How to Plan Preschool Curriculum {Teaching Together Blog Hop #2}

Welcome to the Teaching Together Blog Hop!  Amanda, Courtney, Beth, Courtney and I are so glad you could join us! This month I thought I would share how I prepare a unit of curriculum.

Deciding on a theme:

Kinsey will usually come up with an idea and then I just run with it. But if she isn't into any one thing at the moment I will fall back on these parameters- seasonal/holiday, nature, book/television, or historical.

Content:

When putting together a unit I like to include learning from these areas: alphabet/numbers, colors, shapes, science, manipulatives, reading and crafting. Sometimes a subject is heavier in one aspect and that's o.k, I will balance it out with the next curriculum unit. I can always tell which peaks Kinsey's interest more and will keep that in mind for later.  

Prepping:

This is where Google and Pinterest really come through for me. I just input the topic of interest (I'll use dinosaurs for this example), and search "preschool dinosaur curriculum" and "dinosaur activities". If I'm looking for a specific item like "preschool volcano" I'll look for it separately. Next I screen shot the pictures so I can easily access them from my phone as I'm prepping the activities.

dino feet/small world/dino eggs/handprint art/volcano

Executing:

I like to do units that are two weeks long, shorter if Kinsey is losing interest, longer if she loves it. The great thing about setting your own schedule is having the flexibility of changing what doesn't work for you. 

And then I start all over again! We actually did a Dinosaur Curriculum last year, if you want to check that out.  Kinsey was such a little thing, it hardly seems fair how much she has grown in a year.

Hope to see you back here the first Thursday of every month! Happy learning!

An InLinkz Link-up

   

   

16 month update

How old: 16 months

Weight: 20 pounds (up 13 pounds)

Length: 31.5 inches (up 12 inches) Girlfriend grew 4 inches in 3 months! Putting her in the 84th percentile

Diaper size: Size 3

Baby clothes: 12-18 months and a few 18-24 months items

Shoes: size 3 or 18-24 months

Sleep: It's a wonderful thing!

Eating: "Nacks" as she calls snacks are her favorite things :)

Likes: Everything! This girl is easy going and sweet as honey. She likes carrying around Nancy Drew books and stops to read every few feet. Still putting everything into her mouth- our Pediatrician suggested a lead screening just in case. Splashing in the bathtub. Petting (smacking) Stella "Tella". Loves to brush her teeth.
Dislikes: Having things taken away from her and being told no. Not being able to do everything Kinsey does also ticks her off.
Milestones: She is starting to use a fork when eating, it's the cutest thing. And she's cut another tooth taking the total up to 13(!!!)

Words: Mom, mommy(!!!) but sounds more like "mommeeee", hehe, daddy, dada, doggy, kitty, meow, Kinsey (ken-zie), baby (babeeee) eye (and will poke you too!). Appies (apple) and nana (banana), nack (snack), bye (bah) and papa. Our Pediatrician also was impressed with her vocabulary because at this age, saying 3 words is good but she advised me not to compare Kinsey and her when I told her I was concerned that Brielana was behind.  I love the girls doctor, she didn't say it in a mean way, just matter of fact and it is true. 
Receptive Language: Brielana will point to her teeth when I tell her its time to brush and pulls on her hair when I ask if she wants to brush her hair. We were out and about during her nap time and when I took her out of her car seat she was clearly still sleepy. I asked if she wanted to lie down in the stroller and she nodded her head yes. And actually slept in her seat. It completely bowled me over! She never sleeps in her stroller anymore and to have expressed herself like that was amazing! Brian thinks I'm full of it when I told him of that exchange but I stick by my story.

And come visit us tomorrow for another edition of Teaching Together Blog Hop!

Linking up with Jess.

   
   

Halloween 2015

We started off our Halloween festivities on Friday when our local mall had a "Pumpkin Pandemonium" where the children went to each vendor/ store and collected candy or prizes. It was a mad house and I only got one good picture, but it was good practice for Kinsey to say "trick or treat and "thank you" once an item was received. Kinsey was Olivia the Pig and Brielana (not pictured) was a ladybug. 

I have a confession, we haven't been out Trick or Treating the last two years so this was actually the first time Kinsey has ever went up to doors and asked for candy. Why, do you ask? 2013 I was barely pregnant and oh so tired and 2014 it was pouring rain and I wasn't about to brave it with a newborn. But I have to say, she did very well and remembered her manners and now we're stocked up on candy through the new year. Kinsey went as Hermione and Brielana was a strawberry.

We did a little photo shoot at home and got these gems:

It isn't often that I think Kinsey looks like me (she is definitely her own person, look-wise) but this picture is me, if I had blue eyes and light hair.  What a trip.

Right after this, Brielana fell right off the chair onto her tummy :( But sister made it better.

And I can't play favorites, so here's the fur baby all dressed up. Stella joined us Trick or Treating and did so good. That darling sweater was a Target Dollar Spot find.

And that is how we celebrated Halloween 2015 and crossed another item off our Fall Fun list! 

Linking up with Amanda, Courtney, Elizabeth, and Nina.

Crystal, Jennifer, Jessica, and Stephanie

   
   

30 on 30

source

It's my Birthday!!!  In honor of this lovely day I am sharing 30 random facts about myself. Everyone is doing it and I like to feel I'm part of the In-crowd :) So here we go, in no particular order:

1. Whitney is actually my middle name. 

2. Water will forever be my favorite beverage.

3. I enjoy music but if given a choice I prefer silence. Weird, I know.

4. I don't like being barefoot, socks and slippers and shoes all the time. Except when I sleep otherwise that would be weird. ;)

5. I've never traveled outside of the US.

6. I adore the color pink but only have 3 pieces of pink clothing- a scarf, a vest and a coat.

7. I am technologically impaired. I actually hate it at times. Updating my iPhone is a huge ordeal for me, my stress level sky- rockets. Every. Time.

8. My feet have grown 1/2 a size since having babies.

9. I got my first job at 14. I worked in a local 4- screen movie theater for 3 years. Years later it was also the location of our church. It's a movie theater again and I've only been inside so Kinsey could use the restroom.

10. I have worked in 3 industries: entertainment, retail (GAP, 7 years) and education.

11. My favorite numbers are 2, 3 and 11. And just now realized they are all prime numbers.

12. I have the smallest birthmark on my left knee in the shape of an "8".

13. I have a super overactive imagination that gets me into trouble. I watched Blackfish and had orca nightmares for 3 nights straight.

14. My tolerance for physical pain is pretty high.

15. I don't know what it feels like to have my water break naturally. Not sure if I would want to (what if it happened out in public?) but its just something I wonder about.

16. A broken nose is the only break I hope to sustain.

17. I have never gambled but would much rather play slot machines, I have "tells".

18. I don't brush my hair. #curlyhairproblems

19. I've had the same haircut since high school: long layers.  The bangs go through phases of love/hate.

20. I like picking at pimples. Pore strips are amazing. Peeling sunburns. Scratching. I guess I have skin issues.

21. I can sleep anywhere and at will.  Its a gift.

22. 3 out of 4 of my Wisdom teeth have emerged and I have yet to have them removed. But in my defense, my Dentist told me I have until I'm 35. 

23. Golden Girls is my absolutely favorite show EVER.

24. This makes me sound like a Golden Girl, but I can tell the day before its going to rain because my knees hurt.

25. I don't believe in paying full price.

26. I'd say I have pretty good luck.

27. I've only owned two cars: a white Mazda 626 and a Chevy Bronco

28. I got my Drivers License when I was 18. 

29. Since being at home, I've become a tardy person. I used to leave 30 minutes early for everything. Not so much nowadays. I'm working on it.

30. I can't stand the word "panties."  Blah.

Hope you can still be my friend after this dose of crazy!