Good Morning Boys and Girls!

It’s Wonderful Wednesday!

I miss you more and more each day. I miss our Morning Meetings and snack time together.

You are doing great and I am so proud of you!

Dear Parents and Students,

Today is our last day before the Easter vacation. Today’s lessons include activity suggestions for the coming week to use as you wish; there are no mandatory assignments during Easter vacation! Use these activity suggestions only in a way that is helpful to you in the coming days. I’ve also included some virtual field trips for the family!

Most importantly, these next two weeks should be a time to relax, recharge, enjoy the beautiful spring weather, and spend happy moments with your family. I know it is not easy during social distancing, but we will try our best to remember brighter days are ahead and Jesus is with us every step of the way.

I hope that this Holy Week and the Easter season bring refreshment, health, and peace to your family! I will keep you all in my Easter prayers. May God bless you all this holy season!

I will see you on Class Dojo and Zoom on Monday April 20, 2020!

Happy Easter!

Mrs. Anello

Please continue to try do our regular morning routine each day.  As a class we meet

on the carpet for morning prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, calendar, holidays, days of the week, months, seasons, weather.We start with the Hail Mary.  We say the Pledge and sing God Bless America.  Please go over the calendar and weather with them each day.  They should be able to lead you through most of this, hopefully you have some type of calendar.  Sign of the CrossIn the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen! Morning Prayer: Hail Mary Pledge of Allegiance

Calendar What day of the week is it? What date is it? What month is it? Tomorrow is? Yesterday was? What is the weather today? Pattern – create a pattern and ask him/her to finish it. How many girls are here?  How many boys are here?  How many students are

here today?  How many are absent and who are they?  (You can be inventive and write students names on small slips of paper and turn over the names that are here).

What number comes before (pick a number 0 to 10) What number comes after (pick a number 0 to 10)  What number comes between (example 5 and 7)It helps if you can show them a number line when asking the above 3 questions.Months“How many months are there in a year?” "There are 12 months in a year".Months of the Year Song

“Which month are we in?”  “We are in the fourth month - April.”Days of the WeekHow many days are there in a week?” Count how many days are left until the end of the month.Identify any special days for your child in April (Easter, birthdays).

Days of the Week Songs

“Yesterday was…, so which day is today?  Which day will tomorrow be?” Clap the day of the Month - If it is April 6 - clap and count aloud to 6. Today is Monday, April 6, 2020

WeatherThe Weather Song

(Sung to the tune “Clementine”)What’s the weather?

What’s the weather out today?What’s the weather?

What’s the weather out today?Is it sunny?

(Hold hands above head in a circle)Is it cloudy?

(Cover eyes with hands)Is it rainy out today?

(Flutter fingers downwards)Is it snowy?

(Wrap arms around the body and shiver)Is it windy?

(Blow children over with a swoop of your arms)Is it foggy?(Owl eyes)

What’s the weather out today

Seasons

Review 4 Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall.  “Which season are we in?” We are in the Season of Spring.

Sing ABC SONG as you point to each letter.Letter sounds – point to letter A and say the letter name and then the letter sound a/apple and a/ape.  Recognizing Aa – Ww (we will stop here and review/catch up on classwork or activities that you would like to do till after Easter Break)

NumbersCount 0-10Count 11-20Count backwards 10 to zero then say blast off

ShapesShapes – point to pictures of these shapes and ask them to name itCircle, oval, rhombus/diamond, star, heart, triangle, rectangle and squareAsk your child to say and use their hands to form these shapes while saying these shapes poems:Circle – Make a circle, make a circle, big and round with me.  No straight lines, no straight lines, a circle you will see.Oval – Make an oval, make an oval, tall and thin with me, no straight lines, no straight lines, just like a zero.Rhombus – Make a rhombus, make a rhombus, with slanted lines.  Make this shape, make this shape, just like a diamond.Triangle – make a triangle, make a triangle, with corners 3, three lines, three lines, a triangle is its name.Rectangle – Make a rectangle, make a rectangle, two sides long, two sides short, just like a door.  Knock, KnockSquare – Make a square, make a square, with 4 corners sides the same, make this shape, make this shape, square is its name. 

Take a break and have a morning snack.Remember to wash your hands before you eat. Prayer Before We EatOur Snack Time PrayerPrayer of ThanksgivingThank you for the world so sweet.Thank you for the food we eat.Thank you for the birds that sing.

Thank you, God, for everything.Amen

Don’t forget even when we don’t have school (Easter Break), always wash your hands very well before your morning snack and say our Snack Prayer.

Fine Motor SkillsDeveloping fine motor skills is important for this age. It improves the use of the small muscles in the hands, wrists and fingers. It also strengthens hand-eye coordination.Here are some suggestions for activities the children have done in the classroom:drawing, coloring and painting

Tracing cutting with scissors building blocks and Legos Play-Doh and puzzles lacing or tying activities stacking up cups using tweezers or tongs to pick up objects

Be creative with any other activities and have fun!

Eastertide begins on Easter Sunday and ends on Pentecost May 31, 2020. Keep Easter themed activities in your child’s learning centers for the coming weeks.

I can recognize letters and sounds.

1. Make colorful paper Easter eggs, and write a letter on each egg. Have your child use the letter eggs to: Spell his/her name

2. Match uppercase and lowercase letters3. Play phonics games by matching the letters with an object that begins with

that letter sound.4. Play phonics games free on your Starfall.com and ABC Mouse accounts.

Complete the worksheet by tracing the alphabet in lowercase (Easter Tracing Worksheet). PDF

Introduce the story by reading the title and showing the front and back cover.  Ask what does he or she see on it?Read the name of the author and ask what does an author do? Read the name of the illustrator and ask what does an illustrator do?  Turn to the title page and read title again and ask – Why does a book have a title?  (It tells us what the story is going to be about.)  Ask what is this page called?  (The title page).Introduce any words in the story that your child may not know and explain definition.Read story.  At the end of the story ask some who, what, where, and when questions.

Who are the characters in the story?  Remember characters can be people or animals.

Ask where did the story take place? Was it in a house, forest, outside, kitchen etc.?

When did the story take place?  Was its morning, noon, or night.  Is this a true story?  Could it happen in real life? Example: Can animals

talk in real life? What happened in the beginning of the story?  How did the story end? What was your favorite part or character in the story? Your child can

draw a picture to one of these questions.

Story: Today we’re going to read The Night Before Easter by Natasha Wing.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6e7RIvlT9w

In this story, we hear about what the Easter Bunny might do when he visits a house. If you were the Easter Bunny, what would you do? Where would you hide eggs? What treats would you leave for boys and girls?

If I Were the Easter Bunny Poster – Please see Little Angels Class Webpage - PDF

Lets pretend to be the Easter Bunny and hop out our letter sounds!

Review the alphabet and letter soundsDifferent Methods:

Have your child hop out the sounds as you say the letters. Show your child the letter and have him/her hop out the sounds. Write each letter on a piece of paper and have him/her hop on each

letter and make the sound.  

Science Connection: Dissolving Peeps Science Experiment

Try this fun science experiment (if you have the materials)https://www.adabofgluewilldo.com/dissolving-peeps-science-experiment-for-kids/This is what you’ll need:PeepsContainers TimerDifferent liquids: water, lime juice, vinegar, and orange juice.

Directions:

1. Put the peeps in different containers of liquid and predict what will happen to them.

2. Leave them in the liquids for 20 minutes and check on them. What happened to the peeps?

3. If nothing happened leave them in there longer and check again later!

Send me a picture of what happens!

1. I can count.

Have your child use Easter themed centers to practice numbers, patterns, and sorting.

Use colorful paper Easter eggs for counting.

Make Easter patterns with colorful paper eggs or bunnies.                       

2. I can copy, extend, create patterns.

3. I can sort.

Sort color jellybeans!                                                               

Work on free math related games on your Starfall.com

Religion

The week leading up to Easter.Palm Sunday: The day Jesus arrived in Jerusalem and the people celebrated him with PalmsHoly Thursday: The day of the Last supper and Judas' betrayalLast Supper: On Holy Thursday Jesus and his Apostles had their last meal together and Jesus washed their feet.Good Friday: The day Jesus passed away on the cross.Easter Sunday: The day Jesus comes back to life.

Traditions: Traditions are the special things we do year after year on holidays. Annual things families celebrate together. You can talk with your family about your traditions for Easter. Easter traditions: Easter Bunny, Egg Dyeing, Egg Hunt, church, dinners, etc.

Easter is the happiest day! We remember how much Jesus loves us! He died to save us, but he rose again on Easter morning to show us that he lives forever! He is our savior and our best friend! The happy word for Easter is ALLELUIA. We couldn’t say that word at church or in prayers during Lent but now we can. Can you say it?“ALLELUIA”How will you celebrate this special day?

Make this Holy Week special! Pray with your family! Offer the kind things you do each day to Jesus! Celebrate His love for you by showing love to others!

Here is a simple and beautiful Easter video that is appropriate for very young children:Brother Francis: He Is Risen https://learn360.infobase.com/p_ViewVideo.aspx?customID=50178Located in Parent Resources

Activity:Jesus is Risen! Sequencing ActivityPrint these sequencing cards for children to sequence the story. See Little Angels Class Webpage – PDF

Activity: Work on a craft to retell the story of Easter!

Activities for children to celebrate Holy Week and Easter:https://childrensministry.com/10-holy-week-activities/

Gross Motor/Movement IdeasDevelopment of gross motor skills is as important as development of fine motor skills. These are activities that involve using the larger muscles of our bodies (like when we walk, run, jump and skip). Exercise promotes a healthy body and a health mind.

Yoga will help them develop strength, flexibility and coordination. It will also improve their concentration and calmness, and counters stress.

Here are some suggestions:

Kids Yoga with Bari Koral: “Fly Like a Butterfly” by Radiant Child Yoga & Bari Koral: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYI0TPJOuGk

Happiness: Kids Yoga with Bari Koral + Relaxing Hand Movements by Shakta Khalsa:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUqqhj68F6s

Going on a Dragon Hunt: Yoga Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyI3qukcTiI

GoNoodle:Here are some suggestions:MaximoFlow

Free Choice/Creative PlaytimeYou get to play with your own toys at home.Playdough – play with clay BlocksArts/Crafts - Drawing, painting Cars/TrainsBoard games/Puzzles Dramatic Play Center - Kitchen

Easter Art Connections:

Easter Crafts and activities for this week:

1. Make an Easter card for your family! Write your name on it!

2. Dye some Easter eggs with your family, or make beautiful paper eggs to hide around the house and find!

3. Celebrate new life at Easter time! Make baby chick Easter crafts with recyclables and paint!

4. Make rabbit ears from construction paper and pretend YOU are a Rabbit

5. Play some Easter games! Play Hot Potato using an Easter egg; hide an Easter egg somewhere in the house and play the hot/cold game; hide something small in a plastic Easter egg and have someone else try to guess what is hiding inside.

Don’t forget our clean up song! Barney SongClean Up, Clean Up!Clean up, clean up Everybody everywhereClean up, clean upEverybody do your share

Take a break and have some lunch. Remember to wash your hands before you eat. Our Lunch Time PrayerGrace Before MealsGod is great,God is good.Let us thank Him for our food.Amen

Don’t forget even when we don’t have school (Easter Break), always wash your hands very well before your lunch and say our Lunch Prayer.

Rest TimeDuring rest time what did or are doing? Do you relax in your room? Or do you look out the window? What do you see? Are you doing a puzzle? Will you take a nap?

Mommy, daddy, or caregiver can play some soft soothing music (children’s lullabies, relaxing music) for you to hear while you rest. I

wish you had your mat but I am sure your sofa or bed are more than comfortable for you to rest on (Just like in the story The Three Little Bears – baby bear’s bed.)Grab your favorite cuddly blanket or a few of your favorite stuffed animals to rest with you for a little while.

Free Choice Play TimeAfter rest time…Use this time to go outside, burn off some energy and get some fresh air! Play with sidewalk chalk, bubbles, sports balls, etc. If the weather does not permit, use GoNoodle.com (indoor recess is GREAT) or YouTube children’s Zumba, children’s yoga, children’s exercise, etc.

End of the Day RoutineSing songs, read a story, and recap the day’s activities

Virtual Field Trips:

Take a virtual tour to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens to see cherry blossoms: https://www.bbg.org/collections/cherries

Look at some art work together at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/

Take a tour of the American Museum of Natural History: https://www.amnh.org/

Visit the zoo! https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams

Go to a concert: https://www.classicalmpr.org/story/2020/03/16/free-online-classical-concerts