October 23, 2018, Tuesday

 We are studying the letter P this week.  Oh the possibilities!  Our morning workshop tables included making a Pretty Popcorn page and a Pattern.  They are so pretty, we decided to hang them up in our classroom.  There were also triangle connects, and build a felt pumpkin face available.

At morning meeting we talked about the letter P.  We sang our Party songs and danced to our alphabet phonics song, being careful to listen for our letter of the week.  We learned a new pumpkin poem which we just might add to our performance at the Pumpkins on Parade party.

Snack was Pita Chips (Perfect!) and fresh sugar snap peas and carrots.  The Pita Chips were a hit.  One friend was sure to tell me they give you energy.

The Painters were painting a portion of the fence outside today.  We had outdoor recess and all our friends were very good about staying back from the work area.

After lunch we had some extended Puzzle Play.  Some times in the rush of the day, it is easy to leave the puzzles on the shelf.  Today we provided the time and opportunity to work with friends for some time on a puzzle.  Brain development is influenced significantly when children have the chance to manipulate the world around them.  They have just that manipulation in their immediate environment when they change the shape and appearance of a puzzle.  There are a host of benefits, shape recognition, memory (if a piece does not fit, they set it aside, they will need to remember it when it is needed), small goals are set as they work out their strategy to solve a puzzle, and problem solving and collaboration while working with a friend.

We acted out the story of ROOM ON THE BROOM.   Everyone got to participate.  The audience had special WHOOSH wands to provide that wonderful sound when the witch in the story tapped her broom and took to the sky.  It is a delightful story of friendship, sharing, and bravery.

We worked on our scarecrows some more today and on our Letter P page in our HWT books.

We attempted to end our day outside, however the light rain drops quickly turned to a drenching downpour.  We ran for cover, but our backpacks and bodies got a bit rain soaked!  A very exciting way to end the day.


P is for PUMPKIN PICKING we are going on our Field Trip this FRIDAY to the Farmer's Daughter! EDS is closed. We will arrive at 10 am and have a picnic lunch at 12 pm. Your homework over the weekend is to carve your Jack-O-Lantern and return it to school by the morning of Tuesday Oct 30th for us to put on display for our Pumpkin on Parade event Tuesday the 30th. Please put a battery tealight in your pumpkin.

Pumpkins on Parade is Tuesday October 30th from 5:30-7 pm. Come in costume! We will be poppin' some popcorn and sippin' some cider while walking through the school yard to see all of the jack-o-lanterns! All of the students will gather on the church steps at 6 pm to sing some festive songs!