Monday, April 6

Here we are again!  

Welcome to another week of online preschool!

Mom or Dad, stop by school as soon as possible to pick up your supplies.  They'll be out on the front

porch by the door.  Please remember to only pick up one bag so that there are enough for everyone.

Can someone be my calendar helper today?  I can't quite remember what day it is.  Could you check Mom or Dad's calendar in your house?  Maybe you have one on the refrigerator.  I know yesterday was Sunday, so today is... ?

The weather today is supposed to be ---------.  Will we all be able to go outside?  

EVERYONE

Yesterday was Palm Sunday.  Did you watch Ms. Julie read the Palm Sunday story?

We don't have palm trees here in Maryland, but we do have lots of other kinds of trees.  Today's outside hunt will be for a good leaf.  

Will it be a big one or a small one?  Is it a brand new leaf or one from last fall?  How can you tell if it is new or old?  What color is it?  Remember, we try to leave things we find in nature where they are.  If it is a new leaf, take a picture of it.  If it is an old one that has fallen off the tree, it's okay to bring it inside.  Can you identify what kind of tree it came from?  Here's are links to help you name some of the trees that grow in Maryland.  - https://www.towson.edu/campus/landmarks/glen/trees.html  or 

https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/TreeGuide_Common-Broadleaf.pdf

2s:  Palm Sunday

In your bag this week you'll find: green paper, a pipe cleaner, a bag of jelly beans (try not to eat them, Mom or Dad), a paper egg and some Q-tips.  

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem before Passover.  To welcome Jesus to the city, people laid their coats and palm leaves in the streets for him to ride his donkey on.  

First, you can watch a short video about Palm Sunday through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTmbTuutBgg

You can make your own palm leaf to welcome Jesus this week!  You'll need the green paper, the pipe cleaner, a pair of scissors for Mom or Dad, and a stapler.  

Have Mom or Dad trace your hand four times on the pieces of paper.  Have them cut out your traced hands.  Now staple them to the pipe cleaner so that it looks like a palm leaf.  It will look something like this...

3s: Palm Sunday

In your bag this week you'll find: a piece of wood, green paper shaped like a leaf, a pipe cleaner, 2 doilies, a cotton ball, pink bunny ears, a graph for jelly beans, a baggie of jelly beans (don't eat them yet!), sequins, an egg cutting page, a cutout of a cross, tissue paper squares, and some wax paper.

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem before Passover.  To welcome Jesus to the city, people laid their coats and palm leaves in the streets for him to ride his donkey on.  

1.  Palm Sunday

First, you can watch a short video about Palm Sunday through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTmbTuutBgg

2.  Make a palm leaf

You can make your own palm leaf to welcome Jesus this week!  You'll need the green paper that 's shaped like a leaf, the pipe cleaner, a pair of scissors, and a stapler.  

You'll see that on the 'leaf' there are three black lines on each side.  Use one hand to hold the paper leaf in your hand with your scissors in the other.  Remember how to properly hold your scissors?  Thumb in the 'thumb hole' with 3 fingers in the other hole.  Open, shut them, open, shut them, open, shut them.

Cut on the thick, black line from the outside of the leaf.  Make sure you stop where the line stops!  There are six lines in all.

Next, have your grown-up staple the pipe cleaner down the middle of the leaf.  Now you can wave it!

4s: Palm Sunday and the Letter W

In your bag this week you'll find: a large green 'leaf', a pipe cleaner, the letter W practice page, a numbers practice page, a wooden block, a white page with egg, a pink page with an egg, a brad, a jellybean graph, a small bag of jellybeans with the Jellybean Prayer , a white sheet with an egg and squiggly lines, a page with a cross, and some tissue paper squares.

1.  Palm Sunday

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem before Passover.  To welcome Jesus to the city, people laid their coats and palm leaves in the streets for him to ride his donkey on.  

First, you can watch a short video about Palm Sunday through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTmbTuutBgg

2.  Make a palm leaf

You can make your own palm leaf to welcome Jesus this week!  You'll need the green paper that 's shaped like a leaf, the pipe cleaner, a pair of scissors, and a stapler.  

You'll see that on the 'leaf' there are four lines on each side.  Use one hand to hold the paper leaf in your hand with your scissors in the other.  Remember how to properly hold your scissors?  Thumb in the 'thumb hole' with 3 fingers in the other hole.  Open, shut them, open, shut them, open, shut them.

Cut on the line from the outside of the leaf.  Make sure you stop where the line stops!  There are eight lines in all.

Next, have your grown-up staple the pipe cleaner down the middle of the leaf.  Now you can wave it!

W is for watermelon!

3.  Letter W

You'll need your practice page for the letter W, either in your packet or on our website (-------------).

The letter W makes the /wuh/ sound, like in water, when, wind and wonderful.

Practice writing the letter W.  The upper- and lowercase look the same, but the lowercase W is smaller.  To make a W, you make a big line down on an angle, go up, go down, go up!  First use your finger to trace over the black Ws.  Use your pencil, crayon or marker to trace over the gray Ws.  Now, do it all on your own!

Palm Sunday Story with Ms. Julie

Play-dough Recipe

Homemade Play-dough

In a saucepan mix:

1 cup flour
1 cup water + coloring
1/2 cup salt
1 Tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Mix ingredients together.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick.
Cook until dry.
Turn out and knead.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt with Ms. Penny

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I1OI8jiW7iMaeHezWrMBriw49TZ8KrD4/view?usp=sharing

Friday, April 3

Finally, it's Friday!

We've made it through our first week.  I'm not sure what next week will hold, being told to stay at home now.

The teachers and I are very excited with the pictures you've been sending!  You can email them to the preschool email so that I can share them with your teacher.  (wardschapelpreschool@verizon.net)

Looks like it's going to be another good day to go outside, but you'll need a jacket I think.

EVERYONE

When you go outside today, see if you can find any daffodils in your neighborhood or your yard.  Here's a picture of one.

Daffodils always remind me of the sun.  Why do you think that is?  Take a good look and tell me why.

Can you draw a picture of a daffodil taking in some sunshine?  What color do you think you'll use the most of?

2s: It's Frog Friday!

1. Do you know the Five Speckled Frogs song?  Your child does.  Can you sing it with them?  The 2s usually only do 3 frogs and count backward to 0.  Use your fingers to show the frogs.  

Here are the lyrics:

Five little speckled frogs
Sitting on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs - yum, yum
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Now there are four green speckled frogs - glub, glub, glub, glub.

Four little speckled frogs
Sitting on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs - yum, yum
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Now there are three green speckled frogs - glub, glub, glub.

Three little speckled frogs

Sitting on a speckled log

Eating some most delicious bugs - yum, yum

One jumped into the pool

Where it was nice and cool

Now there are two green speckled frogs - glub, glub.

Two little speckled frogs

Sitting on a speckled log

Eating some most delicious grubs - yum, yum

One jumped into the pool

Where it was nice and cool

Now there are one green speckled frogs- glub.

One little speckled frogs

Sitting on a speckled log

Eating some most delicious grubs - yum, yum

One jumped into the pool

Where it was nice and cool

Now there are no green speckled frogs - ribit.

2.  Make a paper plate frog.  You'll need glue (Elmer's or a glue stick), green and/or brown paper, a strip of red paper and a large paper plate.  A small plate works too!

Have your child tear the paper into small pieces.  With the plate on the table back side up, have your child glue the pieces of paper onto the back side of the plate, as much as they are willing to do.  

On one edge of the plate, add some BIG eyes to the frog.  Now fold the plate in half and glue the red strip into the 'mouth' of the frog.  Show your child how to hold the folded plate between their hands to make the mouth open and close.

What can you catch with the frog's mouth?  Use raisins or little paper balls as 'flies'.  How many can your child catch and put into a bowl?

3s: Frogs, Frogs, Frogs

1.  You'll need a paper towel roll, crayons or markers, scissors, glue, and a stapler.  Hopefully, paper towels are still available in your house!
Print 5 Speckled Frogs file from our website. http://hstrial-wardschapelpr.homestead.com/5_Speckled_Frogs.pdf

That's right - my frog is blue!

Color in your frogs.
Using the scissors, cut along the dotted line at the bottom of the page.  Now, cut the 5 frogs into strips.
Take one strip and wrap it around your paper towel tube.  Put a staple in near the tube - not too close or the strips won't spin!
Repeat this with all five frogs.

As you sing the Five Speckled Frogs song, you can spin down each frog to show them in the water! Each time you say 'glub' touch one of the frogs on the log, going from left to right.

2.  At a quick glance, you can tell a frog from a toad because frogs legs are so much longer and stronger.  That's how they jump so far!  Frogs can jump up to 6 feet!  And they need those strong legs for swimming in the water.

Measure 6 feet on the floor or sidewalk.  Can you jump that far?  How far can you jump?  How many blocks, stuffed animals or cereal boxes long is it?  You can use anything to measure!

4s: U or V Show & Tell and Fabulous Frogs

1.  You know the drill... Practice writing your name and your numbers.

2.  Today is Show & Tell with the Letter U or the Letter V.  What will you choose?  A violin?  An umbrella?  Your voice?  How about a utensil?
Have each person in your family find something in the house that begins with the letter U or V.  Show them how to take turns for Show & Tell.  Have Mom or Dad write each person's word on a piece of paper.  Remember to use an uppercase letter if it is a person's name!  Talk about how many Us or Vs are in the word.  If Vivienne was my show and tell today, her name starts with 'V', so it's uppercase.  (Shout-out to Viv!)

Show & Tell is a great way for your child to practice their vocabulary and public speaking skills!

3.  Let's talk some more about frogs and how they come to be.
You'll need glue, scissors and crayons/markers/colored pencils.

Do you remember watching the frog video yesterday?  Go ahead and watch it again if you need a refresher!  http://hstrial-wardschapelpr.homestead.com/Online-Preschool-Information.html?_=1585677315521

While you're there, print out the Frog Life Cycle Cards and the Frog Life Cycle page from the 4s section.

This tiny tree frog is about as big as
my thumb!

Frogs begin as an egg (or frog spawn), become a tadpole, then a froglet, and then an adult frog.

Cut out the page of photo cards and mix them up.  Can you put them back in the correct order?  What if Mom or Dad removes one when you're not looking.  Can you tell which one is missing?

Now color the drawings of the frog's life cycle.  You can make your frog any color!  In real life, frogs come in all colors and sizes, just like people!

Tape two pieces of paper together if you don't have a big piece.  Can you glue the pictures down in the correct order?
Go tell someone else about the frog life cycle!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

XXOO,
Ms. Bridget

Thursday, April 2

Morning all!
I hope that everyone is getting the hang of using this blog and doing activities with your child.

Two things I want you to remember as parents...
1.  It's the process, not the product.  In other-words, it doesn't matter what it turns out to look like, it's all about the creation.  Frogs can be pink and a chick's eyes may be by their feet.  Perfection is highly over-rated.
2.  Use what you've got.  Don't have paint?  Use something else - crayons, markers, make your own paint.  No glue?  Tape works too.  Don't sweat not having every little bit of material laying around.

EVERYONE:

Today's outdoor goal is to count the number of steps to your mailbox.  We're all going to need some help here.  Try it more than once - take big steps, normal steps and then tiptoe.  Which do you think will be the highest number?  Some of our 4s with older siblings can skip-count.  Use a small token for each 10 steps.  Can you skip-count by 10s to see how many steps there are?

READ to your child at least 30 minutes today!

These Blue Morpho Butterflies loved
Zane's bright shirt!  They stayed on his
shoulder the whole time we were at
the Butterfly Conservatory.

2s: Jeweled Butterflies

1.  Watch the video on our website of Eric Carle reading his book the Very Hungry Caterpillar.  (http://hstrial-wardschapelpr.homestead.com/Online-Preschool-Information.html?_=1585519659098)
2. You'll need from your bag: the foam butterfly and the handful of sequins.  You'll also need glue (like Elmer's).
     If you're feeling adventurous, let your child dot glue on their butterfly.
     "Just a dot, not a lot" is a good way to keep it to a minimum.
     Let them place their jewels on their butterfly.  One jewel at a time is great fine motor practice for your child.
     If you have a magnet, glue it to the back so it can be hung on the refrigerator.  Or tape it in a window so the jewels sparkle.
3.  Build with blocks.  Let your child practice making a tower.  How high can they go?  Talk about the number, count with them repeating the numbers.  Talk about the colors of the blocks.  Ask what they are building.  No blocks?  No problem!  Use boxes, spice bottles, or cans.  Avoid Legos because they stick together.  Let the tower fall.  Build it again!  Can you get just one more on there??

3s: Hop on in!  Let's learn about some 'leapers' today!

1.  Watch the video on our website about the frog life cycle.  (http://hstrial-wardschapelpr.homestead.com/Online-Preschool-Information.html?_=1585519659098)
2.  Using from your bag: the frog life cycle pages and the brown book.  You'll also need: a glue stick, crayons or markers.
     After you've watched the video, just look at the 5 pictures of the frog's life cycle with your child.  Do any of them look the same or similar?  Can you spot the subtle differences?  Which one do you think will come first?  What comes next?  How many pictures are there?

This is a Maryland Wood Frog.

     Let your child color the pictures of the frogs.
     Now put the pictures in order 1-5.
     Let your child use the glue to attach the cover to the brown book.  Now talk about the first picture of the frog eggs again.  Glue that into the book.  Continue until complete.
3.  Leap around like frogs!  Use pillows or another object as lily pads.

4s: Fantastic Frogs

This is an American Bullfrog.  He's a
relative of the frog in our classroom.

1.  Watch the video on our website about the frog life cycle.  (http://hstrial-wardschapelpr.homestead.com/Online-Preschool-Information.html?_=1585519659098)
2.  Many animals can jump.  A frog can jump 6 feet!  A grasshopper can jump 5 feet and a kangaroo 15 feet!
What you'll need: a tape measure and masking tape.
First, talk about the tape measure and what it's used for.  Show your child the numbers on the tape.  Show them how to measure something small, like their foot.
Mark on the floor a starting line.  Now measure out from the start and put a small piece of tape at 5, 6, and 15 feet.
Show your child how to use both feet together to jump from the starting line.  Don't worry - no one's looking at you!  Have your family take turns jumping and mark where each person jumps.  Take 3 turns each.
Who jumped the furthest?  The shortest?  Why?  What other animals can jump?  What happens if you run and then jump?  Find out!
3.  Draw a picture of something that begins with the letter U or V.  Can't think of anything?  Show your child how to use the dictionary!
4.  Practice your name and the letters U & V.

Wednesday, April 1

Hello!

It's April Fools Day!  Did anyone play a joke on you?  When my children were little, the used to like to hide a rubber spider in the Cheerios box for Mr. Dan's breakfast.  He was so surprised!

What will the weather be like today?  Could you check for me and then sing the Weather Watcher song really loudly so that I can hear it at my house?

Today's EVERYONE outdoor assignment:

This is a Glass Wing Butterfly.  

Got a driveway or sidewalk at your house?  Use it as a canvas to draw a masterpiece with some chalk   No chalk at home?  Try one of these instead: http://www.mommysuite.com/3-sidewalk-chalk-alternatives/

Read to your child for at least 30 minutes.

2s:  We're talking about beautiful butterflies today! 

1. Watch the Very Hungry Caterpillar video on our website.  http://hstrial-wardschapelpr.homestead.com/Online-Preschool-Information.html?_=1585536856700

2.  Using the white paper butterfly from your bag, paint with drops of watercolors.  Show your child how to they can dip a straw into the paint and make circles on the butterfly's wings.

3. Have some plastic Easter eggs left from last year?  Break them out early!

This Blue Morpho Butterfly was
making Mr. Dan laugh because its
wings tickled his face!

     Take a few eggs apart and see if your child can put them back together - it doesn't matter if they match or not!  Talk about the colors and how you need two parts to make the egg whole.  Now see if they can name the colors.

3s:  Caterpillars 

1. Watch the Very Hungry Caterpillar video on our website.  http://hstrial-wardschapelpr.homestead.com/Online-Preschool-Information.html?_=1585536856700

2.  From your bag you'll need: the handful of pompoms, the popsicle stick and the pipe cleaner.  You'll also need glue (like Elmer's).
     Look at the pompoms.  Talk about the colors.  Ask questions.  Which color do you have the most of?  The least?  Are they all the same size?  How many are there?  Put your finger on each one as you count.
     Help your child put a line of glue down the popsicle stick.  Glue the pompoms on one at a time, counting each one.  Use the pipe cleaner to make antenna - twist it around the stick between the first and second pompom.
     Where will your caterpillar live?  What will it eat?  What kind of butterfly will it become?

Can you tell something is moving
the limbs on this tree?  What is it?

4s: Wonderful Wind/Letters U and V

1.  Where does the wind come from?  Can you see it?  How do we know when it's there?  Go outside.  Is it windy today?  How can you tell?

What you'll need: a hairdryer and a collection of different small objects from around the house.  Examples: a fork, a paperclip, a tissue, a coin, a crayon, a baggie, pieces of paper in different sizes, a pingpong ball (because we all have those, right?).

Make two columns on a page labeled 'Yes' and 'No'.  Write down the items you found on the left side of the page.

By now, the children are familiar with predicting or guessing.  Talk about each item they've found.  Ask 'Do you think the wind will blow it?'  Have them mark on the paper yes or no.  Then conduct the experiment.  'Were you correct?'  Have them circle their answer if they were correct.

Now ask why did our 'wind' move some objects and not others?

2. Practice writing your first and last name, the numbers 1-5 and letters U & V.

'See' you all tomorrow!