PreK plans

So I realized, that when I typed out my plans for next year, I just kind of blew off telling you about my preK plans. I originally worked out these plans when Kaytie and Nate were in preK. I had to rework them for Daniel, because Kaytie and Nate already knew their ABCs by the time they got to preK. (not because they are so smart {even though they ARE} and not because of my excellent teaching skills {lol} but because when they were one and two, I was pregnant {AGAIN} and exhausted so they spent a lot of time watching Sesame Street, which, apparently, is an excellent way to learn numbers and letters) So anyway, Daniel is a tad behind where they were because he has spent more time building with blocks, driving trains, and finding ways to skin his knees. Which means, his preK will look different, and then I had to re-work it again, to account for our Montessori-style learning (Montessori-lite ;) ) but I believe I have found something do-able that we can keep up with and learn from and adapt to Abbie's abilities and incorporate Alex whenever he is with us and, and, and...


OK. So. Here is the basic overview. First, I took the 26 letters of the alphabet and added in some review weeks, so we will be working for about 35 weeks. (the big kids have a 39 week school year which gives us four weeks of goof-off time, if we need it) Then, for each week, I added a number of the week (1-26) and alternated shapes and colors. I came up with a Bible story and a theme that could be (sometimes loosely) matched with each letter, added a Sign of the week, a memory verse, and a "Bible" song. I then spent MONTHS on the Internet*, poring over preK and Kindergarten teachers' sites (most of which no longer even exist) and pulling together games, crafts and songs to flesh out my ideas.


*So none of my ideas are exactly original to me, but nearly all of them can be attributed to more than one source and a lot of them have been tweaked by me. I don't plan on making any money off of them, so I'm not going to stress too much about copyright, especially since they were all on free sites.


So here, in a nutshell, are the plans for week one of preK.


A (letter of the week) 1 (number of the week) Creation (Bible story) Apples (theme) Circle (shape) Gen 1:1* (memory verse, I put an * by every verse that I expect us to actually memorize since a verse a week is a little much to expect from a couple of prek-ers) This is the Day (song of the week, we will sing many more, but this is the "special" song of the week) God (sign of the week)


These are the games that will be on the shelf, available for free choice all week:


Playdough with circles and cards to make A a and 1
Red circles and trees
Apples
Abc puzzle
Creation cards
Sort and count apple cards
Apple cards and raisins or black math cubes (seeds) to count


There will be other things as well, but these are what directly relate to our theme for the week.



These are the "free art" choices:


Apple color sheet
Circles on paper
Color sheet Aa1


There will be one of each, per kid, that they may choose to do at any time during the week. We will also, one day a week, have a craft time at the table, closely supervised by me. And these crafts will be:


Tree shape and red paint
Tear red paper and glue to apple shape



These are the books we will be reading. I put them in my database as I needed to find them at the library, so I didn't even bother with author's names for non-fiction books. If anyone is wildly interested though, I can easily hunt them down for you.



The Apple Tree J583.372 WA
10 Red Apples Pat Hutchins
Apple Trees J583.73 SA
Picking Apples J634.11 SAP; Amy Hutchings
From Blossom to Fruit J634.11 SAF
Eating Apples J634.11 SA
The Apple Pie Tree Zoe Hall
Apples of Your Eye J582.0464 FO
My Apple J634.11 DA
The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree Gail Gibbons
Tucker’s Apple-Dandy Day Susan Winget
How to make an apple pie and see the world Marjorie Priceman
10 Apples up on Top Dr Seuss





And finally, here are the games we will play during Circle Time:



Blow bubbles
Ring around the rosy
Apple picking
Freeze dancing/blow back to life
Simon says
Hot apple
Apple hop
Way up high



Circle Time will look like this:

Pledge of Allegiance
Sing
Say verse
Calendar (songs and weather and finding the date)
Find the letter and number and shape/color on the chart
Play active games
Read Bible Story and other books

(The big kids can join in on this, but we will have another Circle Time in the afternoon, just for them)

Ask and you shall receive

The last two weeks have been one big party for the kids.
First, it was just the yard itself. They were enthralled with all of the dirt, grass, leaves, rocks, bugs, nuts, seeds, and etc to explore at their leisure. Not to mention the room to run, the walls to climb and the freedom to jump.
Then Daddy brought home their sandbox and then, he filled it with sand.
A few days later, they were able to go to the Good News Club Store and Nate was not only allowed to purchase a water-gun but was allowed to play with it right away in the back yard. Unheard of pleasures!
Then I made a trip to Dollar Tree and stocked up on sand toys and previously taboo items like a baseball bat.
The puppy was the icing on the cake, while the "sprinkles" were a Super Soaker Sprinkler.
And we are not yet finished. Somewhere in our future is a swing or two to hang from the trees, flowers and veggies to plant, and probably even a wading pool.

And they thought they were just getting a yard.


Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Tuesday Daybook: May 26 '09

My Day book is going to be late this week because Monday was a holiday. I didn't get on the computer ONCE all day long! Imagine that. lol And then, I typed this yesterday, and never got around to uploading the picture and posting it. sorry. :)

Out my window: it is another hot, but beautiful day. I love having a yard!

I am listening to: the kids playing. They keep bouncing back and forth between playing in the backyard with Oreo to watching PBS Kids in the living room. Right now, there is a passionate discussion going on about something being "lellow" or not.

I am thankful for: The extra fun day we had yesterday with family. We had three of my brothers, a sister in law, two nieces, three nephews and a nephew's special friend over for a Memorial Day full of fun. Barbecue chicken, ice-cream sundaes, football, squirt guns, Apples to Apples, a fun new water sprinkler and bocce filled the day.

From the kitchen: leftover barbecue chicken and chips.

I am creating: nothing. Somehow, as the weather gets warmer, and the out-of-doors looks more alluring, inside pursuits are losing their allure. I find myself spending more and more time outside with the kids and the pup.

I am reading: Hopefully, the last of the Mallorean. And Six Hours One Friday, (by Max Lucado) because it is in the bathroom.

I am praying for: friends who need comfort and guidance and their husbands who need jobs; family members driving back to Arkansas today; my husband's foot to not be broken.

Around the house: cleaning up the detris from a day of partying. Although, thanks to the wonderful hard work of my limping husband, only the kitchen really needs any work.

One of my favorite things: snuggling ;)

A few plans for the rest of the week: carrying on with school... Kaytie's piano recital on Thursday... maybe taking our coupons and going bowling...

I am thinking: that it is just as hard to type with a puppy in your lap as it is with a baby

I am going: to Good News Club this afternoon.

A picture thought I am sharing with you:

They called it Speed Bocce!

Bookworm Test

You know are a Bookworm when...

you get a brand-new back yard, and THIS is what you do in it...

Our newest family member

They say that every kid needs one...

They say that it teaches responsibility...

They say that it helps a kid deal with reality in small doses...

They say that they are great friends...

Well, I certainly hope that is all true.

We just think he's cute.

His name is Oreo and he's eight weeks old.

Although he doesn't look like either his mommy or his daddy, he is 1/2 Jack Russell Terrier and 1/2 Schnauzer.

He's a laid-back little guy. But friendly and curious.

The kids are thrilled with him.

They have been great about being gentle and calm around him, though.

One thing this family has experience with, is loving babies!

Welcome to the family, Oreo!!!

Freebie

This is not exactly an educational venture, but, if you take summers off, and your kids are bored, you might be interested in checking this out.
freemovies at participating theaters near you!
My kids are very picky about their movies (they frighten easily) but there are several here I think they would enjoy... especially the Veggietales one!

Kaytie

I came across Kaytie looking through the phone book. When I requested that she put it away, she informed me she was looking for God's address.

Kaytie is practicing for piano recital. She and her teacher are playing a duet. After they had run through it, her teacher complimented her on how loudly she was playing (not pressing hard enough on the keys is a problem she has) and she replied, with innocent sweetness, "I was just trying to block out your noise."

I'm a little nervous

First negative on the new house. We just caught a lizard (maybe a foot long, tail and all? Over half of him was tail, though) running amok through the house. Well, I say "we", I mean Steve and Bobby. My heroes, who came home when I called. There are no pictures, because I was way too busy cowering and shaking chairs at his uncaring head. Ick. I much prefer my wildlife to be OUT of my house. Daniel said it was "nasty cool" AFTER it was caught and safely in a bucket. The heroes carried it off to a pet shop to be examined, so there will probably be an update later. Meanwhile, I am jumping at every sound...

UPDATE: It was a Great Plains Skink. Totally harmless and good for bug control. However, he did not return to our house. :) He can go eat bugs somewhere else.

NEWEST UPDATE: Now the kids are saying, "I wish we had kept him for a pet!" Yes, these kids who were screaming in the backyard the entire time he was in the house, now are irritated that he is gone. Consistancy is not their strong point. I'm thinking they will have to make do with a puppy.

Daybook: May 18 '09

Outside my window: I hear birds chirping. It is a sunny day, and in Texas, that means HOT.

I am thinking: about the mysterious leak in the back bathroom and wondering if the house will smell better after it is fixed.

I am thankful for: an awesome awesome new house with an incredible yard where the kids spend most of their days now. They get into less trouble now, because they can run off all that energy, and, surprisingly, they fight less. They are not right on top of each other any more, and they are all breathing better. :) I'm also thankful for friends. We had our ministry team over last night for supper and a long "how to save the world" discussion and it was just a fun, relaxing time together.

From the learning room: We started back to school today. We have four weeks left of First Grade, then we will be just loafing around all summer. We have plenty to outside of the house: VBSes, retreats, a possible vacation, visits to the splash park, Discovery Center, and regular parks. Lots of fun, fun stuff going on! I am, as you know, already hard at work planning next year.

From the kitchen: chicken and rice for supper tonight. A family favorite.

I am going: hopefully, to sort through all of our kid books soon. They have (most of them) been in storage for nearly three years, so I am excited to pull out books we have grown into, and to have them ALL at hand for rotating as I like.

I am hoping: the kids take a nap today. I need an evening free of whiny-ness so I can ditch the kids with Steve and run to the Dollar Tree for tubs and baskets. I'm also hoping that we find the camera cord SOON so I can download pictures off the camera and upload them here so you can see. :)

I am hearing: the kids chatting and hooting in their room. I'm about to send The Cousin in to read her literature in there so they will have a calming influence in their sphere of awareness.

Around the house: I still have to sort some clothes (mine) and go through toys in anticipation of our upcoming garage sale. I'm struggling a little still in the schoolroom, because I have a bit more room than I know what to do with. I'm thinking this summer I'm going to overhaul all of my supplies and whatnot and settle into this space a bit better.

One of my favorite things: listening to the kids' chatter. They say the most hilarious things when they converse together!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Mostly just settling into our routine. I need to come up with a new housework schedule, and fix up a chart with the kids' chores.

A picture thought I am sharing:

I remember when the tall one was the same size as the short one is now. In those days, I was the tall one.

For more Daybooks, click here.

A quick quiz for Mother's Day

I found this questionaire months ago and saved it because I thought it would make a great Mother's Day post. So... enjoy.



Kaytie said:


1. What is something your mom always says to you? pick up your room

2. What makes your mom happy? when I obey her


3. What makes your mom sad? when I don't obey her


4. How does your mom make you laugh? she tells me really funny jokes


5. What was your mom like as a child? she had brown hair


6. How old is your mom? I don't know! 31 (a couple years low, but that's ok!)


7. How tall is your mom? I don't know! 5 inches, I guess? (I know I'm short, but really!)


8. What is her favorite thing to do? clean (Ummm, not what do I do all day, but what is my favorite! lol)


9. What does your mom do when you’re not around? play on the computer


10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? sewing (odd, since I don't sew, and don't know how to sew, and have never even mused aloud about sewing in front of her!)


11. What is your mom really good at? bubbleshooter (a game the kids love to watch me play on the computer)


12. What is your mom not very good at? cleaning (sigh, too true, but a very low blow, that)


13. What does your mom do for her job? takes care of us


14. What is your mom’s favorite food? chocolate!


15. What makes you proud of your mom? she makes our school


16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? supermom (that's my girl!)


17. What do you and your mom do together? go to piano lesson


18. How are you and your mom the same? we both have brown hair


19. How are you and your mom different? we are not the same age


20. How do you know your mom loves you? because she loves me


21. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go? I don't know. Probably, Walmart.





Nate said:

1. What is something your mom always says to you? pick up your toys

2. What makes your mom happy? when I pick up my toys

3. What makes your mom sad? when I don't obey her

4. How does your mom make you laugh? tickling me

5. What was your mom like as a child? I don't remember. (his first response, but when urged to take a guess, he added) A good mom.

6. How old is your mom? 15 (lol!)

7. How tall is your mom? 9 inches

8. What is her favorite thing to do? pick up (again, I don't think the question was quite understood)

9. What does your mom do when you’re not around? play on the computer

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? her wedding (again, this is totally out of nowhere!)

11. What is your mom really good at? playing on the computer and typing things

12. What is your mom not very good at? not anything (that's my boy! lol)

13. What does your mom do for her job? everything (at least he has a very good understanding of what a SAHM does!)

14. What is your mom’s favorite food? chocolate!

15. What makes you proud of your mom? she makes me happy

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? a firefighter

17. What do you and your mom do together? puzzles

18. How are you and your mom the same? we do puzzles


19. How are you and your mom different? her hair is longer and my hair is shorter

20. How do you know your mom loves you? because she is proud of me

21. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go? the grocery store


Daniel said:


1. What is something your mom always says to you? go to your bedroom and play

2. What makes mom happy? playing with toys

3. What makes mom sad? not picking up toys (I'm assuming he meant HIM not picking up)

4. How does your mom make you laugh? tickling me

5. What was your mom like as a child? she was going (yeah, didn't make sense to me, either, I kept asking him if he meant "growing" but he insisted he meant "going". So, there it is.)

6. How old is your mom? ONE!

7. How tall is your mom? BIG!

8. What is her favorite thing to do? picking up toys (by now I have given up)

9. What does your mom do when you’re not around? sleeps (because I certainly don't do it when he IS around! lol)

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? because she was sad to me (okay)

11. What is your mom really good at? picking up toys (it's years of experience)

12. What is your mom not very good at? staying in her bed (lol No, mommy is good at that, it is Daniel who has problems)

13. What does your mom do for her job? tickling my legs (oh if only my job were that easy!)

14. What is your mom’s favorite food? roast (which cracked me up, because he HATES roast!)

15. What makes you proud of your mom? playing with toys (if only everyone were so easily impressed)

16. If your mom were a cartoon character,who would she be? Thomas (the Tank Engine)

17. What do you and your mom do together? tickle my legs (do you sense a theme here? Or maybe he is hinting?)

18. How are you and your mom the same? we like Thomas movies

19. How are you and your mom different? we wear different shirts

20. How do you know your mom loves you? she tickles my legs

21. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go? church

An Answered Prayer!

We are so excited to be moving!!!
When we moved to the apartment three years ago, we had two toddlers and a newborn and felt like we had tons of space. Our reason for moving here was mostly for ministry, but our ministry focus has shifted, and our family has grown. We still have two toddlers, but we have two "big" kids now and there just never seems to be enough space for everyone to BE. We have been praying about this for awhile, and this week, we have been so incredibly blessed with a HOUSE that has everything we specifically asked for, and more, for a little bit less rent than we are paying now.
The kids are thrilled to be getting not just one, but two yards to play in (front and back are both big and fenced in) with the promise of a puppy and a garden area. What I thought would be the one draw-back for them... all four kids in one room, is actually something they are excited about. :) I love it that my kids are so close and such great friends.
We get the key to the house tonight, so I am packing and we will be moving over the next couple of days. I'll, hopefully, have pictures soon...
Oh, and the best part for ME? :) I get a part of a room to create a "Learning Space"!!! I am so excited and so full of plans...

Following the crowd...

I've been reading these Daybooks for a while now, but they are always on blogs where I am a reader only, and not a "friend", so I have been reluctant to join in the fun. (there are a couple other reasons as well) Now, a good bloggy friend of mine has started Daybooking, so I am going to throw shyness to the wind and join in with her. So here goes...

For Today... May 4, 2009

Outside my window... It is cloudy and misty. Normally I LOVE this kind of weather, but we have been overcast and chilly for several days now, and it's getting a little old. We need a day of sunshine so we can get out and play!

I am listening to... silence. All the kids are napping, and are actually being quiet for once. We had a busy day yesterday, visiting a support church, so they have been calm and draggy all day.

I am thinking... about re-arranging the house and spring cleaning my school cabinets.

From the learning room... We are trying to get first grade finished before June. Totschool has become all about outside and reading tons and tons of books. The teenagers are plugging along, or not, as the case may be. I'm working on my plans for next year, and am getting very excited and am hoping it all happens as I am envisioning it.

I am thankful for... good kids, good friends, and an awesome husband.

From the kitchen... absolutely nothing! Lizzie fixed the kids peanut-butter and honey and they are getting frozen pizzas for supper because my awesome husband is taking me out on a date tonight! :)

I am reading... The Mallorean (David Eddings), Artemis Fowl (the sixth one, I don't remember what it's called) What Katie Did at School, and The Light and the Glory for Children (as I plan for next year)

I am hoping... that we get to move soon


I am creating... lesson plans for next year

I am praying... for my family, for Shannon, for all other Internet friends, and for the salvation of our President.

Around the house... is chaos! I was doing well until we were gone all day yesterday. I really don't understand how the house gets so trashed when no one is even here!

One of my favorite things... I love it when my kids love on and protect each other. The boys got haircuts Saturday night, and Daniel was stressed. Abbie kept wandering around the house, troubled because, "Anjel's c'yin'." It warms my heart to see how much they care about each other.


A few plans for the rest of the week... clean! re-organize! and paperwork

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

For more Daybooks, click here

Totschool art and nature

Our Totschool post this week is going to be skimpy on pictures. :) We only did a little bit of "regular" school. Most of what we did this week was out and about kind of stuff.

Abbie did learn to use the tweezers. Daniel also figured out that he could stick the spiny balls together and make a long caterpillar.

We went duck-watching. And we discussed why the water "moved".

We played at the playground.

And did some "nature drawing". At least that was the plan, but they all decided to sketch a picture of the slide instead. sigh.

Daniel made this sculpture. He worked on it for a long, long time. Then he demonstrated how it worked... you swing the coat-hanger, and it made the chairs jump and roar. :) He was very very serious about it. It was so cute.

They also spent a lot of time gathering rocks, seeds, flowers, bugs and sticks in the great outdoors. AND, the highlight of their week... they got to see a chicken lay an egg! I'm not sure the chicken will ever recover from the experience.

For more Totschool posts, head over to Carissa's. :)