Although we were in school only three days, they certainly were busy! When we returned to school on Tuesday, we saw that two more caterpillars had gone into chrysalis. By Wednesday, the number was up to seven, with one more to go. Later that morning, one of the students noticed that the last caterpillar, who had been hanging upside down in the “J” shape, was quivering and shaking. Looking more closely, we saw that the caterpillar was actually in the process of building the chrysalis! This was incredibly exciting. The children carefully stood on chairs to get a better look. Today we took one chrysalis out of the pavilion so we could study it up close, while the children again drew what they observed. We could even see the beginning of wings inside!
On Wednesday, I read a book about Rosh Hashanah and explained the significance of the holiday. Rosh means “head” and ha-shanah is “the year” – thus, “head of the year” refers to the new year. We dipped apple slices in honey to ensure a sweet new school year for all. And today, Riyad and Shorouq came in and talked to the class about Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. The children had some excellent questions and comments about what it might feel like to fast and to be hungry. We then tasted some wonderful traditional foods – and yes, just about everyone tried something! Thank you, Shorouq and Riyad, for sharing your holiday with us – it was a wonderful learning experience for us all.
At the end of the day we went to an assembly entitled , “Clara and Clair”. This play told the story of a magical meeting between a contemporary young girl and a Shaker girl. It was written by Juliane Hiam, Isaac’s mother, and performed by two BCD students, Harper Glanz (Isaac’s sister) and Rebecca van der Meulen. The play was excellent and the actors did a great job. What a great end to the week!
