The light at the end of the tunnel is extremely close and incredibly loud. Haha - I read that book recently. It was pretty good in a weird sort of way. I like all the times the main character said extremely and incredibly. However, I think I will stick to watching the movies first. On the plus side, I'm like a year ahead of myself since I probably won't see the movie until 2013.
On the preschool front - I am cruising along during the day, and gimping along from 3:00 on. Dr. Seuss was great, followed by weather which was less than great but still fun. Especially when we made a 3 day mural in the Eric Carle style illustrating one page from Little Cloud. What made me smile every time I looked at it, besides it being a work of art - it wasn't in my lesson plan. I just winged it one day and it ended up lasting for three days! 
We did two days of blue and white fingerpainting and sponge painting. Then we made aluminum foil covered blocks which we dipped in paint and then stamped on the mural to make houses and roof tops. Our fingers made tree trunks and blossoms. And someone's entire hand painted the grass. It was a glorious mess. The last step was to cut squares and rectangles for doors and windows out of paper painted earlier in the year from another class' Eric Carle study. I let everyone do it themselves gave them a glue stick and they finished our scene. I didn't see it until a few minutes later and I burst out laughing - I am especially fond of the bright red "window" in the middle of a tree that I announced must be a tree fort. It's my favorite part of the whole mural.
We did two days of blue and white fingerpainting and sponge painting. Then we made aluminum foil covered blocks which we dipped in paint and then stamped on the mural to make houses and roof tops. Our fingers made tree trunks and blossoms. And someone's entire hand painted the grass. It was a glorious mess. The last step was to cut squares and rectangles for doors and windows out of paper painted earlier in the year from another class' Eric Carle study. I let everyone do it themselves gave them a glue stick and they finished our scene. I didn't see it until a few minutes later and I burst out laughing - I am especially fond of the bright red "window" in the middle of a tree that I announced must be a tree fort. It's my favorite part of the whole mural. Cloud dough was amazingly popular and also incredibly messy. After cleaning the room/carpet after painting and tracking dough all over the room (for 45 minutes after school), I brought in an old quilt. It doubled as a king size welcome mat and picnic table. We got to eat lunch and snack on the floor picnic style while our painting project taped to our table dried. We liked going tableless for 2 1/2 days. Besides, it about took that long to get everyone cleaned up anyways and boy did I learn on day 1 not to let painty kids go within 25 feet of the carpeted areas. We went outside one nice day, ate lunch and then lay down on it to watch clouds. We called it the Cloud Walk. Then we went outside one rainy day and jumped in puddles and poked sticks in the creek. We called it the Rain Walk. Both days were awesome!
We also made our own versions of It Looked Like Spilt Milk. The kids were great at making clouds and then deciding what they looked like. When they saw the finished booklets they were all sooo proud to read them to mom's, dad's, and grandparents!
We also made our own versions of It Looked Like Spilt Milk. The kids were great at making clouds and then deciding what they looked like. When they saw the finished booklets they were all sooo proud to read them to mom's, dad's, and grandparents! The only reason the weather unit was slightly sub-par was I came out 0-3 on science experiments. Turns out if the humidity is 100% the static balloon trick won't work. Mom says the material she gave me was wool, but I say not because my lightening experiment failed. That would be after a full minute of electrical build up involving aluminum, Styrofoam, and "wool". Good thing I had an app for lightning and thunder! And finally, the tornado in a jar that I know works, didn't work for us. No funnel cloud. Just a wimpy dust storm of red glitter. What a bummer.
So as 4 year olds exhibited in their facial expressions the respectful version of "you're lame", and after I had already explained when I was 0-2 that all scientists fail and have to try, try again, I finally pointed out with my 3rd strike "And THIS is why I paint!" To which, the most adorable and astute little gal laughed. She totally gets me. Every time she laughs at one of my jokes that go over everyone else's head I thank her for laughing and tell her to put a sticker on her Good Deeds chart. The first time I got another chuckle and when she saw I meant it, she goes, "serious?" and I'm all "Yeah, you get a sticker for laughing" Now when it happens everyone else tries to laugh sincerely about 30 seconds too late. Priceless! My little fan has received at least 5 laugh-at-Ms. Chrissie's-hilariously-sarcastic-jokes sticker rewards. When the kiddos reach 10 they get to go to the treasure box. One day I gave out a record breaking 24 to one child. It was for finding 20 examples of opposites in the classroom. The other 4 were for boring stuff like raising your hand before shouting out answers, helping a friend, doing a challenging puzzle, etc. It's a good thing I stocked the treasure box!
Which leads me to our current study of Opposites and Left/Right. I have to say so far this is my favorite! Since I know a good thing when I see it, we created (drum roll please) the Outdoor Opposites Walk! Inspiration was received when our wet/dry chalk coloring experiment outside our the classroom resulted in about 1/2" of wet chalk mud oozing on the sides of shoes. I prohibited anyone from entering the classroom and another Walk was born! We enjoyed a perfect day of sunshine as we ran to the farthest tree after gathering at the nearest tree. Found the tallest tree and the shortest shrub. Stood on stairs to see who was highest, lowest, first, last, etc. We found a basketball hoop that was down from wind and decided it was perfect for going around or going under. The kids had an easier time of the limbo move that going under required than I did. I only wish I had my camera with me, but it was on the carpet I was determined not to spend another hour cleaning! I am also enjoying our Practice Egg Hunts in the classroom twice a day. I give opposites words instructions, the best pairing being Hot/Cold if the kids need help finding it. Inside the egg have been stickers, jelly beans and this week - instructions to do something involving opposite actions with the stuffed animal that is visiting school with each child all week long. Too cute!
But the best preschool day ever was today! Taryn is home for spring break and she got to be ME today - the old me - a teacher's assitant. She even got paid! I volunteered her as an extra set of hands but when we needed a 3rd sub for the day she was IT. Taryn was, of course, fantastic and the kids loved her! Jail time at recess now involves hair styling and massaging so I highly recommended it to her and that's where I found her when I hit the playground. We worked, worked, worked today, didn't let the ink dry on her check and cashed it on the way home, got groceries, and then made cinnamon rolls. And while you are being impressed, let's consider that apparently the last time I baked was in 2010 when my yeast expired. I tested one and thought it could have grown a bit more, so decided to use 3 packets in hopes there'd be enough kick to raise the dough. That was a good call I thought. Cinnamon rolls turned out yummy and they didn't even look like intestines. I got a lot of grief and comments from my only son that they would probably be carcinogenic. Then he ate two of them right out of the oven.
Which leads me to our current study of Opposites and Left/Right. I have to say so far this is my favorite! Since I know a good thing when I see it, we created (drum roll please) the Outdoor Opposites Walk! Inspiration was received when our wet/dry chalk coloring experiment outside our the classroom resulted in about 1/2" of wet chalk mud oozing on the sides of shoes. I prohibited anyone from entering the classroom and another Walk was born! We enjoyed a perfect day of sunshine as we ran to the farthest tree after gathering at the nearest tree. Found the tallest tree and the shortest shrub. Stood on stairs to see who was highest, lowest, first, last, etc. We found a basketball hoop that was down from wind and decided it was perfect for going around or going under. The kids had an easier time of the limbo move that going under required than I did. I only wish I had my camera with me, but it was on the carpet I was determined not to spend another hour cleaning! I am also enjoying our Practice Egg Hunts in the classroom twice a day. I give opposites words instructions, the best pairing being Hot/Cold if the kids need help finding it. Inside the egg have been stickers, jelly beans and this week - instructions to do something involving opposite actions with the stuffed animal that is visiting school with each child all week long. Too cute!
But the best preschool day ever was today! Taryn is home for spring break and she got to be ME today - the old me - a teacher's assitant. She even got paid! I volunteered her as an extra set of hands but when we needed a 3rd sub for the day she was IT. Taryn was, of course, fantastic and the kids loved her! Jail time at recess now involves hair styling and massaging so I highly recommended it to her and that's where I found her when I hit the playground. We worked, worked, worked today, didn't let the ink dry on her check and cashed it on the way home, got groceries, and then made cinnamon rolls. And while you are being impressed, let's consider that apparently the last time I baked was in 2010 when my yeast expired. I tested one and thought it could have grown a bit more, so decided to use 3 packets in hopes there'd be enough kick to raise the dough. That was a good call I thought. Cinnamon rolls turned out yummy and they didn't even look like intestines. I got a lot of grief and comments from my only son that they would probably be carcinogenic. Then he ate two of them right out of the oven.
Poor Mike is pulling an all nighter. He works a ton of overtime. Too bad there's no OT pay.
I took him dinner and a cinnamon roll. In between like 6 trips to the middle school for Mariah. Every day I thank the heavens above she is not in two plays. Music Man and volleyball are more than enough right now!
I know there's a silver lining in all of this. And spring break is next week!
1 comment:
Sheesh and I thought MY week was busy. Not so! I'll count my blessings and stay here on the couch using the computer to teach my child his letters because I am lame like that. I'll ship up Ty and send him your way sometime and you send him home all genius like okay?
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