The Dream Team: January 2011

MVP

We draw the MVP to help us learn how to draw ourselves. We notice the clothes their wearing (long/short sleeves, patterns, colors, shapes) and color of hair/eyes/skin! When we are done, each student gives the MVP their drawing and says, "I made this for you." It is turned into a book to take home!

cheese :)

Calming Down

We calm down a lot! Several times a day we take deep breaths. There are four common ways that we use to take deep breathes: being a STAR (stop, take a deep breath, and relax), DRAIN, BALLOON, and PRETZEL.

this is a drain. we squeeze our fingers so tight and pretend to be mad. we have the power to let our feelings go so we take a deep breath, and let those feelings go.

in through the nose

out through the mouth...

breathing in centers

I calm down a lot too! My favorite is a STAR.

He was getting ready to go home, and noticed he needed to calm down.

Calming down helps us to continue to work or use our big voice with someone if we need to solve a problem.

She stopped in the middle of centers to do a balloon. Our class this year loves to pop the balloon!

Conscious Discipline

We use We use Conscious Discipline as our social/emotional curriculum. It helps to give us the words to understand our feelings and the power to change them and solve problems. It's an incredible thing to see four-year-olds working together as a family to help solve problems by using their big voice and having compassion to help wish others well.

We have four creams that we use at school to help us: boo boo cream, dream cream, cranky cream, and concentration cream. They really help us to fall asleep at nap time, and if we get a bump on the playground!

He needed some more dream cream to help him rest.

It worked!

After using our big voice, we have to show each other that we care and that we are friends. We have choices. We can hug, high five, give a thumbs up, or blow a smile. Hugs are a common favorite :)

They wanted to play with the playdough toys, but didn't know the words to use to ask for them. She used her big voice to tell him to ask for the toy if he wants to play. He did it, and they were able to work together in centers and share! They did it!

Boo Boo Cream!

She could tell that she was feeling Bug Crazy mad inside (that doesn't feel very good!) and that she needed to calm down. Eyes closed, taking deep breaths, and hands involved, she is commited to calming herself to be Caterpillar Calm.

Blocks and Math Tubs-- more centers!

color blocks

our awesome train center

Mr. Potato Head!

Mr. Potato Head all dressed up!

I love his humor!

Math Tubs!

Centers from the Fall

Hi! It's been oh so long since I have blogged. Here are a few pictures of things that happened during the fall!

We spend over two hours every day working in centers. Here's a glimpse in our lives!

a stack playdough hearts!