Sunshine Studio Prep:
Preschool Alternative & Prep (Online)
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Hello Class Parents!
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This page is the previous FALL session lessons and activities.
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The WINTER Parent's Preschool Weekly Activities & Prep Page is here:
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WINTER 1 is 8 weeks. Begins January 5th - February 23rd.
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Tuesdays 11:10-12:00.
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(Please register in advance, space is very limited.)
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Session Price is $200. To register use PayPal:
These are the Fall 2020 Past Lessons & Activities:
HOLIDAY CLASS! December 22!
SPECIAL THEME: GIFTS & GIVING
Special Project:
Salt Dough Handprints! Great for gifts.
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You will Need:
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Salt (A box or a full cup at least.)
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All Purpose flour (2 cups or more)
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Water
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Bowl & Spoon
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Rolling pin
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Copy PAPER to work on top of.
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A Plate to dry on
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Pencil to poke a hole and string for a hanging loop.
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Also suggested is to bring cookie cutters to make other gifts and shapes.
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In class hand knead with your child (it is bit more challenging for kids to do alone). Then help roll the dough out to do handprints and cut out shapes.
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Measuring cups.
RECIPE MEASUREMENTS:
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Minimum for 1 handprint:
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By real measuring cups: 1 Cup Flour, 1/4 Cup Salt and 1/3 Cup Warm Water + 1 TBSP Warm Water.
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By Bathroom Dixie Cups Measures: 4 flour, 1 salt, 1.5 warm water.
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To Make More just double the recipe.
AFTER CLASS:
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After class, dry over night. Then Bake at 250 for 1 -2hours until dry. Once they have cooled you can paint your handprints.
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TREASURE HUNT: SWEET VS SALTY!
Please find something SWEET and something SALTY to bring to class this week.
It is a good opportunity to talk about the sense of Taste. Using specific language about taste with children such as Salty, Sweet or even Savory is a good way to encourage your child's curiosity and range of foods they will eat.
WEEK 12. December 15th
L is for LOVE!
TREASURE HUNT:
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L is also for LONG! Find something in your house that is LONG. So decide if something is SHORT or LONG enough for class. You can also bring your measuring tapes to see how LONG your object it.
Help work the early math concept of LONG vs SHORT with contrasting objects to discover and choose from.
PLEASE BRING A MEASURING TAPE & A LONG *(REALLY LONG) STRING.
We will also exlpore Tall and Wide.
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Today's Lesson is inspired by the book "Guess How Much I Love You."
By Sam McBratney​
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L is for LINKS!
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Lets make paper chains in art.
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Make LINKS: Parents precut strips (approx 2" X 8" is good, or guesstimate is fine. Make links from construction, printing, magazine pages or any type of paper before class.
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Bring markers and stickers to decorate the links; If your child loves painting feel free to do paint your links as well.
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Have a stapler (best) or tape ready to close the Links circles and make a chain.
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During class you can construct as your child paints or draws on their links. We may not "finish" a chain in class but you can finish the chain afterwards. It is great to display kid's decorations.
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If you do make a chain let's measure them during (or after) class to see how LONG they are.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
Here is a nice edition of classic Nursery Rhymes. Now as we are playing more with words and rhyming, Nursery Rhymes are a great variation form story books to use for your lap read time.. (Maybe it would be a nice holiday gift?)
FALL LAST DATE: December 15th!
Thanks so much for a wonderful Fall together. Wow, it is hard to believe Fall is over! It has been very special to learn and grow with the kids.
January will begin with the letter M...for MOUSE!
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WE WILL TAKE A BREAK OVER THE HOLIDAYS AND RESUME JANUARY 5th! Happy Holidays!
WINTER 1 is 8 weeks January 5th - February 23rd.
Session Price is $200.00. To register in advance use PayPal with the button below. Please list your child's name in the memo.
WEEK 11. December 8th
K is for KITTEN
K is also for KING, KEYS, KETTLE....KIWI, KANGAROO....and....
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TREASURE HUNT: Find something in your house that start with the letter K. To engage and help your child with letters, sound out the first letters of objects as you search. Eg "A ball, that starts with b-b-b, ball for B. Nope, not a K, let's keep looking...." Then sound out the "K" sound objects names as you search. (Let's not do any silent "k" words for the treasure hunt.)
ART: K IS FOR KING!
LET'S MAKE CROWNS FOR OUR KINGS & QUEENS!
Before Class:
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Make a Base: Make ONE Crown using any of these methods.
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EITHER PRINT THE CROWN STENCIL:
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Then use the stencil to make a crown shape from paper. Use a heavy paper like grocery bag paper.
OR IF YOU CAN MAKE A CROWN FREEHAND:
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Make 4" wide paper pieces by cutting a heavy construction or card stock sheet in half. Overlap the ends and staple together to make one long piece. Or make a long 4" wide piece from grocery bag paper.
SIZE TO FIT:
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Wrap it around your child's head to size it. Staple closed to fit.
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If you can cut out big "V" points (see the crown illustration below) that is great. But if not that is also fine. Just use as a straight edge crown.
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WE WILL DECORATE CROWNS IN CLASS:
To decorate your crown in class bring:
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Paint and/or glue.
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Collage Paper: Cut up tissue, wrapping paper or magazine paper.
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Glitter glue to decorate.
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If you have other craft decorations you use with your child fee free to add them to your crowns.
WEEK 10. December 1st
J is for JOY!
The holiday season is here and whatever you celebrate it it a good time to remember to start creating some JOY with our families.
Bake with the kids this season! Check out the link to the simple cookie recipe for baking from scratch with kids. Or, seriously if you are too busy or not into baking, just buy the mix listed instead. Either way kids will love baking cookies with you. It's just about making some Happy Holidays memories :)
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This week let's make circles!
Bring play-dough, string, buttons or anything to make circles.
You can draw a circle with a marker on paper for your child to follow in class. Also use any round cutters for dough or jar lids to make play-dough circles. Paper plates are good for circles, round coffee filters are also circles.
TREASURE HUNT:
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1. CIRCLE HUNTING! See what CIRCLE shaped objects you can find in your home to being and show in class.
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2. ART: SNOWMAN FROM CIRCLES
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SNOWMAN Base: Make 3 paper circles. Hopefully from paper plates (they are heavier that regular paper. But if you have no access to a paper plate, then cut out a "circles" from heavy paper like a paper grocery bag. One circle should be a bit smaller for the head.
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Tape them together to make a snowman base.
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Blue paint,is best. If you have white paints that is great...
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MAKE SNOW! Cut up toilet paper and make lots of pieces. You may also add torn up white printing paper. or tissue. You can also add any light colored wrapping paper
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GLITTER Glue to add (optional but it's worth it if you can get some.)
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Have a sharpie to make eyes nose and mouth.
DECEMBER
WEEK 9. November 24th
I is for INCH!
This week let's measure things! Bring a tape measure, or a ruler or print the printable ruler from the link on this page.
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(It got too cold in NYC to do ICE play....so we are doing INCHES and KITCHEN-THEMED ART FOR THANKSGIVING WEEK....)
TREASURE HUNT:
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1. SQUARE HUNTING! See what square objects you can find in your home to being and show in class.
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2. KITCHEN ART WEEK!
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We are getting ready for Thanksgiving, so it is a good time to talk about special meals and making art with things from our kitchens,
SALT PAINTING!
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Heavy Paper: If you have a paper plate or card stock paper it will work better than lighter regular paper. You can also cut up a brown paper shopping bag for some heavy grade paper.
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White washable kids glue (If you have none you can also make paste from flour = water.)
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Container of salt to pour (a shaker won't be enough
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Washable Paints and water and cups; ; make some thinned paint to paint the our salt pattern with.
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Paint brush
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3. KITCHEN BAND!
Let's bring some of these things in from the kitchen to make sounds with and explore making music with them too: A Pot & Wooden Spoon for a drum, Pasta or Cereal Boxes for shakers, A cake pan and spoon to tap.
(Of course adults need to supervise their child as well as only use child safe tools or materials from the kitchen.
(Of course we will also need to measure these things...:)
As we head towards the Thanksgiving holiday, here is a nice article from NAEYC about helping children to be thankful in a meaningful way.
WEEK 8. November 17th
H is for HAT!
This week we will continue thinking about the Autumn and how the season changes some Green things, and how the weather changes..
TREASURE HUNT:
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1. H is for Hat! Wear a hat to class this week! You can also put a Hat on any favorite doll or stuffed animals.
We also might wear a maybe a Coat, Scarf and Mittens when the season changes and it gets colder outside. In a warm climate we might wear a hat to keep the sun off the tops of our heads. You can discuss wether and clothing with your child as you pick your hats how hats can protect us from cold or warm the weather.
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2. Things From Nature to make our Art.
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Natural materials like leaves and grass from outdoors. Gather any colored leaves, green leaves or grass and other small natural materials to add to our paint and collage this week. As you collect, notice all the different shades green you find.
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If you have green paint great, if not any washable color of tempura (liquid) paints will be fine.
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Paper plate (or substitute heavier paper or piece of cardboard)
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Green Washable tempura paint (you may substitute any colors.
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Natural materials to collage with
Here is a great short video about the Autumn, the season's changes, and why some leaves change color.
WEEK 7. November 1oth
G is for GREEN!
This week we will be talking about GREEN! Inspired by the book "Green" by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.
Our Color is....Green! So bring something Green to class this week!
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Our Treasure Hunt is for something BIG and something small! Great for classification skills. Bring something BIG and something small to class! Also see the BIG and small worksheets to print if you want.
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Our Letter is G! Use your tracing books, or print the tracing page here to practice your G
As always try to bring a "Baby" either a stuffed animal or Baby Doll and a blanket, in case we want to play with our babies in class today.
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Please Prepare For Class:
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For Our Water Exploration You Need:
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Water Basic or large pan or plastic bowl
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With about 1-2" water is plenty
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Towel for under water area
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Some cups and bowls for pouring
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Bath or water play toys you have.
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Maybe some scoops, funnels, sieves.
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Bubbles are optional, but fun....
(Set this and the water all out of reach before we start class.)
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Float & Sink Science Activity:
FLOAT ITEMS SUCH AS:
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Plastic Food cups (yogurt or apple sauce or any food containers
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Food containers
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Pieces of tin foil, pieces of paper
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Small plastic balls
SINK ITEMS SUCH AS:
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Metal Toy Cars
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Rock
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Heavy ceramic cup
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Small metal items in your house
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COLOR THE WATER? (Or you can just paint GREEN on paper...)
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Bring yellow and blue tempura or food coloring to color or water GREEN!
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If you want to add painting green also bring paper and a brush.
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Worksheets: Draw or print out a Capital G Dot Tracing Shape (permanent marker) on a couple of sheets of paper (before or after class is fine.). Optional: See other work sheets to help in exploring about our concepts.
WEEK 6. October 20th
F is for FROG!
This week we will be talking about Frogs! Inspired by the book "Hop Jump" by Ellen Still Walsh.
Our Color is Orange! So bring something Orange to class this week!
Our SHAPE is a TRAINGLE! So bring something TRIANGLE shaped to class!
Our Letter is F! Use your tracing books, or print the tracing page here to practice your F.
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And if you have any frog toys bring them, and be sure bring a "Baby" either stuffed animal or Baby Doll and a Blanket.
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Prepare At Home:
For Making Music Shakers! Tempura Paint!
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2 pieces White paper (or more is ok too)
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Cut one piece in 1/4 size pieces (approx).
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An empty paper towel roll or an empty toilet paper roll
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Masking tape
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Either a 1/2 cup of popcorn, or dried beans, or rice, or similar.
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Red & Yellow Paint (plus other colors too of course.)
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Torn up colored, or magazine or wrapping paper for collaging.
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Cups for mixing paint in.
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Paint brush.
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Optional: If you have 2 rubber bands in the house brig them - easier then taping the ends of or shakers closed.
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Be Sure To Make Before Class: Draw or print out a Capital F Dot Tracing Shape, and a TRIANGLE Dot Tracing Shape with a sharpie (permanent marker) on a couple of sheets of paper (before or during class is fine.)
F
The stages of a frog's life are labled, so you can read the names aloud (tadpole) to your child as you watch the video..
WEEK 5. October 13th
E is for EGG!
This week we will be talking about Eggs! Inspired by the book "First Came The Egg" by
Laura Vaccaro Seeger.
Our Color is PURPLE! So bring something Purple to class this week!
Our SHAPE is SQUARE! So bring something square to class!
Our Letter is E! Use your tracing books, or print the tracing page here to practice your E.
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And if you have any bird toys bring them, and be sure bring a "Baby" either stuffed animal or Baby Doll and a Blanket.
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Prepare At Home:
For Making Egg Tempura Paint!
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3 uncooked eggs - we will be making egg paint and parents will be separating eggs in class with the kids. So have a bowl to put egg while in. Please note: If you have allergies, or are vegan or have any reason you do not use eggs in your house that if fine. Just only bring regular tempura paints. You can skip real eggs during class. There are egg shaped tracing sheets you can use for art.
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Red, Blue, Yellow Food coloring
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Red Blue Yellow Paint
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Cups for mixing paint in
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Paint brush and paper
Preparing to study an Egg
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1 hard boiled egg. Please peel it before class.
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Adults will need a plastic knife or a butter knife that they keep out of reach of kids of course. And a plate
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Be Sure To Make Before Class: Draw or print out a Capital E Dot Tracing Shape, and a Square Dot Tracing Shape with a sharpie (permanent marker) on a couple of sheets of paper (before or during class is fine.)
E
WEEK 4. October 6th
D is for Dinosaur!
This week we will be talking about Dinosaurs and What They Do When It's Time For Bed! Our lesson inspired by "What Do Dinosaurs Do When It's Time For Bed?" by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. They have a great series of books available on Amazon.
Our Color is Green! So bring something Green to class this week!
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And if you have any Dinosaur toys bring them, and be sure bring a "Baby" either stuffed animal or Baby Doll and a Blanket.
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Prepare At Home:
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Color Hunt! Find Something GREEN to Show In Class.
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Yellow & Blue Paint & paper (plus any other colors of paint you have.).
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Torn up wrapping, or colored tissue or magazine paper to do collage with.
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Construction Paper, Markers & pencil.
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Q-Tips!
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Be Sure To Make Before Class:
Draw or print a giant Capital D with a sharpie (permanent marker) on a couple of sheets of paper (before or during class is fine.)
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WEEK 3. September 29th
C is for CAT
This week we will be talking about Cats and Cupcakes and Cookies
and things that start with the letter... C! (Sounds like a sweet week!)
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Prepare At Home:
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Color Hunt! Find Something Yellow to Show In Class.
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New: Find A CIRCLE. Bring something that is a circle to class!
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Yellow Paint & a few Paper Plates (plus any other colors of paint you have.).
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Torn up wrapping, or colored tissue or magazine paper to do collage with.
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Construction Paper, Markers & pencil.
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Do Before Class:
Make a Capital C and a Big Circle with a marker of a couple of sheets of paper (before or during class is fine.
Concept: Wet & Dry!
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Special Project Materials: Play Dough Making!
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2 cups plain flour
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1 cup salt
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1 tbs oil
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1 cup cold water
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2 drops liquid food coloring (Or yellow paint f in a pinch.)
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Two bowls, spoon
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Optional Tools: Rolling pin, Cookie Cutters, Craft Sticks or chopstick plastic knife
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After Class Bake or Have A Cupcake Week!
Maybe after class you can do some cupcake baking (or just eating!) with your child? Use any recipe, or even a box of cake mix. Or here is simple vanilla cupcake recipe.
Or you can always just do a trip to the bakery!
Tracing Sheets are optional, but they are an easy and simple way to reinforce our themes and work on skills between classes. Use these posted here, or if you want to avoid printing there are inexpensive tracing books on Amazon listed below with general supplies.
If you have tracing books please practice your letter C after class this week!
Color Signs!
Color, identification and classification is an ongoing theme this season class. Here is a video of our class song with the signs for colors.
Week Two Was: September 21st
Blue & Ocean Theme
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Blueberries! If you do not get these just bring your markers.
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Print the tracing page B here, just write out a Giant Letter B on a piece of paper with a marker.
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Optional Thematic Book: "I am The Biggest Thing In The Ocean", by Kevin Sherry.
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Before & After Class Printables:
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Print these for before/after and during class.
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Using themed tracing sheets can make them more interesting and fun for kids.
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But always follow your child ,and if they are not into the activity skip it.
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If you do not want to use your printer scribbling on paper is great for fine motor skills.
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Also consider ordering one of the tracing books mentioned in "general supplies.
Suggested For After Class: Blueberry Shapes & Counting Snacks
All optional, extra themed learning activities.
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Have a bowl of blueberries and a plate.
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Draw a circle on plain paper.
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Help your child follow and "trace" the circle shape with blueberries.
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Ask and Count: How many blue berries does it take to make a circle?
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Eat some berries and count again.
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Draw a smaller circle and see how many blue berries it takes to trace. (Maybe now you will have more blueberries to eat!)
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Variations for the week: Repeat with a triangle, a square, a rectangle.
Class One Was September 15th
Lesson Theme was Apples!
Our class theme is inspired by the book "Ten Apples Up On Top," by Dr Suess.
This book is not "required reading," But iif you have it, read it before or after class.
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WEEK ONE: AFTER CLASS ACTIVITIES:
To Keep Learning About Apples, the color Red & the letter "A".
Thematic Skill & Tracing Sheets:
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Skill sheets are not ever a "required" activity.
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Follow your child.; If your child is not into it, just let it go.
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Let kids just scribble if they want. Scribbling is a great fine motor activity!
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If you don't want to use your printer, scribbling on plain paper is fine.
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Or consider ordering the inexpensive tracing books listed with "general supplies" below.
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Printable Skill Sheets:
Be Sure to Hang Up Your Apple Print Art!
More Activities For After Class: Apple Parts, Apple Stacks & And Counting Slices for Snacks!
These activities are all optional, just some extra themed activities.
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Name The Apple's Parts! Look at your real apples and the picture of the board diagram for class. Name the parts of the apple this week.
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Cut some apples into slices.
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Use toothpicks to stack slices. Or just pile them if there's no toothpicks. Count the slices in your stack.
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Connect apple slices with toothpicks into random abstract shapes. Count how many slices are connected.
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Eat and subtract! Eat an apple slice and count how many are left.
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Scoop seeds out of the apple core with your child. Count the seeds.
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Talk about how many "future trees" (seeds) are on the plate. Maybe go and plant the seeds in the park or garden.
A is for APPLE! Sign & Sing!
Just for fun! Here is a signing song about the letter A and.... Apples!
It has the signs for both the word Apple that starts with A and the ASL sign for the letter A
Singing and Singing about the letter A and the word Apple is just for fun and to play with and reinforce the Apple Theme and letter of our week.
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General Class Supplies
Tracing Books:
If you want to skip using your printer to print out any thematic tracing sheets I post, you could also just purchase some inexpensive tracing books.
There are also some ages 2-4 years old Letter Tracing and a Number Tracing and Preschool Math books on the class Amazon Page.
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Or use any tracing book you already have. Our gorals are fine motor control and familiarity with letters, numbers and shapes.
General School Supplies List:
You do not have to get all these at once, but if you are going to Staples you might want to stock up to save time and money. These are only suggested materials, please check and read all packaging and supervise your child with art supplies.
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Washable Markers
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Chubby Beginner Wood Pencil. If your child is already using a standard #2 penciyou can just use that .
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Washable Tempura Paint (Need: Red, Yellow, Blue. Additional colors are ok.)
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Chubby kids paint brush
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Construction Paper (Multi colored.)Plain White Art Paper
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Watercolor Paint Set (8 ct)
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Washable School Glue (80z)
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Carft sticks (small box)
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Playdough
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Save from the recycling:
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Empty Water or Dish Soap bottle
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Empty paper towel and toilet paper roll
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Save old wrapping paper, magazine paper, junk mail
or store circulars. They all make great art collage paper.
