Bugs, Beetles and Butterflies

 

This week we are learning about bugs! Our ladybugs and butterflies are in their pupa stages and should hatch this week into adult ladybugs and butterflies!

We are excited to look for bugs and learn about what makes a bug special!

Our KDI of the week is communicating ideas- Children communicate their ideas about the characteristics of things and how they work. We will see what characteristics make all bugs the same and what makes them different. We will examine the metamorphic life cycles of bugs from egg to larva to pupa to adult.

Table Activities- This week we will match the symmetrical sides of butterflies, make bug fossils, create our own bugs out of construction paper pieces and googly eyes, use dot markers to color bugs, do some bug activity sheets and coloring pages, butterfly suncatchers from contact and tissue paper and pattern block bugs.

Small Group Activities- We will make a bug model out of Model Magic- trying to point out the three body parts of bugs and six legs, make a model of a butterfly life cycle, write about bugs in our journal and paint a symmetrical butterfly.

Large Group Activities- Bug movement cards and lots of bug catching and investigation.

Books of the Week-  "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle, "Hey, Little Ant" by Hannah and Phillip Hoose, and "Are You a Grasshopper?" by Judy Allen.

Jesus Time- This week we hear the story of Thomas. On Easter evening, most of the disciples were hiding in a locked room in Jerusalem. They were scared of the Jewish leaders and wondered what was going to happen next. They had heard the reports of the women, some had seen the empty tomb and the two that returned from Emmaus had actually seen Jesus. At some point in the evening, Jesus appeared to them, showed them his hands and feet and after their fear that he was a ghost, asked them for something to eat to show them he was not and most importantly, brought them peace. Thomas, one of the twelve, was not with them. When he returned and they all told him what happened, he doubted. He thought maybe they had all been so grief stricken they had seen things! He said that unless he saw Jesus hands and feet and side for himself, he would not believe that Jesus was alive. The next Sunday, they were all in the same room, including Thomas and Jesus appeared. He approached Thomas and said, "Look! Put your fingers in the holes in my hands, touch my side, stop doubting and believe!" Thomas fell to his knees and proclaimed, "My Lord and My God!" Jesus told him that he was blessed to believe, but more blessed are those who haven't seen yet still believe. He was talking about us! I haven't seen Jesus with my own eyes, but I still believe and so do these little ones! How blessed they are to know the stories of Jesus and share them with family and friends through words and songs! May God help us stop doubting and believe!

Indian Creek Zoo permission slip is coming home tomorrow! That field trip is planned for Thursday, May 6th. 

Graduation is fast approaching!! We will have preschool graduation at 10:45am on Wednesday, May 26th. Hopefully that will give everyone enough time to get time off to attend. Both those continuing in preschool and those moving on to kindergarten will participate in our little program and receive a certificate. Those moving on to kindergarten will wear a mortarboard and receive a gift and picture of themselves in cap and gown. 

I am going to attempt to make a graduation picture composite of all those graduating. If anyone is adept at photoshop, I would love to pass that on to you!! If no one is, this is my first attempt, so we'll see what we get!

We are planning on having graduation outside on the stage. Immediately following graduation, there will be a picnic lunch for the whole school, so bring your picnic blankets and spread out and eat if you are able to stay. If not, there will be cupcakes for the graduates to take home!

Have a super week!

Some Opening Act pictures-

Box week photos-

Xx is for boxes.

 

This week we are looking and listening for the sound of Xx. Since Xx makes the sound of /Zz/ when it is at the beginning of the word, we are listening for /x/ at the ending and middle of words.

Our KDI of the week is phonological awareness- children identify distinct sounds in spoken language. We will try to pinpoint where the sound is heard, in the middle or the end.

Table Activities- This week we will be building with boxes every day, coloring inside and outside giant boxes, pounding golf tees into boxes, making a box from 2-D into 3-D and playing box memory.

Small group Activities- We will be coloring on the outside of a box, making a gift to put in a box, adding Xx is for box to our journal and creating a "Not A Box" creation.

Large Group Activities- We will be playing with boxes outside and making a box obstacle course.

Books of the Week- "Not a Box" by Antoinette Portis and "What To Do With a  Box" by Jane Yolen.

Jesus Time- This week our story sees two dismayed, hopeless disciples walking to the town of Emmaus. As they are walking, they are talking with each other about the events of the past week. Jesus' arrest and death, the burial, the fantastic story that the women came back with saying that Jesus was risen, they just didn't understand. A man began to walk with them and asked them what they were talking about. They were astounded that he hadn't heard! They explained to him the events that had happened in Jerusalem the past week. He then, in turn, explained to them how it seemed that this Jesus was the Christ, using all the prophecies of the Old Testament, he methodically went through each one, showing how Christ fulfilled them all. When they decided to stop for something to eat, this man stopped with them. As he lifted and blessed the bread, their eyes were opened to the fact that this man was the risen Christ!! He had been walking with them and teaching them again all along!! After that, Jesus just disappeared. The disciples ran back to Jerusalem to the room where the rest of the disciples had locked themselves in for fear of the Jewish leaders and told them what they had heard and seen! They said to themselves, "Weren't our heart burning within us?" Jesus is alive!! The rest of the disciples, except Thomas, would see him that night too!

Pictures from our Qq for queen week!