December 10th, 2020

Pod A has been sewing this week! The Tucker children were tasked with making a Christmas present for Ginny, the St. John's rector. They worked collaboratively to sew her 3 Christmas ornaments. The end results are beautiful!

The children also started sewing ornaments for themselves. They are very excited for Christmas and decided to decorate the tree in our classroom. They hung the paper snowflakes, the newly sewed ornaments and used the colorful paper that they had made last week to create presents!
Earlier this week during morning meeting we asked the children what we should do with the colorful paper we made. Grace thought about the shape and said, "they are rectangles which is like presents, we could make them into presents to decorate the class."
Today Maren added to the thought about where to put them, "I think under the tree because that's where presents go." 

Pod A also had Mystery Reader today!

Pawel read 2 Elmer books today. He went ABOVE and BEYOND by changing his background to an image from the book and using screen share to show the images and point out specific features. For example, on a number of pages he guided the children to count the animals and he drew circles around them as they went. It was great fun and the children enjoyed it tremendously! Thanks Pawel!

​(For other parents reading, please note you do not have to screen share!  You can always just read actual books!!)

Pod B started with Backwards Day!
The children always enjoy seeing the obstacle courses created by Rainey A.  Construction and pretend are other favorite ways to spend our time outside. Today, Gigi and Lane began working with cut Christmas tree branches.  They began by digging a hole to support the branches.
Lane - Our job is to sell Christmas trees and we’re having a Christmas festival.  We also put lanterns by our front door.  Santa lights them up and puts them by the fire. It makes real fire.  When the puppies wake, they get to have hot chocolate and cookies by the fire.  
Gigi - This is a special soup that we have in the morning, and it’s really really good.  We have it on Christmas morning.   
Gigi and Lane have transformed to their puppy alter egos, Radar and Jack.   They go to sleep on the bench.  In the morning they wake to find that Santa has come and merriment ensues.    

Meanwhile, Cannon, Palmer, and Nora were working on their own ideas.  
 Cannon - We’re building a home for my dinos.
 Palmer - I’ll dig a hole for a strong foundation.
Nora -(Collecting sticks) I think I can make a tree.  (Nora props the sticks up with a block, making a tree as she has previously done)  
Palmer  - (Bringing over the wooden “Shelly’s house” structure) Here’s the roof.  (Bringing more blocks) Blocks! Blocks!  (Adding a small round stump)  Here’s a chimney.
Cannon - Tomorrow is Christmas Day!
 Palmer - So we have to decorate!

Christmas Construction

Once inside, children were eager to continue the idea of decorating for Christmas in our Construction area.   This has been a area of interest for more than a week. Children used colored materials and small lights to decorate their buildings.  Based on this interest, we will add more colored materials and lights to the area in the coming days. Today’s home included a “tower of friendship.”

Painting
The easel featured more papers with pre-drawn shapes.  Today Lane and Palmer tried out the experience.  Here’s  a quick look at their process:
Lane - This is going to be a family of balls.  
Palmer - I’m making a bear.  His scarf goes all the way down to his feet.  But first, I’m painting his body.   The scarf ig going on top of his bear skin.  
Lane - (Outlining a shape with paint before she paints the interior of the shape) I use big brushes on the inside and thin brushes on the outside.
Palmer - The bear’s scarf is too big for him.  It goes all the way to his head.