I week: Wednesday

Today we didn't officially do preschool.

But we did make a Thankful Basket. And we wrote things we are thankful for on slips of paper and put them in our Thankful Basket.

Connor's thankful for trees and books and couches and Abby and Mommy. So far. We'll continue the Thankful Basket tomorrow.

(I printed the Thankful Basket from the November Friend Magazine. It's page 14.)

I week: Tuesday

Today we read Insectlopedia by Douglas Florian. It's a collection of poems and paintings of different insects. I also taught Connor what an inch is. This is not a concept for 3-year-olds, obviously, and I knew that. Kids learn to measure first by using paperclips or something as a unit of measure, not something abstract like an inch. But inch starts with I. As we read the poems about the insects, we measured the insects in the paintings. It was fun!

We also made some turkeys out of traced and cut-out hands and feet. They're going to be our Thanksgiving placecards. I love making placecards and it's even more fun to be able to involve Connor and do a craft together. I'll post pictures when we get them done.

I week: Monday

This morning was a great preschool morning. We did our computer and chart time. Connor is really getting good at "reading" the days of the week. He knows which day is which by what letter it starts with.

We read two books: The Iguana Brothers by Tony Johnston and Up Along Down Along Under Over by Diane Wilmer. I thought I had Inside Outside Upside-Down, but I don't. So we read that one instead. We didn't really talk about opposites as planned because Connor wasn't digging that idea.

So we made Thanksgiving pictures for family. I had printed a little turkey poem on cardstock and then we traced Connor's hand and drew a beak, gobble gobble, eye, and feet on each one. We made 8 of them and put them in the mail to all Connor's grandparents and cousins and aunts and uncles wishing them a Happy Thanksgiving!

When we looked at the calendar and I showed him that Thursday was Thanksgiving, Connor said, "Ya! I love Thanksgiving!" I'm not sure he even remembers it, but I love his enthusiasm!

Here's the Turkey Poem:

This isn’t just a turkey
as you can plainly see,
I made it with my hand
which is a part of me.
It comes with lots of love,
especially to say,
“I hope you have a very
Happy Thanksgiving Day!”

I week: plans

Here are the plans for I week:

word cards: inside, igloo, iguana, inch, instrument.
poem:

Inchworm
by Katrina Lybbert

Inchworm, inchworm on the ground,
Crawling slowly, not a sound,
Do you wonder what you'll see,
When you pass beyond that tree?

Careful now, my little friend,
A bird is just around the bend,
Better hide inside that tree,
Where you will be safe and free!

Monday: in/out; opposites. We'll review the concept of opposites and read Inside Outside Upside-Down by the Berenstains.

Tuesday (math): inches. Introduction to measurement. Connor's seen me use rulers, we'll talk about what they're for and measure a few things in inches.

Wednesday: icky. The clue word for the letter I on The Letter Factory is "icky." We'll read Bartholomew and the Oobleck and then make some icky oobleck.

Thursday: Thanksgiving. Even though this week is about the /i/ sound (short sound of the letter I), we will just use the letter I for today. We'll say "I am thankful for..." and take turns listing things we are grateful for. We did this in the car the other day and it was good to hear what Connor appreciates in his life.

Friday: Honestly, we probably won't do preschool on Friday, but if we do, we'll play some musical instruments together and have a band.

Other I words that might come up or spark ideas for activities: iguana, insects, igloo, inchworm, inside, India, Italy, etc.

Note: This week is all about the short sound of the letter I, as in icky. Of course, it's fine to point out that words like ice cream start with I too and to explain that the I makes two sounds, short and long, but the focus of this week is the /i/ sound.