How do I Change my Apple into Applesauce?

We became Scientists today!

Our question was: "How do I change my apple into applesauce?"

We had so many predictions: 

"Take it to the store!"

"SMASH it"

"Use Magic!"

"Put it in a blender!" 

Since none of us had any magic tricks up our sleeves, we first decided we should cut the skin off the apple and cut it into pieces..... This was MORE FUN than we could EVER imagine!

Oh NO!!! This apple did NOT want to work! I loved the facial expressions!

Everyone got a turn to peel and core the apples. But it was still not applesauce yet! 

We tried some of our predictions, but the apples still were not soft enough!

Putting our heads together, we figured out a solution. 

We discovered that heat changes things! It changes an ice-cube, so why not an apple?!

After heating our apples on the stove with a little water, the apples became soft and "SMASH-ABLE!"

It never felt so good to SMASH something!!!

We had to use our BIG STRONG muscles to mash these apples! 

 

 With everyone's help, we finally did it!! We finally CHANGED our APPLES into APPLESAUCE!!! 

And it made for a YUMMY snack! Especially when we added a little cinnamon to it!!

We also discovered this was an IRREVERSIBLE CHANGE. Sometimes you can change things back to the way things started, but this time... their SMASHING got in the way!!

What a FUN (and delicious) discovery!!! Well done Scientists! Now go draw your observations in your Science Journal!!

Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science. 

~Edwin Powell Hubble

A GREAT FIRST DAY!

My hair is washed, my sneakers squeak,

I'm so excited, I can hardly speak!

New things to do, new friends to meet--

Hooray! It's the first day of school!

By:   Leslie Kimmelman

We had such a FUN day in preschool today! We followed clues around the classroom and learned about Red Rooster's Rules! Building puzzles, singing songs, and meeting new friends made time fly SO fast! Crayons, glue, and pencils helped us to create fun projects, and we even made time for some dramatic play!

What are the letters in my name?

Look at those FINE MOTOR SKILLS!! 

Coordination between hand and eye is one of the basic skills a child needs to master --- good thing it's a WHOLE lot of fun!! 

 Everything is more fun with a friend! 

Our Lemonade Stand! 

That must be some GOOD lemonade! Just look at that line!!

School Starts on Wed. September 7th!

AM Class: 9:00 - 11:30

PM Class: 12:00 - 2:30

Our Colorful Classroom!

 Take a tour of our classroom! 

Coat Room

Hang your backpack, leave your shoes, and come on in for a fantastic day at school!

 Dramatic Play Center

The world of play helps children learn about themselves, others, and the community in which they live! In our Dramatic Play Center, we learn problem solving, creative thinking, and language skills. We also learn about sharing, develop cooperation skills, and practice appropriate social skills!

Word Wall

Our word wall will have the names of each child, high frequency words, and other important words to our classroom. The children refer to this wall when reading and writing! This helps with our language development, reading and writing skills, and promotes independent learning!

Our Table

This is where the magic happens! Our little ones become independent learners here! Independent learners are: self-reliant, aware of their strengths and weaknesses, can make decisions, connect classroom learning with their real world, can set and reach goals, and are intrinsically motivated!

There's something about a box of new crayons.... it attacks each one of my 5 senses. Crayons make me happy!! 

 We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but they all have learned to live together in the same box. ~Robert Fulghum

  

The Rug

Many wonderful things happen at our rug! Rug time provides a time for listening, developing attention span, teacher and student directed learning, promotes oral communication, socialization, and of course, FUN! 

The Science Center

Our science center helps motivate and encourage our students' natural curiosity through discovery and exploration. We use our science journals to ask questions, make predictions, and draw conclusions! 

Block Center

In addition to increasing academic and social skills, children who explore the block center learn their shapes, use creativity, and build motor skills! 

 Classroom Library

It is said that if you open a book, you open an child's imagination! I have been collecting children's books for years now, and I can never get enough! Your child will be read to every day at Red Rooster Academy! I believe in the To-With-By method of teaching! Read TO your child, Read WITH your child, and the book will be read BY your child back to you! 

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island."

— Walt Disney

Other Classroom Images

There you have it! A room where children's minds will grow! Thank you for taking a tour of our classroom!

OPEN HOUSE!

It's finally finished! I am so excited to announce that we are ready for school to start! 

Everyone is invited to come to the Red Rooster Academy's first annual Open House 

Friday August 12 from 3-6!  

Come see the preschool and grab a treat! 

If you are interested in signing your child up for preschool, we still have a few openings! Email me at mrsannafinlayson@gmail.com for a registration form.

See you there! 

Our Empty Classroom

View from the coat room

We finally have a classroom with a finished floor and colorful walls! (Thank you Brandon) I couldn't wait to show you what it looks like!!! Stay tuned for more preschool photos as we decorate and arrange the room with centers, books, furniture, and more!

Mary is just as excited as the rest of us about the new preschool!

Mary is in the entry/coat room

Now Registering for Fall 2011-2012

We are now registering for the Fall 2011-2012 school year! If you are interested in registering your 4-5 year old child, email me at mrsannafinlayson@gmail.com

and I will send you a registration form!

Thanks!

2012-2013 Class Schedule, Tuition, and Fees

Tuition:

$100.00 / month

Registration Fee:

$50.00
(This fee does not go toward a monthly payment)

Class Time:

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9:30am - 12:00am

We will be  following the Nebo School District calendar for all scheduled breaks and holidays.

What is the Daily Schedule at Red Rooster Academy?

Workshop: Skill building activity – fine motor, name practice, cutting, coloring, writing, gluing, etc.

Discovery time: children will explore centers designed to entice your child’s mind and allow him/her to socialize with their peers. Discovery centers are student directed and may include: Science, writing, reading, listening, dramatic play, art, math, sensory, and seasonal centers. Your child will be able to experience and rotate between centers. Centers will provide hands on opportunities to enhance your child’s knowledge. Centers will rotate as each child has time to explore each one.

Circle Time: Pledge, calendar, weather. Letter of the day and/or concept of the day. Teacher-directed Literacy, shared reading, problem solving, patterning, collaboration, and counting will all be explored.

School work: Independent work that will follow the concept of the day.

Snack time: Hand will be washed, and manners will be encouraged. Snack will correspond with concept or letter of the day to continue the FUN of learning!

Writing: What did I learn today? Opportunity to share with peers what they learned for the day. After thoughts have been shared, students will be involved in both shared writing and individual journal writing time.

Closing activities: Song, story, Rule the Roost time (show and tell, show and teach, book share) review.

We will be following the Nebo School District 2011 – 2012 calendar for all scheduled breaks and holidays.

How is the curriculum at Red Rooster Academy designed?

My curriculum will follow the Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines found in the Utah State Core Curriculum http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/preschool-kindergarten/PDF/PreKindergartenGuidelinesFINALDRAFT.pdf with the following intended learning outcomes:

• Demonstrate a positive learning attitude
• Develop social skills and ethical responsibility
• Demonstrate responsible emotional behaviors
• Develop physical skill and personal hygiene
• Understand and use basic concepts and skills
• Communicate clearly in oral, artistic, and nonverbal forms
• Find patterns in the world around us.

My Goals as Your Child's Preschool Teacher

1. Build student background knowledge using Developmentally Appropriate Practices
2. Provide a balanced educational experience
3. Build your child's interest, motivation, and learning in all subject areas.
4. Help your child understand language through early reading and writing experiences
5. Allow your child to explore the world around them by providing hands on opportunities with relationships, movement, science, art, literacy, and mathematics.
6. Encourage your child to become an active examiner and analyzer of print.
7. Promote independence and build responsibility.
8. Prepare your child for Kindergarten!

My Philosophies and Strategies:

I am passionate about teaching children, but most of all - learning from children. I understand that children learn and develop at their own rate and have individual needs that need to be met in these critical early childhood years. I will use differentiated instruction to reach your child at his or her own level of understanding. With small class sizes, having no more than 9 students per class, I will be able to meet the individual needs of the students in our school. 

Children learn best when their natural interests and curiosities are nurtured and as they are engaged in enjoyable interaction. Children learn through active play. Social skills, language skills, mathematical skills, and physical skills are a few skills that are learned through active play. I will provide the opportunities your child needs to increase their abilities through active play. 

My teaching strategies are both Guided and Direct. Using the “To-With-By” model of instruction, it is essentially an “I do – We do – You do”  plan. I teach something to my students, usually using direct instruction; then I work with my students, this is essentially guided instruction; then I encourage the students to work independently or by themselves, this is self-directed learning. Your child will also learn to read and write using the "To-With-By" method of instruction.

I have learned that one of the best indicators of reading success is the number of spoken words a preschooler knows and uses. Preschool age children should experience language rich environment that help children make connections using problem solving and reasoning skills to previous knowledge.

One of my goals as your child's teacher is to improve kindergarten transition by carefully designing experiences that will build upon your child’s strengths and knowledge. Your child will be provided with adequate time to explore in our discovory centers before starting directed work. Following "discovery time", we will begin to explore other areas of the curriculum that will enhance your child's knowledge. As a former kindergarten teacher, I know the areas on which to focus to make your child feel comfortable and confident entering kindergarten.

 I encourage and expect parental involvement with the students who attend Red Rooster Academy. The most influential teacher a child will have is their parents. I believe that if we work together with a positive parent-educator relationship, we can give your child the best possible learning outcome. My door will always be open to questions, suggestions, and ideas from those who are raising the leaders of our future!