Mrs. Sue’s Update
Another fantastic year is before us!! I feel so blessed to be starting our 6^th year.  It was wonderful being with all of you at our Orientation nights!  I hope you now have a good picture of all the discoveries and explorations your child will be a part of this year!   Thank you for taking the time to come and get better acquainted with each of us and with the policies and procedures of WHP.  Please keep your handbook close by to answer any questions that arise.  Always feel free to call or email me at sue@whumc.org if you have any questions or concerns.

I hope you find this newsletter and calendar very informative and a good tool for conversation with your preschooler.  I will always include such things as:  our themes and the related books.  Please share this with your child so they come with anticipation and are ready to participate in our Gathering Time discussions.  The newsletter will also include:  updates and reminders from me, what your child needs to bring for certain projects, concepts and skills we’ll be working on, special events and visitors, words to songs, a "sampling "of each days center choices plus some questions for discussion about our story &/or day.

 If for whatever reason you don't receive a newsletter the last week of each month or it gets misplaced, please ask and we will be sure you get one or now  for the first time our parent news will be emailed to everyone that is on my list.  If you have not given me your email address, please do so. If I have your email address and you don’t receive your Parent News via email, please let me know. I will be sending  it out by Thursday, August 28^th.

A few reminders.

1. We will be keeping the children's nametags at WHP for them to wear the first couple of weeks and for when we have substitutes throughout the year. If you find one in your child's book bag, please send it back.

2.  Please write your child's name on their book bag on the outside, top, front part of the bag so we can all see it clearly.

3. Please put your child's name in all their jackets and hats.  There are often many similar or identical clothing articles.

4. All Caterpillars and Butterflies need to have an extra set of clothes in their book bag.  Even if they are toilet trained.  They sometimes forget because they’re busy or sometimes it’s a juice spill that gets them all wet too. If they do have an accident, we discretely have them change in the restroom. 

5. Please return all WHP shirt orders with payment to WHP by Friday, Sept. 12th. Please have your child wear their shirt on all field trips and of course, any other time they choose.

6. Please return your Parent Participation Opportunity Sheets also by Sept. 12th.

7. The Traveling Bears will start coming home with the Caterpillars on Sept. 3rd.

8. We would like all Butterfly Family Quilt blocks returned on Tues. and Wed., Sept 2nd and 3^rd.  We will have several children share theirs each day and begin assembling our “one of kind”quilt.

9. All Caterpillar parents: please note that our first field trip will be in the morning for both the a.m. and p.m Caterpillars.  We will be going to the Cumming Orchard on Tuesday, October 7^th. Leaving WHP at 9a.m. Thank you.

10. If you didn’t sign up to drive for one of our field trips at the Orientation meetings and would like to go as a driver or rider, please call me and we’ll get you on the sheet.

Lid Name Game
Please remember to have your child return their baggie of letter lids when they are able to  Caterpillars: match the letters to the printed word and recognize it as their name. For the Butterflies: spell it out correctly on their own, say the letters in their name and recognize  it as their name. (If your Caterpillar can do this also,great) Let them know that we will have them do it for us when they bring them to WHP. They will receive a little recognition for their accomplishment. Have fun!

Meet Jacki Wemer- our Grand View Student Teacher
Hello! I am very excited to be student teaching at Walnut Hills these next few weeks! I transferred to Grand View College last fall from UNI double majoring in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. I was married to Jason Wemer December of 2002 and currently live in Waukee. I will be finishing student teaching in December and I am hoping to find a teaching job in the West Des Moines area. So hopefully I will see more of you in the near future! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to talk to me.

Games and Goodies Nights Monday, Sept. 22nd from 6:30 -7:30p.m.is the night for the morning Butterflies and Tuesday, Sept. 30^th from 6:30-7:30p.m. for the morning Caterpillars  and their parents to come and have lots of fun with games and goodies. Remember this is for you and your preschooler only.  Please plan on being there.

The afternoon class will have theirs on Thursday, Oct. 9^th.

Enrollment for 2003-04
If you have a younger child in your family that will be 3 years old as of  Sept. 15, 2004 , that you would like enrolled at WHP, please let me know by Friday, October 3rd.. Please write down your child's name and birth date and preference for morning or afternoon class. Registration deposits will be collected by Oct. 3rd also.   I give first priority to our currently enrolled families.  All of our current Caterpillars have first priority for the Butterfly classes. That registration will occur in early December.  October 6^th is the day I open up 2004-05 registration to the public. If you have friends that would like their child a part of WHP, please have them call between 7-8:30a.m. that day.

September Themes and Activities

Sept. 2-5: Me and My 5 Fabulous Senses

T/W: Book You are Very Special  

Ask your child what they should look into to find someone very special. (a mirror)Did God give the same fingerprints to anyone else but them? What did they use to see their fingerprints? (magnifying glass) Center sampling: tempera block painting, shaving cream on mirrors, ink pad fingerprinting, cardboard blocks, corn kernel tub. Concept games: find a friend, friend lotto, face visual discrimination.

Th/F: Book- Tall Body, Short Body, Everybody’s Somebody by Mary Hollingsworth  This story helps the children realize how unique God made us.  Ask your child in what ways they are different from you and others. (shape of their nose, skin color, height ,etc.)  Center sampling: Textured finger painting, cinnamon play dough, tube people art container band. Concept games: short/tall sort, size sequence family, right hand-left hand game.

Sept 8-12: All Around our Neighborhood

Monday: Book- My Street by Rebecca Treays

This book leads us to these questions and observations of our streets -What kind of street do you live on? (quiet, cul-de-sac, busy, lots of trees, stores near by,etc) Do the houses look the same on your street? What kind of vehicles travel on your street? Are there any buildings besides houses on your street? Go exploring together. Sampling of centers: painting with toy cars, sugar cube buildings, block maze with ping pong ball blowing. Concept games; number carton houses, building memory, store lotto, magnet shape house.

T/W: Book- Little Monster’s Neighborhood

Each child needs a 1 quart milk carton(not jug) wrapped with an 8x10 piece of white paper for art today.

What are some places in your neighborhood the same as Little Monster’s? (gas station, grocery store, fire station, library) Ask your child what made their crayons shiny when they drew on it today?(warming trays. They’re covered with layers of newspaper and are safe.) Sampling of centers: making traffic light crackers, house shapes on warming trays, monster bean bag toss, coffee sand tub. Concept games: size sequence buildings, texture monsters, tool match ups.

TH/F: Book: Franklins Neighborhood

Franklin’s teacher asks her class to do something, what is it: (draw a picture of what they liked best about their neighborhood)After much thought, what did Franklin draw?( his neighborhood friends) Sampling of centers :painting a turtle, baking soda and vinegar volcanoes, food market dramatic play. Concept games: fruit and veggie sort, number turtles in a row, Off to WHP game.

Sept. 15-19: A Week of Dinosaur Fun (planned by Mrs. Jacki)

Monday: The Dinosaur Who Lived In My Backyard This story gives great comparisons to help children realize just how big dinosaurs were, how much they ate, and what it would be like  to keep a dinosaur as a pet. What would you do if you had a pet dinosaur? How would you take care of it? Sampling of centers: Finger paint footprints, Shoeasaurus, castle blocks, lima beans/dinosaurs tub. Concept games: matching dinosaurs, Fish for dinosaurs, dinosaur memory.

T/W: Book: Dinosaur Beach

This book gets the imagination flowing when a little boy takes the readers to Dinosaur Beach to play with the dinosaurs. How do we know that dinosaurs lived by the sea?(bones were found/dug up in the sand) Sampling of centers: chocolate play dough/tiny dinosaurs, hard boiled eggs made into dino eggs, dinosaur name tags ex. Sarasaurus, dino dig sand/ bones tub, bean bag toss into dinosaurs mouth. Concept games: Dinosaur felt board game, matching #’s on dinosaurs, dinosaur bingo, Dinosaur find the letters.

Th/F: Book: Dazzle the Dinosaur

Dazzle the dinosaur and his buddy Maia set out on an adventure and meet many other dinosaurs along the way. Which dinosaurs are friendly, and which ones are not friendly to them? This helps in the learning of the different types of dinosaurs and the names of the dinosaurs.

Sampling centers: Dinosaur sponge painting, mud tub with dinosaurs, make your own dazzle the dinosaur. Concept games: Dinosaur sorting colors/size/type, put dinosaur body together, Dinosaur floor game, dinosaur floor puzzles.

Sept. 22-26: Where O Where are All God’s Colors

Along with many color discoveries this week, we will be teaching the children the Spanish words for the colors. Here are those words.

Red=rojo(a), blue=azul, yellow= Amarillo (a)Green=verde, orange=anaranjado(a), black=negro(a), white=blanco(a), purple=violeta (o)

Monday: The Dream Quilt

In this story Michael has bad dreams that wake him up crying. Ask your child what helps him? ( the quilt game that his mom use to need also. Instead of bad dreams, he had lovely dreams about the colors in the quilt) One night when the quilt isn’t there, what does Michael learn that really protects him? (God)

Sampling of centers: egg carton rainbows; create a painted quilt block, waffle wall blocks, colored noodle tub. Concept: same/different fabric game, number rainbows, stamp/envelope memory.

T/W: Book- All God’s Colors

Please have your child wear all their favorite colors.

Do you think God has only one favorite color?

(No, that’s why he made things soo many different colors) Ask your child what they could color and then eat with their fingers at center time.(cool whip) Sampling of centers: color mixing with Jell-O, twister bean bag game, Pet store dramatic play. Concept games: fruit loop sort and graphing, zebra match ups, zoo animal card in the hole.

Th/F: Book- Mouse Paint

What 3 colors did the mice in the story jump over?(red, yellow and blue) What happened when they got mixed up? (made new colors:   

 r & y= orange, b & y = green, r & b= purple)

Sampling of centers: blob painting, colored sponge prints with colored water and eye droppers, mouse stick puppets. Concept games: spell MOUSE game, mouse size sequencing, Mouse Paint board game.

Sept. 29-Oct. 3: A Week with Author Pat Hutchins

Monday: Book- Titch

In the story is Titch little or big compared to his brother and sister? (little) Titch owned all little things except for one thing. What was that? ( a plant that grew really big) Sampling of centers: gadget painting a plant, green goop ( this a homemade putty made from liquid starch and elmers glue), hammering tees on foam board, monster blocks ,art kite. Concept games: seed match ups, small/med/large sort.

T/W: Book- The Little Pink Pig

In the story, why did everyone think pink pig was lost? (he ran of tof follow a butterfly) What farm chore did we do in center time? (milk cows- plastic gloves with milk water on a line)Sampling of centers: Bingo dobber a pig, coffee filter butterflies, paper plate pig, writing center- animal sound chart and animal shapes, dirt tub with rubber pigs.  Concept games: number sequence pigs, pink pig match ups, barn yard lotto.

Th/F: Book- The Doorbell Rang

In the story, what did Victoria and Sam share each time the doorbell rang? (cookies) What happened each time the doorbell rang? (there were more friends to share cookies with)Who saved the day with more cookies.(grandma)

Sampling of centers: play dough , cookie tasting and graphing of favorites, Bakery dramatic play, flour tub, draw a favorite cookie writing center. Concept games: cookie cutter match ups, count the cookies, grandmas cookies board game.

Firefly Book Orders

This is a great and inexpensive way to build up your child’s library.  Reading is one of the best things you can do with your child.  We hope you take advantage of this book opportunity.

Please pay with checks only.  Payable to: FIREFLY.  Deadline for orders is Tuesday, Sept. 9^th.  Parent, Jennifer Miller, processes our orders on Wed. morning so no late orders will be accepted.  Thanks.  Be sure to put your order and check in your child’s folder.

Songs to Enjoy

“I’m a Caterpillar” tune: I’m a Little Teapot

I’m a caterpillar, at preschool. Having lots of fun and singing lots of tunes.  I play with all my friends and learn things too. Thank you God for my preschool.

“Caterpillars turn to Butterflies” tune:Alouetta

Caterpillars turn to butterflies. That’s what I am what a great surprise.  We are learning as we play.  Having  fun everyday. Sharing love as God does.  Ho, ho ho ho. Caterpillars turn to butterflies. That’s what I am, what a great surprise.

“Good Morning” (Good day)

Good morning (day) , good morning, good morning I’m really feeling fine. Good Morning, good morning, good morning, God helps me shine, shine, shine.  I think I’m going to have a day, that makes me want to shout horray.

Good morning, good morning, good morning, God helps me shine, shine, shine.

 “Walnut Hills” tune: Mickey Mouse song

We’re the kids of Walnut Hills, we like to play and sing.  We run and laugh and have such fun, while learning many things.

Walnut Hills, Walnut Hills, God’s love is in our heart that’s really neat.  That’s neat! 

We’re the kids of Walnut Hills, we like to play and sing.  Walnut Hills, Walnut Hills, the place we like to be.

“Head and Shoulders”

Head and shoulder, knees and toes- knees and toes

Head, shoulders, knees and toes- knees and toes and

 Eyes and ears and mouth and nose.  Head, shoulders, knees and toes- knees and toes.

Ankle, elbow, feet and seat-feet and seat

Ankle, elbow, feet and seat- feet and seat

Hair and thigh and chin and cheek

Ankle, elbow, feet and seat- feet and seat.

“The Butterfly” (A Dr. Jean Song)

tune: Up on the Housetop

First comes the butterfly who lays an egg

Out comes a caterpillar with many legs

Oh see the caterpillar to spin and spin

A little chrysalis to sleep in.

Oh, oh, oh, look and see (2x)

Out of the chrysalis, my oh my

Out comes a beautiful butterfly.

 “Tiny Tim the Turtle”

(first time sing slow, then each time sing faster)

I had a little turtle

His name was Tiny Tim

I put him in the bath tub

To see if he could swim

He drank up all the water (slurp)

He ate up all the soap (num, num)

Now he’s sick in bed

With bubbles in his throat. (blup, blup)

                Concepts for September

Tell if they are a boy or girl.

Say the names of their friends

Recognize own name in print and say it willingly to group.

Name ten body parts and tell what they are used for.

Names 1-2 rhings different about 2 given people or objects.

Name 6-8 colors. Find those colors in their environment.  Become aware of what 2 colors make purple, orange, and green.

Name objects of given colors for B’s.

Match and name 4 textures: rough, smooth, hard, soft.

Tells what’s missing when an object is removed from a group of 3-6 items.