Preschool Day 2 - Thursday, August 12, 2010

Day 2 – Thursday, August 12, 2010 – 1:30-3:30

Pray together.

BIBLE
Read Gen 1:9-13 (dry land, trees, sea, plants) from a Bible and use The Jesus Bible Storybook to show pictures to the children. This passage covers Day 3. (My Father’s World)

Create Day 3 page. For Day 3: Cut out pieces of construction paper for ocean, hill, grass, trees, and flowers. Allow students to paste there on to a blank piece of white paper. Add red and orange stickers or glue more construction paper pieces to create fruit on the trees.

LANGUAGE
Using the ABC Chart, sing the ABCs at least 2 times. Make sure to pause to avoid the usual slurring of L-M-N-O-P. Have the students point to each letter as they sing it. Introduce G, H, I, J, K, L and then using a button & the ABC Chart review those letters, as well as any previously taught letters. For example, you could say, “Put your button on letter B.” Print the letter on another piece of paper and allow the child to correct his own mistake if necessary. (My Father’s World)

CALENDAR TIME/MATH
Remind students that we use the calendar to tell us the month, year, day of the week and the date. Ask, “What month is it?” “What year is it?” Say “Yesterday was ________.” “What day of the week is today?” “It is ____________________.” “Yesterday’s date was the ____th.” “What is today’s date?” “Today is (day), August (date), (year). Write the date in the correct box. Color today’s square, remembering to alternate colors (green, blue). (Saxon K Math)

‘Yesterday you used pattern blocks. Today we will use a new math material.” Show the students a handful of teddy bear counters. “What are these?” “What can you tell me about them?” Give the students a few minutes to play with the counters. “What could you do with the teddy bears?” “Line up the teddy bears to take a walk.” Put the teddy bear counters away to be used again in future lessons.

DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITY
Repeat yesterday’s activity, emphasizing counting/numerical skills. Choose a ball that bounces well and can be easily grasped by child’s hands. Show the child how to drop the ball from the hands and catch it when it bounces up. Teach the child to anticipate the ball’s position in order that the child can catch it at the precise time. Encourage the child to catch the ball with the hands without touching the body. You can also add counting how many times the child can bounce and catch without missing. (Slow and Steady Get Me Ready)

THEME
Go on a nature walk near your home. Using the Nature Wheel you pre-printed, find parts of God’s creation. When you return have students color the pictures on the Nature Wheel and assemble the wheel.

Using playdoh and premade name cards (write students names on card stock paper), have students practice forming the letters of their names. If necessary, finish any pages from yesterday that students were unable to complete.

Links to Resources for Preschool Day 1 & Day 2

So I may have figured this linking pdf thing out.  Maybe. Don't get your hopes up.

Day 1 Lesson Plans

Day 2 Lesson Plans

ABC Chart

Calendar

I still can't get the "All About Me" pages to work. Sorry!  I need to move some fonts from one computer to another but I don't know how to do that....yet! Someone let me know if these links actually take you somewhere.....

Preschool Day 1 - Wed, August 11, 2010

Day 1 – Wednesday, August 11, 2010 – 1:30-3:30

Begin our time praying for our afternoon together.

BIBLE
Read Genesis 1:1-8 (sky, earth, light, dark, water, air) from the Bible and show pictures (or read and show pics) from The Jesus Bible Storybook. This passage covers Day 1 & Day 2. (My Father’s World)

Create Day 1 and Day 2 pages. For Day 1: Glue black paper on one half of a 8.5x11 sheet of paper (landscape orientation). Leave the other half white. For Day 2: Draw a wavy line on blue paper, cut it and glue onto paper. Color the sky light blue. Add pulled-apart cotton balls for clouds. (My Father’s World)

LANGUAGE
Using the ABC Chart, sing the ABCs at least 2 times. Make sure to pause to avoid the usual slurring of L-M-N-O-P. Have the students point to each letter as he sings it. Introduce A,B,C,D,E,F and then using a button & the ABC Chart review those letters. For example, you could say, “Put your button on letter B.” Print the letter on another piece of paper and allow the child to correct his own mistake if necessary.

CALENDAR/MATH
Explain that we use the calendar to tell us the month, year, day of the week and the date. Point out the month – August and the year – 2010. Say “Yesterday was ________.” “What day of the week is today?” “It is ____________________.” “Yesterday’s date was the ____th.” “What do you think today’s date is?” “Today’s date is _____.” Write the date in the correct box. Color the squares from the first days of the month, alternating colors (green, blue) through the current day. “Today is (day), August (date), (year). (Saxon K Math)

Explore Pattern Blocks together. Say: “Today you will learn about a math material called pattern blocks.” “What can you tell me about pattern blocks?” “What do you think we could do with them?” “Use the pattern blocks to make something.” Let them use the blocks for 5-10 minutes and then put them away. This is just an opportunity to introduce the blocks. They will be used in future lessons. (Saxon K Math)

DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITY
Choose a ball that bounces well and can be easily grasped by child’s hands. Show the child how to drop the ball from the hands and catch it when it bounces up. Teach the child to anticipate the ball’s position in order that the child can catch it at the precise time. Encourage the child to catch the ball with the hands without touching the body. You can also add counting how many times the child can bounce and catch without missing. . (Slow and Steady Get Me Ready)

THEME
Complete “All About Me” pages together and keep in 3-ring binders. They will keep all their work in these binders, so we can look back at the end of the year to see what we have accomplished. (I have these pages "set up" already and I would add them as pdfs but....well I just don't know how yet. So I trust you can just take some white paper and write a few things - "My name is___________" and leave space for a current photograph. Next page space for student to draw a picture of self then write "I am ___ years old," etc...)

Page 1 – Place picture of student on the page. Have the student write his/her name under the picture.
Page 2 – Fill in the information about self – age, height, weight
Page 3 – Fill in information and draw simple pictures of favorite things – Favorite color, food, toy/activity
Page 4 – Handprint & Footprint

Preschool Time!

There are definitely more summer pictures and events to blog about, but August has basically snuck up on me!  Last year we sent Jack to a local church for a two day per week preschool.  The program was wonderful but it wasn't the right fit for Jack and he stopped going not too far into the school year. 

We are hoping to start off on a better foot this year and do some "preschool" at home.  We haven't made our "schooling" decisions yet, but for this time in our lives working with Jack at home is where the Lord has led us. 

Four days a week our sweet friend and neighbor C is going to come down and do "school" with us while Henry naps from 1:30-3:30.  Jack is so excited about his "homework with C" and has asked multiple times about when it starts.

Although I would love to start on a Monday (the teacher in me operates on a 5 day plan!), we are accommodating C's schedule and starting on Wed.  Don't you just love the flexibility of schooling at home?

So just in case someone wants to come along on this journey with us, I am going to post our lesson plans each Sunday for the week ahead.  If I get ahead of schedule I may even post earlier.  No promises!  So all you non-parents (Is that a word?) or those that just don't care, ignore any posts that say "Preschool Day 1 or Day 2 or etc...."  Bear with me on links and pdfs....I'm still learning!!

Just a little teacher info - I am using My Father's World from A to Z, Saxon K Math, Slow and Steady Get Me Ready and any other resource that might catch my eye. I LOVE lapbooks, so I am sure they will find their way in the lesson plans throughout the year!