Well, I have done it again – waited much too long before sending you info on our program. (Truthfully, did you notice? Or am I the only one stressing?)
Back-up: I think our Holiday party/luncheon was a great success. The food and the company were fabulous. And I’m sure that all the children enjoyed James K.’s performance. If anyone would like a review of the Mud Puddle (high drama) story, just let me know.
We have retired all the holiday materials, and are now learning about animals in the jungle and animals on the plains in Africa. We have puppet songs about lions, tigers, monkeys and giraffes. By far, the most appealing song is about the monkeys and the alligator. I set up 6 monkeys on a tree, and one by one, the alligator snaps them up.
Six little monkeys hanging from the tree, teasing the alligator: “You can’t catch me”.
Along came the alligator, and snap………..(with lots of drama and howling)
And then there were 5.
Five little monkeys, etc., etc.
More Songs ****************************
Skita ma rink a dink a dink, skita ma rink a do. I love (insert a child’s name)______, _____________, and ___________.
Skita ma rink a dink a dink, skita ma rink a do. I love __________, ___________, and
____________.
I love you in the morning and in the afternoon. I love you in the evening and underneath the moon. Oh skita ma rink a dink a dink, skita ma rink a do. I love _________, ____________, and ____________too.
*****************************
Head and shoulders, knees and toes.
Hokey Pokey
Bingo
******************************
Circle Time Games
Another “game” the children enjoy is identifying/matching the animals posted on the wall with a small card with the animals picture. We do something similar with a poster of 10 different types of monkeys. Don’t be surprised when the children start talking about proboscis monkey, red uakari, tamarind, gibbon, squirrel monkey, orangutan, chimps, gorillas and snow monkeys. Next, we’ll work on the various jungle cats – mt. lions, jaguars, etc.
Books
Some parents have asked for a list of the children’s favorite books. The following is a list of our current favorites:
Frosty the Snowman
Jessie Bear, What Will you Wear?
The Tow Truck
My Body (we now have a skeleton puzzle to go along with this book)
Popcorn, by Frank Asch
Dancing Tiger (a beautiful book), by Malachy Doyle
********************************************
Work
We have several new items of language “works” – magnetic letters, stencil letters and white board cards to trace letters. (Did you know there are crayola crayons that are designed to be used on white boards? I love them!) Before writing letters and/numbers, I encourage the children to become competent with picture stencils. These are easier to master, and build hand control, necessary for writing.
Our current focus is on counting. You may have noticed the flannel board with eggs (near the front door). This is a beginning courting work, but also lends itself to addition and subtracting (for the most adventurous child).
The basic (and brilliant Montessori) counting work is the spindles tray. When the children hold an increasing number of spindles in their hand, they get a tactile sense of quantity.
Play
The children continue to love to feed the chickens and parakeets. They get good practice in using scissors by cutting lettuce leaves, clover, etc.
Today everyone got to pick a carrot from the garden. We washed them and included them in our outdoor snack.
Over the weekend, Dave and I hauled in 3 yards (3 pick-up trucks full) of redwood chips. None of the children commented on how nice it looks, but I certainly appreciate it. And you can use your imagination.
We have mung beans sprouting on the kitchen table. Soon we will start sprouting snap and English peas to get ready for our spring garden. Yes, I’m thinking spring, especially on a day like today!
Miss Joni wrote and told me she and hubby are doing fine. We have a lovely wedding picture of her on our kitchen table. However, we are quite thrilled with Lyn who is compassionate, fun and energetic, and a pleasure to be with.
I have so many photos of the children, but the following is just one of each child.
Katie peeling carrots for lunch
Penelope matching her name to her cubby
Jack making a pattern with links
Aidan learning about the Rainforest animals
Eli exploring high and low notes on the xylophone
Parisa improving hand-eye coordination by stringing beads
Max identifying different transportation vehicles
Ainsley has exceptional fine motor skills
Johnny decorating his christmas tree
Charlie loves music
Savannah can spell
and paint her name
Dante learning how to hold the paintbrush
Joseph using the letter stencil to practice writing
Makena decorating her snowflake with jewels by using glue
Ava putting her transportation puzzle work away
Jacob using the scissiors to cut a strip of paper
Carter using the scooper to pick up the stones and move them to the cup
Aaron carefully cleaning his carrot before eating it
Deiva taking apart the Russian stacking dolls.
(Size discrimination knowledge is an important foundation for understanding math principles.)
Gianna is using a power drill to assemble a car.
Olivia and Katie are playing grocery store.
Olivia is deciding what to buy.
Ruben loves the son: "Oh King Ruben of the tower...."
**********************************
the end.