We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008

Of course we started off with our learning box question. What is your favorite: Frosty or Rudolph? We all had a hard time deciding, but I think Rudolph won out! During calendar time, while we talked about the weather, Corey pointed out the sunny sky outside.

Then Miss Amber brought some fun Christmas songs to dance to! First we did a fun Fingerplay.

The Chimney

Here is the chimney, (make fist with thumb inside)

Here is the top, (other hand over fist)

Open the lid, (remove hand)

Out Santa will pop! (pop up thumb)

Then we danced to a version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".

We wish you a Merry Christmas,

We wish you a Merry Christmas,

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

1. Let's all do a little clapping,

let's all do a little clapping,

Let's all do a little clapping,

And spread Christmas cheer.

2. (jumping)

3. (twirling)

Next we re-read Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett.

We completed another page in our Christmas books. Today we colored ornaments!

After snack we drew cards from the review bags. We reviewed Jj. The kids gave a thumbs up or thumbs down if the word began with the Jj sound... jump, tree, Santa, jewel, reindeer, jingle.

We played "Is it 5?" After we counted as a class, the children did their own worksheet.

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Catch me if you can!

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008

Today after calendar time we sang some of our favorite Christmas songs. We sang "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and a lot of "Jingle Bells". :)

We read Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett, a really fun twist to The Gingerbread Man.

Then we continued on with our Christmas book. Today we decorated angels.

After snack we reviewed some of our fundamentals. The kids drew some letters, numbers, colors, or shapes out of a bag and we talked about them.

We introduced the letter Jj.

The Letter Jj

to the tune of Frere Jacques

The letter J. The letter J. (make ASL sign for letter, showing one hand then the other)

Has a sound. Has a sound. (bring 1 hand to ear and then the other hand to the other ear)

What sound do you make? What sound do you make? (palms facing up, shrug shoulders)

/j/ /j/ /j/! /j/ /j/ /j/! (Make ASL sign for letter, move hand forward and backward for each sound)

And we talked about the number 5. We put 5 Christmas stamps on a card.

And colored 5 Christmas pictures.

Star Light, Star Bright!!!

Today started by playing blocks. What big towers all the kids love to build. After our morning routine of pledge, weather, and calendar we sang our fun star song.

"A Star"

1,2,3,4,5

Points that go around

We wish upon you in the sky

But never on the ground.

No, never on the ground.

Next we played freeze dance around our stars. We hopped on them, jumped from point to point, marched, slid, and froze on the star.Then we danced just inside the star and then just on the outside.
We then read Corduroy's Christmas Surprise. First Miss Laura asked the children what they could remember about the book was and what their favorite part was.

Paper candy canes were decorated next so we could add them to our Christmas book. This is the second of six pages that will complete our Christmas fun books. Look for these to come home December 18th. We also read the finished pages of the book so the kids can be familiar with it.

After snack time we had circle time. Today we used our review bags. These bags were filled with numbers and letters. The kids took turns drawing a card out of the bag. Then they either told us what number it was and counted the pictures, or told us the letter and sound.

They loved this and what a great thing you can do at home with them. Get some flashcards and put them in a bag and you have an instant game!!!

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  Is it Red or Green? This is a fun way for the kids to draw out an object and tell us if is red or green. Then they put them in the red pile or the green pile.
  

  Here is Cade really digging for what he wants!
  
  
  

  Mary-Kate picked a green wrist band. She is eyeing the green pile!
  
  After our basket was empty we then colored our worksheet. There was a Christmas tree, an apple, Santa, and a frog.
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
  Before playtime started Miss Laura got out fun book that had a CD to go along with. It was a cute book that had us singing and dancing. Each page had a different animal, its sound, and and a movement. What fun we had moving and shaking today!!!
  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!!!

Woo woo! (as Mary-Kate would say) for Christmastime!!

Today we introduced all of our new "fun"damentals for December!

We played Follow the Leader. Whoever had the 5 necklace on got to choose the action we would do 5 times!

We found things in the room that were red or green.

We learned a star poem.

"A Star"

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (hold up corresponding fingers as you count)

Points that go around (put index fingers together to make a point)

I wish upon you in the sky (put hand to forehead and look up)

But never on the ground (shake head no and point to ground)

No, never on the ground! (shake head no again)

We looked at some AAB patterns.

Then we talked about all the things we do to get ready for Christmas and read Corduroy's Christmas Surprise by Don Freeman.

Then we started our own books about things we do to get ready for Christmas. On our first page, we decorated a tree with lights.

Then after snacks and a little review we introduced Cc and colored a page to add to our alphabet book.

The Letter Cc
to the tune of Frere Jacques
The letter C. The letter C. (make ASL sign for letter, showing one hand then the other)
Has a sound. Has a sound. (bring 1 hand to ear and then the other hand to the other ear)
What sound do you make? What sound do you make? (palms facing up, shrug shoulders)
/c/ /c/ /c/! /c/ /c/ /c/! (Make ASL sign for letter, move hand forward and backward for each sound)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

We are so excited for Thanksgiving and we have been talking all month about all the yummy food and fun activities this time of year brings. I think Miss Laura and I are the most excited and ready to eat, GOBBLE,GOBBLE!!!! Our LBQ today was about what each child was doing for Thanksgiving. Some were going to Grandma's house, some staying home, and some not so sure!!

After pledge, weather, and calendar we did a fun finger play called
Gobble, Gobble

(from a Wee Sing book of children's songs and Finger plays )

a)A turkey is a funny bird

b)His head goes wobble, wobble,

And he knows c)just one word,

d)Gobble, gobble, gobble

Actions
a) make turkey tail by hooking thumbs and spreading fingers b) shake from side to side c) hold up one finger d) shake head, sound like turkey

Next we read a great book called A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting. Fun story that all the kids enjoyed. We discussed all the yummy things that we eat at our Thanksgiving dinner .

We painted our hands brown, red, orange, and yellow to make our turkey hand prints.

This isn't just a turkey as you can plainly see.

I made it with my hands which are a part of me.

It comes with lots of love especially to say,

I hope you have a very, Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Sorry we forgot to take pictures and so we hope you hang on to your child's. One day you'll look at it and say, I can't believe their hand was ever so small.

After snack we had circle time and reviewed the #4, triangle, and our ABC's. We then reviewed with letter cards our three letters for the month, Tt, Yy, Ll. We also reviewed and played I spy with the colors yellow and brown.

At the end of class before playtime started we let the kids paint on some brown paper. These pictures show the creativity of the kids. They had so much fun just painting whatever!!!!!