Day 10:Writing/Drawing

Today, we all sat together at our classroom tables and took some time to draw and write. I encouraged the children to write there names and I helped spell them or wrote it down for them to copy from. I sat out props like story and informational books that the children were interested in to get some ideas from. Throughout each table there were print outs of snowman too! I chose to have props out because, I believe children can expand their imagination and create wonderful things by giving them some kind of ideas. 
Here are some examples of the children's work:
(Child's Name)

 (Drawings of animals)

 (Snowman Drawings)

Day 9: Letter Recognition

Today, we played a new game called the "Alphabet Game." I did not create the game, but I did create our own class cards that are similar to the game. The Alphabet Game will help the children with letter recognition. We played the game two different ways. We first, had the child who received the letter A start the game. The child would say "I have A, who has M? The child who had M would go next. The second way we played, was instead of saying the letters they would say the sounds of each letter. 

Each card has a picture on it to help represent the letters. For example, the letter A has an apple drawn on it. 

The objective of the game is to help the children recognize each letter. 

Below are a few examples of what the cards look like: 

(I used the Ellison machine to cut out the letters and the paper cutter to make the size of the cards)

Day 8: Newsletter

Day 7: Classroom Kitchen Menu

Today, we made a classroom menu for our kitchen area. We took a vote of our three favorite dinner foods and two desserts. The foods that won were..

1. Pizza

2. Hamburgers

3. Chickens Wings and French Fries

4. Pumpkin Pie 
5. Ice Cream
This is how our play menu turned out!
If you an your child would ever like to make one at home together, I used Publisher!

Day 6: The Stretching Song

This morning for Circle Time, I added a video to our morning routine. I believe, children do not like to and should not have to sit still for 30 minutes, they should enjoy themselves during Circle time. The video that I will be adding to Morning Circle Time is called "Stretching Song." I am also hoping by adding this video it will enhance active learning strategies. The main part of this video is to intrigue the children to participate during the video and release their body's natural endorphin's, giving them a happy feeling!  

Here is the link below of the video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpdkqVIsNPY 

References 

Have Fun Teaching. (2011, January 22). Stretching Song [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpdkqVIsNPY

Day 5: Take-Home Teddy Bear

Today we talked about the Take-Home Teddy Bear. Each child will take home a Teddy Bear bag with them for two days! The Teddy Bear bags will be going home with your children today. Please reference this link below (my PowerPoint) that will give you more information, for what you and your child will be doing! 

Also during morning circle time after everyone picked out their Teddy Bear, we read a book together that will also be in the Take-Home Teddy Bear bag. Here it is in the picture below.
(Scanner)

https://www.slideshare.net/secret/53IJIds8xf4Fvd

Day 4: Outside Play

Today as you all know, we had a very eventful day! 

We did our normal morning routine but switched up the afternoon part. 

For our Outside Play, we went to an apple picking farm. 

Before we left we first read the book "Apples, Apples, Apples" by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

(Scanner)

The book is about: A bunny family heads to apple picking tree. Mr. Miller takes them on a farm wagon and tells them all about the falls favorite fruit. 

After we read the book, we discussed the different ways apples are made for different foods.
After we talked about the book, we left the preschool and went to the apple picking farm.
Our objective for this lesson was for the children to develop math and science skills as they learn about different types of apples and identify characteristics of apples. 
1. We observed the apples
2. Then cut the different colors of apples and smelled them
3. Compared the apple seeds
4. Tasted the apples and decided which one they liked the best!

Day 3: Free Play

Today during Free Play I introduced the class IPad!

If a child would like to use the IPad during Free Play, they get 10-15 minutes only for one day! The IPad will be a surprise from to time for the children. 
I have 2 apps downloaded on the IPad! 
1. Preschool and Kindergarten learning kids games! 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/preschool-kindergarten-learning/id543851593?mt=8

2. AniMatch: Animal Pairs and Sounds Matching Game 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/animatch-animal-pairs-sounds/id293548481?mt=8

Here are the two links above, if you would like to check the apps out and maybe download for at home!

References

Kids Academy Co. (2014). iTunes (Version 2.0.2) [Software]. Available from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/preschool-kindergarten-learning/id543851593?mt=8

Skye, L. (2014). iTunes (Version 1.7.1) [Software] Available from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/animatch-animal-pairs-sounds/id293548481?mt=8 

Day 2: Weather Chart/Name Recognition

 Morning Circle Time
Today I introduced "The Weather Chart"

Each morning during circle time, one child will look outside the window and decide what the weather is like! They then will place a clothespin on the thermometer and on one of the weather pictures.

Afternoon Activity
 Today for our Group Activity we did "The Name Game!" 
To prepare for this activity I made a felt board and cut out letters of each child's name. 
The goal of our activity is to promote name recognition and having fun! 

Example:

 

 To begin our game, I held up the board with a child's name on it and let the children call out the name on the board. Whoever was first, I called on them and they came up, pointed to each letter (said what is was) and said the name. 

Each child got a turn to figure out a different name!

References 

Jackson, Debbie. (2012, October 3). Bible Fun for Kids [Web blog post]. Retrieved from http://kidsbibledebjackson.blogspot.com/2012/10/preschool-weather-book.html

Day 1: Classroom Management

Today was the first day of preschool! We learned the classroom rules.

We also learned, the "Give Me Five" philosophy. They are simple and effective. I will explain these rules every morning/afternoon during circle time. 

Next, we learned about the smiley face system.


Each student has their name written on a clothespin. Everyone starts out on the happy face. If a student is not following a rule, I will move that clothespin to the straight face as a warning and sad face if necessary. The child does have the opportunity to change behavior and get moved back to the happy face. 

In Class Activity 
After circle time, we did an "All About Me" activity. The children made a free painting that expressed something about themselves. Everyone discussed what they painted and I recorded there responses. 


References 

Rogan, Lola. (2013, June 19). Preschool Wonders [Web blog post]. Retrieved from

http://preschoolwondersblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/classroom-management-and-freebie.html   

Preschool Daily Routine

Preschool Daily Routine:

• Breakfast time 
• Morning Circle time
• Indoor classroom activities/Free play
• Clean up 
• Snack time
• Book time
• Outdoor Play
• Back inside for lunch time 
• Afternoon circle time
• Group Activity
• Free play, clean up, and then children go home