December?!

Hello CCP families~  

I can hardly believe it, but the holiday season is here.  The school year is in fast motion and moving along much quicker than I am comfortable with.  Does anyone else feel things are too moving fast?  

Regardless of the speed with which the school year is progressing, I feel the children are growing and learning with each other just right.  The classroom environment makes me happy.  The children fill my bucket daily and are learning the best way to do so for each other as well.  I am so thankful for them and their open minds.  

This is one of those fortunate years that we have three whole weeks in the month of December.  We will spend the time making gifts, learning about space, planets, and moons, and reading gingerbread stories together. 

What follows is a loose schedule of what will happen in the classroom this month.  Use it as a guide to start a conversation with your child about what happens at school.  As always, if you have a question or concern don't hesitate to ask!

Here goes...

Monday, Dec. 1-Friday, Dec. 5: This week we will introduce the planets, the solar system and rocket ships.  As a school we will make spaceships for the dramatic play room.  The play room is a space station and the ships help to complete the scene.  We will cut, paint, and decorate rocket ships.  We will also talk about gift-giving and the children will make a gift for their family. 

Monday, Dec. 8-Friday, Dec. 12: This week will be devoted to learning about our moon.  We will read a special story by Eric Carle and sing a song about a man that lives in the moon.  Gifts for the family will come home this week.  The 4s class will make a story board about the Eric Carle story and will hopefully be able to tell the story to those outside of the school.  The 3s class will make a picture of Aikendrum, the man who lives in the moon.  We will learn about the phases of the moon.  The moon is full right before this week begins so it will be a good chance for the children to see the phase changes for themselves.  Please help them extend this lesson by taking them outside to see the differences from night to night.  You might even want to make a sketch of what it looks like each night.  Or make a photo essay of it by letting your child take a picture each night.  Or both!  The moon is new again on the 22nd so they should be able to discern fairly big changes if given the opportunity.  Ask me how to make this happen at home if you need help!

Monday, Dec. 15-Friday, Dec. 19: This will be our last week together before Winter break starts and the new year begins!  The 3s class will have a make up day on Monday of this week.  3s class will meet on Monday, December 15 for a make up day from 9:00-11:40 a.m.  Please mark your calendars and make sure to look for it as a parent helper sign up on VolunteerSpot.  We will read lots of stories of the gingerbread man genre this week.  We will learn about the gingerbread man, boy, girl, cowboy, baby, cookie, friends, etc.  There are lots of renditions of this story so please extend this into your home by picking up a book or two from the library.  We will cut, paint, and decorate a gingerbread ornament and make gingerbread cookie dough.  On Friday, December 19 in the last 25 minutes of class we will have cookies and cocoa together before the break.  We will need some supplies from the families so be looking for a sign up sheet by the sign-in clipboard.  Thanks so much for your help with this.  

Thanks again to all of you for your help and support over the last few months.  It has been a delightful school year thus far because of you.  I couldn't do it without you.  Any of you!  Thanks.  ~Anne :)    

  

November is falling fast...

Hi families-

I apologize for the delay in getting this information out to you.  I can't believe it is not only November already but almost half-way through it!  I hope you are finding some time with all this beautiful weather to get outside, enjoy the colors of the leaves, and see the changes the new season brings about.  The 4s class has been talking a lot about seasons and what they are so it is a good talking point for you as parents to point out the visible and tangible changes that you are noticing.  The 3s too can see the changes.  Include them in this exciting time!  

What follows is a description of what to expect for the rest of the month.  We will have a visit from the local fire station, make pictures out of leaves, have some homework, have a friendship feast, and enjoy some time off with family.  It should be a quick and fun month.

Week of November 10-14: We will finish up some projects we have been working on lately and talk about fire safety and firefighters.  The dramatic play room is a fire station and the children are having fun pretending to be firefighters.  On Wednesday the 3s class will have a visit from the firefighters from the Canby station.  The class will get a chance to walk around the engines and look inside one of them.  Make sure to send your child with a warm coat and possibly a hat as the visit will occur outside.  Wear your red shirts today!  The 4s class will leave school around 2:40 pm to visit the fire station's physical location.  PLEASE ARRIVE AT THE SCHOOL AROUND 2:30 TO PICK UP YOUR CHILD FOR TRANSPORT TO THE STATION.  Our tour will start as close to 2:45-2:50 as possible so we need all parents to arrive at the school on time.  If you can not be available to transport your child please arrange a ride with another parent in the class or with another adult.  Wear your red shirts today!  :)  At the end of the week we will have a fire drill and finish the fire trucks,etc. that we started on Wednesday.  Talk with your children about using 911 for emergencies and about your family fire plan.  It will all make a little more sense to them after they have seen the firefighters and their equipment.  If you don't have a family fire plan, this is a good time to start the conversation.

Week of November 17-21: This week we will talk about becoming a community and helping one another.  We will celebrate at the end of the week with a Friendship Feast.  On Monday the 4s class (Friday, November 14 for the 3s class) will hear a story called Stone Soup.  It is about a community coming together to help a hungry beggar and enjoy a potluck-style feast.  The children will choose a vegetable that they would like to bring to add to the soup we will make.  On Friday we will make items to go with our soup and have a feast together at the end of the day.  The schedule for the Friendship Feast will look something like this:  The 4s class will hear the Stone Soup story on Monday and at the end of the day will choose a vegetable they would like to add to the soup.  The 3s class will have heard the story the prior week and will choose a vegetable to bring to class at that time.  On Wednesday, Nov. 19 the children in both classes will bring their vegetables to class.  If your child chooses a vegetable such as a carrot, onion, potato, or any vegetable with a tough texture please bring it to class par-boiled so it is easier for the children to cut into bite-sized pieces.  Celery, tomatoes and the like do not need to be cooked.  We will assemble our soup on Wednesday during class and I will cook it at home.  On Friday during class we will make cornbread, mini pumpkin pies, and honey butter.  At the end of class (11:00 am and 3:00 pm) we will go to the fellowship hall in the church and eat our feast together.  All families are welcome to attend.  I will need some things donated by the families so please be looking for the sign-up sheet near check-in.  All the items on the sign-up sheet need to be back to class NO LATER than Friday, November 21.  We will be using the items that day for our feast.  If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me. 

Week of November 24-28:  Monday is our only school day this week.  The 3s will have a makeup day today.  School will start at 9:00 am and end at 11:40 am as usual.  It will be a normal school day.  We will have open school, play, and enjoy each other's company.  The 4s class will have the first of three nature walks.  I like to have a nature walk in each of the three seasons that we are in school.  We will go rain or shine so please dress your child appropriately.  Rubber boots or the like are a must.  In the past we have traveled to the Canby City Park on the nature trail.  This year I would like to walk in my woods.  We will gather at my house and walk on a trail to the Mushroom Wood.  If the weather cooperates we may go to The Beaver Pond.  The children will carry their collection bags from our Leafman project and collect along the way.  They will have a nature book and pencil to document interesting finds.  We will either eat snack outside or in my house depending on the weather.  We will begin and end class at my house (the address will be on the permission slip).  Please send your child with a snack, comfortable, appropriate footwear, and layers of clothing.  I think we should expect rain.  :)  It should be tons of fun.  THERE IS NO SCHOOL WEDNESDAY OR FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK.  Enjoy the time off with your family.  Travel safely if that is part of your plan. 

Thanks again for sharing your children with me.  I am enjoying them so much.  They light up my day, no matter what is happening outside of school.  I am seeing the magic children can bring to us on a regular basis.  They are learning together, working together, and loving together.  As corny as that can sound...it is truly happening in the classroom.  They are becoming such good friends.  I am so thankful for them.  Thank you.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me.  Have a great month!  ~Anne.