Friday Foam Fun!

Today some Sparrows started to create and build the African animal that they chose. The materials used were felt and foam stuffing. 

First, they drew the animal on a piece of paper and then they traced it onto the felt. Finally they stuffed the animal with foam. Next week friends will continue to add details.

 Friends really enjoyed this sensory activity with shaving foam. Sensory play promotes social interaction, which improves social and communication skills.

                                               

Team Building

Today the Sparrows participated in a team building activity. To find out who the teams would be, each friend received a puzzle piece with a letter on it. The puzzle piece either had an uppercase letter or lowercase letter, and friends had to use letter recognition and problem solving skills, as well as communicate with one another in order to find who had the matching letter. 

Once the correct pieces were connected and teams were formed, the partners stood together. Next, the pairs walked over to the table to find out which bin had the letter that corresponded to theirs. Whichever bin had the matching letters was the bin of items friends would be building with.

Friends carried their materials over to either one of the tables and rugs and got to work. Some teams chose to speak about what they would like to create beforehand and others went straight to work and figured out what they were building once it was built. 

Again, friends used communication and problem solving skills, as well as practiced spatial awareness and stability as they worked as a team.

Once time was up, friends walked around the room as if they were at a museum, looking at the different "exhibits." The teams presented their work to one another. Each team gave a brief description of what they built and how they built it.

Ice Cream Truck

House

A Giraffe and Black Rhino Boat

A Building

A Snake that does the Macarena

A Dry Cleaner

Monday memories

Thanksgiving break weekend news

Henry- I saw my cousins at my house. We played with the frog. We hosted Thanksgiving and there was food. We looked for the moon but the moon wasn't there.

Lincoln- We went to the cousins house, saw Auntie Lisa and Uncle Mike. Then we was sleeping downstairs. Then we went back to our house.

Jessica- I just eat turkey. We saw Uncle Johnny and Aunt Jean. They came to our house. 

Dylan- I just stayed at my house. I ate dinner. I ate turkey with my family. I watched the Eagles. I putted up my Christmas decorations.

Asha- We went to somebody else's house for Thanksgiving and had dinner over there. My cousins were over there. We saw other people over there. 

Millie- I played with my doggy Kayla. I went to the hotel with Ethan and mommy and daddy.

Jaylen- I played with Sadie and Kaya. I saw my family at home. A lot of people come over for Thanksgiving.

Thea- I went to the beach and I made a sand castle. I saw family and friends. I helped Quinny, he was grabbing cords.  

Gracie- Friends came over and they bounced on my beddy bed bed. We all ate dinner together at my house. We said what we're thankful for. I was doing thankful for everything and everybody in the whole world.

Zev- On the fifth yesterday, I was at bubby and zayde's. In a couple days, I left. I have a bug at my house and I have some stickers that my bubby and zayde got me. Zayde drove me there and then I flew on the airplane and then in a couple days, I drove back to the airport and fly back home.

Vivian- On Thanksgiving, I went to my grandmom's house for the whole day and night and when dinner was done, my mommy and daddy left and I was staying here because I was also having a sleepover. 

Natey- Maddie and Gabby come in my house. They ate turkey and not me. We played toys. We watched Charlie Brown.

Last week, we spoke a lot about what it means to be thankful. Today we went over the topic again and friends shared what thankful means to them. After our review, the Sparrows each received a journal paper and their journal jar to journal about "What are you thankful for?" Friends took their time and are increasingly showing awareness and appreciation for their work. Friends added intentional details and colors to their work.

Zev- "It means you're happy for something in your life."

Gracie- "You're so happy about stuff."

Lincoln- "Thankful means you're thankful for your family and your friends. That's thankful."

Millie- "Daddy and mommy and Luca."

Henry- "That you like something in your life."

Jaylen- "Thankful means love."

Natey- "Thankful means you have friends."

Vivian- "That means that you have something in your life that you love."

Asha- "Something good."

Thea- "Appreciate something like seeing friends."

Dylan- "That means like nice to someone."

Jessica- "It means that you get together in a big group and you're happy for it."

Following journals, the Sparrows enjoyed a group snack of graham crackers (some with cream cheese) and oranges, and then had a bit of choice time. 

Friends cooked and worked in the dramatic play area, built with Legos, took apart and solved puzzles, started making leaves for our baobab tree, and shared their weekend news.

Ask your Sparrow what letter the word baobab starts with.

We used the Smartboard to locate and look at pictures of the African savanna, acacia and baobab trees, and go over some facts we have already learned.