Thursday, September 22, 2011

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

1 comment:

  1. Thank you so much for allowing Lilia to join you today. She had the best time! She came home to tell me all about her morning, and she was so excited that she guessed what was in the mystery box.

    This blog is a fantastic idea! I love reading and seeing what they did in class. What a wonderful group your Little Joy Preschool is. Thanks for including us!! :)

    Dee Johnson (Lilias Mom)

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