Last Day in Pod B!

Today was an eventful day in Pod B! After our normal morning, we had centers outside which were open. The children enjoy blowing bubbles, playing in the sand box, and the many other centers that were open. There were a lot of parents who joined us for lunch today in the Education and Human Services building. We enjoyed hot dogs, chips, carrots, apples, pears, and milk. After lunch we played outside some more with those parents/caregivers that joined us for lunch.

After playing outside came the big event of the day, the science play! All of the children have been working very hard on this and it was a lot of fun! Professor Tiddlywinx demonstrated three experiments to the audience. She even blew up balloons using dry ice and then released them into the audience!

Ava and Jonny assisting Professor Tiddlywinx

Ava assisting professor Tiddlywinx blow bubbles.

Professor Tiddlywinx doing a demonstration on density. 

After the children's play, they enjoyed playing outside one last time before going home for the summer. Popsicles were served and enjoyed with the parents and caregivers. All of the teachers had a great learning experience with the children during this summer semester. We have enjoyed exploring with the children and will miss them. 

Have a Great Summer!!!

Ericca Peters

Michigan Standards of Quality for Pre K: Children develop positive attitudes and gain knowledge about science through observation and natural play. 

POD A

Hello to all!

            Today was the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! At the CDLL we made sure to celebrate the last day with many fun festivities. We started the morning out with all outdoor centers. The children enjoyed playing with bubbles, beading jewelry, dancing to music and playing with homemade instruments, just to name a few.

Andrew playing with farm animals and barn

Rachel was digging for treasure

           

            After playing outside all morning, the CDLL staff put on a family picnic lunch. Everyone enjoyed hot dogs, fruit, chips and carrots while children, parents and teachers socialized and reminisced about the pass school year.

Family picnic

children in line for hotdogs!

            Following lunch was a play put on by the children of Pod B. The play was all about all about science. It included two concepts, density and carbon dioxide. A CMU science professor, Professor “Tidlywink” conducted density and carbon dioxide experiments with the help of two Pod B children, Johnny and Ava. All of the families and children seem to enjoy the play because there was continual laughter coming from the audience.

Ava and Johnny assisting with the science experiments during the play

            After the play the children and families headed to the playground for some fun in the sun and popsicles.

Families and children playing on the playground

           

            Overall today’s celebratory activates were a great success, due to the fact that everyone seemed to be in a great mood and enjoying themselves. I will dearly miss all of the children and would like to thank all of the families for their great support  the last six weeks. All will be missed!

Sincerely,
Katie Murphy

Pod A Student Teacher

Michigan Quality Standard- Intellectual development 3. Early Learning Expectation: Children gain, organize, and use information in increasingly complex ways. 

Tuesday June 21, 2011: Pod B

Hello!

Today we had another great day outside!  Although we were worried about storms today, the weather permitted us to play outside most of the day and to have another water day!  In addition to the sprinklers we had yesterday, today we also had a slip n slide.  The children took turns going on the slip n slide and had big smiles on their faces.  The children all encouraged Mr. Jonaitis as he joined the fun.

Vishitha took many turns on the slip n slide.

Alea taking her turn!

We also had our outdoor centers.  The children enjoyed our “shower” area, where a hose had a shower type sprayer attached to it and the children stood under it.  Many of the children enjoyed getting sprayed, then going down the slide quickly!  Children also continued to enjoy painting the walls with water,painting with flyswatters, sending cars down ramps, and blowing bubbles.

Aiden got paint on his entire body while flyswatter painting!

Ms. Weller giving some kids a shower.

We had lunch outside today, then prepared to go back outside to begin the water day!  We also had snack outside, with children getting their snacks from the "lemonade stand."

 Some of the children went down to cooking to prepare snacks for tomorrow’s play!  The children have been preparing for the play for some time and are excited to see it unfold tomorrow.   Other children stayed inside during the morning and set up an area to go camping in the pretend area.

Rose in the camp area!

I have enjoyed sharing our experiences with you, I hope you have enjoyed hearing about your children’s experiences at school!  Best wishes for this summer!

Brooklynn Voyles

Michigan Standards of Quality for Pre K: Creative Development 1-1

Can use their own ideas to draw, paint, mold, and build with a variety

of art materials; e.g., paint, clay, wood, materials from nature such as

leaves.

June 21 2011, Pod A

          Hello all!

          Today was a beautiful day at the CDLL, so it was definitely perfect for a second water day! But we did many things before and after playing in the water as well, so read ahead to see all the things we did!

Before the water day, we had center time outside. We added some new things outside and the children had so much fun. One of the new things outside was bead working. Children love making jewelry inside at the collage center, so why not take it outside? I saw so many children making bracelets with the pipe cleaners and beads today. They wore them while playing outside and were very excited to take them home.

           We also brought out the “wood cookies” today. The children worked together to make a long path to walk on. Many other children came around to try walking on the new path. One game the children like to play on the “wood cookies” is Hot Lava. They say the grass is lava, so they have to stay on the wood and not fall into the lava! We left the path the way it was when we left school today, so maybe they will make changes to it or add onto it tomorrow!

          

          After lunch, we brought out the sprinklers for our water day. We added something new though; a slip and slide! The children were so excited! There was a constant line for the slip and slide and it was used until it was time to go home.

          We ended the day with eating snack outside while everyone was still in their bathing suits. We all sat on the sidewalk together. We had mini cupcakes, crackers and cheese, and juice. When they were done eating snack, they were able to play outside and dry off!

          I cannot believe the summer session is almost over! We have one day left and it is a very big day. We have a lot of fun activities planned for tomorrow so make sure to check the blog tomorrow and get updated. I have had so much fun working with your children for the last six weeks and I will miss them all! I hope everyone has a wonderful summer with their family and friends!

          Fondly,

          Samantha "Ms." Corey

Physical Development and Health 4.1: Children participate in activities that encourage self-motivation, emphasize cooperation, and minimize competition. Learn to cooperate with others through games and other activities and actions that show a growing knowledge of the rights of others.

June 20th, 2011: Water Day #1

 

Hello Everyone!

I can't believe this is my last blog for the CDLL Summer Semester! Time Flies!  Today we had our first of two "water days" at school and the children had a blast.  They got to run through many different sprinklers, lay on their towels if they wanted, and run around in their bathing suits on the playground. Although the weather wasn't as sunny as we would have liked, the temperature was warm and the children had a great time.  It's been a wonderful six weeks with your children and I'm very grateful to have gotten to know them so well.  I hope you all have a great summer :)  

Sincerely, Rachel Lepine

Here are some photos from our first Water Day!

 

Early Childhood Learning Expectation: Children participate in activities that
encourage self-motivation, emphasize cooperation, and minimize
competition

POD A

Thursday, June 16, 2011


Today was a great day to end the week! Even though there was some not so great weather in the beginning of the day, this did not slow Pod A down!! There were so many activities to choose from. In the classroom, we had all centers as usual. We did add more to the multi-purpose room. In the early morning, we had and obstacle couse and we also added egg carton noise makers! The children really enjoyed it!

Later this morning, we watched the movie "Despicable Me" as we ate our bitty burgers for lunch! The children really enjoyed the movie. There was laughter, eating and fun! After the movie, we had went to our normal routine but adding snack outside to enjoy the sunny afternoon!! 


In Pod A, during center time, there was musical art, art through dance, and visual art. In walnut there was pretend, reading, sensory, etc! Today was all in all a great day for children and the teachers!! Here are a few photos of the children and their exiting Thursday! Until next week!!


Ms. Armstrong : ) 

Michigan Standards of Quality for Pre-K:Creative Development 2:1: Participate in musical activities; e.g., listening, singing, finger plays, singing games, and simple performances with others.

POD A

Thursday, June 16, 2011


Today was a great day to end the week! Even though there was some not so great weather in the beginning of the day, this did not slow Pod A down!! There were so many activities to choose from. In the classroom, we had all centers as usual. We did add more to the multi-purpose room. In the early morning, we had and obstacle couse and we also added egg carton noise makers! The children really enjoyed it!

Later this morning, we watched the movie "Despicable Me" as we ate our bitty burgers for lunch! The children really enjoyed the movie. There was laughter, eating and fun! After the movie, we had went to our normal routine but adding snack outside to enjoy the sunny afternoon!! 


In Pod A, during center time, there was musical art, art through dance, and visual art. In walnut there was pretend, reading, sensory, etc! Today was all in all a great day for children and the teachers!! Here are a few photos of the children and their exiting Thursday! Until next week!!


Ms. Armstrong : ) 

Michigan Standards of Quality for Pre-K:Creative Development 2:1: Participate in musical activities; e.g., listening, singing, finger plays, singing games, and simple performances with others.

Pod B

Yet, Another Great Thursday!!

Today started out rather gloomy and rainy, but we made the most of it in Pod B! We had the intentions of allowing the children to play outside all day again, however, the weather prevented us from doing so; we had all the indoor centers opened including an obstacle course in the indoor movement room and making egg carton shakers.

Alea, Jenny, and Yuna kept busy today in the writing center turning several teachers and themselves into cats and dogs. Once the other students saw the teachers dressed up, several others joined in to make their own cat or dog ears, nose, and tail. Another activity that the children seemed to enjoy was the music playing in the Maple classroom; they were dancing and singing for a while in the morning. 

Jenny, Alea and Yuna working in the writing center

Miss Peters in her cat and dress up attire

Miss Ruspaj, Miss Peters, Miss Ziehmer, Miss Mathein, Yuna, Alea and Jenny dressed up as dogs

We also had a special surprise for the children, and since we were cooped up inside all morning we set up a movie for them in the afternoon, while they ate their lunch! The children really seemed to enjoy it and it was also something new for them to do on a rainy day! They also got to enjoy another lunch with the children from Pod A; it has been a great week for bringing the children from both pods together.

Lunch and a Movie!

Outside Snack!

Thankfully in the afternoon the sun decided to come out and dried up the playground just in time for them to get out for a while. The children were able to enjoy their snacks outside which consisted of animal crackers, trail mix, and apple juice or chocolate milk. They played, ran around, and mingled with the children in the other pod.

Even though we were down a couple of teachers it was a great week in the classrooms! We spent a bunch of time outdoors doing several new activities and it was a great time for everyone! I am looking forward to another great, yet short week next week!

Until next week!

Kyra Ziehmer

Michigan Standards of Quality for Pre-K: Social and Emotional Development 3-2

Children develop healthy relationships with other children and adults.