letter curriculum What do you use

Or how do you teach letters . I used to teacher letter through out my themes . Then i taught them they way you learn to write them But i found that a little hard for some of my young 2 to 5 year olds . Then last year i change to letter Thursday . where worked well but i find a little flat and not sure the best . So how do you teach letters to your preschoolers and what Curriculum do you use if use one ? thanks ! planning for Sept already

Oceans

Pacific , Atlantic , Indian , southern ocean and Arctic Ocean . Now my group does know that blue on a map or globe is water . So today we took the globe from science center and pointed to each ocean and where they are located . Of course here in Minnesota we don't have oceans

but lots of lakes . So what the big different ? Salt water So each child tasted a cup with salt water and tap water could they tell the differences Yep!

We reading a story from Bugs to Bunnies byKenn Goin my favorite science books . Sparky Speaks.

Then we did a shark friends matching work sheet and colored it to introduce our shark friends .

Star Fish

First we painted our star fish (egg carton cut a part)

Then when dried a little we added sand and glue mixture and eyes

While waiting for them to dry so we could add sand we did a color by number sea star fish . I found over at www.1plus1plus1euals1.com . Great way to reinforce numbers and colors .

They are so ugly they are cute!

Jelly Fish

Jelly Fish

Jellyfish tentacles

Feel and touch Jelly fish (blue jello)

First we felt my Jelly fish . We then made Jelly fish ,We painted coffee filter then stuff with news paper and I tied a rubber band around the top. We then of course ate Jelly fish for snack . We then played where Jelly fish with our tentacles swimming through the water .

Ocean math game

Muffin tin game . Cut out numbers 1-6

shells for each one . They can count them out and put into the correct spot .

Ocean center

So we have shells and Magnifying glass , sand dollar and a few different texture shells . To touch , feel and look at We have the globe so we can see all the water in the world . We have a shell bottle and a gel bottle both with shells in it . To shack and examine

A House For Hermit Crab

So I read the story A house for Hermit crab While reading we made a list of what Hermit crab used to decorated his house . They also started to decorate Hermit crabs house while reading . I gave them color and scape's to use . Look how cute they came.

Shells in the ocean

So today we made shell necklaces . They all got to pick a shell and we took them outside and rub then on the ground and it makes a hole. We came in and decorated them just like Hermit the crab does in the story A house For Hermit Crab By Eric Carle

We talked about shells rubbing against rocks sand and other items in the ocean . What salt water and lake water does to the shell .

Swin into school

Well today we changed our bulletin board . We are doing ocean theme next few weeks and i think we will keep the fish board until school so prefect .

First i traced the children's hands . They can cut out or you . I did it while they water colored a sea theme on white paper .

Then we bubble painted . (a dish of dish soap and food coloring .) We blow bubbles with a straw and touched our fish to the bubbles . ) gives great effects .

I just added Swim into School .

We have a few more to add so prefect summer theme !

Minnesota

Sorry forgot to post yesterday We colored and learned about our state Minnesota . 10,000 lakes, what state we boarder , where we live , state bird and flag .

The orange flags on map are all the states I have been too and the pink our the childcare children .

United states where are you ?

So today we started studying the United states and where have we been . As i just got back from vacation and went through three states and am leaving next week for another state . It prefect timing so learn about the united states and where we leave .

Ok today we put up the big map (this is a little beat up and i do have a new one but this one we are going to write on so prefect . Then they stared where we live and colored a map of the United States (this last picture done by a two year old just had to show ) wow .

In my United state boxes I have post cards , map puzzle 100pc and wood one ,map of course ,globe , flags , write off book , state flash cards (i use these for me and when my girls where 6 we play capitals when in the car . I say Minnesota and they say St Paul etc . But they also fun to use a few at a time and something with them to match up to go with each state , like state bird, flower or even flag .

Later this week we be learning about Minnesota more

Teaming up ! Food Pyramid

So today we took some information from Team up with at home . Team Nutrition activity book . Lets see what they been learning . They did a great job yesterday with making meal with the play food . prefect balance . So today we colored our own pyramid remember what color is what food group . Then we listen to direction and Circle the grain , Triangle the milk etc . Then some at free play made paper plate meals as balance using the food pyramid again . i can not believe ho much they learn .

so i missed some pictures of today stuff computer turn off then flash on camera not turning off but you get idea .