Oo is for opposites

 

This week we are concentrating on the sound and sight of Oo and the concept of opposites.

The KDI of the week is Comprehension- Children understand language. As we talk about opposites this week, we'll experience language in multiple ways- for example, words with two meanings- the opposite of dark is light, the opposite of heavy is also light, same word, different meanings. We'll work on understanding as we use our senses to see and feel opposites!

Table Activities- This week table activities include soft and hard blocks, coloring with black crayons on white paper and white crayons on black paper, hot and cold bins, long/short dog, opposite coloring pages, sorting into big and small, long and short, matching opposite cards and happy/sad faces.

Small Group Activities- This week small group includes a day and night plate, using our scissors skills to cut long strips into short pieces, adding Oo is for opposite to our journals, and finding the opposite match.

Large Group Activities- This week will move in opposite ways- short steps, long steps, quiet steps, loud steps, etc.

Books of the Week- "Stop, Go, Yes, No" by Mike Twohy and "Marta, Big and Small" by Jen Arena

Bible Story- This week we are going back in time a little bit. Back to when Daniel was a young man, first brought into captivity by the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel and his friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were all in training to be advisors for the government. They insisted on following God's rules for their diet and continued to worship the one true God. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about a giant statue that he would set up and people would bow down and worship it. When ever the instruments played, everyone was to bow down. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused. (We aren't sure where Daniel was during this story, but his actions during the lion's den show his faith.) Nebuchadnezzar gave them several chances to obey and when they continued to refuse, he was angry. The punishment was being thrown into a fiery furnace. King Nebuchadnezzar had the furnace heated 7 times hotter than usual. Guards bound the young men and threw them in. The heat was so intense, the guards died! But as Nebuchadnezzar watched the boys, something miraculous happened! They were no longer bound, they were walking around the furnace and there were 4 people in the furnace, not 3. The fourth person shone like the son of a god- it was the Son of God! Nebuchadnezzar called the boys out of the furnace. Not a hair was singed, they didn't even smell of smoke! Nebuchadnezzar commanded the people to worship the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, since clearly, their God was the only true God! 

What other God saves like this? God saves by putting himself in the furnace with us, he put himself in this sinful world with us, took our sins on himself on the cross and will take us to be in heaven with him! So thankful for our God! 

Some Thanksgiving pics-

When we asked the students what they were thankful for on Tuesday, many of them said "mom and dad" or "family". They are thankful for you!! So, even when there are rough days, they do love and appreciate you!

Thankful for Thanksgiving!!

 

We are so thankful for Thanksgiving and all the blessings that God has given us through our country and through each other!

Our KDI of the week is History-Children understand past, present and future. This week we will read a story about a young boy imagining he is part of the first thanksgiving celebration long ago in Plymouth colony. Preschoolers don't really understand how time works yet, but they are working on it and can still learn information about the past and place it where it belongs as they gain understanding!

Table Activities- Table activities this week include dot painting, pattern blocks, a Thanksgiving sensory bin and invite to create a turkey.

Small Group- This week we will make a name turkey and add an "I am thankful for..." page to our journal.

Large Group- We'll have a little turkey trot in the field and play some games that were played at the first thanksgiving.

Book of the Week- This week we will read "Oh, What a Thanksgiving!" by Steven Kroll.

Bible Story- Our story this week is the story of Job. Job was a man who lived some time during the Old Testament period. He was a strong believer in God and God had richly blessed him! He had many children, animals, servants and was very wealthy. He worshipped God often, making sure he covered any sins he committed and even sacrificed for his children's unknown sins. Satan looked at Job and challenged God. "He only believes in you because you have blessed him so much! Take away his blessings and we'll see how much he believes!" God allowed Satan to strip Job of his blessings. In one awful day, his children, animals and servants were all destroyed. Job mourned, but continued to believe in God! Satan challenged God again-"Everything was taken, but he still has his health. If that was gone, he wouldn't believe." God allowed Satan to take Job's health. He was covered in sores and sat on a pile of ashes using a pottery shard to scrape at the sores on his skin. He still believed in God and knew that he would see God with his own eyes in his risen body even if he died. Some friends came and counseled Job- you must have sinned for God to do this to you! What did you do? Even Job's wife counseled him to curse God and die. Job refused to give up his faith, but he was struggling. Job began to question why this happened to him, he was a good, righteous man! He did not deserve this! God came and had a conversation with Job. Job questioned God and God answered him. Job loved and believed in God, but God is still God. He is the creator of all that is! Do we have any right to question what he does or why he does it? We have no ability to create or even to sustain life- God makes it happen! God doesn't love and save us because we are good, he loves and saves us because He is good. God restored Job after their conversation. 

Job is a long, hard story, but the point I want the preschoolers to understand is that we deserve nothing. God blesses because of His glory and greatness. We can just thank Him for all the blessings he gives us and that He continues to be our God even when we are not showing thankfulness and love to Him for all he does.

Some pictures from our letters week-