Nutrition and Manners - Day 4

Meat, Eggs, and Protein

Self Selected Activities (AM 9:00-9:45..PM 12:30-1:15)

*Cut and Color Table: MEAT, EGGS, AND PROTEIN MURAL - there will be food magazines set out for the children to find meat, eggs, and protein pictures to cut out and paste. The teacher will guide and discuss with the children as they go. They can also cut out pictures of their favorite foods to make a mural of foods they love!

*Messy Table: WHEAT - We will have wheat in the messy table today. Although we are not learning about grains and bread, it's still fun to feel and explore with.

*Creative Art: EGG FRIENDS - The children will decorate their own hard boiled egg friends with googly eyes, permanent marker, yarn, etc. They can try and take extra special care of their newly found friends!

*Dramatic Play: RESTAURANT - The dramatic play area will be set up like a restaurant for the children to explore all different food groups, serve each other, order, and of course pretend to eat!!

Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during large group.)

*Snack: OMELETT - Check out the recipe page for this yummy recipe!! It's so fun to cook and smell and eat snack!! Kids love to help!!

Large Group (AM 9:50-10:15...PM 1:20-1:45)

* Large Group: We'll start large group with the song can of course and get everyone settled down. Rude Rodney will join us in a toy truck and zoom around the circle in and out of children. I'll ask Rodney if I can play with his truck for a while. "NO!" Rodney yells. "It's MINE!" I'll tell the children that Rodney is not very good at sharing. He doesn't have many friends because he never lets them play with his toys. And Rodney never takes turns. He cuts in line at recess and takes toys away from other children. We'll read the story "We Share Everything" by Robert Munsch and discuss why it important to share. We'll practice our letter Uu to end large group.

Outside Play (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55) *Transition: PASS THE EGG - The children will sit in a circle and two of them will have a hard boiled egg. We'll sing the ABC's and when we stop, the two people that have an egg have to answer the question, "What is your favorite food?" After they answer the class has to decide what food group it's in and then begin again.

Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)

* Small Group: We'll start small group by reading "Eggbert the Slightly Cracked Egg" by Tom Ross. This is the story of ane gg who is perfectly happy in the refrigerator until it is discovered that he has a crack. Then, he is cast out. As he discovers the world, he finds that being cracked isn't so bad. We will then do a Rubber Egg science experiment. I will have a couple of eggs in a jar covered with vinegar, they will have sat for 48 hours. Carefully we'll remove the eggs from the jar and the children can touch them carefully. They will feel like rubber. When everyone has had a chance to feel them, I'll poke one with a needle and let them watch as the insides ooze out!! The calcium on the egg is dissolved by the acid in the vinegar. The egg's membrane holds it together. We'll also discuss more about this food group - Most of the foods in this group come from animals. The exception is legumes and tofu. We will not get into a discussion how animals are killed for their meat. The children will most likely be bothered and it is not really necessary. I'll show them some examples of foods that fit into this category....pepporoni, refried beans, eggs, sausages, etc.

Nutrition and Manners - Day 3

Bread and Cereals

Self Selected Activities (AM 9:00-9:45..PM 12:30-1:15)

*Cut and Color Table: STRINGING CEREAL - There will be a variety of cereals at the cut and color table for stringing. There will be pattern cards available for the children to copy the pattern to make for their necklace. We will enjoy talking about what grain the different cereals are made of, tasting them and of course stringing them!!

*Messy Table: FLOUR GOOP - There will be squirt bottles like syrup, liquid dish soap bottles, etc. These bottles will be half way filled with flour and then filled up with water. The children can squirt these bottles to make goopy designs. If they want, they can squirt them onto squares of cardboard where the designs can dry hard and feel really neat! The teacher will guide discussions about how flour comes from wheat and is part of the breads and cereals group.

*Creative Art: BREAD DOUGH FUN - Bread dough will be placed at the creative art table for the children to smoosh, shape, squish, feel, and experience.

*Dramatic Play: RESTAURANT - The dramatic play area will be set up like a restaurant for the children to explore all different food groups, serve each other, order, and of course pretend to eat!!

Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during large group.)

*Snack: HOMEMADE BREAD - Miss Chelsea will have pre-made bread for the children to see what the end product is of flour and bread dough.

Large Group (AM 9:50-10:15...PM 1:20-1:45)

* Large Group: We'll start large group by singing songs from the song can. Rude Rodney will then join us with a blanket and a pillow. It is time for Rodney's morning nap. Miss Chelsea will read a book "The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners". As the teacher reads the book Rodney will interrupt and ringing a bell as I try and finish. First he'll ask for a drink of water before his nap, then a hug, the he'll ask for the teacher to fluff his pillow just right. After the story I'll begin a conversation with the kids about interrupting.......What does it mean to interrupt? How did Rodney interrupt? What would have been the polite thing for Rodney to do? Do you ever interrupt mommy and daddy? Who would like to come up and tell Rodney what he should do instead of interrupting? No interrupting Please, Touch Rule - This is an excellent rule for the preschool classroom and an even better rule for home. I do not believe a teacher should make a child wait for a very long time before he is responded to, but there aer times when the teacher is busy and the child has to wait. When the teacher is busy the chils is asked to lay his hand on the teacher's hand. This lets the teacher know that the child needs to speak to her. Ther teacher responds by laying her hand on the child's hand. That way, the child has been acknowledged and he knows the teacher will get to him next. When she is finished with her previous conversation she should get down on the child's level and atted to his need. This helps a great deal when on the telephone at home. But remember, it isn't fair to make the child wait too long. That will only set him up for failure. We'll then go into learning the letter Uu through song, sign language, and writing!

Outside Play (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55) *Transition: POPCORN MOVEMENT - Popcorn is a foot that fits into the breads and cereal food group. I'll explain that inside every kernel of popcorn is a tiny little space that is filled with moisture. When the kernel heats up, the moisture in the center of the kernel expand and causes the kernel to explode into popcorn. The teacher will invite the children to curl up into a popcorn kernel. I will pick each child up one by one and place them into a "skillet full of oil". Slowly turn up the heat. Not all of the kernels will explode at once so the teacher will walk around the children and touch them each on the head. Tell them to pop when they are touched and then crouch back into a kernel to pop again. Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)

* Small Group: We'll start small group by reading "The little Red Hen". I will bring a variety of breads and cereals to the circle. This will include bread, pasta, rice, tortillas, and cereal. The children will touch, smell and taste some of the foods. It will be fun to show the children how some of the foods are different when they are cooked. For example, uncooked spaghetti is hard and breaks but spaghetti that has been cooked is soft and bendable. I will show them cooked rice, oats and bread, etc.

Nutrition and Manners - Day 2

Fruits and Vegetables

Self Selected Activities (AM 9:00-9:45..PM 12:30-1:15)

*Cut and Color Table: VEGETABLE PEOPLE - This activity is so much fun!! Each child will get a meat tray or cardboard with a large circle drawn in the middle. This will be the vegetable person's head. Then, they will be able to use a variety of sliced vegetables and glue. They can use the vegetables to make eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hair for the person!!

*Messy Table: WASHING FRUITS AND VEGETABLE - There will be water, plastic fruits and vegetables, scrubbies, and serving trays in the messy table today. The children can pretend to wash their vegetables, serve each other and play in the water!!

*Creative Art: FRUIT PRINTS - We'll have fruity paint colors put out on paper plates, and a variety of fruits to print with - banana peels, apple halves, orange halves, etc, and also large newsprint. It's easiest when these fruits are layed out ahead of time to dry a little. The children will be able to dip the fruit into the paint and print them on the newsprint!

*Dramatic Play: RESTAURANT - The dramatic play area will be set up like a restaurant for the children to explore all different food groups, serve each other, order, and of course pretend to eat!!

Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during large group.)

*Snack: APPLES AND CARROTS - We'll have carrots and apples for snack today to get our serving of fruits and vegetables in of course!! This will help improve self help skills as they serve themselves snack, get their napkins, pour their water and clean up their mess when they are done.

Large Group (AM 9:50-10:15...PM 1:20-1:45)

* Large Group: We'll start large group with the song can and then Rude Rodney will join us! Rude Rodney will be wrapped up in a gift box. The teacher will give the gift to one of the children and I'll say, "My husband gave me a delicious box of candy. If you help me open the box, I will share my candy with all of you!" When they finish opening the box they will discover Rodney with chocolate smeared on his face and no chocolates left in the box.

Teacher: "Rodney, why did you eat my chocolates without asking?"

Rodney: "Because I was hungry."

Teacher: "All you had to do was say, "Please." I would have given you some."

Rodney: "I didn't want some, I wanted them all."

Teacher: "That's rude! Do you have something to say now that you have eaten my chocolates?"

Rodney: "They were delicious!"

I'll ask the children to help Rodney figure out the polite thing to say to somebody after they have given us something. (Rodney should say "Sorry" and "thank you"))

I will bring out a box of tootsie rolls and let the children practice saying, "Please and Thank you. "

Next we will play the game "Which is Which". I will have a variety of fruits and vegetables on a tray and two bowls for sorting. Each child will get a chance to choose a fruit or vegetable and then tell the class what it is and if it's a fruit or vegetable then place it in the correct bowl.

We'll end large group by practicing our letter Tt through song, sign language, writing and repetition.

Outside Play (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55)

*Transition: We'll read a book for transition called "Eat Your Peas Louise".

Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)

* Small Group: We'll start small group by reading the book "Growing Vegetable Soup". In this book, a father and child plant seeds, water them, watch them grow into vegetables, pick them and finally make a delicious, vegetable soup. The recipe is included in this wonderful book for those with extra time and want to make a warm, nutritious snack. For a game we'll divide the children into two groups. One group is the fruit group and one group is the vegetable group. I'll have picture cards with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Each child will get a card, there may be more then one of each fruit and vegetable. The children will sit in a circle and choose one child to sit in the middle of the circle. The child in the middle calls the name of a fruit and the name of a vegetable. The players holding those picture cards must stand up and trade places. While they are trading places, the child in the middle must try to sit in one of the vacant spots before they are all filled. Whoever is left without a spot is "it".

Nutrition and Manners - Day 1

Milk and Dairy! Teaching small children good manners is most effective if you begin early. Use these lessons and concepts on a regular basis!!

Self Selected Activities (AM 9:00-9:45..PM 12:30-1:15)

*Cut and Color Table: FOOD GROUP MURAL - We'll have many food magazines set out, along with scissors and glue. The children can cut out all the pictures they can find of milk products (the teacher will help guide them). Milk products include, milk, butter, cheese, evaporated milk, ice cream, and dried milk products. The teacher will have some pictures pre-cut. There will also be crayons and markers available for added creativity!

*Messy Table: MILKING COWS - The children will get to explore what it might be like to milk cows! There will be a few latex doctor's gloves attatched to the messy table. The teacher will have a poked a few holes in the openings and filled the gloves up with milk. These will be like the "udders" of the cow. The children will have a BLAST pretending to milk cows and see who's bucket can fill up the fastest!

*Creative Art: BUTTERMILK ART - The children will dip chalk into buttermilk which makes the chalk brighter and go on easier. They can explore with their senses as they smell, feel and create with the buttermilk and chalk!

*Dramatic Play: RESTAURANT - The dramatic play area will be set up like a restaurant for the children to explore all different food groups, serve each other, order, and of course pretend to eat!!

Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during large group.)

*Snack: HOMEMADE ICECREAM - Check out the recipe for this Homemade Icecream in a bag!! It's so fun to see how things are actually created! We'll get to shake, mix and put all the ingredients together to make this fun cold treat!!

Large Group (AM 9:50-10:15...PM 1:20-1:45)

* Large Group: We'll start out with songs from our song can to get everyone together. Miss Chelsea will then introduce our new friend "Rude Rodney". Rude Rodney will come out of an empty tissue box. As he sneeze's on every child we'll discuss why that is so rude. Miss Chelsea will spray the kids as he sneezes so it seems extra gross!! "Yuck Rodney!! Haven't you ever heard of a tissue?" We'll discuss what happens when we sneeze on others and what we should do instead and of course that we should wash our hands often!! Rude Rodney will teach the kids the song "Have you Ever Seen Rude Rodney?" Check out the song on the Nutrition and Manners Song Page! Next we'll go into learning our letter Tt through song, sign language, and writing!!

Outside Play (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55)

*Transition: Have each child tell us a milk/dairy food and also one that is their favorite.

Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)

* Small Group: We'll start by reading the book "No Milk!" This is a cute story of a city boy who has no idea how to milk a cow. He tries to coax the cow into giving milk in a variety of ways intil the cow becomes inpatient and gives the boy a hint! After discussing and reading the story we'll talk more about dairy foods, how often we should eat them, and what they are!! Miss Chelsea will hold up a variety of plastic foods and the children will tell me if they are a milk/dairy food or not!! If there is still time we'll make a science, eating experiement called "Layers of Fun". We'll take clear cups, ginger ale, blueberry syrup, and heavy cream. The teacher will help them pour about 2 inches of ginger ale into the bottoms of their cups, the about 1/2 an inch of blueberry syrup, and finally about 1 inch of heavy cream on top very slowly. We'll observe what happens......the solutions stay separated into different layers. When we are finished looked, we'll stir the drink up and enjoy it!! Yum - blueberry cream!

Nutrition and Manners Song Page

Have you Ever Seen Rude Rodney?

Tune of "Have you Ever Seen a Lassie?"

Have you ever seen Rude Rodney?

Rude Rodney, Rude Rodney?

Have you ever seen Rude Rodney

sneeze all over you?

Ahh Choo! Ahh Choo! Ahh Choo! Ahh Choo!

Have you ever seen Ruden Rodney

without a tissue?

Have you ever seen Rude Rodney?

Rude Rodney, Rude Rodney?

Have you ever seen Rude Rodney cough all over you?

Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!

Have you ever seen Rude Rodney without a tissue?

Discover and Learn News

I hope you all survived the week of no preschool, I'm really sorry about the inconvenience, but I do hope you are all ready to get going again, I know I am!! Can you believe we only have a few weeks left of preschool - about 12 to be exact!!

I've changed the scheduled units around a bit from the layout you all got at the beginning of the year.....I feel like this all rolls and fits together better. I do want to remind you that there will be no school on Thursday, April 10th because of Spring Break! I made sure this is lined up with the public school schedule so your kids can all be off together.

*March 11th - March 20th: "Spring and Easter"

*March 25th - April 3rd: "Nutrition and Manners"

*April 8th - April 17th: (remember no school on April 10th) "A Dinosaur Dynasty"

*April 22nd - May 1st: "Folktales"

*May 6th - May 15th: "Five Spectacular Stories"

*May 20 - 29th: "Beach Week" Our celebration water day will be the last day of school, Thursday, May 29th.

I do want to remind you that we'll be having our Family Preschool Party on Friday May 23rd. This is our Preschool graduation night where sisters, brothers, grandma's, grandpa's, and of course mom's and dad's are invited! There will be lots to do and of course an exciting night for your little graduating preschooler!! I'm also changing this day from what I have posted in the beginning of the year preschool packet since I have added another week onto preschool.

If you have any questions about any of this, feel free to contact me at anytime. I hope this last week didn't throw anyone off too bad, hopefully we can just slide right back into things. Thanks for all you do as parents and for our preschool!

*March 11th - Start our unit on "Spring and Easter". We'll start this unit talking and learning about sleepy animals that wake up in the springtime!! From bears to birds and the leaves budding open, we'll have too much fun. We'll be learning the letter Rr today.

*March 13th - Today we'll be talking about the changes in springtime and doing a lot of activities with mud! We'll have dirt cups for snack today - yummers!! Continue practicing the letter Rr.

*March 18th - "Easter" - We'll be discovering the colors of Easter and Spring, flowers, and best of all bunnies today! We'll get to eat yummy Bunny cookie treats and we'll get to learn the letter Ss today!

*March 20th - Today we'll have our own Easter celebration by dying Easter eggs, having an Easter Egg Hunt, and much more! We'll practice the letter Ss today.

*March 25th - Start our unit "Nutrition and Manners". We'll focus on Milk and Dairy today and introduce our friend 'Rude Rodney' to teach us about manners. We'll make ice cream for snack. Learn the letter Tt today.

*March 27th - We'll focus on fruits and Vegetables today making veggie people, fruit prints and eating fruits and veggies for snack. Practice the letter Tt.

*April 1st - Focus on Breads and Cereals today and don't forget about 'Rude Rodney' to help us remember how to use our manners. Learn the letter Uu.

*April 3rd - We'll learn about meat, eggs, and protein today. We'll have an omelett for snack and practice the letter Uu.

*April 10th -

No School on Thursday, April 10th because of Spring Break.

School will start back up again on Tuesday, April 15th.

Spring and Easter - Day 4

EASTER CELEBRATION!

Self Selected Activities (AM 9:00-9:45..PM 12:30-1:15)

*Cut and Color Table: PASTEL EGGS - There will be egg shapes cut out of white construction paper. The children will be able to use pastel chalks to decorate the eggs. They can use the chalks dry to make muted colors or dip the chalks in water for a more vibrant effect. Collage materials will also be provided for them to glue onto the egg. Shapes, confettie, sequins, glitter glue. etc.

*Messy Table: CLEAN MUD - We'll clean mud at the messy table today, the kids really enjoyed it! By combining 2 rolls of toilet paper (torn into pieces); 1 1/2 bars of ivory soap, shaved; and 2 quarts or warm water. After the kids have helped get all the ingredients ready, we'll knead it by hand until soft and gooey. We'll add more water if necessary. This is fun to squish and smoosh and play - but it's clean instead of dirty!

*Creative Art: DYEING EASTER EGGS - Hard boiled eggs, and food coloring mixed with vinegar will be set up at the art table today. The room will stink, but the eggs will be gorgeous! They can also use wax crayons to make interesting designs before they dip the eggs in color. We'll be able to use these eggs for our Easter egg hunt a little later!!

*Dramatic Play: BUNNY HOLES - The dramatic play area will be set up like a big giant bunny hole. When I was a little girl, I would pretend I was a bunny and make my bunny holes out of a rolled up blankets shaped into a circle....I would add pillows, blankets and books, and don't forget carrots! With the cute little bunnies hopping around all day, we can't leave out a place for them to live!!

*Snack: CARROTS AND RANCH - During Easter, you need to eat carrots! Hopefully we can try and balance out all that candy we'll be getting! The can even eat them in their bunny holes today!!

Large Group (AM 9:50-10:15...PM 1:20-1:45)

* Large Group: We will start large group by singing songs from the song can, bringing all the students together and settling down. We'll read a story about Easter eggs and discuss all the fun things that Easter brings! We'll practice the letter Ss and talk about words that start with Ss. The students will practice their Ss's on whiteboards today. Miss Chelsea will have hidden plastic Easter Eggs out in her back yard, we'll go on an Easter egg hunt and the children will also find the eggs they dyed in class today! In the end, we'll be sure and split all the eggs up evenly! Happy Easter!

Outside Play (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55) - Our Easter egg hunt will be part of our outside time today.

*Transition: WIGGLY WOBBLY EGGS - We'll discuss the difference between hard boiled eggs and raw eggs - how they spin differently and look different on the inside. Each kid will get a chance to spin an egg and decide if it's raw or hard boiled and we'll sort them into 2 bowls. In the end, we'll crack 2 open and see the difference.

***A raw egg wiggles and wobbles when it spins. A hard boiled egg spins fast without wobbling.***

Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)

* Small Group: Read a book about Easter as we predict, listen and relax. We'll learn a fun rhyme - "Four Colored Easter Eggs". Check out the Spring and Easter Song Page to learn this rhyme. Then we'll play a game of "Easter Egg Concentration". I will fill about 10 plastic eggs with different candies. I'll put them in a frying pan and shake them around. Each child will choose two eggs. They'll open the eggs and show the group which candies they contain. They, put them back and let the next child choose two eggs. The object of the game is of course to remember which candies are in which eggs and find two that match. If a child finds a match, he gets to keep the candy. At the end of the game we'll make sure that everybody gets candy. This game is also fun to play with lower and capital case letters.

Spring and Easter - Day 3

Bunnies - I love bunnies! They're soft and furry, and cute and cuddly. They make me think of Easter picnics and chocolate.

BRING YOUR FAVORITE STUFFED BUNNY TO SCHOOL TODAY!

Self Selected Activities (AM 9:00-9:45..PM 12:30-1:15)

*Cut and Color Table: COTTON TAILS - The children will be able to make cotton tails to wear around the class today (or the week - whatever they decide.) There will be small, round circles cut from white poster board. The teacher can show themhow to use their fingers to spread cotton balls out until they are soft and fluffy. They can glue them onto their circle. The teacher will help them attach their tales with a safety pin, now they can be cute bunnies!

*Messy Table: CLEAN MUD - We'll combine 2 rolls of toilet paper (torn into pieces); 1 1/2 bars of ivory soap, shaved; and 2 quarts or warm water. After the kids have helped get all the ingredients ready, we'll knead it by hand until soft and gooey. We'll add more water if necessary. This is fun to squish and smoosh and play - but it's clean instead of dirty!

*Creative Art Table: BUNNY EARS - We'll have 2 bunny eats for each child cugt from poster board. One headband for each child, sponges, paster color paint and pastel colored cotton balls. The children can use the sponges to cover the ears with color then spread colorful cotton out and glue it to the inside of the bunny ears (or where they want it to end up). This will be fun to add along with their bunny tails!

*Dramatic Play: BUNNY HOLES - The dramatic play area will be set up like a big giant bunny hole. When I was a little girl, I would pretend I was a bunny and make my bunny holes out of a rolled up blankets shaped into a circle....I would add pillows, blankets and books, and don't forget carrots! With the cute little bunnies hopping around all day, we can't leave out a place for them to live!! Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during large group.)

*Snack: BUNNY HOPPERS - These bunny hoppers will jump right down the rabbit hole - your kids' mouths. But don't tell them what that crunchy nutritious ingredient is......CARROTS!! These yummy cookies we'll make during large group!! Take a look at how to make these yummy bunny treats on our recipe page!! Large Group (AM 9:50-10:15...PM 1:20-1:45)

* Large Group: We will start large group by singing songs from the song can, bringing all the students together and settling down. We'll make our snack "Bunny Hoppers", and we'll eat them while Miss Chelsea reads the book "The Golden Egg". We'll learn the Finger-play "This Little Bunny"....Take a look at the song page to learn this fun adaptation of This Little Piggy. We'll learn our letter Ss through songs, sign language, repetition, and writing it with guidance from Miss Chelsea. *Transition: THE BUNNY HOP - The teacher will put on some hoppy music and teach the children the bunny hop. We can also try different ways of hopping - high, low, fast, slow, round and round, wacky and weird, gracefully, etc. Outside Play (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55) Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)

* Small Group: Read a book about Easter as we predict, listen and relax. Miss Chelsea will then tell the flannel board story of pastels - "Four Naughty Eggs". This story is a fun way to introduce the children to color tinting. A tint of a color is created when the color is mixed with white. The effect is usually a pastel. If we get done with this story, we will practice our bunny hops again and try a game of "Bunny Hop" - played like leap frog!!

Four Naughty Eggs

Props: Eight felt eggs in the following colors: red - pink - blue - pastel blue - green - pastel green - yellow - pastel yellow * one large, mama egg in rainbow colors * one empty, half gallon, ice cream container (vanilla) * four empty, pint sized, ice cream containers (cherry, lemon, lime, blueberry)

Put the mama egg and the four, bright, colored eggs on the flannel board adn tell the following story.

Mama egg told her four little babies, "I am going to the store to buy ice cream. I will buy cherry ice cream for my little Red; lemon ice cream for my little Yellow; lime ice cream for my little Green; and blueberry ice cream for my little Blue. Do not go into the freezer while I am gone." And Mama rolled off to the store.

Little Red was playing cards and began to get a little bit hungry. He remembered what his Mama had said but his tummy was beginning to rumble. Little Red went into the freezer and took one big bite of vanilla ice cream. (Dip the red egg in the large, ice cream carton and then cover the red egg with pastel pink and bring him out of the carton). When little Red saw what he had done, he quickly hid behind the couch.

Little Yellow was playing with her doll babies and began to get hungry. She too remembered what her mother had said, but her tummy was beginning to rumble. She went into the freezer and took one big bite of vanilla ice cream. (Put the yellow egg into the ice cream carton and cover the yellow egg with pastel yellow and bring it out of the carton). When little Yellow saw what she had done, she hid behind the couch with her brother.

**Repeat the same pattern with blue and green eggs**

Mama Egg came home from the store with four pints of yummy ice cream. One was blueberry, one was lemon, one was lime and the last one was cherry. (Hold the cartons up one by one as you say the flavors.)

Mama yelled, "Children! Where are you?" But the children did not come. Mama looked and looked for her babies but she could not find them. So she removed the lids from the four cartons of ice cream. First she removed the lid from the cherry ice cream. Then, she removed the lid from the lemon ice cream. Next, she removed the lid from the blueberry ice cream. And finally, Mama removed the lid from the lime ice cream. (Remove the lids as you name the flavors). One by one, the babies smelled the cool, creamy ice cream and came out from behind the couch.

Mama was very disappointed. "You have been in the freezer and now look at you naughty little eggs! Your bright, vibrant colors are gone," she said.

One by one, she gave the babies a bite of their own ice creams. She gave red a bit of cherry. (Remove the pink egg to turn him red again). She gave Yellow a bit of lemon. (Remove the pastel yellow egg). She gave Blue a bit of blueberry. (Remove the pastel blue egg.) And she gave Green a bite of lime. (Remove the pastel green egg.) Then Mama put her four naughty babies to bed without any supper.

Spring and Easter - Day 2

So Many Changes There are so many changes going on around us. The snow has melted and the ground is muddy. The buds on the trees are turning into leaves, and the cold air is becoming crisp and refreshing. We will celebrate the changes by experiencing them.

Self Selected Activities (AM 9:00-9:45..PM 12:30-1:15)

*Cut and Color Table: STRINGING MACARONI - The children will be able to dye and string their own rigatoni noodles into spring colors. We'll need zip lock baggies, food coloring, noodles, and yarn or thick string. The children will be able to shake their bags with noodles and food coloring until the color is evenly dispersed. We'll let the noodles quickly dry and then they can string them.

*Messy Table: DIRT AND WORMS - Spring is a time of year when the snow melts and their is dirt and mud everywhere, and of course the worms come out. What more fun would a tub full of dirt and real worms and spray bottles be? The students can make the dirt into mud and keep the worms wet and watch and feel them wiggle all about!

*Creative Art: PLAYING IN THE MUD - The children can put spoonfuls of red, green, and yellow paint onto the middle of their paper. The teacher will encourage them to use their fingers to smear the colors together. The paint will turn brown like mud! Cool!

*Dramatic Play: FISHING - The dramatic play area will be set up with fishing poles, and magnetic fish, life vests, hats, sunglasses, tackle boxes, canteens, etc. The children will be able to use their imaginations to go fishing in the springtime!! Social skills, and working together will be greatly enhanced at this area today.

Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during large group.)

*Snack: DIRT CUPS - We will get to make our own dirt cups during large group today! Chocolate pudding, crushed graham crackers (or oreos), and gummy worms. Mud, glorious mud!

Large Group (AM 9:50-10:15...PM 1:20-1:45)

* Large Group: We will start large group by singing songs from the song can, bringing all the students together and settling down. We'll make our snack "Dirt Cups", and we'll eat them while Miss Chelsea reads the book "Diary of a Worm". We'll discuss all the fun and yucky aspects of mud and the wonderful changes of spring. Practice letter Rr, sound, name, and sign language. *Transition: We'll learn a new song "Mud"!! Check out the "Spring and Easter Song page to learn it!!"

Outside Play (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55)

Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)

* Small Group: Read a book about spring as we predict, listen and relax. We'll make color stew! Look at the recipe pgae to find out how to make this fun experiment!

Spring and Easter - Day 1

Spring - Wake up Sleepy Animals Self Selected Activities (AM 9:00-9:45..PM 12:30-1:15)

*Cut and Color Table: NATURE RUBBINGS AND COLLAGES - Buds are beginning to sprout, grass is starting to show, signs of spring are everywhere. Many different objects will be available at the messy table to either make collages or rubbings. From leaves, grass, bark, flowers, the children can use their creativity to make the projects they decide. The teacher can show the children how to rub the objects to make cool effects!

*Messy Table: DIRT AND WORMS - Spring is a time of year when the snow melts and their is dirt and mud everywhere, and of course the worms come out. What more fun would a tub full of dirt and real worms and spray bottles be? The students can make the dirt into mud and keep the worms wet and watch and feel them wiggle all about!

*Creative Art: SHEDDING AND MOLTING - During the spring, other changes are taking place with the animals. they shed their old feathers and fur and grow new fur in preparation for the warmer weather and color changes in the environment. Birds molt, and bears shed. At the art table, glue, poster board, colorful feathers, and craft fur will be set out for the children to make a collage out of the fur and feathers. They can use markers and crayons to draw animals and then glue the fur and feathers in place. Or they can simply make interesting designs with the materials. The teacher will spend some time talking to them about the changes in the animals.

*Dramatic Play: FISHING - The dramatic play area will be set up with fishing poles, and magnetic fish, life vests, hats, sunglasses, tackle boxes, canteens, etc. The children will be able to use their imaginations to go fishing in the springtime!! Social skills, and working together will be greatly enhanced at this area today.

Snack (small groups come at different times to eat during Self-Selected Activities. Unless we are making our snack, then we will eat it during large group.) *Snack: RICE PUDDING - Today we'll have rice pudding for snack because we are learning the letter Rr. Miss Chelsea will have this pre-made since it takes quite awhile to bake. We will discuss the ingredients and what is in it as we eat it!! Large Group (AM 9:50-10:15...PM 1:20-1:45) * Large Group: ASHLEY'S BIRTHDAY TODAY! We will start large group by singing from the song can, bringing all the children together and settling down. We'll take turns doing Share n' Teach, enhancing speaking and group skills. We'll introduce the letter Rr, discussing the name, sound, and words that start with Rr. The children will practice writing their Rr's with guidance from the teacher. We'll read the book "Bear finds Spring" and we'll discuss all the different animals that might come out or are born in the spring time, what is your favorite spring animal. We'll go into a Finger-play called "Here is a Bear Cave". Check out the Spring and Easter song page to find this finger play. *Transition:We'll practice some yawning and stretching while listening to some slow sleepy music and the teacher will lead the children in the stretches. Outside Play (AM 10:15-10:25...PM 1:45-1:55)

Small Group (AM 10:30-11:00...PM 2:00-2:30)

* Small Group: We'll start with a book about spring and discuss as we go. We will then make some clay nests. In the spring, birds fly back to a warm climate and build their nests. The teacher will guide the students in forming the clay into small, round nests. Using their thumbs to make a hole and then pinching the sides to make the nest bigger. We'll also form little eggs to go in the nest. To get this clay recipe, check out the recipe page!! If there is time left over, we'll practice our letter Rr's on whiteboards.