Self-Portraits, Homemade Applesauce, Read Aloud, Erica Visit and More...

 

Monday

                  Friends working on their October self-portraits!

We began the day by reading lots of books this morning! Friends were very engaged and had lots of comments, questions and connections.  We talked about our new classroom jobs for the week. Ask your Cardinal what their classroom job was this week?

Art Class with Johanna

Class began with the Cardinals looking for shapes around the art room. Friends pointed out shapes and named similarities and differences they saw.  Johanna then had friends stand up and make big and small circles with their hands, wiggle their fingers and then using one finger, friends made air spirls!  The Cardinals then came over to the tables to create spirals using pastel crayons and then water colors. The focus was paying attention to the details friends created. Ask your Cardinals to make a spiral with a finger in the air?

Tuesday

This morning we began the process of making our homemade applesauce. We peeled and cut-up 18 Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples. Then we put the cut-up apples in a saucepan with water, cinnamon and a little sugar to cook on a burner, before going to Spanish class. 

                   

Spanish Class with Alicia

Alicia began class by greeting us at the door. We soon did our greetings in Spanish. Followed by Alicia reading the book My Very First Book of Colors, by Eric Carle. Alicia then went over some basis colors in Spanish such as red (rojo), green (verde), blue (azul), black (negro), yellow (amarillo), purple (morado), gray (gris), and brown (café).

Alicia taught us a song about colors which has the same tune to the song Are You Sleeping. The Cardinals did Camina  Camina(Walk walk) where friends walked around the classroom and then Alicia said para (stop). Alicia then called out a color in Spanish and English, and the Cardinals had to find that color in the classroom and say it in Spanish or try to. The Cardinals were amazing! Today it was Lila's turn to squeezed la vaca!

Here is how the song goes!

Red is rojo

Green is verde

Blue azul

Black negro

yellow is amarillo

purple morado 

gray is gris

brown café 

 

During Spanish class a teacher mashed the cooked apples and spoon some into bowls. The applesauce cooled down while we finished up Spanish class. We could smell our applesauce in the hallways as we walked back to our classroom! Some other classes came by and asked what we were making!!

Many Cardinals had 1-3 helpings, we asked friends,"How's the applesauce?". Friends had this to say:

Logan - I like cause it taste like yogurt

Evie - I like cut apples

Renata - It was yummy, I like it.

Simone - I like making it but not eating it.

Grant - I like it.

Aya - I like it, you know we make it.

Finley - Well, it was kinda good but I didn't like it that much. I ate some of it.

Elliott - It was so good I like it. I had 3 applesauce.

Lila - It was good. I had it 3 times cause it was so good.

Masai - It was good cause I like the cinnamon and the sugar.

Colby - I didn't like it.

We took a walk outside to take a closer look at the scarecrows made by our third grade students! 

                                   Cleaning Betta tank!

                                 

             Playing an interactive game of Duck Duck Goose!

Today is Masai's 4th birthday!! Masai brought in cupcakes to celebrate! Thank you, Masai, for sharing your special day with us!!

Happy Birthday, Masai!!

Masai's dad Mikael came to read a book in celebration of Masai's 4th  birthday! It was really special listening to this book on the playground in the bus!! Mikael read, I Am You, A book about Ubuntu by Refiloe Moahloli. This book was very touching and is a celebration of friendship, kindness and shows the many ways that we are all one!

To be kind to you is to be kind to myself. I am you, and you are me!

Thank you Masai for sharing your dad with us! Thank you, Mikael, for sharing this powerful book with us!!

Wednesday

Library Class with Ashanti and Michelle

Ashanti read us the book Dragon which friends ask for again and Miss Watson Wants Your Teeth. Our Cardinals LOVE and ENJOY listening to stories of all kinds. Friends were very engaged and attentive as Ashanti read! Ask your Cardinal which book they picked from the library?

Music Class with Keisha

We did not use scarves or shaker eggs to warm-up, instead. The Cardinals listened to Dinosaurs Stomp while doing the actions in the song. Friends used their Hooty the Owl voice to warm up their voices before singing our hello song Jambo. Followed by singing and doing the actions for There A Cobble Down the Street. We also sang Peace Like  River as Keisha played her guitar. Ask your Cardinal to show you their singing voice?

 Keisha then read the book, Five Little Pumpkins by Dan Yaccarino. After Keisha read the book, we acted it out. Here are the words to the book:

Five Little Pumpkins sitting on a gate.

The first one said, "Oh may, it's getting late."

The second one said, "There are witches in the air."

The third one said, "But we don't care!"

The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run!"

The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun!"

OOOOOOO went the wind and out went the light. 

And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

Here are the actions:

Sitting on gate - sitting down

It's getting late - hands on cheeks

Witches in air -  move arms from side to side 

We don't care - hold hands out to your side

Let's run and run - run in place

Ready for some fun - dance

oooooo went the wind and out went the light - clap hands once loud

Five pumpkins roll out of sight - roll arms fast

Thursday

Two friends wanted to cut with scissors after creating their drawings. Soon the whole class was drawing and cutting with scissors. It was really great to hear friends reminding friends how to hold a scissor when walking. Friends were also showing friends how to hold a scissor when cutting. What a wonderful sweet great group of Cardinals we have!!

PE Class with Josh and Tiffany

We had morning meeting and snack before heading over to gym class. As we walked into the gym, Josh and Tiffany had an obstacle course set up for us. Josh said today we were working on our focus, coordination and balancing skills. Friends worked with hula hoops, different kinds of balance beams and limbo. The Cardinals pretended that the floor was lava in order to try to maintain their balance. Ask your Cardinal which balancing activity or activities they liked best? 

Friday

Early this morning we had a lower school Assembly. In honor of Hispanic month! We did our hello song led by the fourth graders! We learned some facts about Hispanic cultures and that they are 21 Spanish speaking countries. Members of Hola, an infinity group from upper school came to share what the group does and why it's important for everyone to be seen and heard!!  The Cardinals also got to dance on stage after our assembly!

After morning meeting and snack time, Che, Logan's dad came in and read to us! He read the book Grandma's Tiny House by JaNay Brown-Wood.  The story was about belonging, family, counting and sharing a meal! At the end of the book, Che asked friends, "Whose's house did everyone go to?" (Grandma's), "What was the problem?" (House was too small), "How did they solved the problem?" (Moved the dinner outside so everyone could fit). These questions were great ways to help our Cardinals continue to work on their listening, recall and comprehension skills! Thank you, Logan, for sharing your dad with us! Thank you, Che, for reading to us!

Erica, our lower school learning specialist, came to visit our class and to get to know our Cardinal friends. She will help us learn math and literacy work throughout the school year!  First, Erica introduced herself to us and then the Cardinals did the same. She asked friends to predict what they think the book was about as she held it up. 

Erica then read an interactive book called Not Norman A fish story by Kelly Bennett to us. Throughout reading, Erica stopped and asked questions such as, "How do you think the boy is feeling?, "Can the fish run around with the boy? why not?", "Do you think the fish is mad or sad because the boy does not want him? "How would you feel if you were the boy or the fish?", "Do you think the fish is a good pet? why? 

Erica finished the book and introduced an activity. She asked friends, "If you could have a pet what would it be and look like? 

Here's what friends had to say: 

Colby  - A shark

Logan - Red fish

Masai - A Rainbow fish

Lila - A diamond

Grant - Bird

Evie - A dog and superhero fish

Renata - Catfish

Elliott - A dog fish cat bunny

Simone - Fish

Finley - Goldfish

Aya - A dog cause aunt Wanda has a dog.

 Great work Cardinals!!

We called Lake on the phone as she was out sick for a few days. The Cardinals were VERY happy to hear Lake's voice and so was Lake to hear from her friends! The phone was on speaker and Lake shared that she missed her friends. Lake's friends each let her know that they missed her too. Lake continue to feel better and we hope to see you on Monday! Our Cardinal's family will be complete!! 

We took a walk over to the Smith field to watch middle schoolers take part in field day! Along the way we saw Josh, Tiffany and Mikael!! We watched as middle schoolers (5 of them used to be Cardinals) playing flag football and soccer. The Cardinals cheered, "Go blue, Go white"!!

                               Have a Peaceful Weekend!!