Winter is Over...

Winter is over in our classroom as we move into "Monsters and Feelings".  We had a last great day with our "Frozen " party!   We played in the igloo, had a wonderful penguin snack (thank you Angela Gilitan and Kevin) and we even played in snow!

   Our Thursday crystal experiment worked as we grew icy cold crystals on pipe cleaners!   The highlight was watching part of the Frozen movie.   We sang "Let it go, let it go" during the morning.

We mixed Borax and boiling water, leaving the pipe cleaners over night in the cup.  We got icy crystals!

What a great job Angela!

Yummy!  The middle is always the best....

Fun, Fun, Fun!

 We did a teacher directed activity and learned to draw a snowman.  They did really great!  This skill teaches looking at the board then transferring what they have seen to paper.   Some activities in school are child created and some teacher directed.  Both are an important part of learning.

  Playing in fun foam was a textural sensory activity as many felt it was too sticky!  However, when we wet our hands the foam did not stick to us.

Our winter puzzles and matching games (Frozen) have been very popular this session.

It's always great to see children choose to read from a choice of centers.

Remember, you can drag these .jpg pictures to your desktop to save them!  WELCOME to my new families!

Winter Session is SNOW much fun!

"Oh the weather outside is frightful."....really?  it' sunny and bright!  Not here in our classroom -it's beginning to look like winter!  We've been busy making new friends, learning about penguins, snow, ice, snowmen, the Antartica and more!    We've even had a snowball fight together!

The children have been practicing writing their names, cutting up Christmas cards, doing Penguin math games and journaling.   After one week of classes we have been excited about our new class "jobs" and the routine of the class.   It seems the top two jobs are being the "sweeper" and the "bell ringer"(which tells us its time to clean up!)

At snack time we learn our manners by waiting until everyone is served.  This week we made letters with our pretzels.  Quiet reading time is after snack (OK, we are working on the quiet part) and we have eight children reading!  As our young threes and fours learn the letters and sounds, we will then start learning to read.  Journaling is a fun part of reading time when we tell stories that I record in their journal.   

The children went "fishing" in ice cube water and then tried it with a rubber glove on.  We learned how polar bears, penguins and walrus stay warm in the water...blubber!

What is the Arctic without an igloo!

Merry Christmas!

We ended our session with a bang and the Polar Express!  We rode our imaginary train up and down the hills, through the darkness to the north pole!  We think we saw "Candy" the elf in the movie!

Yummy donuts and chocolate milk were a hit!

BEFORE.....

AFTER

Kids are great.....and icing is too!

I wish for you all a wonderful holiday season, the joy of being with family,  and a blessed New Year!  I am thankful for having such dedicated parents and grandparents who work hard at providing their children a foundation to grow.  Merry Christmas!

Elves at Play....

Happy Birthday, Elf Harlow!                

     Our gingerbread houses turned out great!

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas............

The stockings are all hung by the board in our class-
in hopes that St. Nicholas comes with a dash.

Our Elf on the Shelf has arrived for this year,
in hopes that the children keep up good cheer!
We'll make good choices while he watches us close-
And if not, a letter to Santa he'll post.







The holidays have to come to our school now you see-
With stockings, Santa's and our own little trees.
Santa has come and watches us with his sight-
But the best here was the Marshmallow fight!
Stay tuned, for yes there is more-
Learning and singing are both what's in store!

                     Silly little "Candy" the Elf!

  What a fun day visiting with Santa.  But the best yet was a snowball fight, ARIZONA STYLE!
How lucky that Santa taught us to have a snowball fight with Marshmellows!  ......and your hands don't get cold!

                               

                                   

                                                 

                                                           Our class family!

                                            We had such fun!  Even Miss Cheryl got Miss Kathi!!

                                                  ....and to all a Good Night!