J is for Jellybeans

We did this activity a couple of weeks ago during table time but I thought I'd post it, especially with Easter right around the corner.  Jellybeans are everywhere this time of year and a sweet treat always makes learning more fun! 

Even though the Noodle didn't have a fever, she looks pathetic with her watery eyes and her runny nose.  She wasn't feeling so hot, but loved gobbling up the jellybeans.  Poor baby--thank goodness the cold was a quick one!

Education Cubes

We recently purchased a set of Education Cubes and have been thrilled with them!  Somehow presenting the same material, in a different, more novel way, makes it much more fun!   And really, who doesn't like to build a tower and then knock it down?!

After a few days exploring and just "playing" with the cubes, we got down to the serious business of learning.  Ha ha!  Mama Jenn has collaborated with Carissa so that the RRSP information can be used with the cubes.  I love it!!

Matching the word on the cube to the word on the card

Love the smile on her face as she experiences success and reads the words!

If you're interested, the cubes can be purchased here and then you can sign up for a one time membership fee of $10 here , to gain access to over 100 different insert cards.  Even if you're not doing the RRSP program, this is still a great way to work on those ABCs and 123s.  Go check it out...I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Raising Rock Star Preschoolers--the letter Dd

We took a break from our alphabet lessons over Christmas to focus, on well, Christmas!  Now we're back on track and this past week learned all about the letter Dd.  Again, if you're interested, you can read about the Raising Rock Star Preschoolers curriculum here and see how we've incorporated it here and here.

This week the focus was on the letter Dd and the bible verse was:  Do all things without complaining or disputing--Philippians 2:14  Can I say that I loooove this verse?  There were quite a few times when I asked the Noodle to do something (usually one of her chores) and she'd start to give me a little flack about it, but then I'd remind her of the bible verse and she'd stop in her tracks, think about it, and then say "Ohhhh, okay!"  Wonder how long it will last?!

Bingo dabbers to dot Dd

 Working on her craft

Taking a break for some chocolate goodness!

 Dd vocabulary cards

Clapping out the syllables with the vocab cards

ABC stickers...always a hit...thanks Grandma!

Cutting out her Dd bible cards

Using playdoh to make the letters Dd

Sequencing her cut and paste verse.

These photos don't show everything that we did over the week, but it gives a good, overall sampling. 

 

Raising Rock Star Preschoolers--the letter Yy

We've been using the Raising Rock Star Preschoolers program now since about mid-July and it is going great!  The Noodle looks forward to "table time" each afternoon after she wakes up from her nap, as do I.  This week we have been working on the letter Yy, the number 9 and the sight word you.  Let me say again how easy Carissa makes this.  Almost everything you need is right there on her website, free for the taking!  I do supplement some things from other blogs/website and some of my own stuff as well, FYI.

I thought I'd break it down into days, so you can see what we've been doing.  Again, if you go here you'll see much of the same type of thing.  One day I focus on numbers, another day colors, a third day ABCs, the next day shapes and then the last day usually sequencing/writing the letters in her name. 

Day 1:

• Introduce the memory verse
• Introduce the song that goes with the letter of the week/verse
• Introduce the letter of the week, number of the week and sight word
• Introduce the "easy reader" book
• Hunt and circle all of the Yys
• Do some pre-writing to get ready to write the letter Yy
• Focus on one-to-one correspondence and number recognition

Day 2

• Review the memory verse, play the song, review letter, number and word of the week, re-read the "easy reader" book
• Do a craft related to the bible verse
• Use playdoh to make the targeted letter
• Work on color and number recognition by completing a color by number, related to the letter of the week
• Practice tracing the letter of the week

 Day 3

• Review the memory verse, play the song, review letter, number and word of the week, re-read the "easy reader" book
• Go over the "Y is for" vocab cards, trace the letter Y and cut out the cards
• Hunt for the letter Yy and the sight word you in the memory verse; discuss the differences between letters and words, identify punctuation, isolate words, etc.
• Complete a shape match-up activity
• Build sight words using letter magnets

Day 4

• Review the memory verse, play the song, review letter, number and word of the week, re-read the "easy reader" book
• Complete a fine motor activity (gluing yarn onto Yy)
• Cut/tape memory verse
• Go over the "Y is for" bible cards, trace the letter Y and cut out the cards
• Complete an uppercase/lowercase ABC match activity

 Day 5 (whew!)

• Review the memory verse, play the song, review letter, number and word of the week, re-read the "easy reader" book one last time
• Review all the past words, letters and numbers
• Practice tracing and writing first name (pic. not shown)
• *Complete a patterning activity
• Hand out certificate for memorizing a new bible verse, learning a new letter, number and sight word

**Day 5 is more of a "mix it up" day.  Sometimes we'll do some patterning.  Other times it is sequencing 4 pictures to tell a story (usually a nursery rhyme) or sequencing the letters in her name.  It just all depends, but I try to hit on each of these periodically.

So there you have it.  What goes on round these parts after nap.  While the letter lessons are broken down into 5 day increments, we rarely do 5 days straight in a row.  Life happens, people.  I know you all understand!  Still, I try to not skip more than a day or two, just so that the momentum, routine, schedule, blah blah blah remain intact.  Also, a little side note--The Noodle is currently 3.5 years old.  Somethings she gets, no problem--patterning, rhyming, letter ID.  Other things (like the pesky numbers 6 and 9 and some of the sight words) not so much.  We just keep working on it but in a lighthearted manner.  No pressure.  The last thing some 3.5 year old needs is pressure.  Unfortunately, that will come all too soon in Kindergarten (I jest, but only slightly.  Sigh.)

Raising Rock Star Preschoolers--long post

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon this website and this one and after some heavy browsing, decided this was something the Noodle and I were going to undertake.  I already knew I was going to start doing some "table time" with her--basically focusing on pre-academic stuff like letters, numbers, patterning, sequencing, fine motor skills, etc. but that I wanted to make it fun, low-key and non-threatening.  This is exactly the kind of stuff that I did when I was in the classroom, so I already had quite a few materials on hand.  What I like about this mom's philosophy is that she incorporates many Montessori approaches (something I have VERY limited knowledge of but have been curious about) as well as making the learning biblically based.  I guess I just needed a kick in the pants some inspiration to get the ball rolling!

Most afternoons, after the Noodle wakes up from her nap, we head on down for about 20 minutes of "table time".  So far, she's been excited to see what's on tap each day and (most days) is an eager and willing little student.  Let me just insert a few comments for the record:  1., I have no expectations of her becoming a "wiz kid" and skipping grades, etc.  2., her attention span and interest led me to believe that she might be ready to tackle something a bit more challenging but I know that each kiddo is different, and 3.  if it becomes a battle then we'll either scale back or drop it completely. 

The other reason I wanted to focus a bit more on the "academic" end of things is that while I love her nursery school and feel it is a great fit for her, it is primarily play-based.  This is exactly what she needs right now--interactions with her peers, ample opportunities to use and explore language, time to spread her own little wings without my presence, etc.  I haven't been worried about the "academic" side of things because I knew that I could supplement that at home.  Since I have one more year off before I have to go back to work, it seemed like the perfect time to get started.

Raising Rock Star Preschoolers is based on God's Word and begins with the foundation of learning, memorizing and applying a verse each week, taken from the book  My ABC Bible Verses.  There is a letter, sight word and number of the week, a simple reader, handwriting practice, craft, song and life application of the biblical verse...ALL FOR FREE PEOPLE!  This mom just wants to share the love.  Ya gotta love that, because I know how long it takes to create this stuff!  

In this video (hopefully you can hear--we used J's new i-Pod; just mute the music and turn up the speakers) the Noodle has cut out her verse and put it in order and now she is reading/reciting it:

The verse is:  "Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven--Matthew 5:16".  The other benefit?  This forces me to memorize some scripture too--something I am woefully lacking in!

I'll keep you posted as to how it all goes :)