Week 16 - Friday

Circle time:
As described in earlier circle time post
Letters of the week: S and T
Theme of the week: Shapes and Transportation

Arts & crafts:
Today the kids made name trains by gluing cutouts of train cars together onto a strip of cardboard. They wrote the letters of their names in the train cars and even decided to draw in a conductor and some passengers too!





Free play at stations:
None.

Story time:
The Three Railway Engines by Awdry/Dalby
Get to Work Trucks! by Carter
Race Team by RH Disney

Cooperative game:
Both shapes and transportation theme bingo games.


Science experiment:

S is for Static!
Today we created static by rubbing a Styrofoam plate on our hair, then dropping an aluminum pie plate onto it (by a handle) and then touching the pie plate with our finger. We first did this in the light and got to feel and hear the static in action. We then did the experiment again in a dark closet and got to see the tiny sparks as well. Very cool!

Physical activity:
None.

Outing/social time:
None.

Worksheets:
Finding words that begin with S and T, finding pictures that begin with S and T, colouring S and T word pictures, filling in the missing S and T, tracing and colouring shapes, vehicle riddle, writing uppercase and lowercase letters P-T.

Hands on math:
Play with buttons - counting, easy addition & subtraction, multiplication concepts, patterns, estimating who has most, estimating total, sorting by colour, sorting by shape, concepts of "more than", "less than" and "equal to".

Computers:
Shapes and Transportation games on the iPad.
Shapes: Toddler Shapes, Tulli Shapes HD, Learn Shapes, Make Shapes, Shapes Free.
Transportation: Road Vehicle, EducaVroom, Vehicle Spot, Love Drawing Vehicles, Vehicle Trace, Vehicles HD, Vehicles, Kids Combo, Vehicle Match, Letter Race, Talking Car Free, Disney Cars Puzzle Book.

Music:
Danced and sang along to our Shapes and Transportation theme compilation cd.

French:
French is emphasized throughout the entire day; especially theme related words. Today we practiced saying "Bonne Fête Papa!" as well as singing the happy birthday song in French, and also continued to reinforce all of the notions that we covered in previous weeks. We will continue to practice these sentences all week.

Week 16 - Thursday

Circle time:
As described in earlier circle time post
Letters of the week: S and T
Theme of the week: Shapes and Transportation

Arts & crafts:
Today the kids made boats using sheets of craft foam, straws and sponges. They even used them in the bathtub!




Free play at stations:
As described in earlier free play post

Station 1: colouring shapes and transportation themed pictures, drawing and cutting
Station 2: various puzzles (train puzzle, boat puzzle, Disney Cars puzzles, Mickey Mouse puzzle, shapes puzzle, vehicles puzzle)
Station 3: Play-Doh, stringing beads, Geoforme game
Station 4: free play with theme related toys: cars, trucks, boats, trains, ramp garage, shape sorters, star stackers
Station 5: Imaginarium blocks and K'nex
Station 6: basket of theme related books






Story time:
Up, Up and Away! by Higginson/Andaluz
Emergency by Mayo/Ayliffe
Calling All Engines by Awdry/Courtney

Cooperative game:
Mille Bornes - perfect for our transportation theme!

Science experiment:

S is for Shapes!
Today the kids made shapes using paperclips and straws and tested to see which of their creations was the most stable and hypothesized as to why.



Physical activity:
None.

Outing/social time:
None.

Worksheets:
Coloring S and T word pictures, tracing letters S and T, tracing S and T words, tracing and colouring shapes, matching shape with name, tracing zig zag and curved lines, vehicle riddle, left vs. right, matching uppercase to lowercase letters Q-T, cutting curved lines.

Hands on math:
None.

Computers:
Shapes and Transportation games on the iPad.
Shapes: Toddler Shapes, Tulli Shapes HD, Learn Shapes, Make Shapes, Shapes Free.
Transportation: Road Vehicle, EducaVroom, Vehicle Spot, Love Drawing Vehicles, Vehicle Trace, Vehicles HD, Vehicles, Kids Combo, Vehicle Match, Letter Race, Talking Car Free, Disney Cars Puzzle Book.

Music:
Danced and sang along to our Shapes and Transportation theme compilation cd.

French:
French is emphasized throughout the entire day; especially theme related words. Today we practiced saying "Bonne Fête Papa!" as well as singing the happy birthday song in French, and also continued to reinforce all of the notions that we covered in previous weeks. We will continue to practice these sentences all week.

Week 16 - Wednesday

Circle time:
As described in earlier circle time post
Letters of the week: S and T
Theme of the week: Shapes and Transportation

Arts & crafts:
Today the kids made toy planes from Styrofoam plate cutouts and then had a blast flying them around the house!



Free play at stations:
None.

Story time:
Barney's Book of Shapes by Bernthal/McKee
Look Out for Mater! by Posner-Sanchez/Estudi
Emergency! by Mayo/Ayliffe

Cooperative game:
None.

Science experiment:

T is for Transportation!
Today the kids did a data collecting experiment while we went to pick Nicki up from school. I gave them each a sheet of paper with circles to fill in with red every time they saw a red car and with blue every time they saw a blue car. We then tallied up their results and found that they had seen more blue cars than red cars - just as they had predicted!


Physical activity:
Running, climbing, sliding and playing with balls in the YMCA gym with me and outdoor play in the backyard.

Outing/social time:
1 hr at the YMCA childcare.

Worksheets:
Coloring S and T word pictures, tracing letters S and T, tracing S and T words, tracing and colouring shapes, matching shape with name, tracing zig zag and curved lines, finding different, left and right, dot to dot, matching uppercase to lowercase letters Q-T, cutting curved lines.

Hands on math:
Counting red and blue cars that they saw on the road as part of our science experiment.

Computers:
Shapes and Transportation games on the iPad.
Shapes: Toddler Shapes, Tulli Shapes HD, Learn Shapes, Make Shapes, Shapes Free.
Transportation: Road Vehicle, EducaVroom, Vehicle Spot, Love Drawing Vehicles, Vehicle Trace, Vehicles HD, Vehicles, Kids Combo, Vehicle Match, Letter Race, Talking Car Free, Disney Cars Puzzle Book.

Music:
Danced and sang along to our Shapes and Transportation theme compilation cd.

French:
French is emphasized throughout the entire day; especially theme related words. Today we practiced saying "Bonne Fête Papa!" as well as singing the happy birthday song in French, and also continued to reinforce all of the notions that we covered in previous weeks. We will continue to practice these sentences all week.

Week 16 - Tuesday

Circle time:
As described in earlier circle time post
Letters of the week: S and T
Theme of the week: Shapes and Transportation

Arts & crafts:
Today the kids made a collage by gluing various lengths of cut straws to cover the cutout of a truck. They also glued water bottle caps on for the wheels.




Free play at stations:
As described in earlier free play post

Station 1: colouring shapes and transportation themed pictures, drawing and cutting
Station 2: various puzzles (train puzzle, boat puzzle, Disney Cars puzzles, Mickey Mouse puzzle, shapes puzzle, vehicles puzzle)
Station 3: Play-Doh, stringing beads, Geoforme game
Station 4: free play with theme related toys: cars, trucks, boats, trains, ramp garage, shape sorters, star stackers
Station 5: Imaginarium blocks and K'nex
Station 6: basket of theme related books



Story time:
Barney's Book of Shapes by Bernthal/McKee
Get to Work Trucks! by Carter
Mater's Tall Tales by Berrios

Cooperative game:
Shapes theme bingo.


Science experiment:

T is for Transportation!
Today the kids tried their hand at folding paper planes. They then made predictions as to whose would go the furthest and why and then put their planes to test! We discussed their results and talked a little about the concept of aerodynamics.




Physical activity:
Outdoor play at the park and in the backyard as well as 5th soccer game of the season.


Outing/social time:
Playing with new friends at the park and 5th soccer game of the season.

Worksheets:
Coloring S and T word pictures, tracing letters S and T, tracing S and T words, tracing and colouring shapes, matching shape with name, tracing zig zag lines, finding different, finding between, above and below, counting and finding numeral, matching uppercase to lowercase letters P-S, cutting curved lines.


Hands on math:
Today at the park we played a game where we slid toys down the slide and made predictions about which toy would go the furthest and land in 1st place, 2nd place, etc. This was a fun way to review the concept of ordinal numbers!


Computers:
Shapes and Transportation games on the iPad.
Shapes: Toddler Shapes, Tulli Shapes HD, Learn Shapes, Make Shapes, Shapes Free.
Transportation: Road Vehicle, EducaVroom, Vehicle Spot, Love Drawing Vehicles, Vehicle Trace, Vehicles HD, Vehicles, Kids Combo, Vehicle Match, Letter Race, Talking Car Free, Disney Cars Puzzle Book.

Music:
Danced and sang along to our Shapes and Transportation theme compilation cd.

French:
French is emphasized throughout the entire day; especially theme related words. Today we practiced saying "Bonne Fête Papa!" as well as singing the happy birthday song in French, and also continued to reinforce all of the notions that we covered in previous weeks. We will continue to practice these sentences all week.

Week 16 - Monday

Circle time:
As described in earlier circle time post
Letters of the week: S and T
Theme of the week: Shapes and Transportation

Arts & crafts:
Today the kids dipped toy cars with various sized tires and treads into paper plates filled with paint and then rolled them across a sheet of paper to make a tire track painting.



Free play at stations:
None.

Story time:
Up, Up and Away! by Higginson/Andaluz
Al's Sky-High Adventure by Paulson/Boelke/di Genova/Kim

Cooperative game:
Transportation theme bingo.

Science experiment:

S is for Soil and Seeds!
Today the kids planted flower seeds into little cups of soil and then watered them. Our first attempt at doing this earlier in the year was unsuccessful, so we decided to give it another try! We made predictions as to how long it would take for us to see sprouts emerge from the soil as well as how long it would take for the flowers to bloom. If we are successful this time around, we will transfer the flowers to the front yard to add some colour to our home!


Physical activity:
Today we were invited to participate in an end of year celebration at Nicki's school. The festivities took place outside and the kids got to play on the various structures and participate in various games and challenges that were set up around the school yard.





Outing/social time:
Nicki's end of school year celebration and our weekly library visit.
12 of our 15 selections were theme related books:

Shapes theme:
Guess Who? by Boyer
There's a Square by Serfozo/Carter
Shapes & Patterns by Play Bac Publishing
What Shape? by MacKinnon/Sieveking

Transportation theme:
My Truck Book by Smithsonian Institution
Whoo! Whoo! Goes the Train by Rockwell
Truck Driver Tom by Wellington
The Berenstain Bears and the Green-Eyed Monster by Berenstain/Berenstain
My Car by Byron Barton
Melvin Might? by Scieszka/Shannon/Long/Gordon
Things That Go by Ganeri/Bergin
The Great Big Book of Mighty Machines by Coppendale/Graham

Worksheets:
Coloring S and T word pictures, tracing letters S and T, tracing S and T words, writing name, tracing and colouring shapes, matching shape with name, tracing zig zag lines, finding different, above and below, dot to dot, cutting curved lines.

Hands on math:
None.

Computers:
Shapes and Transportation games on the iPad.
Shapes: Toddler Shapes, Tulli Shapes HD, Learn Shapes, Make Shapes, Shapes Free.
Transportation: Road Vehicle, EducaVroom, Vehicle Spot, Love Drawing Vehicles, Vehicle Trace, Vehicles HD, Vehicles, Kids Combo, Vehicle Match, Letter Race, Talking Car Free, Disney Cars Puzzle Book.

Music:
Danced and sang along to our Shapes and Transportation theme compilation cd.

French:
French is emphasized throughout the entire day; especially theme related words. Today we practiced saying "Bonne Fête Papa!" as well as singing the happy birthday song in French, and also continued to reinforce all of the notions that we covered in previous weeks. We will continue to practice these sentences all week.

Shapes & Transportation theme compilation CD

Here are the tracks that I put on our Week 16 Shapes & Transportation theme compilation CD:

1. Riding in My Car Now - The Music Class Bear Collection
2. Black and White Thunderbird - Pixar Buddy Songs
3. Airplane Polka - The Music Class Dinosaur Collection
4. Big Red Boat - The Wiggles (Shane's Faves)
5. Riding in the Car - The Music Class Dolphin Collection
6. Dog Train - Dog Train
7. Train is a Coming - The Music Class Dolphin Collection
8. Pick Up Truck - Pixar Buddy Songs
9. Little Toy Boat - The Music Class Dinosaur Collection
10. Toot Toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car - The Wiggles (Shane's Faves)
11. When The Train Comes Along - The Music Class Lion Collection
12. Hot Rod Hybrid - Pixar Buddy Songs
13. Fire Truck - The Music Class Monkey Collection
14. In the Big Red Car We Like to Ride - The Wiggles (Shane's Faves)
15. Doggie Train - The Music Class Monkey Collection
16. My Wonderful Car - Pixar Buddy Songs
17. Mommy Train - The Music Class Frog Collection
18. (Are You Ready?) Do the Bus Stop - The Wiggles You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
19. Row, Row, Row Your Boat - The Music Class Lion Collection
20. Road Trip - Pixar Buddy Songs
21. Gonna Ride - The Music Class Dinosaur Collection
22. I Drive the Big Red Car - The Wiggles You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
23. Little Red Caboose - The Music Class Bear Collection
24. A Pilot Files Her Plane, Plane, Plane - 102 Children's Songs vol.3
25. Green Light, Red Light - The Music Class Dinosaur Collection
26. The Wheels on the Bus - 102 Children's Songs vol.3
27. Silly Shapes - 102 Children's Songs Vol. 2
28. Learning My Shapes - 102 Children's Songs Vol.1
29. Lets Draw Our Shapes - 102 Children's Songs vol.3

Week 15 - Friday

Circle time:
As described in earlier circle time post
Letters of the week: Q and R
Theme of the week: Questions and Rhymes

Arts & crafts:
Because Daddy is celebrating his birthday next week and Father's Day is this weekend, we decided to stray from our usual weekly theme related crafts and secretly make him gifts all week long! Today the kids made banners by colouring in the letters to spell "I Love Dad" and added on a baseball in honour of his favourite sport!





Free play at stations:
None.

Story time:
What's Up in the Attic? by Alexander/Cooke
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
What's a Fraggle? by Gikow/McClintok
Why Don't Things Fall Up? by Bently/Devaney

Cooperative game:
None.

Science experiment:

R is for Reaction (again!)
Today the kids created their own chemical reaction by mixing together powdered detergent and vinegar to make a bubbling froth.



Physical activity:
Gymnastics and Sports Skills Development class at Le Petit Gym - graduation day!

Outing/social time:
Gymnastics and Sports Skills Development class at Le Petit Gym - graduation day!









Worksheets:
Finding words that begin with Q and R, finding pictures that begin with Q and R, colouring Q and R word pictures, filling in the missing Q and R, rhyming words multiple choice quiz.

Hands on math:
None.

Computers:
Questions and Rhymes games on the iPad (Bluster, Fun Rhyming Lite, Fun Phonics Lite, Green Eggs and Ham Lite, What Am I Riddles For Kids).

Music:
Danced and sang along to our Questions and Rhymes theme compilation cd.

French:
French is emphasized throughout the entire day; especially theme related words. Today we practiced saying "J'ai chaud" when they feel hot and "J'ai froid" when they feel cold, and also continued to reinforce all of the notions that we covered in previous weeks. We will continue to practice these sentences all week.