News of the Day 10-29-2008

• During arrival some of us experimented a bit with cut paper collage. We read 'Cars and Trucks and Things That Go' (and old favorite)
  
• During Hello Meeting we sang our Hello Greeting with Hello and Hola. We also had our Slipper Greeting again and everyone was great saying good morning to each other.
  
• For Snack we ate muffins and apples (thanks Rowan's family)
  
• During Explore we had a wonderful time! First we played with the sensory table that we discovered was filled with leaves! We used different animals to play hide and seek in the leaves. We then moved on to build a railroad track. Some of us used trucks and tractors to help build the track while others moved around the tracks with trains. Then we moved on to the dramatic play area to create our own City Market. We took orders by phone and sold goods to some customers (aka Andy)
• Before going outside we sang 'Ladybug Picnic' , 'Teddy Bear Picnic', and 'Monkey...'
  
• Outside time prep can be a leeeeeeeeeengthy thing! Outside we spent much time raking leaves into a pile and then back out again. We also played runaway cookies
  
• During lunch we listened to an audio version of 'Mike Mulligan's Steam Shovel' and read 'Pancakes for Breakfast
  
• what a great day!
  

News of the Day 10-28-2008

"The Fairy Casts a Spell"

• During arrival we went right to the meeting area to read 'Room on the Broom' and '10 Trick-or-Treaters' - thank you Isabel
  
• During Hello Meeting we sang our Hello Greeting using 'Hola' (Rowan pointed out that Diego says hola) and 'Jambo'. Boppy sat with us for slipper greeting to the delight of all. There is a movement afoot to get indoor shoes on the poor doggy
  
• During Explore Andy took partners into the kitchen to make some new play dough. We each added some different ingredients, including a rather large amount of food color! While we waited some of us painted and other tried on some new dramatic play clothing that Otis received from his cousins in Mass. Houses were built in the blocks and some of us handed out "candy" to others. We had a TREMENDOUS cleanup today that didn't seam to end...
  
• During Morning Meeting we were super wiggly and it was late so we had a quick New of the Day
  
• Outside we practiced spiders on the swing set and raked and raked the leaves. We also played runaway cookies
  
• Lunch and goodbye. We talked about really focusing on eating our lunch as well as talking to our friends!
  

News of the Day 10-23-2008

• During arrival we worked with the tempera paints
  
• During Hello Meeting we read "Room on the Broom' which Isabel brought in to share
  
• During Explore we had a grand trip to the beach that included some swimming in a cloth ocean and kiddie pool. Some of us also created structures in the Block Area
  
• During Morning Meeting we told our News of the Day. We read 'No David' and 'Snow Crazy'. We sand both 'Ladybug Picnic" and 'Teddybear Picnic'
  
• Outside we continued playing a game of Elena's creation called "wolf catcher". Today the leaves were wolves and the swing set continued to be a helicopter. We also packed leaves at the bottom of the slide and slid into them. Good fun! We played runaway cookies before coming inside
  
• Lunch and goodbye. We missed both Rowan and James today!
  

Pix from 10-22-08

Isaac is less than pleased with Otis's driving...









...so he gets his own steering wheel.









While Rowan...












...and Anika work at the light table.

News of the Day 10-22-2008

• During arrival we painted with sponge brushes and tempera paint
  
• During Hello Meeting we had our slipper greeting. We read the books 'Popcorn' and 'Four Fur Feet'. We sang a new song called 'Ladybug's Picnic' in addition to 'Monkey and the Engineer'
  
• For Snack we ate raisin bread and apples (thanks Isaac's family)
  
• During Explore we spent some time working on lacing projects. Otis shared his sewing apple and we also used lacing cards. Some of us then went to work in the kitchen while others pretended that the couch was a car (complete with steering wheels).
  
• Today we had our first prep for a cold outside time.... whew! When we finally got outside we tried pushing each other in the fire truck, and spent time cleaning leaves out of the sandbox. Then we ran back inside because we weren't ready for the cold!
  
• During lunch we listened to an audio version of 'Caps For Sale' and sang 'Teddy Bears Picnic'...
• We missed you today Lily!!!
  

Pix from 10-21-08

Elena...












...James ...












...Rowan...












...and Otis paint with sponge brushes.

News of the Day 10-21-2008

• During arrival we had our first experience with tempra paints this year. We used sponge brushes and primary colors to create our artwork
  
• During Hello Meeting we noticed that our friend Nico had not arrived yet. And we were relieved that Rowan had his crocs so we could do our slipper greeting!
• For Snack we had banana bread and apples (thanks Rowan's family)
  
• During Explore we spontaneously became interested in making books after Andy used the stapler for something. We made all sort of books, and Andy helped some of us write words. We also played in a block garage that Amy and Otis had left up for us. Also some of us continued a playing out a game called "Bad Fairy" in which there is a make believe fairy trying to turn all the good fairies bad in order to take over the world. There are some heavy duty words/concepts being used (kill, dead, bullets...) that we are dialoging on. Ultimately we are dissecting what makes "good" and what makes "bad". This is a fascinating and challenging conversation and I will try to keep everyone informed as to its direction.
  
• ***A powerful quote from today is when I asked "What is power?" One answer I received was "It's when you fight"...
  
• During Morning Meeting we told our News of the Day. We read 'Wow! School!', 'Planting A Rainbow', and by request 'The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything'. Andy introduced a number/quantity game
  
• No Outside time again... We spent time working with play dough and playing texture dominoes
  
• Lunch and goodbye. We read 'Elmer' and 'There's No Such Thing As Ghosts'