Very Vibrant Vases

 

Our MWF classes worked on letter V this week.  We created some very vibrant spring vases.  These vases are super easy.  One mom commented it would be a cute gift for grandmas for Mother's Day.  Absolutely!  Another cheap and easy project for Sunday school, Girl Scouts or family reunions. Our vases are made out of Starbucks Frappacinno bottles because I have a fondness for a Frappacinno when I am running errands. Plus reusing is better for our school budget.  You can use any glass bottle or use an old clear glass vase. The directions are the same as when we made the jack-o-lantern jars http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/10/jack-o-lantern-jars.html

You will need-

*an old vase or glass bottle

*colored tissue paper cut into 1 or 2 inch squares ( I am always saving tissue from birthdays and parties for craft projects)

*white glue diluted with a small amount of water

*a small paint brush

Paint a small section of the bottle or vase and cover with tissue.  Use the glue to smooth  down edges.  Let dry completely.  After the vase is completely dry, you can add another coat of diluted glue if you want.

We couldn't send home an empty vase so today we created spring flowers.  You will need-

*coffee filters

*dot markers, water paints or markers

*pipe cleaner or bamboo skewer

Place newspaper over your surface and have your child completely color the coffee filter.  If you are using markers, use a spray bottle on the coffee filter to blend the colors.  Let the coffee filter dry completely.  Wrap the coffee  filter to form a flower (I don't have a photo but it's not hard). Wrap the pipe cleaner around the coffee filter or tape the coffee filter to the bamboo skewer. 

Snow is in the forecast but my crocuses are fighting for spring!

Have You Seen My Ducklings?

Happy Spring!  Our TTh class welcomed spring with the book Have You Seen My Ducklings?
by Nancy Tafuri.  A mother duck starts off with eight ducklings and one independent duckling goes off on her own to hide. The duckling hides in the reeds as mama duck asks the pond residents if they have seen her duckling.

Our craft required straight line scissor cutting for the grass.  Overall the children did a great job.  We try to incorporate a lot of scissor use in our crafts. They glued the grass on the 'pond' and added two ducklings.

We also did a dictation activity today.  We have been talking about the arrival of spring for several weeks. The children told me what happens in the spring or things we can do in the spring.  You will notice on the sheet that comes home in the spring is in bold and underlined for some beginning reading for you and your child.  Add this to your child's story book.  There will be a lot more stories coming home this year and next year.

Happy Spring (although the extended forecast says snow showers)

Just Jazz and Cute Crafts

Is your child 'jazzed' about our music unit?  I hope so!  If your schedule permits, there are two FREE concerts at ICC this week.  The concerts are held at the ICC Performing Arts Center.  The first is Tuesday, March 22nd at 7:30 and the second is Sunday, March 27th at 3 p.m.  For additional information go to   http://www.artsaticc.com/event-schedules/ 

Locally, Snyder Village is having a craft show in the SV Center on Saturday, March 26th from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Have a great week!

Jelly Beans

We are using jelly beans with our MWF classes for sorting, patterns and counting.  We use food a lot for math and the kids know not to eat the jelly beans.  They also know that after they are done they might get a jelly bean! 

A bag of jelly beans is about a dollar. This is an easy activity to do at the kitchen table.  Give your child some jelly beans and sort the jelly beans by color.  Your child can put the jelly beans in piles or line them up like a bar graph.  Use words like greatest, most, least, fewest and equal.  Count the jelly beans.

We also create patterns with the jelly beans.  We work on the AB, AAB, ABB and ABC pattern but you can get really creative with your child.  The jelly beans make fun colorful patterns. One of the children created a pink, white, black pattern with the jelly beans that was really pretty.  Have fun with it!

See if your child can count out ten jelly beans.  Challenge them to count out twelve or twenty.

We still have a lot of wet rainy weather ahead so this would provide some yummy indoor fun!

Top of the Mornin'

Be happy with what you have and you will have plenty to be happy about.  Irish Proverb

We are coloring the letter U but where?  Under what?  Ask your child!

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Today we painted with kitchen items!