Wintery Cheer

Hello Families~

     Get ready-the holiday swirl is here.  I have done my best to ignore any holiday trappings until November was over, but now I am ready.  Bring it on!  Whatever you celebrate, whatever your traditions are, however you spend these next few weeks just take care to remember that some of your family members are only a number of MONTHS old.  Your child might only be 36 months old.  Some might be 48+.  Some of your children might be many years, but please remember that they might not have the same stamina or patience level as you.  The holiday season can be what you make of it.  Try to make it enjoyable to all.  Maybe you can sit down and agree as a family which events are important to you and which ones you are willing to let go.  Maybe you can split up the responsibilities the season brings.  I like to think of it as handing out "opportunities."  Opportunities to expand skill sets and experiences.  Do your best to enjoy it and not dread it.  It's a magical time for children.

     This month is a short one for the school.  We will have just three weeks in the classroom.  We will try to keep things light and fun.  The schedule that follows is loosely based, and I will listen to the children and go with the flow.  If I feel a new energy from the children I will try something new.  As always I will be going outside so please send the children with sensible clothing for the weather.  Occasionally, at this time of the year, outside is the only thing that makes sense.  We'll be out as much as possible.  

     Thank you for your help in the classroom.  I appreciate all the extra time and effort you are all putting forth.  I know we can make it a successful year if we all continue to work together.  Thank you.

**Please remember to write down your helper days so that we don't have forgotten helper days and please, Please, PLEASE remember to be on time for your parent help days.  When you are late as the helper it sets the tone for the entire school day.  It isn't often positive when starting from a scramble and it is the children that suffer in that situation.  Please be on time.  Please.  Arrival time for the morning class (3s) is: 8:30 a.m.  Arrival time for the p.m. class (4s) is: 12:45 p.m.  If you are not parent helping please do not arrive BEFORE 8:55 A.M. OR 12:55 P.M.  I need to have time to discuss the day with my helpers.  If you have to arrive earlier you can play outside or in the dramatic play room until we are ready for sign-in, or you can arrange it with me ahead of time.  Thank you for all your help-let's work together to make each day the BEST.** 

The schedule of events for December...

Monday, Dec. 2: We start our space unit today.  We will paint a large box (spaceship) for the dramatic play room.  We will start to make family gifts as well.  We'll learn a song about a rocket ship and blast off!

Wednesday, Dec. 4: 3s~We will decorate the spaceship that the 4s class started.  We will work on family gifts and make a card.  4s~We'll embellish the gifts we started on Monday and make a card.  We'll move the spaceship into the dramatic playroom.  5-4-3-2-1-BLAST OFF!!  

Friday, Dec. 6: 3s~We'll wrap gifts for the family and send them home.  We will paint small spaceships and talk about going to the moon.  We'll sing a song about blasting off to space in a rocket ship.  4s~We will wrap and send gifts home today.  We'll paint small spaceships and play with the spaceship in the dramatic playroom.  We'll watch a video of a NASA space shuttle.  

Monday, Dec. 9: We will talk about stars, planets, and the moon this week.  Today we will make stars with a spinner painter.  We will paint the planets to hang in our classroom.  We will start a project to make a rocket ship.

Wednesday, Dec. 11: 3s~We will learn a song about a man that lives in the moon and we will make a picture of him.  We'll make stars with a spinner painter and we'll work on painting the planets.  4s~We will continue to paint planets and make some more stars with a different spinner painter.  We'll decorate the body of our rocket ship.

Friday, Dec. 13: 3~The children will make handprints on a sheet of paper, glue that sheet to another sheet of paper and make a reindeer out of their handprints.  We'll hang the planets we've been making.  4s~Today we will finish the rocket ships the children have been working on.  We'll also finish up the planets we've been working on.  I'll ask the children if they want to go to the moon and if so, what would they bring?  If not, what will they do instead?  I'll compile their answers into a story.

Monday, Dec. 16: This week we'll talk about gingerbreads.  Today we will make a sequencing book about eating a gingerbread cookie.  The children will decorate a picture of a gingerbread boy or girl.

Wednesday, Dec. 18: 3s~The children will glue eyes, nose and bells on their reindeer.  We'll glue pictures into our scrapbooks.  4s~The children will glue pictures into scrapbooks today.  We'll make gingerbread cookie dough and we'll make a gingerbread picture with cinnamon and sandpaper.

Friday, Dec. 20: 3s~We will cook our gingerbread cookies today and have a small celebration at the end of class to ring in the holiday break.  We will make gingerbread necklaces and finish our reindeer pictures.  4s~We will make gingerbread necklaces, finish our sandpaper gingerbreads and cook our gingerbread cookies.  We'll have a short time at the end of class to eat cookies and celebrate the holiday break.  Happy Holidays!!

There will be a sign-up sheet coming out soon for items needed for our cookie celebration.  Be looking for it at the sign-in area.  Enjoy this quick and fun month.  Cheers!  ~Anne.  

  

 

Autumn All Around

Ladies and Gentlemen...

Fall is here.  The weather has been great so I hope you have been able to find time to get your family outside.  The leaves are turning and falling and it is magnificent out there!  Go enjoy it.  

We will have just three full weeks of class during this month so I know it's going to go fast.  We will talk about fire fighters and fire safety.  The children love to pretend to hop in the fire truck and go, go, GO!  The fall changes bring lots of conversation about the weather and the flora around us.  We'll go outside and see the changes as well as rake lots of leave to jump in.  We have our own take on Thanksgiving by talking a lot about being thankful for the important things in our lives and by learning the classic fable of Stone Soup and making a soup of our own.  We'll follow that up with a whole meal at our Friendship Feast.  It's going to be tons of fun.  

The children are learning a lot and becoming great friends.  I am enjoying them so much.  I am thankful to have them in my life.  Thank you for sharing them with me.  The following list is what we will be doing for the month.  Please remember that I use this as a skeleton of what to plan-sometimes the children need something different or guide me in a different way and I will change things.  I let the children by my "boss."  Have a great month.

Monday, Nov. 4: We'll make gathering pouches, put color on blotter-paper leaves and read the story Leafman.  Amy Peck will be my substitute today.

Wednesday, Nov. 6: 3s~We'll make hot plate leaves, decorate a "Leafman", and put together our monster book from last week.  4s~We'll make hot plate leaves, use our gathering pouches to gather leaves and natural materials and make a "Leafman" of our own.  

Friday, Nov. 8: 3s~Individual children's pictures are today.  Craig Huston will be here to take the children's photos.  Information on how to order will come out soon.  We will read the book Leafman and make a book about our Leafman and his/her adventures.  We will make a leaf with paint and walnuts and a plastic container.  It will be sent home for homework next week.  4s~Individual pictures today.  We'll rake leaves and tell a story about a leaf leaving its tree.  We'll make a leaf to send home next week for homework.

Monday, Nov. 11: NO SCHOOL TODAY  VETERAN'S DAY HOLIDAY

Wednesday, Nov. 13: 3s~Fire safety week.  We will make badges and necklaces today, paint a fire truck, and learn a song about a fire truck.  A leaf will come home today for the family to talk about and send back to school as soon as possible.  Directions will accompany the leaf.  4s~We'll make badges and necklaces, cut out a firetruck shape, and learn a new song.  Children will come home with a leaf that they made to talk about what they are thankful for.  This is a family homework assignment.  Directions will be included.

Friday, Nov. 15: 3s~The fire department will come visit us today.  The truck will be here right after school starts.  We'll make a ladder for the fire truck we painted on Weds. We'll talk a little about our Friendship Feast coming up on Nov. 22.  The children will tell me what vegetable they would like to bring for their soup.   4s~FIELD TRIP DAY!  We will go to the fire department at 2:30.  WE WILL LEAVE SCHOOL AT 2:30 TODAY.  You will either need to be at the school to transport your child or arrange a ride for him/her.  We will start school at 1pm at the school and leave after our snack.  We will end school at the Canby Fire Department.  You will need to pick your child up there or arrange a ride.   A permission slip will be coming out soon.

Monday, Nov. 18: We'll make a fall tree picture and read a story called Stone Soup.  The children will tell their own story about stone soup.  We'll talk about and strategize our Friendship Feast coming up.  Your child will come home with a slip telling you what vegetable they have chosen to add to the soup.

Wednesday, Nov. 20: 3s~We will make a tree picture and cut the vegetables the children bring to school for our soup.  Please send your child to school with the vegetable of their choice today.  A slip will come home letting you know what they have chosen.  The children will have a chance to do some free painting and paint mixing.  4s~We'll paint mix and finish our tree picture from Monday.  We'll talk about what makes us thankful and cut vegetables for our soup for the Feast today.

Friday, Nov. 22: 3s AND 4s~Today we will make the foods for our Friendship Feast.  The children will make biscuits and butter, cut fruit for a fruit tray, and arrange cheeses on a platter.  We'll ask parents to bring some supplies for the feast.  Be looking for a sign-up sheet by the sign-in area.  We will have our feast in the last 40 minutes of class.  Families are welcome to join us.  We will also be putting pictures in our scrapbooks and talking about our Thankful Leaves that went home.

Monday, Nov. 25: TODAY IS A MAKEUP DAY FOR THE 3S CLASS.  TODAY IS A MAKEUP DAY FOR THE 3S CLASS.  COME TO SCHOOL AT 9:00 A.M. TODAY IF YOU ARE IN THE 3S CLASS!!  3s~We will go for a looking walk, rake leaves, and do some paint mixing.  4s~FIELD TRIP DAY!!  We will go on one of three nature walks today.  We meet at 1:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon church) on the corner of 13th and Elm street.  1285 S Elm Street.  We will do this walk in each season that the children are in school.  We will meet at the far corner of the church parking lot (closest to 13th ave.).  Parent helpers need to arrive at 12:50 p.m.  We will leave the parking lot at 1:10-1:15 and walk down to the city park behind Safeway.  We will play on the playground, eat snack, walk to the river, and walk back to the parking lot.  Everyone is welcome to join us.  The trail is NOT stroller-friendly.  If you have little ones that are immobile or unsteady a back pack would be best.  Please dress your child accordingly.  We will go rain or shine and it would be best if the children are comfortable.  It has been COLD, WET, MUDDY, and very inclement in the past.  We will go regardless of weather so send your child in appropriate clothing for the weather of the day.  In the past we have cut it short so if you decide not to join us please be available by phone if we need to call you for pick up.  More information will come as it draws near.

THE REST OF THE MONTH IS OFF DUE TO THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY. Enjoy some family time-whatever your traditions are.  Be safe in your travels.

Thanks again for the pleasure of getting to know your children.  I am having such fun with them.  Happy Fall.  ~Anne.

     

October is for the ghosts!

Happy Fall~

October is here and with it has come rain, rain, rain, rain, rain.  My goodness.  At school we have made it outside most days which makes us all happy.  Please remember to send your children with sensible shoes for the weather and appropriate clothing.  Hats, coats, boots and gloves are always helpful.  If you desire, some of those items can be left in your child's pouch under their hook.

Please be watching for notes from the teacher (permission slips, communication about upcoming events, etc.) and artwork in your child's pouch.  There may be something every day or something only every few days, but please be checking it and your parent cubby in the Art Center on a regular basis.  Also, please remember to arrive at school at 9 a.m. for the 3s class and 1 p.m. for the 4s class.  I need sufficient time to chat with my parent helpers. If you arrive earlier than 5 minutes before class starts feel free to play on the playground or in the dramatic playroom until I am ready for sign-in.   Parent helpers really need to arrive on time.  For the 3s class the parent helper arrival time is 8:30 a.m.  For the 4s class arrival time is 12:45 p.m.  If the helper is late the whole day can be thrown off and the children are the ones that suffer from that situation.  At snack time remember to send ONLY WATER for drink.  Please refrain from sending sugary candies and cookies for snack.  The children are working very hard and their brains need good food like veggies, fruits, whole grains and protein.  :) 

The schedule of events for the month follows.  We have one day of school located off campus at the pumpkin patch (Teacher Andy's farm), and one field trip for the 4s class.  At the end of the month we have phone conferences and school will be cancelled for those days.  The 3s class has the first of their 3 makeup days.  The dramatic play room has become a veterinarian's office.  We will learn about animals and talk about what they need and how we can take care of them.  It should be a fun month with lots of fun activities and projects planned. 

Monday, Oct. 7: 3S MAKEUP DAY!!  ARRIVE AT SCHOOL AT 8:30 A.M. FOR PARENT HELPERS, 9 A.M. FOR ALL OTHERS.  CLASS IS IN SESSION 9-11:40 A.M.  Today we will start talking about farms and animals.  We'll make a chicken picture and work together as a group to paint a large barn shape.  The quilt we have been working on is finished!  We'll talk a little about that at the end of the day.  4s~We will start books of which the children will be the authors and illustrators.  The children will paint the cover and back of their books today.  At 2 p.m. we will leave for Perrin Dairy.  You will need to either provide transportation for your child or arrange a ride from someone in the class that is driving.  We will finish our day at the dairy.  You will need to either stay with your child or come back to pick them up. If you haven't received your permission slip please ask for one.  

Wednesday, Oct. 9: 3~We'll sing a song about Grandpa's farm and read a story about a man and his tractor.  The children will play with tractors in shaving cream and make a mask of a horse.  Neigh!  4s~The children will continue to make their farm book.  They will put animals in their book today.  They will play with tractors in shaving cream. 

Friday, Oct. 11: NO SCHOOL TODAY.  STATEWIDE INSERVICE 

Monday, Oct. 14: This week we will talk about apples.  We'll make applesauce in class on Wednesday.  Please send your child to school with an apple by Wednesday.  Today we will  talk about what our favorite kind of apple is and we'll have a taste test at snack.  We'll graph the results.  We will experiment with painting with apple parts.  

Wednesday, Oct. 16: 3s~Today we will paint an apple tree with leaves and learn a song about two apples in a tree.  We'll taste apples and decide which kind we like best.  We'll make apple pictures that will shine in our windows.  4s~Please send your child with an apple today!  We will cut apples into bits and start cooking them into applesauce.  We will graph the colors of apples that came to school and compare the sizes and weights.  We'll sing a song about two little apples in a tree and read a story about two guinea pigs making applesauce.  

Friday, Oct. 18: 3s~ We will make apple pie with the applesauce that the 4s made for us.  The children will make apple necklaces with the lyrics of the song we've been singing.  We'll put pictures in our scrapbooks for the first time!    4s~We will eat the applesauce we made on Wednesday at snack time today.  We will put pictures in our scrapbook for the first time.  We'll make apple necklaces and sing a song about a farmer and his apple tree.  {At 4:30 p.m. today we will have a ribbon-cutting ceremonial celebration for our improved and newly planted playground.  There will be snacks and a great deal of pomp and circumstance-please join us!} 

Monday, Oct. 21: This week we will be talking about pumpkins.  We'll explore all parts of a pumpkin.  Today we will read a story about a pumpkin in the day and a pumpkin in the night and we will start a project that will try to portray that concept on paper.  We'll hammer golf tees into pumpkins and look at the inside of a pumpkin.  

Wednesday, Oct. 23: PUMPKIN PATCH DAY!!  We will begin and end our day at Teacher Andy's farm today.  Directions will be distributed as the date nears.  We will gather at the farm, chat about the day, play, pick pumpkins, eat snack (send a snack as usual), and walk in the field/woods.  If the weather is inclement please send your child in coats and boots.  We will spend time in the barn if it is really awful.  At the end of the day the 3s class will walk through the field and the 4s class will walk down the field into the woods and back to the farm.  All family members are welcome.  If you have a child that is not mobile a rugged stroller or backpack is best.  Arrive at the farm at your normal class start time.  Parent helpers are still needed to help and need to arrive at normal parent help times.  This is a really fun day that is worth coming to.  All are welcome.

Friday, Oct. 25: 3s~We'll start talking about monsters today.  We learn about how to make a monster disappear which is helpful this time of year with all the monsters around.  We will make a book modeled after the Ed Emberley book, Go Away Big, Green Monster.  We'll make paper for the background of our book pages and we'll finger paint with red and yellow paint to make a...pumpkin!  4s~Today we will learn about the life-cycle of a pumpkin and make a depiction of it to remember.  We'll finish our project of Pumpkin Day, Pumpkin Night.  We'll read a story about a pumpkin's life cycle.      

Monday, Oct. 28: This week we will learn about spiders and all their creepy-crawly ways.  Today we will make salt dough spiders and start a life-cycle poster of the spider.  We'll make spidery necklaces that are sure to make you scream!

Wednesday, Oct. 30: 3s~We will finish our monster book and read it at the end of the day.  We will read a story about a wild monster mash and make a monster mask.  We'll make monster necklaces and practice our method of getting rid of monsters.  Go away Big Monster!  4s~Today we will paint the spiders we made on Monday.  We'll paint with spiders as our brushes and we'll make spooky spider hats.  Creeeepy.

Thursday, Oct. 31: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  Phone conferences start today.  You will get an informational handout about them in the middle of the month.  

Friday, Nov. 1: NO SCHOOL TODAY-PHONE CONFERENCES

Thank you so much for sharing your children with me.  I am so proud of the strides they have made.  They are learning quickly and becoming good friends.  Talking about your child's school friends at home will help them remember names and personalities therefore expediting the road to friendship.  I am amazed at them every day.  Thank you for your help in the classroom.  I am really enjoying getting to know your children and you!  Thank you.

Have a great month,

Anne.

Welcome to a new school year!

Hello!  I hope all of you have fallen into the new school routine and things are flowing smoothly for you.  I am happy to see all of my old friends and thrilled to meet some new ones.  We had a remarkably good first week.  I am looking forward to seeing friendships and connections happen in the classroom. 

What follows is a schedule of events for the rest of the month.  Please remember to check the blog post each month as it will give you an idea of what is happening in the classroom day to day.  I plan for the month and then remain flexible to what the children need.  Some things may change.  The post will give you a place to launch conversation with your child.  Welcome!

Monday, Sept. 16: Today we will start talking about families.  The children will come home with some homework.  Each family will receive a sheet with questions about their family details.  Please work together as a family to answer these questions.  Work carefully as the finished product will be placed in a class book about our families.  We will paint the frames you made for your child at the parent training.  You can start to send in pictures of your family.  A 4X6 picture of your entire family will be placed in the frame and put on our wall in the hallway for the rest of the school year.  It is important to send the picture in as soon as possible so the children can see themselves on the wall.  The children will draw a picture of their family for our family book and they will learn a song about emotions and make some emotions puppets.  It will be a fun day.  

Wednesday, Sept. 18: 3s~We will paint the frames you made for your child at the parent training.  Please send a 4X6 picture of your whole family into the class so we can use it for our family wall.  We will learn a song about emotions and make puppets that align with the song.  We'll make a picture of our families with popsicle sticks and people figures.  4s~Today we will practice the emotions song we learned on Monday and play with the puppets that go along with the song.  We will decorate the frames for our families wall and we'll make books with faces that show different emotions.

Friday, Sept. 20: 3s~Today we will decorate the frames for our wall of families and practice the emotions song we've learned.  We will make and play with puppets that coincide with the emotions song.  The puppets will come home with the children today.  4s~Today will be the culmination of our families/emotions unit.  We will put together the book that we have been working on.  We'll complete the final page for the book and read it at the end of the day.  The children will come home with the puppets that coincide with the emotions song we have been singing all week.

Monday, Sept. 23: Today will be the beginning of our unit of study about color.  I love this time of year.  It is magical for the children to discover what mixing colors together can do.  Such fun!  We will start the unit  by talking about ourselves.  We'll read a story about our differences and similarities and we'll start making a quilt of different colors, but similar prints.  Today the children will draw their face on a piece of plain, white fabric with fabric crayons.  We will do some color mixing and glue fabric swatches on a quilt shape.  

Wednesday, Sept. 25: 3s~We will start our unit on colors today.  We'll read a story about two colored dots and learn about the adventures they go on.  The children will do some color mixing on pieces of plain, white fabric that will become a part of the classroom quilt.  We'll color mix with liquid water colors and we'll perform an experiment with color mixing and ice cubes.  Cool!  4s~Today we will put hair on the face we drew on Monday.  We will continue to work on our fabric swatch quilt and we'll conduct an experiment with colors, water, oil, and alka-seltzer. It should be effervescent!

Friday, Sept. 27: 3s~Today we will read a story about some mischievous mice that have fun with colors.  We'll conduct another experiment with ice cubes and we will learn what water, oil, and colors have to do with each other.  The children will color mix on giant coffee filters.  4s~ The children will choose how they would like the classroom quilt to look by choosing the position and print of their quilt block.  They will continue to do some color mixing with liquid water colors and mix colors on giant coffee filters.  We'll read a story about an elephant that loves color and learns to enjoy his unique personality.  We'll perform an experiment with oil and water and colors that may or may not mix.  

Monday, Sept. 30: We start our unit on sunflowers today.  The children will start a project that will continue through the week.  Today they will glue their sunflower center to its backing and paint petals on the beginnings of their sunflower.  We'll learn a fun story about a little boy, his grandfather, and some magic seeds.

The Safety Fair is happening between the morning and afternoon classes on Wednesday, September 25.  I will have more details to follow.  It is a great time to let your child see a police car, fire engine, and get a bike helmet.  Think about scheduling it into your day.

3S CLASS ALERT! 3S CLASS ALERT!  3S CLASS ALERT!  3S CLASS ALERT!  3S CLASS ALERT!  3S CLASS ALERT!!

The 3s class has some make-up days I want to tell you about.  Some days throughout the school year are missed by this class because of inservices, or conferences, or a variety of other reasons.  The first of those days is October 7.  Please correct your calendars to note that there will be NO CLASS ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11.  We will make that day up on that Monday.  There WILL BE CLASS FROM 9-11:40 ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 7.  There are two other make-up days for this class: Monday, March 17, and Monday, April 14.  We'll talk more about these days as they draw near.

Remember to keep your calendars updated with your parent helper days and if you need to change, swap, or switch please do so as soon as possible.  Don't change the calendar on your own: let your class rep do that for you.  I am looking forward to meeting all of you.  I am so thankful for your children-thank you for sharing them with me.  It is such an honor!  Thank you for all your help.  We couldn't do it without you.  

Parent jobs are being worked on.  You should know what your job is within the next week or so.  If you have questions or you haven't submitted your requests yet just ask me.  Thanks again!

Cooperatively,

Anne.

May is here!

Hello to spring.  The weather has been great!  I hope you are taking the opportunity to be outside and enjoy.  What follows is the end of the year schedule.  We have lots of fun things planned for the few remaining days.

Monday, May 6: We'll start studying volcanoes and talking about our Dads today.  The children will start a gift for their Dad and we will make a volcano out of liquid starch and newspaper strips.  

Wednesday, May 8: 3s~FIELD TRIP DAY: We will celebrate summer birthdays at Wait Park today.  We will start school normally at the school at 9:00 a.m.  At 10:15 a.m. we will leave the school for Wait Park.  You will either need to come back to school to transport your child to the park or find someone to transport them for you.  We will gather at the park and play, eat snack, sing Happy Birthday, and play some more.  We will end school at the park at 11:40 a.m.  Pick-up will occur at the park and we will not return to the school.  If you would like to bring something to celebrate your child's summer birthday (any birthday that occurs after May 22), it would be greatly appreciated.  I will have a crown for all the birthday boys and girls.  4s~FIELD TRIP DAY: We will start school at Wait Park at 1:15 p.m.  Please stay with your child until 1:15 p.m.  We will play at the park until 2:15 at which point we will walk to Thriftway for a store tour.  If you would like to join us we can always use extra help on the walk to the store.  At the store we will receive a tour of the store and a special behind-the-scenes look at a local grocery store.  School will end at the store at 3:40 p.m.  We will not be at the school at all today.  Pick-up will be at Cutsforth's Thriftway at 3:40 p.m.  This is a fun trip that the children really enjoy.  Parents are welcome to join.  Sorry, this is not a good field trip for younger siblings. Please let me know if you have questions.

Friday, May 10: 3s~Today we will paint the volcano the blue class made on Monday and make our own small volcanoes.  We will talk about volcanoes and how they are formed.  We will wrap our Father's Day presents.  4s~We will watch our volcano erupt with gasses and foam.  We'll talk about what makes a volcano erupt and we'll do some more work on the Father's Day presents.  MAYBE (just, maybe) we might be able to play on our new pathway!!  Yay!  A (real, live) dream come true...

Monday, May 13: We will talk about community and being a part of a group through the story of a patchwork elephant called Elmer.  We will work together to paint a rendition of Elmer and we will make some elephant ears for an elephant's parade.  We'll wrap the presents for our dads.  

Wednesday, May 15: 3s~We'll move our classroom outside today and play outside all day.  (Keep your fingers crossed for good weather)  We will read a story about Elmer and talk about being community members and good neighbors.  We'll plant some flower seeds and make a small, clay elephant. We might even get our faces painted!  :)  At the very end of the day (11:20) we will erupt the volcano that we worked together to make.  4s~The classroom will move outside today and we will hopefully enjoy some sunshine.  We will plant some flower seeds and paint our faces.  We will celebrate summer birthdays today as well.  Anyone with a birthday on or after May 22 can bring a birthday treat for celebration.  I will have crowns for the birthday girls and boys.  If you would like to bring a treat or something special, please let me know.  We will do this at the end of the day (11:20 a.m.).    

Friday, May 17: 3s~We will paint the elephants we made on Wednesday and we will make some paper elephant ears.  When we go to the playground we will pretend to be elephants and have an Elmer's Day Parade.  We'll end our day outside.  4s~ We will assemble  the elephant ears we started on Monday and we will make instruments to use for our elephant parade.  When we go outside to play we will have an Elmer's Day Parade.  We'll use our instruments, make a ruckus, and parade around.  We'll end the day outside. 

Monday, May 20: Arrggh!  Ye scurvy dawgs!  It's Pirate Day.  We will make spyglasses, pirate hats, and treasure maps.  When we go outside we'll make a river with foil to float small boats upon.  If you can bring small, flat lids and caps to help us with the boats it would be greatly appreciated.  Again, keep those fingers crossed for good weather.

Wednesday, May 22: 3s~LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  We will play as much as possible today.  We will revisit some of our old favorites: color-mixing, beading necklaces, and play dough.  In our journals we will draw what we look like on our last day.  At 11:15 we will have a small "ceremony" for the children.  I will have a small gift for them and a certificate to present to them.  All family members are welcome to join us at the end of class.  4s~LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  We will play and enjoy each other's company today.  We will have a promotion to kindergarten ceremony in the Fellowship Hall starting at 2:45 pm.  All family members are welcome including grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles.  The children will receive a certificate of completion and sing a few songs.  After the ceremony we will have some reception time and then it will be time to say goodbye for now.  

DON'T FORGET THE SCHOOL-WIDE POTLUCK DINNER TONIGHT AT 6:30 P.M. AT THE SCHOOL.  Please try to join us.  This is a great way to mingle, say goodbye, and have fun with everyone. Tracie Heidt will send more information as it draws near.

Thank you all so, so much for all your help and support this school year.    I am so thankful for such a great group of parents.  You have set the bar pretty high, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  :)

Summery wishes,

Anne.

April Showers bring...the month of May

Greetings!  

Things in the classroom are good and the school year is coming to a quick end.  Before we know it we are going to be saying good bye for now.  I can hardly believe it.  The weather is warming up and the sun is appearing more often.  We will soon be able to start planting things in our gardens and watch the ensuing growth.  This is a great time to get out (everyday) and enjoy the changes going on around us.  It is such a great lesson in biology. Enjoy every moment you can.

The following information includes what we will be doing for the month of April and some information for the month of May as well.  I will send more detailed information about the activities happening in May as they draw nearer.

Monday, April 1: We'll start a project involving the story Pickin' Peas.  We will put together a set of props for the children to tell the story to their Grandfriends on Friday.

Wednesday, April 3: 3s~We will read a story about a pesky rabbit and make some rabbit ears.  We will try to learn the story Pickin Peas well enough to tell it ourselves.  4s~We will continue to make props for our performance on Friday.  We'll sew ears on our rabbits and work on a gift for our grandfriends.

Friday, April 5: 3s~We will make a mask for our bunny ears and try to tell the story we have been reading.  We'll learn a new song about another pesky rabbit.  4s~Grandfriend's Day!  We will make preparations for our friends to come and visit.  We will finish up our gifts and practice our story.  Grandfriends arrive at 3pm and the children will show them around the school.  Afterward the children will tell the story we have been reading and enjoy some visiting time with cookies!

Monday, April 8: Today we will work some more on the Mother's Day gifts we started last month.  We will be talking about trees all week.  We'll do an observational drawing of a tree, paint a spring image of a tree, and continue working on assessments.

Wednesday, April 10: 3s~Today we will start exploring trees and what makes them work.  We'll paint an image of a spring-blooming tree and observe a log in its natural state.  4s~We will have a visit from the Tree Lady and she will teach us about trees and their products.  The children will learn how to make their very own piece of paper that we will use as part of a Father's Day gift.  (If your child doesn't have a red shirt please let me know by today.)

Friday, April 12: 3s and 4s~We will paint leaves on the trees we started on Wednesday and we will work more on the Mother's Day gifts we started last  month.  Also, we will finish up with assessments.  Today is class picture day.  Please dress your child in their CCP red shirt.  If you don't have one please let me know by Wednesday, April 10.  Thanks!

Monday, April 15: This week we'll be talking about things in the sky.  Clouds, rain, and colors.  We'll also talk about what comes after the rain: mud!  We'll be able to play with some mud in the classroom and we'll make a picture of rain in a box.  

Wednesday, April 17: 3s~Today is the Umbrella March!  Send your child to school with an umbrella, rubber boots, and raincoats.  We will talk about things we see in the sky and make a picture of rain using a box.  We will play with mud and rain in the texture tables and we'll make mud cookies.  We will have an umbrella march at the end of the day.  Hopefully we'll be able to find some puddles to jump in and use our umbrellas to keep dry.  (I will have a few umbrellas on hand if you forget.  Rain boots are very useful on this day.)  4s~Today is the day of the Umbrella March!  Send with your child an umbrella, a pair of boots, and a sturdy coat.  We will make mud cookies, learn a new poem and make a picture to go along with it, and play with mud and rain.  Such fun!

Friday, April 19: NO SCHOOL-CONFERENCES.  Don't forget to sign up for a conference at the sign-in area.  These conferences are held at the school in the classroom.  You may bring your child/children, but it is easier to talk about your child's progress if you can find a sitter for a bit.  These are just to let you know all the great improvements your child has made over the school year and to cue you in on all the things they know and can do.

Monday, April 22: This week is Earth week.  We will talk about all the ways we can be respectful of our planet and learn about some of the flora and fauna we are lucky to have around us.  Today we will talk about nocturnal animals and where they live.  We will also learn about some local birds that the children might see in their backyards.  We'll paint bats, make a nocturnal animal journal, and start a bird book. 

Wednesday, April 24: 3s~We will talk about Earth Day, what the Earth means to us, and how to be respectful to our planet.  We will try to spend most of the day outdoors cleaning up our flower beds and spending time with nature.  I would like to plant flowers in the bed outside of our windows.  If you would like to donate a plant or two (primroses, pansies, stock, snapdragons, small perennials, etc.), I would truly be grateful.  The children will do the planting and we will do some weeding and clean up.  We'll also start the process of making a gift for our fathers.  4s~Today is  OUTDOOR SCHOOL.  We will start school at 1:00 p.m. at the Molalla River State Park.  School will continue all session at the park.  We will learn about plants and trees, birds, pond life, and run through an obstacle course.  Please send a snack as usual.  School will end at the park at 3:40 p.m.  Please be prompt in drop-off and pick-up.  We will start right after 1:00.  If it is sunny, please send hats, sunscreen, and lots of water.  If it is rainy/cloudy, please send your child in layers with sturdy, warm shoes.  Boots are good.  If you have questions please ask.  

Friday, April 26: 3s~We will continue to talk about Earth and how to take care of it.  We will plant some flower seeds in pots and some in our playground.  We will wrap our gifts for our moms and paint a card.  4s~Today we will go on a hunt for nocturnal animals in our classroom using the journal we made on Monday.  We'll make a bird nest and paint a card for our moms.

Monday, April 29: Today we will get ready for our Mother's Dessert happening on Wednesday.  The children will make decorations and sign the card we made last week.  This is an event for which we've been preparing for many weeks.  It is a touching time for children to express their appreciation for their moms.  If you can't make it to the Wednesday evening event we will be repeating for the 3s classes on Thursday. If you can, it would be worth it for you to attend Thursday evening in lieu of missing it altogether.  

Wednesday, May 1: 3s~We will make preparations for the Thursday evening Mother's Dessert event with our moms.  We will make decorations, bake a dessert, and finish our gifts.  If you can't make it to Thursday evening you could attend on Wednesday evening instead of missing this important moment.  Let me know if you have questions.  4s~Today we will decorate the fellowship hall for the event this evening, we will bake a dessert, and wrap our gifts.

Friday, May 3: 3s~Today is our Nature Walk.  We will go for a walk at Molalla River State Park.  We will start school at 9:00 a.m. and leave for the park at 10:30 a.m.  Please either return to school and take your child to the park or arrange a ride for your child.  All family members are welcome for the walk.  Please send a snack as usual and wear appropriate footwear/clothing.  Your child will have more fun if they are dressed properly.  If you have questions please let me know.  4s~We will go on our last nature walk at the Canby Community park today.  We will meet at the Mormon church parking lot (1285 S. Elm St.) at 1:00 p.m.  We will end at 3:40 p.m. at the parking lot.  Send a disposable snack and dress your child according to the weather.  This will be the final nature walk.  We will note the changes that have occurred since we were there in February.  Let's hope for good weather!

I will give you more information for the month of May as it approaches.  I want to give you a couple of dates to think about.  Some of these dates are still relatively up in the air.  More details will follow, but if you have questions please let me know!

May 8/10-4s: Tour of Thriftway grocery store.  We will meet at Wait Park at 1:15 p.m. and play for an hour.  We will walk to Thriftway to see the behind-the-scenes events of a grocery store.  A disposable snack is needed and don't forget to wear your red shirt!

May 8/10-3s: Summer birthday celebration at Wait Park.  If your child has a birthday after May 22 we can celebrate it together at the park.  Wear your red shirt!   

Thank you all so much for all your hard work for the auction, in the classroom, and for supporting your child and our school.  You are so much more appreciated than you will ever know!!  Truly.  Thank you.

~Anne.

Fabulous February

     Hello to all!  February is here and with it comes all kinds of adventures.  We will be learning about the post office, dental health, shapes, and Valentine's Day traditions.  We'll have fun "sending" letters to our friends in our newly expanded writing center.  It's going to be a great time.  Please remember to send your children with coats/jackets, mittens/gloves, hats, and sensible shoes.  It can get pretty chilly out on the playground when the wind whips up and/or the fog doesn't lift.  The children usually have the option of taking those items off if they feel too warm, but they can't solve the problem of being too cold if they don't have the items with them.  In particular this time of year, mittens/gloves are especially helpful.

     For the 4s classes we will have two field trips this month.  We will be going on our second Nature Walk to the Canby Community Park (behind Safeway) on Friday, February 8 and to the Canby post office on Wednesday, February 13.  Both of these events will have us ending our day at the field trip location.  Permission slips will be out the first week of February.

     Thank you to all of you for your hard work on getting your auction donations in by the deadline.  We are so appreciative of your effort.  Please let us know if you are still needing help, or if you are still expecting things to come in.  We are here to help!

     The following list is a schedule of events for the month.  Remember that the schedule acts as a framework and that I maneuver with the group.  Sometimes I need to tweak things a little bit to suit the needs of the children.  Have a great month!

Monday, Feb. 4: We will be making a class heart decoration for the bulletin board so we will be taking pictures of the children for that today.  We will also try to make an envelope look like a piece of batik art.  Should be interesting...

Wednesday, Feb. 6: 3s~We will take pictures for the class bulletin board artwork and we will paint envelopes.  4s~We'll continue our batik art experiment by putting a color wash on the envelopes we "batiked" on Monday.  We'll decorate our class heart with tissue paper.

Friday, Feb. 8: 3s~We will put a color wash on our envelopes from Wednesday and we will decorate our class heart with tissue paper.  4s~We will go on our Nature Walk to the Canby Community Park.  We will meet in the parking lot of the Mormon church at 1285 S Elm St on the corners of Elm St and 13th Ave.  School will begin (1 p.m.) and end (3:40 p.m.) at the parking lot.  We will walk from the parking lot to the park along the nature trail.  We will play at the playground for a short period, have a snack, walk to the river to see the water, and then walk back to the parking lot.  It will take the entire class period.  School will begin and end at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 1285 S. Elm St.  The children will bring along their collection bags that we made in November and we will be looking for changes from the walk in the fall.  Yippee!

Monday, Feb. 11: In preparation for our outing to the post office on Wednesday, today we will write letters to our families.  If you have a different mailing address than you did on your registration form please let me know by today.  We will be sending the letters at the P.O. on Weds.  We will start making pockets for our Valentine's Day party, and make a big heart with paint rollers.

Wednesday, Feb. 13: 3s~Today we will start making our Valentine's Day pockets for our party on Friday.  We'll make a big heart with paint rollers and we will make heart decorations for the party.  4s~Class will start normally at 1 p.m. at the school and we will decorate envelopes with address labels and stamps.  We will make patterns with pasta and decorate our valentine pockets.  Our field trip will occur near the end of class.  At 2:50 p.m. we will gather together and make way for the post office.  My goal is to be at the P.O. ready for our tour at 3 p.m.  We will walk through the building, learn about the different stations, and mail our letters.  Class will end at the post office at 3:40 p.m.  We will NOT be going back to the school.  You must either transport your own child to the post office, or arrange a ride for them with another parent from the class.

Friday, Feb. 15: 3s AND 4s~Today we will have a Valentine's Day celebration!  The children will have pockets on the wall outside the classroom placed in alphabetical order.  You can bring goodies to put into the pockets before class.  At 11:20/3:20 we will have a little gathering to open the valentines and enjoy a treat or two.  Any parents that would like to join us for this are welcome to come back to the classroom in the last 20 minutes of class.  It is always helpful (and fun) to have parents there to help open and read the valentines.  We will be making a fruit salad to enjoy at snack time and your child will choose which fruit they would like to bring for the salad.  They will come home on Wednesday, Feb. 13 with a notice of what they have chosen.  Please look for it.  :)

Monday, Feb. 18: NO SCHOOL TODAY.  President's Day.  Go enjoy something presidential.  Pretend to be President for the day?  Have fun.

Wednesday, Feb. 20: 3s~This week we will be talking about dental health.  We will paint with toothbrushes today and talk about foods that are healthy for our teeth.  I'll hand out a check-off sheet that encourages twice daily brushing/flossing.  4s~We will be learning about how to care for our teeth and why it is so important.  We will paint with toothpaste and make a "mouth" and fill it with "teeth".  

Friday, Feb. 22: 3s~We'll have Open School today and make tooth necklaces and tooth puppets.  4s~Today a local dentist will come to visit to teach us about dental health.  We'll make tooth necklaces and tooth puppets and enjoy Open School after the dentist has left.

Monday, Feb. 25: Today we will read a fun story entitled, Ten Black Dots.  After we read the story we'll make a picture with our own dots.  It is always fun and interesting to see what the children come up with for this project.  We'll drop dots onto a class project in the art center.  

Wednesday, Feb. 27: 3s~We'll be studying shapes this week.  We will talk about circles today.  We'll read the story Ten Black Dots and make our own picture of dots.  We will cut out circles and paint them, and we'll try painting negative space circles on the easel.  4s~Today we will use the heat plate to color on circles.  We will cut circles and we'll make a ladder story about a circle.  

     This month will go by quickly, but with lots of fun packed into it.  Registration is in full swing, and remember that it is open to the public starting Feb. 15.  Get your registration form in as soon as possible in order to secure a spot for next year.  Normally we practice looping (keeping the same teacher for 3s and 4s), but if you would like to switch classes for any reason  you will need to get your form in as quickly as possible.  My 4s class occurs on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.  Teacher Andy has a morning 4s class from 9 a.m. to 11:40 p.m. and a 4s afternoon class from 1 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.  Both occur on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  If you have any questions or concerns about placement or class times please do not hesitate to ask me.  I am here to help!  

Thanks for all you do!!  ~Anne.    

Winter breezes in...

New Year Greetings~

Jack Frost is in the air and winter weather has swept in.  Sometimes when it is really cold out I wish it would just snow.  Lots and lots of snow.  Who wouldn't?  Welcome back to school.  Welcome to 2013!  We will start to see some amazing changes and magical things happen in the classroom.  The children have grown and developed so much and we will see new behavior as we start the year.  They will be solidifying their peer relationships and use the tools they have been hearing about all year.  It is a delightful time to be a teacher.  And a parent helper.  And a friend.

The following is a schedule of events for the month.  Please remember that I use this plan as my skeleton, so to speak, and that occasionally I will tweak things in accordance to what the children need.  (I have mentioned this in the past but it sometimes bears repeating.  I can be fairly loosey-goosey.)  Thanks for all that you do for me and the children.  I am so appreciative of all of you.  

(***Remember that the auction donations deadline is January 25.  If you are having trouble with getting donations, or dropping off donations, selling raffle tickets, or anything to do with your auction requirements PLEASE ask us for help.  We are here to help you.  Mali Geister, our fabulous auction guru is fantastic at coming up with ideas, suggestions, tips, and hints.  Please DO NOT hesitate to ask for help because it is easily accessible.)  

Here goes...

Monday, Jan. 7: Welcome back.  This week we will be studying snow and snowflakes.  We will paint a wooden snowflake today and sing a song with it next time.  We will make a snowman out of wood pieces and get a chance to do some paint mixing.  We will make snow at meeting time.  It's like magic!

Wednesday, Jan. 9: 3s~Welcome back.  Today we will be talking about snow and snowflakes.  We will paint a wooden snowflake and do some paint mixing.  We'll read a story about a bear that hibernates and we will paint a tree to go along with the story.  We'll learn a chant about snowmen and make snow at meeting!  4s~Today we will paint paper plate snowflakes and paint the snowmen/women that we started on Monday.  If you have small scraps of fabric or small hat like pieces of material or anything at home that might be especially good for a miniature snowman/woman please send it with your child for Friday.  We will read a story about what one might need to make a snowman/woman so the children will have their creative juices flowing.  Capitalize on it!  :)

Friday, Jan. 11: 3s~We will read the story The Mitten retold by Jan Brett.  The children will add animals to the tree they painted on Wednesday and they will paint paper plate snowflakes.  We'll learn a new song about a snowflake falling from the sky.  4s~We will decorate our snow people today.  If you have supplies for them, please send them with your child today.  We'll estimate how tall we are in snowflakes and then measure ourselves in snowflakes to see how close we were in our estimation.  Should be drifts of fun. 

Monday, Jan. 14: Today we will start our body project.  Each child will be traced and we will talk about our bodies inside and out.  We will also be talking about ice and its qualities.  We will be able to play with ice and do some experiments with it.  

Wednesday, Jan. 16: 3s~We will read the story The Hat also retold by Jan Brett.  We will cut out a hat and paint it.  We will make frost at meeting and play with ice and ice sculptures.  4s~We will trace more bodies today and start drawing what is inside of us.  We'll paint a picture of the inside of us as well.  

Friday, Jan. 18: 3s~We will continue to play with ice.  Today we will introduce salt and color for the ice and we'll make snowflakes fall in the art center.  Wow.  We will decorate our hat from Wednesday.  4s~We'll continue to draw the inside of us.  We'll introduce color to our ice sculptures and we'll be able to paint a picture of a body. We'll make snowflakes fall in the art center!

Monday, Jan. 21: NO SCHOOL TODAY.  MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY.  ENJOY!!  

Wednesday, Jan. 23: 3s~Today we will cut out bodies and draw what we look like on the inside.  We'll make faux x-rays that look a lot like the real thing. 4s~We will start the process of decorating the children's traced bodies with their own ideas of what they would like to look like on the outside.  This is hands-down one of my most favorite times of the school year.  The children all have an idea that is unique to them and it is a treasured moment.  After all the bodies are decorated they are hung on the ceiling for them to look at and enjoy for the rest of the school year.  We will start the process of making our own version of the book, Mary Wears A Red Dress.  We'll read the story and let the children decide what they would like to wear in the book.   

Friday, Jan. 25: 3s~The children will decorate their bodies with bandages today.  They love this because it gives them the opportunity to use as many bandaids as they want and I love it because it strengthens their fine motor skills.  Win, win.  Also, we'll play with a life-size puzzle of a skeleton.  4s~More decorating.  My goal is to "clothe" 4 children each day until finished.  We'll also cut out a body and put "owies" on it with bandages.  

Monday, Jan. 28: Today we will continue to decorate bodies, we'll finish our book, and we'll tell a ladder story about a snow storm.  We will have open school today and the children can wander to and fro.

Wednesday, Jan. 30: 3s~This is Bare Feet Day!  Send your child with slippers or slipper socks, or just let them run around in their bare tootsies.  I'll ask the children if they think they can paint and/or draw with their feet and then we'll try to draw with our feet and we'll put blindfolds on them and let them paint with their feet.  It should be an icky, gooey, fun mess!  4s~see 3s description.  Bare Feet Day!

Friday, Feb. 1: 3s~Pajama Day!!  Send your child to school in pajamas.  If you are the parent helper come in pajamas.  I will come to school in pajamas.  This is such a comfortable day.  ;)  The children can bring ONE stuffed animal or special lovey with them if they would like.  Don't forget shoes for outside time.  We will try blindfold finger painting and making pajama people.  For snack we will have popcorn that we make together.  We will have open school today for the first time.  The children will have the opportunity to play in every room in the school during free choice time.  It will be a fun experiment.  4s~Pajama Day!!  Send your child to school in their PJs.  Come to school in yours.  If they desire your child can bring ONE stuffed animal with them.  We will have open school, we will be making pajama people, and finger painting with blindfolds on.  We will have a popcorn snack that we will watch pop before our very eyes.  Don't forget to send shoes that your child can wear outside if the weather is such that we can go out.    

Thanks again for all of your support.  Remember to ask for help if you need it.  

For my 4s class: the children have really been wanting to share things and lots of them have been bringing things in to class to share.  I have been managing this, but have occasionally disappointed a child because we didn't have enough sharing time.  It has started to be fairly time consuming.  I don't want to put an end to this fun and important social piece of their school day, but I am currently working out a sharing box system similar to the Special Person of the Day.  For now, please do not let your child bring things from home to share with the class.  I hope to have the system for sharing in place by the second week of January.  I will have a Sharing Box that I will send home with a child on Monday and they can bring something back with them on Wednesday (as long as it fits in the box).  This way the child will get as much time as they need, I will budget the time accordingly, and no one will feel left out.  Whew!

I hope you all had a safe, exciting, and fulfilling holiday season.  Here's to a great new year!  

With lots of hope and love,

~Anne.