SUMMER CAMP 2011 - Check out pictures on Facebook
Shape it Up! June 13-16
The campers arrived for the first day of camp in wet cars today. The rain stopped just long enough to help them indoors before the sky opened up and washed away our plans of setting up activities outdoors. We were able to eat snack outside and enjoy both The Little School and Elementary School playgrounds mid morning. This week, there are 3 groups of Summer Campers (3’s, 4’s and those entering Kindergarten in the Fall.) All activities are designed for participation of campers of all ages. During Group Time we talked about how all things have names. We can describe things - kind of like when we bring show and tell to school and our teacher asks us to bring 3 clues --- Example = It has 4 legs and it barks – what is it? It’s yellow. You peel it. Then you eat it by its self or in cereal or ice cream – what is it? Everything has a name. One of today’s books – Shapes in God’s World by Beverly Beckmann – reminds us that people are God’s creations too. People have characteristics – a nose, mouth, eyes, different colored hair, some are short, others tall. Each person has a name. The book refers to 3 shapes: circle, square, and triangle. We compared a paper circle to a ball. Both are round but the paper circle is flat. The ball is round like a circle but it is NOT flat. A ball or a globe is a sphere. Half of a circle is a semi-circle. Campers also enjoyed the frolicking tale of the Circle Dogs – a book by Kevin Henkes - and everyone participated in a few Yoga exercises taken from The ABCs of Yoga for Kids by Teresa Power.
Today’s art activities included creating circles with plungers, a record player, and bingo daubers. Campers turned circles into flowers and butterflies. A group project involved adding round toppings (pepperoni, sausage, olives, and green pepper rings) to a round cheesy pizza crust. Fine motor skills are reinforced each day with Shape lacing cards and Shape tracings.
Tuesday was another rainy day…We took advantage of gross motor time on the playground as soon as campers arrived. The milk cartons made perfect “scoops” to use in the pea gravel. Thank you for sending them. Everyone was curious to know what was in the large square box at Group Time. The first item pulled out was a square blanket which was put on the floor next to the square box. The campers were asked to distinguish whether or not each item was a square, or not a square, as it was pulled out of the box. All square items were placed on the square blanket. Items that were not square were placed on the bench. After sorting the square items from the non-square items campers applied “math skills” to add, subtract, and compare amounts (more than-less than.) Some squares are flat and others are cubes. Today’s book What is square? by Rebecca Kai Dotlich reminded us that there are squares all around us - in school, our house and outside. Peekaboo squares were at the art easel today. Campers created designs gluing mosaic squares onto a piece of paper and painted cardboard shapes with toothbrushes. Some interesting designs were created with using glue and lots of glitter. Campers discovered the more glue “painted” on a cardboard square with the Q-tip (fine motor) the more glitter will stick. Once these are dry, campers will count how many of these squares are needed per row to make a class “square” quilt. Each camper was given a shape and practiced listening skills to follow directions to Greg and Steve’s “Shape Song.” Since it was too wet outside, we took a “field trip” to the BIG School Gym where the campers participated in Parachute play.
Wednesday’s weather was perfect - dry and low humidity - so camp was outside for most of the day. Even the sandbox was open J The 5-6 year old campers participated in gross motor play on both The Little School and Elementary School playgrounds. A few art projects were mentioned in today’s books, What is a Triangle? by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and The Shape of Me by Dayle Ann Doods. Campers decorated triangle shaped pennants with beautiful junk. They used 6 and 12 inch rulers to make straight lines, connecting three dots to form triangles. They discovered 2 triangles put together make a diamond shape. Adding a yarn for a tail, diamonds became kites. Campers chose their favorite paper “flavor” of ice cream for the triangle shaped cone. Some even added “sprinkles” (glitter) on top. Everyone enjoyed vanilla ice cream for snack today. They “built” their own house using a variety of paper shapes (square house, triangle roof, rectangle windows and doors). Some even added cotton balls for clouds. Second circle we danced to the Hokey Pokey. “Put your circle/square/triangle in. Put your circle/square/triangle out. Put your circle/square/triangle in and shake it all about.”
Blue skies on Thursday J This week we discovered When a Line Bends A Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler Greene. During group time we brainstormed then listed all the shapes discussed and read about in stories this week, as well as shapes we might see each day. Campers created Shape Mobiles and sponge painted rectangle placemats using rectangle sponges. They worked as a group to create a Shape “Fruit” Tree using apple, orange, pear and banana shapes. After reading The Shape of Me and Other Stuff by Dr. Seuss, campers followed directions to make themselves using craft sticks and a variety of shapes. Throwing and accuracy skills were tested as campers tossed bean bags into Hula Hoops. Week 1 of Summer Camp 2011 ended with “Shape Shifters” (musical shapes.)
“Going on a Book Hunt …” June 20-23
The sun was shining bright today as the campers arrived for the first day of Week 2, so all activities were outside. On today’s “book hunt” the campers explored There’s a Snake in the Lake by Rita Shotwell and Slithery Jake by Rose-Marie Provencher. Also available today were Help! A Story of Friendship by Holly Keller, To Bathe a Boa by C. Imbior Kudrna, The Last Laugh by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey, and The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble. Some facts discussed and charted during first circle:
· Snakes help keep rodent populations from growing out of control and damaging crops or buildings
· Snakes are reptiles - their body temperature changes with their surroundings. They get warm by sitting in the sun or other warm places. They cool down in shade. Snakes hibernate underground when it’s cold outside.
· Smaller snake eat rodents such as mice and rats, frogs and insects. Larger snakes eat larger prey, like squirrels, rabbits or birds. Some snakes eat other snakes and lizards.
Campers had the opportunity to investigate snakes during Center Time. They created “Fingerprint Snakes” and painted with yarn. They constructed paper chain snakes and practiced cutting skills by cutting a paper plate in a circle to make a “Coil Snake”. Thank you to everyone who sent in neck ties. These were decorated and stuffed to become “pet snakes”. Campers searched for snakes “hibernating” under packing peanuts in the sensory table.
Each day of Summer Camp begins with The Little School’s Daily Offering - God my Father, I give to You today my whole self; my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my hands, my feet, and my love. Jesus, be with me all through the day. Amen.
The traditional Catholic prayer before meals is said before lunch each day. Bless us Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
During a visit to Jesus in the Little Church today we prayed the Angel of God Prayer - Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here. Ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
Tuesday morning’s rain washed away our plans to set up activities outdoors. However, we were able to participate in gross motor activities on The Little School playground. The 5 year olds visited the BIG School playground as well. You Look Ridiculous Said the Rhinoceros to the Hippopotamus by Bernard Waber began our day. Campers created their own “Ridiculous-looking” creature like in the story – a hippo’s face, neck like a giraffe, ears like an elephant, tail like a monkey, horn like a rhinoceros, spots like a leopard, and shell like a turtle. Other activities included decorating and constructing a hippo mask, painting “pet rocks”, and shaping yarn into designs. Instead of “marble painting” hippos (due to a choking hazard) golf balls were used. Before lunch we visited Jesus in the Little Church again. The day ended with You can’t Move a Hippo by Michael Catchpool where we were all reminded about using manners – the hippo wouldn’t move for anyone but the mouse who said “Please”.
Wednesday’s weather was perfect with a clear sky, cooler temperature and low humidity. The ground was dry just like when Noah’s Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat. The book Noah and the Mighty Ark by Rhonda Gowler Greene introduced today’s activities. God told Noah to build an ark because there was going to be a big flood. It rained so much there was no land left, just water. Two of each kind of animal was brought onto Noah’s ark. Campers worked together during Center Time painting an “ark” a (refrigerator box). Unfortunately the paint needed to dry before they could use the ark. Campers also sponged painted umbrellas and used fine motor skills to string rainbow colored fruit loops onto pipe cleaners for bracelets and onto strings for necklaces. They colored a rainbow and glued cotton balls on for clouds. Fruit loops were served for snack. The story of Noah’s Bark by Stephen Krensky shared Noah’s idea which led to how the animals got their own special sounds .
Thursday was another beautiful day. The campers gathered on The Little School playground, as they arrived. About 9:15 the bell was rung for group time and our day began. Quiet bunny, in the book Quiet Bunny’s Many Colors by Lisa McCue, was upset because he was the color of winter – white like the snow and brown like the trees. Quiet bunny wanted to be a spring color (yellow like dandelions, green like the frogs, leaves, grass, blue like a blue jay and the blueberry patch, and so on.) The book showed us how all colors are important. Different colors make the world beautiful. We discussed how color wheels show us how colors are related. Campers created their own “Color Wheel Pyramid” by putting their hands in pie tins containing 2 of the 3 primary colors (red, blue and yellow) at a time. They discovered when they rubbed their hands together and mixed 2 primary colors, a new “secondary” color was made. The secondary colors are green, orange, and purple (also called violet.) Campers also colored with markers on coffee filters and were amazed to see that when sprayed with a little water, the colors bleed and mix with each other. Campers crushed Fruit Loops (same color in each baggie), put glue on their paper then sprinkled the crushed Fruit Loops on paper, making a rainbow design. They used scissors to cut Dixie Cups, flattened them then glued them on paper. They decorated the center of each with marker and pompoms to create a bouquet of flowers. Lastly, campers choose 3 different colored crayons held together with a rubber band to make a rainbow picture. Gross Motor Time outdoors allowed campers the opportunity to pretend play on the ark constructed and painted Wednesday. They assembled room/stalls with blocks for the animals of 2 by 2 while in the ark. Campers were mystified by the constant noise on the other side of the Parish Hall while they were on The Little School playground so we went on a field trip to investigate. Ask your child what they saw. Pictures are on Facebook, along with all the pictures of Summer Camp 2011. Week 2 of Summer Camp 2011 ended with Elmer and the Hippos by David McKee. Some other books available for quiet reading on Thursday included: One Rainy Day by Tammi Salzano, Little Quack’s Colors by Lauren Thompson, and Eyelike Colors byPlay Bac Publishing
We look forward to seeing the campers who are joining us for week 3 – “What do YOU see?” To those who are not, we wish you a happy and safe summer.
What do YOU see? June 27-30
Campers arrived Monday in raincoats with their favorite stuffed animal. These stuffed friends joined the campers at first circle. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See by Bill Martin, Jr. began our discussion. Can a horse really be blue? Is that “real”? Activities included sponge painting apples red, bubble wrap painting grapes purple and spreading glue on a bear cut out and sprinkling it with coffee grounds (brown bear). We were able to go outside once the rain stopped where we saw lots of things left behind by the rain. We visited Jesus in the Little Church. We reviewed what the brown bear saw at second circle and placed a felt cut out of each animal next to where we might see them (horse and sheep near barn, fish, duck and frog in pond, dog and cat in house.)
As soon as everyone arrived Tuesday we took advantage of the clear skies and had circle time in front of Mary statue by the Parish Hall where we listened to Good Morning Digger by Anne Rockwell. Then we went on a field trip to see the construction next to the rectory. We discovered many different types of vehicles but no one working. Well, we “worked” extremely hard decorating yellow hard hats with stickers and construction worker vests with orange and yellow tape. We reversed painted with rollers over a tool box cut out of sand paper and colored tools for our tool box (a hammer, a screw driver, pliers, a wrench, and a tape measure.) We rolled cars and truck in paint and drove them across paper making tire tracks. Outside we hammered golf tees into a hard Styrofoam board. (The hardest part was pulling the golf tees out of the Styrofoam board when it was time for clean up.) One of the campers turned 5 today so we enjoyed a special birthday treat. We visited the Little Church again and prayed the Angel of God prayer. B IS For Bulldozer A Construction ABC Book by June Sobel ended our day. Other books available included: The Grumpy Dump Truck by Brie Spangler, Dozer to the Rescue by Karl Gude, Job Site By Nathan Clement. Thank you to everyone who sent in an empty milk container. These were transformed into scoops for shoveling.
Wednesday was bug and insect day! Mrs. Frank explained an insect has 3 body parts (a head, an abdomen and a thorax) and 6 legs. Some insects also have antennae which help them know whether or not what they are landing on is a flower. They have no sense of smell. Mrs. Frank held up a number of plastic “creatures” and we sorted them into insects and non-insects. Campers were also reminded wasps and bees cannot see or smell so we need to be very still if once comes near us. Since they don’t have ears they cannot hear us screaming so why do we scream? Bees and wasps are afraid of us and they only sting us to defend themselves from something they don’t know.
During center time campers went on a “bug hunt” with magnifying glasses and bug catchers. Paper chain caterpillars were created as well as finger print bugs, butterfly feet prints, and antennae. The VERY Ugly Bug by Liz Pichon was read at first circle. Other available books included: Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! by Bob Barner, I Love Bugs! by Emma Dodd, Big Bug Little Bug A Book of opposites by Paul Stickland, The Happy Bee by Ian Beck, Old Black Fly by Jim Aylesworth. Each camper was given a felt worm which they used to follow directions to the song “Walter the Waltzing Worm”.
Thursday we celebrated our country’s birthday. Campers recited the Pledge of Allegiance as they looked at beautiful photographs of our country and its people. Activities included glitter gluing a star, designing a statue of liberty crown, creating a fire work with paper towel tube, crepe paper and beautiful junk, sequencing red, white blue, beads on pipe cleaners, face painting and bubbles. Campers brought their favorite riding toy (bike, scooter, cozy coupe, big wheel), and decorated them for a parade.
The Little School wishes each family a happy and safe 4th of July and remainder of the summer. We wish the best of luck to those who will be moving onto Kindergarten. Classroom Visit Day for the 2011-12 school year is scheduled for September 6.