Saturday, November 20, 2010

Dress for Winter!

We had our first snowy day last week when kids needed all their winter gear. What a project, getting 21 kids ready for outdoor play. And you think your entryway is a mess? Come check out the hallway when everyone is getting ready! I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures of the process. It only took about 5 minutes to get eveyone outside, and that time will decrease as eveyone gets better at new zippers, snaps, boot ties, etc.
Snow pants are a requirement for outside play on the hillside. They keep kids warm and dry (sitting in wet pants all afternoon doesn't feel very good)!
Boots are a must, too.

And don't forget hats and mittens.

Putting on all this "stuff" can be quite a project,

but playing in the snow is so worth it!

Look at all these smiles!




Three girls have these same pink boots. Please, find a spot inside to put names so we avoid mix-ups!

She's soooo ready!

Those zippers can be tricky.

Can I go yet?

Playing with friends is the best!



The pictures say it all!
Please be sure to label ALL outerwear, especially snow pants and boots, since many of the children have similar styles. Last year, one mom tied a piece of yarn to the buckle on her son's snow pants, and he never had trouble finding his! The lost and found gets pretty full as the winter progresses, so if your child is missing something, be sure to check there!

October Students of the Month

Congratulations to Eli, Hunter, and Lauren, our October Students of the Month!
Keep up the good work!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!

It's that time of year again when the bugs are coming inside to warm up, at least they are at my house! Fortunately, the only bugs at school are of the paper variety, except for a stray box elder bug here and there. Our Language Arts story last week was a make believe story called "A Surprise for Zig Bug." The bugs in this story live in a hut, and they can swim, talk, play tug of war, and drink lemonade. We read about real bugs, too, and then we made our own. Don't they look great decorating the wall by the Bug Center?
At the Center, we can learn more about bugs by reading books, using a flip book, doing a puzzle, and making bug rubbings.

We learned that bugs have 6 legs.

They also have 3 body parts: a head, thorax, and abdomen.


Some bugs have wings, and some don't.

Most bugs also have antennae.

Bugs have spots, stripes, and crazy colors.


They are camouflaged to blend in with their surroundings.

Some bugs also have feeding tubes.

And some have stingers -ouch!

We practiced reading the story when we were finished.


We worked so hard!

Our bugs were fun to make!

Don't they look great?

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Halloween Night

Every year, I invite the kids to come to my house for Trick-or-Treats, and then I take their picture by the pumpkin that we carved at school. Quite a few kids came by, plus a few from the last several years. It's so much fun to see the kids all dressed up!

Here's this year's winning jack-o-lantern: circle eyes, trapezoid nose, and vampire smile. We came up with four different designs as a class, and then voted on the most popular.

Megan and Kaitlyn (3rd grade) and little sister

Jacob

Ashlyn and siblings

Gavin (2nd grade) and Claire

Tyler and brother

Mitchell and Maria

Vienna (3rd grade), Amelia, and Tristan

Lauren

Lewis (2nd grade) and brother

Morgan (I didn't even recognize her - sorry!)
I hope no one got too scared from my "Spooky Sounds" CD!
Thanks for coming!!