Ii Week

Monday- Went pretty well. Started with ABCs with the Leap Frog Discovery Ball and talked about the letters we've been learning about these last 4 weeks; A, E, F, and H, and that this weeks letter was Ii. Stayed up late making a bingo game for all 5 letters. Turned out pretty nice. I used the capital letters, lower case, and three pictures that started with each letter. They were unfamiliar with the Ii pictures but I didn't have much else planned today. I made one game and printed it up 3 times. Cut them all up and used one set to draw from and the other two for the kids to glue to a blank bingo card. It was a lot of little cards to glue for them, but with lots of encouragement and help they got through it. Then I drew from the pile and had them put a carob chip on the picture that matched. 2yo was eager to see how the 5yo did it and mimicked beautifully one time. Then she decided she couldn't do it and was hung up on not being able to eat some until the game was over. I had her draw the cards and tell me what they were while I played on her game board. That lasted about 5 turns. I ended up doing both. I really wanted them to finish and get the reward. 5yo got bingo and everyone got to eat their chips. We played again and 5yo wanted turns drawing from the pile. 2yo didn't last long, but with me helping her she won the next bingo.
Next we used the left over chips to cover an extra large, printed letter I. I found them on preschoolexpress.com. (I had spent a lot of time the night before trying to use the programs I had on my computer to make one myself, but to no avail.) I could stop blogging forever after I tell you that this is the most awesome preschool website ever. Don't read my blog any more. Just stop and go there right now.
I'm still going to blog... But you can bet I'm going to get a lot of ideas from there.
The idea I'm really excited to try is to tape the kids name (or letter of the day) to the sofa table. What I mean is to spell the kids' names with masking tape. Then you can do all sorts of things; trace the letters with your finger, cover it with paper and make a crayon rubbing, cover it with cheerios so the kids can visually and physically build the letter. I'm ecstatic. I've been struggling to get the kids to write the letters. I think this idea will get the kids to step up in the right direction. 2yo struggled with the instruction to place her carob chips on the paper, but she has seen it now and maybe tomorrow will be easier.
Next we glued craft stick together to make a capital I. Lastly, we read a short article from The Friend magazine. I was going to read another one, but 5yo asked, "Is it over now?"

Tuesday- Started with SesameStreet.org for the letter Ii videos. I'm noticing the kids are loosing interest in watching these clips. And that's ok.
Today I got a little carried away with flags. I stayed up late cutting out stripes and researching the history of the American Flag. I love how it's changed and all the stories that go with it. I didn't even hit on the letter I. I planned to. 'Indivisible' could have been worked in to the flag during the revolutionary war. Lincoln didn't want the union divided and if it had they would have had to take a few stars of the flag. And 'Indivisible is part of the Pledge of Allegiance, which is what I really wanted to discuss. There was another I word, but it escapes me.
I found a lot of flag coloring pages on the web. My favorite site it apples4theteacher.com. Consequently, I didn't find any patriotic or flag related videos on sesame street dot org. Hmmm? They cover the alphabet well at least.
5yo was very upset that he colored his white stripes red. I thought about using tape and paint to make a flag, but that won't teach him to stay in the lines. I guess we just need lots of practice and tolerance.

Wednesday- This was a fun day. Watched an old video I found at the thrift store long ago. It was made in the UK, distributed by Video Treasures, Inc, (which was sold to Anchor Bay.) My version was copyrighted 1990. I think I may have found a version copyrighted in 1994 from Anchor Bay on Amazon.com. Eight copies available. It's titled Pat-a-Cake Pat-a-Cake. It's got cute little songs that I didn't grow up with. I guess I'm a connoisseur of kid songs. My children are very familiar with the fishy song, the centipede song, and I wanted them to learn the inchworm song. Long story short, 2yo learned the inchworm song and you might be able to find a learning video on the web.
Then I found a cute clipart of an inchworm on a branch and cut it out so I could demonstrate the inchworm on the plant, under the plant, and in the plant. I also gave the kids some rulers and tried to explain inches. Note- thin plastic rulers can break and flip you in the eye with the jagged pieces. 5yo wasn't seriously hurt or cut, but it did surprise him in a bad way.
Then we played the 'In, On, and Under' game I made a few years ago. I constructed the 'In, On and Under' spinner (if it must have a name) from pieces of 1/2 inch pvc pipe, a dowel, and scrap wood.

Put it together with some glue and nails and made signs under each spinner. The pvc is divided into three sections; in, on, and under, of course. All you do is have the kids spin the pipes around real fast and see where they stop. Which ever word is more on top wins. Next, you have to put the kids in, on or under these things and they pretend they are a bug and maybe they'll learn a few sight words at the same time.

I used a brown blanket for the dirt. Wrap it around them if they're 'in' the dirt. I used a grey plastic tub for the rock. It's sturdy enough for the kids to sit on. And a green leaf made from poster board. Again, wrap it around them if they're supposed to be 'in.' The boys' favorite is to be under the rock. Just don't let things get out of hand. Establish rules like no rough housing and no sitting on the box while some body's 'under.' We'll play this again on Friday and for Bb Bug week.
Forgot to read Go, Dogs, Go by P.D. Eastman. It's got lots of  'in on and under's and lots of other things. I'll read it Friday and again on Oo week.

Thursday- All about being 'In' your neighborhood. Sang the ABCs and talked to them about some Ii words that I've been neglecting this week. Then I got out a flap book called.Arthur's Neighborhood by Marc Brown. Then we played with a felt picture collection my sister gave me. It's a picture of a street with buildings on it and the little felt pieces you can play with are people, kids on bikes, cars, an ice cream stand, bus, ups truck, postal truck, etc. Needs a garbage truck.
I lost the kids when I got out the maps. Should have had landmark pictures to place on the map. Should have gone on a walk and drawn out were we went. I want to make a box with pictures taken of all directions from our street corner with a map at the bottom of the box and window on all sides so that you can look at the map and then through the window to see what it would look like from that direction. I don't know if I could explain that one better.

Friday- ABCs and made a crayon rubbing with the letters Ii that have been on the sofa table all week. 5yo was disinterested at first, then excited, then angry. He's a perfectionist like the rest of the family and gives up after one failure. Neither kid wanted to play in, on and under. 8yo loved it. I don't understand what the problem is. This problem certainly has a pattern, though. Hmm?
Read Go, Dogs, Go by P. D. Eastman. Kids liked it. Read a book about iguanas and the kids weren't too interested until they learned that marine iguanas can go in the water.
We planned to pick up the older brother from school and head to the Dinosaur Park to see their 5 pet iguanas but 8yo refused to go. All summer long I had a terrible time going on outings because it took 2 1/2 hours to get people in the car or they flatly refused to go. But I learned that if they were already in the car, I could take them anywhere I wanted to go. Normally, we walk to and from school, but on Fridays I drive the car to pick up the oldest. Well, today I let the 5yo talk me into walking. Bad mistake. 8yo wanted me to take him to Grandma's while the little kids and I went to the Dinosaur Park. Well, you know everyone would want to stay at Grandma's, so I talked them into going to a playland at a fastfood place. I managed to take pictures of them 'in, on and under' things and I'll make a book out of it for them.

Hh week (old news)

I know it's very confusing. To catch you up, I started with Aa week, then Hh, then Ee, then Ff. I didn't start blogging until Ee week and decided that I would have to catch up on Aa and Hh when I could. There you go.

Monday- Not a good preschool day. It was too long and boring and nothing tactile involved. It's one of those days that helped me realize that I needed drawing or cutting or playdough every day. And I didn't come to the conclusion that My God emphasis day should not be governed by the alphabet and that the format was all wrong until Ff week. Ok...

Tuesday- This day has a funny tale. 5yo is obsessed with bum-bums. It's Hero day and I get a book from the library with a bunch of heros. I already returned it. Can't tell you the title. One of those heros is Lady Godiva. The important parts are covered, but you see a leg and the hip (bum, if you will.) 5yo noticed it before I did. "Oh great!" So I scan and print all the pictures that I wanted to talk about in preschool and 5yo realizes that Godiva is not included. He refuses to cut out the pictures unless the bum-bum is one of them. It is a good story: She tells her husband that the towns people can't afford higher taxes and she dares her to ride naked through the town. If she does he promises not to raise the taxes. She rides naked through the town and gets herself on the hero list. So I give in and print up Lady Godiva and 5yo cuts out every hero picture beautifully. Completely dumb founded when I try to explain taxes to him, though.

I kept my composure while talking about all the heros. Thought I was going to loose it with the firefighters and the world trade center and the hero from Tianiman Square. (Already returned the book, sorry about the spelling.) There was an unknown young man who was the first to stand in front of the tank. Probably the first to die I imagine. The point about heros that I did eventually make was that these people were brave and they did the right thing. Some times being a hero means you might be in danger. Other times you're not in any danger. Then I reminded the 5yo that when he helped the dressing room clerk unlock one of the doors by climbing under the door and moving the latch was being a hero. He liked that.

Wednesday- Heart- This was a great day. I happened to find a stethoscope at the thrift store for $4. (I cleaned it up good.) But what a luck break. We found everyone's pulse and wrote them down. Then I didn't some exercise and took my pulse again. They actually didn't care. I was suprized. So I passed out the heart-shaped cookie cutters and I tried to teach them how to trace the outside. Scribbling on the inside was easier to do and 5yo did a great job. 2yo usually draws a lot of large round things and little tiny scribbles that mimic cursive. I think that's on the right track. I'll have to look that up. I made a heart to go on our poster board body. I tried to make it a cross between a real heart and the symmetrical heart shape so they could see how their related.
I believe we might have gotten out the playdough this day. It was lots of tactile stuff: drawing and squeezing and rolling and smashing.

Thursday- This was a great day, too. I tried to tell them about the difference between a house and a home. I don't think they got it. But they appreciated my house map. I drew red, dotted lines to show how to get out of each room. I believe each room is supposed to have two exits, but if my kids can't go up the stairs, they're out of luck. I don't think any of them can open a window and the basement windows are blocked. One by the bay window and the other by the deck. And there's no ladders to hang from the upstairs window. I think I can make a trap door for the deck, but ladders for the upstais? Probably fall to their deaths just trying to get over the side. (Sorry, one of those things that I ponder too much upon.) So I counselled the kids that if they can't get out the door, to close their bedroom window and yell for help until the firefighter comes to rescue them. Boy, how do you teach kids the facts of life without scaring the petudy out of them.

The fun part of the day was when I got out the square, triangle and diamond shaped blocks. They loved building houses with them. And they were so proud of me and the houses I built. You just never know what they're going to love.

Friday- We have sung the ABC song and used the white 'Hooked on Phonics' cards everyday this week. I just didn't write it every time. We talked about horses. Maybe this was the day that we glued craft stick together to make an H. And perhaps this was the day we shaped cookie dough into letters. The kids might be to young for this still, but I think after doing it every week they're going to catch on to making a snake and shaping it. 5yo loves to make an E by squishing pieces together, which is great, but he asks me to make all the other letters he wants. Tip- let the letter cookies cool about 8 minutes before taking them off the cookie sheet. Too soon and they crumble. Too late and they break.

Field Trip- The best! Went down to Thanksgiving Point to ride on their ponies. We also got to milk a cow and they loved the garden exibit. 8yo was all about the conveyer belt and made up a game for us all to play. Only $10 for me and my three kids. I think we'll go there more often.

Ff and a new hope

Wednesday was awesome. It was all about fingers. ABCs. Sang a couple songs: 'The Fishy Song', '10 fingers on my hand' ('10 little indian boys' back in my day.) Then we traced our hands on to construction paper, numbered the fingers and cut them out.

I wanted to teach the kids about long, medium and short. I knew I could make an F with somethings long, med, and short, but was pleasantly suprized to find I could make all the capital letters in this first group with just our fingers. A little morbid to cut them up, but it is construction paper.

Next, we glued craft sticks together to make the letter F. 5yo through a fit that we weren't using the new package I just bought. I found some craft sticks from storage that had little grooves so as to bend and break them to the desired size. Why 5yo didn't think that was awesome is beyond me. 2yo and I used them to make long, med, and short and glued them together. I brought the 5yo back in with some froggy finger puppets I made when 8yo was in preschool. There are two holes at the bottom of the frogs for your fingers to be the frog's legs. I had a feeling to save this for the end. 5yo participated again and suggested we sing the 'Five green and freckle frogs' several times.

Thursday was fun for me. I made PVC pipe flutes for preschool. Another thing I had done with the 8yo. I made one long, one medium, and one short. I'll figure out how to post a how-to video tomorrow. For now I'll tell you that each had a cap at one end and an oval hole about and inch and a half from that same end. I made the hole with a drill bit and moved the drill from side to side to make the oval. You could glue the cap on, but when I put them on to see how they looked, I couldn't get them off again.
5yo had a rough time figuring out how to make the flute play. I just had to keep encouraging him to keep watching me and that there were more instructions. The instructions are: pucker and kiss the hole, then role it down your lip and blow like your spitting rice. If you achieve a flute sound you can talk about how blowing faster makes a higher note and blowing slower makes a lower note. If you don't achieve the flute sound, hold the flute for the child and move it around while the child is blowing. Have them experiment with different kinds of blowing. I knew this would be difficult so I bought recorders from the grociery store. Every child in my school learned to play them in the 5th grade. 5yo was despairing about the finger position with this one, but at least he could make a sound with it. Perhaps I'm asking too much of him, but I think exposure at a young age is so important. 5yo was very interested in the fact that the longer flute made a lower sound and the shorter flute made a higher sound and asked me to play them several times. whew!
Just a side note- don't let the kids play with the flutes unattended if they tend to make everything into swords. I learned that a few years ago as well.

I failed to mention that we started with the ABCs and talked about Fathers in our Family. We added root and grandma's and grandpa's to the family tree. I don't think they quite get it with all the death's, remarried's and divorces', but it's visually helpful for the 8yo who happened to work on the same thing at school; the third time that's happened. Cool!

We ended with laying the flutes on a large sheet of paper and tracing an F shape. Then we used the side of a broken crayon to color it in. Then I used a marker to draw numbers and arrows instructing how to draw and F.

Today the kids weren't quite willing to sing the ABCs at first so I started with the Founding Fathers. 5yo cut out the faces (2yo gave up and I let her for some reason) while I read We The Kids by David Catrow. Maybe that's why 2yo gave up; to listen to the book. It's a book with pictures set to the Preamble. Very silly pictures. I wanted to show 'America Rocks' again, but I think I'll wait until I get the DVD. I'd loose the kids trying to cue up the video.
Next, the kids were willing to sing the ABCs and I got out the Case Matching Game. It always suprizes me that the 5yo likes it. Then, I got out yesterdays giant F we traced with the flutes. then I used another paper and made a lower case f and included the numbers and arrows.

5yo thought the numbers and arrows were important but that didn't encourage him to practice on the page I printed from LearningPage.com. I've got to find a way to get him to write letters. I got out the markers, they're more tempting to use than pencil. But the 5yo has developed a guessing game in which he mixes up the lids and has me guess what the color of the marker really is. I think I should try sandbox letter writing.

Now we're on our way to a field trip to learn more about the Founding Fathers. I'm so excited.

Aa week (just to catch you up)

Monday - Wanted to make this really short and sweet for the first day. We listened to the white 'Hooked on Phonics' cd, singing the alphabet and saying the names of letters on the cards. We finished the lesson by gluing craft stick together to make the letter A.
This is how I felt about it.
It seemed too short and the kids wanted more. But I didn't want to find the limit. They asked for scissors and crayons and made a nice mess. (Nice messes are considered learning and growing experiences that mom is willing to clean up.) Also, we started right after getting the 8yo to school and it worked out nicely.

Tuesday - Preschool had a late start due to a messy room which was my own fault. I unpacked all the kids books, finally, but left all the boxes out and about. (That was worth it. All the kids noticed their old books and started reading with out any prompting from me.) Today we sang the ABCs and used the white cards and cd like yesterday. We drew the capital letter A on the chalk board. (Daddy says dry erase markers are no longer welcome in our home.) Then I wrote the word America on the board. 5yo noticed that some of it's letters were also in his name. So we wrote their names on the board and found lots of letters that were in the 2yo's name as well. Next, we got out a USA puzzle and talked about us living in the United States of America. I pointed out which states we had lived in. Then we counted the states. They tried, but started to loose interest in the forties. I let 5yo play with the puzzle while I fetched a flag. I told them that we couldn't let the flag touch the ground. "Why?" "To respect the flag." Then I counted the stars while they watched the screen saver on the computer. I told them that there were 50 states and 50 stars. We ended with the Bernstein Bears' The A Book. I want to read to them every day. Read about three books and they were ready for lunch. Good day considering we got a late start.
Things to remember- 1. Clean the room the night before. 2. 5yo thinks that it's 2yo's preschool. Break it to him gently. 3. Lost 5yo with flash cards until I pointed out which ones he new, which brought him back in. 4. I should think about purchasing 'Handwriting without tears' at least the Mat Man part of it. 5yo couldn't draw straight lines for his A when he started from the top. He despaired and then tried again starting from the bottom. He made slightly curved lines but proud of himself.

Daily Schedule
Alphabet
Letter of week
Word of the day
and Daily Emphasis (M- My God, T- My Country, W- My Body, Th- My Family, F- My World)
(including colors, shapes and counting)
Story Time

PS. I've divided up the alphabet in seemingly strange combinations but started with A.
Aa Hh Ee Ff Ii
Bb Dd Pp Qq
Cc Gg Oo Qq
Kk Ll Mm Nn Tt
Jj Uu Rr Ss
Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
Yes Q is on there twice. The Capital Q fits with CG and O because their round and their left sides are all the same. The lower case q fits with bdpq because they're all the same shape, just inverted and spun. And I've put the letters in these groups for review purposes. i.e. JURS are all curvy, VWXYZ's lower case all match the Upper case in looks.

Wednesday- Very late start. Not everyone ate breakfast before taking 8yo to school. Started with the ABC song again. I believe there should be something consistant to let everyone know that preschool is starting. But we had some resistance to learning the lower case letters with the flash cards. 2yo didn't want to draw the lower case a, but she is only 2 1/2. I should have got out the playdough.
Next, we talked about our bodies and exercise. I wrote Aerobics on the chalkboard. That meant nothing to them. We jumped, stood on one foot, tried jumping jacks, marched, touched the floor, ran in place. Completely forgot about checking our heart-rate and pulse, but now I'm glad I did. We'll do Hh next week to cover that. Told them it was story time but 2yo wouldn't pick one out.
Didn't feel quite complete so I turned on Sesamestreet.org and clicked on video- by subject- Health and Safety- Zoeys Dance Class. They have a playlist so you can watch a few related videos but then it will stop itself at the end of the playlist. Great feature to prevent us from watching it all day. We got up and danced with the vegetable and fruit dances. They included freezing- why didn't I think of that? Should definitely dance on D week. For some reason I was reminded of an activity I read about in a game book (wish I could remember the name of it.) You string crepe paper all over the room as if they were lazor beams and you were a burglar or secret-agent. At the end of the room is a cd player playing great spy-does-cool-moves music, which they have to turn off if they make it without pulling anything off. The book suggests wrapping the crepe paper around tables and chairs instead of using tape. We'll see. Maybe that will be on S week.
For now I need to forcus on making a simple family tree for tomorrow with the kids pictures. And I want to teach them the difference between an Alligator and a Crocodile. 2yo said, "crocogator" yesterday. It was adorable. Oh, should have counted with the exercises.

Thursday- Finally got out the playdough. 5yo asked if it was for 2yo's preschool. "It's your preschool too." Started with the ABCs and went through capitol and lower case flash cards. When I announced we were going to make the little a with the playdough, 5yo freaked out. " I can't do that. I don't know how. I'll never learn how. That will never make ne learn." "OK, you can just play with the playdough." I was really suprized that worked. I made a snake with mine and then shaped it into an 'a.' 5yo thought that was ok. He decided to make a letter E and he did a great job. So tomottow, I'm going to make some cookie dough and place mats with the letters from my first letter grouping. I could do preztels and licorice but then I'd have to go to the store.
The kids played while I cut out a construction paper family tree and put our family pictures on it. I sang the chorus of "Family Tree" by Tom Chapin which the kids know and they sang along with me. Tried to teach them the primary version of "Family Tree" but it's unfamiliar as of yet. I've neant to sing more in preschool. Found some family themed videos on Sesamesteet.org

Friday- real quick. Alligators have wider schnozzes. Crocodiles have smaller, wrinklier ones. Sang the "Three Little Monkeys" song. Printed out a letter a writing practice page from learningpage.com (love that website) but everyone refused to try. Then when 8yo got home we went to the Aerospace Museum. Awesome. Kids were mad that the new kids discovery section was closed but they had a great time anyway.

Disappointment

This is why it's good to keep track of your good days: so that the bad days don't crush the whole program!
We've had two bad days in a row. Hmm. Now that I think about it, I think I was just ornry yesterday, and that the kids did participate. Ff week started with Fathers- Father of our home, Heavenly Father, Father of our ward (church), and I left room for Founding Fathers (of our country.) We cut out pictures of home, church, heaven, nation, Dad, the bishop, etc. They did pretty good. I suppose I lost them when I tried to teach them a new song. I tried to use our pictures for the song, but they just didn't get it. It wasn't a catchy tune and probably had poet statements too vague for a 2 and 5yo to appreciate. They didn't stay with me on Hh-heaven and Holy Ghost day either. I think my presentation is all wrong and maybe Mondays should be something else entirely, given that it's Monday. Last night while make notes for future Mondays I decided that teaching gospel principles shouldn't be guided by the alphabet. I'm going to give them what they need instead: stories of Jesus and apply them to our lives.

Today- Ff-Flag was rather a disaster. Normally, I can say, "Put the toys away, it's preschool time." But 2yo wouldn't give in, and refused to learn the pledge of allegiance. (She's been talking since she was one. I think she could handle it.) She did sing the ABC song that the 5yo refused to sing.
So we get out the construction paper and 5yo is upset that we're not cutting the white paper. Instead, he made a beautiful marker squiggles page and announced that he was making a puzzle. He then cut it into six pieces, mixed them up, got a little frustrated, and then put his puzzle back together. I think he's ready to lead his own preschool. I was very proud of him, but he never did make a flag. 2yo had a great time with the glue stick, but never did lay any stripes on it. 5yo thought it was cool that I poked holes in the blue paper, but declared that they didn't look like stars and lost interest. I tried to tell them about the rules of handling the flag and folded my paper flag like you're supposed to, but he didn't care that it looked like a tricorn hat that they wore in the revolutionary war.
Put on 'America Rocks' video from the School House Rock series and thought that was going to be great, but had to turn it off during 'Mother Necessity' when the kids started getting in trouble and the TV always goes off when they get in trouble. But visually they should have seen the flag several times and I mentioned the founding father when they came on so it wasn't a total bust. I'm still excited for our trip to the capital on Friday.
If I could do this day over again... I would have made several different flags from our nations history and told stories about each one. Then let them glue on the pre-cut pieces and have provided star stickers. Maybe we should try again on Friday. Or maybe next Tuesday after we've been to the capital. I used to use 'listen' and 'sing' signs in primary music time. I could try those for when I want them to repeat me. Then maybe I'd show only a few 'America Rock' segments. Harder with VHS. I should break down and get the 30th anniversary DVD.
Tomorrow? Fingers, counting, songs, froggy finger puppets, should probably make an F with craft stick, haven't done that this week. Don't know if I mentioned that in Ee week. Don't have time to make PVC pipe flutes, we'll see.

Ee

So much for blogging daily.

Ee week was awesome, though. Monday was a holiday. 8yo went on and on about not having to go to school which helped 5yo decide he didn't need preschool either.
Tuesday- My Country - Bald Eagle
Picked up a great little kids book from the library- Red, White, Blue, and Uncle Who? by Teresa Bateman. It has nice short blips about 'America's Patriotic Symbols.'
So we started with the ABC song. This time we used Leap Frog's Discovery Ball.

 Before Tuesday, I had used Hooked on Phonics. My mistake was to use Windows Media Player to play the cd. The kids were hooked on watching the animation instead of the letter cards. The Discovery Ball was a great way to break away from that. Then I used the cards from 'Hooked on Phonics' with me saying the letter and the kids repeating me.
Next, I made a coloring page by finding a black and white version of the Great Seal (of America) and inserted 'Bald Eagle' in big, outlined letters. I told them everything I learned about the eagle and the Great Seal from the library book and helped them count everything. Thirteen stars in the cloud above the eagle represent Glory, there's twelve arrows representing war, one olive branch representing peace, thirteen stripes in the shield for 13 original colonies (we found only 12, but maybe because you shouldn't post the real seal if that's what the president use.)
Nice and short. It was a good preschool day.
Wednesday- My body - ear, eye, egg
We started with the Discovery Ball again for our ABCs. Used the phonics cards for capital letters and decided to use a matching game I made last year to help learn the lower case. I used only about one third of the alphabet. I'll post more info on that later.
This day formed itself into the five sense. Found some clipart for hands=touch, tongue=taste, nose=smell, eyes=see, ears=hear. I let the kids cut out the clipart and tape it to our poster board person we'd made previously. (He turned out rather scary looking.)  Note- safely scissors stink. I let the 5yo use short grown up scissors and the experience was much better. Then I hard-boiled some eggs and told the kids that we could hear the egg when we cracked it. I'll let you figure out the other senses.
Thursday- My Family
I can't recall much about this day. Early Alzheimer's I guess. I know that we didn't print up pictures for our family tree. I remember that because 8yo's homework happened to be on family tree and I printed them up that night. Perhaps we watched videos on SesameStreet.org on 'Family' and the letter Ee. Tons of clips for family, not so much for letter Ee.
Friday- My World - Elephant
Awesome day. Great participation. ABCs of course, then we traced around an elephant shape that came with the crayola sidewalk chalk. I had printed up big, outlined 'Ee' and 'Elephant' to tape to their pictures. I wanted them to glue stick it on but we're out.
Fridays have turned into Field Trip Fridays (sorry about the lame alliteration.) It was awesome. The local nature center has a Bald Eagle whose wing had been shot. (They only hold injured bird.) So we got to see one and talk about how he's our nations mascot. The 8yo gets out early on Fridays and I don't want him to miss field trips. He had lots of info to add. What a smarty. You know, I'm sure the kids don't realize that we spend a whole week on one letter and that mom spends a lot of time coordinating it with the day's emphasis, but it sure is fun for me.
Next week it Ff and we're going to learn about Father, flags, flutes, fingers, and maybe fish. We're planning a trip to the state capital for out field trip for founding father; that's going to save me from going to Wal-mart to look at fish and giving in and buy pet fish. Following the alphabet can be limiting, but it can also create a springboard for other things. For example, we're also going to learn about short, medium and long. Our flag has short and long stripes, our fingers are different lengths and different sized flutes make different pitches. Not to mention, to make an F you must use three sticks, one short, one long, and one medium sized.

Here we go!

This will be my attempt to record our home preschool adventure with a two year old and 5 year old. I'm about 2 weeks into it already and will catch you up as I can.
So far, I have designed preschool to focus on one letter each week and each day of the week has an emphasis. Monday- My God (religious emphasis), Tuesday- My country, Wednesday- My Body (health, food, cleanliness, etc.), Thursday- My Family, Friday- My World (animals, places, etc.) Fridays are also turning in to field trip days. These are places I want to take all my children so we wait until the first-born is home from school.
I hope to write a preschool instruction book and perhaps produce a few learning tools, but for now it's a blog. I wish I'd kept a journal from when my first-born was in preschool, so here's to no regrets.