Pastor Matt led our chapel this morning.  He, with the help of some older friends, acted out the story of the Lost Son.  We remember that just like the younger son, we are always forgiven and welcome in God's family! 

We also celebrated baptism birthdays as well!  If you are interested in knowing more about baptism, please let me know! 

We have the BEST parents!  Thanks to you we have one (and a possible second!) hunting camera to use!  Back in the classroom we predicted the animals that we will see in the pictures from the hunting camera.

 

We then made our way to the bridge!

"Wow!  The water is so fast today!"

"It's so much higher!"

"I think it is because all of the snow is melting and turning to water." 

Unfortunately, we noticed more trash in our creek.  :( 

I have been in contact with the Hendricks County water conservation to work with our class to and plan a day or a few days to help us clean up the creek! When this is all planned, I will let you know and you will be invited to help as well! 

We then decided a place to hang the camera! 

The friends wanted to check the woods for animal tracks, so we went on our path in the woods. 

"There's some tracks!" 

"Look!  There's some fur next to it!"

"Maybe it's a cat."

"No I think it is a raccoon." 

 

This morning we engaged in some phonemic awareness games. (Want to know more about phonemic awareness? Click here!)  I chopped words and the friends guessed what I was saying.  The friends were laughing so hard! This is a simple thing to do while you are in the car, waiting in the line at the store, or just talking to your child.  :) 

After snack, we got ready to go outside.  

"Look at all that ice!" 

"I see animal tracks!"

"I think it's a bunny!"

"It's heading to the woods!" 

We explored along the way to the bridge. 

"Look!  The water is moving!"

"See the bubble?  I think there's something in there!" 

This summer, Pastor Matt and I worked to make a trail in the woods next to our creek.  The friends wondered how long the creek is.  We took the trail to see how far we could see the creek.  

Before we left we discussed how to stay safe on the trail.  We stay together and always follow am adult.  We never go into the woods without adult permission. 

We saw many animal tracks on our hike! 

We also found some trash.  :( 

"Someone is not taking care of our planet!"

"This is sad!"

"I know! When we clean up the creek we could come clean this too!"

We observed the creek from a safe distance.  

"That's our same creek?  It goes this far?!" 

"LOOK!  Animal fur!  There are animals here!"

"Is there a bear?" 

"No probably reindeer."

"Maybe a fox!"

"I think it might be from a raccoon.  Remember when we saw the raccoon tracks back there?" 

"How many animals visit the bridge?" 

  Our class is wondering what animals visit "our creek bridge" when we aren't there.  Does anyone have a motion sensor camera, like the one used when hunting, that we could borrow to see what animals come when we aren't there?  If you do, please let me know!  Thank you! 

This morning we compared many items to the depth of the creek.  We had a rich discussion about measurement words that include: length, depth, and width.  

We then read some books, had snack, and bundled up to go outside! 

(Please note - your child's snow gear is probably pretty wet from all of our snow investigations and fun on the playground.  You might want to put them in the dryer this evening.  :) ) 

Back in the classroom we explored numbers and counting!  Practice makes permanent!  We offer many opportunities for the friends to practice counting and working with numbers as these are foundational math skills that will positively impact your child's development for years to come.  :) 

We worked with the letters too! God created all of the friends unique!  Success for each individual friend is unique as well.  Success for some friends is identifying the letter as they explore.  Success for some friends is matching upper and lower case letters.  Success for some friends is making the sounds of the letters.  Success for some friends is grouping the letters to form words.  Success for some friends is using the sounds of the letters to make words.  No one is more important than the other as all are indicators that the friends are learning and progressing in their reading skills. 

The friends working in the blocks wanted to make papers for their lanterns.  They used their creativity to enhance their play!