"I wore my eclipse shirt for today and my turtle skit to surprise Timmy!"
Monday, August 21, 2017 started out like any other day in preschool.
We began with our first cutting sample for the year.
Exploring with magnets!
After all of our friends arrived, we watched a few videos about the eclipse and how it will happen. The students were all so patient as the NASA website crashed for a few minutes at 9:10.
For snack we had a special treats of Sun Chips and Star Crunches.
During snack we were able to watch the live-feed of the eclipse as it was getting ready to start on the West Coast.
Next, we decorated our paper plates to hold our eclipse glasses.
After the glasses were complete we made sun and moon phase pin-wheels. We learned how the moon passes slowly in front of the sun and then passes to the other side. A few of the projects had astronauts drawn on the moon, but not on the sun! As we talked about it, they expressed it would be too HOT to walk on the sun.
As we patiently waited to the eclipse to start we continues to explore things around the room.
Light Table
Building Area
Lego
And then it was time!
Time to head outside.
The class practiced how to put on the glasses. Look down, hands to cheeks, and then look up!
As some of the children asked, it is sunny, like yesterday, why do we have to wear glasses? We talked about how it was safe to be outside without the glasses, you just can't look up at the sun. If you wanted to watch the eclipse, you would have to have the glasses on.
"Look, the sun is cut by the moon!"
Lunch came and we continued to go out and check out the eclipse in groups about every 15 minutes.
We were going to have a picnic lunch by the windows, but then found we couldn't watch the eclipse on NASA. So we ate lunch in the classroom, running back and forth outside.
"I made an eclipse!"
Mrs. Audrey (DCE at Concordia) and Mrs. Jayme (DCE at Concordia and a parent) also came out to help and watch the eclipse with us.
We also had some parents join our excitement!
Little eclipses from the the leaves.
It was starting to get dark! The safety flood lights and the parking street lights came on.
The temperature dropped, the bugs started to make noise.
And then it happened! FINALLY! The short minute we could take our glasses off to see the moon completely cover the sun. It was cooler out and you could hear all the cheers from the the middle schoolers who were up on the green space, along with the sound of fireworks that were set off in the distance.
And then we put the glasses back on to see the changes again.
Everyone loved it! The only complaint was that it was too short!
We then ventured back in to finish watching the eclipse and get ready for the much needed nap. They all crashed within 15 minutes, from such an incredible, exciting, God-filled day. It was such a blessing to witness God's amazing creation with our class.
Tuesday came along and we were asked if we could do the eclipse again. Sorry friends, it is a once in a lifetime event. But, we have a lot of other exciting things to do.
Lego Building
In our class we use two different sizes of Lego bricks. The larger Duplo size along with the smaller Lego size brick. Both sizes are important for building up their fine motor skills, along with their development and enriching of such skills as creative building, engineering, spacial awareness, teamwork, and math.
Constructing a layout for a zoo.
Dramatic Play
Recreating everyday life
Magnetic Shape Building
Bug Puzzle
Magna-tiles
Cutting Samples
Water Color Painting
Trying out the pattern blocks.
Figuring out how the tracing plates are used
Blocks and Building Area
The Zoo is coming along nicely.
Taking a little reading break with Mrs. Allyson.
Students working on our cutting
Cutting is a fine motor skill that takes a lot of patience and practice. This week we are doing our first cutting samples for our portfolios by cutting on the lines of their first day of school pictures. Holding scissors the correct way is the first step for learning how to cut. This is something that you can also encourage at home with scissors and plain paper. We also have two rules for our scissors that you can also use:
*While cutting you have to sit down.
*Scissors ONLY cut paper. No hair or clothing.
Water Coloring Painting
Stringing Beads
This activity builds fine motor skills by working on building up the muscles in our hands.
Outside Play
We are loving this beautiful weather and we have been enjoying the playground.
Gross Motor Skills of Climbing
Local production of "Let It Go!"
Drawing shapes in the rocks.
Selling ice cream to their friends
During the first week of school we also prep items that we will use for the rest of the school year. They took time searching for just the right color letters for our name on our writing/drawing journals.
Morning Free Play
and
Center Time
Checking out our gluing skills
A little dot goes a lot!
We are careful not to make lakes or rivers.
Preschool Giggles for the Week!
"Hey, Mr. Barry! Look we are standing on the ceiling!"
Blessings on your week!
