Thanksgiving- Giving Thanks!

Today we had a great preschool for Thanksgiving. Here is my lesson plan:

Thanksgiving Gratitude Lesson

Objective: Students will learn about gratitude, what we can be thankful for, and how to give thanks.  Students will also learn how to form the letter T and learn what it says- be able to recognize and name the oval shape- be able to recognize and name the color brown- and recognize and form a number 8 and count up to 8.

Gathering Activity: Play-dough.  Boys will be able to play with the play-dough when they arrive and each have their own ball that will be put into a plastic baggie with their name on it for further use. 

Welcome: Welcome song, pledge, calendar, and weather. Here is T as the star helper!

Introduce: Color BROWN- sign brown and look at brown fabric then point out brown objects in the room. Number 8- form a letter 8 with play-dough and practice counting to 8 together.  Letter T- tuh, tuh, tuh (Turkey)- each form a letter T with play-dough.  OVAL shape- say oval and form an oval with play-dough.

Use all the information to create some tuh tuh tuh Turkeys!- Brown color with 8 ovals.  Have each kids pick 8 oval feathers for their turkey then bring them to the table and show them how to make the turkeys with glue.  While turkeys are being made one kid at a time will go to the bathroom with Teacher W to get hands painted for place mats.  clean up for snack- clean hands and table off.

Free Play

Snacktime/Storytime:  Use half apples, toothpicks, marshmallows, and raisins to make Apple turkeys- then eat! Discuss how Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for all that we have and there are so many things in our lives that we can be thankful for.  Like in this book: My Book of Thanks by B. G. Hennessy.

Discussion: Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for all that we have.  Another way to say that we want to give thanks is to say we are grateful. 

Grateful Song: "If you’re grateful and you know it, clap your hands… stomp your feet… spin around…"

We can give thanks by saying thank you and helping others.  There are so many things in our lives that we can be grateful for.  Like in the My Book of Thanks and in this song:

Let’s Be Thankful song: (to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Let's be thankful for this day
For our friends and our play
Let's be thankful; let's be glad
For our food and the things we have
Let's give thanks for you and me
And our home and family.

It makes people happy when we tell them thank you.  We especially need to say thank you to our Father in Heaven for all that he has given us. 

Thank you jars: Brainstorm things that we can be thankful for- each kid takes a turn and we write it on their oval and stick it in their thank you jar along with a few others that will already be filled out- family, sun, food, bed, clothes, friends, happiness, no owies, no sickness, blue preschool, etc.  The jars will have this little poem I wrote on them:

This Jar is for you to use on your way

To help you be thankful night and day

At time for prayers just pick one or more

And you’ll always have something to be thankful for

 Place mats: After place mats are dry attach poem and draw feet, beak, and wattle.

"This turkey is a part of me—

It is made from my hand you see.

I have so much to be thankful for,

like my family and so much more.

 It is time to say:

Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!

Boys can use this place mat for our Thanksgiving feast on Thursday and remember as we eat our big yummy meal that we should think of all the things that we are thankful for. 

Playtime

(P was not able to come today because he was sick.  We missed him and hope he feels better soon!)

Halloween

(W's description of Halloween preschool at her house!)

Today was a SUPER FUN day at Preschool!  We had special visitors come for the day.  It was a lot of hard work, mainly by the mommies, to arrange for these visitors to come dressed in their best attire.  The visitors were:  Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Tigger, Lightening McQueen, a Pirate and Peter Pan.  We were so excited they would spend the day at Blue Preschool with us.  

The guests were happy to learn about the letter H, the color purple, the number 5 and the crescent shape.  We think the crescent shape was their favorite part of the lesson because it can look like the moon, a happy face or a sad face.  Peter Pan helped count how many more days until Halloween (5).  Our Pirate led the pledge of allegiance while Woody held the flag.  Lightening McQueen observed the weather and told us it would be a sunny but cold day.  Tigger pointed out that there were clouds outside as well.  Good team work!

Next we learned what “5 Little Pumpkins” did while sitting on a gate.  Our guests decided to draw a picture about that story on purple paper with the help of chalk and orange pumpkin colored stamps.  They of course had to draw themselves in the pictures as well.  After some singing and dancing and some yummy pumpkin shaped cheese, crackers and raisins to make jack-o-lantern faces, we took a break with some free play time.  Our guests LOVED the hot wheels cars and played nicely together, just as we hoped they would!

Then the mommies came to preschool early to watch our guests practice how to safely go trick or treating.  They each had a turn to go around the circle and say “trick or treat”.  Each of our guests brought a treat or prize to share with their friends.  They all had a wonderful time together.  The mommies were very proud of their little ones and had big smiles to show it!  We feel that each of our guests had a very special day and can’t wait to show what they have learned at preschool this Halloween.    Love you, Miss W

 Top row left to right: EM, G, P, little J, C (EM's brother) Bottom row left to right: EW and T

Farm Animals

B was brave enough to be the first teacher for the kid's first real day of Blue Preschool.  She taught the letter A, the color Black, circles, the number 1, and farm animals.  Here is what she said about this week:

"Today we learned about farm animals. We talked about smells and noises that a farm has. We also talked about the responsibilities of a farmer and what each animal does for us. Such as Cows producing milk ect. We sang ol'mcdonald had a farm, played duck-duck goose and read farm animal books. The kids had fun coloring a picture of a farm and making a tractor.

It was a lot of fun. I look forward to doing it again in a few weeks."

  Little J was the Star Helper today!

Now they are all ready for our Field Trip to the Farm this week! 

Star Helper

This is our Star Helper vest.  Each kid will get to be the Star Helper when their Mom is the one teaching that week.  They get to wear the vest for all of preschool and be the big helper whenever it is needed.  Hopefully this will teach the children responsibility, leadership, and hosting skills.