Learning and Teaching With Preschoolers: April 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

Manic Monday Link Up

Classroom Freebies is hosting a "Manic Monday" freebie link party! She will be doing this freebie link part every Monday where you can find some fabulous freebies from other teacher blogs so don’t miss out come on by and find some great new blogs and let us do some planning for you with these great freebies.

This week you will find a Zoo theme writing workstation packet from Learning and Teaching with Preschoolers. Click below the picture to get your weekly freebie.

Free Download

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to check out some of those other fabulous blogs you won’t be sorry.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Enjoying The Lives We Live

Happiness is not a possession. Happiness is a quality of thought, a state of mind.

It makes me happy…

· · Watching all the kids enjoying their prom night

  ·         Getting my hands dirty while planting flowers
  ·         Having a foot massage by my husband because he knew that I had a hard day
  ·         Laughing at lunch with old friends and remembering when…
  ·         Feeling the wind blowing in my hair with the top off the jeep because it is finally warm
  ·         Having my morning coffee while talking to my mom
  ·         Having the whole family around the table for dinner (the last time was Christmas) so
this means a whole lot to me

Learning to recognize and embrace those moments of happiness.

Most of us do not realize the true sense of our own happiness. We need to take the time and become aware of what really makes us happy in our day to day lives.

On Sunday I will take the time to be aware and reflect upon all the things that I am thankful for and the things that make me happy to be living the life I live. I will take time to embrace those moments of true happiness and contentment. Thanking God for all those little things that he has given me.

Share with us you’re happy moments and time of thankfulness that has happened to you this week.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Week of the Frog

This week we have been learning about the life cycle of a frog.

One of our parents brought in a coffee cup full of tadpoles so that we can observe the life cycle of the frog. We placed our new friends in a fish tank and placed plants and rocks to give them a nice living environment. (I thought I took a picture of the children caring for them, but didn’t sorry)

We played in our own frog ponds

We turned our classroom walls into a frog pond

Art Projects

Construction paper frogs and paper tube flies.

If you want to get more frog theme lesson plan ideas you can find in my Frog in the Bog lesson plan pack on Teachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Pet Shop Theme Lesson Plan

Just finished a new theme lesson plan.

This 114 page lesson plan is packed full of activities that are sure to spark the interest of all children in your classroom. This lesson covers all learning domains for state standards.

This plan includes:

Shared Reading (Group Activity)

Shared Writing activities (Group Activity)

Pocket Chart Story

Pocket Chart Activity

Daily Questions

Word Wall Cards

Pet Shop Go Fish Game

Fish Bowl Letter Bingo

Help Doggy Find his House (Letter Matching)

Letter Writing practice sheets

Rhyming Memory Card Game

Hide and Seek dice game mats

Milk Bone Size Sorting

Size Sorting Activities

Dog Counting Cards

Creative Art Projects

Cutting Sheets

and ideas for enhancing the learning environment

You can now purchase items directly from my blog by using the cart button below or you can purchase item on Teachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook.

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Sunday, April 22, 2012

Another Weekly Freebie

Say It, Count It, Write It Flower Math Mats

Not only will your little ones be counting and recognizing number, but they will also be doing addition with this fun new twist to my original Say It, Count It, Write It game mats.

Download for Free

You can also go to Teachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook to get a free copy of Say It, Count It, Write It Flower Math Mats.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Music Banging Wall

I have been asking for donations as well as stalking the local thrift store for pots and pans for my bang wall and soon to come my mud kitchen.

We finally have out bang wall up and banging! The children just love it and the teachers love it to, they are all getting that really loud music out of them outside. We call all hear again.

We have discovered that we need to take up the whole section of the fence for the wall so that more children can bang away. I have to tell I think all the big people that parent as well are having just as much fun banging away their thoughts out there. It looks like I will be stalking local thrift store again while I am on vacation.

I am also going to plant a bunch of irises behind the fence so that it looks like a nice place to be. (with irises I will not have to think about them, they are tough little flowers)

Original inspiration came from Let the children Play!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Water Wall

I have finally made one, I have been dreaming of making one of these for a long time and here it is.

I need to make a few design changes like place items on both sides of the board so that more children can utilize it at the same time.

Back side picture

Now I need to make at least one more since it is such a huge hit and the weather is getting warm here, what better way to stay cool?

Here is what I used to make it

1 sheet of Plexiglas 2 X 3

1” PVC pipe

2 90 pipe fittings

4 T shape pipe fittings

20 nuts and bolts.

Zip ties to attach the Plexiglas to the PVC frame

Original Idea came from Share & Remember

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Froggy Freebie

Sorry that this is getting out so late but, my computer has been giving me problems. I hope it is fixed. Only time with tell.

This week’s weekly freebie…

Children will be able to recognize letters and the sound after they are done with this frog theme letter sound sorting game.

This Frog in the Bog letter sound packet has a letter card and picture cards for the letters (F, D, H, J, L, N, P, R, and T)

Free Download

To download it for free you can go to Teachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Time for a Giveaway!!

I am team up with a very talented Kindergarten teacher blogger who also has some amazing ideas on her blog. If you have not stopped by her blog you are missing out! If you need a little something from Target or you would like to have some of your planning done for you here is your chance.

Here is what we are giving away…

From Wolfelicious you will receive a $10.00 gift card from Target. You can shop for yourself or get something for your class.

Teachers Pay Teachers

Teachers Notebook

From Learning and Teaching with Preschoolers I will be giving my Frog in the Bog Theme Lesson Plan

Teachers Pay Teachers

Teachers Notebook

The rules are simple and easy and you can enter four ways--enter once or enter all four times, it's up to you!

One entry for following all of our blogs. (Mandatory) Leave your comment on (April's blog) Your comment would look like this: "I now follow all blogs" or “I already follow all your blogs”
One entry for following our TpT or TN stores. Leave your comment on (April's Blog) Your comment would look like this: "I follow all your TpT stores."
One entry for sharing this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc. and leave a comment saying that you do. Leave your comment on (April's Blog)
One entry Tell us what you plan to have your students make for Mothers Day. Link up to the Mother's Day Link Party We all love to hear about new ideas! Leave your comment on (April's Blog)

This giveaway will end on Sunday April 15th at 9pm Pacific time. One follower will win both PRIZES. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, April 16, 2012!!!!