The Books of Summer

Summer is a great time to read.  I do more reading in the summer than any other time of year because my schedule is more flexible than during the school year.

Get your child's books off the shelf into their play!  We place books in our block center and dramatic play to encourage children to pick up a book. For example, books about trucks or animals might be included with blocks. In our dramatic play, books about space are placed with our rocket ship and  books about sea life are at the beach. We do this with most of our dramatic play.  Think outside the book shelf!

*Create a basket of books to take outside during play.
*Place a basket of books in the back seat of the car. 
*A bookshelf with a lot of books can be overwhelming for a young child.  Take some books and place them on a table in your family room.
*Take books to the beach or the pool!

Book ideas and 'how to create a literate home'---

The Literate Home---http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/reading-language/reading-tips/how-to-create-a-literate-home-young-child-and-kindergartner/

My Top 108 Favorite Children's Books---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2014/05/my-top-108-childrens-books.html

Summer Book Ideas---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2013/06/books-for-summer.html

Reading Lists for Children---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/06/summer-reading-list.html

Open a book and read with your child this summer.

The Heart of a Woman

 

 Dr. Maya Angelou

1928-2014

Women should be tough, tender, 

laugh as much as possible,

and live long lives.

 

 

It's Officially Summer!

Memorial Day is over and summer has officially started.  What are your plans? I found when my boys were little to get the most out of summer we needed to do some planning. Here are a few ideas to get you started---

*Many central Illinois towns have festivals---Old Settlers in Metamora, Washington's Cherry Festival, The Tremont Turkey Festival, The Olde English Faire at Jubilee State Park, Steamboat Days on the Peoria Riverfront are just a few local fairs.

*Love baseball?  Dozer Park in Peoria and the Corn Crib in Normal are a great way to see a game with family.

*Love music?  Check out local park districts. Many park districts offer free concerts during the summer.

*Pay it forward with this activity called Hidden Fortunes---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/06/hidden-fortunes.html

*Plan some water play in the yard for you children or the entire neighborhood---http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/06/water-play.html

That should get you and your child started on some summer fun.  More ideas soon!

Because I'm Happy

We started our Happy Feet fundraiser earlier this year and we have met our goal! Thank you!  We have started to prep the room for new flooring and a fresh coat of paint. We are looking forward to everyone seeing the 'new MCP room' later this summer.  Thank to anyone and everyone who donated and helped with  fundraisers.  If you would still like to donate, please send your donation to MCP  P.O. Box 928 Metamora  IL 61548   Our room remodel will continue and be completed next year.

Thank you so much to everyone who donated. We are so very grateful for all your support.

Want a sneak peek of the new room?
http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2014/02/happy-feet.html

PBS Child Development Tracker

This is a great website on child development and a whole lot more.

http://www.pbs.org/parents/child-development/

What I've Learned

"I've learned that people will forget what you said,

people will forget what you did, 

but people will never forget 

how you made them feel."

Dr. Maya Angelou

My Top 108 Children's Books

Like most teachers I love everything about children's books. I love to use voices when I read.  I am very animated when I read to the children.  I stop and explain vocabulary or ask questions about the story or characters. I love to include the children in our story time (Owl Babies, Go, Dog. Go! and That's Good. That's Bad are just a few examples of books that I use where the children can be involved in the story).

Children's Book Week is May 12th-May 18th.  My two all time favorite children's books are Where the Wild Things Are and The Very Hungry Caterpillar but there are also so many other books I love.  I tried to keep the list to one hundred but was unable to remove any of my choices so here are my top 108 favorite children's books (sorry in most cases I did not include authors).

1. Fall-Halloween-Thanksgiving   Barn Dance      
2. Rattlebone Rock
3. Halloweiner
4. Big Pumpkin
5. Go Away Big Green Monster
6. The Monster at the End of this Book
7. Inside a House That is Haunted
8. The Vanishing Pumpkin
9. A Turkey for Thanksgiving
10. Winter & Christmas   The Night Before Christmas illustrated by Jan Brett         
11.  The Night Before Christmas illustrated by Tomie de Paola
12.  The Night Before Christmas illustrated by Marry Englebriet
13. The Snowy Day
14. The Mitten retold  by Jan Brett
15. The Wild Christmas Reindeer
16.  The Jacket I Wear in the Snow
17. Snowmen at Night
18. The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza
19. The 12 days of Christmas-a pop up book Robert Sabuda
20. Santa Calls by  William Joyce (I really love the ending of this story)
21. Polar Express
22. Santa’s Twin by Dean Koontz  (It's Dean Koontz.  It's illustrated but not for little ones.)
23. Thomas’ Snowsuit                              
24. Classics & Everything Else I Love   Goggles         
25. The Snowy Day
26. Whistle for Willie
27. Frederick
28. Have You Seen My Ducklings
29. Ping
30. Blueberries for Sal
31. Make Way for Ducklings
32. The Carrot Seed
33. Strega Nona
34. Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato
35. Clever Tom and the Leprechaun
36. Bedtime for Frances
37. The Story of Ferdinand
38. Go Dog.  Go!
39. Green Eggs and Ham
40. The Cat in the Hat
41. Inch by Inch
42. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
43. Polar Bear, Polar Bear What do you Hear?
44. Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See?
45. The Grouch Ladybug
46. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
47. It Looked like Spilt Milk
48. Harry the Dirty Dog
49. Tiki Tiki Tembo
50. Miss Nelson is Missing
51. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
52. Pete the Cat  I Love my White Shoes
53. Never Tease a Weasel
54. Going on a Bear Hunt   illustrated by Eve Bunting (an MCP favorite!)
55. Where the Wild Things Are
56. The Giving Tree
57. A House is a House
58. Jamberry
59. That’s Good That’s Bad
60. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
61. Madeline
62. Don’t Let Pigeon Drive the Bus
63. m & m Counting Book
64. No, David!
65. Pigsty  by  M. Teague
66. Ten Apples Up on Top
67. A Busy Year by Leo Lionni
68. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
69. Jimmy’s Boa and the Big Splash Birthday Bash (There are several stories about Jimmy's boa but this is my favorite.)
70. Prehistoric Pinkerton (Likewise with Pinkerton, many books but love this one.)
71. Going on a Whale Watch  photography by Bruce McMillan
72. Bugs  by Nancy WinslowParker and Joan R. Wright
73. Gone Wild Endangered Animal Alphabet
74. Alphabet City
75. Over in the Ocean in a Coral Reef
76.  Berlioz the Bear
77.  Where’s Waldo
78. I SPY  photographs by Walter Wick   ( the original big hardback books)
79. If the Dinosaurs Came Back
80. Dinosaurs by Gail Gibbons
81. No Jumping on the Bed (I  prefer the old school illustrations vs. the updated version)
82. Wordless Books   Noah's Ark illustrated by Peter Spier
83. Rain  illustrated by Peter Spier 
84. The Snowman  illustrated by Raymond Briggs
85. Good Dog, Carl  illustrated by Alexandra Day
86. Family   Come Over to My House
87. Stellaluna                 
88. Owl Babies
89. Froggy Gets Dressed (Like most series, the first story is the best)
90. 5 People in My Family Sesame Street
91. Seven Silly Eaters (I love Mrs. Peters)
92. Guess How Much I Love You
93. Mama, Do You Love Me?
94. The Relatives Came
95.  I Love You Forever
96. The Kissing Hand
97. Is Your Mama a Llama
98. A Chair for My Mother
99. Are You My Mother?
100. Five Minutes Peace  (This is the first of several stories about Mrs. Large and her family. I love Mrs. Large.) 
101. Fairy Tales and Fractured Fairy Tales   Piggie Pie!
102. No Moon, No Milk!
103. 3 Little Wolves and The Big Bad Pig
104. Mary Had a Little Lamb   photographs by Bruce McMillan
105. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs
106. The Frog Prince, Continued
107. The Gingerbread Girl
108. The Gingerbread Cowboy

The ABC's of Motherhood

Congrats!

Congratulations to the class of  2014!  

You rock!

A Grateful Teacher

Thanks for saving...paper towel & toilet paper tubes, 1/2 gallon milk jugs,  grocery bags, cereal, breakfast & pizza boxes, small jars, milk caps, CD's, plastic tubs and plastic lids.

Thanks for donating...scrapbook paper, pony beads, plastic lacing cord, yarn, ribbon, crayons, poster board, labels, stickers, styrofoam peanuts, pasta, prizes for our treasure chest, silk flowers, paper towels, school supplies, snacks & juice/milk, large rolls & pieces of papers, office paper, clip boards, playing cards, greeting cards & envelopes and maps & atlases.

Thanks for reading and supporting our school blog.   Thanks for sending us postcards from around the world. Thanks for following us on Facebook and Pinterest.  Thanks for donating pajamas to our Pajama Party Project and attending our Pajama Party.

They say, "It takes a village..."  so thanks for helping ours.

Thank you x Infinity = 1 Grateful Teacher

There are people who faithfully save paper towel & toilet paper rolls, cereal boxes, milk caps and pizza boxes just because you've said you need them for "a project" and these same people never laugh at you or ask you why.

There are people who get cardboard sculptures who actually put them on display for everyone to see.

There are people who tally up candle sales, contact local businesses for sponsorships and research fundraising ideas to raise money to keep their school moving toward a bright future.

There are people who take time off work to come to school to see children sing or maybe not sing at a school program.

There are people who deposit tuition, balance the books, help with registration, write checks, place posts on Facebook, pin things to Pinterest, keep the website and blog up to date, coordinate family fun nights and so much more.

There are people called parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family that allow MCP to be the best.  Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you...

Musical Theater Summer Camp

 

 Musical Theater Summer Camp

Register NOW for "Frozen In Summer"

Who: Upcoming Kindergarten-Third Graders, Boys & Girls
What: Musical Theater Summer Camp based on the Disney Movie: Frozen
When: Thursday, July 17-Saturday, July 19 from 9:00-12:00 pm.
Showcase on Saturday, July 19th at 11:00 am
Where: Metamora Christian Union Church, 925 W. Walnut Street, Metamora
Why: To provide young children the opportunity to experience the fine arts through singing, dancing, and acting. Let’s spread the Frozen Fever!
Cost: $35, includes T-shirt (“family fan” t-shirts also available for $10 with registration) Must register by June 20 to guarantee your T-shirt.
Camp Host: Chicago Opera Playhouse, Founder and General Director, Linden Christ and Choreographer Instructor, Devery McCoy
Sign Up: Please complete and return the Registration Form with your payment. Hurry: Only the first 100 applicants will be accepted.
Questions? Feel free to email Linden Christ.  

National Bike Safety Month

May is National Bike Month and National Bike Safety Month.  Your child can learn the rules of the road at the Peoria Park District Safety Town