This newsletter is designed to provide you with an overview of our curriculum for the month, highlighting the fun ways in which we learn through play!  Additional learning centers that are always available and also change bi-weekly include the library corner, puzzles, flannel board, blocks, cars and trucks, manipulative toys, the “free craft” area, and the large gross motor playroom.

CIRCLE TIME

Nursery Rhymes-  The children enjoyed reciting familiar nursery rhymes and learning some new ones too.  The older children also shared a lot of laughs as they made up their own rhymes, such as “There once was a llama, He wore his pajamas. He went to the zoo to look for his shoe…He saw a dog throwing a log, He saw a seal riding on a wheel. Then he went home, to play with some floam!”   Another group wrote:  “Bingo Fingo sat in his cage… He likes to eat his food, because he’s a dude in the mood.  He cuts paper in school.  He’s no fool!”

Easter-  Our discussions about the true meaning of Easter culminated with a visit to the sanctuary.  The children lined the pews and listened once again to the story of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem where the people waved palms and shouted “Hosanna!” to the sadness of the day He died, to the great joy on Easter when they learned that “He’s alive”!  The children shared that joy as they waved their arms and shouted “Alleluia, alleluia”! 

We also talked about Spring, and the new life that it brings – new leaves on the trees, new flowers, baby bunnies, and eggs bursting with new life, all of which remind us of the new life of Jesus in  heaven.

Birds-  What is the same or different about them?  What do they eat?  Where do they live?  How do they make their nests?  We are currently thinking and talking about these questions together. 

Homes-  We will end the month of April talking about homes, including what we need in our homes to make us feel warm and comfortable.   We will also talk about different types of animal homes, and what the animals need to make them feel comfortable too.

CRAFT

Dinosaur Fossils-  To go along with dinosaur week the children learned what a fossil was.  They were able to create their own fossils made out of a cook-able clay and crushed pasta.  They then used sand and brushes to uncover what was in the clay mixture.  We didn’t know we had so many archeologists among us!   

  What fun the children had looking at this favorite book and then creating their own “spilt milk” pictures.  Using their fine motor muscles to squeeze an eye dropper they placed droplets of white paint onto a piece of blue paper.  They then folded the paper in half, patted it down and rubbed the paint together.  When they opened the paper they used their imaginations to tell us what it looked like.  We had frogs, butterflies, sea creatures and more, which are currently hanging up all around the school!

Easter Cross-  To celebrate Easter the children enjoyed painting wooden crosses with Spring-colored paint.  We tied on a colorful string and created some beautiful necklaces which the children couldn’t wait to wear!   Each cross was unique. 

MATH

Measuring, counting, and number recognition- These are some of the skills the children are practicing while playing with “measuring worms”.  The colorful worms come in three sizes-  small, medium and large.  The children are enjoying measuring a variety of items (including themselves!) to see “how many worms long” something is.  Tape measures and rulers are also available.    

Concentration, memory, identifying, classifying, and taking turns-  A bird concentration game helps to develop these skills as the children turn over two picture cards at a time to find the matching birds.

SCIENCE

Symmetry and Reflection-  This is what the children are learning when they look through a kaleidoscope.   Kaleidoscopes are a lot of fun to use to look at your friends’ faces and clothes and all kinds of items throughout the school as well as brightly colored picture cards that are available to marvel over beautiful patterns and colors! 

“cartisian divers”- eye droppers filled with different amounts of water and labeled 1, 2, & 3.  The children are having fun squeezing the bottles (which sometimes takes a lot of effort) and having races to see which “diver” will sink first.  This activity has sparked a lot of questions and conversation.

Exploring the world of birds-  Our little scientists are walking around with clipboards and binoculars looking for pictures of birds hanging around our school, and then checking off the corresponding picture on their clipboards.   They are also using magnifying glasses to look at real birds’ nests, and using their ears to discern different bird sounds on an electronic bird caller. 

WRITING/LANGUAGE CENTER

Visual Discernment and Vocabulary Building-  While in “dinosaur land” the children enjoyed finding the matching dinosaurs as they played “Dino Lotto”.

Pre-Writing Skills-   Currently they are practicing tracing by using colored pencils and a variety of  stencils with numbers, letters, and spring designs. 

CREATIVITY ROOM

Creativity, experimentation and eye-hand coordination-  The children used circle, square and triangle sponges to paint large dinosaur footprints which we hung around the school as we celebrated our dinosaur theme!   We are currently using oil pastels to create colorful Easter eggs on one side of the easels, while yellow, blue and pink pastel-colored paints enhance the other side.  The colors mix to create a beautiful marble affect as well as new colors, much to the children’s surprise (lilac, peach and green)!   Painting allows children to communicate and express themselves.  It is also a soothing activity, which encourages them to relax and paint with their emotions.    

To go along with our “bird” theme, the children are experimenting at the easels  using feathers dipped in blue and purple paint.   

Promoting social skills and creativity, strengthening fine motor muscles-  The children have had great fun at the playdough table experimenting with colored “floam” (sculpting beads with the texture of rice crispy treats).  They’ve enjoyed rolling it, molding it, squishing it, and stretching it to “make it grow”! 

Building vocabulary, conversation, cooperation, and role playing-  Sand and dinosaurs created an atmosphere for wonderful imaginary play in the sensory table! 

Sorting, counting, socializing, and learning about nature-  Next,  plastic eggs hidden in Easter grass were filled, opened and re-filled with tiny lizards, snakes, turtles, and chicks, helping the children learn what comes from an egg.

DRAMATIC PLAY ROOM

Imaginary play, sharing, and cooperation-  The children were very excited to see the Dramatic Playroom become “Dinosaur Land”!   The walls were covered with banner paper the children had decorated with all things green, and green streamers hung like vines from the ceiling.  There was a great variety of plastic dinosaurs, large and small for the children to play with.  There was a tent covered in brown cloth to represent a cave, and a plastic “mountain” to pose the smaller dinosaurs on.  Our little dinosaur hunters and explorers used flashlights and binoculars and put on safari hats and clothing.   There was also a plastic dinosaur skeleton available for the children to assemble. 

The Dramatic Playroom has now returned to the “housekeeping” theme, and the children are busy baking and serving pizza and  cakes to each other and the teachers.

WACKY WEDNESDAY

We were enjoying our recent nice weather (where did it go?) by taking nature walks, and playing “I Spy” along the way.  We’ve also taken advantage and had snack outside, along with drawing with colored chalk and playing games.  Inside the children have had fun squeezing colored glue onto black paper, making a design or spelling their names.  When they were finished, they sprinkled colored rice over the top.  They were amazed to see what their designs looked like when they shook off the excess rice!  Also fun was filling plastic Easter eggs with shredded paper grass and a stretchy bunny and then decorating the outside with stickers.      We’re looking forward to another movie and popcorn day coming soon!

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT

Listening, Rhyming, and Creative Movement-  This month we have had  fun practicing our favorite songs for the Sing-Along!  We can’t wait for you to join us! 

 Rhythm & Fun-  Always available in the large playroom are a variety of musical instruments for the children to enjoy such as a guitar, keyboard, drums, triangles, tambourines, maracas, and more!  Sometimes the children organize a little musical parade around the room!
 

QUOTES

Miss Chris:  “What do you think a dinosaur dreams about while they sleep?”
Child:  “Their brain!”

Child. while we were singing along to a Jim Gill CD:  “Hey, this is the guy who sings!” 

Miss Cathy-  “So how long does it take to get home from school?”
Child:  “Oh, it takes about five TV shows!”

After reading Child 1’s adventures with class pet “Piglet”- 
Miss Kelly:  “Do you remember what class Piglet went to?”
Child 2:  “Poga”!.
Child 3:  “Logo”!

   (Actual answer-  Yoga!) 

Looking at a multi-cultural puzzle-
Miss Nancy:  “Who do you think these people are?” 
Child:  “The friends I never met.” 

Talking about the Easter story-
Miss Cathy:  “On the third day after He died, something wonderful happened to Jesus!”
Child:  “He grew up!” 

Miss Chris:  “What do you think comes out of an egg?”
Child:  The Easter Bunny!”
 

We hope you had a blessed Easter. 
We look forward to seeing you at our Sing-Along!
 

Miss Kelly

Miss Nancy

Miss Meg

Miss Julie

Miss Brenda

Miss Maryann

Miss Chris

Miss Andrea