Play Is Learning !

More play-less structure! 

https://notjustcute.com/2020/04/10/play-is-the-therapy-we-all-need-right-now/

Superheroes by Laurie Berkner

This song is on this week's lesson plan. Laurie Berkner is a favorite of most of the preschool world! Enjoy this song about Superheroes! Click on the link below to hear this song!

https://youtu.be/_8SshkAYFqY

5/25/20-5/31/20 Duck Pond Lesson Plan

Duck Pond Lesson Plan-Heroes

Week: 5/25/20-5/29/20-Heroes 

Group Activities	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Story Time Goal: For students to communicate through language	Memorial Day	Any  Paw Patrol	Even Superheroes Have to Sleep by Sara Crow	Superhero ABC by Bob McLeod	TMNT
Circle & Song Time Goal: For students to develop their literacy, numeracy and social skills through daily activities	Memorial Day	Pastor Dave Children's Sermon FB Live 10:30am	Super Heroes By Laurie Berkner	FP Little People In Your Neighborhood	TMNT Theme Song
Sensory Time Goal: For students to develop fine motor skills	Memorial Day	Fire Trucks Police Cars Trash Trucks Ambulances	Tunnel  Crawl	Capes, Masks, Hats,	Any Kind  of  Block  Time
Art Time Goal: For students to develop hand eye coordination	Memorial Day	Painted Paperplate Shield	Fun Painting With Red, White, & Blue	Bath Towel Or Bed Sheet Capes	Paper Plate Mask
Gross Motor Time Goal: For Students to develop their muscles through movement	Memorial Day	Playground/ Indoor Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess

This week our Ducks will working with the theme of Heroes. They come in all professions, all ages, all shapes, and all sizes! Most of the Ducks understand fire trucks, police cars, etc., but at this time if it weren't for our retail workers, delivery personnel, truck drivers, medical staff, our home bound teachers, we all would have a much rougher time during this Quarantine. Memorial Day honors our arm forces veteran heroes that died for this country. Celebrate them with flags! If you have one of these heroes in your family, get a picture out and show the kids. They may not understand the concepts, but kids love pictures and stories. from your perspective.  You never know what will stick in that memory bank of theirs! 

Arts & Crafts:

Monday--Memorial Day. Get outside. See family (of course--social distancing). Look at photo albums. Cook out! Run around. Play games. Chill out!

Tuesday --Painted  Paper Plate Shield. Supplies: Paper Plate or card stock circle cutout. Paint/markers/crayons. Stickers or cutout shapes. Glue/glue stick if needed.

Wednesday--Paint with Red-White-Blue. Supplies: red/white/blue paint. Paper/card stock. Optional-Paint brushes.

Thursday--Towel or Sheet Capes. Supplies: Dish towels, bath towels, small blankets, etc. Just tuck a small towel into the back of your Duck's shirt and watch them fly--really run around! I've included a picture if you want to make a no sew cape out of an old T-Shirt. 

Friday--Paper Plate Mask. Supplies: paper plate or card stock circle cutout. 1-2 paint colors of Duck's choosing. Scissors. Hold punch. Yarn/Ribbon/Elastic. 

** Remember to tune info the Pastor Dave's Children's Chapel on Tuesday Morning at 10:30am on FB Live on the Active in the Neighborhood FB Page or the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church FB Page.  Pastor Dave loves to say "Hello!" to all our students listening to the chapel! If it's during a naptime or busy time in your household, you can watch a replay of the Children's Chapel on The Active in the Neighborhood Page! This will be the last Children's Chapel for Pastor Dave for this school year! Pastor Dave starts them back up in the Fall. **

Flower & Playdough Arrangements

Here is a great quiet rainy day activity for toddler & older siblings--Flower PlayDough Arrangements! (Good kitchen activity!) If you have terracotta pots, wonderful! If you don't, use old pots, cups, etc. The kids won't care! They use clay/felt flowers here, but you can use artificial flowers. Break off some dough. Let the kids knead the dough. Place dough in container.  Let kids add & subtract flowers. Repeat. You will be amazed at some of their arrangements! 

Ducks Are Turning 2. Understanding Why 2 Can Be Terrible For Them!

A good article about understanding the frustrating life of a two year old and the importance of giving them choices.  

https://thestir.cafemom.com/parenting_news/210617/diary-2-year-old?utm_source=LTcom&utm_medium=Facebook

Duck Pond Lesson Plans-Flowers 5/18/20-5/24/20

Duck Pond Lesson Plan-Flowers

Week: 5/18/20-5/22/20-Flowers

Group Activities	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Story Time Goal: For students to communicate through language	“The Tiny Seed” By Eric Carle	“Happy Bee” Ian Beck	“The Little Gardner” Jan  Gerardi	“Flower Garden” Eve Bunting	ABC Flowers
Circle & Song Time Goal: For students to develop their literacy, numeracy and social skills through daily activities	Song: You Are My Sunshine	Song: Baby  Bumble Bee	Song: Mr.  Golden Sun	Song: 1-2-3 Little Flowers	Song: Red Is Rojo
Sensory Time Goal: For students to develop fine motor skills	Flowers In My Neighborhood/  Yard Walk	Artificial  Flower Sensory	Flower, Soil, Seeds, Pot Sensory (Plant Some Seeds)	Trowels Shovels & Other Garden Tools	Artificial  Flowers In Colanders, Vases, Egg Cartons
Art Time Goal: For students to develop hand eye coordination	DIY Flower Press	Handprint Flowers	Plant A Seed!	Fork  Flower Prints	Pressed Flower ContactPaper Bookmark
Gross Motor Time Goal: For Students to develop their muscles through movement	Playground/ Indoor Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess

Monday-DIY Flower Press: Supplies: Two pieces of equal size pieces of cardboard. Several sheets of paper (newspaper works well also) of similar size to cardboard, Two rubber bands. Several fresh flowers. (Go on a nature walk and pick a few!)  Place space flowers apart on paper. Stack paper. Place one piece of cardboard under bottom sheet of paper. Place the piece of cardboard on the top sheet of paper. Secure stack with rubber bands. Let flower dry in press for 1-2 weeks. (We will use these for Friday’s craft.)

Tuesday--Handprint Flowers: Supplies: Paint (as many colors as your patience!), paper plate/regular plate, paint brush, white or light colored paper/card stock. Have you Duck swirl hand in paint on plate (or you can brush it on). Place hand on paper. Repeat. 

Wednesday--Plant A Seed: Supplies: (This can vary due to supplies) Soil, seeds, container (pot, Dixie Cup, Solo Cup, etc), water.  This is a good messy project!  We recommend going outside for this project for easy clean up! 

Thursday--Fork Flower Prints: Supplies: Fork (regular or plastic), paint, paint brush, light colored paper/cardstock. Dip fork in paint. Press back of fork onto paper. Repeat.

Friday--Pressed Flower Bookmark: Supplies: Pressed flowers from Monday’s project. Contact paper/wax paper. Hole punch. Scrap yarn/ribbon/string for tassel. Iron/Ironing board  & 2 sheets of paper towels for Wax Paper bookmark.  Fold paper in half. * Contact paper-fold in half. Then, gently peel away backing while not letting pages stick together--yet). Have your Duck place flowers onto paper. Wax paper won’t be sticky. Contact paper will. Once flower placement has been completed, Fold down paper to adhere both sides. *Wax paper won’t be sticky yet. With Contact Paper, press out air bubbles. Cut into bookmark shape. For Wax Paper, place project onto one piece of paper towel. Then, place project and towel onto ironing board. Place another piece of paper towel on top of project. Iron project at medium heat a few times to have wax on paper to melt. Cut to desired shape. With all projects, use hole punch to add a hole to top of bookmark. Add a few piece of scrap materials for tassel! 

"Whoever You Are" by Mem Fox

One of our favorite books to read in the Duck Pond  for Multicultural Week or Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Mem Fox's "Whoever You Are". We maybe all different, but we are all the same! Enjoy this read aloud version of this wonderful book! Click on the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g315xmVhaeQ&t=69s

Multicultural Week-Duck Pond Lesson Plan 5/11/20-5/17/20

Duck Pond Lesson Plan Multicultural Week

Week: 5/11/20-5/15/19-Multicultural Week

Group Activities	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Story Time Goal: For students to communicate through language	What Makes A Rainbow	Hand Hand Fingers Thumb	Children Around The World	Whoever You Are	Animals Of The Savannah
Circle & Song Time Goal: For students to develop their literacy, numeracy and social skills through daily activities	Song: Red Is Rojo	Drum  Music Circle	Music & Scarves/ Ribbons	Song: Whole World In His Hands	Animal Yoga Poses & Noises
Sensory Time Goal: For students to develop fine motor skills	Blocks	Musical Instruments	Yarn Paper Fabric Ribbons	Maps, Globes, Beach Ball Globe	Puzzles
Art Time Goal: For students to develop hand eye coordination	Multi-Color Handprints	Cup Drum	Yarn Paper Fabric Ribbons Collage	Paper Lanterns	Paper Plate Tribal Necklace
Gross Motor Time Goals: For Students to develop their muscles through movement	Playground/ Indoor  Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess	Playground/ Indoor Recess

Arts & Crafts:

Monday-Multi-Color Handprints: Supplies: 2 or more colors of paint, large paper plate/regular plate, light color paper/card stock, medium paint brush (optional). Either paint your duck’s hand or have them swirl their hands in plates of paint. Now, have them stamp their hands on the light color paper/card stock.

Tuesday-Cup Drum: Supplies: 1 Solo cup, any plastic cup, or metal can without ruff edges, rubber bands, a few deflated balloons. (Plastic wrap will work if you don’t have any balloons.) Cut the about 1 inch off the open end of the balloon. Stretch it over the cup. Secure balloon tightly with rubber band. Drum away! 

Wednesday-Texture Collage: Supplies: Medium size / any shape piece of cardboard (former Amazon boxes work!), school glue/glue stick, scraps of fabric, ribbon, paper, textured paper, yarn (all widths), etc. Spread a medium coat of glue onto cardboard. Let toddler place collage items on cardboard in any fashion. ** Toddlers may sometimes get fussy about sticky fingers. We usually have a wet wipe to clean off sticky fingers if needed. **

Thursday--Paper Lantern: Supplies: Any light color paper/cardstock, crayons/markers/dotters/paint, scissors, pencil, stapler or tape, yarn/string/another medium strip of paper. Have you Duck color paper/cardstock. Length wide-fold paper in half. I’m going to include a diagram to finish the rest of this project. It’s just easier to see and understand the diagram!

Friday--Paper Plate Tribal Necklace: Supplies: Paint/Markers/Crayons/Dotters, Scissors. For best results with the Ducks, Snip the outer edge of the paper plate and cut the middle out of the paper plate. Have your Duck decorate the outer edge of the paper plate. Use the snipped edge, place the new necklace around Duck’s neck!

Activities:

1. Music Fun: This is a great week for musical fun! Play music from different countries and cultures each day and dance with your Duck. Add scarves, ribbons, musical instruments, even their favorite toy to the music mix!  If you don’t have any musical instruments, use boxes, cups, tables, pots/pans, bowls, etc. from around your home!
   

2. Yoga: We added a cool poster of Animal Yoga Poses to this week’s lesson. Yoga and animal noises are a fun way to stretch/warm-up/cool down!