Hi Everyone!
This was truly a week of community minded awareness in Pre K. Thank you so much for contributions to our Kindergarten/Preschool Food Drive. So far, we have collected:
pasta, beans, cereal, soups, tuna fish, jelly, oats, peanut butter, rice, canned fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, nuts, cocoa, jello and frosting
On Thursday, we made a giant food pyramid on the rug. The children all helped sort the food into the six food groups. We then organized the food in our food bank into sections of Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Fats and Oils, Meats and Beans, or Protein. This is a good time to talk about the food groups as you eat meals together and when you shop. During snack and lunch, we often name which food groups our lunch items belong.
Next week, the children will help bag up all of the food items and carry them out to a vehicle. We are in the process of researching which local food pantries are accepting donations. We will not bag items until Tuesday, so feel free to bring items Monday and Tuesday morning. Many of our neighbors will be grateful for your generosity.
In preparation for our Friendship Lunch, on Monday, we joined with Kindergarten and moved through a total of four work stations. Miss Bannon helped the children make placemats. Miss Guerette helped the children shake heavy cream in jars with marbles to make butter. They were very surprised to see the liquid turn onto a solid, just by shaking the jar! Mrs. Patel helped her groups make a yummy dessert! They measured and mixed rice cereal, butter and marshmallows. They created rice crispy bars that everyone enjoyed after our delicious friendship lunch. Finally, Mrs. Atwater worked with groups to make corn bread muffins.
On Tuesday, we decorated two pumpkins with feathers and turkey heads. We added signs saying “We Love You, B3s” and “We Love You, Kindergarten.” We gave them to our friends before our Friendship Lunch. The B3s gave us a poster saying, “Friendship Is Contagious!” with their hand prints all over it. As a special treat, after our Morning Meeting, we joined B3s and Kindergarten for a special treat. Mr. Frantz read us the story, Stone Soup, which was retold by John J. Muth. Stone Soup has been told in many versions around the world. This story takes place in China. Three monks, Hok, Lok and Siew, wander into a village, where the people were very isolated and did not venture out from their homes. With just a bit of tricking, the monks taught the villagers how they can work together as a community and create good things, such as delicious soup from stones.
We would like to thank all of the parents who helped set up, serve and clean up for our Friendship Lunch. With unforgettable ingenuity and energy, this group of parents worked together to transfer our cooking spaghetti, sauce and meatballs to the kitchen in Fitzpatrick Hall, as, for some reason, our Early Childhood stove and oven blew a fuse during the cooking process. With everyone’s hard work, our special meal went off without a hitch! The tables were set with blue and white checked table cloths and our hand made placemats. The children were very surprised to see our tables joined together in such fancy fashion. We served corn muffins, home made butter, raw carrots, cucumbers, spaghetti, sauce and turkey meatballs. For dessert, we had Rice Krispie Treats. It was a grand feast! Thank you one and all!
If anyone knows of someone who may find that they have an extra gently used, working, electric stove on their hands, we would welcome it with open arms to our Kindergarten/Preschool kitchen.
On Wednesday, we met Jumping Jim, from Letterland. Jim loves to jump and juggle. He also lives in a jigsaw house. We could see his Jeep on the road near his house. We probably won’t visit Letterland next week, as it will be a very short week. When we return from break, however, we will meet Kicking King.
On Friday, we talked about the first Thanksgiving, Pilgrims and Native American Indians. Through reading books we learned that when the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, everyone, even the children, had to work together to build shelter, hunt, garden, cook and take care of one another. The Native American families also worked together doing the same things to take care of their villages. The children decorated brown paper strips to resemble Native American headbands. We talked about when a young Native American learned something new or brave, they would receive a feather which was attached to their headband. While together, the children shared various things that they have learned how to do. Next week, we will record some of those things on feathers and attach them to their headbands.
Later in the day, on Friday, we attended a very exciting assembly about reptiles. On display were snakes and lizards of all sizes and colors, a small (but large to us) Komodo Dragon, a really big snapping turtle and a gigantic yellow python. While viewing these wondrous creatures, the presenters shared information regarding the animals’ habitats, diets and other interesting features. We were also able to feel a snake and the Komodo Dragon’s skin. Many children were surprised to discover that the snake’s skin felt smooth and soft.
On Tuesday, November 23rd, we will join the entire BCD community and Alumni for our annual BCD Thanksgiving Soup. Every grade has been assigned a certain item to contribute for this special meal together. Pre K and B3s are to bring in a one pound box of orzo and an apple. Please be sure to bring these items in Monday morning. We will join in Fitzpatrick Hall on Tuesday at 11:45am. After some special announcements and presentations, soup will be served. In addition to soup, there will be fresh rolls, butter, juice and apples for dessert. If your child is usually dismissed at 12:30pm on Tuesdays, you may meet us in Fitzpatrick Hall at that time, or you can meet us in the classroom at 12:45pm. Upon returning to the classroom, we will collect our back packs and bring the remaining children out to the car line for dismissal. This is also a good time to wash rest items.
Some books we read this week:
Froggy Eats Out, by Jonathan London
Celebrating, by Gwenyth Swain
Jump, Frog, Jump!, by Robert Kalan
Stone Soup, by Jon Muth
Thanksgiving Day, by Anne Rockwell
Giving Thanks, A Native American Good Morning Message, by Chief Jake Swamp
It’s Thanksgiving, by Jack Prelutsky and Marylin Hafner
Thanksgiving Day, by Gail Gibbons
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato, by Lauren Child
My First Thanksgiving, by Tomie dePaola
Important Reminders:
If you wish to participate in the wonderful Annual Holiday Book Sale, please visit the BCD Library Monday November 29th through Friday December 3rd. The sale starts at 7:45a.m. each morning and ends at 4:30p.m. M, T, W; staying open until 8p.m. Thursday and wrapping up at noon on Friday. We will not be bringing the PreK class to the sale. Teachers will have the opportunity to create a wish list of books we would like for the classroom, if you would like to purchase one for us. Please visit mybcd.org for more information.
- Please replenish your child’s supply of extra clothes.
- Young children need a variety of foods and plenty of them! We want to ensure that everyone has a full and content tummy!
- Water bottles are encouraged, as we can refill them when needed.
- Please remember to take rest items home and launder them often.
- Library Books need to be returned on Fridays.
- Older students have outdoor time until 12:40 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Please wait until that time to allow Preschool children to play on the playground, as this is the only time they have to be outdoors during their busy day.
- Please remember to remove wet shoes and boots before entering the classrooms. This way our floors will stay dry. Thank you!
- Please remember that items that contain nuts, pesto or peanuts and need to be heated up, are labeled so that we can do so in an alternate microwave, as our Preschool/Kindergarten kitchen is nut-free.
Dates of Importance:
We hope that all of our Pre K Families have a safe and happy Thanksgiving Day and weekend. We are thankful to all of you for sharing your children with us and all that you do to work with us to create a community of living, caring, learning and discovery!
Ellie and Joni
