Searching for Scribble Stones in the Forest

Last week our class read a book brought in by a student about scribble stones.  We decided to make our own kindness rocks.  We want our stones to be beautiful and colorful. Before we can make scribble stones, we need to find rocks that we can use, so we headed to the forest in search of stones. Today we also painted blocks of ice and played with loose parts.  Ask your child how they plan to decorate the scribble stones.

“I found a scribble stone!” -F.

“I found this! Look how big it is,” -M.S.

“Eagle!” -M.R.

“This is our house,” -M.Y.

“We live in the woods,” -B. and S.

“It’s nighttime,” -S.

“Ok, I’ll go to sleep!” -B.

“I’m getting down. I was spying out for some rocks,” -S.

“This one is taller and this one is shorter,” -A.

 

Classroom Exploration

Good afternoon! This morning our class focused on exploring some new activities in the classroom. We practiced writing our letters using our fingers on a salt tray. Our class noticed that the salt felt a little bit funny but they had fun making their first and last names in the salt. One of our other activities this morning was showing how you are feeling by building with loose parts on a circle cork board. Sharing our feelings has been something that we are focusing on in the classroom. During our morning meeting we also read a book called Happy in Our Skin. This book helped us have a discussion about how we are all different and that's okay because we are proud to be who we are. Ask your child about their favorite part of today.

Friday Feelings

Happy Friday! Today our class read a book about feelings and how to be brave. This started a conversation about what it means to be brave and that it's okay to feel scared or nervous. We discussed how it's okay to feel different ways such as feeling sad, mad, frustrated, excited, or scared. The class shared the way they were feeling by pointing to a face on our feelings chart and telling the class why they feel that way. One of the students brought up that when we are feeling sad or mad we can use the calming corner to help us feel better. We talked about different ways to help us feel better such as taking breaths and doing yoga to calm our bodies down. Did you know that everyday during our morning meeting we take breaths to get our body ready to listen and learn? Ask your child about their day and make sure to check in on how they are feeling. Have a great weekend!

We practiced doing Moovlee yoga to help us calm our bodies down in the classroom. 

Classroom Library

Good afternoon! Today our class enjoyed creating our own classroom library with books. They started placing all of our books from our book bin along the walls in the classroom. They had conversations about what a librarian does and what happens in a library. Some of the children pretended to be librarians or library assistants helping find books for others and taking turns reading books to the whole group. We also enjoyed building our own marble runs and starting our challenge of building a bridge for animals. Have a great evening!

"In the library you need to be quiet!" -A

"She's right. It's always quiet in the library!" -M.R.

"Which books do you want to check out?" -A

"I want a book about bears!" -B

"I see a book about bears over there!" -S

"I want a book about a bear too!" -M.S.

"Can you check out my book?" -T

"Okay! Beep! Here you go!" -A

Shape Bingo and Winter Dice Game

Good afternoon! Today we enjoyed playing a new dice rolling game outside on the playscape. Each child took a turn rolling the small dice to see what winter activity they would be acting out. Some of the activities included melt like a snowman, glide like a ice skater, and twirl around like a snowflake! While we were outside some of our class played a superhero game and some played family.  When we came inside we practiced identifying our colors and shapes by playing a shape Bingo. Ask your child about their favorite part of today. Have a great evening!

  "Let's make smoothies, we can mix them up with this!" -M.S.

"I'll make a blueberry one!" -T

"I'll get some cups!" -M.R.

"What flavor do you want?" -A

Birthday Canvas and Forest Day!

 

Today we celebrated a student’s birthday with her birthday canvas! Her birthday was over winter break and she enjoyed making her birthday canvas today with her friends! After the birthday canvas, we walked to the forest. Everyone excitedly ran into the forest to see if anything had changed over break.  Students found a rope and a ball. They inspected the newly planted tree. They climbed their favorite trees and crawled on their favorite logs. They played Super Heroes. Ask your child about what they enjoyed most today at school.

“We’re playing superheroes. I’m Wonder Woman!” -A.

T. found a ball in the forest.

“Look what we found!” -M.R.

“I think that is a house for animals,” -S.

“I’m breaking the ice. The ice is going to melt,” -F.

“I have boots on so I can go in the mud,” -A.

“I’m the mud keeper,” -M.S.

“I’m the leader,” -T.

“It is going to grow bigger than the other trees,” -M.R.