After we read the story, Dinosaurs Love Donuts, Alexandra rolled out some air-drying clay and used her hands and rolling pin to make donuts. While the donuts were put aside to dry before they could be painted, I gave her more air-dry clay to roll and cut out more dinosaur figures using cookie cutters. We put those aside to dry. Then I gave Alexandra four dried clay dinosaur figures to paint. I had made these ahead of time with air-dry clay and cookie cutters, as they take at least 24 hours to dry. She did a great job painting them and adding glitter and googly eyes.
Book Reference:
Okon, B. (2024). Dinosaurs love donuts. Younger Media, LLC.
Then we read and looked at more books about dinosaurs. I gave Alexandra a teacher-made dinosaur headband template to color the parts and assemble them with glue. I had two examples of completed headbands for her to follow. I wore my dinosaur headband throughout the morning's lessons. I also gave Alexandra a teacher-made template of a baby dinosaur hatching from an egg to color each part and assemble the parts with glue. She really enjoyed the dinosaur art activities.
We also listened to songs about dinosaurs and roared and acted out the music.
It was a fun day of learning for Alexandra!
National Core Arts Standards Pre-K
VA:Cr1.1.PKa
Engage in self-directed play with materials.
VA:Cr1.2.PKa
Engage in self-directed, creative making.
VA:Cr2.1.PKa
Use a variety of artmaking tools.
VA:Cr2.3.PKa
Create and tell about art that communicates a story about a familiar place or object.
MU:Cr1.1.PK
With substantial guidance, explore and experience a variety of music.
MU:Cr2.1.PK
With substantial guidance, explore favorite musical ideas (such as movements, vocalizations, or instrumental accompaniments).
Assignment
N/A
Session Minutes
120
Minutes Student Attended
120
Lesson Comments
It was a bumpy start to today's lessons. We were sitting on the rug in the preschool room to read the story Dinosaurs Love Donuts. After we finished the book, I had Alexandra's art activities ready for her to start at the small table in the preschool room. She wanted a popsicle, but I told her it was too early for a popsicle and that we had fun work to do. I encouraged her to come to the art table for almost 30 minutes. She would not participate and sat in her chair on the rug. I talked to her about making good choices. I told her if she wanted a popsicle, she would have to choose to come to the art table with a positive attitude and work on the art activities. If she did not join me at the art table, she would not get a popsicle. Finally at 9:45 am, she came to the art table and worked hard. She had a positive attitude and expressed joy in her creating.
After she finished, she asked for her popsicle. We went to the lunch room, and while she ate her popsicle, we read several dinosaur books. Then Dr. Mary came to speak with us. She told Alexandra that she had heard that Alexandra had five popsicles the previous day asking her teachers throughout the day for a popsicle. Dr. Mary said that having one popsicle was a nice treat, but five popsicles were too many. She told Alexandra that she needed good food to support her learning. I asked Alexandra if she understood what Dr. Mary had said and had Alexandra repeat it in her own words. She did so and showed she understood. I told Dr. Mary I would let Miss Barbara know that Alexandra already had her popsicle for the day.
After she finished her popsicle, Alexandra said she was hungry and wanted to eat. I told her that she just had her snack, and we had to finish our work for the day. She was engaged and completed her work.
Today’s Themes: Letters and Coconut Trees and Counting and Turtles.
It was a super day of learning for Alexandra!
Lesson Outline
We read the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom once and then we sang along with its song accompaniment Chicka Chicka Boom Boom twice. Alexandra did a fun craft activity that involved coloring parts of the coconut tree and assembling them on construction paper. Alexandra chose her own colors instead of the pre-planned tan, brown, and green. I had to help Alexandra with the cutting of the paper. She glued the pieces of the coconut tree together. Inspired by the story, she wrote her name going up the coconut tree. She printed each letter of her name in an empty box and glued the letters going up the coconut tree. Then she filled out a card with her name and the number of letters in her name. She chose Lexi for this part. To give Alexandra more practice with her fine motor skills, I had her paint a template of a coconut tree with empty dots. Using three different paint colors of her choice: yellow, brown, and green and Q-Tips as her brushes, Alexandra was to paint each empty dot using a Q-Tip with the coordinating color on the coconut tree. She said she could not paint with the Q-Tip, so we tried the dot markers instead.
Book Reference:
Martin, Jr. B & Archambault, J. (1989). Chicka chicka boom boom. Little Simon.
Music:
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Song.
Then we read the book Turtle Splash: Countdown at the Pond. This book gave her good practice with her numbers 1–10 and subtraction. I gave Alexandra one coconut shell half that she painted light green and then added dark green felt shapes to look like a turtle shell. Using felt and googly eyes, she made a head for the turtle. Then we made a pond for the turtle inspired by the book. We used construction paper and ripped the paper to make green plant stalks and light blue water ripples. Alexandra glued them down on blue construction paper. Alexandra liked making bubbles with the hole puncher. I had to help her use it to punch through the white paper. Alexandra glued the bubbles on the paper. It was a good use of her fine motor skills. Then trying the Q-Tip painting method again, she painted plants in the water for the turtle. Lastly, using Crayola air-dry non-toxic clay, she made a sea turtle using a sea turtle cookie cutter. We are letting it dry overnight and will paint it tomorrow as we continue on to our dinosaur theme.
Book Reference:
Falwell, C. (2001). Turtle splash: Countdown at the pond. Greenwillow Books.
VA:Cr1.2.PKa
Engage in self-directed, creative making.
VA:Cr2.1.PKa
Use a variety of artmaking tools
VA:Cr2.3.PKa
Create and tell about art that communicates a story about a familiar place or object.
VA:Cr3.1.PKa
Share and talk about personal artwork.
Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standard: English Language Arts
ELA.K. R.1.4
Identify rhyme in a poem.
ELA.K. R.3.2
Retell a text orally to enhance comprehension.
ELA.K.F.1.1: Demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts of print.
a. Locate a printed word on a page.
b. Distinguish letters from words within sentences.
c. Match print to speech to demonstrate that language is represented by print.
d. Identify parts of a book (front cover, back cover, title page).
e. Move top to bottom and left to right on the printed page; returning to the beginning of the next line.
f. Identify all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
g. Recognize that print conveys specific meaning and pictures may support meaning.
MU:Cr2.1.PK
With substantial guidance, explore favorite musical ideas (such as movements, vocalizations, or instrumental accompaniments).
MU:Pr4.3.PK
With substantial guidance, explore music’s expressive qualities (such as voice quality, dynamics, and tempo).
Assignment
N/A
Session Minutes
120
Minutes Student Attended
120
Lesson Comments
It was a fun day of exploring letters and turtles! Alexandra knows her letters and writes her name beautifully! Alexandra was able to count the turtles and knew what number was left when one turtle jumped into the water.
Rainbows, The Spectral Colors: Roy G. Biv, and The Color Wheel
Lesson Outline
It was a great day of learning for Alexandra today! Alexandra already knew her rainbow colors, but today we added a new color: indigo and name: Roy G. Biv. Roy G. Biv is a name to help us remember the colors and their order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. We listened to a song about rainbows and the colors of the rainbow. As the colors were sung, I pointed to a rainbow color template for Alexandra to see and follow along. Alexandra created two rainbows: 1) one using found color with manipulatives: pipe cleaners, poms-poms, and felt with glue and 2) one using markers. Alexandra was able to organize the colors in the proper order and use the manipulatives and markers correctly. On the paper with the manipulatives (pipe cleaners, poms-poms, and felt), Alexandra stamped the name Roy G. Biv using the coordinating color ink for each letter: red ink for "R," orange ink for "o," and so on. This exercise was very hands-on and helped her to understand the spectral colors. Then we made a rainbow of felt hearts following Roy. G. Biv.
With my help, Alexandra made a color wheel using paints and brushes by mixing her primary colors to make secondary colors and then mixing each primary and secondary color to make her intermediate colors. She completed the entire color wheel correctly.
While she had a snack, I read her the book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds and a dinosaur book she chose.
We finished up the lesson with her painting and decorating a wooden hanging butterfly.
It was a great week! I am very proud of the work and learning that Alexandra accomplished this week!
Book Reference:
Reynolds, P. H. (2003). The dot. Candlewick Press.
National Core Arts Standards Pre-K
VA:Cr1.1.PKa
Engage in self-directed play with materials.
VA:Cr1.2.PKa
Engage in self-directed, creative making.
VA:Cr2.1.PKa
Use a variety of artmaking tools.
VA:Cr2.3.PKa
Create and tell about art that communicates a story about a familiar place or object.
MU:Pr4.3.PK
With substantial guidance, explore music’s expressive qualities (such as voice quality, dynamics, and tempo
Today's Theme: Farm Animals and Expressive Free Drawing and Painting
Lesson Outline
We started off our learning with a story book called Little Chick's Breakfast which introduced farm animals. Then Alexandra completed some farm activities where she had to finish patterns with the correct cut out farm image, trace lines connecting to farm animals, and trace the uppercase letter "C" and lowercase letter "c" and write "cow." Alexandra used a Ticonderoga My First Pencil to write with for the activity. She showed good control over the marking tool and confidence in her work.
Then I played Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Cocomelon, and the first animal we heard about was a pig. I stopped the music, and Alexandra created a pig using the premade template I had ready. For each farm animal, Alexandra created a wonderful image using the premade templates with fabric, paper cut outs, markers, and glue. We had fun making all of the animal sounds and acting out the animal movements.
Then I played some relaxing piano music and gave Alexandra a large sheet of watercolor paper, watercolor paints, brushes, a large cup of water, markers, letter and symbol stamps with washable ink pads, and colored pencils. She created expressively filling the page with colors, shapes, letters, objects: tree and horse, lines, and symbols.
It was a great creative day for Super Learner Alexandra!
Book reference:
DeBall Kwitz, M. (1983). Little chick's breakfast. HarperCollins.
National Core Arts Standards Pre-K
VA:Cr1.1.PKa
Engage in self-directed play with materials.
VA:Cr1.2.PKa
Engage in self-directed, creative making.
VA:Cr2.1.PKa
Use a variety of artmaking tools.
VA:Cr2.3.PKa
Create and tell about art that communicates a story about a familiar place or object.
VA:Cr3.1.PKa
Share and talk about personal artwork.
MU:Pr6.1.PK
With substantial guidance, perform music with expression.
Assignment
N/A
Session Minutes
120
Minutes Student Attended
120
Lesson Comments
Alexandra continues to show great enthusiasm for learning and creating!
It was another great day of learning for Super Learner Alexandra!
Project Initiating Activity:
After reading The Jellyfish Who Lost its Glow to Alexandra, we talked about problem solving and working as a team. Alexandra told me how she once dropped a toy and it rolled, and her dad helped her to find it. Problem: lost toy. Solution: asking for help and working together to solve a problem.
I gave Alexandra three jellyfish body templates and jellyfish tentacles. She helped to organize and select the tentacles. The plan was to glue the short-stringed tops to the jellyfish, so that the long-stringed ends of the tentacles would be at the bottom. We compared short and long. Alexandra did a great job identifying the differences. She added four tentacles to each jellyfish. She used her brush and cup of glue in a very efficient way and glued the tentacles on each jellyfish.
While the tentacles dried, she ate a snack, and we looked at sea life books. She did some letter identification and spelling of words like shark, sea horse, puffer fish, and octopus.
Then we painted each jellyfish. Alexandra chose her paint colors and used the wet-on-wet painting technique. We talked about how the red and blue made purple when mixed. Alexandra wanted to hear music while she painted to hear the colors she would paint. We did this activity yesterday, so it was great to hear her ask for music to listen to while painting. She asked me several times what colors I was hearing. We had a lively dialogue about colors and sounds. After the jellyfish were painted and drying, we moved onto the mermaid activity.
Alexandra chose three different mermaid bodies, fins, bathing suit tops, and hair. She was able to glue each front and back piece with a little help. She was able to glue the hair and eyes she selected. She drew the smile for each mermaid.
While those were drying, we went back to the jellyfish. Since the jellyfish in the story lost his glow, Alexandra gave each jellyfish wonderful sparkles and googly eyes.
Then we went to the carpet area and sang and danced to some jellyfish songs. We listened for the directions and moved as instructed. Alexandra was very engaged in the songs and dancing. She held two yarn jellyfish that I made to accompany her dancing.
It was a great third day!
Book Reference:
Waddle, J. (2022). The jellyfish who lost its glow. Little Hippo Books.
VA:Cr1.1.PKa
Engage in self-directed play with materials
VA:Cr1.2.PKa
Engage in self-directed, creative making.
VA:Cr2.1.PKa
Use a variety of artmaking tools
VA:Cr2.3.PKa
Create and tell about art that communicates a story about a familiar place or object.
VA:Cr3.1.PKa
Share and talk about personal artwork
MU:Cr2.1.PK
With substantial guidance, explore favorite musical ideas (such as movements, vocalizations, or instrumental accompaniments
Assignment
N/A
Session Minutes
120
Minutes Student Attended
120
Lesson Comments
I am very proud of the work that Alexandra is creating! She is very engaged and dedicated to her learning!
Today's Lesson Theme for Art and Music was Bird Nests, Birds, and Bird Houses and Let’s Hear Colors, Lines, and Shapes.
Lesson Outline
Project Initiating Activity:
After reading the book Bird Builds a Nest to Alexandra, we talked about the following terms: nest, push and pull, and heavy and light as suggested by the author Jenkins (2018). Then Alexandra selected her paint colors and painted seven (7) pre-made cardboard birds. She discovered the alla prima or wet-on-wet painting technique that uses wet paint on wet paint. This technique mixed her colors: red and blue became purple, and white and red was like a "candy cane." While she painted, I played bird sounds. We talked about how nature can make music. Then she noticed it was raining outside, and we talked about how rain sounds. Once her birds were dry, she glued googly eyes and feathers made from fabrics she selected. Then she made two birds nests like the bird in the story we read. She layered yarn strips around the pre-glued felt to "feather" her nests.
Book Reference:
Jenkins, M. (2018). Bird builds a nest. Candlewick Press.
Then we did our Let’s Hear Colors, Lines, and Shapes Lesson. I asked Alexandra to close her eyes and listen to the music that was playing: contemporary jazz pieces. I asked her to imagine what colors and shapes she saw when she listened to the music. She selected the colors of paint that filled two palettes. I gave her three pieces of heavy-duty paper and several brushes. While the music played, she painted the colors she heard. We also talked about the rhythm or beat of the music and what that could look like when painted. She made staccato or short brush strokes that showed the beat of the music. She also identified the shapes that she was painting.
When she was done with her expressive paintings, we went to the carpet area and listened to music. Alexandra played the drums, and I played the maracas. We listened to the beat of the music and stayed on tempo.
Lastly, we returned to the art table, and Alexandra used the rest of the paint in the palettes to paint her two birdhouses. Then she washed her hands and was ready when Miss Barbara come for her science lesson.
It was a very exciting and productive day!
National Core Arts Standards Pre K
VA:Cr1.2.PKa
Engage in self-directed, creative making.
VA:Cr2.1.PKa
Use a variety of artmaking tools
VA:Cr2.3.PKa
Create and tell about art that communicates a story about a familiar place or object.
VA:Cr3.1.PKa
Share and talk about personal artwork.
MU:Pr4.3.PK
With substantial guidance, explore music’s expressive qualities (such as voice quality, dynamics, and tempo).
MU:Re7.1.PK
With substantial guidance, state personal interests and demonstrate why they prefer some music selections over others.
Assignment
N/A
Session Minutes
120
Minutes Student Attended
120
Lesson Comments
Alexandra was engaged and on-task for her lessons and expressed enjoyment in her learning! She is excited about tomorrow's lesson themes: jellyfish and mermaids.
Today's Lesson Theme was art and music about unicorns. Lesson One: Unicorns and Ice Cream Cones and Lesson Two: Unicorns Scribble. I greeted Alexandra and introduced myself wearing my colorful unicorn horn headband. She got to select a unicorn headband for herself and her sister.
Lesson Outline
We worked in the Preschool Classroom instead of the Art Room, so Alexandra could sit in a safe non-rolling chair at the smaller art tables. I read to Alexandra the following book: Unicorns Love Ice Cream by Ben Okon. She learned a new word: sublime. After we read the book, we did a fun ice cream cone art project. Alexandra was given two large cardboard templates each of an ice cream cone with ice cream scoops. Alexandra selected her paints and brushes to create her two colorful ice cream cone artworks inspired by the story we read. She enjoyed using the brushes and paints and then decorating her ice cream cones with glitter "sprinkles" and pom-pom "cherries."
Book Reference:
Okon, B. (2025). Unicorns love ice cream. Younger Media, LLC.
While she had her snack, I read to her the lyrics to the Rainbow Unicorn Song by CoComelon. We also talked about our five senses. After she had her snack, I read to her the following book: Never Let a Unicorn Scribble by Diane Alber. After we read the book, we did two art activities. Using a large variety of colorful crayons and drawing paper, I showed Alexandra how to draw a unicorn using simple shapes like a circle and an oval. She drew some unicorns and named one Goldie. Then she did a few crayon scribble drawings inspired by the book. I played unicorn songs while she drew. We made a folder for her artwork to be taken home.
Book Reference:
Alber, D. (2019). Never let a unicorn scribble. Diane Alber Aer, LLC.
National Core Arts Standards Pre-K:
VA:Cr1.1.PKa
Engage in self-directed play with materials
VA:Cr1.2.PKa
Engage in self-directed, creative making.
VA:Cr2.1.PKa
Use a variety of artmaking tools
VA:Cr2.3.PKa
Create and tell about art that communicates a story about a familiar place or object.
VA:Cr3.1.PKa
Share and talk about personal artwork.
After she was done drawing, we went to the rug area of the Preschool Room, and Alexandra played the drums while we sang a unicorn song that had directives and a rhythm. For example: "Unicorn, unicorn touch your toes. Unicorn, unicorn touch your nose." We sang the whole song a few more times keeping the rhythm, and then Mrs. Brager came to take Alexandra to her Spanish lesson.
National Core Arts Standards Pre-K:
MU:Pr4.3.PK
With substantial guidance, explore music’s expressive qualities (such as voice quality, dynamics, and tempo)
I brought her artwork up to Miss Elise at the front desk for Alexandra to take home at the end of the day. It was a great first day!
Assignment
N/A
Session Minutes
120
Minutes Student Attended
120
Lesson Comments
Alexandra was genuinely interested in the story books we read and creating the related art projects. She was engaged in the lessons and showed good skill in her use of art materials. She also expressed interest in the music component of the lessons.
Drawing For Fun- Character Design and Spontaneous Storytelling
Lesson Outline
PJ was in a good mood today, chatting about his summer plans and lamenting the lack of a coffee maker in Michigan. He invited me to see the completed painting he’s been working on with Mr. Marcus (it looked amazing!). He couldn't really get into working on his ongoing Blues Clues project. He began to talk about Yoshi from Super Mario and I showed him a short animated film "Gobble-Gobble" (1976) in an effort to inspire him. It worked because he felt inspired to spend the remainder of class “speedrunning a funny little guy”. He produced an excellent design with strong linework and color.
PJ was in a relaxed, open-ended creative mode today. He drew an original character he called “Blue Dude” from Roblox and opted to work on something self-directed. I encouraged this freedom of expression and supported his choice to redesign the character. We also watched some Roblox lore videos as a light background while he drew.
Cam picked up right where he left off, continuing his work on the walk cycle. He adjusted the leg and arm colors for a seamless loop and added a ground plane to anchor the animation. He expressed interest in learning in-betweening next, which is a great step forward in his animation skills. He finished his animation, with in-betweens, by the end of class.
