Dear Families,
We have been using the leaves we’ve been collecting in interesting ways. After pressing them in books we placed them between sheets of waxed paper and used an iron to melt the pieces together. “It could melt like a candle!” “Candles are wax.”
Sandwiching an oak leaf between wax paper.
We also hid leaves under paper and rubbed them with a flat crayon. It was magical to see the shape of leaves appear and we spent time noting all the tiny veins and details in each leaf. We also looked at our own hands with all their lines and the veins in our wrists. “It’s like a leaf !”
Another ‘secret message’ is revealed!
Maple and oak. “I think they holding hands.” “I think they friends.”
Our apples have continued to transform. The little faces we picked at Windy Hill are now wizened characters! We added bodies, clothing, paint and hair and each one seems very unique and full of life. The children helped to wrap wool, twist pipe cleaners attach beads and carefully paint faces. They are so proud of these creations! I look forward to all the stories these characters will inspire .
We read again The Apple Doll, by Elisa Kleven. The children were very interested to make connections between this story and themselves. “I want to show my witch!” There was a feeling that the apple dolls we created would like to see their ‘friends ‘ in the book. “Old and old! Same and same.”
Attaching bead shoes to pipe cleaners.
Rolling wool for a scarf.
Painting a face very carefully!
“She is a witchy and makes cupcakes!”
Old friends!
The Apple Doll by Elisa Kleven.
This doll looks like our dolls!
We also ate a fresh, juicy apple and remembered when our apple heads were like this. What had happened in the past weeks? “It got small.” “It got old.” “It got dry and has wrinkly now.” We looked at other old apples in the compost heap and broke them apart with sticks. “Wet!” “Mushy!” “Yucky!”
Checking on the apples in the compost heap.
We began reading a book called The Living Alphabet. Each page is filled with beautiful pictures of things in the world that share the same beginning sounds – Babies, blankets, blackberries, brothers,etc. Children are noticing the alphabet in our class more and pointing out familiar letters in books. Each child was able to find the letter that began their names and guessed correctly that Mrs. Cooke began with the letter “m!”
‘A’ is for Aidan and angel and apple and arrows and ants!
‘M’ is for Mrs. Cooke and mule. ‘N’ is for Noelle and nightingale.
We also spent time cutting and practicing using scissors. This is a task all the children seem to enjoy. We are collecting all the tiny pieces to use in an art project.
Translucent papers.
“This is a road I’m making with the scissors.”
Next week we will sing at a Halloween assembly for lower school. We have been practicing a spooky song about an old woman who sweeps up bones! We found beautiful walking sticks in the woods and we will wear kerchiefs as costumes!
“There was an old woman all skin and bones -ooo, ooo, ooo!”
On Friday we were visited by three fire fighters and a fire truck. We got to see how fire fighters dress to protect themselves in fires and we also got a chance to see the inside of a firetruck.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sarah
