Ll is for leaves!

 

This week we are going to be listening for the sound of Ll and looking for its shape. We will also be having fun with leaves. Lots of fall leaves are on the trees and on the ground. We'll have fun with nature's toys!

Our KDI for the week is natural and physical world- Children gather knowledge about the natural and physical world. We will look at leaves and learn about what they do for trees, why they turn color and take a close look at their structure.

Table Activities- Our table activities for this week include leaf printing, leaf rubbing, cutting leaves, a leaf sensory bin, putting button leaves on pipe cleaner trees, coloring leaf pictures, sorting leaves, leaves and playdough and leaves on contact paper.

Small Group Activities- This week we will make a "leafman", add Ll is for leaf to our journal, hunt and sort leaves and make a leaf collage.

Large Group Activities- We will toss some leaves, play with them in a parachute, pound a leaf and make a sticky bracelet.

Books of the Week- "Leafman" and "Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf" both by Lois Ehlert and "We're Going on a Leaf Hunt" by Steve Metzger.

Bible Story- Our Bible story this week takes place long after David defeats Goliath. Israel has had many kings and they have divided their kingdom into two. God allows war and captivity to follow to turn His people back to Him. In one of these battles a young girl is captured and becomes a slave to the wife of a commander from Aram named Naaman. Naaman is a good commander, well liked by his troops, respected by his king, but Naaman contracts leprosy. There is no cure and he will have to be separated from his family and the army. The young girl tells Naaman's wife about a prophet in Israel named Elisha and suggests that her master should go and see him to be healed. Naaman tells the king of Aram and he sends a message to the king of Israel, who immediately panics, thinking the king of Aram will use this as an excuse for war. How can he heal Naaman? Elisha hears about this and tells the king of Israel to send Naaman to him. Naaman comes with large quantities of gold and silver and 10 sets of clothing to pay for this healing. When they get to Elisha's house, he sends a messenger to tell Naaman to wash 7 times in the Jordan River.

Naaman is incensed! The prophet didn't even come out to see him himself, and the Jordan??!! What a filthy river! They have cleaner rivers back home in Aram! His servants cajoled him, "Lord, if he had given you a difficult task, you would have done it! Now go wash in the Jordan and be cleansed." Naaman listened and washed in the Jordan and his skin was made as fresh as a young boy's skin. Naaman went back to Elisha and thanked him and urged him to take the gifts he had brought with him. Elisha refused them. 

Naaman committed himself to worshipping the one, true God of Israel, but he asked to be forgiven for going into an idolatrous temple, as he had to help his king walk in to do his worship. Elisha told him to go in peace! 

A young girl in a strange land, stripped away from her family, still shares the truth and wonderful saving news of her God. May we be as bold and brave as she!

Pictures from pumpkin week-

Pp is for pumpkins!

 

This week we are listening and looking for the letter Pp and having fun with pumpkins!

Our KDI for the week is emotions- children recognize, label and regulate their emotions. Using carved pumpkin faces for reference, we'll talk about feelings and how they express themselves. How can we tell how others are feeling? By looking at their faces and body language. Who's in charge of my emotions? I am!

Table Activities- This week's table activities include pumpkins and golf tees, invite to create a paper pumpkin, pumpkin slime, making a bead pumpkin, pumpkin playdough, pumpkin sensory bin, pumpkins and water play, clay mats, dot painting, pumpkin puzzles and pumpkin coloring pages.

Small Group- This year we get to cut our very own pumpkins and explore what's inside and outside of them, decorate a pumpkin with tissue paper, add Pp is for pumpkin to our journal and decorate our school trick or treat bag. I was going to have students wear their costumes on Thursday and trick or treat, but we have quite a few who come just three days each week. We are going to wear our costumes next Tuesday- on actual Halloween- and trick or treat from classroom to classroom. You can always wear last year's costume if needed! If you would like to bring in a special treat bag for Halloween, you can do it on that day. I'm pretty sure the items are allergen friendly, but they will all be sent home and you can parcel them out as you wish! Please make sure all costumes are school appropriate! No gore or inappropriate subject matter!

Large Group- We will toss some pumpkins, do some pumpkin bowling, try an obstacle course and play with pumpkins outside and see if more grow for us!

Books of the Week- "Pumpkin Heads" by Wendell Minor, "Pumpkin Jack" by Will Hubbel, and "Spookley, the Square Pumpkin" by Joe Troiano.

Bible Story- This week's Bible story is the story of David and Goliath. When Samuel grew up, he became Israel's judge. God spoke to him and he relayed God's message to the people. The people of Israel saw the countries around them and they all had kings, so they decided they wanted a king too. Even though God knew it wasn't best, he allowed them to have a king. The first king the people chose with God's help was Saul. King Saul looked just like a king should look, taller and stately, he was what the people wanted. King Saul didn't always trust in God. One of Israel's enemies, the Philistines, was threatening them. They had a champion named Goliath who was 9 feet tall. The Israelite army and the Philistine army were camped on opposite sides of the valley and each day Goliath would come out and shout to the Israelites, goading them, trying to get them out to fight! No one would do it! Then a young man named David was visiting his brothers in camp and he heard Goliath. He was incensed! How dare this Philistine say such things about the one true God!! God had chosen David to be the next king of Israel, but that wasn't well known yet. Word came to Saul that David was ready to fight Goliath. He called David to his tent and tried to get him to wear his armor to protect him. David refused, he had all he needed! He was a shepherd and defended his father's flock from lions and bears with a simple slingshot. That would be all he needed to defeat Goliath! David went and chose 5 smooth stones for his sling and out he went to meet Goliath. When Goliath saw David, he began to laugh! Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks? David declared, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." David got ready and threw one stone. That stone hit Goliath right in the center of his head and he fell down dead! One stone! David wasn't that spectacular of an aimer, we have that spectacular of a God!! The Philistines were beaten that day. David was proclaimed champion of Israel and he had faith and full trust in God. God takes care of our giants too! Use the Word as your weapon, God is with you always!

Some pictures of our week of feathers-