Discovering the Farm

This unit is filled with knowledge and information about nature, and people's roles in the production of food. Vocabulary is increased through the use of words within an interesting, meaningful context, such as words for farm vehicles, the various produce grown on farms and an introduciton to some words in Spanish. In addition, recognizing letters, numbers, shapes and introduction to concepts such as counting and sequencing are provided through fun activities.

Preschool skills emphaized in this unit:

Language/Reading

• 
  
  
  Reading pictures and symbols




• 
  
  
  Becoming familiar with printed words




• 
  
  
  new vacabulary, such as farm, farmer, vehicles, and names of fruits and vegetables




• 
  
  
  Learning new words in Spanish




• 
  
  
  Repetition of rhyming words

Writing

• 
  
  
  Fine motor development through drawing to encourage pre-writing




• 
  
  
  Connecting print with spoken language




• 
  
  
  Sequencing from left to right




• 
  
  
  new words to copy

Mathematics

• 
  
  
  Names of Numbers




• 
  
  
  Counting




• 
  
  
  Ordinal numbers and the relaitionship to counted numbers




• 
  
  
  Sorting things into related groups and arranging things in sequential order

Social Skills

• 
  
  
  Taking responsibilty for our health by eating healthy foods

Other

• 
  
  
  The similarities and differences of animals, such as size, color, sound and other characteristics




• 
  
  
  Names and characteristics of farm animals




• 
  
  
  Planting seeds and plant growth

Riding Horses. When you rub his ear he gallops for you.
Good old reliable "John Deer"

Cowboy/girl Costume
Books of Farm life

Books of Farm Life

Stuffed Animals found on the farm. We use these to sing the "Old McDonald" song. These various materials are used to inhance the children's

Tractor
Farmer Hats
Tractor with Farm and Farm Animals. The toy plays various animal sounds.
Farm People.
Farm Animals
Barn.

Puzzles. One of the puzzles makes the sound of the animal with you put the piece of the puzzle in the correct place. Another puzzle had the word of the animal on the inside of the puzzle.

One one side of the 24 piece puzzle is pictures and discription of farming things.

On the other side of this 24 piece puzzles is a picture of a fam.

Magnet Farm scene.

These duck go "Quack Quack" in our water play area.

Play dough toys. The farmer, cow, and chicken grow hair and feathers out of their heads with the play dough. The barn doors have molds of various vegatable found on a farm.

The Horse loves to be feed apples.

The pig loves being feed corn. "Oink Oink!"

The Cow "Moo's" for Hay!

Field Trips

There are times of field trips in which all the children would be transported in our 2001 Honda Odyssey. We are licensed and insured. We have 5 point harness car seats for all the children that are custom for newborn up to 100 pounds. Currently our daughter is attending a private kindergarten school which requires us to drive her to school. This means that all the children will be transported in the van between 7:30am to 8:15am and 3:30pm to 4:15pm. Next year both children will be attending the elementary school that is right behind our house which they can walk to.




We do have a weekly field trip to Costco. This gives the children an opportunity to develop social skills, math, and literacy skills. I have strict rules concerning field trip outings. Babies are always fastened within the shopping cart or double stroller and the preschoolers are required to hold onto the shopping cart or double stroller. We are taught “stranger danger” and the importance of sticking together. Once the importance of safety is established the world of learning is opened wide. Past experiences consist of many strangers commenting on how well behaved and happy all the children are in my care. Also, I have had many families express their appreciation in exposing there child to public places which has helped them when they have to do the grocery shopping themselves with their child.

In the summer time we also do a lot of field trips. They have changed through out the years depending on what is important to our families. We always discuss field trip and agree together what those field trips will be. Some examples are:

Explora
Zoo
Botanical Gardens
Monzano Mesa Water Spray Park
ABQ Jump
Library
City Park

Who are We?

Thank you for considering Garden of Blessings Child Care as your home away from home. We are a family home daycare who believes that you can have the best of both worlds. Which consist of personally customized care for each one of our families and academics that focus on kindergarten readiness.

I am working on getting an associates degree in Multi-Cultural Child Development and am considering getting a bachelors degree in teaching elementary school agers. I have been licensed since 2006. I have been studying child development for over a year and specialize in newborn to 5 years old. I started off opening my daycare in order to stay home with my children. It was important to me to have accountability to child care so I decided to get licensed. Since then I have studied and researched all aspects of the business for the sole purpose of bringing top notch care to all the children. I honestly have found that child care is my love and passion.

My husband, Ron, is a trainer for Sprint and works Tuesday thru Saturday. He is a big part of the kids on Mondays. He also fills in for me when I have conferences, training, or dr. appointments. He enjoys kids. He is a professional clown and does clown ministry on at our church. He also teaches 5th and 6th graders in a program called “Caravans” which is a Christian scouting program kind of like girl/boy scouts.

My husband and I have three children of our own. Tristan is 17 years old who loves hanging out with his friends, long boarding, and gaming. Stephen is 7 years old who enjoys acting in the theatrical plays at church, tinkering on his guitar and/or electrical key board but most important to him is his friends. Ruthann is our 5 year old who is discovering school and loving every minute of it. She enjoys arts and crafts of all kinds, playing with her dolls, and dressing up.

We also have Sally who is a two year old grey tabby cat. She loves being with the kids. In fact if the day care is closed for the day and there is not kids around she ends up meowing throughout the house. She is lost without them. She loves gardening with us and brings Mama birds and reptiles in the summer time.




If you decide to bring your child to our child care he/she will be a part of our whole family.

Through out the years I have cared for many different age groups and feel vary confident and am very experienced with children in the ages of newborn to 5 years old. Majority of the children that have attended the child care have started out as newborns and have moved onto kindergarten. This means that we have grown together in our discoveries and have built some lasting relationships between our families.

Although we are licensed for 7 children quality is important to us so we only take on 4 children at any given time.

We are eager to set up an appointment with you. Please contact me, Dawn Davis, at 385-2090

What is on the Menu?

Menu Rotation #1
Date: ________________

Monday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Am. Cheese, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Animal Crackers and Milk

Tuesday
Breakfast: Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Mandarin Oranges, Milk
Lunch: Fish Sticks, Carrots, Celery Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Cheese its and Juice

Wednesday
Breakfast: Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Peaches, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gold Fish and Craisins

Thursday
Breakfast: Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal), Pears, milk
Lunch: Cheddar Cheese, Mushrooms, Seasonal Fruit, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gram Crackers and Peanut Butter

Friday

Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Monterey Jack Cheese, Bell Peppers, Apples, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Multi-Grain Crackers and Milk

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping


Menu Rotation #2
Date: ________________


Monday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Turkey Lunch Meat, Cucumbers, Black Olives, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Saltines & Cheese Stick

Tuesday
Breakfast: Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Pineapple, Milk
Lunch: Ham Lunch Meat, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Wheat Thins and Juice

Wednesday
Breakfast: Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Apple Sauce, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Yogurt & seasonal fruit

Thursday
Breakfast: Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal), Fruit Cocktail, milk
Lunch: Cottage Cheese, Spinach, Grapes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Animal Crackers and Milk

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Am. Cheese, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Wheat Bread, Milk Snack: Cheese its and Juice

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping



Menu Rotation #3
Date: ________________

Monday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Fish Sticks, Carrots, Celery Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gold Fish and Craisins

Tuesday
Breakfast: Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Mandarin Oranges, Milk
Lunch: Cheddar Cheese, Mushrooms, Seasonal Fruit, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gram Crackers and Peanut Butter

Wednesday
Breakfast: Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Peaches, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Multi-Grain Crackers and Milk

Thursday
Breakfast: Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal)
Pears, milk
Lunch: Monterey Jack Cheese, Bell Peppers, Apples, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Saltines & Cheese Stick

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Turkey Lunch Meat, Cucumbers, Black Olives, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Wheat Thins and Juice

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping



Menu Rotation #4
Date: ________________


Monday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Ham Lunch Meat, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Yogurt & seasonal fruit

Tuesday
Breakfast: Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Pineapple, Milk
Lunch: Cottage Cheese, Spinach, Grapes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Animal Crackers and Milk

Wednesday
Breakfast:Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Apple Sauce, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Cheese its and Juice

Thursday
Breakfast:Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal), Fruit Cocktail, milk
Lunch: Am. Cheese, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gold Fish and Craisins


Friday
Breakfast:Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Fish Sticks, Carrots, Celery Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gram Crackers and Peanut Butter

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping

Menu Rotation #5
Date: ________________

Monday
Breakfast:Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Cheddar Cheese, Mushrooms, Seasonal Fruit, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Multi-Grain Crackers and Milk

Tuesday
Breakfast:Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Mandarin Oranges, Milk
Lunch: Monteray Jack Cheese, Bell Peppers, Apples, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Saltines & Cheese Stick

Wednesday
Breakfast:Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Peaches, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Wheat Thins and Juice

Thursday
Breakfast: Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal), Pineapple, milk
Lunch: Turkey Lunch Meat, Cucumbers, Black Olives, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Yogurt & seasonal fruit

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Ham Lunch Meat, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Animal Crackers and Milk

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping

Menu Rotation #6
Date: ________________


Monday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Cottage Cheese, Spinach, Grapes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Cheese its and Juice

Tuesday
Breakfast: Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Pineapple, Milk
Lunch: Am. Cheese, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gold Fish and Craisins

Wednesday
Breakfast: Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Apple Sauce, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gram Crackers and Peanut Butter

Thursday
Breakfast: Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal), Fruit Cocktail, milk
Lunch: Fish Sticks, Carrots, Celery Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Multi-Grain Crackers and Milk

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Cheddar Cheese, Mushrooms, Seasonal Fruit, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Saltines & Cheese Stick

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping

LOOK FOR THE STARS

Click on the picture to take a closer look

Community Helpers

As we talk about community helpers, and do many play activities, we will learn and practice so many new words that will help us in communicating, reading, and writing throughout our lives. We also will learn a lot about social skills. We will learn that in our community there are people who take care of all the things in our neighborhoods so we can learn, be safe and stay healthy. They are community helpers, such as teachers, doctors, dentists, police officers and firefighters. We will talk about how doctors and dentists help us to stay healthy.Doctors help us by giving us shots to keep us from getting diseases, or when we feel sick, and they listen to our heart and lungs to make sure they are healthy. Dentists help us by cleaning and fixing our teeth. We will draw about when we went to the doctor or dentist. We will talk about how police officers keep us sife. They can help us find our parents if we are lost. We will learn that if there is an emergency and we need help, we can call the police by dialing “911” on the phone. We will learn that firefighters are who we call if there is a fire. They spray water or chemicals on the fire to put it out. We can call the firefighters by dialing “911” on the phone, just like the police. Firefighters also teach us what to do and how to stay safe if there is a fire. We will learn that mail carriers are community helpers who help us by delivering our mail and bring mail or letters to our homes. Some mail carriers deliver mail in a car while others use a big truck, an airplane or even walk. We will be writing letters to ourselves. We will put our names, addresses and a postage stamp on the envelopes so that it can be mailed.

Preschool Skills Emphasized in this Unit

Language/Reading

• 
  
  Becoming Familiar with Community helpers vocabulary



• 
  
  Reading pictures and words

Writing

• 
  
  Connecting print with the spoken language


• 
  
  Fine motor development through drawing


• 
  
  Writing in Journals


• 
  
  New Words added to copy

Mathematics

• 
  
  Sequencing


• 
  
  Ordinal Numbers


• 
  
  Counting


• 
  
  "Real World" math addition problems


• 
  
  Sorting

Social Skills

• 
  
  Calling 911 for help


• 
  
  Helping People in our Community


• 
  
  Showing appreciation for people who help us


• 
  
  Working cooperatively to complete a task

Other

• 
  
  What to do in case of fire


• 
  
  Roles of community helpers


• 
  
  Importance of health and dental care

THINGS WE HAVE IN THE CLASSROOM

Noah's Ark & Animals
Vehicles for Community Helpers

Bob the Builder Back Pack with Helmet, Measuring Tape and Tools. Need anything that needs fixing?

Jet and Police vehicles.

Community Worker Figures.

The Doctor is in the house.

Fire Fighter costumes.

Books on Community Workers.

Wish List

Community Helper Curriculum

www.lakeshorelearning.com
Item# LL414 My Community Magnetic Maze $34.99
FF574 All Around town Vocabulary Sorting Center $24.95
DD522 Around Our Community Photo Card Library $19.95
TT965 Police Officer Puzzle $10.95
TT966 Mail Carrier Puzzle $10.95
TT961 Construction Worker Puzzle $10.95
TT962 Doctor Puzzle $10.95
TT968 Chef Puzzle $10.95
TT963 Dentist Puzzle $10.95
TT967 Firefighter Puzzle $10.95

www.kaplanco.com
Item # 16167 All About Preschoolers Book Set $89.95 “Community Helpers”

www.discountschoolsupply.com
Item # 8WWNMFBHELP Large Community Helpers Felt Set $20.85

CPR and 1st Aid Certified