This week we had fun celebrating a very special person in our lives: our moms! We talked about the favorite things we love about our moms; from "HEB pasta" to "working on the dishes". They all had great responses! We discussed how even animals have mommies that take care of them and are special.
To help us further understand this concept we read Mommy Mine by Tim Warnes, which is a fun and bright book about mommies that come in all shapes and sizes -- tiny and chubby, spiny and grubby and mommies can make all different kinds of noises -- chomp and chatter, stomp and pitter-patter . We also read I'll Always Love You by Paeony Lewis which is a fun and heartwarming story that gives the message that your mom will always love you, even when the choices the child makes aren't the best ones.
This week the children enjoyed gluing colorful flowers onto their handprint flower pots. Some children were content with one flower, while others used plenty of flowers to fill up their flower pots; either way, they had fun creating such wonderful art for their moms!
Thank you for joining us for Muffins with Mom. The children really enjoyed having a special time with each of you in their classroom. Also, we greatly enjoyed our Teacher's Appreciation Week. Thank you so much for all of your love and support! We are truly blessed to have such an important role in your children's lives. We enjoy every minute of it.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Ms. Melissa & Ms. Arleen
Just Keep Swimming!
We went under the sea this week in the Dragonfly class! We learned all about the ocean, what rides above it and what swims below it. Everyone got a chance to say their favorite animal in the ocean, and fish and dolphins seemed to be the winners! We talked a lot about different kinds of sharks, jellyfish, and squid. Ask your dragonflies where the air comes out on a whale or dolphin--Pastor Paul sang us a great song about a baby beluga. We talked about the cruise ships, cargo ships, sailboats, and canoes that ride above the water. We have a few dragonflies that have been on a boat in the ocean! The dragonflies even knew about submarines and how they ride under water.
This week we read several books going along with our ocean theme. We read Ten Friendly Fish by Debbie Tarbett, which helped our dragonflies practice their subtraction skills as one-by-one the fish got distracted and swam away from the school. Some of us have even mastered how to count down from 10! We also got to read In the Ocean by A.J. Wood and even got to touch and feel the pages. We got to feel the otter's chest, the flying fish's wings, and the big blue marlin's fin. Our favorite book that was loaded with ocean animal information was Sharks and other Dangers of the Deep. We learned about several different sharks, the hammerhead being the most interesting to the dragonflies!
As you may have noticed, we did several crafts this week that went along with our ocean unit. We colored several different sea creatures and got to make our very own aquarium! We painted with several different colors on foil to make fish scales and created our very own fish. Also, going along with the book we read, we got to count and glue ten friendly fish onto our construction paper. We have several more ideas for crafts and worksheets to continue on with our ocean theme next week!
We will meet for conferences on Monday. Please remember your time slot and try to arrive on time. There will be child care provided in the nursery as well. Also, you should have received an email with an evite to our "Muffins with Moms" on Wednesday morning. We look forward to seeing all of you to celebrate our wonderful hard-working mothers!
Enjoy the cooler weather this weekend!
Ms. Arleen & Ms. Melissa
Our little Dragonflies were in action this week! They were ready to save our Earth from litter, pollution and bad guys who throw trash in the water! Our unit of the week was Earth Day and the Three R's: Recycle, Reuse, Reduce. At circle time we discussed ways to help do our part to be a good citizen of the world. Some ideas the children said were: turning off the water when we brush our teeth, putting all the garbage in the trash can and not on the ground, only using one paper towel when we dry our hands and recycling magazines. They particularly took to the idea of caring for our Earth because of the animals. They wanted to continue to give the animals a clean place to live and play, especially the lions and the fish in the sea. We reviewed the recycle symbol and discussed what items were recycleable. Throughout the week during lunch time all the children were looking under yogurt cups and juice boxes for that special symbol.
The Dragonflies were able to get in some scissor practice on Tuesday morning. They cut pieces of blue and green paper which we used to create our paper plate Earth mobiles. They're motor skills are getting stronger every day. We also added a writing center this week to our room. This was a favorite spot for the children this week as they were able to create great pictures with their imaginations. They were also mindful of our "reuse" part of the Three R's as they reminded each other to use both sides of the paper and not be wasteful.
The weather this week was great for a lot of outside play. On Wednesday the children opted to stay outside a little longer and skip centers. They were enjoying the cool air as they ran races, played in the sandbox and played a game of soccer with each other.
Our school has a perfect opportunity for our parents to lead by example when it comes to recycling. We have a paper recycling dumpster across the street in the Lamar Middle School parking lot. It's a great way to "keep things green"and the funds from this project go directly to Grace Garden Child Development Center. Please bring any and all paper recycling items you may have, and drop them off in the bin. Thank you for your support.
Have a fun weekend,
Ms. Melissa & Ms. Arleen
This week the dragonflies had so much fun learning about weather. We discussed the four different seasons and even talked about the different articles of clothing we wear as the weather changes. We all got a chance to say what our favorite season was and the winner was summer!
This week we read a few books to go along with our weather theme. We read Kipper's Rainy Day, and enjoyed watching him play in the puddles. This seems to be something the dragonflies all love to do! We also read Why do Leaves Change Colors? and talked about the many different colors leave turn before they fall off the trees in the fall. We also learned about and explored extreme weather through a few information books on tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods. We REALLY enjoyed learning about these different storms!
This week we created a few crafts to go along with our weather theme. We traced our hands and created April Showers and May Flowers that are now displayed outside our classroom! We also used sponge shapes to paint a windsock. We glued streamers to the bottom to be able to tell when it's windy. We also colored construction paper and folded it into a fan to keep us cool on those warm summer days that are fast approaching. Finally, we created a weather wheel of our very own so we can report the weather from home as well. We have a few future meteorologists in the dragonfly room!
Enjoy the beautiful weekend weather! Thank you for sharing your little ones with us!
Ms. Arleen & Ms. Melissa
Our little dragonflies had a fantastic week learning all about transportation! We shared ways that we have traveled, such as flying on an airplane, riding a bus, and taking a boat trip. We learned about the different means of transportation, such as land, air, and sea. The dragonflies further understood this concept when they did a travel flip chart, that showed the apropriate vehicle for the road.
We also learned that drivers had to follow rules on the road with the help of road signs. We looked at different road signs and found some to be familiar, such as a stop sign, while others were seen for the first time, such as a one-way sign. We read the book
I Read Signs by Tana Hoban which helped us learn all about these signs we see while our moms and dads are driving.
On Tuesday the dragonflies worked together to paint a cardboard box car. We decided blue would be a great color for the class car! Once dried we added some tires headlights and even a steering wheel! The children had fun all week "driving" to the grocery store, school, work and anywhere else their imagination would take them. It was a popular center throughout the week, and I must say they did great at taking turns, which is something we are always working on in class.
Making tire tracks in play-doh and having a "car wash" in our sensory table were a couple of other activites we did this week. The children also enjoyed painting their egg carton trains and added some cotton to resemble the smoke from the smokestack.
Wheel day was an exciting day! All the dragonflies were ecstatic to bring their trikes, scooters, and big wheels to school. In addition to riding our wheels on the track, there was a train, book and car table station for the Dragonflies to explore. They had a great time and many were sad when our time in the fellowship hall was done.
Parents, for the saftey of all the children at Grace Garden, please remind your child to walk by your side before and after school. "Walking feet" is a phrase that the children hear all day from all of our teachers in the classroom or in the hallways. We would appreciate your help with this, remember, consistency is key when we ask the children to do a certain behavior.
Thank you so much for your support in our class.
Have a great weekend!
Ms. Melissa & Ms. Arleen
This week the dragonflies explored the insect world! We learned that insects have three parts to the body and six legs. We discussed that have wings and some do not. We talked about all different kinds of insects: butterflies, ants, beetles, praying mantis, and of course, the class favorite, dragonflies! We even took some time to move around the fellowship hall like specific insects!
This week we read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and laughed our way through the story of the caterpillar's very hungry belly! We also read The Grouchy Ladybug and learned how ladybugs eat the aphids off of leaves, which Pastor Amy further discussed in chapel! On Thursday we read Sam and the Firefly which tells the story of Sam the owl and his firefly friend who does good and bad tricks with his light!
We got to do some fun insect crafts this week! On Tuesday, we painted coffee filters and clothespins to create a beautiful butterfly. On Wednesday, we used our dot paints to create our flying insects. If you attach a popsicle stick to it, your dragonfly can fly it around! It also has a hole to double as a keychain. This week we also painted a piece of egg carton to make our class mascot, the dragonfly!
Next week we will be learning all about transportation. On Thursday we will have "Wheel Day", which will also coincide with our Trike-a-thon benefiting St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. In your child's folder you should have found a sheet with all the information pertaining to the event. Please let us know if you have any it they questions.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Ms. Arleen & Ms. Melissa
This week was an exciting week for the dragonflies! We learned all about birds: their characteristics, the sounds they make, and how many different kinds of birds there are. The dragonflies discovered that a bird has wings and feathers, and there are even a few birds who cannot fly. We learned that birds can live in cold and warm climates and that some can fly in the sky and some can swim in the water.
On Tuesday we read Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles and Ro Clement, in which Edward realizes he is the best animal to visit at the zoo! On Wednesday we laughed through the story of The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog by Mo Willems, in which a big pigeon is a kind friend and shares a hotdog he finds with a little bird. On Thursday we read Duck for President by Doreen Cronin, where Duck learned all about farm politics. Our Dragonflies love reading books!
We began the week by painting paper plates that we then transformed into birds by gluing on feathers, a beak, and a googly eyes. We also began collecting twigs, leaves, and other items from outside for our special project. We created our very own "spray paint" abstract art project, in which the dragonflies used spray bottles filled with red, blue, and yellow paint. We really enjoyed this project! On Wednesday we painted toilet paper rolls to create our very own pair of binoculars for bird watching. On Thursday we placed our homemade bird feeder outside and used our binoculars to keep an eye out for any winged visitors!
We had a great time tweeting away with your children this week! Please make sure that your child has the appropriate change of clothes in their cubby (i.e. diapers, pull-ups, changes of underwear, spare pants/shorts, etc). Thank you so much for a great week!
Have a restful weekend!
Ms. Arleen & Ms. Melissa
Dear Dragonfly Parents,
Spring has definitely sprung in the Dragonfly classroom this week! We have been talking all about the sights and sounds of Spring. During circle time, we discussed the spring weather and spring animals. We not only talked about, but witnessed the changing weather during spring time, with cool mornings and warm afternoons. The children's favorite weather related item was the rainbow! They loved going over all of the colors that are seen in a rainbow.
We also learned that some animals, such as bears, are waking up from their long winter nap know as hibernation. To help us understand this concept we read Spring is Here by Will Hillenbrand, a story about two animals (mole and bear) that are coming out of hibernation. When Mole realized that spring had arrived he excitedly jumped out of bed and tried to wake Bear up and and tell him its spring time. He tries everything to wake him up, however nothing works; not a feather, a trumpet or sticks. Mole then realizes he would use Bear's sense of smell to wake him as he makes a big meal for Bear to wake up. Once Bear wakes up to this great meal, Mole is so tired from all his efforts, he falls right back to sleep!
In our sensory table this week, the children used artificial flowers and pots to create beautiful spring flower arrangements. Several children asked to take them home to give to their moms and dads or sisters and brothers. It was very sweet to see the love they have for their families. For art the children created butterflies as they dropped blobs of paint in the middle of the page and then folded the page in half. As they rubbed their hands over their paper the paint spread out to create a very unique picture. They were surprised as they opened their paper to see the fun design.
The Dragonflies are doing a great job at filling up our friendship jar. We have witnessed many kind and friendly acts among the children, such as giving each other hugs, using kind words when asking for something, and sharing. As you may know we have several new toys and puzzles in our classroom and the children have been very excited about these. They have been great friends at sharing and patiently waiting for their turn. For this we put a pom-pom in our Dragonfly Friendship Jar for every child. They have done a great job!
We hope that you have a fun and restful Spring Break with your families! When we return to school we will continue to discover the great things about Spring. Some of our units of play throughout the month will be Birds, Insects and Easter. It will be a fun March!
With love,
Melissa and Arleen
The Dragonflies had a great time learning about Texas this week! We discussed how we live in the city of Austin, which is located in the state of Texas. We also talked about how it was Texas' birthday this week! Going along with our Texas theme, the dragonflies had a yee-haw time learning about cowboys. We talked about what cowboys do and what they wear.
We read a few books this week to go along with our Texas/Cowboy lesson. We read The Legend of the Bluebonnet by Tomie DePaola, an old Texas tale about a young
girl who sacrifices her favorite doll with blue feathers. It was a great story and we loved learning about the Texas Bluebonnet. We also read L is for Lonestar, by Carol Crane, exploring Texas through the alphabet. Another book that the Dragonflies loved reading was Gingerbread Cowboy, by Janet Squires. We loved the story of how the gingerbread cowboy has to keep those boots moving because everyone is trying to eat him!
On Tuesday, we used our thumbs and blue paint to create some beautiful bluebonnets. We talked about asking our mommies and daddies to let us know if they see any bluebonnets while driving. On Wednesday we dyed popcorn blue and red and glued them on a Texas flag. They are now hanging proudly in our classroom! On Thursday we colored some cowboy hats and used stamps and ink to create bandanas. After we were finished, we put them on and sat around in a circle, pretending it was a campfire and listened to a story.
To practice our small motor skills, we used cut straws and strung them on yarn to make a necklace. Lacing and stringing are great manipulative practice. We also discussed the importance of drinking lots of water and how it keeps us hydrated and gives us energy. This will become even more important as the Texas temperature begins to rise.
This week we introduced a Dragonfly Friendship Jar. For every good deed that Ms. Arleen and Ms. Melissa witness, we will put one pom-pom in the jar. Once it is full, there is a surprise waiting at the end!
Thank you for sharing your little cowboys and cowgirls with us, we truly enjoy them!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Ms. Arleen & Ms. Melissa
This week the Dragonflies enjoyed learning all about healthy teeth as we celebrated Dental Health Week. We learned about how to care for our teeth and what to expect from a visit to the dentist. The Dragonflies really know a lot about keeping themselves healthy!
Tuesday was a busy day as we jumped right into learning! We discussed what teeth are made of, what they are used for, and how they stay in our mouth with a root that is underneath the gums. We enjoyed making our own models of a mouth by gluing marshmallows onto a paper mouth. We read Bear's Loose Tooth, by Karma Wilson, a fun story about a bear who looses his first tooth.
On Wednesday we disussed all the ways we can take care of our teeth, from eating healthy foods to flossing each day. We read Brush Your Teeth, Please by Leslie McGuire, to reinforce the concepts we learned about dental health. The children enjoyed exploring shaving cream in the sensory table with toothbrushes and painting a tooth with puffy paint.
Thursday was another exciting day as the Dragonflies learned about visiting the dentist. We read the story Elmo Visits the Dentist and some of our Dragonfly friends shared their own stories about a trip to the dentist. We created a healthy food chart and discussed how making healthy food choices is good for our body and our teeth. Did you know that eating crunchy foods like apples are good for our teeth, but sticky foods like candy are not?
This week we focused on letter P and made patterns out of blocks. We also practiced tracing lines, which is great fine motor development that will help us with name writing!
Next week we will be celebrating Texas' birthday! We are looking forward to another fun-filled week!
Have a Great Weekend!
Ms. Melissa and Ms. Arleen
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