Welcome to Melissa's Class

Week of January 31, 2012

• The colors pink, red and white are springing up everywhere along with beautiful heart adorned bags in preparation for our upcoming Valentine's celebration. We have been talking about why we celebrate Valentine's Day and some of the special ways we show each other we care.
• Speaking of hearts...we have begun studying the human heart. Some of the children were very surprised to learn that your heart is about the size of your fist and grows along with you. They are also having fun listening to their own heart with a stethoscope. Ask your child about why sometimes our blood is blue.
• Six more weeks of winter? Yep, it's true. And according to folklore, Punxsutawney Phil sighting of his shadow means we are in for six more weeks of winter. This marks the 99th time Phil has failed to spot the ever elusive shadow.

Week of January 23, 2012

• Last Friday, the Extended Day students took a wonderful trip to the Boardman Nature Center.  We learned about what happens to animals in the winter and how to find signs of those still out and about.  Despite the cold temperatures we even ventured outside to look for BUGS!  Did you know that porcupines spend the majority of their time living in trees or that, before burying themselves in the mud, frogs take a deep breath, borrow in and wait until spring for their next breath?
• Everyone had a wonderful time celebrating the Chinese New Year.  As part of the celebration we listened to the story describing the "Lion Dance" and how loud noises from firecrackers are used to frighten it away.  Upon returning to our classroom one of the children asked "Do the people in China really light their crackers on fire to ward off dragons."  :)  Our friend Lorelei even gave everyone a beautiful fan to take home and enjoy.  
• Several children have had dentist appoints lately bringing about many conversations and questions. How to many teeth do we have, why do they fall out, will they all fall out at the same time?  We discovered that before our baby teeth fall out a chemical is released that dissolves the root allowing it to loosen and release.  

Week of January 16, 2012

• SNOW! We discovered the work of "Snowflake Bentley". William Bentley had a real curiosity about snowflakes and through his work discovered that no two snowflakes are alike and was even able to find a way to photograph thousands of beautiful examples. We have an activity that allows the children to attempt to catch and examine snowflakes on their own.
• On Wednesday we were treated to a musical concert from several different student ensembles from Interlochen. They made up four different groups and featured the flute, oboe, clarinet, french horn, bassoon and piano.
• In preperation for our Chinese New Year celebration next week we have been making lanterns, firecrackers and good luck banners with Happy New Year written in chinese. The extended day children have been practicing for their role as the Dragons during our celebration as well as creating their "patch" to add to the dragon's body like all the past extended day children of TCH. Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Week of January 9, 2012

• Happy New Year! When we began last week it finally looked like winter in Northern Michigan but by the middle of this week it looked like spring. Someone once said to me "if you don't like the weather in Michigan...wait 5 minutes." That being said, please take a moment to be sure that ALL of your child's outer gear is labeled in some way.
• We have been talking about what Martin Luther King Jr. did for the african-american community as well as for our country. It's a pretty big subject and I hope you will all take a moment to discuss, in your own words, how he made such an impact during his lifetime.
• Potatoes are January's Food of the Month. Did you know that potatoes originated in Southern Peru (not Europe as I always assumed) and that one medium potato with the skin provides 45% of your daily intake of vitamin C? Plus, the original Mr. Potato Head used real potatoes with plastic arms and legs. It was also the first toy to be advertised on TV. Nutritious, historical and fun...who knew?

Week of December 12, 2011

• Last friday the extended day children went to the Pavilions to share a little holiday cheer with the residents. The decorated cookies, cut out snowflakes and made holiday cards together. While they were working away a child joyfully began to sing Jingle Bells which lead to the other children to join in. As they did this a women seated at our table commented that she was really enjoying the entertainment and there couldn't be anything better than to hear children sing. Needless to say when it was time to go we sang all the way out the door.
• A friend in the classroom had a ruptured eardrum which lead to a huge discussion about the inner ear and how it works. We've learned that you balance comes from the ear and that the smallest bone in your body is located here. Ask your child what other interesting facts they've discovered.
• It was lovely to see many of you at our annual sing-a-long. Just as the women at the Pavilions stated...there isn't anything better than the sound of children's voices in song. I wish you all a joyful and wonderful winter break and a very Happy New Year.

Week of December 5, 2011

• Tis the season to be jolly and tis the season for the cold and flu. We have already had our fair share of the sniffles and continue to practice all the ways we can stay healthy with the biggest emphasis on the importance of washing your hands. We once again got out our "germ" kit and discussed how germs are spread and then "washed" our hands to see if they were really clean. Ask your child how many times it took them to really scrub the germs away.
• The holiday season is upon us and music is in the air. We have been singing many holiday songs in preparation for our sing-a-long on the 16th. Many are old favorites that you all probably know but I'm sure there are a few that you many have never heard before. Below is one of the children's favorite songs which is sung in a round and could make for a very entertaining car ride to school.

Fires Burning, Fires Burning
Draw nearer, Draw nearer
In the glowing, In the glowing
All sing and be merry.

• A lot of people travel during this time of year and two children began talking about flying on an airplane. One child had been on many flights while the other had never seen the inside of an aircraft. I myself had never stepped foot on an airplane until I was 17. They then decided to learn more, gathered several books about airplanes and discovered that there are many different types of with many different uses. Although the a fire fighting plane looked really cool we all decided that a passenger plane was probably the best way to travel by air.

Week of November 30, 2011

• Michele Worden, our Della Terra garden specialist, came to present November's food of the month --Kale. We were all surprised to hear that it is still growing in many of the gardens on our campus and that the colder temperatures make it become sweeter. The extended day children whipped up a batch of very tasty kale muffins to share with their classmates.
• This week we began practicing for our annual lockdown drill which I refer to as a "safety drill". We discussed why it is important to practice what we would do in the case of an emergency and why it's important to do so. For this particular drill, we all go into the bathroom and stay really, really quiet while I use the light from my cell phone to quietly read a book while we wait. As you can imagine the children think it's awesome and that we should practice everyday!
• The extended day children had an opportunity to travel to the City Opera House to see a performance titled Aesop's Bops. They were delighted with the fables being told and the songs that followed. One child laughed so hard he fell out of his chair. Needless to say, it was a big hit.

Week of November 14, 2011

• In preparation for Thanksgiving we have been singing songs, planing our own Harvest Feast, talking about the Pilgrams and what it might have been like to have been a child in 1620. We also discovered that the first Thanksgiving feast between the new settlers and the Wampanoag people wasn't so much about giving thanks to one another but about giving thanks for a good harvest and it lasted for 3 days!
• As our study about Poland continues we have been listening to and reading about Frederick Chopin. Did you know that he began playing piano at the age of 3 and by 6 he was already composing? But, what the children enjoyed most was learning about his curious music teacher. He used his boots as a purse and didn't believe in taking a bath.
• I enjoyed meeting with all of you so much last week and thank you for allowing me to share in such a special part of your lives. I also want to thank many of you for your generosity in purchasing every last book from our classroom basket this past weekend! I know we will enjoy them for years to come.

Week of October 31, 2011

• The children have been listening to the story Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev. It's a lovely story told along with the use of instruments. We have been looking at pictures and discussing how each apparatus makes the sound and the different techniques used to play them. If any of you have an instrument that you'd be willing to allow us to study up close and personal for a few days we would truly appreciate it. If you can still play it and would like to come in and demonstrate...even better!
• Recently we've been studying the skeletal system. The children have been enjoying a very cool set of cards that show a picture of a turtle, giraffe, human etc. but when you shine a light on the back it reveals the skeleton within. We also have a life size x-ray puzzle of a human. After they put it together many of them have been laying down next to it comparing what their x-ray might look like.
• I look forward to meeting with all of you next week to chat about your child and their accomplishments. If you haven't scheduled a time yet please contact the front desk as soon as possible.

Week of October 24, 2011

• It was wonderful to see so many of you for Parent Visiting Day. I always enjoy watching the children proudly show you around their classroom and share their many accomplishments. Conferences are just around the corner and I am looking forward to talking with all of you about your child's progress as well as some of the "lessons" you may have received. You can schedule a time, if you haven't already, by calling the front desk.
• Why do we carve pumpkins to help celebrate Halloween? Well, after doing a fair amount of research and finding many different stories I finally found one that seemed reasonable and appropriate to share with the children. Ask your child why "Jack" needed to make a "lantern" to help light his path home one dark evening.
• Pumpkins seem to be a hot topic this week. In our classroom we carved the two pumpkins from our garden and roasted the seeds. The extended day children made pumpkin biscuits to share in the Kitchen Classroom and our Della Terra corrdinator, Michele Worden, came to talk to us about Octobers Food of the Month...Pumpkins. Be sure to check our the school menu for November as it has lots of yummy dishes made with, you guessed it, Pumpkins.

Week of October 17, 2011

• This week we had a very rousing conversation about good choices and who is in charge of the decisions we make. One of the children shared that his mom made a "not so good decision" when she yelled at him for not cleaning up his mess! Well, you can only imagine where that statement lead us. In the end everyone agreed on two major points. First, it is important to remember that you are the only one responsible for the choices you make and second, my personal favorite, your parents should only have to ask you to do something ONE time.
• Our spanish lessons have been a huge hit and the children are catching on quickly! We've been singing songs and playing games which I'm sure you've heard. Many of you have asked "What's La Falda or Un Cortos"? So I decided it might be helpful to post a "cheat sheet" for you after each new lesson so you can have fun at home with your child too. Don't worry if you can't pronounce them...I'm sure your child will help you.

Last Week - Clothing
This Week - Halloween
La Falda - Skirt
Las Caramelos - Candy
Un Cortos - Shorts
La Calabeza - Pumpkin
El Vestido - Dress
El Esqueleto - Skeleton
Los Zapatos - Shoes
El Fantasma - Ghost
Los Panta Lones - Pants
La Bruja - Witch
Las Botas - Boots
El Gato (de negro) - Cat (black cat)
Los Pijamas - Pajamas
El Murcielago - Bat
Un Sombrero - Hat
La Arana - Spider
La Camiseta - Shirt
La Telarana - Web

• The cold weather is back and probably here to stay. Please remember that we go outside everyday and it can be quite windy on the playground so be sure you're child has the proper gear to keep them warm and toasty. Don't forget to check their bag of extra clothes as well and exchange the shorts and t-shirts for long pants and shirts.  

Week of October 10, 2011

• We are finding our study of Poland to be a rich and fulfilling project. Agnes Woynarowski, came and shared with us what it was like to grow up in in her native country. She shared pictures of the town where she grew up along with several cultural differences we have. The one that seems to have stuck out the most is the fact they they don't celebrate Birthdays the way we do here in America. They celebrate Numbers Day. Traditionally each child is named after a saint and you celebrate your numbers day based on where that falls on the calendar.
• Ah, the smells of the season. This week we made several batches of applesauce using our crock pot and wow did our room smell good. On Thursday, the children prepared pumpkin pancakes and we all enjoyed quite a feast!
• We finally harvested our last mammoth sunflower and it turned out to be 12 feet high with a stalk diameter of 7 inches and a bloom 18 inches wide! Wow! We are letting the head and seeds dry for a few weeks before harvesting them for next years garden.

Week of October 3, 2011

• Now that it is officially October the children are all very excited about Halloween! I can tell you that there will be many princesses, ghosts and skeletons trick or treating this year but I think I will be on the look out for the Peacock! I am also excited about our fall festival this Sunday. My daughters, Merissa and Ashleigh, and I will be among the face painters and we've been practicing all week and hope to see you there.
• This week Senora Kane (Courtney) began spanish lessons with us. We learned how to say Good Morning - Buenos Dias and See You Tomorrow - Hasta Manana as a way to greet and say farewell to one another each day. We also began learning how to name the parts of our bodies. We ended our class with a very rousing game of "Simon Says" or Simone Dice. We can't wait to see what she has in store for us next week!
• As I watched a child master tying a bow for the first time I felt tears of joy coming to my eyes and I wanted to jump up and do a cheer with him. As I waited for him to give me the cue I realized that it wasn't going to come. He simply sat back in his chair and smiled, not at me, but at the bow itself. It reminded me that if a child is truly connected to the materials he will choose work that speaks to him and gives his sole satisfaction. He doesn't need to be told "Good job" or "Wow, you're so smart" he simply does it for himself. What a wonderful feeling.

Week of September 19, 2011

• Germs make me sick! That is the title of a book we read this past week in preparation for cold and flu season which seems to be upon us early this year. We talked about how we can prevent germs from spreading and what we can do to stay healthy. We are also using a germ "simulation" kit that actually shows how this can happen with the use of a powder that can only be seen under a special light. Ask your child how many times they had to wash their hands before their hands were "germ" free.
• Welcome Fall! It's time to roll up the hoses, clear our the garden beds and (to the ducks dismay) store their wading pool until next spring. The entire school community worked together to ready our campus for the colder weather ahead. Many thanks to those of you who found a few moments to roll up your shirt sleeves and get dirty along side of us.
• One of my favorite events of the year is our class social. It is always such a joy for me to be able to spend this time with all of you and become more connected as a classroom community. I hope you all got a chance to reconnect as well as welcome our new families. Thank you all for raising such amazing children and for sharing them with me. 

Week of September 12, 2011

• This past week, we have begun the process of harvesting seeds from many of the flowers in our gardens. Cosmos, 4 O'clocks and Calandula just to name a few. While plucking, sorting and storing our seeds we came to the realization that the flowers grown this past year are third generation from the original seeds we purchased a few years ago!
• We also seem to have a race between the children and the birds to see who can get to the sunflower seeds first which brought about singing a song titled "Sunflowers." I thing you will enjoy singing it along with your child.

Sunflower, sunflower, yellow and round.
You are the prettiest flower I've found.
Tall, straight, full of grace...
I love the light in your bright yellow face.

• Each day we gather in small groups or one large collective to share stories, talk about subjects of interest and sing songs. This past week there has been a lot of conversations about the cooler weather and why it effects the changing colors of the leaves. Ask your child what a tree needs to do to store food for the winter and why it effects the leaves.

Week of September 5, 2011

• What a lovely week we've had as we welcomed back our entire school community after a long and beautiful summer. It's been fun to watch the children welcome new friends and reconnect with old classmates. They have been very busy sharing many stories about their summer adventures.
• The extended day children had their first field trip to Hands On Art to create a tile that we will soon be hanging in our great hall. It's their first "official" act as the oldest members and leaders of the primary wing. We hope to have them hung up in the next few weeks so be sure to watch for them.
• The gardens continue to keep us busy and I often find the children munching away on something just plucked from the vine. This past week, we harvested several bell peppers and they immediately devoured every last one. Next year they've requested not only green peppers but red and yellow as well. We are also very excited that after many attempts in the past we finally have our first pumpkin!

Week of August 22, 2011

• Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes... We will be selling tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini all this week!
• This last week we enjoyed making and eating salsa with all the tomatoes. I have found many simple recipes on-line and I am still researching the whole salsa making.
• Drumming with DeDe was a great amount of fun! This is our last week before we break for one week and get the room all cleaned up and ready to go for fall. I am sure the transition back will be seamless. Enjoy next week and we will see you after labor day!

Week of August 15, 2011

• We had two birthday celebrations this past week. What a uniquie memory that our children are lucky to have. It is such a special time to celebrate the birthday child and his or her life so far on this earth. The conversations about our universe that stem from the celebration are marvelous.
• We are having the opportunity to observe a black swallowtail butterfly develop through the lifecycle. The larvae or caterpillar was found on a dill and parsley plant. It has now advanced to the pupae or chrysalis stage and hopefully will watch him or her emerge into a beautiful butterfly soon.
• Last week we also had the opportunity to listen to Amalia Fernand speak about her adventures in Africa. We saw amazing photos of the animals she has observed and the children she has worked with in Africa.
• This week we are looking forward to drumming with Deedee Alderman on Tuesday and Friday. Enjoy the week ahead!

Week of August 1, 2011

Last week was another exciting week.

• The Traverse City West Highschool drumline visited and gave us a magnificent concert in the soccer field. They played with great precision and concentration. The children were in awe of them. After they played thechildren were allowed to play their drums. What a memorable event.
• The harvesting is in full swing! We have tomatoes, cucumbers, and zuccini each day to harvest. It is amazing to watch a child pick a tomatoe off the plant and pop it in their mouth.

Below are two simple recipes from Kristina that the children have been enjoying.

Yogurt Popsicles
2 cups berries
2 cups yogurt

blend, pour in small cups, insert popsicle stick, freeze, enjoy!

Watermelon Smoothies
2 cups watermelon
1.5 cups strawberries
1/4 cup papaya juice
1 teaspoon fresh mint

Week of July 25, 2011

• Well the time finally came. After weeks of TLC our turtle was finally ready to be released back into the wild. A few of the children accompanied me to Twin Lakes Park and we all agreed that as much as we've enjoyed having her it was very heartwarming to watch her happily swim away.
• Our pullet, Peanut Butter, finally laid her first egg! The children were very excited to see how different the egg was compared to the eggs our silkie hens lay. Peanut Butter is a standard breed Americana and lays the most beautiful blue/green eggs. Be sure to look for them at our farm stand.
• The heat seems to have died down a little allowing us more time outside again. We harvested 8 lbs. of carrots along with several beautiful cucumbers and zucchini. The children are gobbling up most of these vegetables down faster than we can pick them. Please feel free to stop by anytime to pick items with your child to share together at home.

Week of July 11, 2011

• Can you believe that we are nearly half way through summer? Time goes too quickly. Last week we had "Super Fun Friday" which involved games, popsicles and huge homemade bubbles. We used 4 cups of water and 1 cup Dawn dishwashing liquid. You can also add sugar or glycerin for color. I will send home directions to make your own Giant Bubble Wand later this week. It is a ton of fun and easy to do.
• It turns out that making paint like the early settlers did is harder than we thought. After collecting many different flowers and plants the only colors we've come up with so far is purple and brownish green. I have a few more ideas that we will try this week and hopefully we can get a yellow and red. Once we achieve this we are going to use an egg yolk tempera technique. I bet you'll be seeing some spectacular artwork soon.
• On Friday a few children and I will be taking a field trip to Twin Lakes Park where we will be releasing our turtle. If your child received information about this please remember to leave a car seat.
• There's still time if you'd like to schedule a conference to chat about what your child has been up to since our last meeting in March. Please contact the front desk for available times.

Week of July 4, 2011

• This past week we were able to offer fresh eggs and flower bouquets at our "farm stand". Hopefully this next week will yield not only eggs and flowers but peas as well! This is proving to be a really great experience for the children as they are taking the idea of Earth to Table to a whole new level. The money raised is going to be used for future seed and chicken feed purchases so they are seeing how their efforts are coming full circle.
• Our turtle is doing very well and her shell is healing nicely. We have discovered that she likes to munch on crickets, worms and rose shafers which are in abundance on our campus. If all goes well we hope to release her in a week or two.
• We spend a lot of time outside everyday making new discoveries about insects, plants and animals. While collecting flowers the children found that some petals and leaves left a stain on their hands so this week we are going to attempt to make our own paint by using some techniques the Native Americans used. We've never done this before so it should prove interesting.

Week of June 27, 2011

• Melissa! They aren't green anymore! They are turning yellow and red! These were the words I heard from many excited children this past week. It has been such a long cold beginning to summer that many of us were wondering if anything was going to ripen. We are all very excited that things are finally changing.
• If an insect has 6 legs and an arachnid has 8...what is a caterpillar? This was a very puzzling question many of us were very confused about. Well, after a little research we found out that a caterpillar is the larva of a butterfly so still considered an insect. Who knew? Speaking of which, we have a large group of milkweeds growing outside our classroom and we are all hopeful that a Monarch just might decide it would be the perfect place to lay her egg. Stay tuned.
• I hope everyone took full advantage of the weather and had fun with family and friends this past holiday weekend. You can't beat summers in Michigan can you?

Week of June 20, 2011

• This past week has been full of warmer weather, summer harvests, healing hands and many new discoveries. We excitedly began with this season's first garden harvest which yielded 8 lbs. of radishes! We ate some, shared some and, for the first time, sold some. Make sure to watch for our "Farmers Market" as produce ripens. Fresh eggs will also be included from time to time. Our seasoned hens are laying about 2 eggs a day and we are hopeful the ducks will begin to contribute in the next week or two.
• We have been called upon to nurse a lovely painted turtle back to health. This past weekend my dog somehow found this poor creature in our backyard and decided it would be fun to play with it. In doing so, its shell was injured. The turtle is now living outside our classroom and seems perfectly happy to get his shell rubbed down twice a day with a special lotion and happy to see food show up magically.
• Please be sure to mark your calendar for Parent Visiting Day on July 26th from 9-10 and a family garden social on August 24th, details will follow.

Week of May 30, 2011

• We began this week with the school work bee. The children enjoyed hauling mulch to the beds, weeding, and in general just being a part of making our school look more beautiful! Thank you to those who helped.
• Next week is full of fun and excitement! Thursday we will celebrate Equador, enjoy field day and have an all school picnic. Lunch will be provided on Thursday! On Friday please plan on being at school by 10:45. The parade will begin at 11. It is a very unique ceremony that we are all so lucky to be part of.
• Many children will return to school on Monday, June 20. We will keep our routines as normal as possible to insure a seamless transition. Our class will be a little smaller in size but for all purposes will run the same as it does now.
• For those of you who will not be here this summer we wish you a relaxing, fun, and restful summer break! Thank you for sharing your children with us this year. It is such an honor to work side by side with such amazing children. 

Week of May 23, 2011

• The children have been greatly enjoying watching the baby chicks grow this week. The ducks and a few chickens have arrived back and have a new "palace" to enjoy. Reed built an amazing coop for them to enjoy which you should check out sometime. The children can't believe they are the same ducks and chickens that were once so tiny.
• Juliette Schultz, mother of Rowan Schultz, visited our room and spoke of her adventures in Equador. She shared pictures of many people and places she visited in Equador. She spoke of cacoa farms, the size of various insects, and answered the children's questions about Equador.
• Tuesday, May 31 we are having a campus beautification day. If you are available for any part of the day to help we would appreciate it. If you will be able to make it and would like to be included for pizza lunch please let us know. Hope to see you Tuesday!
• Enjoy the long weekend! 

Week of May 16, 2011

• The garden is getting greener by the day. The radishes sprouted through today and the children planted herbs, carrots, and broccoli yesterday. The sunflower house is on it's way. We are so fortunate to have such a great opportunity to grow such a variety of plants.
• Today we enjoyed llapinggachos, an Equadorian potatoe recipe that is similar to twice baked potatoes but flattened and grilled. We have continued to discuss animals living on the Galapegos Islands and learn some Spanish.
• The mother hens brought their babies out for a walk Tuesday. They are the cutest little things. Watching the mothers teach them all the important things a chicken needs to know is really interesting. They are now in a fenced in coop. We have two observation chairs near by that children can choose through out the day to check out the chickens.
• Next Friday is Grandparents/Special Person day. Your child's grandparent(s) can plan to arrive by 9:00. It is a special morning for all involved. The campus closes at 12:00.

Week of May 9, 2011

• Yesterday, we welcomed the arrival of four baby chicks. The happy, surrogate mothers must be delighted that all four chicken eggs hatched and out came four beautiful baby chicks. We were able to get a few peeks at them and they are so cute. The two mama's seems to be working together and caring for these little babes. Hopefully they will bring them out for us all to see soon. The mothers barely left the coop for 21 days just sitting and sitting, waiting and waiting.
• Wednesday afternoon we were privledged to watch some of The Children's House talented elementary students at the Talent Show. The barn was full of smiles, laughs, and cheers. The show was organized by our own classroom graduate, now third year elementary student, Sophia Chefalo.
• Hopefully the warm weather is here to stay. Please remember to send your child to school with sunscreen on. We will re-apply before going out to recess, but various work is occurring outside before we get to recess.

Week of May 2, 2011

• Spring is finally, cross your fingers, here! On Monday we celebrated May Day with the extended day dancing with their ribbons around the May Pole. What a pretty sight.
• Many children in our class seem to have quite a taste for carrots and hard boiled eggs. The carrot peeling/cutting and egg peeling work have been very popular this week. Children are strengthening their hand muscles, working on precision, using grace and courtesy to offer others carrots and many more valuable lessons from these works.
• This week two items from Equador arrived in our classroom which we will be learning more about. One is a musical instrument made of goat toenails and the other a beautiful woven blanket. We felt the blanket and discussed the colors, design, and texture.
• Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers! 

Week of April 25, 2011

• Thursday we celebrated No-Ruz an Iranian Spring tradition. Rose Hollinder led us in this celebration as we jumped over a pretend fire and ate traditional foods. Jumping over the fire we thought about leaving something behind from the past and jumping into the future. We tasted apples, olives, eggs, sprouts, and sweet wheat pudding. The celebration was presented on a beautiful cloth with other spring items such as a hyacinth plant, sumac branch, and vinegar.
• We were fortunate enough to have five fertile eggs given to us that our chickens are happy to be surogate mothers to. We candled the eggs by holding a flashlight to them in the dark and could see the beginning of development. In roughly two weeks we may have some new additions waddling around.
• Sunday is May 1st or May Day. We will celebrate in the barn on Monday with dancing, singing, and the crowning of the new May Day Queen. We have been making May Day branches and are hoping for beautiful weather to start the month of May.

Week of April 18, 2011

• What a lovely snowy day! Too bad it is mid-April. The snow will soon be gone and we will be back to working the garden. The ducks and chickens will be arriving back as soon as the weather permits. They will be residing in their new outdoor home very shortly.
• We have been focusing on lessons in grace and courtesy this week. Grace and courtesy lessons are a way of practicing acceptable responses in various social situations. For example we may act out when and how you would ask someone for help or how to walk in the classroom. Grace and courtesy lessons are done through out the entire day and are such an important part of your child's day.
• We have continued to read various poems this week in celebration of Poetry month.

Week of April 11, 2011

• This week, we learned some interesting facts about Ecuador, our current culture of study. Ecuador exports bananas, shrimp, cut flowers, cacao, and coffee. Ecuador means equator in spanish and it is located on the equator, but that does not mean all parts of Equador are always hot. There are four major regions in Equador which vary greatly. The Galapagos islands are a famous area of Equador with many interesting animals living there.
• We have continued reading works from various poets this week. Next Thursday, the school will have a poetry jam where the children are invited to recite poems.
• We have been preparing the garden beds this week! Quite soon we will be in full swing with the planting. We have child sized hoes, shovels, and rakes that are getting a great work-out right now. There is something so peaceful about preparing the garden. 

Week of April 4, 2011

• What a lovely time of year! Spring has sprung and we couldn't be happier. The playground was full of happy sounds of children who were not wearing snow pants, hats, mittens, and all the other winter gear. It was a beautiful sight that many of us thought would never come. Hooray!
• The ducks, Ping and Coco, entertained us with their swimming abilities this week. They would dive right under the water come up and shake themselves all over. It was an amazing sight.

• This month we are celebrating poetry. We read several beautiful spring poems this week.

The Crocus

The golden crocus reaches up
To catch a sunbeam in her cup

Walter Crane

There is Joy

There is joy in
Feeling the warmth
Come to the great world
And seeing the sun
Following its old footprints.

Eskimo

• We have begun to work in the gardens. Hooray again! Please send an extra pair of labeled shoes for your child that is o.k. to get dirty and keep at school.

Week of March 21, 2011

• This month's Music on Monday featured a gentleman demonstrating the Bagpipes and some really cool beats from our very own school drum club. Did you know that Bagpipes have a cow inside?
• Can you believe this snow? It was really beginning to look like spring and then all of the sudden it's a winter wonderland again. Well, old man winter might have had the need to give us one last blanket of snow, I hope, but we aren't letting that stop us from planning for warmer days ahead. We have begun planting a few of our seeds and will be really busy in the next few weeks planting and caring for the seedlings. It's always a really exciting time for all of us.
• While the ducklings are settling in, the chicks have been visiting the other primary classrooms. They are now nearly 4 weeks old and WOW have they changed! We all agree that they look like some sort of dinosaur chicken. One child made the very adorable comment that "They might look really weird now but that's OK because they need to do that before they get pretty again." Boy I hope they're right.

Week of March 14, 2011

• Spring is in the air! What a beautiful week. As you may have noticed from your child's outdoor clothing, the playground is wet. Please pack an extra pair of socks for your child. We are still wearing snowpants to protect from the water. If your child stays for friend's club, sending extra mittens would be appreciated. This soggy time of year will soon give way to dry clothes.
• Wednesday, we culminated our Ethiopian study with a celebration. Four representatives from Run Across Ethiopia answered questions and shared some incredible pictures of their trip. We presented them with a check for over $240 to go towards the schools that are being built in Ethiopia. In addition, the entire school community had already donated over $1000 towards this amazing cause.
• Two ducklings arrived in our classroom on Thursday. The children are enjoying these little babies as they waddle around and eat and drink. One is a fuzzy yellow while the other is a light brown. They are so cute and will be a delight to watch grow. The chicks are growing so quickly and are visiting some other classrooms this week.

Week of February 28, 2011

• There're here! Our room was full of excitement with the arrival of our baby chicks. We have 4 Lakenvelders, 4 Cuckoo Marans, 4 Light Brahma, 4 Blue Andalusions, 4 White Cochins and 5 Araucanas. If you get a chance please feel free to come and see them.
  
• Maureen Voss, one of the family members from the Run Across Ethiopia project, brought back some gifts for our school to enjoy. This week we had a beautiful handmade dress that would typically be worn on very special occasions to church. Many of the girls enjoyed wearing it throughout the day while they worked.

  

  
• Parent teacher conferences are just around the corner. Please call the front desk to schedule a time. I have times available Monday-Friday. See you soon.

Week of February 21, 2011

• Rebecca Lessard, from Wings of Wonder, came to educate us on Michigan Raptors. We all got up close and personal with a real live Peregin Falcon, Eastern Screech Owl, Sharp Shinned Hawk and a very large, very cool Turkey Vulture named Doolin! Once back in the classroom we had an opportunity to dissect an owl pellet. Ask your child what kind of bones we found inside.
• During the Presidents Day assembly our extended day students had the opportunity to share some of the facts they had discovered about Zachary Taylor and I quote. "Zachary Taylor was the 12th president of the United States. His nickname was Old Rough and Ready. He died suddenly in 1850 and some people think, if he had lived, we wouldn't have had the Civil War."
• Did you know that Thursday, February 24th marked the 100th day of school? In the afternoon we have fun making necklaces using 100 beads, jumping up and down 100 times and being silent for 100 seconds. Do you know how hard that can be? Counting different items around the house can be a really fun activity to share with your child. 

Week of February 14, 2011

• What a joy it was to see children and their parents working so intently at the Parent Visiting Day. Parents and children alike enjoy this time so much! It is great to get a small glimpse at the work your child does. We hope your visit was a sweet memory. If you were not able to make it but would like to come observe feel free to contact us.
• The Children's House campus will be closed Monday in observance of President's Day. As a class we will be choosing one president to share information about with the school community on Tuesday.
• The chicks will soon be arriving in our room! We have some veteran chick raisers from last year so we will be expanding our chicken variety and number. The chickens' appearance brings so many wonderful conversations to the community. The chickens this year will hopefully provide many eggs to our classroom and create a healthy soil for our beautiful gardens. Children who are here this summer will also have the opportunity to show the chickens at the fair. You will soon hear your children talking chicken.

Week of February 7, 2011

• The children listened and participated in an Ethiopian folktale about a father who gathers his sons together and gives them each two sticks. He asks his sons to break one stick and see how the sticks can easily break. Then he asks his sons to bring their other stick to his oldest son who ties the sticks together. Then the father asks the sons to try and break the sticks. The men could not break the sticks. The father explains how when we stick together we are stronger than we are by ourselves. The children were given two sticks themselves and tried to break them when they were tied together. It was a beautiful story.
• It was great to see many of you at the enrollment meeting. If you have any questions regarding next year please let us know.
• On Monday we will be celebrating Valentine's Day. Your child will be able to place his or her unaddressed Valentine's in each child's bag.

Week of January 31, 2011

• Dede Alderman delighted us with her drumming and singing on Music on Monday. She brought various drums from around the world including a dumbek from the Middle East. Together we sang the African greeting Funga Alafia. Dede sang funga alafia and we responded with ashay ashay. This song means; My thoughts welcome you, my words welcome you: Peace. It was a beautiful sound!
• Thursday we celebrated Chinese New Year. During the dragon dance, you could hear the words Gung Hay Fat Choy being said by the Extended Day students. The students also received envelopes also known as lai see packages. This is the year of the rabbit. It is known as a calm year.
• Orange juicing has been a work choice where children choose to squeeze fresh oranges into juice and then dry the outside of the orange and make them into birdfeeders. Children have enjoyed bird watching just outside our classroom window. It is amazing that birds stay here in the coldest of months!

Week of January 24, 1011

• We have been discussing teeth in our classroom. After a student lost her tooth in class a discussion developed. We have a large model of a mouth with a toothbrush that children can brush for two minutes. Children counted their teeth and learned that a chemical is produced when the adult tooth is growing in that makes the baby tooth's roots dissolve and thus the tooth falls out.
• This week we have been stretching our bodies with yoga. Ask your child if he or she can do tree pose or cobra. We also talked about the benefits such as more balance, a larger breathing capacity, and strength in our muscles.
• The extended day students practiced the dragon dance this week in preparation for next Thursday's celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Week of January 10, 2011

• This week we continued our study of Ethiopia. The Extended Day students made a snack called Dabo Kolo. It is bread that is dark in color and the shape of a small ball. We continue to follow the progress of Run Across Ethiopia by looking at photos of the area where the runners are and discussing the rare coffee that is found in this part of Ethiopia. We talked about how the coffee farmers are working together to make sure people in their community have healthcare, education, and clean water.
• Monday is the celebration of Martin Luther King's Birthday. Next week, will read a story and talk about his life.
• This week we also did an experiment with our heart. We felt our pulse before we exercised and after. The children were amazed to feel the difference in their pulse after just 30 seconds of exercise. We read about how adult hearts beat more slowly than children and how babies hearts beat the fastest.
• Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 3rd. We will be working on a new dragon for the dance this year. The Extended Day students enjoyed The Dragon New Year this week during Great Books.

Week of January 3, 2011

• Welcome Back! We hope you had a relaxing and fun-filled Holiday. Hopefully many awesome memories were made. It was amazing to see the children dive right into work this week. It is very nice for us all to be back into the swing of school and settling down for lots of learning.
• We are looking forward to the arrival of our new materials that were purchased by many of you for the holidays. Thank you for your generosity. The children will appreciate them for years!
• We have begun our school-wide study of Ethiopia. A group of local runners has begun Run Across Ethiopia. The group will run over 250 miles by January 21. We will follow their progress. If you are interested in checking this out the website is www.runacrossethiopia.org.  The money raised from the run will help to support the building of schools across Ethiopia. The runners will later share their experiences with us at school.

Week of December 13, 2010

• This week our classroom has buzzed with Holiday excitement. We have shared stories from the past year and have shared our hopes and made plans for 2011. We have spent a lot of time practicing songs for our holiday sing-a-long. It is a wonderful time for school community to come together to share the joy of this season.
• Courtney, Amy and I would like to wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyous new year!

Week of December 6, 2010

• The holiday season is upon us and we have been talking about the many different ways people celebrate around the world this time of year. This week, we began talking about Hanukkah and have enjoyed learning to play the dreidel game. Next week we are going to make latkes and applesauce to enjoy together.
• As part of our Global Citizenship Project, we are beginning to discuss Ethiopia. I am very excited to explore and learn about this fascinating country with the children. One of the exciting ways we are hoping to enhance this experience is to raise enough money to help build a roof for a school! Your child will be bringing home more information about this project. You can also find details in the Tuesday Note.
• Many thanks to those of you who've already purchased items from our classroom wish list. It's because of your generosity, thoughtfulness and wonderful children that make our classroom such an amazing place to learn.

Week of November 29, 2010

• Wednesday, several Chinese students from Interlochen Arts Academy visited and took part in our cumulating celebration of China. The students showed their many talents which included playing oboe, cello, violin, piano and singing. As a school we were able to enjoy tea, scallion pancakes and oranges together. In our classroom, we were busy chopping up green onions, celery, cabbage, carrots, and ginger to make spring rolls.
• Wow, have we been having fun with all the great books many of you bought for our classroom during the Horizon Book Day. Be sure to ask your child about The Story of Ping and Tikki Tikki Tembo. They are both books that I loved when I was younger and it so much fun to share these with your children today.
• Germs make me sick. Yep, it's that time of year and we will be focusing on how germs are spread and what we can do to stay healthy beginning with how to wash your hands so that they are actually clean! Ask your child what we did to so that we could see "germs", how they are spread and if they had to wash their hands more than once to get them off.
• The snow is finally here so please be sure to send your child with all the gear they will need to go out and enjoy the winter fun.

Week of November 15, 2010

• Thanksgiving is just around the corner! We have been discussing the first Thanksgiving and talking about why they celebrated. We read the book A Day in the Life of Samuel Eaton and discussed the qualities some of the Pilgrims possessed; hard working, strong, courageous, and fearless. We are looking forward to our Harvest Feast on Tuesday. Please refer to the sheet that came home earlier as to what your child can bring. If your child does not come on Tuesday you are welcome to come for the feast from 11:30-12:15.
• We are looking forward to Brunch and Learn on Saturday from 9:00-12:00. Beginning at 9:00 we will be meeting in the Primary Great Hall and then separating into various rooms to get our hands on the materials. Childcare is available as well. Sign up is required by noon on Friday. We are looking forward to sharing with you the background of some of the materials and allowing you to do some of the work that your child does throughout his or her day.
• The sweet sound of the bells are ringing throughout our classroom. This material is two sets of thirteen bells that go from middle C to high C. Children learn to strike a bell, match the bells, grade the bells from high to low, play simple songs, and compose songs. This material helps the child discriminate sounds in relations to pitch and eventually notation and composing.

Week of November 1, 2010

• Wednesday, Jim or Master Shefoo, visited our class. He demonstrated Tai Chi and Kung Fu. Tying in our study of China, he taught us that "nee how" means hello in mandarin and "shi shin" means thank you. We learned that Tai Chi means ultimate energy. We practiced five moves in kung Fu. Ask your child about the tiger, snake, mantis, crane, and monkey. It was a wonderful demonstration of an amazing art form.
• This week in Spanish, the extended day students discussed the day of the dead. We enjoyed Pan de Muertos which is a Mexican traditional bread that is eaten at celebrations. This is a time of gathering of friends and family to remember loved ones who have died. It is a time of great celebration.
• As you have noticed the weather has turned cold. Please send your child with all the appropriate clothing and having it labeled would be great! We look forward to seeing you at your conference! Just a reminder: Our class will run as usual on Thursday and Friday on "school conference days".

Week of October 25, 2010

• Why won't pickles get off her nest? The children have noticed that one of our chicken doesn't seem to be laying eggs but is constantly sitting in a nesting box. After a little research we learned that she is brooding which simply means she really, really, really wants to hatch and raise a family (eggs or no eggs). Ask your child what we have been doing everyday to help her stop.
• Pumpkin Fun Day is always a hit with crafts, games, songs and yummy treats. We hope you all have a safe and fun filled week-end as well.
• I have had many requests for the lyrics to the songs we've been singing lately so I hope you enjoy singing this one with your child.

Let's make a jack, jack, jack-o-lantern
I'll show you how, how, how it's done

You simply scoop out a little yellow pumpkin
And cut a pumpkin face for fun

Inside you'll put, put, put a candle
To make a shine, shine, shining light

We'll make a fine jack-o-lantern for our window
To grin at people in the night.

Week of October 18, 2010

• This years first Music on Monday took place this past week which featured a violin performance from Yuri Namkung, a teacher at Interlochen. She entertained us with a variety of arrangements which allowed us to hear how versatile the violin can be and the many different feelings it can invoke.
• Did you know Vincent VanGogh only sold one painting during his life time or that the reason he painted so many self portraits is because he couldn't afford models? Ask your child what they find interesting about this very influential artist.
• I hope to see many of you next Wednesday, October 27th, for Parent Visiting Day. The children are always so excited to show you all of the new and exciting lessons they are working on and it's such a great way for all of us to feel more connected with each other. 

Week of October 11, 2010

• Michele Worden visited this week to share the vegetable of the month- fennel. We tasted fennel seeds, leaves, roasted fennel, and raw fennel. Michele spoke of the medicinal benefits such as easing colic and stomach pain. The seeds tasted like black licorice. What a wonderful sensorial treat.
• The oldest children have begun serving younger children tea. The older student invites his or her friend for tea where they have a pleasant conversation while they wait for the tea to steep and then as they sip their tea.
• Next Friday the school will be closed. Monday, October 25th (childcare day). Our year-round class will run as normal. If you are not on a year round contract but would like your child to attend, please contact the front desk to register your child (there will be a fee for childcare.)

Week of October 4, 2010

• The children had a lot of fun peeling, slicing and coring apples this week as they learned how to make applesauce. As the apples began to cook and the sweet smell filled our classroom we all agreed that we should make applesauce everyday!
• China continues to be a daily topic of conversation and this week we introduced the ancient art of Calligraphy. We are using brushes, bamboo, and blown glass pens and in some cases learning to mix our own ink!
• Anna Serrano began Spanish with the Extended Day children and their first class began with an introduction to el otono (autumn). They explored the campus and talked about all the beautiful colors of the season. Ask your child what red, yellow and orange might be in this beautiful language. 

Week of September 27, 2010

• We had our first fire drill this week! We've been practicing how to line up and carefully walk to our spot on the soccer field. The children are always filled with so many questions and I encourage all of you to talk further about this at home.
• Did you know that squirrels are natures gardeners? We had a very lively discussion about how squirrels run around this time of year gathering and storing nuts for the winter and don't you know that sometimes they forget where they buried them and up pops a tree?!
• The Extended Day children had their first field trip and boy was it exciting! Is there anything better than a trip to Moomers for a tour and a scoop of ice cream?

Week of September 20, 2010

• It's hard to believe that Fall is officially here. We spent a large part of our time preparing our gardens for the cold weather ahead. We gathered the last bit of produce as well as seeds to use next spring. Ask your child about the corn and what we plan to do with it.
• We have begun to study our bodies and how they work and first up is the skeletal system. We are learning why our bones are important and how to keep them healthy. We even have a full size x-ray puzzle so we can really "see" inside!
• It was wonderful to see all of you at our class social. It's always such a nice way to reconnect with each other as well as meet our new families. Many thanks to all of you for allowing us to spend time with your amazing children.

Week of September 13, 2010

• We are off and running! What a wonderful week we have had getting back into the swing of things. We have been becoming acquainted with new friends, reacquainting with old friends and just enjoying being together. We have been practicing new routines such as our lunch process. We have gotten used to our "new" cubby room and entering and leaving through the second room. Everyone seems to be catching on beautifully.
• We were fortunate enough to have a family bring in some dry ice that they had received in the mail. We were able to watch the dry ice change from a solid to a gas in front of our eyes. The gas form moved into thin air without leaving any residue behind. The class enjoyed gently blowing on the gas form and having it move.

• Michele Worden, Della Terra specialist, visited our room and spoke of the fruit of the month; tomatoes. She showed us several different types of tomatoes and later we taste tested several of them. The class seemed to agree that pineapple tomatoes and chocolate cherry were their favorite types of tomatoes.
• Tuesday, September 21 is our class picnic! We hope to see you on Tuesday at Twin Lakes Park at 5:30.