Our first school Chapel

We experienced something new today!
​Today was our first school Chapel. During chapel we were able to listen to and learn new songs, poems, and a story. Our special job in the Brown Room was to sing "This Little Light of Mine" for the rest of the school. Each child was able to hold their own (battery operated) candle for the duration of Chapel which was something new and exciting in itself!

Later in the day, children reflected on their Chapel experience and some shared their favorite moments - 

Remy: I like Chapel. 
Cate: The stories. 
Wilder: Lighting candles up. 
Lucas: Umm, sing a song. With Saul. 
Jade: Reading the book. 
Michael: The candle fell off. 

This Little Light of Mine
(maybe you can practice at home!)

This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

All around the great big world
I'm gonna let it shine
All around the great big world
I'm gonna let it shine
All around the great big world
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

​

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Continuing Lily's birthday message

Today we worked on adding our final contributions to our friend Lily's birthday message. Using flowers to paint with yesterday produced some beautifully colored petals that had dried overnight and were ready to work with today! How could we add these to the message paper to bring more texture, dimension, and story to the painted message? 

Here are some conversations and thoughts that took place while working with the painted flower materials today - 
It smells like flowers. - Michael 
Michael ate it! - Jade
(meaning Michael smelled the flower pieces)
Glueing. We need glue. - Jade
I used some glue. - Michael 

This one is gonna be a monster. It's gonna be a scary monster. Not a nice one.
(arranging materials onto the painting)
It looks like have green teeth. And a yellow nose. And it has scary teeth!
​And a big horn. It's gonna be big one. - Jade

Why is Jade making a monster? - Lucas
I making monster because... because I'm making a scary monster. And it's gonna be spooky! - Jade

Both types of experiences involving introducing new materials as well as continuing to work with materials we are already familiar with continue to awaken all of our senses throughout the creative process.
What do we find interesting about the materials we are using?
How do they look, sound, feel, smell, and sometimes even taste?
How do they speak to us and what stories do they help us tell?

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Other happenings in the classroom today ... 

Message making for
mom, dad, dadas, mamas,
and a  mommy.

​Frogs & Toads
​
Whenever we read some of our classroom books about toads, frogs, and other creatures, we show lots of interest in the sounds they make. 
We spontaneously decided to play some recordings of both frog and toad sounds today and what we heard was very unexpected! Maybe not all frogs and toads say, "ribbit"... 
It says whooooooo. Who is an owl sound! - Wilder
(listening to a toad "whistle")
Like a little baby! - Frances
He's screaming! - Remy




Then, we were interested in making a "frog house" for some of our classroom frog friends.

What should a frog house include?

Soft carpets for mommy, daddy and baby frogs to sleep.
A pond. 
Water. 
Grass. 
Trees. 
Bugs. 
A slide. 
​Books. 
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