I am Unique !

Today, our first full day this school year has been a busy one !

A few of our friends had a hard time coming in but quickly gained confidence and started playing !   Transitions to school are tough especially after a long holiday.   KUDDOS to the parents who handled this perfectly !

As we start our unit called ” I am Unique ” I added some different toys on the table for free play. There was white playdoh and mister potato head sets. The kids loved making funny people with arms coming out the nose whole and ears where the feet would go.

As we did our ” This is my family ” song I sneezed ( pretend ) and sprayed glitter on my hands.  As we shook  hands and high fived we figured out that my glitter ” germs ” got on everyone elses hands.  Since we cant SEE germs, this is a visual way to show how germs travel.

In circle time I got stumped as we talked about how each of us if different  and Kaden reminded me that Vivian and Valeri look exactly alike. They still do to us because we are new friends but I bet as time goes on we will all be able to tell the identical twins apart.  I am batting 100 right now as long as their part stays the same.  Valeri has an R in her name and the part is on the right.  🙂  Simple see !

We charted what ” a good friend” will do.  What I realized is a lot of the kids stated the negative   . Example they said He will NOT hit. He will NOT push.  What we want to try to move from is focusing on the negative to the positive. He WILL have nice hands.  He will wait his turn.  After a while they caught on .  I am a ” glass half full person. ”  I know for some viewing life from a positive perspective isnt easy . What a wonderful world it would be if we all looked for good. 🙂

We sang a song in circle time called ” I am Special ”

I am special

I am special

Take a look

You will see

Someone very special

Someone very special

And thats me.

And thats me.

We took turns looking through the gold frame as we sang the song.

We did the Pledge of Allegiance.

We also played a game that will play all week called Hickety Pickety Bumble Bee

Hickety Pickety

Bumble Bee

Wont you say your name for me.

( and then we say the name clapping the syllables as we say it. )

I am special wasnt the ONLY music today. Mr. Randy invited the kids to come to the circle time room at 9:00 ( he will every day ) for music time. Our circle time is limited to ten minutes and it is hard to get in all the fun music they love in ten minutes AND read a book and… …. So he will have a special silly music time with the kids each day.  Almost all the children joined him.

We did small groups today too. Small groups are where I pull 3-4 kids aside some one time with the teacher. Some days it might be a fun game. Some days it might be working on a skill.   Today the kids helped me make a name book.  I had the kids names typed out and I cut them in pieces. We worked together to glue them on a paper and then we counted the letters in each of our names.  Tonight I will laminate it into a book so  the kids can read it .

We also took some special pictures.  The kids told me  that part of their body is their favorite and why. I took a picture of it.  This activity goes along with a book a read at circle time called ” What I like about me”   After the pictures of their favorite parts are printed I will make a book out of this as well !

Have you heard of our wish you well routine.  Each morning when the kids come in there is a metal tray with a heart in the middle. They come in and find their name and take it out of the heart.  After breakfast we look to see if any of our friends are still in the heart and have not make it to school . Today Channing was left in the middle ( she is home with a fever ) so we wished her well.  ( This would be a great time to remind you of our illness policy.   If your child has a fever they must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication to return to school. This way we keep all the yuckies away from school and stay healthy.  )

Each day this week Ms Dallas will introduce a different area outside and how we ” do it ” Today she reintroduced the paint easel outside.

While we were outside we had special visitors.  Kadens dad and step mom stopped by to visit and play.   Parents are welcome anytime.  When I do grocery shopping I generally buy just enough for the kids but if you give me enough notice we might could squeeze a parent in now and then for lunch .

Whew.. I think that is it. As you can tell we had a very full day.   The kids are all quietly laying down now.  We have a couple that are a little fidgety but overall I would say our first nap ( rest ) time is a success !