Routine, Chore and Kindness Cards

Hi all! 
Someone else asked and I'm going to share with all again...

Here's a link to three files for Routine, Chore and Kindness Cards.

In times like this when uncertainty and anxiety is so prevalent, it's important to keep to a routine for your children for several reasons.

1. Routines give children a sense of security and stability.
Routines help children feel safe and secure in their environment. Young children gain an understanding of everyday events and procedures and learn what is expected of them as routines make their environment more predictable. Routines can also help children establish trust if they feel comfortable in their environment.

2. Routines influence children's social, emotional, and cognitive development.
Children who have effective routines are often more engaged with their environment and the people around them. Young children learn to anticipate changes in routines, and they slowly become more independent as they learn what each routine entails. If routines are predictable, have appropriate transition cues, and have room for flexibility, routines will also help reduce challenging behaviors (tantrums, hitting, biting, etc.) in children.

3. Everyday routines can be used as teachable moments.
Everyday routines are full of learning opportunities for young children. For example, you can start teaching children the importance of washing their hands before eating or the importance of brushing their teeth. You can also use these everyday routines as opportunities to talk with young children and help them develop their communication skills.

Here you go!
http://hstrial-wardschapelpr.homestead.com/Online-Preschool-Information.html?_=1585516057134

Tuesday, March 31

Good morning, friends!

Looks like we made it through our first day of Online Preschool!

I'm hoping everyone had a chance to stop by preschool and pick up your supplies.  It's not too late if you haven't.

Looks like it's going to be another good day to get outside and play for a bit!

For these projects, please keep in mind that you don't need to have your child complete any of them all at once!  You can do some and then come back later to complete it.  If your child loses interest, they will not retain any of the information.

This Eastern Blue Bird visits my backyard.  I have
quite a few bird feeders.

EVERYONE:

Today, I want you to look for birds.  How do they move?  Do they all look the same?  Do you have any bird feeders in your yard?  I have LOTS!  If you sit quietly, you can watch the birds while they look for food.  Choose your favorite and draw a picture or find a picture online of it.

Read to your child for at least 30 minutes.

Here's a song about chicks...
(to the tune Are You Sleeping?)
Wake up little chick, wake up little chick
Move around, move around
Give a little tick, tick
And a little peck, peck
Welcome chick!  Welcome chick!

2s:

1.  Review the chicken life cycle.  Show your child the pictures and talk about each one.
2.  You'll need from your bag: the paper plate, the yellow strip of paper, the orange paper, and the eye stickers.  Paint or color the plate yellow.  Have your child tear the yellow strip into smaller pieces.  Glue the pieces onto the plate.  Mom/Dad/Older Sibling - cut the orange paper into a triangle for a beak.  Have your child glue on the beak.  Add they eyes last.
* You don't need to have your child do all of it at once.

3.  Make your child a 'chick sandwich' for lunch.  Use a piece of carrot or cheese for a beak, raisin eyes, apple slices for wings.

3s:  

1.  Review the chicken life cycle.  Show your child the pictures and talk about each one.
     Ask questions like: Where is the _____?  What color is the _____?  Which card is first?
     Try removing one and see if they can fill in the missing stage.

2.  You'll need the feather from your bag and some paint.  Talk about the feather - color, weight, shape, etc.  What do you think will happen if you throw it in the air?  What will happen if you put it in water - will it sink or float?  Use the feather to paint.  How is that different from using a paintbrush?
Did you find any feathers outside on your walk?

4s: 

1.  Continue to practice writing your name.
     Today, practice writing the numbers 1-5, the letter U and the letter V.
2.  Find 10 of something - cereal, Legos, buttons, shoes, etc.  Can you point to each and count to 10?  Can you count backwards from 10?  What happens if you take 5 away?
3.  Ask Mom or Dad for a magazine, catalog or newspaper (watch out for the pictures here).  Pick a page and circle all the Us and Vs on the page.
4.  You'll need the Letter U card from your packet.  It has an umbrella on it.  First, can you circle all the Us on the card?  Next, get a hole puncher and punch out all the upper and lower case Us.  Finally, color the umbrella.  Will it be a rain umbrella or a beach umbrella?

Remember to check out our other blogs for the chicks and the caterpillars!

Ms. Julie reads a bible story about My Buddy God

Monday, March 30

Happy Monday Morning preschool friends and families!

This one's long because it's day one - I'll keep it shorter after this!

The teachers have said that they miss you all very much!  They would love for you to send pictures of what you and your families are doing while we're not together.  

So, here's what we're going to do...

There are boxes by the Preschool front door - labeled, one for each age group.  In the boxes are bags of supplies for this week's activities.  If you are able, please pick up the supplies for the week.  If you're unable, just improvise at home.  Please, only take one bag so that there are enough for all!

Every day you'll check here for activities that your teachers have planned for you.  If your parents can, we'd love to have a picture of you working or with your finished work.

Also, I will give you an activity that will take you outside for a walk or in the yard to find a specific object.  Then you'll make something with your find.  I'd love to see a picture or drawing of what you make!

We now have a private page on our website for printables and video links for our activities each week. You cannot get to it through the menu; you must use this link.  Go to: http://hstrial-wardschapelpr.homestead.com/Online-Preschool-Information.html?_=1585519659098  

This week at preschool we would have been talking about life cycles - chickens, butterflies, and frogs.  How do these amazing creatures grow from tiny little eggs?  Do they just pop out of their eggs as the critters we expect?  No, they don't.  They go through different stages and change.  We call that a 'life cycle'.

Today's work...

2s - This week is all about chicks!

In your bag you'll find: 1- paper plate, eye stickers, 2- butterfly cut-outs (1 paper, 1 foam), sequins, a feather, and a strip of yellow paper.

1. Use the cards on our website to talk about the life cycle: 
The mommy hen lays an egg. She then takes care of it by sitting on the egg to keep it warm. After about 21 days, the mommy hen will feel the egg start to wiggle and the baby chick will use its beak to hatch out of the egg. 
2.  You'll need the feather from your bag and some paper and paints.  No paint?  No problem!  Use water and food coloring.  
     Talk about the feather - it's color, shape, texture (how does it feel?)  What will happen if you drop the feather?  Will the feather sink or float in a bowl of water?
     Use the feather for painting
3. Read to your child for at least 30 minutes.

3s - You'll be talking about life cycles - today, chicks.

In your bag you'll find: a brown paper book, 6 pages of the frog life cycle, a feather, a yellow 'O' and a yellow oval, 2- white eggs, a handful of pompoms, a Popsicle stick, a piece of pipe cleaner and a yellow cotton ball.

1. Use the cards on our website to talk about the life cycle.

Look at the cards and talk about each picture before you explain anything.  You can then help your child put the cards in order while asking questions.  For example - Do we start with the egg or the chicken?  

Here's how the life cycle goes (just in case you need a refresher...):

The hen lays an egg. She takes care of it by sitting on the egg to keep it warm. After about 21 days, the hen will feel the egg start to wiggle and the baby chick will use its beak to hatch out of the egg.  When the chicks come out, they are wet and tired from the hard work of breaking that egg.  Soon, they will dry and become fluffy.  It takes about 3 weeks for a chick to become a poult and then it becomes a chicken.

2. You'll need: glue or a glue stick, a pair of scissors, markers/crayons and a piece of paper.
From your bag, you'll need the yellow 'O', the yellow oval, the cotton ball and the 2 white eggs.
Put the white egg on the page.  Using scissors, cut the other egg in half (here you can talk about how when we make two pieces from one, we call that a 'half').  Glue the two halves on the page.  Using the yellow ovals and the cotton ball, make a 'chick'.  Give it a beak, legs and eyes.

It's supposed to be a beautiful day today - make sure you get outside to play!  There's a picture on the website to give you an idea.

3. Read to your child for at least 30 minutes.

Umbrella begins with U

4s - Today, let's talk about the Letters U and V

In your packet you'll find: an alphabet chart to help with writing practice at home, letter U practice, letter V practice, letter U block page, letter V block page.

Every day - practice writing your name - first and last, using upper and lower case letters.  

1.  Talk about the letters.  What do they look like?  What sound do they make?  

     Letter U makes two sounds - 'you' as in unicorn and 'uh' as in umbrella

     Letter V makes the 'vvvv' sound - put your teeth on the inside of your lips - as in violin, very, violet

     Can you think of any words that might have the U or V sound?

2.  Practice writing the letters U and V.  Remember, they're similar - one has a curvy bottom and one has a pointy bottom.  They both start at the top, long line down, *curve or point*, long line up.  Lower case U has a tail.

3. Practice saying your favorite nursery rhyme.  Ask Mom or Dad what their favorite is and learn that one!

4. Read to your child for at least 30 minutes.

EVERYONE - During your outside time today find a rock that will fit in your hand.  Bring it inside with you if Mom and Dad will let you.  Fill a bowl with warm water and soap.  Get an old toothbrush and give your rock a bath.  Use a towel to dry your rock and let it dry for a while.  Once the rock is good and dry, decorate your rock or make something out of it.  You can use crayons, paint, glitter and glue, chalk, tissue paper and glue, feathers... anything you have laying around.  You can make something with your rock - will it be a couch for your Lego men, a paperweight, a centerpiece for you dinner table?  (The point is to have your child use their imagination)  Send a picture of your creation!

Paint Recipe

No paint at home?  No worries - here's a recipe that uses things you have in your kitchen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20ApiVgm9GI

Chick and Butterfly Blogs

Chick Blog: https://wardspeeppage.blogspot.com/

Butterfly Blog: https://wardsbutterflies.blogspot.com/

Hello Friends!

Hi Friends,

First of all, I want you to know that your teachers and I miss you all very much!
Your teachers are keeping busy learning lots of new things to share with you when we come back to school.

By Monday, I'll have lots of daily information for you and your parents, including activities from your teachers and me so that you can do things at home to keep learning.

Check back Monday morning at 9:00 - same time I greet the morning friends at the door to start our day together.  Our afternoon friends can check in early.

Can't wait to share all the fun with you!

Love,
Ms. Bridget