Mrs. Camp's class

January 9-12

2012-01-12T16:55:00.000-08:00

In Nature/Science the children will begin to learn about sedimentary rock. We will build their understanding of the layering process of sedimentary rock with a group experiment called “layers upon layers”. We will also read Animals in Winter and learn about how winter can be a hard time for many animals. We will visit the garden and distribute birdseed for the birds and nuts for the squirrels.
In Social Studies we will begin to learn about the ancient Greeks, who lived more than three thousand years ago. We will read “Greece and the Greeks” from Ancient Myths and Legends and paint a picture of a horse and chariot. The children will also practice identifying and coloring Greece and Egypt on a map.
In Math the children will play “Number Bingo”. They will also practice identifying and grouping nickels.
In Phonics/Language we will continue to read and narrate The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson and illustrate it on the flannelboard. The children will sort objects beginning with “M” and “N” into letter tubs and create a letter “N” with nickels.
In Music/Art the children will work with rhythm sticks and learn to perform motions to a rhythmical song by Raffi called “Sodeo”. We will also begin to learn a song called “Douglas Mountain”. The children will practice listening quietly with their eyes closed. They will also practice cutting snowflakes to create a snowflake wand. We will use the wand in Creative Movement/Music next week.

January 2-5

2012-01-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

This week in Phonics/Language we will begin to practice narration with The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson. The children will practice writing the letter L on their little chalkboards and sort objects beginning with K and L into letter tubs.
In Nature/Science we will read Changes and A Snowy Day as we learn about the seasons and the weather. The children will visit the garden and we will play “I Spy” as we observe changes in our environment. We will also begin to learn about rocks and minerals, and the children will practice sorting rocks in Science Center.
In Bible we will read from Genesis 37 and learn about Joseph and his coat of many colors. We will also read about Moses and act out the story about baby Moses from Exodus 2. The children will paint a coat of many colors and create a picture of baby Moses by matching colors to color words. The children will also review facts about Egyptian Life by matching Egyptian stickers and placing them in the correct places.
In Music the children will “ice skate” together as they listen to Nocturne No. 8 in D Flat Major by Chopin. We will also practice “Little Snowflakes” with rhythm sticks.
Please be sure to send a warm jacket each day (our first recess is at 10:30 each morning). Also, please place a snack in your child’s box each morning for snack time.

December 5-8

2011-12-05T19:01:00.000-08:00

The children have enjoyed learning about Egypt this semester. We're planning to study ancient Greece and Rome next semester. This week we're planning to learn about holiday customs in Egypt, Greece, and Rome. We will create Christmas cards like the children in Egypt. We will sing Christmas carols for the other class and receive sweets and coins like the children in Greece. The children will make a wreath to represent Italy and we might just have a surprise visit from La Befana!
In Music we're planning to sing Jingle Bell songs and practice rhythms with our jingle bell bracelets.
In Phonics/Language we will listen to The Wild Christmas Reindeer (book,tape) by Jan Brett. We will review our letters A through K and play a game called "Jump on the J and kick it to the K" with a ball. We will also read The Polar Express and The Gingerbread Man.
In Bible we will read from Luke 2 and read "Angels Tell Jesus' Birth", "Shepherds Visit Baby Jesus", and "Wise Men Give' Their Gifts".
Our Christmas Party will be at 2:30 this Thursday. If you're planning to bring goodies, please bring enough for 14 children. Christmas break begins next week, and school resumes on Monday, January 2. Have a wonderful holiday!

November 28-December 1

2011-12-05T18:51:00.001-08:00

This week in Nature/Science we will learn about space probes, famous comets, fireballs, and meteorites as we explore the Solar System. We're also planning to paint Cosmos that is blooming in the garden.
In Social Studies we will read Meryt's Music Lesson and learn about the music of Egypt. The children will practice rhythms with their Egyptian Sistrum and take turns at playing the harp. We will learn about the Pyramids and paint the flag of Egypt.
In Music/Art we will sing "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer", "Up on the Housetop", "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", "Jingle Bells", "He'll Be Driving Eight Brown Reindeer", and "Away In A Manger" with our jingle bell bracelets. The children will paint figures for our Nativity Scene, work on wooden Christmas ornaments, and decorate snowflakes.
In Phonics/Language the children will practice creating J's with Wiki Sticks and make an Itsy Bitsy Letter J Book. We will read Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, The Christmas Bear, and begin to practice narration with The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree.
Proofs for pictures have been sent home, and the orders are due back by this Thursday, December 1 to allow printing in time for Christmas.

November 14-17

2011-12-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

This week in Nature/Science we will learn about Asteroids, Meteors, and Comets and learn how to locate the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter. The children are also continuing to state the names of the planets in the proper order as they turn the pages of their Solar System books that they made.
In Social Studies we will learn about the Pilgrims and Indians as we read stories from If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620. We will pretend to sail on the Mayflower and sample foods that the Pilgrims might have eaten on their journey.
In Art/Music the children will make an Egyptian instrument called a sistrum and practice rhythms with their friends. They will paint and make turkeys, create a gift for their grandparents, and make placemats for the feast. We will also finish our Degas picture study.
In Phonics/Language we will review the letters A through I and practice writing them on our little chalkboards. We will play "Toss and Tell" and "Can You Tell Me?" with felt objects from the Explode the Code Wall Chart.
Our Thanksgiving Feast/Grandparent's Day will begin at 11:15. The children will sing two songs and recite their poem. Dr. Flint will speak at 12:00

November 7-10

2011-11-14T17:29:00.000-08:00

This week we're planning lots of fun as we learn our letter "P". We will eat popcorn and pretzels at our pajama party on Monday. We will "pop" the ping pong balls on the parachute. The children will make a "p" with pennies, and they will play a sorting game called "Penny and not a penny". They will practice making p's with colored pencils. We will read The Owl and the Pussycat and The Three Little Pigs. The children will create the pig's houses and we will act out the story. We will also play "Pop, Goes the Weasel".
In Social Studies we will read The Very First Thanksgiving Day, Pilgrims and Indians and Five Fat Turkeys. We will begin to practice our Thanksgiving songs. We will also read about Egyptian hieroglyphics and practice using hieroglyphic stamps.
In Nature/Science we will learn about space stations and satellites as we read excerpts from Blast Off to Space.
In Bible we will read Thank You, God, For Fall, and we will continue to learn about Abraham as we read "Three Men From Heaven", "God Tests Abraham's Love", and "Rebekah Says She Will Be Issac's Wife" from The Bible in Pictures.
Our field trip to see "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" at the Artisan Theatre is on November 29th. Admission is $5.00 per person, and we have to turn it into the theatre this week to confirm the reservations. Please turn your money in to Mrs. Hague by Thursday, Nov.10 (make checks payable to Blaire Hague).

October 31-November 3

2011-11-13T18:35:00.000-08:00

We all had a great time at our fall party. The children played "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater" with water balloons, "Rat in the Hole", "Make it Fall" (candy corn bowling), and "What a Big Nose" (they put the nose on the pumpkin while blindfolded). They also decorated pumpkins and ate special snacks together. Special thanks to all who sent prizes, party bags, and food.
This week in Nature/Science we will read Pumpkin, Pumpkin and work with our Pumpkin in Lifecycle cards. We will plant Swiss Chard into the garden . We will also read What Makes Day and Night as we continue to learn about the Solar System.
In Phonics/Language we will make an Itsy Bitsy letter i book and practice sorting objects beginning with h and i into letter tubs. The children will practice narration as we read Sleeping Beauty by Robert Louis Stevenson.
In Math the children have enjoyed working with candy corn on their pumpkin story mats. We will practice addition with pumpkins on the flannel board this week in circle.
In Music/Art we will play "Jack 'O Lantern Roll" with Parachute. We will also begin a picture study entitled "The Bellelli Family" by Degas.
In Bible we will read "Abraham is God's Friend", "God's Friend", "God Gives Abraham the Best", and "God Promisis Abraham a Son" from The Bible in Pictures.
Thanks to all who helped make the Fall Festival a success. The children had a wonderful time with their friends and many were talking about the festival in class today.

October 24-27

2011-10-31T19:23:00.000-07:00

This week in Nature/Science we will learn about the seasons as we listen to The Lonely Scarecrow (book, CD). Were planning to cut open a pumpkin and examine it. The children will watercolor sequencing cards of the Pumpkin Lifecycle and practice placing them in order. We will read It's Pumpkin Time. We will also read about the dwarf planet, Pluto.
In Art/Music the children will practice weaving to create a pumpkin. They will paint and decorate the pumpkins that they purchased at Green's. We will sing "Pick a Pumpkin", "I'm a Little Pumpkin",
"5 Little Pumpkins", and "Pumpkin, Pumpkin". The children are doing great with the first two stanzas of "The Moon" by Robert Louis Stevenson. We will begin to learn the third stanza this week. We have also been working on remembering to say "please" when asking for a color of instrument or rhythm then asking politely using the appropriate words. We will continue to work with rhythm sticks this week.
In Phonics/Language the children will practice narration with The Biggest Pumpkin Ever. They will act out Little Miss Muffet. They will also color, cut out, and complete sequences for "Hey, Diddle Diddle", "Humpty Dumpty" and "Little Miss Muffet".
In Math the children will practice counting and grouping pumpkin seeds and creating AB and ABB patterns with pumpkins and gourds.
Our Fall Festival is this Saturday, October 29th from 11:00-2:00. We're planning lots of fun activities for the kids.
Our Fall Party is Monday, October 31st. The children may dress up as their favorite Nursery Rhyme/Storybook character. Be sure to send a change of clothes and shoes if your child needs to change after the party.

October 17-20

2011-10-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

The Barnes and Noble Bookfair last week was lots of fun. Eleanor Clark, our visiting author, came to the school and told a special Christmas story to the children. They listened very quietly and remembered to raise their hands when they had questions. If you weren't able to go to Barnes and Noble you can still purchase your child's matted artwork for $5.00. You may also support the school online by going to bn.com/bookfairs and entering Bookfair ID#10547461 (it runs through 10/18/11).
The children also had a great time walking over to Green's Plants and Produce and exploring the maze. They spent time observing and comparing the many interesting varieties of pumpkins and gourds.
In Social Studies we will continue to read and narrate "A Hunt in the Delta" from Spend the Day in Ancient Egypt. We will practice rhythms with hand cymbals as we listen to Egyptian music.
In Nature/Science we will read about Neptune and practice reciting the planets in order. We will plant lettuce into the garden and pick flowers to press for our Nature Journals. Last week we observed many Monarch butterflies in our garden. We will read excerpts from Nomads of the Wind this week and learn about butterfly migration.
In Music the children will work the hand cymbals and rhythm sticks. We will practice reciting "The Moon" by Robert Louis Stevenson. We will also sing "Five Little Pumpkins", "Pumpkin, Pumpkin" and "Autumn Leaves".
Our Fall Festival is October 29th from 11:00am-2:00pm. Our class is sponsoring the Bounce House and Slide with Mrs. Hague's class. Please send $16.00 to help us cover the cost of the Bounce House/Slide. You will not need to purchase tickets for our booth. Pre-K thru 2nd grade children will receive unlimited turns.
Our Fall Party is Monday, October 31st. The children may dress up as their favorite Nursery Rhyme/storybook character. There will be a signup sheet in the hall for the party.

October 11-13

2011-10-10T18:56:00.000-07:00

This week we will read, sequence and act out Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. We will work on rhyming words as the children learn to recite their Nursery Rhymes. We will also play a game to practice matching objects to color words.
In Social Studies we will read and practice narration with "A Hunt In The Delta" from Spend the Day in Ancient Egypt. The children will create a boat out of clay and learn that boats were important in the lives of all Egyptians.
In Nature/Science we will read about Uranus and practice stating the names of the planets in order.
We are planning to visit the Pumpkin Maze at Green's Plants and Produce (adjacent to the school) on Thursday, October 13. We will go with 2 teachers in groups of 5 during class time. Please send $2 to purchase a pumpkin.

October 3-6

2011-10-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

We had a great time on our field trip to the River Legacy Living Science Center. Be sure to check out the pictures posted in the hall if you weren't able to view them at Open House.
This week in Phonics/Language were planning to read, sequence, and act out The Three Billy Goats Gruff. We acted out Little Red Riding Hood last week several times and the children did a great job. We will act it out again this week for children that were absent.
In Social Studies we will read "Hunting and Fishing" and "Trade" from The Egyptians.
For Music/Art the children will make a Menat (Egyptian rhythm beads) and practice rhythms as we listen to "We Daret Al Ayam" by Mahmoud Fadl.
In Nature/Science we will read about Saturn and practice stating the first 6 planets in order.
In Bible the children will listen to The True Story of Noah's Ark and decorate wooden animals.
In Gardening we will plant peas and broccoli seeds. We will also sketch, collect and press Salvia from the Butterfly Garden. Our zucchini plant is blooming and producing more zucchini. Our two gardens are located at the very end of the playground nearest the parking lot. We share the butterfly garden and the vegetable garden with Mrs. Hague's class. We will also be planting herbs into the herb garden (the third garden next to ours). We'd love to have you visit the gardens any time.

September 26-29

2011-10-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

Last week the children did a great job of stating the names of the first four planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars). This week we will learn about Jupiter and work on our books about the planets. We will also finish reading and narrating When Autumn Comes as we study about Habitats.
In Phonics/Language the children will sequence story cards and act out Little Red Riding Hood. We will also make a "d" with dimes and play "Toss and Tell" with objects beginning with the letters r-z.
In Social Studies the children will practice identifying and painting the country of Egypt on the map of Africa. We will also read Welcome to Egypt.
We are enjoying our time together in the garden. This week the children will collect and examine Coneflower seed pods and plant beet seeds.
In Music we will practice rhythms with sticks and dance with shakers to "Amarain" by Amr Diab, a wonderful Egyptian song with an interesting beat.

September 19-22

2011-09-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

This week in Nature/Science we will learn about Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, and review facts about the first three planets (Mercury, Venus, and Earth)that we have studied so far. The children will continue to work on their planet books. We will also begin to prepare for our visit to the River Legacy Living Science Center. We will learn about basic needs for food, water, shelter and space as we play a game called "What's that, Habitat?" The children will also learn to generalize that people and other animals share a basic need to have a home as we play "Everybody Has A Home". We will read When Autumn Comes and think about how the animals prepare for the winter.
In Social Studies we will read about Egyptian children and create Ankh Amulet (worn to protect an Egyptian from harm).
In Phonics/Language we will narrate and sequence Little Red Riding Hood. We will also play "Toss and Tell" with objects beginning with the letters a thru i and j thru r.
In Music we will practice clapping patterns and work with rhythm sticks and Boomwhackers. We will also begin to recite "The Moon" by Robert Louis Stevenson.
In Bible we will begin to listen to The True Story of Noah's Ark (book and CD).
Our field trip to the River Legacy Living Science Center is next Monday, September 26. We will meet at the school at 8:50 and depart at 9:00. Please turn in your $12 admission and permission slip by Wednesday, Sept. 21 and let us know whether you will be accompanying us (adults are free).

September 12-15

2011-09-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

Last week in Nature/Science the children enjoyed learning about the moon and pretending to be astronauts as we put on our space suits, blasted off into space, and walked around on the moon. This week we will read The Planets by Gail Gibbons. The children will begin to work on a book about the planets. We will also sketch petunias for our Nature Journal and plant a petunia into the garden.
In Phonics/Language we will play "Find It" with letters A-I using our Explode the Code Wall Chart. We will sort objects beginning with A & B into letter tubs. We will also begin to read Little Red Riding Hood (see sheet attached).
In Social Studies we will read "The First Nomads Become Farmers" from The Story of the World and learn about how Farmers used a shaduf (one of the first farm machines) to water their crops.
In Bible we will begin to read from Genesis 6, and learn about Noah. We wil read, "Noah Builds a Big Boat" from The Bible in Pictures. We will sing, "Who Built the Ark?"
In Music we will play "Astronauts in Space" as we listen to Chopin's Nocturne No.8 in D Flat Major, Op.27 No.2.
Please send a nap mat (or sleeping bag), pillow, and blanket for rest time if you haven't yet done so.

September 6-8

2011-09-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

We are all so happy to be back to school, and are excited about our plans for a new year together.
We played a "Hi and Hello" game this morning. We also learned the names of our new friends, William, Ray, and Zach Thomas and welcomed them into our class.
This week in Nature Study/Science we will begin to learn about the Solar System. We will read On the Moon and The Best Book of the Moon. The children will use shapes to create an astronaut, and then paint it with tempera. We will have our Nature Study time after lunch each day. This week, the children will become familiar with a Butterfly Weed and make a sketch for their Nature Journals. We will examine a seed pod and plant the "weed" into our garden with hopes to attract Monarch butterflies.
In Social Studies we will read and narrate "The First Nomads" from The Story of the World and talk about the pictures in Ancient World (Usborne).
In Music we will encourage the children to attempt a variety of movements as we play "Wibble Wobble". We will begin to read about Frederic Chopin, and the children will move fast and slow with scarves to Chopin's "Nocturne in F, Op. 15". They will also pretend to be astronauts and follow directions to "An Adventure in Space".
In Bible we will read Genesis 3 and learn about how God created the world. We will also read "God Makes the World", "Everyone is Happy", and "Adam and Eve" from The Bible in Pictures and learn a song about Creation.
Please send an afternoon snack each day and place it in your child's tub in the hall. They also need to bring a backpack each day with a compleate change of clothes in case of spills or mishaps. The children may also bring a water bottle.
Hot lunches are available daily starting next Monday. Please see Tara Garr to order lunches in advance each month.
We're looking forward to a wonderful year with this precious group.

May 16-19

2011-05-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

This week in Nature/Science we will continue to learn about our organs and practice placing them on the special apron. We will read My Body Book and "Important Systems for Life" in our Christian Liberty Nature Readers.
In Math we will work with Montessori gold beads, and cubes. We will practice identifying $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills and pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.
In Art we will continue to mix colors with fingerpaint.
In Phonics/Language we wil practice writing letter "y" and sing "Yippy the Yak". We will read "The Bee and the Dove" and "The Cat and the Fox" from Aesop's Fables.
Our last day of school is Thursday, May 26. We will have an ice cream party. Summer school will resume on June 13 after a two week break.

May 9-12

2011-05-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

This week in Nature/Science we will measure the girth of our tree to determine its age. We will compare shapes of leaves and do an experiment as we question why leaves are shaped the way that they are. We will also begin to learn about the human body. We will read What’s Inside My Body. We will introduce the “What’s Inside Me?” Apron and explain that organs are inside of every person. The children will take turns wearing the apron and learning to place the organs in their proper place.
In Social Studies we will read about the plant life and land regions of Texas.
In Bible we will read God Gave Us Seasons and spend time observing the changes in our garden. We are planning to harvest snap peas and strawberries this week. We will read I Can Talk With God and pray for gentleness and kindness this week. The children will practice gentleness and kindness with their friends and with the little animals in the Nature Room.
In Phonics/Language the children will make a y with yarn and practice sorting objects beginning with X and Y into letter tubs. We will finish narrating The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck and read “The Blind Man and the Lame Man” from Aesop’s Fables. We will also play “Catch It” with Explode the Code objects.
In Math we will introduce Montessori ones, tens, and hundreds blocks (up to one thousand) in circle.
In Art the children will practice mixing colors with fingerpaint.In Music we will play Parachute games outside and blow bubbles as we listen to “The Blue Danube” by Strauss.

May 2-4

2011-05-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

Our Texas Field Day was a great success. The children enjoyed roping the steer, milking the cow, tossing the hat, shooting out the candle with a water gun, working with leather in crafts, and getting their faces painted. They also enjoyed singing Texas songs together at the cookout.
This week in Social Studies we will learn about cowboys and cowgirls as we read “Yippee-Yay” and learn new facts about Texas from Texas Alphabet. We’re also planning to ride our stick horses and play “Pass the Hat”.
In Nature/Science we will read In the Garden and collect flowers to press for our Nature Journals. The children will practice matching flowers and sequence the lifecycle of a flowering plant. We will read Birds and Feathers for Lunch as we continue to learn about Texas Birds. The children will do a picture study of a Roadrunner and read “Rescuing Birds” in our Christian Liberty Nature Reader.
In Bible we will read “Patience at School” and “Patience at Play”. The children will paint an illustration of the stories to place in their portfolios.
In Phonics/Language the children will narrate The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck by Beatrix Potter. We will sort objects beginning with letters W and X into letter tubs and play “Can You Tell Me?” with the Explode the Code Wall Chart.
In Art the children will create fingerprint flowers.
In Music we will play “Wind Storm” with bubbles and “Giant Umbrella”. We will also practice walking slowly on the line to Mozart’s “Oboe Quartet in F-Adagio”.
Special thanks to Tara Garr, who organized the Field Day, and to Kim Walker and Jennifer Needham, who helped set up and donated materials. We were also thankful for all the parents who attended and helped to make it a success.
School will be closed this Thursday, May 5 for Cinco de Mayo.

April 25-28

2011-05-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

Our Easter Egg Hunt was lots of fun. Thanks to all who sent eggs and refreshments for the party.
This week in Nature/Science the children will collect and press flowers and stems for their Nature Journals. We will listen to Seed to Plant and Egg to Robin (book/CD).
In Social Studies we will play "Texas Bingo". We will read Do You See What I See? Texas and Cowboy Country. Our Texas Field Day is this Thursday at 12:00. Parents are welcome to attend. Please let us know how many will be coming to eat with us. If you haven't sent $5 to help buy hot dogs and Nathan's gluten free hot dogs and buns for the children with special diets.
In Art the children will make Western necklaces to wear at our Texas Field Day.
In Phonics/Language we will finish narrating the Tale of Benjamin Bunny and read The Velveteen Rabbit and The Bunnies' Picnic. The children will practice sorting objects beginning with V and W into letter tubs and sing about "Willie and Wanda".
In Music we will continue to practice our Texas songs. The children will also practice self-control and balance as they take turns walking around the room on a tape and listening to Mozart's "Clarinet Concerto-Adagio".

April 18-21

2011-05-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

This week in Nature/Science we will compare raw and cooked eggs. Our rabbit, Flopsy will visit the class this week, and we will read Rabbits and In the Forest. We will also read The Blue Jays and do a picture study of a Blue Jay as we continue to learn about Texas Birds.
In Social Studies the children will continue to paint and learn the Texas Symbols. They are doing a great job of learning and singing "Home on the Range" and "Deep in the Heart of Texas".
In Art the children will create an Easter basket for the Easter egg hunt and make a special Easter bunny.
In Math we will play a game called "Baby Bunnies".
In Phonics/Language we will narrate The Tale of Benjamin Bunny and read Rabbits and Raindrops and Runaway Bunny.
In Music we will sing and play "What Can You Do, Mr. Rabbit?", "Easter Bunny Comes to My House", "Peter Cottontail", "Picking Up Easter Eggs", and "Mc Gregor's Garden".
Our Easter Egg Hunt will be at 2:30 on Wednesday, April 20. Please send 12 plastic filled eggs and seal them with tape. Parents are welcome to attend. We will have our party after the hunt, and the children will be allowed to leave early after the party. School will be closed on Thursday, April 21 for Easter holiday.

April 11-14

2011-05-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

Last week we all had fun learning and singing the Texas songs together.
This week in Social Studies we will read The Legend of the Bluebonnet. The children will practice reciting the Texas Pledge and paint the State Seal. We will also begin to work on stick horses.
In Nature/Science we will learn about Thrushes and Thrashers. We will read about Robins and do a picture study of a Robin. The children will learn that Robins are Thrushes and Mockingbirds are Thrashers. We will read You Hear With Your Ears. We are planning to sit quietly in the garden and use our ears to help us discover the interesting sounds in the area. The children will create fingerprint Bluebonnets in Art this week and we will plant Bluebonnets into the garden.
In Math we will practice addition in circle using Montessori rods.
In Music the children will practice self-control with silence exercises (Montessori). They will remain very still and listen to part of Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings in C”. Then they will practice moving fast to “Russian Dance” and slow to “Arabian Dance” (from the Nutcracker Suite) with scarves.
In Phonics/Language we will narrate “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” and sequence the story. The children will color and sing “Victor the Vulture” and practice writing the letter “V”.
Our field trip to Veteran’s Park is this Wednesday, April 13 at 9:30. Please return the permission form by Tuesday and let us know whether you will be attending and how many children you can transport. We will be eating lunch at the park. Please send a lunch and a water bottle for the field trip.
We will be having our Easter Egg Hunt and Party next Wednesday, April 20. Please send 1 dozen plastic filled eggs by Tuesday, April 19th. Be sure to tape the eggs on the outside so they don’t come apart. The children will be making their own baskets next week to use at the hunt. There will be a sign up sheet in the hallway for our party.

April 4-7

2011-04-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

This week in Social Studies the children will begin to paint and learn their Texas symbols. We will continue to read excerpts from Texas. In Nature/Science we will learn about Texas birds and read about Mockingbirds. We will read "Beaks, Wings and Tails" and "Look for Color" in our Christian Liberty Nature Reader. The children will also plant herbs into the garden. In Phonics/Language we will practice our spatial concepts as we have an "Over, Under" Relay and play a game with blocks. We will sing about Uncle Ugby as we practice writing the letter "u". In Art the children will create a sketch of a Pencil Cactus. In Music the children will move with the parachute and follow directions as we listen to Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings in C, op. 48. The Texas Field Day has been changed to Thursday, April 28th. We will be taking a field trip to Veterans Park next Wednesday, April 13th. We will leave at 9:30. The children will be going on an exploration through nature trails. We will play on the playground and eat lunch at the picnic tables. Please send a sack lunch and a water bottle. The children need to wear tennis shoes since we will be walking on the trails. We're planning lots of fun for the summer. Please turn in your registration form asap so that we will know how many to plan for when ordering crafts and making reservations for field trips.

March 28-31

2011-04-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

The children had fun matching a smell to the proper card and comparing smells in circle last week. This week in Nature/Science the children will take turns clipping and examining twigs on the playground and learning how to determine how old they are. We will also tag some of the branches that we cut and see what happens to them. They will play an herb matching game and compare smells. We will talk about good and bad smells and decide which herbs smell good to us. The children will also work on 5 senses pages for their Nature Journals. In Phonics/Language the children will create a T with twigs. We will also play a sequencing game in circle and sort items beginning with S and T. We are planning to make Stone Soup this week as the children narrate the story. We will begin to cook the soup on Tuesday. Please remember to send your child’s vegetable on Tuesday morning. In Social Studies we will begin to learn about our great state of Texas. We will read the Texas book. In Art the children will use twigs and leaves to paint pictures. In Bible we will learn about how Jonah called out for help from God when he was inside the whale. The children will practice praying for each other and create “care coupons” to give to their friends.

March 21-24

2011-03-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

This week in Phonics/Language we will sort objects beginning with R and S into letter tubs. We will narrate Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and sequence the story. Next week we will read Stone Soup. In Art the children will create Blob pictures and take turns using their sense of sight to interpret them. We will also make pictures with smelly markers and take turns comparing/smells. In Nature/Science we will read "You Smell with Your Nose". The children will try to match the smell canister (Montessori to the correct picture. We will begin to learn about our bodies, and learn "What makes us smell"? We will read "Smell, Taste, and Touch" in our Christian Liberty Nature Reader. In Gardening we will read Planting a Rainbow and plant flowers into a pot for the atrium. The children will also practice sketching a petunia. In Math we will begin to work with measurement. The children will work with measuring cups and spoons in sticky-sand center. In Bible we will learn about the Fruit of the Spirit: Peace as we read "Talking With God" (Matthew 6:5-15). We will sing "I can Talk to God" and "When We Pray".

March 7-10

2011-03-07T20:00:00.001-08:00

This week in Phonics/Language we will sort objects beginning with letters Q and R into letter tubs. We will work on our rhyming words with the Phonemic/Awareness stamps. We will listen to Carrots and Noisy Nora in circle (book and tape).

In Nature/Science we will do an experiment to demonstrate how we need light to see. We will use our binoculars as we go on a shape walk.

In Math the children will practice sewing shape buttons that are 2-holed.

In Bible we will read the story The Sower and The Seed as we learn about the Fruit of the Spirit Joy.

In Music the children will practice following directions and imitating motions as they move to "Shadow Dancing" and "The Freeze".

Open Hous is this Saturday, March 12 at 2:45. We hope that you will be able to join us.

School will be closed for Spring Break next week (March 14 thru 17).

Feb. 28-March 3

2011-03-07T19:40:00.000-08:00

This week in Nature/Science we will read You See With Your Eyes as we continue to explore our Five Senses. The children will practice matching color tablets (Montessori) and placing them in order. We will read "Seeing" in our Christian Liberty Nature Reader. We will play "I Spy" and a visual discrimination game called "Puzzlers". We will also practice matching objects to color words.

In Gardening we will plant peas, collards, and Swiss Chard into the garden (it rained on our planting day last week).

In Phonics/Language we will practice sorting objects beginning with "P" and "O" into letter tubs. The children will print O with quarters. We will play the Quiet Game and make a book about Quilla the Quenn (who is queen of a kingdom that is quiet). We will talk about when it is appropriate to be quiet and listen to a Social Story called "Waiting My Turn to Talk". The children will take turns acting out The Three Little Pigs this week. We will read and paint a picture about "The Jackdaw and the Peacocks" (an Aesop Fable). We wll also read The Quiet Mother and the Noisy Little Boy.

In Math we will continue to work with pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.

In Bible we will read a story about Paul and Silas as we learn about the Fruit of the Spirit: Joy. We will make a joyful noise to the Lord as we sing and play our instruments.

In Music the children will practice making waves (slow and fast) to Mozart's Symphony No. 25. We will move in slow motion to "Quiet Time" and learn the motions to "Skip to My Lou".

Feb. 22-24

2011-02-22T18:06:00.000-08:00

This week in Phonics/Language we will read The Three Little Pigs, and sequence the story, and act out the story with stick puppets. We will also begin to make the pig housed that we will use next week for creative dramatics. The children will make a pink polka dot "p" with paper clips. They will make a P-I-N-K book and learn the song. We will also practice matching color words to colored objects and go on a color walk.
In Nature/Science the children will practice identifying the parts of a plant and work on seed pages for their Nature Journals. We will also plant collard seeds and peas into the garden.
In Math we will practice counting, grouping, and weighing pennies, nickels, and dimes.
In Bible we will read What is Love? The children will make a special puppet and practice saying loving things to their friends. We will sing "Love One Another", "I Love Jesus", and "Jesus Loves Me" (with hand signs).

Feb. 14-17

2011-02-14T18:31:00.000-08:00

This week in Phonics/Language the children will create an O with Cheerios and P with peanuts. We will learn the P-U-R-P-L-E song and mix red and blue to make purple. We will read The Three Little Pigs and act out the story with stick puppets. The children will practice identifying likenesses and differences and rhyming words. We will practice writing LOVE as we create valentines for our friends.
In Nature/Science we will continue to work with vegetable seeds and make a page for our Nature Journal. We will experiment with identifying and tasting various vegetables.
In Bible the children will make a special Valentine mirror and find out who Jesus loves. We will read "Jesus Teaches The People" from The Bible In Pictures and learn about how Jesus wants us to love others. The children will practice showing love to their friends.
In Math we will practice counting, grouping and adding candy hearts together.
In Music we will sing and play "Friend of Mine" and "Did You Ever See A Valentine".
Please be sure to send a jacket if needed for morning playground at 10:30. It is often still cool at that time even on warmer days.

Feb.7-10

2011-02-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

This week in Social Studies we will read Dragon Dance and Lion Dancer as we continue to learn about China. We will decorate a Chinese dragon and take turns pretending to be a dragon.
In Phonics/Language we will continue to narrate "The Nightingale" by Hans Christian Anderson. We will practice writing the letter "O" on our little chalkboards and sort objects beginning with "N" and "O". The children will learn that orange begins with "O" and peel and eat Mandarin Oranges with their friends.
In Nature/Science we will read You Taste With Your Tongue. The children will sample various fruits and vegetables, extract the seeds, and practice classifying them (sweet, sour, salty, bitter).
In Art we will read about Monet and work on a picture study of Monet's "The Poppy Field at Argenteuil". The children will also work on thier Valentine holders.
In Music the children will play "I Lost My Valentine", and "Mary Finds a Friend".
In Bible we will learn about the Fruit of the Spirit: Love and read about how Jesus taught everyone to love each other.
Our valentine party will be on Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) at 2:30. Please send 15 valentines for your child to give to his/her friends. There is a sign up sheet for the party in the hall.

Jan 24-27

2011-02-01T14:46:00.000-08:00

This week in Phonics/Language the children will practice making letter N's with playdoh and sorting objects beginning with M and N into letter tubs. They will practice narration in circle as we read "The Nightingale" by Hans Christian Anderson.
In Social Studies they will paint the continent of China and read Sam and the Lucky Money. They will decorate their hats with Chinese stickers, make necklaces with Chinese beads, and create Chinese Dragon cards for their Grandparents (these will be sent home to mail to their Grandparents if they are not able to attend).
The children will continue to practice the motions to "Zhao Pengyou" in Music this week. There is a sign-up sheet in the hall for our Chinese Feast. Please let us know whether you will have Grandparents coming, and how many. Your child may also bring a lunchbox that day (Please send a snack as usual for snacktime). Dr. Flint will be giving a speech to all of the Grandparents from 10:00 to 10:30. We will have our Chinese Celebration in our classroom from 10:30 to 11:00.

Jan. 18-20

2011-01-18T20:53:00.000-08:00

Last week the children did a great job of executing a gentle wave with the parachute while holding it in a thumbs-up position. We listened to Mozart’s “E” in ekleine Nachtmusic-Allegro” as the “snow” (styrofoam pellets) floated around us.
This week in Social Studies we will begin to learn about China as we prepare to celebrate Chinese New Year. We will begin the celebration a little early so that we can celebrate with our grandparents on Grandparents Day (Jan. 27). This week we will make a Chinese Flag and paint our Chinese hats. We will read “China” in Children of the World and an excerpt about the Great Wall from Journey Into China. The children will construct a Great Wall of China together with blocks and Popsicle sticks. We are planning a Chinese Feast to share with our Grandparents. There will be a sign-up sheet in the hall with ideas for the feast (we are also open to suggestions if you have a favorite recipe or entrée/dessert).
In Nature/Science we will read A Panda Grows Up. We will narrate a lovely book about the Five Senses called First Delights. The children will search for textures in the classroom and create texture rubbings.
In Phonics/Language the children will sort objects beginning with the letters L and M into tubs. We will read What Makes a Magnet and make letter M’s using magnets. We will also practice dot painting and writing K, L, and M. We will read The Mitten Tree, and the children will practice matching mittens with pictures of rhyming words.
In Music we will learn a Chinese song called “Zhao Pengyou” that means “Looking For A Friend”. The children will learn motions to the song. We will read The Story about Ping, sing “The Five Little Ducks”, and compare the story to the song. In Bible we will learn about the Greatest Gift (Mark 12:41-44) and sing “We’re Glad We’re Here Together”. We will also march to “The Marching Song” and “The Lord’s Army.

Jan. 10-13

2011-01-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

Last week the children had fun playing "Parachute Hello" with their friends in circle.
This week in Phonics/Language we will practice writing the letter "L" on our little chalkboards. We will print an "L" with limes and make Luscious Lemon Limeade to share. The children will also play a game using only their left hands and feet. We will continue to practice "The Three Little Kittens" with finger puppets and The Ugly Duckling with sequence cards. The children will bring the puppets and cards home at the end of the week. We will also read Library Lil and visit the school library.
In Nature/Science we will read The Five Senses and You Touch With Your Fingers. The children will practice matching picture cards to the appropriate sense in circle. They will practice matching textured fabrics and tablets (Montessori) in Fine Motor. We will talk about dressing appropriately for the weather as we read The Jacket I Wear In the Snow. The children will also experiment with Solids, Liquids, and Gases this week.
In Bible the children will color and read Jesus in the Temple. We will also read Luke 2:42-52 and sing "This Little Light of Mine". Last week the children decided to shine their lights all over North America, the United States, Texas, and Flint Academy. We will also read Mittens Comes to Church (about a kitten).
In Music we will play "Parachute Blizzard" and "Happy New Year" with the Parachute. The children will also learn to match their instrument card with the one on the board as we play Music Maestro (with an instrument sounds tape).

Jan. 3-6

2011-01-09T17:49:00.000-08:00

We’re all glad to be back at school. The children are sharing special Christmas memories with their friends.
This week we will practice the letters J and K and sort objects beginning with J and K into letter tubs. We will play “Jump on the J and Kick it to the K”. The children will learn “Three Little Kittens” and act it out with finger puppets. We will narrate Hans Christian Anderson’s The Ugly Duckling, demonstrate it on the flannelboard, and learn the song. The children will sequence the story with story cards.
In Nature/Science we will read Animals in Winter and learn about what animals do to survive in the cold weather. We will begin to learn about the weather, and read a big book called What Makes the Weather. We will talk about expansion and contraction, and experiment by freezing a water bottle. The children will also paint a little book entitled A Coat for the Water Pipes.
In Social Studies we will practice identifying our state of Texas on the map of the United States and locating North America on the map and on the globe. We will learn where the coldest and hottest places are on Earth.
In Bible we will color and read a little book about Simeon’s Prayer. We will also read Luke 2:25-33, 39-40.
Please check your child’s backpack and be sure to have a complete change of clothes, including socks. We often go outside when there are puddles or damp areas. Please place your child’s afternoon snack in the basket that is marked with their name (above their backpacks in the hall).

Dec. 6-9

2010-12-23T06:11:00.000-08:00

The children had fun singing Jingle Bell songs last week and creating Christmas cards and crafts. This week we will act out The Gingerbread Man with finger puppets and sequence the story. We will read The Polar Express, The Sweet Smell of Christmas, and Cobweb Christmas. We will listen to book and tapes of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Berenstein Bears Meet Santa Bear, and The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett.
In Nature/Science we will learn about Penguins. The children will plant pansies in the flower bed at the front of the school and do a picture study of a pansy. We will also continue to explore our senses of touch in pouring center with Montessori exercises for the Thermic Sense.
In Bible we will read Luke 2: 2-19. The children will color and read God Sent Us a Savior and The Magi. We will also read “Angels Tell of Jesus’ Birth”, “Shepherds Visit Baby Jesus”, “Wise Men Follow The Star”, and Wise Men Give Their Gifts” from The New Bible In Pictures and answer critical thinking questions at the end of each story. (There is also a little prayer that we say at the end of each story).
In Art the children will make stained glass frames, button wreaths, candy canes, lacing wooden ornaments, and magic scratch snowflakes.
In Music we will learn about holidays in other countries. We will finish our Kwanzaa story. We will learn about Santa Lucia Day and sing “Santa Lucia”. We will also read The Eight Nights of Hanukkah and sing “Eight Little Candles” and “I Have a Little Dreidel”. The children will play a Hanukkuh matching game.
Our field trip to the Omni Theatre at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is this Thursday, Dec. 9. Please meet at the school (Mrs. Hague and Mrs. Camp will be there by 8:30). We need to leave by 8:45 (they want us to be there by 9:30). The show starts at 10:00. We will come back to the school for lunch after the show, and we will have our party after lunch. Please send a lunch as usual that day.

Nov. 29-Dec.2

2010-11-29T18:51:00.000-08:00

We’re glad to be back after a wonderful Thanksgiving break. Thanks so much for all of the yummy food that was brought for our feast at school. We all enjoyed it, and the children had such great manners!
This week in Nature/Science we will begin to learn about Polar Animals. We will focus on Polar Bears as we read Welcome to the Ice House, Powerful Polar Bears. We will also read Remarkable Reindeer.
In Social Studies we will learn about how children in other countries celebrate Christmas. We will read The Legend of The Poinsettia as we learn about traditions in Mexico, and we’ll learn about the African celebration of Kwanzaa. The children will participate in an interactive story about work and responsibility. (Ujima).
In Math the children will practice matching snowmen and counting and grouping pennies.
In Music the children will click Popsicle sticks as we chant “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost. We will shake our Jingle Bell bracelets as we sing Jingle Bell songs. The children will practice moving with a partner while holding the ends of a scarf as they pretend to be reindeer. We will also listen to a book and tape about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and learn the song.
In Art the children will make Christmas cards with stickers and stamps. They will work on making a Gingerbread Man puppet and do a picture study of a pansy. They will also observe and sketch a Poinsettia for their Nature Journal.
In Gardening we will collect verbena seeds from the garden. The children will also plant pansies into a pot for the atrium.
Our field trip to the Omni Theatre is next Thursday, December 9th. If you haven’t turned in the permission form and money please turn it in by this Thursday (make checks out to Blaire Hague).

Nov. 15-18

2010-11-29T18:48:00.000-08:00

Last week the children enjoyed acting out The Three Billy Goats Gruff in class.
We will sequence the story this week and the children will act it out with finger puppets.
In Phonics/Language we will practice our letter “H” sound as we sing “Harry the Hat Man” and “The Hippo Hop”. We will make turkeys with our hands and Indian hats. We will also play the Hokey Pokey.
In Social Studies we will read The Story of the First Thanksgiving as we continue to learn about the Pilgrims and Indians. We will learn about their voyage as we read excerpts from The Mayflower in 1620. The children will build a “ship” and we will sample foods that they might have eaten as we go on our imaginary voyage. We will continue to work on our Indian necklaces this week and make placemats for our feast on Thursday.
In Nature/Science the children will examine the woody central part of a tree trunk and learn about tree transportation. They will learn about how the sugars are transported from the leaves to the rest of the tree. We had fun collecting tiny acorns on the playground last week and sorting them in Nature Center. If you have acorns at home the children are welcome to bring them. We will collect and sort small, medium, and large leaves this week (the children may also bring interesting fall leaves from home).
In Music the children will join hands with a partner and rock back and forth as we sing “Sailing on the Mayflower”. We will play a game called “Indian Jump-To-Beat”. We will play “Turkey Chase” with balls. The children will also practice doing an Indian Rain Dance.
In Bible we will learn about why the Pilgrims were thankful and share what makes us thankful with our friends. We will paint and read “Thankfulness in the Bible” and “Thankfulness at Home” from A Child’s Book of Character Building.

Nov. 8-11

2010-11-09T18:50:00.000-08:00

Last week we had a special Community Helper Day in the Centers Room. The children pretended to be Chefs, Doctors, Veterinarians, Zookeepers, Homemakers, Artists, Mail Carriers, Train Conductors, and Architects.
This week in Social Studies we will read The First Thanksgiving and Rainbow Crow as we begin to learn about Pilgrims and Indians. The children will create Indian necklaces and learn to play two Indian games called “Hide and Seed” and “Flick the Sticks”. They will also paint Rainbow Crows and decorate them with feathers.
In Phonics/Language we will practice writing the letter “G” on our little chalkboards and sort objects beginning with “F” and “G” into letter tubs. We will narrate and act out The Three Billy Goats Gruff this week. We are continuing to recite Nursery Rhymes, and the children are especially enjoying acting out Jack and Jill and Little Miss Muffet.
In Nature/Science we will collect and sort acorns (small, medium, large). The children will also collect leaves from their special tree and we will do an experiment to demonstrate transpiration.
We will be going to the Omni Theatre to see “The Polar Express” at the Fort Worth Science Museum on Thursday, December 9th. The show starts at 10:00. Tickets cost $6 for students and $7 for adults. Please turn in the money by Monday to Mrs. Hague so we can confirm our reservation. Be sure and let us know if you will be attending the Field Trip with your child.

Nov. 1-4

2010-11-09T17:38:00.000-08:00

The children had a wonderful time at the Fall Festival last week. Thanks to all who helped to make it a success. Special thanks to all the parents and grandparents that sent food for the party and attended the festival.
This week we will read and narrate The Little Red Hen. We will learn about how the farmer harvests wheat and how bread is made. The children will make the dough for bread, watch it rise, and share it at snacktime. We will learn how milk travels from the farm to the grocery store. They will also make a Funny Fish Letter “F” book.
In Nature/Science we will begin to learn about the Woodland Animals that the Wamanoag Indians (friends of the Pilgrims) might have encountered. We’ll make a Woodland Animal flip book and talk about how different animals react to danger. We will read The Land of Gray Wolf and Bring In the Pumpkins.
In Math we will learn about how the Wampanoag and other Woodland Indians used Wampum as symbols of power and authority. Later, it was assigned a monetary value. The children will work with “wampum” to create AB and ABB patterns.
In Music we will begin to learn and practice Thanksgiving songs. The children will learn “Land of the Silver Birch”, Over the River and Through the Woods”, “My Work is Never Done”, “The Pilgrims Come to America”, and “The Turkey is a Funny Bird”.Please remember to send a complete set of clothing, underwear, and socks for your child each day to keep in their backpack. Spills can occur in the lunchroom, garden, or pouring center, and you can help your child be prepared.

Oct. 25-28

2010-10-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

This week we’re planning lots of Autumn Fun. We will read Pumpkin, Pumpkin and paste pictures to create a sequence of the events in the story. We will weigh and compare pumpkins and the children will create a drawing for their nature journals.
Our beans are growing in the garden. The children will compare sizes of seeds this week and create a little book called Pumpkins Grow.
In Math we will count pumpkins, create patterns with pumpkins and seeds, and work with rectangles. We will read The Biggest Pumpkin Ever.
In Social Studies we will learn about how clothes are made and read The Elves and the Shoemaker. We will also read Firefighters and Fred the Firefighter.
In Phonics/Language we will practice writing the letter “E” on our little chalkboards. We will learn “Jack and Jill”, Hey, Diddle Diddle”, and “Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater”. The children will also take turns acting out “Little Miss Muffet” and we will practice identifying rhyming words.
The Dalworthington Fire Department will visit us on Wednesday, October 27 at 10:00 to talk about Fire Safety.
We are sorry that the weather didn’t cooperate for the Fall Festival. All of the activities will be available for the children on Thursday. We will travel around as a group starting at 12:30. Parents are invited to attend. The children may dress up as a Storybook or Nursery Rhyme character. They may bring a special snack to share (or they may bring their own individual snack) for the afternoon.

Oct. 18-21

2010-10-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

This week in Nature/Science we will read and narrate The Kissing Hand (about a raccoon) as we continue to study Nocturnal Animals. The children will do a picture study of a Raccoon. We will read “The Owl” in our Christian Liberty Nature Reader. We are also planning to cut open a pumpkin, examine it, and talk about what a pumpkin needs to grow. We will read It’s Pumpkin Time.
In Gardening the children will collect Coneflower and Blackeyed Susan seed pods, extract the seeds, and save them to plant. They will also create a seed page for their Nature Journal and read Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf (about how seeds are dispersed).
The children will practice writing the letter “D” (with dirt). We will read The Dentist and You and Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel to learn about Community Helpers. The children will begin to learn Nursery Rhymes this week. They will recite “Humpty Dumpty”, “1, 2, Buckle My Shoe”, and “Baa Baa Black Sheep”. They will also work with lacing cards in circle.
In Math we will practice AB/ABB patterns and adding with pumpkins and gourds. We will practice tracing the number 3 and read The Three Pups. We will also work with identifying differences.
In Music we will play a leaf identification game called “Musical Leaves” as we listen to Mozart’s “String Quartet #17 in B Flat Major”. We will practice our spatial concepts as we play “Up goes the Spider” with the parachute. The children will also continue to practice their focusing and attending skills as they work with rhythm sticks.
The Flint Academy Fall Fest is this Saturday, October 23 from 11:00 to 2:00. Our class will be sponsoring the Bounce House/Slide and Grab bags. Mrs. Hague and Mrs. Camp will be handling the booth in order to allow the parents to supervise and be with their small children. Please turn in $18 to help cover the cost of the Bounce House/Slide. (This will include unlimited turns for the Pre-K thru 2nd grade children). This is a great opportunity for the children to experience the Fall Fest with their friends. It is always so much fun.

Oct. 12-14

2010-10-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

Last week the children had fun acting out The Three Bears. We will make finger puppets to use with the story in circle this week. The children will practice sequencing the story and talk about how the characters must have felt.
We will practice our Letter “C” and the children will create clay C’s. They will also make red and yellow collages as we sing R-E-D and Y-E-L-L-O-W. We will review our colors and color words with ice cream cones.
In Nature/Science we will continue to learn about Nocturnal Animals. We will begin to read and narrate Beavers by Patricia Corrigan. We are adding cedar to our “Tree Scents”. The children will use their senses of touch to examine their tree with their eyes closed (or they may choose to use a blindfold). We will also begin to recite “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer.
In Math the children will make AB/ABB patterns with pumpkins and gourds and practice counting 10 pennies. We will learn that ten pennies make a dime.
In Music we will practice moving fast and slow to Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 3 in E Flat Major with scarves. We will sing “Autumn Leaves” with Rhythm Sticks. In Creative Movement the children will learn the motions and follow directions to the “Physical Fun” tape. We will also listen to a Social Story.
Our field trip to River Legacy Living Science Center is this Thursday, October 14. Please turn in your child’s permission slip and $12.00 by Wednesday. We will eat an early lunch at school and leave at 11:30.

Oct. 4-7

2010-10-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

Last week the children had fun pretending to be falling leaves as they danced together. They picked and examined Oak and Juniper leaves and enjoyed the aromas. This week they will compare Sweetgum and Cherry Laurel leaves. They will also draw a picture of the tree that they chose to be “their tree” this year. We will read Animals at Night in Nature/Science as we begin to learn about Nocturnal Animals. We will also read “The Bat” in our Christian Liberty Nature Reader and paint a picture of a bat.
In Phonics/Language we will read and narrate Stellaluna, a story about a baby bat that becomes separated from its mother. We will practice writing C’s on our little chalkboard and make them with playdoh. We will also read Goldilocks and the Three Bears and act out the story with props.
In Math we will work with Pumpkins and Gourds to create AB and ABB patterns. The children will also count and group Magnetic cookies.
Our field trip to the River Legacy Living Science Center is on Thursday, October 14. The cost is $12.00 per child (see permission slip attached). Please turn in the slip with the admission by Thursday and let us know whether you will be attending (there is no charge for adults). We will eat an early lunch at the school and leave for the Center at 11:30.

Sept. 27-30

2010-10-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

This week in Nature/Science we will begin to learn about Trees. The children choose a tree on the playground to observe and study throughout the year. It will be “their tree”. We will do “bark rubbings” on their special tree. The children will also create prints with leaves and make a book called I See A Tree. We will read A Tree is Nice and compare “tree smells” by collecting and placing leaves in water.
We will begin a new multisensory curriculum this week called Touch Math. The children will use counters with many of the activities and learn to touch and count the touch points on the numerals. We are very excited about it.
In Bible we will read “Noah and the Ark” and search for Hidden Pictures.
In Music we will decorate crowns with leaves and do “The Leaf Dance” to Mozart’s “Horn Concerto No. 2 in E Flat Major”. We will also learn the motions to “The Leaves are Falling” in Creative Movement.
In Phonics/Language we will introduce the letter “C” and sort objects beginning with “B” and “C” into letter tubs. We will read “The Crow and the Pitcher” in Aesop’s Fables.
In Social Studies we will continue to learn about Community Helpers. This week we will read about Beekeepers. The Dalworthington Garden Firefighters are planning a presentation for us at the school on Wednesday, October 27. We’ll be learning about fire safety and how firemen help us.
We are planning a field trip to River Legacy Living Science Center in Arlington on Thursday, October 14. There will be hands on nature centers for the children to explore and a guided field investigation. We will eat an early lunch at the school and leave for the field trip at 11:30. Please return the permission slip attached and let us know whether you will be accompanying us. The cost is $12 per child (there is no charge for adults).

Sept. 20-23

2010-09-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

This week we will begin to learn about farm animals as we read If You Were A Farmer. We will begin to work on a pocket book entitled How Farmers Feed Us and learn about some of the vegetables grown on the farm. The children will also plant Broccoli and Beets into our garden.
In Music we will work on our Spatial Concepts with Bean Bags as we follow directions to Beanbag Boogie. We will also march with instruments to “People in our Neighborhood”.
In Phonics/Language we will introduce the letter “B” and sort items beginning with “A” & “B” into letter tubs. We will read “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” and the children will make mouse puppets. We will also read “The Lion and the Mouse” from Aesop’s Fables.
In Bible we will learn about how God sent the rain after Noah built the ark. We will learn a new song called, “Who Built the Ark?”
In Art the children are working on painting for the Barnes and Noble fundraiser this Thursday, Sept. 23 (see flyer attached). We hope that you can join us.

Sept. 13-16

2010-09-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

We’re glad to be back at school. We’re planning to read Pick Me An Apple and learn how an apple travels from the tree to the market. The children will work on a sequencing activity and an orchard map. We will also read, “The Fox and the Lion” from Aesop’s Fables.
In Math we will count and group apples, make AB and ABB patterns, and make apple prints for number 2.
The children will plant lettuce seeds into the garden this week as we begin to learn about seeds.
In Music we will learn the handsigns and motions to “Gimme Gimme Ice Cream”. We will also practice the motions to “Happy Talk” with scarves and sing “Down By the Bay”.
In Art the children will create paper dolls to represent themselves and practice the song, “The More We Get Together”.
We will begin a unit on Community Helpers this week. We will read, Who? (about helpers and inventers) and play a game called “What’s My Job”.
Please keep a change of clothes in your child’s backpack in case of spills or accidents. Wearing clothes that he/she can operate independently will build self-esteem. Sturdy shoes for running and climbing on the playground are best (no flip-flops, please). Be sure to send a snack for afternoon snacktime each day marked with your child’s name. They may place it in the red basket by the door each morning. Your child may also bring a blanket/pillow for rest time (30 min.) each day.

Sept. 7-9

2010-09-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our class. We’re glad to have you back with us and have many fun activities planned. We will practice our letter “A” this week and begin to read Aesop’s Fables. We will read and narrate “The Wolf and the Goat.”
In Nature/Science we will read The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree. We will begin to learn about Mammals and how they care for their young as we read Animal Dads.
In Math we will practice counting, adding, and patterning with apples, and we will sing and read O-N-E and R-E-D.
In Bible we will explore what it means to make a promise and learn that God keeps his promises to us (Isaiah 38:7). We will read about Noah and play a “Making Promises” game in circle. We will also read The Giving Bear and talk about how Winnie the Pooh kept his promise in the story.
In Music we will learn the names of our new friends as we play “The Name Game”. The children will throw the squishy ball to their friends and listen to Mozart’s “Clarinet Concerto in A Major.” We will learn the motions to “Down By the Bay” and the children will also learn “Alligator Pie”.
Please send a complete change of clothes in your child’s backpack each day. Spills often occur, and they will be taking turns watering the garden. They may bring a pillow, blanket, and soft plush toy for rest time (30 min. each day). Please place their snack in the red basket just inside the door. Label it with your child’s name. Were looking forward to a wonderful year together. If you have any questions or concerns please talk to me after school or ask to schedule a conference.

May 17-20

2010-05-17T17:46:00.000-07:00

This week Nature/Science we will read New Road! by Gail Gibbons and learn about all the planning, construction and equipment, and work that is needed to build a new road. We will also read You Tasted with your Tongue and taste and compare vegetables as we play the Veggie Riddle Game.
In Phonics/Language we will read Eeyore Has A Birthday and narrate by drawing pictures. We will introduce the letter "Z" and make a zigzag "Z" with rickrack. We will practice zipping this week. We will also review our letter sounds and names by playing "Toss and Tell".
In Art we will work on making stick horses and bandannas for "Field Day".
In Music we are learning new verses to our Texas songs that we will sing at Field Day. We will also play "Beanbag Shuttle" and practice the "Float Your Chute" movement to Mozart's "Horn Concerto No. 3 in E Flat Major".
In Social Studies we will read The Story of Texas and learn about Stephen F. Austin, Ben Milam, Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, and other Texas heroes. We will also read excerpts from When Texas Belonged to Mexico and learn about the experiences of the first settlers.
We will have a tasting party on the last day of school (Thursday, May 27). Please help your child to choose something sweet, sour, or salty to share at the party (for 7 children).
Our Texas Field Day will be Tuesday, May 25 from 9:30-12:30. The children will move through Texas-themed stations and then have a cookout around a "campfire". (We will roast hot dogs on a grill). Your child may also bring his/her lunch or special something to cook on the grill. Mrs. Hague and Mrs. Camp are making a "Milking Cow" for our station. Parents are encouraged to attend and move through the stations with your child. Be sure to bring a folding chair for the campfire. Our class will be responsible for the baked beans for all the classes. Please bring 2 cans of Bush's Original Baked Beans.

May 10-13

2010-05-10T20:23:00.000-07:00

Last week the children did a wonderful job of floating a balloon and keeping it on the parachute to the count of four with Mozart's "Horn Concerto No. 2 in E Flat Major".
This week in Music we will learn a new game called Merry-Go-Round. The children will listen and follow directions as we move around in a circle and change movements. We will also play "Shaking Hands" with the parachute. We will learn "I've Been Working on the Railroad" with motions and instruments and practice reciting the first three stanzas of "Where Go the Boats".
In Math we will continue to work with grouping, weighing, and comparing weights of objects.
In Phonics/Language we will read and narrate Winnie the Pooh and Some Bees. We will introduce the letter "y" and make y's with yellow yarn. We will review our letters as we play "Who Has It" with the Explode the Code Wall Chart objects.
In Nature/Science we will read "Honeybees" and "The Beehive" in our Christian Liberty Nature Readers. We'll learn about trucks as we continue our unit on Air, Land, and Water. We'll read Lets Go, Trucks and Wings, Wheels, and Sails.
In Gardening we will collect leaves from the plants in our atrium and sketch a favorite plant. We will also plant watermelon and cantaloupe into our vegetable garden and lavender into the butterfly garden.
In Bible we will learn about the Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness. We will read and watercolor the illustrations for two stories from the Child's Book of Character Building. We will learn about Faith in the Bible as we read about Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14) and we will read a story called Faith at Home about a little sparrow.
Our Field Day will be at school with a Texas theme on Tuesday, May 25. More details will be announced soon.

May 4-6

2010-05-03T15:57:00.000-07:00

Last week the children had fun flying their kites and discovering how far their paper airplanes would fly on a windy day.
This week in Nature/Science we will read Things that Go, Getting Around, and Freight Train as we continue our study of Air, Land, and Water. The children will work with aquadoodle pens to create train tracks for Thomas the Train and work with train tracks in building center. We will also read Short Train, Long Train and work at building short and long things. Our peas have grown bigger, and are ready to pick and shell. We will shell peas, cook them, and taste them this week as we learn about our Sense of Taste. We will read You Taste With Your Tongue.
In Social Studies we will read Our Texas as we begin to learn about the history of Texas. We will pretend to travel aroud Texas and visit the sites of the Texas Revolution. We will also read "They Coyote and the Crane" from Texas Aesop's Fables.
In Math we will count and group peas and weigh them on the scale. We will work with comparing weights of objects in our math books this week.
In Phonics/Language we will read and narrate Tiggers Don't Climb Trees. We will make and sing Foxy Roxy as we learn the letter "X". We'll dot paint X's and continue to work at making X's on graph paper.
In Music we will continue to learn new movements with the parachute. The children will learn to execute the "Snap" movement and the "Flip Flop" motion. We will practice "Balloon Float" to the count of four with Mozart's Horn Concerto No.2 in E Flat Major. The children will also pretend to be trains in Creative Movement and move through an obstacle course with tunnels as we sing with Raffi's version of "New River Train". We will also practice the third stanza of "Where Go the Boats" by Robert Louis Stevenson.
In Gardening the children will practice identifying and matching leaves as we learn the names of plants in the atrium. We will collect and press the leaves for our nature journal. We will also read There's An Opossum In My Backyard.

April 26-29

2010-05-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

Last week the children had fun comparing and matching herbs as we learned about our sense of smell. They became familiar with many herbs such as Sage, Peppermint, Rue, Oregano, Spearmint, Rosemary, and Dill.
This week we will harvest Kale and feed it to the bunny. We will water the Dill seeds that we planted into pots and observe them as they begin to sprout. The child will collect and press leaves for our Nature Journal, make sketches of the Sage and the Peppermint, and compare the sizes of leaves.
In Nature/Science we will learn about the properties of Air. We'll make a Double Bubble Blower and a little kite and learn about how air can lift and move things as we try them out. We'll read Airplanes And Other Things that Fly and Airplanes At Work and created paper airplanes to fly outside. We will also play a matching game in circle called "Airport.
In Social Studies the children will learn about the Statue of Liberty. They will decorated a crown and torch to wear.
In Math we will begin to work with sets of objects and learn how to compare them on the balance scale.
In Phonics we will practice sorting objects beginning with "W" and "X" into letter tubs. We will play "Tic, Tac, Toe" and make X's on 1 inch graph paper. We willl also learn to make a cross stitch "X" on burlap. We will read and narrate Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Too. We will also play "Catch It" with our Explode the Code phonics chart.
In Music the children will learn how to grip a parachute using thumbs-up and thumbs-down positions. They will practice sitting, kneeling, and standing positions and learn how to execute the wave, jerk, and flip-flop movements. We will play "Balloon Float," "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", and Exercise and Count".
We will go on a smelling walk on Thursday as we continue to explore the Five senses. Please send something to smell for a Show and Tell on Thursday morning.

April 19-22

2010-04-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

Last week the children enjoyed learning the motions and words to "In My Garden" by Raffi. The song is about planting, growing, and harvesting peas. If you haven't seen our peas growing in the garden be sure to go out and look at them (we grew them from seeds). We will harvest and eat them on Wednesday. We will also harvest radishes and carrots as we learn about roots.
In Phonics/Language the children will learn the W-H-I-T-E song as they practice the letter "w". They will paint on the easel with white and create W's ou of wrapping paper. They will dot paint V's and W's. We will read and narrate Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day and we will read A Look around Washington D.C.
In Music we will practice rhythms with instruments as we sing "Riding in an Airplane" by Raffi. We will learn "Little Sir Echo" and practice inventing and duplicationg rhythmic sequence with instruments. The children will each have a turn to create a sequence for the other children to "echo". We will listen to a Social Story called "Meeting Someone New". We will also read The Wheels on the Bus and sing with Raffi's "Songs to Read".
In Bible we will learn about The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness as we read and act ou the story of how Pharoah's daughter was kind to baby Moses.
In Nature/Science we will read Let's Try It Out in the Air as we continue our unit on Land, Air, and Water. We will experiment with paper bags, balloons, feathers, and other objects like the children in the book. We will also read Exploring Our Senses: Smelling and learn about how smells travel through the air. We'll practice matching smells with a Montessori sensory game. We'll sketch herbs, compare their scents, and try to match them with our eyes closed. Please help your child choose something from home to smell and share with the class on Thursday.

April 12-15

2010-04-11T19:01:00.000-07:00

In Nature/Science this week we will read Water Travel, Boat Book by Gail Gibbons, and Tugboats. We are comparing the boats on the flannelboard and in Science Center to those in the the books. The children will test various objects in water to see if they are absorbent. They will also experiment by adding substances to water and charting the results in circle. We will also experiment with mixing oil and water and draw conclusions. We will read The Sense of Hearing as we continue to learn about our Five Senses. The children will learn about how sound waves travel from the outer ear and into the ear canal. We'll also learn about how animals use their sense of hearing to stay safe. We'll practice listening with our listening ears and play listening lotto.
In Gardening we are planning to paint and label the parts of a plant and pick and press stems for our Nature Journal. We're planning to pull weeds and examine the parts of the plant as we pull them. We will also plant herbs into the herb garden.
In Math we will practice writing the numbers 1-4 and working with ABB patterns.
In Bible we will learn about the Fruit of the Spirit: Patience. We will read Abraham and Patience and listen to a puppet show called "Waiting". We will practice patience as we finish our work with Mosaic Patterns this week. We will listen to a Social Story called, "Sitting In My Chair". We will also make a little book about patience called Never Give Up.
We will introduce the letter "W" this week and sort objects beginning with "V" and "W" into letter tubs. Most of the children have learned to recite the first stanza of "Where Go The Boats" by Robert Louis Stevenson. We will begin to work on the second stanza this week. We will work on beginning sounds and rhyming words using our Phonemic Awareness Stamps. We will also read and narrate "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Anderson.
In Art we will create a ferryboat with a milk carton and other objects. We'll continue to work with Spectrum Mosaics. We'll also begin a picture study of Vincent Van Gogh's "Fishing Boats on the Beach of Santes-Maries.
In Creative Movement we will pretend to be floating in a boat. The sea will be calm as we move to Corelli's Concerto grosso in F major. Then we will go through a storm as we listen to Chopin's Prelude in D flat major (Raindrops). We will learn the words and motions to "In My Garden". We'll listen toa Social Story called "Use My Words". The children will also learn how to do a slide step and a cross-over step as we learn a traditional folk dance called Loop 'D Loo.

April 5-8

2010-04-05T19:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who helped with our Easter egg hunt and party last week. You made it very special for the children.
This week in Nature/Science we will finish making our Rainforest pocket books and learn about the Amazon River. We will also begin a new unit on Air, Land, and Water. We'll talk about how plants and animals need water to survive and experiment with filtering water that we have collected on the playground near the garden. We will also observe the effects of water on different materials.
In Math the children will make floating fruit boats and try to predict how many items they will hold before they sink.
In Social Studies we will learn about Abraham Lincoln, and read Abraham Lincoln Learns to be Honest. The children will also work on a little poster about Lincoln.
We will read You Hear With Your Ears as we continue to learn about our Five Senses. The children will work with Montessori sound cylinders and play listening lotto. We will also make "listening ears" to use in circle and on our Listening Walk.
In Phonics/Language we will introduce letter "V" and practice writing it on our little chalkboards. The children will begin to learn and recite "Where Go the Boats?" by Robert Louis Stevenson. We will also begin to read and narrate The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson.
In Art the children are planning to add more items to their texture constructions. They will observe and practice drawing snapdragons and strawberries with watercolor crayons. They will also work with mosaics to create beautiful patterns.
In Music we will practice balancing on one foot and alternating from left to right as we learn "Hello, My Name is Joe". We will listen and execute movements to a song called "Warm Up"and move in slow motion to "Quiet Time". We will also move fast and slow with scarves to Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 4 in E Flat Major.
Our field trip to Will Rogers Memorial Center for the production of Hans Cristian Anderson's Little Mermaid is next Tuesday, April 13, at 10:00 A.M. We will meet at the school at 8:45 (or you may meet us there).

March 29-April 1

2010-03-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

The children enjoyed narrating and sequencing "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" last week. This week we will narrate The Tale of Bengamin Bunny and read Rabbits and Raindrops and In the Forest. We're planning to make Easter Bunny baskets fo our Easter hunt. We'lll also decorate the bunnies that the children worked on sewing last week and make Easter pot holders. We'll play "Bunny Comes to My House", "Bunny Hop", and "Hop, Hop, Hop". Our Easter Egg Hunt will be on Thursday at 2:30.
In Math we will place numbered eggs in order and count and group eggs.
In Bible we will learn about the Fruit of the Spirit: Peace. We will read Arthur's Promise and think about how keeping a promise can give us peace. We'll read George Washington Learns to Be Responsible and talk about telling the truth.
In Nature/Science we will learn about the Rainforest Floor. We'll paint a puzzle piece and create a leaf-cutter ant. We'll also read The Jungle is My Home and play a matching game in circle called "The Rainforest".
We will plant seeds into little pots this week and listen to Seed to Plant (book and CD). We will meet at the school at 9:30 and leave at 9:45 for our nature walk at Veteran's Park. Please send a lunch that does not need to be heated and a drink. We will eat at the park and play on the playground. Please be sure to send a jacket.

March 22-25

2010-03-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

A special thank you to all who attended Grandparent's Day. The children did a wonderful job at reciting "The Swing" by Robert Louis Stevenson and singing their Texas songs. Thanks to Jennifer (Aiden's mom) for supplying the refreshments.
Our new letter this week is "T". The children will dot paint the letters "S" and "T" and sort objects beginning with S and T into letter tubs. We are writing our letters on our little chalkboards each day and making them with playdoh. We will read The Hare and the Tortoise (an Aesop Fable). We'll narrate and sequence The Tale of Peter Rabbit and read The Velveteen Rabbit.
In Nature/Science we're planning to read Rabbits and pick lettuce and radishes from the garden to feed our rabbit. Our rabbit, Flopsy, will visit our class. The children will learn about the Understory Layer of the Rainforest and paint a puzzle piece and a Jaguar for the pocket book. We will read You See With Your Eyes as we learn about the Five Senses, go on a Color Walk, and draw a picture of something that we saw on our walk. We will collect and press flowers, talk about the parts of a plant, and plant tomatoes and squash into the garden. We'll also read about flowers in the Usborne First Book of Nature and The Reason For a Flower.
In Math we will work with Unifix cubes to make AB, ABB patterns and we will make patterns with little squares in our Math Books.
In Bible the children will learn about the Fruit of the Spirit: Joy. We'll read about how the Hebrews rejoiced when the Red Sea was parted (Exodus 12:17).
In Art we will begin a sewing project. We are planning to make bunnies for Easter and will work on them all week. We will also continue to add items to our texture constructions.
In Music we will play "The Name Clapping Game" and clap the names of all our friends. We'll also play "Listen and Move", "Little Lost Duck", and "What Can You Do, Mr. Rabbit".
We are planning a Field Trip to Veteran's Park for a nature walk on Tuesday, March 30 at 9:30. Dr. Flint and Mr. Flint will accompany us. Please let us know if you would like to go. A Field Trip permission form is attached.
Our Easter party will be on Thursday, April 1st. Please send 12 filled plastic eggs for hiding and tape them shut. We will make Easter baskets at school for the hunt. There will be a sign-up sheet for the party in the hall.

March 8-11

2010-03-07T10:12:00.000-08:00

This week in Nature/Science we will read In the Rain Forest Canopy and Lets Find Rainforest Animals: Up, Down, Around. We will watch a IMAX movie called Tropical Rainforest. We'll make jungle vines, create a poem together, make a Blue Morpho Butterfly, and draw pictures of our favorite animals that live in the Rainforest canopy. Our work on the Rainforest will not be sent home this week. We are creating a special pocket book to hold all of our work that will be sent home at the end of the unit.
In Social Studies we'll read Washington in Pictures and learn about our nation's capital. We will read abut George Washington and how the city was built and named after him.
We will read The Five Senses as we continue to explore our sense of touch. We'll all go on a texture walk and practice labeling the things that we touch. We will create textured pathways and patterns on the table and practice finger tracing across a variety of textures. We're planning to combine a variety of textured materials to create free-form sculptures. We will also practice matching textured pieces of fabric with our eyes open, and then with our eyes blindfolded using only our sense of touch (Montessori exercise).
In Phonics we will review and trace letters A-S. We'll also practice Kumon Mazes. The children are practicing their letters on their little chalkboards, and are also spending time each day writing and drawing on the big chalkboard. We will play "Let's Go Hunting" and "Toss and Tell" with the items from the Explode the Code wall chart that represent A-S. Last week the children had fun matching picture stamps witht the same beginning sounds. We will continue to practice with stamps this week.
In Math we will make a #10 book, review the numbers 1-2o, and work with patterns in our Math books.
In Bible we will read about God's promise to Noah and create a rainbow/dove with yarn. We'lll also introduce the Fruit of the Spirit: Joy and think about how Noah and the animals must have felt as they emerged from the ark.
In Gardening the children will plant strawberries into our garden. The lettuce, peas, and brocolli are really growing in our garden, and theres is a purple hyacinth in bloom. The children have become very good at pulling weeds, and we will work on that this week.
This Thursday, March 11 is Grandparents Day. Dr. Flint is planning to speak from 2:00-2:30. The grandparents will join us in our class at 2:30 and the children will sing the Texas songs that we have learned and recite "The Swing" by Robert Louis Stevenson. Refreshments will be provided. Please let us know how many grandparents are planning to join us.

March 1-4

2010-03-07T10:02:00.000-08:00

Last week, we all had fun parading down the hall with our dragon as part of our celebration of Chinese New Year.
This week in Nature/Science we will begin to learn about the Rainforest Habitat. We will read, "What is a Rainforest" and "A Walk in a Tropical Rainforest". We'll paint an Emergent Layer puzzle piece, make an emergent layer book, and create a Wooley Mouse Opossum.
In Social Studies we will read George Washington, and This Land is Your Land. We will also paint and put together a resemblance of our first President and paint a "dollar bill".
In Math we will finish the Liquid Measurement section in our Math Books.
We will sort objects beginning with the letters R and S into letter tubs this week. We will work with beginning sounds using our Phonemic Awareness Stamps and we will make S's with playdoh. We will also play a rhyming game called Mouse in the House" in circle.
In Creative Movement we will dance with scarves, follow directions with bean bags and sing "Yankee Doodle" with the book.

Feb. 22-25

2010-02-23T16:56:00.000-08:00

Last week we all had fun painting and decorating our dragons for Chinese New Year.
This week we will read Against the Odds, a story about Pandas. We will also paint a Chinese flag and learn about schools, homelife, animals, sports, and games in China. Mrs. Workman is planning to visit our class and teach us a game called "Zhao Pengyou". We have been working on the song all week, and the children are doing a great job with the Chinese words. Mrs. Workman lived and taught in China for 12 years. We will also play a game called Dancing Dragon. We will decorate a big Dragon for our parade. We will also make Mandarin hats, dance to Chinese music with scarves, and sample Chinese food at our celebration on Thursday.
We will plant Pansies into a pot for our atrium and observe and draw a pansy for our Nature Journal this week.
We will continue to work with liquid measurement in our Math books.
In Phonics/Language the children are reciting "How Would You Like to Go Up in a Swing." We are also practicing our beginning sounds for Q and R with letter tubs and identifying rhyming words in circle.
Thanks to all who attended our Open House. It was great. There were several new families who visited.
Please send a change of clothes and socks in your child's bag each day. We often go outside when it is damp.

Feb. 16-18

2010-02-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

The children really enjoyed playing in the snow last week. The snow was a perfect consistency for snowballs and we created a snowman together with a carrot for a nose, Hershey kisses for eyes, a read balloon mouth, and a cowboy hat. Our Valentine party was a great success. Thank you for bringing valentines and goodies to eat. Thanks also to Amy Johnson for bringing the balloons.
This week we will celebrate Chinese New Year. (It started on Feb. 14th and lasts for 15 days). We will read Daisy Comes Home, Celebrating Chinese New Year, Dragon Dance, and Sam and the Lucky Money. We'll make dragons in Art and work on a large dragon for a "parade" down the hall. We'll also sample traditional food and play with little slide drums at our celebration on Thursday.
In Nature/Science we'll continue to study the Polar Habitat and read Awesome Walruses, and The Fish Book. We will also work on our picture study of The Moon Jellyfish and finish reading "The Life of a Jellyfish" in our Christian Liberty Nature Readers.
In Math we will begin to work with liquid measurement in our Math Books.
In Phonics/Language we will review the letters O, P, and Q and practice sequencing.
Open House is this Friday at 7:00. Childcare will be provided, and we would love to have you here to hear Dr. Flint speak and visit our room.

Feb 8-11

2010-02-07T18:04:00.000-08:00

This week we have many fun activities planned for Valentines Day. We'll play games such as "Ring to My Love", Heart Walk, Friend of Mine, and "Did You Ever See a Valentine". We'll learn to sing "Do You Have a Valentine", "Here is a Message", "It Isn't Any Trouble", and "The More We Get Together". We'll make Valentine Holders, Door Knob Hangers, Valentine Cards, and Valentine Soaps in Art.
In Nature/Science we will learn about the North Pole and read Powerful Polar Bears and Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear. We will narrate Little Polar Bear, Take Me Home. We will also do a pictures study and paintings of Jellyfish and read "The Life of a Jellyfish" from our Christian Liberty Nature Reader.
Our Letter this week is "Q", and we will compare Quarts, Pints, Gallons and other liquid measurements in Math. We will also make a number 8 book and practice counting, grouping, and creating patterns with candy hearts.
In Bible we will learn about how Love is a Fruit of the Spirit and how God loved Noah. We will also read Franklin Says I Love You, Clifford's Valentine, and talk about how we can show our love to our friends and family.
Please send Valentines to exchange at our party on Thursday (7 children). There will be a sign-up sheet for the party in the hall.

Feb 1-4

2010-02-07T17:55:00.000-08:00

The children really enjoyed Dr. Flint's visits to our class last week. She brought a Winter Wren's nest and speckled egg for us to examine, and she shared a wonderful story about finding the nest in her yard. She also gave a letter "O" lesson and drew a large octopus on the board. She invited the children to guess what it was as she drew it. Later, the children were eager to try it themselves, and created many elaborate variations on the chalkboard. Special thanks to Nathan Flint for talking to the class about Sea Creatures and bringing a real octopus, crab, and shrimp for the children to touch.
This week our new letter is "P". We will learn about Penguins and other animals of Antarctica. We'll learn about the Polar Habitat as we read Antarctica, Land of Endless Water. We'll also read Cool Penguins, Sleek Seals, Cuddly Dudley and Tacky in Trouble.
In Math, we will have a puppet show about Five Little Penguins Slipping on the Ice. We will also begin to work with liquid measurement. In Art we will create penguins with tracings of our hands and feet and make a book about Emperor Penguins.
In Social Studies we will read The Outside and Inside Book of Texas and continue to work on our Texas Symbols.
In Bible we will finish our Noah's Ark posters and read about the flood. We will read Your Five Senses and complete our Textures poster this week. If your child has not brought textured items for the poster, please help him/her to search for textures at home. We will work on the poster on Thursday. We will also be exploring our Thermic Sense with Montessori lessons.

Jan. 25-28

2010-02-01T17:24:00.000-08:00

The children enjoyed our visit to the Science Lab last week. We fed lettuce to the Russian Tortoise and took turns petting Max, the Guinea Pig.
This week we're planning to have Oceans of fun as we learn about Ocean Creatures. Our letter for the week is "O". We will make a book about Otters and sing, "Octupus Stew", read excerpts from Life in the Coral Reef, and read "All About Sea Stars" in our Christian Liberty Nature Readers. The children will create an Octopus and a Japanese Shoji Screen with an Ocean motif in Art. We'll also play a Fish Matching number game in Math.
We are beginning a study of the Five Senses, and will read You Touch with Your Fingers this week. We will play Texture Dominoes in circle and present Sandpaper Blocks (Montessori) in centers. Please help your child collect 3 or 4 items with texture to share with the class on Thursday. We will combine the items to make a texture poster for the class.
In Music we will dance to an interactive CD of "The Yellow Rose of Texa" and also learn the words to the original song. We'll follow directions to a Hap Palmer song called "Follow Along" and color and sing "Y-E-L-L-O-W". We'll also continue to practice our Texas songs and read a story about John A. Lomax, who wrote "Home on the Range", "Sweet Betsy from Pike", and many other famous cowboy songs.

Jan. 19-21

2010-01-24T16:20:00.000-08:00

The children really enjoyed our "snowball fight" last week. They have asked to repeat it this week for a child who was ill, and we're planning to "battle" Mrs. Hague's class on Thursday.
In Nature/Science we're lookin forward to learning about otters this week. We'll read excerpts form Amazing Otters and listen to Scamp's New Home (book and tape). We'll pretend to be otters and move to Mozart's Horn Concerto in D major, Allegro. We will observe and sketch a purple Orchid for our Nature Journals. We'll also visit our garden and read, When Winter Comes.
In Phonics we will read The Cat in the Hat and listen for rhyming words. We'll practice matching picture stamps that rhyme from our Phonemic Awareness Stamp to Learn Program. Our letter for the week is "N", and we will sort objects beginning with "M" and "N" into letter tubs.
We're having fun learning new songs for our study of Texas. We're practicing "Home on the Range", "Sweet Betsy From Pike", "Kumbaya", and "Texas, Our Texas". We're also learning the Texas Symbols, and we will make Bluebonnets, Armidillos, and Texas Flags in Art this week. We'll continue to work with Beanbags and Hula Hoops in music as we listen and follow directions to "Shake, Rattle, and Roll", "Happy Days", and "WipeOut".

Jan. 11-14

2010-01-11T17:57:00.000-08:00

This week in Nature/Science we will continue to learn about Mammals of the Sea. We will learn about Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises. We'll read Winter Whale (a poem by Joanne Ryder), Whales and Dolphins (book and tape), and "Dolphins and Porpoises" from Whales and Other Seas Mammals. We will practice matching pictures of undersea animals and animal figures with pictures. We will observe our garden and how it has changed this season and read "What Can We Do In Winter". We will observe and sketch a Bromeliad in class for our Nature Journals. We will read "What A Fisherman Told" and "The Barnacle Family" in our Christian Liberty Nature Readers.
We will listen to Snowball Fight (book and CD) and have a snowball fight (with paper snowballs) on Thursday. (We were unable to do it last Thursday due to ice).
In Music/Art we will cut paper snowflakes, work on our Van Gogh picture study, and paint on the easel. We will practice following directions with beanbags as we listen to "sh-Boom" and "Splish Splash". The children will also follow directions and move with a partner as we sing "We Go Together".
In Bible we will read, "Jonah and the Whale" and make a whale. We will also read and color a little book about the story.
In Social Studies we will begin a new unit about the State of Texas. We will introduce the State Symbols this week and read Symbols of the Lone Star State.
We are planning a field trip to Will Roger's Coliseum on Tuesday, April 13th for a performance of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Mermaid" It is a beautiful musical adaptation of the original tale. The cost is $8.00 per person. Please let us know if you will be attending and pay Mrs. Hague this week (we would like to make reservations a soon as possible).

Jan. 4-7

2010-01-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

We are glad to be back at school. We all shared personal stories about Santa, toys, Christmas, and snow in circle.
This week in Nature/Science we will learn about Whales and the Underseas Habitat. We will read Orca Song and talk about what makes a Mammal. We will play an Ocean Animal matching game. We will read The Cloud Book and learn about how snow is made. We will also read Millions of Snowflakes, listen to a book and CD called Snowball Fight, and have a pretend snowball fight (with paper snowballs) in the Motor Room.
In Phonics we will review the letters A-K and introduce the letter L. We will make a Happy New Year book, practice Kumon Mazes, and play "Find It" with Explode the Code. We will also read "The Fox and the Lion" and "The Lion and the Mouse" from Aesop's Fables.
In Math we will review our numbers 1-20, play a matching game with numbers, and count and group shells.
In Music/Art we will move like whales to Mozart's Obo Quartet in F and read a story about Mozart. We will follow directions with beanbags as we play "Peppermint Twist" and "Rock Around the Clock". We'll begin a new picture study of "Van Gogh's Bedroom". We're also planning to work with coffee filters to create snowflakes.

Nov. 30-Dec. 3

2009-11-30T18:31:00.000-08:00

We're all happy to be back this week after a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Special thanks to parents who brought all the yummy food for our feast. Our little Pilgrims were very thankful.
This week we will learn how to say, "Yes" (Ha), No (Nahi), and Hello/Goodbye (Namaste) in Diwali, and play Kabaddi and Five Shells. We will make Mehndi designs by tracing around our hands and dance with bells on our hands and feet like the children in India. We will put out our "wooden shoes" for treats like the children in Holland and make windmills. We will read about the birth of Jesus and take turns painting a large Nativity scene to display in the hall.
In Nature/Science we will learn about nocturnal animals as part of our study on Mammals and the Forest Habitat.
We will read Animals at Night, The Kissing Hand (about a raccoon), and Annie and the Wild Animals. We will make a little book called "Wake Up" and read "An Owl" in our Christian Liberty Nature Reader.
We have "adopted" a family for Christmas from Mission Arlington. Our class will be helping the 2 yr old boy (Austin) and the 6 yr old boy (Alijah) with Mrs. Hague's class. There will be a sign up sheet for toys, clothes, and non-parishable food.

November 16-19

2009-11-16T17:24:00.000-08:00

This week were planning to learn about the Pilgrims. We will learn about the Pilgrims. We will pretend to sail on the Mayflower with Mrs. Hague's class and sample some of the foods that the Pilgrims might have taken on their voyage. We are learning many new songs to perform at our feast (we will dress up as Pilgrims this year), and the children are very animated during practice each day. They are really showing interest in the songs, and we are very proud of them. We hope that you will be able to attend our feast and hear them sing (We will perform at 11:15). We will read stories from Children of the Wind and Water, and stories from The Mayflower in 1620. We will also listen to several books and tapes: The Lonely Scarecrow, Thanksgiving Mice, and It's Thanksgiving (a collection of poems). We will make Indian drums to play in Music this week while dancing our Rain Dance. We will also make Indian necklaces and placemats for our feast. We will play Indian Jump to the Bean in Music and the Indian Hoop Game.
In Phonics we will practice sorting objects beginning with "H" and "I" into letter tubs and practice comparing things that are "the same" and "different". We will also play "Find It" and "Name It" using our Explode the Code Wall Chart.
In Nature/Science we will learn about Mammals and hibernation as we listen to books and tapes called Time to Sleep and Possum's Harvest Moon. We will also read "The Bear's Coat" and "Asleep in the Ground" in our Christian Liberty Nature Readers.
In Bible we will praise God for all he has given us, and paint and read, "Thankfulness at School" from A Child's Book of Character Building.
Items for our feast may be dropped off at 9:30, or you may bring them at 11:15. (Be sure to bring it by to the classroom if you are dropping it off early so that we can mark it before placing it in the refrigerator).

November 9-12

2009-11-16T16:57:00.000-08:00

We all enjoyed our trip to Mainstay Farms last week. The children played in a huge hay barn together, roasted marshmallows, and found their way through a giant maze. They climbed a big slide, and then we all clambered on the hayride and rode back with our friends.
This week we will continue to learn about the Forest Habitat. We will narrate Kanga and Baby Roo Come to the Forest, and we will pretend to hop like kangaroos to Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3. We will also read "A Beaver and a Squirrel", "A Beaver Dam", and "A Snail" in our Christian Liberty Nature Readers. The children are feeding it and watching it eat. Three of our tadpoles have now become frogs, and the fourth one has grown his rear legs. We are all watching him closely (he is the biggest tadpole, and we wonder whether he will be a bigger frog).
We are learning about Pilgrims and Indians. We will read Totem Pole, and make Indian totem poles and teepees this week. The children have been working hard on their Dreamcatchers, and we will add beads and feathers to them. We will read, Thanksgiving on Plymouth Plantation and Thanksgiving Day. We will also play Pass the Stone and an Indian sign language game.
We'll be working with the letter "G" and "H". We will practice writing them on our little chalkboards, make them out of playdoh, and paint them on the easel. We will also play "Find It" with the Explode the Code Wall Chart using the letters A-H. Were planning to read Henny Penny and Bear's Hiccups, and we'll learn the B-L-U-E color song.
This lovely weather has allowed us to spend more time in our garden area. This week we will be picking and pressing the flowers, making sketches, and planting collards and spinach seeds.
If you have'nt turned in your Auction fundraiser items yet, please turn them in to Jennifer this week if possible. Our Thanksgiving feast is Thursday, November 19 at 11:15. Parents are welcome to attend. We will dress like Pilgrims and sing our Thanksgiving songs. There will be a sign-up sheet in the hall (please bring enough for 7 children and parents.

November 2-5

2009-11-16T16:40:00.000-08:00

Our trip to Green's Plants and Produce last week was lots of fun. There were so many different colors and shapes to discover. The children also enjoyed comparing textures and looking at the beautiful flowers. They did a great job of decorating the pumpkins that we purchased.
This week in Nature/Science we will continue to learn about Mammals. We will read Animals That Live in Trees and Animals and Their Hiding Places. We will also plant radish seeds into our garden and practice pulling weeds. Our lettuce, broccoli, and chard are already beginning to sprout!
We will learn about Indians this week, play an Indian game called "The Bowl", and learn the song, "Land of the Silver Birch". We'll read The Wampanoags and the First Thanksgiving and The Legend of the Paintbrush. We will also read "Thankfulness in the Bible" from A Child's Bood of Character Building and watercolor a picture about the story.
We will sing our "O-R-A-N-G-E, R-E-D, G-R-E-E-N, and B-R-O-W-N songs. We'll review our Nursery Rhymes that we have learned so far, read "The Emperor's New Clothes", and make an Emperor. We will also review our letters A-F. Please continue to review these letters at home (the Itsy Bitsy Letter books that they are bringing home are great for keeping and using to practice the sounds).
In Math, we will make a number 6 book and trace our numbers 1-6. We will also practice matching items, grouping items into sets, and identifying likenesses and differences.
We're planning to practice playing rhythms on our drums in Music this week and learn how to performs a rain dance. We'll also learn the motions to a new Thanksgiving song. In Art, we will make Dreamcatchers and sketch the flowers in our garden.
Our trip to Mainstay Farms has been changed to Wednesday, November 4. You may meet us at the school or at the Farm (We will leave the school at 8:30). The tour starts at 9:30. Be sure to bring a lunch and a jacket.

Oct. 26-29

2009-11-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

The children did a great job of acting out The Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks and the Three Bears last week. Their favorite activity in Music was playing "Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grow". The child who was "it" picked a partner to dance with in the middle of the circle, and they all had a turn as we sang "Tra, la, la, la, la...."
This week we will read Pumpkin, Pumpkin and The Biggest Pumpkin Ever. We will sequence the pumpkin growth cycle and sequence the events in the story, Pumpkin, Pumpkin. We will cut a pumpkin open and examine and count the seeds. We will also match the seeds to the numbers 1-10, identify pumpkins that are the same/different, and place pumpkins in order from smallest to largest.
In Art/Music we will work together with Mrs. Hague's class to create an enormous pumpkin. We will fingerpaint with orange, decorate pumpkins , and make pumpkin tambourines to play in Creative Movement.
In Nature/Science we will learn about how animals make their homes. We will read Animal Habitats and Animals That Build Their Homes.
We are planning to walk over to Green's Produce on Tuesday to purchase a pumpkin for decorating. Please sign the permission slip that is posted in the hall. Our field trip to Mainstay Farms is this Thursday, October 29. We will leave the school at 9:30. The cost is $7 for adults and children. Please return the permission slip and admission fee to Mrs. Hague by Tuesday. Most of the activities occur outside, so be sure to bundle up!

Oct. 19-22

2009-11-01T18:02:00.000-08:00

This week in Nature/Science will will learn the characteristics of Mammals and read about Farm Animals. We will study about how animals can be useful to us and sequence the steps taken to bring milk from the farm to our homes. We will read On the Farm, To Market, To Market (on tape), Moses the Kitten, Mammals, and "Farmers Giles's Goats" from Classic Animal Stories.
We will continue to read and act out Nursery Rhymes. We are planning to act out The Three Little Pigs and the Three Bears with props. We will also read, "Little Bo Peep", "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep", "Hey, Diddle, Diddle" and "Little Boy Blue".
In Music we will play and sing "The Farmer and the Dell". We will learn and act out the motions to "The Seed Cycle" and "Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grow". We will also practice our rhythms with rhythm sticks as we move to "The Leaf Song" and "Autumn Leaves".
In Math we will practice AB and ABB patterns with large and small acorns, and we will count and group acorns. We will also play Barnyard Bingo.
In Social Studies we will read and narrate "The Appleseed Man" from Johnny Appleseed. In this passage, Johnny is taking care of his orchard and and watching the seedlings grow into apple trees. He is also helping the pioneers and giving them seedlings, apples,honey, and advice.
We will plant peas and beets in our garden this week. We will also observe and draw Zinnias in our perennial garden.
If you haven't turned in your permission form and admission for the field trip, please do so this week. (The cost is $7.00 for children and adults attending).

Oct. 13-15

2009-10-12T18:30:00.000-07:00

This week we will take a walk outside to collect small, medium, and large acorns. We will place them in our Nature Center to sort, and we will observe and draw the Oak tree that is growing from the acorn and seedling that we planted last year. We will also gather small brown items for a brown collage. We will shell and examine peanuts and talk about how they grow as part of our study of seeds (and the color, brown). We will read "What Happens in the Autumn", and plant broccoli and chard seeds into our garden.
We will begin a new Fairy Tales/Nursery Rhymes Unit this week. We will read and act out Jack in the Beanstalk, Pat-A-Cake, Humpty Dumpty, and Jack and Jill.
In Music we will continue to practice our spatial concepts with Hula Hoops and practice our listening skills with "Can't Sit Still" and "The Listening Song."
In Bible we will work on our Creation Book and make a Day 6 page. We will also read "Patience at Play" and watercolor the illustration from A Child's Book of Character Building.
Our fall party is on Wednesday, October 28 (there will be a sign-up sheet in the hall). The children may come to school in costume (a Fairy Tale or Nursery Rhyme costume would be great).
Our field trip to Mainstay Farms is on Thursday, October 29. Please return the permission slip attached. The cost is $7.00 per person. Also, please let us know if you will be able to attend.

Oct. 5-8

2009-10-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

Our visit to the school's new Science Lab laste week was a big hit. The children took turns feeding the tortoise, and he devoured every bit of the lettuce as we watched. We have plans to visit the lab every Thursday afternoon.
This week in Nature/Science we will continue to learn about Reptiles and the Scary (about alligators).
We will read Autumn by Sandra Brooks and think about how our environment is changing. We'll take a "Wind Walk" and have Creative Movement outside with bubbles, streamers, and balloons, and we'll read the poem, "Who Has Seen The Wind". We will also read "Mr. Toad" from The Wind in the Willows.
In Music, we will move like the wind to Mozart's Symphony #25 in G major. We are planning to use Hula Hoops in Creative Movement with interactive music by Hap Palmer and Raffi.
In Bible we will create a Day 4 page for our Creation book and read from The Beginner's Bible. We will also talk about Kindness to our friends and read The Berenstein Bears Lend a Helping Hand.
We have lettuce and carrot seeds for the children to plant in our garden this week. We also have Lamb's Ears to plant in our perennial garden, and we will practice sketching them before we plant them. We are saving many of the children's sketches and watercolors for their Nature Journals. Some of their work is also being saved for a portfolio that will be sent home at the end of the school year.

Sept. 28-Oct. 1

2009-10-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

Our field trip to River Legacy Living Nature Center last week was lots of fun. We learned about how animals build their homes and how their habits change in the fall. We played centers and peered out into the forest with binoculars. We were given a clipboard with pictures of things to look for on our nature hike, and then spent time in another room of exhibits.
This week in Natur/Science we will begin a new study of reptiles. We will learn about Turtles, Snakes, and Crocodiles. We'll compare the characteristics of amphibians and reptiles and practice sorting them in Nature center. We will read "Turtles" and "THe Rattlesnake" in our Christian Liberty Nature Readers. We will also read "Crocodiles" and other stories from Reptiles. We're planning to visit the new Science Lab at the fron of the school and meet the new turtle and other animals living there. We will talk about what it takes to care for the turtle and sequence the turtle life cycle.
In Music/Language will read Rattlesnake Dance by Jim Arnosky, learn the song, and practice the dance. We will practice moving slow and fast to Raffi's "Water Dance" with scarves. We will read THe Hare and the Tortoise and alternate crawling and hopping as we move to Johann Sebastian Bach's "Suite for Orchestra No.3 in D Major" and "Fuggi, Fuggi in Questro Cello" by Guiseppino. We will also practice our spatial concepts as we move to music with "The Circle,"
"Turn-Around," and "Change" by Hap Palmer.
We're planning to read Clifford Wants a Cookie on Thursday and create Crocodile cookies and Letter "C" Cookies to bake and decorate for snack time. We will practice counting and patterning with cookies in Math and play a game called "Cookie Math."
In Art we will watercolor a picture of an Aesop fable called "The Farmer's Son and the Snake." We will also create a clay sculpture of a snake, watch it dry, and paint it.
In Social Studies we will begin to narrate "Jonny Goes Away" from Johnny Appleseed. Johnny says goodby to his animal friends and heads into western Pennsylvania with his bag of apples.
In Bible we will have a flannel board story about Creation and collect flowers and grass to create a "Day 3" page.
We're planning to sepend time in the garden this week observing and drawing pictures of some of the flowers in the perennial garden.
Our file trip to Mainstay Farms is on October 29. There will be other groups attending and it would be helpful for all children to wear a Flint Academy shirt. Jennifer will be placing an order this Wednesday, October 30. Field Trip shirts are $10.00.

Sept. 21-24

2009-10-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

This week in Nature/Science we will read "The Toad" in our Christian Liberty Nature Readers. We will also read Frog Hunt, All Night Near the Water, and Butternut Hollow Pond. We are having fun with the amphibian nomenclature cards, and the children are all keeping a close watch on the tadpoles in Science Center.
In Phonics/Language we will read The Frog Prince. We will learn about keeping promises and create a Frog Prince with a golden ball. We'll practice sorting objects beginning with "A" and "B" into letter tubs and making our letters with clay. We are also working with Montessori metal insets. The children place the insets on a special tray and practice tracing them. This develops pre-writing skills.
In Music we will hop like frogs to Mozart's Flute Concerto No 1 in G major and we will learn the sign language vocabulary to "Up Went the Spider." In Art we will finish our picture study of "Vincent's House in Arles.
In Social Studies the children are enjoying "Alone in the Woods." We're reading about how Johnny brought food to the animals, ate berries in the forest, counted the stars, and worked in an apple orchard as a child. We will continue our narration this week.
In Math we will dot paint number 2 and make a number 2 book. We willa also play a counting game with frogs in circle.
We will have our Bible lesson outside this week. We will sit outside near the gardens as we read Genesis 1 and talk about the clouds and sky that God created on Day 2. We will also fingerpaint a Day 2 page for our Creation book.
Our field trip is this Thursday, September 24. Please send a car seat or booster seat for your child (state law now requires this for children 8 and under). We will eat lunch in the cafeteria before leaving. Please meet at the school at 11:30 if you will be accompanying us.

September 14-17

2009-09-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

We all had a great first week! The children enjoyed practicing rhythms while using their Boomwhackers. They also did a very good job of creating patterns with red and green apples and with the tadpoles that they created in Art.
In Nature/Science we will learn about characteristics of amphibians and the life cycle of a frog. We have added tadpoles to our Science Center and our carefully observing them for changes in their appearance. We will read All About Frogs, Animal Babies in Ponds and Rivers, and Fun Facts about Salamanders.
We will finish narrating "Alone in the Woods" this week (about Johnny Appleseed). We will read Pick Me An Apple and sequence the life cycle of an Apple Tree.
In Music we will introduce the lab harp to the children as they learn to play the basic scale. We will be working as a group and alternating bilateral movements as we learn the song, Up Went the Spider." We will also sing "R-E-D", "Four Red Apples", and play a game called "Little Red Train" in Creative Movement.
In Art we will learn about Vincent Van Gogh and do a picture study of "Vincent's House in Arles (The Yellow House)". We will also fingerpaint with red and make red collages.
In Bible we were planning to study Creation, Day One. We will create a page each week for our Creation Book and sing many wonderful songs about Creation.
Please send a snack for snack time each morning and encourage your child to form the habit of placing it in the red basket.
Our field trip to the River Legacy Science Center is on Thursday, Sept. 24. Please send $10.00 by this Thursday for your child to attend and sign the permission form in the hall.

September 8-10

2009-09-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, and a special welcome to Mandy, who is joining us as a new student. We are xcited about the plans that we have made for the beginning of our new year together. In Nature/Science this semester we will be studying the classifications of animals and their habitats. We will start with amphibians this week and learn about pond life. We will read At the Pond, Frogs and The Garden from Frog and Toad Together. We will also practice matching and learning the names of amphibians with Montessori nomenclature cards.
In Math we will practice counting and grouping apples and apple seeds. We will play and apple counting and matching game on the flannel board, dot paint the number one, and make and
O-N-E book.
In Social Studies we will begin to narrate "Alone in the Woods" from Johnny Appleseed. We will make a Johnny Appleseed puppet and learn the songs "The Lord is Good to Me" and "The Apple Man". We will make a frog with tadpoles to pattern and sort in Art and paint apple trees on the easel. We're planning to practice rhythms using Boomwhackers (tuned percussion tubes) in Music. We will also sing "Five Little Speckled Frogs", "Five Little Ducks", and other puppet songs.
In Bible we will learn about kindness to our friends and read the story, "Patience at School" from A Childs Book of Character Building. We will also listen to a social story called "How to Follow Directions and read a story about patience and kindness from Wise Words for Little People.
We will eat in the lunch room at 11:15. Hot Lunches are available every day this year for $3.75 or your child may bring a lunch. A monthly order form will be sent by e-mail and also placed in your child's folder hanging in the hall. Please send a snack for snack time each day. Be sure to mark it with your child's name and place it in the red collection basket just inside the classroom door. They may also bring an extra bottle of water of a sippee cup to drink in class. Please keep a change of clothes in your child's backpack in case of an accident or spill.
We are planning a field trip to River Legacy Living Science Center on Thursday, September 24 at 12:00. There will be centers to explore and a guided hike. The cost is $10.00 per child. Please let us know if you would like to attend (a sign-up sheet will be posted in the hall.

May 18

2009-05-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

This week we will learn our bird body parts and read about how birds see, hear, and taste. More and more birds are discovering our bird feeders (they ate all of the seed from both feeders last week)! This unit has been a lot of fun.
In Math we will experiment with liquid measurement and comparing weights of objects on a scale. We will also review our numbers 1-20.
In Nature/Gardening we will read, “A Hummingbird”, “The Duck and the Hen”, and “Wake Up” in our Christian Liberty Nature Readers. We will also plant Zinnias, Salvia, Lantana, Potato Vine, and Million Bells in our Perennial Garden.
In Phonics we will play Explode the Code games as we review our lowercase letters. We will play “Name It” and “Find It”.
Self-Control will be our Fruit of the Spirit for Bible this week. We will play a game called slow and steady and listen to a puppet show entitled, “Running in Circles”.
We will be decorating our Field Day Shirts this week. Field Day is Tuesday, May 26 at Veteran’s Park. Parents are encouraged to attend. Please bring your lawn chairs to set up at our group’s spot (there will be a blanket for the kids). A large umbrella is also a good idea in case of rain. There will be no school that day-we will meet at the park at 9:30. If you cannot go please make arrangements with Mrs. Camp.
Our End of Year Party will be on May 21 at Putt Putt Golf. There will be as sign up sheet in the hall- please let us know if you will be able to go with us. Please bring $6 for golf, pizza, and tokens.
There will be no school Memorial Day (Monday, May 25). Our last day of school Thursday, May 28. Summer School is June 15 thru July 23. We are planning lots of Summer Fun and special learning activities!

May 11

2009-05-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

This week we will begin to learn about Hummingbirds. We will read“A Butcher and Hummer” in The Burgess Bird Book for Children andwe will do a picture study of a Ruby ThroatedHummingbird. We will add a Hummingbird Feeder to our porch. The children are learning to be quiet “sneaky spotters,” and more birds are showing up to observe. We will also practice reciting “The Hummingbird” from On the Wing by Douglas Florian.
In Music we will pretend to be Hummingbirds as we move to Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major. The children are enjoying “Mama’s Lap”, and have almost learned the sequence to it.
We will learn about our sense of Taste this week. I have attached a Ziploc bag to return with something sweet, salty, bitter, or sour to taste and share with the other children (11 children). Please send it for our tasting party on Thursday.
We are learning about gentleness this week as a Fruit of the Spirit. We will talk about caring for others, and your child will begin to care for a plant at school this week. They will bring them home on Thursday. Please help him/her to continue gentle care at home.
We will be making a team shirt for field day next week. Please send $5 for the shirt and supplies. Mrs. Hague is collecting the money.

May 5

2009-05-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

The children enjoyed doing rocking motions with a partner as they sang “Mama’s Lap” last week. This week we will practice sequencing objects as the children try to remember the “next” toy in the song sequence. They also had fun creating sculptures with Zoodles. This week we will make a “Z” and other letters with Zoodles as we review our letters G-L. We will also search for hidden letters in the Waldorf Alphabet Book.
In Nature/Science we will make bird feeders and practice our skills at being “sneaky spotters” of birds. Our mission will be to try to find information that will help us find answers to our questions about birds. We will read Outside and Inside Birds, which answers questions such as: Why do hummingbirds fly backwards? Do birds have ears? What are their feathers made of?Last week we discovered an acorn that had sprouted into a tree. We examined it in circle and planted it into a pot for our atrium. We will watch it grow, and when it is big enough we will plant it outside.
In Bible, our Fruit of the Spirit is Gentleness. We will read the story of Joseph’s reunion with his brothers and have a puppet show called “The Lemonade Stand.” We will also listen to a social story entitled “Waiting My Turn to Talk.” We will read it, and then listen to a version set to music. We will finish narrating “Two Bad Mice” this week, and begin “The Tale of Tom Kitten,” by Beatrix Potter.
The Golf Tournament and dinner is next Monday, May 11. We will have a movie, pizza, and activities for the children available at the Shady Valley Country Club, and Mrs. Hague and I will be there to supervise. Pizza and snacks are $5. Please let Jennifer know if your child is planning to join us.

April 27

2009-04-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

The children really enjoyed listening to The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin last week. They had many comments about the illustrations, which are wonderful. This week we will finish The Story of Miss Moppet and narrate The Tale of Two Bad Mice, by Beatrix Potter.
In Music/Art we will practice our sequencing skills as we learn “Mama’s Lap” with motions and sign language, and sing other cumulative songs such as “Bingo” and “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” We are having fun with the “Sunflower” song. We will practice playing a repeated triplet pattern with different instruments this week, and listen to a Social Story entitled How to Follow Directions. We will make textured rubbings in Art as we continue to collect items with different textures for our study of the Five Senses. We will also experiment with pastels at the easel.
Our trip to the Cowgirl Museum last week was very interesting. We learned how astronauts eat, dress, and even go to the bathroom in space. There were lots of hands-on materials to explore, and on the second floor we were able to pretend to cook food over a campfire, visit a teepee, and ride a horse like real cowboys and cowgirls.
This week in Nature/Science we will go on a Plant Hunt and label the parts of a plant and parts of a tree. We will try to match samples of textured fabrics and Montessori textured tablets while blindfolded, and we will play a game with a Touchy-Feely Secret Box.
In Bible we will continue to learn about The Fruit of the Spirit, “Faithfulness.” We will have a puppet show and learn about how Abraham was faithful to God. We will read Abraham is God’s Friend, and God Gives Abraham the Best in The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes.
In Phonics we will play Beginning Sounds Lotto and review letters A-F. We will trace the letters and practice sorting objects into letter tubs.
Our year is just flying by. School will be closed next Monday, May 4, for Cinco de Mayo holiday.

April 20

2009-04-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

This week we will continue readings from A Child’s Treasury of Beatrix Potter. We will narrate The Story of Miss Moppet and read The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin.
In Nature/Science we will collect textured items for our Nature Center as we explore our sense of touch. Your child may bring an item from home any time this month to share with friends and place in the Nature Center. Last week the children had fun matching samples of textured fabrics and Montessori textured tablets. This week we will begin to try to match them with our eyes closed (using only our sense of touch). We are planning to collect leaves and make leaf rubbings to place in the hall. We will plant tomatoes and zucchini in our garden. We will also read How Parrots Can Talk and Other Fun Facts About Birds, and think about how parrots talk, why birds sing, why swans have long necks, and what it takes to be a bird.
In Music/Art we will observe and draw a flowering Impatien, make a Zoodle sculpture, and paint on the easel (we will try to make a letter “Z”). We are having fun with our new song, “The Sunflower.” This week we will learn to differentiate between duple and triple meter and to vary our performance in response to musical cues.
In Phonics we will sort objects beginning with letters “y” and “z” as we say the sounds. We will dot paint the letters and sing the song, “Zippity Zoo”with the little books that we make. We will also work with Kumon mazes and play Beginning Sounds Lotto together.
In Bible we will learn about Daniel (Daniel 6: 1-23) and how he prayed to God even when praying was outlawed. Our Fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness. We will create a “Daniel Prayer”, and we will have a puppet show about Faithfulness called, “Remember Not to Forget.”
Our field trip to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is this Thursday. We will visit the Living in Space Exhibit, which is located on the first floor of the Cowgirl Museum. We will eat lunch at school as usual and leave for the Museum at 10:30. The cost for adults and children is $3.00. This is a special group price, so please let us know if you plan to attend. Mrs. Hague is collecting the money. A field trip permission sheet will be posted in the hall.

April 6-9

2009-04-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

This week we’re planning many fun activities for Easter. We’ll finish making Easter bonnets, fingerpaint big Easter eggs, and make Easter Bunny puppets.
We will play and sing “Rabbits Lunch” and “Bunny Comes to My House” in Music, and we’ll watch Beatrix Potter movies during rest time. We will read, In the Forest (a texture book), The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, and Rabbits and Raindrops. We will narrate The Tale of Flopsy Bunnies by Beatrix Potter.
In Science we will begin to paint and work on a book about the Solar System. We will also continue to explore our Sense of Touch by taking a Texture Walk around the playground and introducing Montessori texture tablets.
In Bible we will practice Kindness as we learn about our Fruits of the Spirit. We will read about the kindness of Boaz to Ruth and have a Puppet Show called “The Lost Money.”
Remember, our class will meet at Dalworthington Gardens Park on Tuesday, April 7 to feed the ducks. Please meet us there immediately after school.
We are planning a field trip to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History on Thursday, April 23 to visit the interactive Space exhibit for children located in the Cowgirl Museum. An information sheet is attached.
Our Easter party will be this Thursday, April 9. We will wear our Easter bonnets and have an Easter tea party. Please send an Easter basket and 12 filled plastic eggs (with wrapped candy or prizes), and seal them with tape. The hunt will begin at 2:30.

March 30-April 2

2009-03-30T21:01:00.000-07:00

This week in Nature Study we are learning about rabbits and ducks. We will narrate The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Runaway Bunny. We will practice sequencing with a flannel board story called Little Duck Tries His Voice, and learn about the lifecycle of the duck as we make and read A Duck’s Tale.
We will also sequence pictures of birds and Easter eggs. We will harvest vegetables from our garden, examine and compare the roots, and read about roots that we eat.
In Art/Music we are planning to make Easter Bonnets and begin to learn the songs, “In Your Easter Bonnet” and “Here comes Peter Cottontail.” We will learn the song, “Hunting For Eggs” as we take turns placing and counting eggs in a basket on the flannel board. We will also sing “ Picking Up Easter Eggs” and “Bunny Hopped Down The Road” in Creative Movement.
In Bible we will read, the story of Noah as we continue our study of the Fruits of the Spirit. We will have a puppet show called “Safe at Home,” and we will read Franklin Fibs and think about how telling the truth can give us peace.
In Science we will learn about “The Gas Giants,” Jupiter and Saturn. We will also begin to explore our Sense of Touch. We will introduce Montessori exercises for the thermic sense and Montessori textured boards.
Our Easter party will be on Thursday, April 9. Please send 12 filled plastic eggs (with wrapped candy or prizes), and please tape them shut. The children may bring their own Easter Baskets. Our Easter Egg hunt will be at 2:30. There will be a sign-up sheetin the hall for the party.

March 23-26

2009-03-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

This week we will continue our study of birds as we learn about ducks. We will do a picture study with Audubon Card #10, “Wood Duck”. We will read, The Story of Ping and Catching The Wind (about migration). We will narrate The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck (by Beatrix Potter), and we will learn about how birds fly as we read, Why Does It Fly.
We will make “listening ears” as part of our Five Senses Unit. We’ll also play Sound Lotto, experiment with sounds and play a guessing game in circle, and practice matching sounds with Montessori sound cylinders.
In Nature/Gardening we’re planning to plant and paint petunias and harvest our beets. We will draw the beets, wash them, cut them open, and investigate them in class. We will also press the leaves and read Our Two Gardens.
In Phonics, we will play an Explode the Code matching game with lowercase letters and objects. We will practice ending sounds with our Phonemic Awareness Stamp to Learn Program. We will sort objects beginning with the letters U and V into tubs, and we will search for hidden U’s and V’s in our Waldorf Alphabet Book (this book has lovely intricate paintings with hidden letters).
In Bible we will learn about patience as part of our study of the Fruits of The Spirit. We will read about how Abraham showed patience and have a puppet show entitled, “Waiting”.
On Tuesday, March 31, we would like to visit the duck pond at Veteran's Park after school. We will bring bread (you may bring something extra to feed the ducks if you like). Meet us at the duck pond immediately after picking up your child (the duck pond is adjacent to the playground). We hope that you can come (we would like to take pictures to include in their nature journal).

March 9-12

2009-03-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

Last week the children had fun in the garden as we planted herbs, compared the aromas, and discovered our senses of smell.
This week we will learn about our sense of hearing. We will introduce Montessori sound cylinders and practice matching sounds. We’ll also play Sound Lotto and go on a Sound Walk. We are reading about Meadowlarks (the state bird of Oklahoma), and we will listen for birds on our Sound Walk. We will do a picture study of a nesting Meadowlark with Audubon cards and we will observe the nests on the playground as we read about nests in our Christian Liberty Nature Reader.
In Social Studies, we will learn about the states that border Texas. (This week we will study Kansas). We will also learn about the planet, Uranus as we continue our study of the Solar System. We will make a Planet Eek workmat and play counting games with little “space creatures”.
We will read and narrate Thumbelina, by Hans Christian Anderson, and learn the “Thumbelina” song. We will also enjoy a flannelboard story, “The Bear and the Bees”.
In Creative Movement, we’re planning to blast off with music to “Adventure in Space”. We will make a joyful noise to the Lord with instruments. We will also pretend to be Thumbelina and dance together with beautiful scarves.
If you have not returned your child’s “Joyful” sheet that was sent home last week, he/she may still bring it to share in circle this week.
School will be dismissed next week (March 13-22) for Spring Break. Have a wonderful Holiday.

March 2-5

2009-03-02T21:38:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time at our “rodeo” last week. The children took turns lassoing the horse and tricking the bull, and then galloped with their horses outside. We made a pretend fire outside and sang our campfire songs, and they all participated really well. It was lots of fun.
In Social Studies this week, we will learn about Texas cities and rivers. We’ll read about famous people of Texas and about how Texans work and play. We’ll learn about Texas Mustangs as we read Where Horses Run Free, and we’ll read The City Mouse and the Country Mouse as we think about our homes and how they are special.
In Phonics we will make the letters S and T with Wiki Sticks and playdoh. We will also paint them on the easel, write them on our little chalkboards, and make them with dot paints.
In Creative Movement/Music we will pretend to be horses as we gallop to the William Tell Overture by Rossini. We will be sneaky little mice as we sing “Three Country Mice and Three City Mice”. We will continue to explore our Sense of Smell this week. We are learning to use the Montessori matching cards and cylinders, which are self-correcting. We will be “nose detectives” and play a game with smells. We’ll make “smelly fruit” with jello paint. We will also go on a walk to search for things that we can smell in our environment . Please send an item that smells from home to share on Thursday.
In Nature/Gardening we will harvest radishes from our garden. We’re planning to smell them, taste them, and draw pictures of them. We will learn about sparrows, make a sparrow, and read “Jenny Has a Good Word For Some Sparrows” in The Burgess Bird Book. We will smell and plant chives, basil, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, dill, rosemary, and thyme.
In Bible, we will study about Joy as part of our Fruit of the Spirit lesson. We will learn about how King David’s love for God caused him to dance in the street for joy, and we will dance for joy with instruments in class. I am sending home a sheet asking your child to think of 5 things that make him/her thankful and joyful. Please help them to return it to share with the class on Thursday.

Tuesday, February 23-26

2009-02-23T19:49:00.000-08:00

This week we will learn about the Alamo and Heroes of Texas in Social Studies. We will learn about Stephen F. Austin, William B. Travis, Davy Crockett, Sam Houston, and how they fought for Texas. We will make a pretend campfire on the playground and sing our campfire songs. We will finish sewing our stick horses this week and have a rodeo where we will lasso a steer, “trick” the bull, and have relays with our stick horses. We will read a tall tale about Little Old Big Beard, and we will read Cowboy Camp, T is for Texas, and Armadillo Rodeo.
In Phonics, we will learn our letter s and sing “Silly Snake”. We will practice matching beginning and ending sounds with stamps and sorting objects beginning with R S into letter tubs.
We will continue to learn about our Five Senses as we begin to explore our sense of smell. We will collect herbs and other items from the garden and playground to create a sachet. We will introduce a lesson with Montessori materials to compare and match smells. We will also play a Hide and Smell game.
In Bible we are learning about our Fruit of the Spirit, Love. This week our lesson is David and Jonathan. We will make a friendship collage by cutting out magazine pictures with our friends as we talk about love. We will have a puppet show on Thursday about love called, “Play Ball”.
In Nature we will learn about Blue Jays. We will read about Blue Jays in our Burgess Bird Book and learn about bird’s feathers by reading “ The Best Coat” and “The Bird’s Coat” in our Christian Liberty Nature Reader. We will also read, “Blue Jays” form Johnny and the Birds. On Thursday, we will send a baggie home with the children. Please help your child to become aware of things that “smell” and choose one to share with the class on Monday.

February 17-19

2009-02-17T18:19:00.000-08:00

This week we will read The Nightingale by Hans Christian Anderson and watch the movie, The Nightingale, which has wonderful music and language. We’ll also paint a picture of a Nightingale and learn about the bird. (The name has been used for over 1, 000 years, and means “night songstress”). We will read about Mockingbirds in The Burgess Bird Book and we will read Mockingbird Morning by Joanne Ryder.
We will continue our study of Texas and pretend to be cowboys in Creative Movement. We’re learning new Texas songs (such as Texas Our Texas, Home on the Range, Deep in the Heart of Texas, and Kumbaya) to sing around the campfire. We’ll read, L is for Lone Star, Cowboy Ned and Andy, and Texas Facts and Symbols.
In Art, we will begin to make our stick horses for our rodeo. We will be practicing our sewing skills for this project. We will also be painting on the easel.
In Science we will begin to learn about the parts of plants. We have new Montessori puzzles and nomenclature cards for the parts of the plants. We also have the matching flannel board activity.
Please send a snack to share for snacktime if you haven’t yet (no peanut butter, please).

Valentine Party!

2009-02-13T14:04:00.000-08:00

Our Valentine Party was a blast. The children made cards,
got balloons, had cupcakes and cookies, and got lots of wonderful treats.