We've been talking a lot about the apple picking trip and Halloween this week. We've been reading books, singing songs and having conversation about both events. Although some children won't be attending next Wednesday's field trip, we will be sure bring back apples to school and include them in activities.
Here is a finger play song that we have been loving. I usually change the number to correspond to the number of children present in the class. The second time we sang it, we used counter apple toys to illustrate the apples in the apple tree. Each time an apple "fell" from the tree, a friend caught it and pretended to take bites. Then, we counted how many apples were remaining and continued the song with that number of remaining apples until no more were left. Mathematical concepts explored in early childhood! :)
Way up high in the apple tree,
Five red apples smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could,
Dooowwwwwwwn came an apple….
Mmmm, it was good!
Repeat the rhyme until all the apples are off of the tree!
Halloween costumes!
We discussed that we will celebrate Halloween at school at the end of the month with a parade and party. It's time to brainstorm of costume ideas!
Here's what we have as of today:
Theme: Super Animals!
Gabriel: Super Cheetah
Avery: Super Blue Cat
Noah: Super Monkey
Sebastian: Super Tiger
Arya: Super Blue Tiger
Kai: Super Frog
What should Ms. Carla dress up as?
Sebastian: Super Giraffe!
I love this answer! My favorite animal, and I was also wearing a shirt with giraffes on it :)
Talk to your child about "School Halloween" this weekend. We will need your help with costume prep soon!
On Thursday, we went for a long walk around the neighborhood. It was the first time that all of the friends have been out together. Although, some of the children attended BMS last year and are very familiar with our outdoor routines, this was all new for others. We put on our new Buckle My Shoe T-shirts, had a conversation about safe walking, and headed out with the 2’s class! As we walked, we sang songs like We Are the Dinosaurs and The Ants Go Marching! The friends did such a great job during our walk, remembering to follow safety rules such a looking in front of you when walking, low voices when crossing the street, and holding onto the rope. As the year progresses, we will walk holding hands instead of using the rope to help guide the children. Next stop: the playground!
On Friday, we had our first yoga class with Lakshmi! The friends enjoyed stretching their bodies in different animal poses. We learned new songs, and played games that encouraged the children to pay close attention to their bodies in relation to the space around them. Lakshmi always brings surprises in her backpack, which she saves for the end of every class. This week’s surprise was two tuning forks that are used to tune pianos. The “special bells” can only be heard when they hit and held close to one’s ears. The sound is pretty magical! At the end of our session, Lakshmi asked the friends to lie down on their backs. She held the bells close to their ears as she sang softly. The children loved it. It was the perfect way to end our week!
Berry salad!
We enjoyed berry fruit salad today for cooking Friday. The teachers provided the ingredients for berry fruit salad (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, organic sugar). To get ready, the friends helped give out much needed materials to the rest of the group. They distributed bowls, spoons, and knives until everyone had what they needed to begin. Next, we noticed that the strawberries and blackberries were far to big and needed cutting. Everyone was so focused and concentrated on cutting small pieces for the salad. They decided that the blueberries and raspberries were the right size. Then, it was time to serve. They used their spoons to scoop berries onto their fruit cups. Lastly, the surprise-- a sprinkle of sugar! So good! This activity was such a hit for myself as a teacher because I gave the children the opportunity to make their own decisions. In turn, they felt empowered and proud of what they put together. And it was so tasty :)
