Apples

Today Jesica lead the kids in welcoming them to Joy School - we had 2 visitors today Lilia and Marlee. It was fun to have them in class with us today. We sang our hello song again.

Calvin was - HAPPY

Ashton was - SHY

Gavyn was - TIRED

Lilia was - SILLY

Ava was - HAPPY

Annie was - EXCITED

Marlee was -THRILLED

We played "mixed-up weather" today, where I put down what I thought it was like outside. I said it was snowy, cold and raining. They thought it was funny and then told me what it was REALLY like outside. We talked a little about fall (which officially starts Friday the 23). Then we sang Leaves are falling all around, on the house tops on the ground...there were more voices singing today as they were a little more familiar with the song.

I pulled out our 'Mystery Box' and asked them what they thought might be inside. They all said TRAINS!!! (because that is what it was on Tuesday) - Then I had them hold it, shake it and smell it. Lilia guessed apples the minute she smelled the mystery box.

I talked about apples, and how there are lots of different kinds of apples, and how they are the one fruit tree that can grow anywhere in the world. We talked about Johnny Appleseed (whose birthday is Sept. 26 - Monday) and how he walked all around the mid west and planted apple seeds. Ava asked if he only walked or if he might have rode in a car, I explained that back then there were no cars, or buses or airplanes so yes he did walk. 

Here are a couple of things I wanted to share this morning - but lost my paper with them on (I was a bit scattered today) I thought they were pretty cute - so share them if you want to. : )

An Apple poem:

Way up high in the apple tree
Five little apples were smiling at me!
I shook that tree as hard as I could,
Down came those apples
M-m-m! They were GOOD! 

Have You Ever Seen An Apple
(tune: Have You Ever Seen a Lassie?)
Have you ever seen an apple,
an apple, an apple.
Have you ever seen an apple,
that grows on a tree?
A red one, a yellow one,
a green one, a golden one.
Have you ever seen an apple,
that grows on a tree?

WE read the book Apples by Gail Gibbons (I also told them who an author is and who an illustrator is - an author writes the book and the illustrator draws the book, this book the author and illustrator were the same)


the kids really enjoyed this book. The loved looking at the pictures and learning about apples, where they come from, that there are thousands of different apples, and a group of apples trees is called an orchard. That you can have apple trees in your yard. You can go and pick apples at an orchard, the farmers market or the grocery store.

The kids were then able to enjoy free play while I got the apple crafts ready.

Our first craft was an apple tree, where they placed apple stickers on their own tree.
They turned out cute - perfect fall art!

our next craft was a little more messy - but the kids all stayed pretty clean. I showed them when you cut an apple in half the apple has a star in it's center (that was also in the book).

we then did apple stamping - apple art is SO fun.

After we cleaned up and put our aprons away we went outside to play.

our snack was apples with caramel dip. The girls LOVED the caramel - the boys just wanted the apples. Ashton was our helper with passing the food around. (he LOVES apples!)

the kids enjoyed playing chase (with the boys being the monsters)
taking turns on the slides (which was a little hard at first)
playing at the sand table (and they kept the sand in the table for the most part today!)
swinging with Marlee on the hammock
and we ended with several rounds of Ring Around the Rosie.

We had so much fun learning about apples today, enjoying our time outside and being with each other.
Thanks for sharing your kids with us!

~Rebekeh and Jesica

All Aboard for Joy School

It was so fun to have the kids here today, I love seeing how excited they are to be going to school.
We started out by taking attendance - finding our pictures on the Joy School House board (very cute Kassie!)
Then sang the Hello song to each of our friends...Hello _________ hello and how are you?

Calvin was Great

Gavyn was Shy

Annie was Silly

Ava was Happy

Ashton was Good


and we hope that YOU ARE TOO!

We pulled out our show and share - the kids really do love this and are so good at letting every one look at there special toy.
We talked about the warm sun outside and how there were some clouds too - and that it was not rainy or windy and there was no thunder or lightning. we sang Sun is shinning all around on the house tops on the ground, sun is shinning on my nose on my head and hands and toes. for our "weather" song (its from primary go HERE to listen to it) it's a fun little song and you can switch out the weather words, rain, snow, sun, wind etc.

We did follow the leader stretches and then I pulled out our magic box to have them guess what could be inside. We didn't know what was inside so we opened it up and it was full of trains! Everyone chose a train and we read some train stories.

Our first book was Freight Train by Donald Crews they loved the bright colors of the train and watching the train move from page to page. We talked about the different cars on the train and what they might have inside them. How some train cars have coal, cows, food, cars, etc. They thought it was funny that cows would ride a train.

Our Second book was The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
they liked seeing the circus on this train the cars being  full of animals, clowns and good food with lollipops too. And how the little blue engine helped the circus train get over the big hill even when others were too
busy or just didn't want to help.

We talked about how somethings are hard to do but if we say to ourselves "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" then we CAN do it. And we talked about how it is important to help others.They each gave me examples of how they like to help others.

Ashton said - I can help play with toys and my brothers

Annie said - I can sing to my baby sister

Ava said - I can listen to my mommy

Calvin said - I can help with diapers

Gavyn said - I can share with Ava

We then set up the train table and they had lots of fun playing with the trains.

While the kids and Jesica were playing I set out our craft. They were each given a baggie full of different shapes, rectangles, circles, squares and triangles, also puffs of smoke and clouds. we learned how to put glue on our object and then stick it onto the paper and how a little glue goes along way. Also how the glue goes on purple and as it is drying turns clear. I loved watching them create their little engines and box cars. As they were crafting I had the joy school cd playing in the background and they would get so excited when they heard a song they recognized.

After art we cleaned up, washed hands, potty break and then went out side to enjoy the sunny weather. They had fun exploring the sand table with trucks and bulldozers - well the boys did, while Annie and Ava played dolls/house. We had crackers and water for snack then they took turns on the trampoline. WE also had a baby visitor James (from upstairs). ALL of the "big" kids had fun playing with him and sharing their snacks.

We had such a great day -Thanks for sharing your kids with us!

~Rebekeh and Jesica

2nd Day of Joy School

We had another successful day of Joy School... I have to say I had so much fun teaching this week. The kids are at such a cute age and say such funny things. I was impressed to hear that Ava's favorite food is pineapple and Annie's favorite food is corn. Ashton said soup, and for the life of me I can't remember what Gavin told me (Sorry!!). When I asked Calvin, he said M&M's--not the healthiest food. Anyway, I promise pictures next time.

Here are the highlights:

*Ashton was our helper.

*To help us get ready for the prayer we learned a rhyme called "Here's a bunny."

*Joy Bear came back to visit, this time he was hiding in the room and they had to find him. He was very interested in their favorite color.

*We learned the names of each of our fingers (Thumbkin, Pointer, Tall Man, Lazy Man, and Pinky). Then we sang the Thumbkin song using all the fingers.

*We learned what fingers we use to hold scissors and how to carefully use them.

*We reviewed the rules and played a review game using a ball.

*We read a book called The Gingerbread Man while we ate popsicles--don't worry they were sugar free :)

*The kids really liked the "Oh Boy, I've got Joy" song and a song called "Pokey Bear"--I will include this CD in the box so you can use it if you want to. I'll include a copy of the actions that go with it.

Thanks moms for letting me spend a few days with your sweet kids.

Kassie

Fist Day of Joy School

I think we had a successful day of joy school. All the kids were so excited when they got here and there wasn't one tear shed when they were dropped off. Yay! Here are some of the things we did today.

--They really liked seeing their picture in the school house

--We had free play with play dough to break the ice. I will send this home with them on Thursday.

--Annie was my "Helper" today. She said the prayer and also helped with the weather cut-outs. I was thinking we could rotate each week.

--Show and tell was a lot of fun.

--We read the book "Are you my Mother?"

--We played a remembering game about each other's favorite food.

--We talked about a few rules and started learning a rule song. The song talks about not hitting, pushing, kicking. It also talks about putting toys away. etc. They seemed to really respond to all the songs we sang. This was a great transition tool.

--We had a pretend Joy Bear come and talk to us. He will be back again on Thursday. 

I hope all the kids had a good time. 

It was so adorable to see all of them in their backpacks this morning!!

Kassie

Welcome!

So excited to work with all of you and teach our children together.
Just thought I would write down what we talked about at our meeting.

Class will be Tuesdays and Thursdays
starting at 9:45
ending at 11:45
rotating at each of our homes
Kassie will make a spread sheet for our lessons

Kassie - Calvin -
Rebekeh/Jesica - Ava and Gavyn
Camie - Ashton
Christine- Annie

• each day we will greet the kids

• take of hats, coats, shoes etc

• open picture in school house (role call)

• find our place mats and sit on our circle

• opening prayer

• hello song - hello (Annie, Ashton, Ava, Calvin, Gavyn) Hello and how are you, I'm (happy, hungry, silly, tired, glad...) and I hope that you are too.  Repeat for each child.

• weather

• talk about last week's lesson

• Lesson, activity, songs, books, etc

• snack

• end in circle time again calling child to get ready for pick up.

• end with joy song/closing prayer