April 22-26

In Nature/Science this week we will read about simple and compound leaves in Exploring Creation. The children will collect and press specimens for their nature journals. We will also begin to learn about our five senses. We will read You Smell With Your Nose and work with Montessori sensory materials in circle and during center time. The children will use their senses of smell to try to match the canisters. In Social Studies we will read about the Making of a Knight and learn about various types of armor in Knights and Castles. In Math, we will continue to work with weights and measures. In Phonics/Language, we will listen to a reading of Chapter 6 of Robin Hood (CD). The children will practice identifying rhyming words as we read Horton Hears A Who by Dr. Seuss. They will also practice sorting objects beginning with V and W into letter tubs. In Bible, we will learn about The Sword of the Spirit. The children will form a prayer circle, and we will ask God to give us strength. We will read from Acts 4 and learn about Peter and John and how the Holy Spirit gave them strength. We will also have a puppet show about Peter and John entitled “You Said It”. Our Medieval Field Day is this Wednesday, April 24th at 12:30. We hope that you will be able to join us for lots of fun with your children.

April 15-18

In Nature/Science this week, we are planning to read about root systems in Exploring Creation. We will also practice pulling weeds and planting cucumbers into the garden. In Phonics/Language we will practice narration with The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck by Beatrix Potter. The children will sort objects beginning with u and v into letter tubs, and we will play “volleyball” with a balloon in the Motor Lab. In Music/Art, we will read about the famous artists of the Renaissance in Usborne’s Children’s Book of Art. We will also practice moving fast and slow to “Amarilli onde m’assale” and “Dolci miei sospiri” by Claudio Monteverdi. In Social Studies, we will read about the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci. In Math, the children will work with weights and measures and learn to use a scale. We are planning a Medieval Field Day for Wednesday, April 24 at 12:30. Parents are invited to attend. The children may dress as kings, peasants, lords, ladies, knights, or any other Medieval figure if they wish. Please turn in $5.00 per child to Kim Walker for food and activities.

April 8-11

We had a great time on our Field Trip to the Audubon Center yesterday. We went on a nature hike, and the children completed a pond investigation and learned about a food chain. In Nature Science we will continue to read about roots in Exploring Creation this week. We are also planning to plant okra and peppers into the garden. In Phonics/Language we will practice narration with “The Cat and the Mice”, an Aesop Fable. The children will practice sorting objects beginning with “T” and “U” into Letter Tubs and paint and sing “Uncle Ugbee” for letter “U”. In Music we will introduce the Flip Flop motion while using the Parachute. We will also play “Simon Says” with the parachute. Special thanks to Rabbi Shapira, Noah’s Dad, for bringing his guitar and helping us learn about the Passover through interactive stories and games. Thank you, also, for the delicious Matzah.

April 1-4

This week in Nature/Science, we will read from Exploring Creation, and learn about root growth and root hairs. The children will collect roots to press for their Nature Journals. They will also create a sketch of a tulip. In Social Studies we will read about the Architecture and Engineering of the Renaissance, and the children will paint a picture of a Doric, Corinthian, and Ionic Column. In Phonics/Language, the children will sort objects beginning with T and U into letter tubs. We will listen to a reading (CD) of Robin Hood (Chapter 5). The children will create a B-R-O-W-N book. We will also read “The Heron and The Fish (an Aesop Fable). In Music/Art, we will play “Freeze” with the parachute as we listen to “La fiera vista” by Monteverdi. We will also listen to a Social Story entitled “Sitting in My Chair” and practice our recitation of “The Wind” by Robert Louis Stevenson. The children will work with chalk to create a picture of “the wind”.

March 25-28

This week in Nature/Science we will read about stems in Exploring Creation. The children will collect stems and work together to classify them as woody or herbaceous. We will read about cactus stems, and create a sketch of a pencil cactus. We will also plant tomatoes and onions in the garden In Social Studies we will read about Leonardo da Vinci and his inventions. The children will experiment with little parachutes on the playground. In Phonics/Language we will practice the letter “T” and make “Terrific Triangle Toast”. We will play “Follow the Leader” with words that begin with “T”. We will also sequence and act out The Tale of Peter Rabbit and begin to practice narration with The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. In Music/Art we will play a game called “What Can You Do, Peter Rabbit”. The children will take turns choosing and performing an action for the other children to mimic. We will play “Bounce the Bunny” with the parachute. We will also work on our picture studies and the children will create and decorate a little chick magnet. In Bible we will read about the Resurrection of Jesus from The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes. We will be going to the Trinity River Audubon Center on Monday, April 8th. Admission is $8.00 for children and $6. 75 for adults. Please turn in the field trip money by next Monday, April 1st. We will be leaving at 9:00 am on the day of the field trip. The guided tour begins at 10:00.