrific kindergarten program so check it out!!

Also, Saturday, March 24th we are having Easter for Families! Look for a flyer with more information on that coming home on Wednesday!

Our books for this week are "Ada Twist, Scientist" by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts, "What is a Scientist?" by Barbara Lehn, and "Odd Boy Out, Young Albert Einstein" by Don Brown.

Also remember to sign up for Parent Teacher conferences if you wish to at- Parent Teacher conferences

Thanks!!
Have a wonderful week!
Mrs. Schneck

Underground

This week we are looking and listening for the letter Uu in underground.

Our table activities include digging for worms and bugs in dirt, painting with rubber worms, playing with worm playdoh, mud bricks and gummi worms and "dirt".

Our small group activities are garden in a glove- so we can see the roots that usually grow underground when we hang our glove in a window and the seeds start to grow, exploring roots and adding Uu for underground to our journals.

The KDIs for the week are-

Problem solving: Children solve problems encountered in play- and in work. Getting those cotton balls down to the tips of the gloves was not easy! We are working better at how to share space when we play

Tools and technology: Children explore and use tools and technology.-using shovels, gloves, rakes, magnifying glasses, tweezers all help us to learn and explore.

Ecology: Children understand the importance of taking care of their environment. - What do plants need to grow? How do worms make our soil healthy?

 Jesus Time- This week we hear about the ten lepers that Jesus healed. Leprosy was a horrible disease in ancient times. There was no cure, you had to leave your family and friends for the rest of your life so they wouldn't catch the disease. You lost your ability to provide for your family. It was horrible. Ten lepers had heard the stories of Jesus of Nazareth healing people and they thought it was worth the chance to ask to be healed. They came upon Jesus and his disciples walking along the road and called out to him, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us!" Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priest, that way they could be made clean. As they walked toward the priests, they were healed. Only one man turned around and ran back, fell at Jesus feet and thanked Jesus for healing him. Jesus asked, "Weren't ten men healed? Where are the other nine?" Jesus told the man his faith had made him whole. 
How often aren't we like those nine men, so busy to be on our way that we forget to thank Jesus for all the little miracles he gives us every day. When each friend today said their thank you prayer of one thing they were thankful for, it was mostly you! Mom and dad and my family, some my little sister, a few toys or a nice warm house. I did tell them that when I am in a grumpy mood, it is usually because I have forgotten to be grateful, sometimes I need reminding! I said that we all need to be reminded of just how blessed we are, from warm beds, clean clothes, food for breakfast and snack, a warm car that drives us to work or school. So if you are in a grumpy mood sometime, and your little one asks if you're thankful, remember just how much God loves you and all of us!

Books of the week-"The Great Fuzz Frenzy" by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel, "Inch by Inch" by Leo Lionni and "Swirl by Swirl" by Joyce Sidman.

Permission slip for Michigan Science Center came home today. Due next Monday!

Have a terrific, thankful week!

Mrs. Schneck