MAPP: "Classics & Vday"

Probably one of my favorite units this year in Jackson's preschool has been "different types of literature".  Moms taught about nonfiction, fables, fairy tales and I on classics.  I have a soft spot for classics.  It is true that you'll find many non P.C. aspects about them, like all the father characters smoke pipes...but there are a few that have withstood the test of time and are still loved decades later.  I had such a hard time narrowing down which books would be showcased...so I crammed as many in as I could in 2 days!

"Blueberries for Sal" was read before we made blueberry smoothies for snack.

"Mike Mulligan and his Steam shovel MaryAnn" was read for free play (I pulled out our construction toys.)

"Caps for Sale" was read to get the wiggles out during circle time (they got to act like the monkeys.)

"Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge" was used to illustrate personification and made a cute craft if I do say so myself!

"Runaway Bunny" was acted out several times, then proudly performed for arriving mommies.



Eliza acting like her "Surprised!" lighthouse.



Each of the kids made a lighthouse and got to choose what emotion their lighthouse was expressing from the different emotions it talked about in the book.  I thought it was cool, most of the kids all picked different ones; surprise, sad, proud, happy...and did you know that the Little Red Lighthouse and Great Grey Bridge is REAL?! It's true.  (Sidenote-I did know that), but I didn't know New York City holds annual "Little Red Lighthouse Festivals"! Fieldtrip anyone?!



Taya as the mommy bunny disguised as "a tight rope walker at the circus".



I am so sad Colista's eyes aren't open, because she looked so darn cute as the "mommy bunny disguised as a mountain hiker".



Eliza avoiding the paparazzi...dressed as "mommy bunny disguised as a gardener".



Easton, fishing off the stairs for his part as "mommy bunny disguised as a fisherman".



Grant (getting the pre play jitters out) was "mommy disguised as a tree".

Jackson, always notorious for avoiding the camera, was the "runaway bunny" and found no problem standing in front of a camcorder...hopping about, and turning himself into various objects to outwit his various "mommies"!  Our performance was an instant classic itself!!

Below is plastic covering our windows...you may recall "THE WEEK OF ICE" not too long ago.  Well one night our power kept going off, at one point for almost an hour...so Andy covered a couple of our downstairs windows to keep a little heat in just in case. 
They looked super tacky, but made such a huge different int he draft downstairs that I decided I would embrace them.  Below is image of said "embracing".  We spent one morning during THE WEEK OF ICE, painting tissue paper and cutting out hearts shapes in preparation for the big day.


 

Since I taught the day after Valentines Day I did teach the kids about the history of St. Valentine but we didn't do a big V-day party.  I wanted them to focus more on "showing love to others".  I sat a stool in the middle of our circle time and each child got to sit on the stool as the other kids said nice things about them.  All the kids enjoyed sitting on the "love stool" immensely, they weren't as excited about trying to think of things to say about eachother as much  (Miss Alli "translated" what their shrugs meant often).  Below is a big 'ol group hug after we did the love stool.  Kids also made Valentines' for their parents and made chocolate dipped pretzels for their moms. 

 
If there is anything "messy, glittery or involving copious glue" I like to seek after those things for crafts!  Dipping pretzels seemed benign until the lid to the sprinkles bottle was pulled off. 
I am still sweeping up sprinkles from that day. (You think I am kidding, but I'm not!)
Fun times at preschool, fun times.