Question:

How come my kid can learn and sing about Kwanzaa and Hanukkah in music class, but not about Christmas?

Anyone? Beuler?

Friendly Frogs: Dinosaur Roar!

First of all...I'm kind of sad that I actually need to say this.
I know that I am taking a risk by putting my curriculum out there for the "world" to see, but this is a private blog, so I figured it wouldn't be a problem.
But there is a problem, and I am going to address it, now.

The main reason I post my preschool curriculum is for the parents who have children enrolled in my program.

Reason #2 is to encourage and inspire friends and family to be creative and enjoy learning with thier children and grandchildren.

Reason #3 is to build a portfolio and progress my career in Early Childhood Education.

You are welcome to use or find inspiration from any of the curriculum I post for nonprofessional use, but taking my work (yes, it is work. A lot of work. I have put many hours into developing curriculum that is unique, effective, creative, fun, age appropriate, and catered specifically to benefit my students), and posting it as your own, or worse, using it to make a profit for your own preschool is not nice and not honest. This is my work and my talent. I created it and I own it. Please give credit when credit is due. It does not matter if you are near or far, plagarism is tacky and unethical.

If you are interested in using my scope and sequence or weekly curriculum for professional use, they are available for purchase. Email me for more information, I'd be happy to work with you and create something personalized for your classroom.

That's all.

Moving onto better things...
It's Dinosaur Week up in here!
Literature:


Book: Dinosaur Discoveries by Gail Gibbons
Book: Brontorina by James Howe
Book: Dinosaur Dig by Kathryn Lasky
Book: How Do Dinosaurs (series) by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague (thanks Max for bring your collection to share with the class!)
Book: Dinosaur Roar! By Paul and Henrietta Stickland

Share: Bring something that starts with letter R

Gross Motor Skills: Brontosaurus, Brontosaurus, T-Rex!
We played the classic game of Duck, Duck, Goose, but exchanged the words for dinosaur names.

Sensory: Dinosaur Dig
Hide toy dinosaurs in the sensory bin for the children to sift through and pretend to be Palentologists.

Science: Volcanoes
Lesson: Dinosaurs lived during a time when there were many earthquakes and volcanoes because the Earth was going through many changes. I explained that some dinosaur were buried under mountains where there had been volcanoes, and now archaeologists and palentologists are digging them up and putting them back together like a puzzle.

The children carefully and excitedly set up the scene on the tray. I used a baking soda and vinegar mixture to create lava flow from the volcano

videos are fun. I love when Max says compassionately, "some of you are gonna die" to the dinosaurs right before the volcano erupts.

Cooking/Snack: Dinosaur Sandwiches and Jell-o Dino Eggs
I made Jell-o eggs and PB&J's and the children cut their sandwiches into Dinosaur shapes for snack.
Lesson: Dinosaurs were reptiles and hatched from eggs.

Practical Life: How Do Dinosaurs___? The series by Mark Teague and Jane Yolen teach the dos and don'ts of playtime, cleaning up, going to school, table manners, etc.

We read the How Do Dinosaurs books together, and discussed good manners.

Language: Add to the list of R words

Handwriting: Letter R

Fine Motor: Dinosaur Floor Puzzle
So much can be learned about the different personalities of children from watching a group of them assemble a puzzle. I loved watching them work together, today. Aside from exercising their fine motor and image matching skills, they learned to cooperate, lead, follow, assist one another, and share.

Community

In general, I'm really enjoying my little adventure back into the college world.

But every now and then, the class discussion takes a turn that makes me ask myself (again), "what exactly am I paying for?"

Join me for a few highlights of World Lit. at NWACC

Class discussions/Comments made by other students

-Student: "But WHY would anyone even need the Koran if the Bible already existed so everyone could be Christian? This book is just a load of crap. I didn't read it."

-Teacher: How was this particular assignment more difficult to read than the others we've studied so far?
Correct answer: because it was written in middle English.
Answer given by student: because there was no movie for this one.

-Discussion: how dirty jokes you heard in 7th grade compare and contrast with Boccaccio's Decameron (followed by a bunch of examples of dirty jokes given by students...just in case you've forgotten them)

Student: "So... if we got all these stories because people back then didn't have DVD players or music to entertain themselves when they traveled, then why didn't they just knit? Then they could have had socks. I think I could knit while riding a horse. If I practiced. Yeah. I definitely could."

-Student:"When you say the test is gonna be matching and multiple choice, is that like letters to numbers? or the other way around?" (I think the best part about this is that we have already HAD one test, and he still hasn't figured it out.)

We've also had a few ethics debates...

-"Would you rather be with a beautiful mate that is unfaithful, or have him/her be super totally ugly but love you unconditionally and remain by your side?" (About 99% of the response from class members were leaned toward the first. I guess fidelity is for losers.)

-"poor Tiger Woods." (really guys?)

-"poor Paris Hilton." (REALLY guys?!)

And the big topic tonight that ate up 30 minutes, but was actually most relevant what we are reading:

-How to split up a fart into 12 different ways

"It's Just A Little Too Late, A Little Too Wrong, and I Can't Wait...Boy, You Know The Right Things To Say (you know it's just a little too late)..."

I received a $300 check in the mail from an insurance company.
SWEET! FREE MONEY!

um wait (says the voice in the back of my head)...money isn't free...where did it come from?
The fine print read the name of an insurance agent I had the following conversation with last week:

Meg: Hello?

Insurance Guy: Yes I've just received a claim from a Ross____ about damage to your property. Can you verify that damage has been done?

Meg: Sure

Guy: What is the damage and how did it happen?

Meg: Um...my neighbor shot my back window out with a BB gun. It was an accident.

Guy: OH {laughs} he told me a rock flew off his lawnmower.

oops.

Meg: Hmmm...yeah he's a nice guy, soooo...sure. Yeah, a rock from the lawnmower that sounds good.

DING DONG!!!

Meg: Can you hold on for a second, there is someone at my front door...

Ross: Hiya Babe

Meg: Hey Ross, I'm on the phone, can I come by when I'm through

Ross: Oh DEAR...is that my insurance guy?! I came over to tell you he might be calling you soon. I want to get that window fixed for you asap.

Meg: yes this is him, I'll call you when we're through

Ross: {trys to whisper, but is actually speaking LOUDER than he was before, only now he has a hand cupped to the side of his mouth and is crouched forward} I TOLD THE GUY THAT IT WAS A ROCK FROM MY LAWNMOWER. {smiles} HE MIGHT ASK-----

uhhhhh a little late for that one, Ross.

Meg---it's fine, Ross, no problem... um, I'll call you when we're done.

Ross: ByeBye dear

Meg: (to insurance guy waiting on the line) Okay, sorry. I'm back.

Guy: (laughing) Was that Ross? Was he trying to whisper? That is the funniest thing I have ever heard.

Meg: so you heard that huh?

Guy: go over and have a laugh with Ross and let him know your window is still covered either way, but I have to report what you told me, now that I know the real cause. See if you can take that BB gun away while you're at it, unless you're in the market for another window replacement.

When I told Ross he was a little late in getting "his story" to me, he laughed, "I didn't care so much about the coverage, I just didn't want the insurance man to know what a damn fool I am!"

At least he admits it was stupid.
The new window should be ready to install by Wednesday (finally!)
(Ross better hope that window really costs less than $300, or I'll have to call his insurance guy back)