Hello Families!  We had a sweet short week filled with fun!  Wednesday was Alaska Day and Thursday we had a chance to play inside and outside and do some painting.  Our French and Music class was held as a large group which was very fun.  Thank you to everyone who contributed snacks to our hungry preschoolers over the past two weeks, we all enjoy our ‘buffet snacks’.  Our block area has been transformed, we have big red blocks now!  These are great for castle building.  The children enjoy using these big blocks much more than the smaller wooden blocks.  The dinosaurs have been put away and over the next few weeks we will exploring colors, shapes and our names. 

We hope that you enjoyed our Mid-Winter Break.  Mother Nature was kind enough to provide us with some fresh snow to make our Alaska Day adventures even more special.  First thing in the morning, we joined Lower School for a slide show about Alaska, which was presented by Mr. Frantz.  The show included photographs of the frozen tundra in the winter and in the warmer months.  We also saw many animals that live in the air, on the land and in the water in Alaska.  We also saw pictures of the people who live in Alaska participating in traditional activities, such as playing games, fishing, making totem poles and working together.  After the slide show,  the children did a quick walk-about to see the scavenger hunt that included information about Alaskan facts that were introduced during the slide show.  After a yummy fruit, cheese and  cracker snack, we bundled up and headed outdoors where it was festively flurrying.  We played an Alaskan game of kicking a ball that is attached to a string; we visited the bonfire and watched as I roasted marshmallows for the children; we went sledding on air tubes down the hill by the pond and we made snow angels and painted them with colored water in spray containers.  We also did “Sled Dog Races,” by pulling one another by a rope tied to a snow tube.   Just before we came in, we went to the First Grade classroom and we used Sharpies to make wooden totem poles.  It was great fun!

Since we were not here on Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, we painted tubes with the three colors of Mardi Gras: green, gold, and purple.  We talked about recycling and these cool projects are on display in the block area. Preschool all joined together for French class to watch two short videos;  Three Billy Goats Gruff and Town Mouse, City Mouse.  We will be joining the rest of the BCD community to watch the 5th grade act these out on Friday morning.  The videos we watched can be viewed at home by visiting Maria Whalen’s blog and clicking on 5th Grade( on the left); then on the right hand side the last two entries: La Rate de Ville et la Rate de Champs, once this one is open, click the butterfly to turn the pages and the mouse to have him read it to you.  Les Trois Boucs Bourrus, click the snail to turn the page and the deer to read it to you.  If you click the little goat it will animate the page.  Enjoy!  We finished learning about Mardi Gras and handed out beads.  Starting next week, Madame Siegel will return to teach French for the rest of the year.  It has been a pleasure for me to teach French to your children for the past few months.  Au revoir mes amis! 

Today, we talked about The Chinese New Year, which officially began on Sunday, February 14th.  We read the story, “My First Chinese New Year,” by Karen Katz.  From the story, we learned that people wear the color red for good luck and happiness, clean their houses to sweep out the old bad luck and get their houses clean for the good luck being brought by the new year.  They also give children red envelopes filled with money, for good luck. They also join together with family to prepare and eat a big meal and some attend parades.  After Library, where Mr. Uhas also talked about the Chinese New Year, the children made traditional red paper lanterns, decorated with gold paper.

Reminders:

  • If you are sending in something to be warmed in the microwave, please be sure it is in a container that can be microwaved.  Anything with tomato sauce should come in a glass container.
  • Please send needed flatware with your child’s lunch.
  • Update and replenish your child’s extra clothes.
  • Bring Library books on Fridays.
  • Please remember to remove wet shoes or boots before entering the Preschool rooms.
  • Classrooms open at 7:55a.m.

Dates to Note:

  • Thursday, March 4th, Preschool Parent/Teacher Conferences, beginning at 3:30p.m.
  • Friday, March 5th, NO SCHOOL for Preschool and Kindergarten, Preschool Parent/Teacher Conferences, beginning at 8:00a.m.
  • Friday, March 12th, Last day of classes before March Break, Ski Friday make up date 
  • Tuesday, March 30th, classes resume 

    • Hold on tight!

     

    Alaska Day Fun

     

    Coloring our Totem Poles

    Enjoy your weekend, Joni