TerraNichol Academy Journey
The Kids are Home... Now What?
Making the most of school closure
Dear TerraNichol Academy Tribe,
In these times of uncertainty, we have to still get up, get dress & stay strong. Staying positive in a negative atmosphere automatically puts you ahead of the curve. Don’t let all the negativity around you cloud your mind and bring you down. When obstacles come your way, find ways around them. That’s what I’m doing at home and for TerraNichol Academy school. I’m still getting up every day, strategizing ways to keep the school's mission afloat during shutdowns, working on personal development, building stronger family foundations and just bringing my A-game each and every single day. I owe this to my students who look to me for inspiration and guidance.
To anyone who needed to hear this today ✨ —> you are going to get through this, and you will be stronger. We must pull together as a school family! Pass on positive energy, uplift the community, have compassion towards others, spread kindness and stay strong as a school family. The closure is responsible on a public health level working with young children.
The days are long when school is canceled and I wanted to put together some resources for you to help the days pass with more options for activities. These include using household items for projects, internet/apps, online story options, recipes, fine and gross motor activities.
Thank you to all the students and parents for posting and sending us pictures of the kiddos exploring the fun Reggio Emilia Projects I have been posting on the school Facebook page. It brings me so much joy to see them happy and smiling and still feel like I am connected with all my awesome and amazing students. They are truly missed so much!!
I just wanted to take a moment to thank everybody who has been reaching out to us, by email or FB DM to make sure that the teaching team is doing OK during this time of uncertainty.
In this current state, there's not a person whose life hasn't been influenced by the current health concern. We are in uncharted territory as we try to stay healthy and take care of our families.
It’s very difficult for a small business to weather such a widespread emergency and definitely has had an impact on the day-to-day life of every small business owner.
There are things you can do to try to stay connected and healthy during this uncertain time. Technology is a blessing now. Use technology for kid's virtual play dates; use it to reach out to friends; use it to connect with loved ones near and far.
I am so grateful for the support and touched by the kind words and encouragement. We are a small community school that has been serving the Englewood area for over 15 years shaping young minds and preparing them to become citizens of the world.
We will continue to post fun REGGIO EMILIA CURRICULUM PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR OUR FAMILIES TO ENJOY.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Miss Terra & all of our staff at TerraNichol Academy Of The Arts appreciate your continued support of our small community school and supporting the future of the program. We are so lucky to have the best school family ever! Love, happiness, and peace to you all. Stay Safe and Stay Healthy. Hopefully, we will reconnect soon.
Be safe and best wishes to you and your family:)
Sending positive energy!
Terra Tominelli~Founder
*The activities listed below are only suggestions and are not required/mandatory. There is a wide range of activities listed and all of the activities may not be developmentally appropriate for your child depending on his/her age.
The School challenges
We are trying to work out all the linguistics. Because we will have limitations that we have to follow by Department and Health upon returning. In this current state, there's not a person whose life hasn't been influenced by the current health concern. We are in uncharted territory as we try to stay healthy and take care of our families. It’s very difficult for a small business to weather such a widespread emergency and definitely has an impact on the day-to-day life of all small business owners right now. As far as the tuition of April was processed through the ACH. This could have a huge financial impact on the program and the future of the program for the upcoming school year. Tuition is scheduled for the school year based on the payment plan each parent selects. Once it is in the process stage through ACH we are not able to cancel or stop it. We will have to look at all our options and eligibility with the Cares Act moving forward.
School Challenges
We have been emailing, phone conferencing, reaching out to our school accountant and legal team for guidance for the school business and meeting the remaining year's school budget and the future of the program.
We have been working with our SBA representative to guide us and mentor the school on resources available to us. Numerous phone calls and emails each day. The Small Business Cares Act is new for everyone. Each day we have received new updated information that is emailed. We are trying to keep up and we are inundated with documents, emails, phone calls, and information. We are not willing to take on further loans that have to be paid back, which will create more debt. Our accountant has advised us to cut all expenses in any way we can. We will select options that make sense for the school and without creating any further hardship.
Please know we are doing everything we can during this time of uncertainly. We ask that you support us as we have the community for over 15 years of service to the Englewood area during this difficult time.
SCHOLASTIC ALL ABOUT CORONAVIRUS
Student-friendly collection of information about Coronavirus (for different age groups):
Articles, posters, videos, experiments, etc.
VISIT: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/coronavirus.html
HOW TO KEEP OURSELVES HEALTHY
- Wash your own hands frequently with soap and water and make sure your children wash hands whenever they come in from outside the home (see the link above for proper handwashing technique)
- Help your children practice not touching their faces (people touch their faces approximately 23 times an hour; keeping our hands away from our faces is crucial for staying healthy)
- Teach your children to cough and sneeze into the crooks of their elbows.
- Parents: avoid eating from your children's plates and avoid sharing water bottles
- Avoid being near sick people
- Disinfect surfaces and devices in your home; dispose of all tissues.
Something Fun for Teachers, Parents, and Kids
Metropolitan Opera Live streaming https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/coronavirus-the-metropolitan-opera-to-stream-free-operas.html?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=s1&utm_campaign=vulture
Seattle Symphony Live Streaming - https://seattlesymphony.org/live
Virtual Museum Tours (for kids and adults) - https://www.wthr.com/article/world-famous-museums-open-virtual-tours-help-keep-kids-entertained
Free Activities for Kids
https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/135609/list-of-education-companies-offering-free-subscriptions/
PBS Daily Newsletter
Activities to Use with Household Items
Read with your child
Flashlight reading
Alphabet Safari (look around the house for letters)
Use household items to practice counting, patterns, sorting, etc. (e.g., Legos, colored beads, socks, other toys, etc.)
Nesting Bowls, cups, spoons
Go outside! (Chalk, bubbles, play tag, duck duck goose, hide and seek, etc.)
A letter or Shape Hunt (inside or outside: what letters/shapes can you find?)
Board Games, card games, or memory
Dice games (e.g., roll 2 & compare numbers, roll 2 & add/count total, etc.)
Bake! (Talk to your child about measuring, numbers, weight, sizes, etc.)
Internet Activities/Apps
Internet Activities/Apps
Monkey Preschool Math
My Playhome (Virtual Dollhouse)
Alpha Tots (letters)
Doodle Cast (drawing)
Monkey Math School Sunshine
Wet, Dry, Try (letter writing practice)
Go Noodle Website for movement breaks
Online Games:
Online Story Options
Snuggle up with some hot chocolate and a good book! If you have limited access to books at home, click on the links below for some online story resources.:
http://www.storylineonline.net/
http://www.justbooksreadaloud.com/index.php
Click on the Tumblebooks icon on the right side of the screen
www.getepic.complaydough recipe
PlayDough Recipe
2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup of salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity)
food coloring (liquid, powder, or unsweetened drink mix)
scented oils
Mix all of the ingredients together, and stir over low heat. The dough will begin to thicken until it resembles mashed potatoes.
When the dough pulls away from the sides and clumps in the center, as shown below, remove the pan from heat and allow the dough to cool enough to handle.
Moon Sand Recipe
Moon Sand
8 cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup baby oil
Mix together
FINE AND GROSS MOTOR ACTIVITIES
Fine Motor Activities
Spray bottles: clean chalkboard, water plants, squirt ping pong ball off golf tees, spray colored water into snow, melt ice cubes with spray bottles in the sensory table (you can freeze small plastic items such as bugs in ice cubes to make it more fun!)
Rip Paper: tear construction or newspaper into strips for paper mache projects, or a small piece for mosaic or art project
Pinching tissue paper: a small square of tissue paper can be pinched and glued onto a picture to make 3-D artwork.
Crumble paper into balls: using the whole hand, make “snowball”, or crumple into the ball to throw at a target or in the trash can (start with 2 hands for crumpling, progress to using only 1 hand at a time to crumple)
Tweezers / Tongs: pick up and sort small items such as mini erasers or pom-poms into ice trays
Clothespins: use to pick up and transfer small objects such as pompoms or cotton balls; hang up items such as artwork or mittens along a clothesline weight string
Coins/Buttons: practice flipping coins or buttons over (without moving to edge of table); feed coins, poker chips or buttons into banks or slots
Resistive: theraputty, clay, playdoh: Hide small items such as beads and retrieve; roll into small balls (using fingertips ideally) then squish the “grapes” using the thumb and index finger; encourage pinching, rolling, squeezing and pulling apart
Gross Motor Activities
Wheelbarrow Walking
Hold child’s feet and have him/her walk on hands
The back should be straight not sagging and elbows should not be bent
More support can be provided by holding hips or knees
Bridging
The child lies on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor
The child lifts bottom from floor keeping tummy tight and flat
Slowly lower bottom to floor and repeat
Make a game of it by driving toy cars, rolling balls, or moving stuffed animals under the “bridge”
Magic Bicycle
The child lies on the back, lifts both legs and moves legs in a bicycle motion as they “ride” their “magic” bicycle to whatever destination they choose
Have them ride slowly i.e. going down a hill, quickly to “pedal” up a hill, put on the brakes unexpectedly, etc.
Wall Push-Ups
Have the child stand approximately 5 inches from the wall
Place hands on the wall so the body is at an angle
Have the child “push” the wall to make the room “bigger”
More Gross Motor Activities
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Have the child hold a hula hoop on one side while you hold the other side
Alternate rowing by leaning forward and back
Have the child work to pull him/herself back to a sitting position once reclined
For added challenge move the hoop unexpectedly side to side
This activity can be done in sitting, standing, high or half kneeling
SuperKID
The child lies on stomach and lifts arms, legs, and head from the floor with back arched
Sing a favorite song, count, etc. to encourage the child to hold this position
If the child is unable to lift arms and legs together first practice just arms, just legs and progress to both as tolerated
Step-ups
Place a puzzle board on one side of a step stool and pieces on the other side
Child retrieves one-piece, steps up and down to place in the board, repeat until the puzzle is complete
Look for hip, knee, and foot to be aligned as ascending and descending, provide support as needed.
Obstacle courses
Simon Says
Follow the Leader
Scholastic Learn at Home Program
Scholastic Learn at Home Program
Offers day-by-day projects for students via a free open-access digital hub
Website: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
For more information about the program, visit: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/press-release/scholastic-creates-free-open-access-digital-hub-help-keep-students-learning-while-scho?fbclid=IwAR3vpKVQwGUhlkTlT_CvCNo03kXW_XrX5ypcxpH6o-358YSr_CZ9mY7txWatch WBU Owl Cam - Live Streaming Now!
Watch a mama barred owl incubating three eggs. Should hatch in April.
Watch WBU Owl Cam - Live Streaming Now!
A mama Barred Owl has set up residence in our owl nest box again this year and you can see inside with our WBU Owl Cam. Jim Carpenter, President and CEO of Wild Birds Unlimited, has hosted a camera-equipped owl box in his backyard for many years and it's time to check in on this year's residents.
Mama moved into the box in early March. If all goes well, we can expect the owlets to start hatching in mid-April. They'll leave the nest four to five weeks after hatching.
Watch the live streaming video from two cameras at the nest box site 24 hours a day! One camera is placed inside the nest box and one is outside so you can see the owls coming and going. Be sure to stop by often to check in on the owl family.
Organizing a Day - Create a Daily Schedule
Visit our School Social Media Pages and Pinterest for more at home Reggio Emilia Projects.
Mindful Self-Care for students, parents and teachers.
Outdoor Bubble Fun
When doing this activity with the children it gives lots of learning opportunities. Some of the questions you might want to explore together may include:
- Which object makes the biggest/smallest bubbles?
- What colors can you see in the bubbles?
- Can you make a bubble bigger than the dog/bush/you?
- Why do bubbles float?
- Why do bubbles burst?
- What do you like about the bubbles?
- If you could make a giant bubble and send it somewhere where would you send it? Why?
- If you could send a giant bubble to someone's house - who would you send it to?
You will need:
A Hula Hoop
Big tray
Bubble solution
Homemade BIG bubble recipe
INGREDIENTS
6 cups of water
1 cup light corn syrup
2 cups dishwashing soap