Visits & Volcanoes

Theme:  Letter "V"
Vegetables, Vines, Van, Vet, Vacuum, Violet, Vulture, Violin, Vase, Very...

Choosing Time:  Dinosaurs, Letter "V" Memory, Balloons, Magnets,...

Game:  Eat Your Vegetables!  I had a box of vegetable pictures.  I threw a pea to one child.  He would throw it back saying, "I love my vegetables!  In my garden I'll plant..."  The child then chose one vegetable out of the box.  The next child would add his vegetable after repeating what the first child had said....It was a great game for memory and sequencing.  It was also fun to learn about some unique vegetables such as artichokes, Swiss chard, turnips, and beets.

Snacks:

• Veggie Sticks, Ice Cream, & Granola Bars
• Cheese Sticks
• Crackers & Cheese
• Grapes (that grow on a Vine)
• Grapes, Cookies, & Cheese

Science:

• Volcanoes:  We learned a little bit about volcanoes and how living things have been preserved in lava.  We were able to see how baking soda and vinegar produce bubbles that causes the liquid to rise and flow.  Although our volcano was harmless and not hot, the reaction is similar to what happens in a real volcano.
• Vultures:  Vultures are Nature's Garbage Collectors.  We watched a brief video to learn a bit about them.  

Birthday:  Happy Birthday Guy!  Thanks for bringing in some yummy treats to share with us!

Music & Movement:

• I am learning Letter "V"
• Make "V" with body
• "V" Jacks
• Tiny Turtle
• Birthday Dance

Art: 
Carrot "V" growing in garden

Writing:  We practiced "V" and made a volcano out of a "V" which several children made a connection between "M" & "V"  :)

Special Visits:

• BYU Museum of Paleontology--We loved seeing the dinosaur bones and touching fossils.  We also saw some beautiful crystals that are formed inside of a volcano.
• Day's Market--We had a lovely tour of the store.  We shivered inside the enormous fridge and freezer.  We stood remarkably still as we watched the box crusher.  We politely thanked them when they gave us each a delicious cookie :)

Cute Saying:  While we were playing our Vegetable Game, one child said, "I really love tomatillos, they're my favorite vegetables!"  I was impressed that a 3 yr. old knows what they are and likes them.

Who is Under the Umbrella?

Theme:  Letter U

Choosing Time:  Elevator Up Game, Letter "U" Matching Game

Art:

• "U" and Upside Down
• Un-Birthday Balloon Painting
• What does your Universe look like?

Games:  

• Who is Hiding Under the Umbrella?
• Pin the Horn on the Unicorn
• What letter is this?  What sound does it make?  (Then rewarded with a Universe rubber band)
• Hit the Balloon with your Birthday Blower Relay

Reading:  We focused on the endings -ug, -un, and -ut.  We practiced these endings on their own and then put consonants in front of the endings to make words.  Some kiddos were really good at this!

Snacks:

• Ugly Brownie Bites Under Umbrellas
• Under the Sea fish crackers & "Un-Popped" that I popped Popcorn

Music & Movement:

• "I am Learning Letter "U"
• A Very Merry Un-Birthday
• Make "U" with our bodies

Funny Moments:

• I asked a child if she wanted "more on" her paper (referring to paint).  Another child reprimanded me saying, "Miss Jodi, You said 'moron!'" 

Books:
The Umbrella 
&

Turtles, Trucks, Trains, & Teddy

Theme:  Letter "T"
I brought in a Tool Box.  We took turns choosing a "T" item from it.  Some of the items had corresponding activities.  We practiced the "T" sound and how to write it. When "T" is placed with "H" it makes a special sound.

Special Guest:
My son, Noah, visited each class to demonstrate a Trumpet.  We had fun guessing the tunes he played.  We learned about the different parts of a trumpet.

Choosing Time:  Trains, Tinker Toys, Trucks, Floor Puzzles...

Music & Movement:

• "T" Jacks
• Ten Exercises
• Tick Tock
• Tiny Turtle
• Drivin' In My Truck
• Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Fire Truck

Books:

 

Science:
We looked at a book about animals with amazing Tongues & Teeth

Snack:

• Tasty Tortilla Triangle Crisps
• Tangerines & Teddy Grahams
• Taffy, Tree Top Apple Juice, & Fish Crackers
• Pretzels, Fruit Snacks, & Graham Crackers
• Popcorn, Carrots, & Watermelon
• Pretzels & Fruit Snacks
• Crackers, Cheese, & Fruit Snacks

 Art:

• Triangle Turtle Shells (Thank you to Sarah for all the fabric!!!!)
• "Two-lips"
• Turtle, Teddy, or Train Tracings

Reading:  the, this, to, that, so, & she

Spring Fun

Choosing Time:  Bunny & Egg Pop-ups, Bunny Rockets, Bunny Bowling, Bunny Jumpers, Alphabet Egg Uppercase/Lowercase Matching Game, Easter Stamping/Sticker Cards, Bunny Builders, Easter Puzzles

Music & Movement:

• House in the Middle of the Woods
• Bunny Hop
• See Me Run
• Hi, My Name is O
• Primary Colors

Games:

• E/e Egg Matching Game
• Choose an egg to tell the Real Easter Story
• What hatches from eggs?  (also a good Science discussion)
• Easter Egg Hunt

Kitchen Fun:  We made "Bird Nest"  Rice Krispy Treats with Jelly Bean Eggs

Art:

• Paint Pots
• Easter Chicks

Gardening:  We enjoyed planting some Rye Grass in our pots.  We are so excited to watch the grass grow in about seven days.  We learned that if our plant gets too dry it will die and if it gets too wet it will drown.  We also learned that plants need sun, good soil, and water to grow.  Once the grass becomes unruly, feel free to give it a "hair-cut".  It will grow for awhile longer :)

Snacks:

• Strawberry appleSauce
• Popcorn with Easter Marshmallows
• Goldfish, Craisins, Fruit Snacks, & Popcorn
• Cheese Slices, Pretzels, & Raisins
• Clementines & Goldfish Crackers
• Hugs Drinks, Oreos,

T/TH PM Class Field Trip: We had a wonderful visit to Petco.  We saw dogs being groomed.  We pet a rat.  We learned about ferrets and chinchillas.  We saw scorpions, taranchalas, lizards, turtles, frogs, tortoise, fish, snakes, mice, hamsters, birds, & rats.


Books:
 

Rocks & Rainbows

Theme:  Letter "R"
 We met Ricky Raccoon. We had fun practicing writing "R/r".  Sometimes it is hard to remember the "R" sound.  We tend to want to say, "ruh," instead or "urr". 

Cutest Saying:  As we were discussing "R", one little girl piped up, "R, is for Romance!"


Choosing Time:  Radish "R" Game, Peel Crayons for Art project, Little People Village...

Books:


Art: 

• Rainbow Rocks
• Rainbow Necklaces

Music & Movement:  

• Ring Around the Roses
• Rain, Rain, Go Away
• Rain is Falling All Around
• There was a Little House in the Middle of the Woods
• Chubby Little Snowman
• I Can Make a Rainbow
• Row, Row, Row, your Boat
• See Me Run
• Do your Ears Hang Low?
• Making "R" with our bodies
• Rocking on our tummies
• Rolling/Doing Somersaults
  

Game:  Raindrops Falling (with the help of a spray bottle)

Science:

1. We made a rainbow by using water, light, and a mirror
2. We learned about the Primary colors and how when combined, they make new colors called the Secondary colors

Snacks:

• Yogurt Covered Raisins
• "Round" things:  Cookies & Grapes
• "Really" yummy Cheese with Ritz Crackers & Raisins & Raspberries
• Cheeze-its & Fruit Snacks
• Cheese Sticks, Raisins, & Clementines

Field Trip:
The M/W PM class had a fun time walking up to a field near my house to gather the rocks we used for our Rainbow Rocks.  This was a fun little outing to get outside, choose some special rocks, and look for signs of Spring.