Solar System and Paper Mache Planets

A recent preschool theme was the solar system. What better way to learn about the planets than by making our own solar system out of paper mache?

First, we discussed the solar system using books and posters.

Then, the kids made models of the four big, gas planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) out of paper mache.

Finally, each child held a planet--paper mache for the big ones, little balls for the little ones--and orbited the sun (a giant pink ball in the middle of the room). Fortunately, the real planet stay in their orbits better than our models did! Unfortunately, we didn't get any photos of our living solar system.

  

Preschool Lion Crafts

When we studied about Daniel in the lions' den, we also studied about lions and other members of the cat family. Mr. Isaku did an art lesson on using simple shapes to draw lions. The children's drawings turned out great!

One of our younger children drew this lion.

This lion is in the zoo. I guess that's a zoopkeeper with it. It's nice to see the kids writing spontaneously.

This girl wanted to show the similarities and differences between cats and lions. They live in different places.

I like the bars on this lion's cage in the foreground.

Mrs. Amy took advantage of the beautiful fall leaves and turned them into lions' manes for the craft she led later in the week.

November Memories

We had one birthday in November. Look how cool this guy became upon turning five.

Fallen leaves in the park provided lots of fun!

Pile.

Jump!

Throw!

Balloon Volleyball! The real fun began when there was more than one balloon in play at a time.

Graduates' Class - Best Christmas Pageant Ever

In one of our classes for international preschool alumnae and returnees, we are reading a chapter each week from The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a great read-aloud that I recommend highly. At certain points in the book, I ask the children to demonstrate comprehension by sketching a quick picture on the whiteboard of the scene we are reading about. Here are a few from chapter 1.

Mr. Shoemaker's Toolhouse on Fire

The Herdmans Stealing Five Dozen Doughnuts

The Herdmans' Mean, One-eyed, One Short-Legged, Broken-Tailed Cat

Ms. Brandel (Jacket on Head and Broom in Hand) Chasing Claude Herdman's Cat Around the Classroom

Preschool Fire Station Visit

This week's "My World" theme is fire, so yesterday we went to the Shimura fire station for a tour.

The firefighters had just finished rehearsing a flannelboard story so we got to see the premiere performance. It was called "Fire is Scary" and was about some children who played with a lighter and started a fire. Things turned out fine (whew), but it was scary enough that I'm sure our children will always remember not to play with matches.

The firefighters had laid out all of their gear for us to see.

Children got to go inside a fire truck.

A firefighter showed us how fast he could get into his full gear.

I got to practice using a fire extinguisher.

Children got to wear small firefighter jackets and helmets.

They even gave the children firefighter origami and erasers shaped like fire engines and ambulances (sorry, no picture). When we got back to preschool, the children made and sent thank-you pictures to the firefighters.

It was a wonderful day.