Sing/Poem-along with the Scodouleys

This morning we had quality time with the Scodouleys sharing poems and songs of the season.  It was a lot of fun.  The Scodouley's introduced us a book called Big Pumpkin.  We listened along to a book on tape. Many parts of the story were sung.  The children requested it again at the end of the day and many had already memorized the repeated parts of the book and were chiming in.   Take a listen.

Hallowe'en Hop Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the big day!

Please label all costume parts.

Wear your costume.

Bring a change of clothes or wear other clothes underneath.

Bring a bag to take your costume home in.

We will be changing out of our costumes before morning snack.

Please, NO weapons of any sort.  

Tomorrow is also library day - we will be visiting the library at the end of the day.  

Please remember to bring back your books!

Witches Brew

Thanks to the Scodouley's for introducing us to the song Witches Brew! Tomorrow they will be joining us in the morning for a poem/sing-along.  Take a listen/look here...


Witches Brew by Hap Palmer

Happy Early Childhood Educator Day!

Dear Ms. MacDearmid, Mrs. Mah-Doucette and Mrs. Crossley,

We thank you for all you do for each one of us!
You are passionate, creative and loving educators and we are so grateful to have you as part of our family of learners!  
We celebrate you today - and everyday!

Love,
The MacWands & The Scodouleys

Take Me Outside Day - Kindergarten Style

The Scodouleys (Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Mah-Doucette & Mrs. Crossley's class) joined us for an exciting expedition to the forest as part of national Take Me Outside Day.  We committed to an hour outside but ended up spending an hour and a half.  Our timing was perfect as the wind picked up and temperatures were dropping as we were heading back inside.  

The focus of our adventure was to brew some new varieties of forest tea.  Each student was a 'tea artist' and given the task of creating their own special brew using anything they could find that was on the forest floor and not alive.  Their first task was to find the perfect stirring/mashing stick, then they were given a plastic cup with some water in it.  We learned how to safely smell new things and then we were off to brew.  

These new varieties consisted of leaves of all kinds: maple, birch, beech, oak, hemlock; acorns, bark, wood chips, fungus, soil, moss, twigs, etc.  They all had a unique aromatic profile.

After all teas were sufficiently brewed and steeped, we had a toast and then headed back to the school yard to have our tea party.  We shared the names of our new tea flavours with three friends and let them have a 'taste' (smell).  Delicious!

Finally, we lined up our teas and counted how many new flavours!  

Here's the money shot!  

Another successful visit to the forest. 

 Not only is at alive with things to 'explover', 

but it provides one of the best canvases for learning!

Introducing Gnorm...

Leaf Fun!

Yesterday we had a great time in our side yard working with leaves.  We divided into groups of three and each friend collected a different colour of leaves.  Some collected red, some collected yellow and/or orange and some collected green.  When we came together, each group laid out the leaves in a gradient of colours from lightest to darkest.  

Then we learned how to 'stitch' the leaves together the stems of the leaves.  One group made what was first a fascinator for Jodie, then it became a mask.

 

Many groups then took their art and hung it in the fence line for everyone to enjoy. At one point, before the big wind blew, we had quite the variety.  This was introduction (without them really knowing it) to ephemeral art.  Ephemeral art is art that disappears or changes over time.  We enjoyed seeing their creations and how they worked together to create them.

Next it was time to bury some friends in the leaves!

I laid down and a frenzy began.  

A priceless moment occurred when one student had made a connection and said I was pupating just like a caterpillar.

 Then they wanted me to emerge.  Instead of a butterfly or moth, I emerged as a zombie!  The shrieks and giggles were contagious.

 One student found solace in hugging a tree!

 A great way to spend part of our afternoon!

Take Me Outside Day is Tomorrow

Are you in, or are you out?!  Tomorrow is worldwide Take Me Outside Day.  Our Kindergarten classes have committed along with thousands of other classes world-wide to spend an hour outside tomorrow.  (This really isn't any different than most days in our class!)  We have a fun activity planned in the forest and one in the schoolyard too.  We will be out with the Scodouleys.  Please encourage your children not to wear their favourite piece of clothing - we will be outside in the forest.  Learning and playing in the forest can be dirty work!  We'll be sure to post some pics of our outdoor pursuits.  May the forest be with you!

Reminders

• Please consider donating food to the school's Fall Harvest Food Drive.
• Hallowe'en Hop pledge forms due on Friday.
• Greek Pita Lunch tomorrow.

Professional Learning

The Kindergarten Crew (all 5 of us) will be engaging in an in-school professional learning session with our Early Learning Consultant.  Mrs. Nye and Mrs. Owen will be in again and programming will continue as planned by Jodie and I.  Again, we ask that you please be patient at dismissal time as these teachers may not yet know your faces and they will want to make sure the children are delivered safely to you.

More Stick Fun!

On Friday, we went for another forest adventure with our sticks.  It was great to see friends helping those students who were away earlier in the week to find their perfect stick.  We are happy to report that everyone now has a stick!  While some students were busy finding the perfect stick for themselves or a friend, the others enjoyed digging and poking.  One student figured out that her stick was a skewer.  It had a naturally pointy end that she used to pick up leaves.  She busied herself skewering leaves of different shapes, colours and sizes and even skewered them in patterns.  She made 'leaf sandwiches' for anyone who wanted one.

Waste-Free Lunch Week Starts Tomorrow!

Just a reminder - we encourage you to think 'outside of the (juice) box' next week and limit the amount of packaging and waste in the lunches you are packing.  Reusable containers are a great start! 

Healthy Teeth Means Flossing

Forest Fun

After days of rain and gloomy skies the sun was out again yesterday and we were ready!  We spent the entire afternoon on a mission in the forest to find the perfect stick.  Sticks are magical.  Everybody needs a stick (just like everyone needs a rock..but that will come).  Too often we regard sticks as dangerous and dismiss them quickly.  Stick are an important tool for explovery (exploration & discovery).  As with any new tool we need to learn how to safely use our stick.  Sticks are not weapons but tools for explovery and they need to be treated with care by the owner and those around.
Yesterday we talked about what makes a perfect stick.  Here are some criteria:

• armpit length is ideal
• it shouldn't extend past your chin (in reality, for adults, you don't want to past the top of your head)
• you should be able to stand up straight and hold your stick to the ground without bending down
• you should be able to wrap your hand around it and have your fingers touch
• it should be sturdy enough to dig vigourously and tap on things without snapping off
• it should feel just right in your hand
• try it both ways until one end feels best as the handle

We'll be back in the forest again for another searching session as some of our friends were absent or weren't able to find the perfect stick.  We plan to personalize our sticks with paint, ribbon, beads, etc.  They are a work in progress.  Our sticks will accompany us on many of our outdoor adventures.

While in the forest we found a gnome in a tree stump!  What a good hiding spot!

The best part of fall are the leaves.  We had a lot of fun creating a leaf storm.