Apples, Apples, Apples

This week we are concentrating on the letter Aa and apples!

Table activities include apple printing, apple orchard sensory bins, using unifix cubes to make apples and apple trees and apple pie playdough.

Small group activities are comparing and contrasting apples- we tried 8 different kinds, and using ripped paper to make an apple tree.

Our KDI of the week is-

 Natural and physical world: Children gather knowledge about the natural and physical world-Looking at how apples grow on trees and how apples make more trees- the cycle that God put in place to keep making apple trees!



Jesus Time- Our story this week shows how God keeps his promises, even though sometimes it seems impossible. We are learning about God choosing Abraham to be the beginning of the line that Jesus would be born of someday and the beginning of our family of faith. God instructed Abraham to move to a place that he would show him. He and his nephew Lot followed God to the land of Canaan where they set up their tent homes. They kept sheep and goats and cattle and camels and waited for what God had in store next. God told Abraham to go out and look at the sky and count the stars. God promised Abraham that he would have that many children. Abraham was 90 years old and didn't even have one child yet, but he believed in God's promise. Years later, three men came and visited Abraham, he served them a meal Sarah, his wife, had cooked. They told him that next year at this same time, he would have a child.  Abraham was 100. Sarah who was 90 at this time, laughed, overhearing them in the tent. She would have a baby??!! But she did, and God kept his promise. Generation after generation of Abraham's children and grandchildren followed God. Not always perfectly and not always all of them, but enough, that when the time came for his promise of a Savior to be born, he was born of Abraham's family. And we who believe in Jesus as our Savior are also children of Abraham- more that the stars in the sky!!

Books of the week- "Under the Apple Tree" by Steve Metzger and "The Little Mouse and the Big Red Apple" by A.H. Benjamin and Gwyneth Williamson

We will see you Wednesday at Plymouth Orchard, 10685 Warren Rd. at 9:30 am- our tour leaves at 9:45, but please be there at 9:30!

Have a apple-tastic week!!!
Mrs. Schneck and Mrs. Oetzel

Blog for September 11 and 13

Magnets and how they work is the theme of our week this week, along with the sound and shape of Mm.

Table activities include attracting pipe cleaner one eyed monsters with magnets, finding the metal in our construction rice bin with magnets, painting with magnets and using magnetic letters to make our own Chika Chika Boom Boom tree.

KDIs of the week are-
 Experimenting: Children experiment to test their ideas. - What is magnetic? How far will my magnet's power reach? 

 Drawing conclusions: Children draw conclusions based on their experiences and observations. - Like magnets only stick to some metals, or one magnet is stronger than another.

Small group activities are building a magnet tower to see how high our magnetic field goes and testing what is magnetic and what is not.

Jesus Time- Our story this week is the flood. We reviewed creation, how God made everything perfect. Adam and Eve chose to not follow God, their children wander farther away from God and a relationship with Him, their children farther yet, and so it went, until only one family was left that had a relationship with God. That was Noah's family. God told them to build a huge ark to carry them and at least two of every kind of animal and keep them safe while he destroyed the world in a flood. It rained for 40 days and nights, covering the world with water to the tops of the mountains. Then it stopped and for 150 more days, Noah and his family and the animals waited for the waters to dry up. When they finally did, the first thing Noah did when he left the ark was to build an altar. He thanked God for keeping he and his family safe during the flood. God placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign of the promise that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood again. 

Books of the week are "Magnet Max" by Monica Lozano Hughes and "Press Here" by Herve' Tullet.

A reminder that this Wednesday is the Preschool Parent meeting- learn more about our K-8 school, finish up any remaining paperwork and get your sign in code for the Ipad. It is at 6:30 pm, should be over by 7. If you cannot attend, just shoot me an email and I will let you know if you have any paperwork outstanding and your code for the Ipad.

Field trip papers due this week for next Wednesday's field trip to Plymouth Orchards!!

Have a fun filled week!
Mrs. Schneck

First week of Preschool

Welcome, welcome to our first week of preschool!! So far we are having a wonderful time!!

This week we are talking about summer and the letter Ss.

Our table activities in the morning are decorating ice pops, collecting bugs, water play with boats and watermelon sensory bags.

Our Key Developmental Indicators of the week are-

Planning: Children make plans and follow through on their intentions. - We all chose what to play this morning, and did follow through on our plans. We did change our plans, especially this first week, there is just so much to explore!! But we did follow through to begin!

Fine-motor skills: Children demonstrate dexterity and handeye coordination in using their small muscles.- Ripping paper to make a slice of watermelon and using our pincher grip to pick up sequins and peel stickers and foam are great exercises to get me ready to write!

Our small group activities really concentrate on summer fun and fine motor. We all ate a piece of watermelon and then used ripped paper to make a slice! On Thursday we will use our pincher grip to peel paper off the foam stickers to decorate our summer sun visors.

Jesus Time- This week we are hearing the story of creation. How God created the world with his word in six days. Day one was light, day two water was created, day three plants were created, four-sun, moon and stars, five- fish and birds, six- all land animals and people. We read a big book with wonderful illustrations and simple rhyming text that ended with, "It was good." 


Books of the week- "Summer Days and Nights" by Wong Herbert Yee and "Summer is Summer" by Phillis and David Gershator.

Next Wednesday, September 12th, there will be a parent meeting for the parents of the preschoolers. At this meeting, Pastor Kieta will be explaining about a program that could make enrollment in our day school something to think about. I will also be giving parents their individual codes for when we switch to our Ipod sign in and collecting any paperwork I am missing at this point. It will be held at 6:30pm at the church! Thank you in advance for your attendance.

On Thursday, I am sending home a slip about our first field trip which takes place on Wednesday, August 19th at Plymouth Orchards- all are welcome to attend!!

Have a fantastic week!
Mrs. Schneck and Mrs. Oetzel


Photos from Day One! -

Blog for May 29 and 31

This week we are talking about kites and wind. We are looking forward to a fun summer full of great activities!!

Table activities this week include stringing beads on a kite tail, decorating our own kites, playing with mini parachutes and designing pinwheels.

Our small group activities are using the power of our own wind to- blow cotton balls and other items across a tray with a straw and paint with wind.

KDIs for the week are-

Experimenting: Children experiment to test their ideas.- How hard or how soft to blow? Where to blow? Testing out our ideas to fly our kites too!

Music: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through music. - Flying our kites and dancing to music this week. 

Jesus Time- Our Jesus Time this week was a picture led review of all the stories that we have heard this year. From creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the flood, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and his brothers, Moses, the tumbling walls of Jericho, David and Goliath, The Three men in the Fiery Furnace, Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, the shepherds and wise men, Jesus and the miracles he did, talking to Zaccheus, coming into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, dying for our sins on Good Friday, rising again on Easter, ascending into heaven and the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit and telling others about Jesus, to Jesus leading us through his Word to heaven too!

Books of the week- "Days with Frog and Toad"- the Kite Story by Arnold Lobel, "Bringing the Outside In" by Mary McKenna Siddals.

Our last week! Enjoy your summer vacation!! Have lots of great experiences and read, read, read!!

Join us for preschool graduation on Wednesday, May 30th at 6:30pm!

Hopefully you received the information on Water fun day on Friday- all are welcome from 10:30-noon, parents have to accompany their preschooler.

God bless your summer!!
Mrs. Schneck

Blog for May 22 and 24

Ice cream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! No, I didn't teach your kiddos that poem this week, but we are playing with ice cream this week! And the letter Ii.

Table activities include ice cream cone printing, playing with cotton ball ice cream and on Thursday, weather permitting, our morning table time will be outside playing ice cream shop with baking soda ice cream.

Small group activities are counting and gluing on scoops of ice cream on our cones and on Thursday we will make ice cream.

KDIs for the week are-

Number words and symbols: Children recognize and use number words and symbols.- Numbers are counted and identified daily.

Counting: Children count things. -Counting scoops and sprinkles and worms and friends!

Jesus Time- In this week's Jesus time, we review the stories we have heard throughout the year and talk about how Jesus is our good shepherd.  We are the sheep, sometimes not very smart, moving along as a group, sometimes we leave those in trouble behind, we go places or do things that can get us into trouble, just like sheep. I talked about seeing a herd of sheep being chased by wild dogs, the sheep didn't fight, just left the weaker ones behind and ran away. Jesus comes are chases off the dogs and helps those in trouble. He leads us in the right way to go, places that are safe that will keep us close to Him. He goes to great lengths to save us, even giving up His own life! What a shepherd we have who will never leave us or forsake us!

Books of the week are- "Curious George Goes to an Ice Cream Shop" by Margret and H.A. Rey and "Bear Counts" by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman.

This Friday is Literacy Night! Come read in a hammock or in a tent. Pick out some different books, get information on Summer Reading programs at your local libraries and have a snack! From 6:30-8:00 pm.

The four year olds are having their graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 30th at 6:30 pm. Threes are not required to be there, but are certainly welcome to come!! It should take about an hour, including cake and punch!

Have a fantastic week!

Mrs. Schneck

Blog for May 8 and 10

We are playing with boxes this week and listening for the letter Xx.

Table activities include playing with and stacking boxes, coloring inside and outside of boxes and pretending with a mailbox!

Small group activities are coloring a box, encouraged to use our imagination as to what kind of box it might be, a lunch box? computer box? box for our dolls?. We are going to put something in a box and wrap it the best we can to give to mom for Mother's Day.

KDIs for the week are-

Pretend play: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through pretend play.-Using our imagination coloring and playing with boxes.

Gross-motor skills: Children demonstrate strength, flexibility, balance, and timing in using their large muscles. -Carefully stacking boxes to make the tallest tower we can takes balance and a steady hand!

 Jesus Time- This week we hear the difficult story of Stephen. Stephen was a helper in the early church, there were so many new Christians, the disciples appointed some men to help them take care of those who needed help and Stephen was one of those men. He was full of the Holy Spirit and boldly told about his Savior. Some of the church's enemies threatened him if he did not stop sharing the news about Jesus. They had him arrested and he boldly went point by point through the Old Testament showing them where they were wrong and that Jesus was the Messiah. They did not like what they were hearing and they got so angry that they took Stephen out to be stoned. As they were throwing rocks at him to kill him, God gave him a glimpse of Jesus sitting at God the Father's right hand. The enemies of the church certainly didn't want to hear about that! Stephen also echoed Jesus words when he asked for his enemies to be forgiven. He was bold and courageous in his faith and stayed faithful to Jesus even in death. 

Books of the week- "Not a Box" by Antoinette Portis, "What is Round?" by Rebecca Dotlich and "Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson.

Friday, May 25th is a Preschool Literacy Night. Hopefully we will be outside! Come read a book in a tent or hammock or laying on a blanket in the shade! If you have any books you'd like to swap out, bring them and we will have a book swap. Snacks and information on summer reading programs in the area provided!

Preschool graduation is on May 30th at 6:30. The three year old class is welcome to come, but is not required. It will last about an hour, including a cake and punch reception.

Next week I am going to be in Alaska once again, this time for my son's high school graduation. Mrs. Dostal and Mrs. Oetzel will be teaching! I'm sure you will have alot of fun!

Have a terrific week!
Mrs. Schneck

Blog for May 1 and 3

This week we are talking about camping and the letter Cc.

Our table activities include playing in tents, small world camping with playmobile, making a pretend camp fire.

Our small group activities are making a lantern and decorating a backpack to use on our camping expidition if you come to Camp Killarney.

Our KDIs for the week are-

 Conflict resolution: Children resolve social conflicts.- We are working on this by modeling how to resolve conflicts- like when a child wants a toy another child has, instead of grabbing it or insisting on having it, we modeling asking, "May I have that toy when you are finished with it?" 

Pretend play: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through pretend play- We are doing pretend play in the camping realm this week.

Jesus Time- Last week we heard about Jesus' ascension. Before he ascended, Jesus told his disciples to wait for a special gift in Jerusalem. The disciples waited, probably in the same locked room they hid in after Jesus' death. They were alone, they spent time in prayer and conversation. Ten days after Jesus' ascension, there was a noise like a loud wind- everyone heard it, not just the disciples. Then what looked like tongues of fire appeared on the disciples heads and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gave them the ability to speak in languages that they hadn't learned before so they could tell others about Jesus in their own language. Peter went out and preached about Jesus, what had happened to him, whose fault it was (ours) and what Jesus death and resurrection meant. Over 3000 believed and repented that day. The Holy Spirit also comes to us through God's Word and creates faith in our hearts! Thank you Jesus for sending your Spirit to be with us as we tell others about you!

Books of the week- "Charlie Goes Camping" by Carrie Weston, "Duck Tents" by Lynne Berry and "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen.

Field Trip to Camp Killarney next Wednesday, May 9th. Please have the attendance sheet in by next Tuesday, May 8th.

Outside Literacy Night on Friday, May 25th from 6:30- 8:00. Come enjoy some snacks, book swap, information on summer reading programs and information on reading out loud to your kids! If you have any books you'd like to donate, drop them off at preschool anytime.

Have a super week!

Mrs. Schneck