Our annual sing-along included several parents guests this year! I think they sang along with us (that was the deal folks!) and enjoyed the event as much as the kids!
Later in the day, we had our class party complete with cookies and juice! Yum! Each child received a book for reading at home!
At the very end of the day, we had a school assembly! A Brazilian style band played some great dance music! They invited students from the audience to come up and play percussion instruments with them! Several students from our class were invited...see if you can spot Elise, Devon and Avery and from Mrs. McGuire's class, Sumner and Calder! At the very end the kindergarten, first and second grades were invited to dance to the music! Woo-hoo!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Hanukkah and Christmas
Our study of Hanukkah led to an interesting connection...while learning that the story of Hanukkah is about a time long ago when the King of Syria told the Jews that they must worship Greek gods and stop practicing their own religion, several children commented that this story reminded them of King James and the Pilgrims! Nice connection! (There was quite a bit debate of the virtue of Kings!) Hanukkah celebrates the "miracle" of lights, where Jews believe that the oil lamp that was lit to re-dedicate their temple (with only enough oil to burn a few hours) burned for eight days and nights. After learning about this Jewish holiday, each child made a paper menorrah.
We read many, many books about various Christmas traditions celebrated by many people in many places right here in the United States. While each holiday we learned about is celebrated for different reasons by different people, your children noticed several similarities. First of all, every celebration brings families together! Families come from near and far to spend time together. They also noticed that every celebration included lights! Candles or electric lights or stars, but in some way each holiday uses light to celebrate. Finally, gift giving and sharing is also a part of each celebration.
We finished our studies by learning about American Christmas traditions. In many US families, gingerbread houses are a part of the Christmas festivities! The kids made the most amazing gingerbread houses! Check out the very focused expressions...they were VERY serious about this task! They had a tough time keeping the frosting on the knife without getting it on their fingers...some licking took care of that! Check out the frosting around their mouths! I know it's hard to believe, but almost all of the candy made it onto the houses...until the very end! When they'd finally created their gingerbread houses and they looked "just right", they asked if they could eat the leftovers! But until the very end...no candy was consumed! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes! The gingerbread house were adorable! See for yourself!
We read many, many books about various Christmas traditions celebrated by many people in many places right here in the United States. While each holiday we learned about is celebrated for different reasons by different people, your children noticed several similarities. First of all, every celebration brings families together! Families come from near and far to spend time together. They also noticed that every celebration included lights! Candles or electric lights or stars, but in some way each holiday uses light to celebrate. Finally, gift giving and sharing is also a part of each celebration.
We finished our studies by learning about American Christmas traditions. In many US families, gingerbread houses are a part of the Christmas festivities! The kids made the most amazing gingerbread houses! Check out the very focused expressions...they were VERY serious about this task! They had a tough time keeping the frosting on the knife without getting it on their fingers...some licking took care of that! Check out the frosting around their mouths! I know it's hard to believe, but almost all of the candy made it onto the houses...until the very end! When they'd finally created their gingerbread houses and they looked "just right", they asked if they could eat the leftovers! But until the very end...no candy was consumed! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes! The gingerbread house were adorable! See for yourself!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Diwali
In the late fall, the people of India celebrate Diwali. Originally, this important holiday was a harvest festival marking the end of the harvest and asking for blessings of success for the new year. Families celebrate with food, bonfires, lights and special oil lamps called deepa. Our own oil lamps won't burn but celebrate the light of Diwali!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
The Legend of the Poinsettia
While learning about Christmas in Mexico, I read a book by Tomie dePaola called The Legend of the Poinsettia. The legend tells us that a poor, young girl wanting to bring a special gift picked a bunch of weeds which turned into lovely red flowers. We made our own pretty, red poinsettias!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
St. Lucia Day
On December 13th, the people of Sweden celebrate St. Lucia day. In Swedish families, the oldest daughter dresses in a white robe with a red sash and wears a crown of candles. Each child made a crown of (paper) candles to wear in honor of St. Lucia Day!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
December Holidays!
We've been busy learning about holidays celebrated by people around the world! Our first holiday, St. Nicholas Day, is celebrated by people in Northern Europe. On December 6th, children leave shoes for St. Nicholas to fill with candies and treats. Each child in our class made a (paper) shoe and left them out on December 5th. When they arrived the next morning...their "shoes" had candy inside! St. Nicholas made a trip from Northern Europe to visit a very special group of children here in Hinesburg!
Friday, December 2, 2011
December? Brrrr!
Today turned out to be a truly "Fantastic Friday"! Not only did we visit the book fair, but we had indoor recess because...the next stage of the playground renovations are underway! New pieces are being added as I write this! Yeah! Because of the heavy equipment and work on the playground, kids stayed inside and we watched an episode of Curious George.
December is here and with it comes our study of winter holidays. We will have several projects as we travel around the globe (on a map!) and learn about traditions near and far. There are two occasions where I'm asking for your help. On December 21st we'll be making gingerbread houses using milk cartons, graham crackers, frosting and LOTS of candy! I'll be sending you an email with a link to another "sign up genius" to sign up for supplies...if you'd be willing to contribute some of the ingredients for the houses. We will be celebrating the season together on the last day before break with a party. On December 22nd we'll have a small party in the afternoon with refreshments. I'll send a link to a separate sign up later!
Our current unit in Fundations (spelling, phonics and mechanics) has practiced what we call "bonus letters"-adding an extra (bonus) letter s, l, or f at the end of words with a short vowel. Practice words included were: pass, miss, bell, fill, puff, and huff. There are also "trick words' each week which are learned through memorization because they can't be "tapped", or sounded out. Each day we practice sounds, words for the current unit, review words, trick words and sentences.
Our math work focus is math facts. Children play games and do activities using math facts. Ultimately our goal is for them to know their math facts by rote. But early learning focuses on the "why" of math...why is a number plus zero always equal to the number, for example, or why can we always count by fives when we have sets of five? They learn the skills AND when to apply them. Most importantly, they enjoy math!
I'm SO excited with reading growth! The parent conferences happen too early! The last week or two has shown dramatic changes in reading...many kids are choosing books that are really "just right" and are eager to keep reading! I told them this week that "the books you're choosing are getting so long that you may need a bookmark to hold your place as you read!" So, I made bookmarks. I told them these are "tools" and they'll need these tools at school each day as well as at home. You may be surprised to see your children walking around with books! They want to bring more books and longer books home to read! Enjoy this time! PLEASE send these books back the next day! It's very hard at reading time when kids don't have their books for independent reading time!
Beginning on Monday, our school kicks off a food drive for the Hinesburg Food Shelf. Each class is collecting non-perishable food items to donate. There's a friendly competition where the winning class gets to display the Soup Man Trophy! It's very prestigious...OK, not really all that prestigious, but us teachers are vying for the trophy! I may need to go to Costco to buy a few pallets of Ramen noodles!!! I've asked your children to ASK YOU before they empty your cupboards! Any extra food you can send will be appreciated by those who need it most!
Have a wonderful weekend!
December is here and with it comes our study of winter holidays. We will have several projects as we travel around the globe (on a map!) and learn about traditions near and far. There are two occasions where I'm asking for your help. On December 21st we'll be making gingerbread houses using milk cartons, graham crackers, frosting and LOTS of candy! I'll be sending you an email with a link to another "sign up genius" to sign up for supplies...if you'd be willing to contribute some of the ingredients for the houses. We will be celebrating the season together on the last day before break with a party. On December 22nd we'll have a small party in the afternoon with refreshments. I'll send a link to a separate sign up later!
Our current unit in Fundations (spelling, phonics and mechanics) has practiced what we call "bonus letters"-adding an extra (bonus) letter s, l, or f at the end of words with a short vowel. Practice words included were: pass, miss, bell, fill, puff, and huff. There are also "trick words' each week which are learned through memorization because they can't be "tapped", or sounded out. Each day we practice sounds, words for the current unit, review words, trick words and sentences.
Our math work focus is math facts. Children play games and do activities using math facts. Ultimately our goal is for them to know their math facts by rote. But early learning focuses on the "why" of math...why is a number plus zero always equal to the number, for example, or why can we always count by fives when we have sets of five? They learn the skills AND when to apply them. Most importantly, they enjoy math!
I'm SO excited with reading growth! The parent conferences happen too early! The last week or two has shown dramatic changes in reading...many kids are choosing books that are really "just right" and are eager to keep reading! I told them this week that "the books you're choosing are getting so long that you may need a bookmark to hold your place as you read!" So, I made bookmarks. I told them these are "tools" and they'll need these tools at school each day as well as at home. You may be surprised to see your children walking around with books! They want to bring more books and longer books home to read! Enjoy this time! PLEASE send these books back the next day! It's very hard at reading time when kids don't have their books for independent reading time!
Beginning on Monday, our school kicks off a food drive for the Hinesburg Food Shelf. Each class is collecting non-perishable food items to donate. There's a friendly competition where the winning class gets to display the Soup Man Trophy! It's very prestigious...OK, not really all that prestigious, but us teachers are vying for the trophy! I may need to go to Costco to buy a few pallets of Ramen noodles!!! I've asked your children to ASK YOU before they empty your cupboards! Any extra food you can send will be appreciated by those who need it most!
Have a wonderful weekend!
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