Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful time with family and friends!

Our table activities this week include activities with candy corn, turkey create, pattern blocks Thanksgiving theme and dot painting.

Small group activities are making a Mayflower to set sail- on Monday we experimented with sail shape and placement to see if we could get a "Mayflower" to sail. We are also making a pine cone turkey.

Our KDI for the week is History- Children understand past, present and future.- This is a concept that continues to develop. We talked and read about the Pilgrims' first voyage almost 400 years ago and used literature to see the differences. How Thanksgiving that we celebrate is different from the Thanksgiving celebrated in the past.

Jesus Time- This is our last Old Testament story. This week we hear the story of Daniel and the lions' den. The Israelites had been taken captive by the Babylonian nation. King Nebuchadnezzer took the most promising young men and trained them to be his advisers. When the Persians conquered the Babylonians, King Darius kept Daniel on as his adviser. Daniel was in his old age by then. He continued to worship the true God and with God's help, gave good advice to King Darius. Daniel was the king's favorite. The king's other advisers were jealous. They plotted to get rid of Daniel. They encouraged the king to sign into law a decree that commanded everyone to worship only the king for the next month. They knew this would get Daniel into trouble because he wouldn't stop worshiping the one, true God. They did get Daniel into trouble and the punishment was for Daniel to be thrown into a pit with hungry lions. King Darius couldn't change the law, and he was regretting the choice he had made. He wished Daniel well and told him to pray for protection from his God. Daniel was calm and trusting. He knew that if he died, God would take him to heaven and if he lived, God had saved him. King Darius returned to his palace, but he paced the floor all night and would not eat or drink. In the morning, he hurried to the pit to see if Daniel's God had kept him safe. When he called in, Daniel answered that angels had come and shut the mouths of the lions. God had protected him and kept him safe! The King Darius had the jealous advisers thrown into the pit. God keeps us safe here on earth and at last home in heaven! Something to be thankful for!


Books of the week- "Oh, What a Thanksgiving!" by Steven Kroll, "Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving" by Dav Pilkey, "Clifford's Thanksgiving" by Norman Bridwell and "My First Thanksgiving" by Tomie dePaola.

May God bless you with a happy Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for!!

Oo is for opposites

This week we are listening for the short sound of Oo and looking at the shape of Oo as we work with opposites.

Table activities include experimenting with sink or float, painting with black paint on white paper or white paint on black paper, sorting soft or hard, playing with warm and cold, empty and full, in and out, upside-down and right-side-up and matching opposites.

Small group activities include matching opposites, making a day/night plate, adding an Oo is for opposites to our journal.

The Key Development Indicator for this week is comprehension- Children understand language.- There are many different concepts children have to grasp to actually understand language. They can repeat or sound out, but until words have meaning in relation to one another, they can't understand. Synonyms and antonyms build connections between words to build better understanding.

Jesus Time- This week we hear the story of Jonah. Jonah was a prophet who God gave the job of preaching to the people of Ninevah. This was the capitol city of Israel's enemy Assyria. Jonah didn't want the job. In fact, he got on a boat going in the opposite direction of Ninevah. Emotionally and physically and spiritually exhausted from running away from God, he went below deck and fell asleep. A violent storm quickly came up! The sailors panicked, throwing cargo overboard, fastening the sails, anything to keep the ship from sinking. They were sure that someone had angered the god of the sea. Which one of them was it? They woke Jonah and brought him on deck to draw straws to see whose fault this storm was. Jonah drew the short straw! He admitted to running from God and his will and instructed the sailors to throw him overboard. They were very reluctant to do it, but they finally did. A huge fish came up from the deep and swallowed Jonah and the sea calmed. Jonah lived in the belly of the huge fish for three days. He was finally spit out on dry land and after three days of prayerful repentance, went on to preach at Ninevah and the whole city repented and was saved. Jonah went on to show his dissatisfaction with God's will later, but we leave the story here.

Books of the week- "Dinosaur Roar" by Henrietta and Paul Stickland, "Opposites" by Eric Carle, "Big Bear, Small Mouse" by Karma Wilson and "Marta! Big and Small" by Jennifer Dussling.

Just a reminder to pack snowpants, boots, mittens, hats and slippers if you haven't yet! Winter surprised us, but now it's here!

Have fun and read every day!!

Fish are friends!

This week we are listening for the sound of Ff and studying fish!

Friday is our field trip to Belle Isle Aquarium and Conservatory! Let me know if you are coming! They have sea horses, stingrays, clown fish like Nemo! It's lots of fun to take our time and look around!

Table activities include making foil fish, creating a playdough rainbow fish, catching fish with a net and cleaning up the oceans activities.

Small group activities include designing a fish bowl and observing fish and their body parts.

The KDI for the week is-
Ecology: Children understand the importance of taking care of their environment.- One of our read-alouds this week is called "Oil Spill". It talks about what happens to animals and plants and our oceans after there is an oil spill. One of our table activities will have students look for garbage to pick out of the see and sponges to clean up a pretend 'oil spill'. God created this world for us to take care of, we should be good stewards of His gift!

Jesus Time- This week we hear about a brave, young girl. We have skipped ahead again and now we are at the point in Israel's history when the nation has been invaded and foreign troops have carried off people to be slaves. This young girl was taken from her home and was a slave in the home of a foreign general named Naaman. Naaman was renowned for his skill and strategy in battle. Somewhere along the way, Naaman had contracted the disease leprosy. In those days, there was no cure. Naaman was destined to live his remaining life in a leper colony, away from family and friends and no longer a national hero. When the young girl who was a slave in his household heard this, she suggested to his wife that he should go see the prophet in Israel, Elisha. Naaman's king was willing to pay whatever the cost to have his star general healed. Israel's king was scared when they entered the country and order Elisha to see him right away. Elisha sent his servant to tell Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman was insulted! First Elisha himself didn't come out to see him, then he told him to wash in the muddy, dirty Jordan, when they had sparkling clean rivers at home! He refused to do what he had been asked. His fellow soldiers and company encouraged him to do what he was told. Wouldn't he do what he was asked if it was a difficult task? Naaman finally relented. He washed seven times in the Jordan and when he emerged the seventh time, his skin was as fresh and clean as a baby's. Naaman proclaimed, "Now I know that there is no god except for the God of Israel." Because of her bravery, God's power was seen by many people and the leaders of a foreign nation praised the one, true God. 

Books of the week- "The Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister, "Swimmy" by Leo Lionni and "Oil Spill" by Melvin Berger.

As the snow flies- a reminder to pack hat and gloves or mittens and bring a pair of slippers to change into so clunky boots don't step on fingers or track in slush!


Have a fantastic week!

Bb is for ball!

This week we are listening for the letter sound of Bb and playing with balls!

Table activities include painting with cotton balls, playing with balls, balancing balls, playing games with balls like bowling or ping pong paddle games and playing with pretend spaghetti and meatballs.

Small group activities include making a ball out of model magic, making a gumball machine and adding Bb is for ball to our journals.

The KDI  for the week is-
Gross Motor Skills: Children demonstrate strength, flexibility, balance and timing in using their large muscles. - We are also learning how to catch and throw balls and bounce balls. Timing things just right is a challenge!

Jesus Time-
This week we have the story of David and Goliath. Israel had chosen to have a king rule over them, just like the countries around them. Saul was chosen to be the first king, but he did not follow God's Word. Samuel anointed a young boy named David to be the next king. David was a shepherd, the youngest son of a man named Jesse. David's older brothers were part of Saul's army against the Philistines. When David went to deliver food to them, he saw the Philistine's champion, Goliath, come out and humiliate the Israelites, daring them to fight him and mocking the one, true God. David was astonished that no one was willing to stand up to Goliath. He decided that he would do it! God was on his side, how could he lose? King Saul tried to get him to wear his armor for protection, but it was so heavy, David could not even move in it. He decided to take care of Goliath the shepherd's way, with a staff and a sling. David chose five smooth stones from a nearby stream. He went to meet Goliath, sling in one hand, staff in the other. Goliath made fun of him, but David kept moving forward. David declared that he was coming against Goliath in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel! David placed a stone in the sling and swung and let go! The stone met it's mark, right in the center of Goliath's head and he was dead. God gave David the victory! Even though we feel small, God still fights for us!

Books of the week are "Press Here" by Herve' Tullet, "A Ball for Daisy" by Chris Raschka and "Froggy Plays Soccer" by Jonathan London.

Next Friday, November 15th, is our field trip to Belle Isle Aquarium and Conservatory. Information about that trip will be coming home this week. It is a free trip because we are going on public days. They are fun places to visit, along with the rest of Belle Isle!

Have a super week!