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 :)