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Passing the marmalade, Ms Kristin’s mirror pants and throwing tape balls: FRIDAY M WEEK

Our Friday “Purple Day” Class was together for THE FIRST TIME in 2024 due to a Snow Day and regularly scheduled day off. The classroom alternated between near silence and high volume…such a wonderful day together. Every corner was played in and every offered table was worked at.

Here are more stories about the day:

What did we pass around the tables today?

Ms Brenda’s snack tray and a jar of orange marmalade.

What a delightful and simple experience. I love eating at one big table in the round.

What did we have for snack today?

Mmmmmmmm thanks to Jackson we had mini marshmallows, mandarin oranges, crackers and orange marmalade. Our snack helpers helped Ms Brenda fill the trays and get everything ready.

Look at this full and happy table!

Where did Arthur and Julian have to put their remote control vehicle so that they would roll?

On the hard floor!

Show and Tell was a cozy and enthusiastic time of learning about each other’s things and stories from home.

What did Ms Kristin have stuck to her leg today?

A mirror sticker! She was afraid that it came from somebody’s project, but after checking everyone’s projects, they all had four mirror stickers to make their M so we determined it must’ve been an extra one.

How many times did you go back to add paint to your paper today?

Everyone came at least twice and some children came much more often. There are layers upon layers of paint on these projects.

After taking off the tape from our paintings to make the framed edge, Ms Kristin said people could ball it up and make a tape ball. Then she hung the swing up high to be a pretend basketball goal. The children spent quite a bit of time throwing their tape balls on or at the makeshift basketball hoop.

After Snack Time, we added a photo of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Aren’t these projects beautiful? Using a line from one of Dr. King’s speech in 1963 in Chicago, we talked about doing “the right thing” and that it is always the right time to do the right thing. It’s catchy enough we all said it together repeatedly.

BONUS: As your child to show you the birthday candle breath we did in Dr King’s honor and try it yourself!

Blowing out a fake candle, a new pillow and watching paint dry: THURSDAY M WEEK

Our Thursday “Blue Day” Class was back for only the second time in January! We had a delightful day observing incredible cooperative and imaginative play. Originally this was scheduled to be an extra day but due to the Snow Day, we finished up some M Week work including honoring Dr King’s birthday. The puzzle corner was busy and the children discovered a new heart pillow made by a preschool friend, Michelle (married to our previous pastor Derrick!).

These three worked for a LONG time building a hotel.

The tray for our watercolor water cups became a fun exploratory place! See the video for more…

Throwing the “snowflakes” made from the hole punches.

The new heart pillow! Thank you, Michelle!

Here are some questions to learn more…

Why were there papers taped to a table today?

This was watercolor paper taped down so that our paper would stay flat until it dried. The invitation was to add color, let it dry and come back as often as desired. We had many children paint a bit, then leave, then come back. By letting the watercolor dry in between, colors could be layered rather than blend. By adding more paint to wet paint, colors could blend and puddle beautifully. Ms Kristin and Ms Brenda were very happy to paint along with children who wanted company. Read on to see what we did with these…

What color play dough did we have?

White…one of our colors of the month! Ms Kristin went back to her favorite standby recipe and made fresh white play dough (scented with vanilla). One friend sculpting a dinosaur inspired another friend to draw a detailed picture of Jurassic Park (he brought his School Box over all on his own and ate a snack while he worked!).

What did we have for snack today?

Mmmmmmmmmm…Heath brought us blueberry muffins, applesauce and cucumbers cut by our snack helpers, Heath and Theodore! The smell of freshly cut cucumbers could be smelled from the classroom! Thank you, thank you!

10 of 13 children are checking on the snack prep!

What Show and Tell things do you remember?

We had a dinosaur car, a dinosaur, a monster truck, a piano, a camera with games on it, a slinky, a word builder, 3 Lego cars and 1 car charger, a story about candy, a story about giving a car to a brother, a peacock, a picture of Dr King, and a demonstration of a tiny toy.

Whose picture got put on your paintings today?

The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Aren’t these projects beautiful?

Using a line from one of Dr. King’s speech in 1963 in Chicago, we talked about doing “the right thing” and that it is always the right time to do the right thing. It’s catchy enough we all said it together repeatedly.

BONUS: As your child to show you the birthday candle breath we did in Dr King’s honor and try it yourself!

Ruts in the mud, Famous Amos cookies, and trouble at Snack Time: M WEEK- SNOW DAYS EDITION

Our Friday “Purple Day,” Tuesday “Yellow Day” and now Wednesday “Green Day” classes don’t have preschool due to inclement weather. We will make these days up in May! Here is a snow story about Ms Kristin and preschool:

1. I went to preschool to shovel and immediately got stuck. Called for help and started shoveling.

2. I thought I could shovel a path from our door to the Pine Street parking lot but found drifts 2 feet high.

3. Decided to clear 2 parking spots and hope it was easy enough for families to take turns turning around/backing out.

4. Dug my car out of the snow…preschoolers, I can show you the ruts in the mud in real life.

5. As I put the shovel away and locked the door, the phone call came that school is canceled.

There were 2 and a half years when we did preschool online. Here are 2 years of M Week Circle Time on YouTube:

Circle Time: M is for Martin 🛎 Bell ringing: black and white 🌀Breath with Famous Amos cookies (thanks, Mr Wally Amos!) 🎶 We Wish You Well 🎂 Birthday Song: Maxton 🌟 Golden Letter of the Week song: Maxton, Macie, Matilda and Maddux 🎂🌟BONUS Birthday/Golden Letter friend: the Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr 🍎 Letter of the Week project: M is for Martin (using a magnifying glass!) ✏️ Drawing Time: restaurant rules 📚 Picture walk: “The Story of Martin Luther King Jr,” Moore “Welcome Books: Martin Luther King Jr,” Walker “The Story of Ruby Bridges,” Coles “Mae Among the Stars,” Ahmed 🌈Alphabet actions: blast off like Mae ☀️ Goodbye poem: While we are under the same sun, life experiences and opportunities are different. — recorded January 11, 2021

During M Week, we will honor the life of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and use magnets to explore the concept of sticking together. There is a story drawing during Circle Time that shows a conflict between two preschoolers and instead of giving up after one attempt, they solve it a new way! Just like magnets sometimes need to be turned to stick to each other, at times we have to try a new way too.

Here is the same printable I use during Circle Time with some challenge questions:

Can you find the photo of Dr King playing piano with his family?

Can you find the photo of Dr King and two of his children on the big swing?

Can you find the photo of Dr King and Ms Coretta Scott King with their 4 children?

Can you find the photo when one of their children was a baby?

Can you find the photo where Dr King is fixing his son’s tie?

Feeling depressed, 4 mirrors, bread with frosting and cold rain: MONDAY M WEEK

Monday “Red Day” class hadn’t seen each other since before Christmas! When we looked at the calendar to verify this, one friend said, “I can hardly believe it!” We’ve been waiting for Annie to be old enough to start preschool and today was her first day. We also had a Golden Letter friend today! The cold and rainy weather kept us inside today, but we had no problem finding things to do! Here are some questions to learn more about today…

What did you play with today?

The classroom was wonderfully busy. Friends were at the block rug, the family corner, reading books, playing with the new Tiny Things, squishing new playdough, going on the swing, building alphabet robots, playing with locks and keys, collecting things with magnets, painting on the easel…and more I’m sure!

These friends searched for the snake stuffed animal all morning…I don’t know if they ever found it!

Magnet work in mint scented cloud dough continues.

Our Tiny Things table includes gray and silver this month too.

There were 2 friends who were horse experts today!

I will keep equipment/toys out until they seem to lose interest. Our keys and locks are still going strong!

I ordered these keys for K week and L Week but they didn’t arrive in time. Never too late, they were popular!

What color was the bell Ms Kristin rang today?

Black and white! Usually our bell is only one color, but January’s colors of the month are black and white. Tricky, tricky!

What did you have for snack today?

In honor of her birthday, Annie and Walter brought birthday cupcakes and cheese sticks. Thank you, sister and brother!

We also had pretzels and Froot Loops with Grandpa Kelven being the store for everything.

Overheard: “This bread with frosting is SOOOOOO good!”

What did Ms Kristin do after we made a pile of our Show and Tell things?

She took a picture so that the grown-ups could see all the things we brought.

Not pictured is bag of princesses that stayed with its owner.

We know that our grown ups might not buy us the same toys that other friends have AND some people really liked certain toys.

One of our helpers carrying over the very full Show and Tell basket!

Flexible seating is always an option, including sitting by Grandpa Norm “Papa” in a rocking chair.

Explaining in detail how this game is played.

Opening her princess pouch with markers inside!

The horse trailer is on its way to join the saber toothed tiger and monster truck.

There was a lot of visiting, listening and questioning during this Show and Tell time.

Playing with our Show and Tell things after Snack Time.

How many mirror strips did you need to make your capital M?

YES, children can bring toys with them when they take a break to do a required project/activity.

Even the teachers got some fine motor work in to help get the paper off!

Pleased because he figured out his mama’s name starts with M.

YES, children can eat snacks from home anytime.

The mirrors are actually stickers, so no glue was needed for this project today. However, we are making mirror balls for our January project and we needed glue for that.

Ms Eliza stopped in to say hello and help for a bit!

Why did Poppleton feel depressed?

We ended the day by reading a chapter of Poppleton where he looks in the mirror. The book tells us he felt “depressed” (sad, lonely, hopeless, ashamed) looking in the mirror at himself after someone said he was “too big.” Poppleton got some perspective and reassurance from a good friend of his and felt proud to be himself (in a new coat). We practiced standing up, looking at ourselves and being PROUD to be ourselves.

Dr King playing piano, Ms Kristin cutting a picture and friend trouble: FRIDAY M WEEK-SNOW DAY EDITION

Our Friday “Purple Day” Class didn’t have preschool due to inclement weather. Here is a link to M Week Circle Time…you’re invited to do online preschool like it’s 2022.

During M Week, we will honor the life of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and use magnets to explore the concept of sticking together.

There is a story drawing during Circle Time that shows a conflict between two preschoolers and instead of giving up after one attempt, they solve it a new way! Just like magnets sometimes need to be turned to stick to each other, at times we have to try a new way too.