ST. JOHN'S PRESCHOOL
  • Home
  • Brown
  • Rainey
  • Tucker
  • KW
  • Summer 2022 Blogs
  • Participation at St. John's
  • Home
  • Brown
  • Rainey
  • Tucker
  • KW
  • Summer 2022 Blogs
  • Participation at St. John's
Search

Happy School Birthday Emilia!!!

5/28/2019

0 Comments

 
Today we celebrated our last birthday. Emilia has a summer birthday (August 11) and today her mom, dad and brother joined us in celebrating. They brought a fantastic poster with gorgeous photos of Emilia throughout the years. There were adorable baby photos and also more recent ones of dressing-up, making funny faces, reading, riding bikes, and going to the beach.   Emilia is a big help in the garden, lifting the wheelbarrow with strong muscles.  She loves her pink elephant, loves to have face paint, loves her Lola Mi and grandpa, and really likes to play with cash registers.  We saw all these happy memories and so much more!
Picture
Picture
Picture
It was such a treat to have Emilia's older brother, Alex, read one of her favorite books to us, The Cookie Baker.
Emilia opened her present. It was made by Cannon, Fletcher and Alexandra, her birthday committee.
Picture
Emilia (and Alex) walked around the candle four times before blowing it out. Then we sang happy birthday.
During snack we enjoyed some of Emilia's favorite treats: veggie straws, strawberries and brownies. 
Happy Birthday Emilia!
​We are so happy you are part of the Brown Room!
0 Comments

Happy Birthday, Wolf!!

5/24/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Wolf celebrated his school birthday with us today, and brought mommy and daddy (Jonathan and Jecca), his sister Cedar, and his nanny Aga.  Wolf's real birthday is a summer birthday, so he will turn four on August 21st.  For his celebration today, we got to see photos of Wolf's life, even from the very first day he was born (with lots of hair!).   We also saw: a photo from when Cedar was born; Wolf's trip to London; his arrival in Washington and meeting Aga; picking peaches and the veggie patch at the farm; playing with his cousins; playing with a sweet grey kitty cat; and memories from Kenya, including his friend Irene and baby Abby, and catching a BIG fish... with a piece of bacon!!  Cedar and Wolf were both smiling as we watched videos of Wolf crawling for the first time, and even dancing/playing guitar!  And can you imagine meeting a giraffe up close like this??
Picture
Picture
Wolf's birthday committee was Cannon, Ada, and Oliver.  They worked hard to make something for Wolf that included his requests: buttons, the color blue, and feathers.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Thanks to Wolf's family for our yummy brioche buns... they were delicious and so big!  We loved every bite.

Happy, happy (almost) fourth birthday Wolf!
0 Comments

Journal FYI...

5/21/2019

0 Comments

 
Since we have reached portfolio conferences, there will be no journals for the rest of the school year EXCEPT for birthday celebration journals: Wolf (this coming Friday) and Emilia (next Tuesday).

Thanks for tuning in!
0 Comments

May 17th, 2019

5/17/2019

0 Comments

 
!!yaD sdrawkcaB                Backwards Day!!
We began by finishing up some glazing work on our lovely bowls... 
Picture
We planted a third large pot full of herbs this morning!  Palmer, Wolf, Cannon and Maren all helped to unload the new bag of soil, and carefully dug a small hole where they could plant an herb of their choosing, then patted the soil around it.  Oliver helped the gang afterwards to water them. 
Picture
Exciting Bird News...
Picture
Picture
We have a chickadee who has taken up residence in our local birdhouse!  She spent the whole morning going back and forth from the house to the tall tree branches above.  As we ate snack, we discussed...

Oliver:  Maybe it's light in her house.

Palmer:  Maybe she might go into the pantry and see what food we have.

Ada:  Birds like worms.

Melanie:  Maybe she's taking care of her babies.

Brooke:  She might be making a nest for them.

Olivia:  That's why she's getting stuff, to snuggle with them.

Palmer:  Maybe she's getting flowers for her house.

Cannon:  No... Worms!

Palmer:  She might wanna plant them (flowers) in the garden with her daddy.

(Allison and the Tucker Room children arrive on the playground)

Oliver:  Allison is gonna give the birdies some snack.  The birdies can have some of my snack!  (To the older children)  We're talking about the chickadees.
~*~*~*~*~*
Picture
Ellie brings a large block for Ada so she can climb up to the swing!
Picture
Ellie: (While pushing Ada on the swing)  You like to ride the swing all day, Ada. 
Olivia:  My Barbie wants a turn.
Ellie:  Maybe two more seconds for you Ada.  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.   Maybe you can have a turn after Ada.


When Ada was done her turn, Ellie helped her down, saying "Now step down... and then go on the floor!"  Afterwards they placed Barbie on the swing... and then laughed hysterically whenever Barbie fell off!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Barbie... are you okay??!
0 Comments

Thursday, May 16th

5/16/2019

0 Comments

 
This morning during meeting we revisited the sweet potato that we left in the jar of water. 
Ada exclaimed, "It's growing roots!"
When asked how many roots she thought it had, Ada carefully counted and said, "I think there's eleventeen."
Olivia then had a turn trying to count the roots.  After careful counting she determined there were eight.
When asked how it's growing roots Palmer noted, "Cause it's drinking the water."

The children were busy with a variety of activities today...
​
Three friends: Oliver, Cannon and Ada worked on a birthday committee preparing Wolf's birthday gift. During meeting when he was asked what he would like in his gift, Wolf responded with, "buttons, beads, leaves and feathers" He also shared that he particularly likes the color blue. His peers kept these hints in mind as they worked to create a beautiful wall hanging.
Picture
Ellie, Palmer and Maren went to the magnetic chalk board with Jessica. They began by exploring ramps:
Later, Palmer explored design. He intentionally unrolled  yarn and spread it carefully throughout the hall.  
Of his work Palmer noted, "I'm making a design. It's kinda like sewing but not."
That's a very thoughtful connection: realizing how sewing is one way to create a design, but that he could engage with yarn - which is a similar material to the thread he had used for sewing - to create a different kind of design in a different context.
Maren and Ellie spent some of their time writing.  It began when Maren commented, "I want to draw." However, once she got a clipboard and began she noted, "I'm writing words."  Ellie, who has also been showing an interest in writing, took inspiration from Maren and followed suit. 
And outside we saw smiles, cooperation and some good old fun:
Right before dismissal the Tucker Room friends came to invite us to the "movie-a-long" tomorrow. Instead of sing-a-long the children get to see the short films that were created by the Tucker Room children. 
Picture
0 Comments

May 15th, 2019

5/15/2019

0 Comments

 
In the last couple weeks of school, we are hoping to compile our knowledge of taking care of plants into a book!  Today we had a conversation about our herbs, and what kind of care they require...
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Ada: We need to water them every day to keep them from dying.
Jen: How much water do they need?
Ada: About that much. (uses fingers to show about half an inch)

Picture
Jen: How much is that much?
Lane:  A tiny bit.  We need a lot.
Ada:  No, a tiny bit is good for the plants.
Lane:  Because if my big plants need a lot of water, they do.
Ada:  My little plants need a little water.  If they get too much water, they kind of will spit it out.  Like if they have that much.  (shows measurement of about a foot with hands)
Melanie: This plant is looking a little sad.  What can we do to help it?
Picture
(Oliver took this picture of the "sad plant"!)
Lane:  Well that’s a little bit too long.
Ada:  No, I think it’s sad because… I think they’re looking down because they’re a little sad.
Oliver: That one is a little bit sad.
Lane:  And I think the dirt will not fill up a little bit right.
Jen:  Oh, so maybe there should be enough dirt in the pot?
Lane:  There’s not enough watering it, so we have to put a little bit more.
Melanie:  What else do plants need besides dirt and water?  There’s one more thing that they need.
Oliver:  (he is looking closely at long leaves of "sad plant") Yeah but I don’t know how to put it back in.  
Lane:  Seeds, I know, seeds.  Grass?
Oliver:  Maybe it needs some water to get the watering can to put some water and turn the sink on, and then it’ll work.
(We make plans to draw the plants and watering can)
Oliver: How bout the other ones? Oh, this one’s not sad!
Melanie:  Is this one happy?
Oliver:  Yeah.  See the bottom right here?  It broked.
Melanie:  Right, he's noticing there’s a hole in the bottom.
Ada: Look, there’s another sad plant.  Awww…
Lane:  We could just trim trim…
Picture
( Lane's happy plant drawing)
Picture
(The "happy plant" Oliver noticed)
After taking a close look at the plants and noticing several of them were "sad", we realized it was time to plant some of them outside on the playground!  See pictures below!
Other moments from our busy day....
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
See Ya Tomorrow!
0 Comments

Genuine Reactions

5/14/2019

0 Comments

 
Today a number of children looked at photos that had been printed for them to include in their portfolios. As the children revisit their work, their genuine reactions reflect their wonderful Brown Room year.
Picture
Gigi, "So cute! I love this picture of me building blocks."
Picture
Upon looking at the this photo of herself cutting pepper for the pizza she made Lane exclaimed, "I was SO excited making pizza!"


​When looking at a photo of herself playing outside in the fall, Maren reflected on her own growth when she commented, "What?! These shoes are too small!" 
Picture
Upon seeing a photo from our field trip to Christophe's, Evelyn noted, "That's my dad (pointing). And that's the bakery!"
Arriving outside, the children were surprised to see the new sand being delivered. Their reactions were ones of complete joy.  Fletcher noted that the new sand was so lovely and soft, "It's like snow!"

The children have begun drawing the herbs they are growing and we are planning to use these in conjunction with other aspects of their learning to create a book..... Tomorrow we will gather more thoughts about how to best take care of our plants.
And Dr. Olivia was in the house today, prepared with very special band-aids to help heal others:
0 Comments

Special Books & Secret Techniques Revealed...

5/9/2019

0 Comments

 
We had a gorgeous start to the day! Wolf and Jecca shared one of their favorite books, The Owl and the Pussycat.  Wolf generously offered to let the Brown Room borrow the book for a while.

As you likely remember, the Brown Room was tasked with creating a thank you gift for Board Member Ann Adams. Today, 6 friends worked cooperatively in pairs on the initial glazing process. In an effort to highlight the stamps, they employed a washing technique.  
Step 1: Paint the outside of the bowl with watered down glaze.
Step 2: Use a damp sponge to remove most of the glaze. 

Spoiler Alert: The techniques employed for Mother's Day gifts are revealed...
The Brown Room children learned how to marble paper! Please use that term (marbling) when you talk with them about their work.  (Note: There are DIY ways to marble paper or you can do what we did.)
Step 1: Order a marbling kit from Amazon ($10).
Picture
Step 2: Fill a try with water. Dip paint brushes in the paint and lightly touch them to the surface of the water.
Step 2: Using the back tip of the brush, gently swirl the colors around.
Step 3: Place a sheet of water color paper on top of the water.
Step 4: Lift the paper out and reveal the beautiful product.
Step 5: Cut into notecard sized pieces and pair with envelopes for a lovely, useful, homemade gift.
We hope all the moms like what we created!
We wish you all the very best this Mother's days!
Picture

There was also a lot of great building happening today (both indoors and out).  Read captions to find out more...
0 Comments

Wednesday!

5/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Wow!! Thanks SO MUCH to everyone for the gorgeous flowers!!  We love the beautiful colors and we feel so appreciated.
More Portfolio Reviewing: Oliver reflects on his work from the year
Picture
Oliver: "I put the sun on there. That's my pretty sun."
Picture
"It's white on the inside."
Picture
"I did this with Jen!" (Remembering how he cut those pieces of paper with Jen Azzariti)
Fletcher reviews his portfolio next...
Picture
Picture
Fletcher was excited about the stickers that are provided with each folder.  He put the stickers on in alphabetical order and said, "I learned my ABC's".  

Then he began placing artwork in the folder.  He found pictures of himself and said, "Fletcher!" so we made a folder called "Fletcher". We counted his paintings one at a time as we put them in... there were 9!
Picture
Picture
Top Secret Mother's Day Work... Continued!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Slideshow of other moments from our day...
0 Comments

Portfolio Review....

5/7/2019

0 Comments

 
Recently the Brown Room friends have begun the task of reviewing and sorting their work in preparation for the upcoming Portfolio Conferences. (the week of May 20th).  Each child's process is unique and the conferences will be too.  Some children focus on sorting, others try to identify or give an interpretation what they made, some evaluate their pieces. Here are some examples from recent portfolio review sessions:
Picture
As Gigi sorted her work she evaluated complexity. When looking at some collages she noted, "It's not so fancy because it doesn't have many beads." She found a different collage and said, "It's fancier than the other one" (it had more beads glued on it).  Finally she noted proudly, "I did all of these at school! I've made a lot!"
Picture
While reviewing and sorting her pieces Lane kept the people she loves most in mind. She had categories for different media, but also categories for ones she specifically wanted to give to certain family members. Looking at one piece she reflected, "This is beautiful. It's for my mom."
Picture
When Emilia first looked at her spatula drawing, she thought it was a blank, black paper. Once she realized she had drawn with black marker on a black paper she evaluated her choice, "This one's not very good because it's black on black." 
Picture
When sorting, Emilia noted subtle differences and opted to create different categories: one for "paintings" (as seen in the left group) and one for "painting and drawing" (the group on the right).
Cannon was thrilled to see his work again. The first piece he reached for was an airplane he made out of clay (first picture) which he proudly showed to Jill and then flew upside down.  The large variety of work was notable for Cannon: clay, painting, drawing, sewing and collage. There was also tremendous pride in reviewing his work.

There was also some top secret work for Mother's Day... (censored for secrecy!)

0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Brown
  • Rainey
  • Tucker
  • KW
  • Summer 2022 Blogs
  • Participation at St. John's