Osiyo, River Otter families.
Thank you for attending the lantern walk with us. It was exciting to see every student from our class there! We hope you all enjoyed this beautiful, reverent festival. Next, we look forward to the Thanksgiving Luncheon this week!
This week we began working with modeling beeswax. The class sat together and talked as each student made their own creation. Modeling beeswax is firm; it is warmed by the children's hands to be moldable. This process builds patience and perseverance in children. Once the beeswax is softened, it can be molded into any shape, using imagination and creativity. Molding the beeswax builds strength in the hands, which will help with form drawing and writing when the students reach the grades program. We will continue to model with beeswax throughout the year.
Next week we will finish our apple harvest morning circle. When we return from the weeklong break we will have a new circle! One verse that the children have really enjoyed is The Apple Tree. We repeat the entire verse twice. Your child can show you the movements of this verse. The movements concentrate on crossing the upper and lower midline, and the right and left midline. We also practice upright posture as we stand like tall trees.
Here stands the apple tree
With leaves of green
Here hang the apples
In between
When the wind blows
The apples will fall
Here is a basket
To gather them all
Announcements and Reminders:
Please dress your child in layers, and send rain gear (with insulated boots), hats, gloves, and a full change of clothes (including socks) every day. Wool socks are preferable for the coming cold weather.
This Thursday and Friday we will have our first Hot Cocoa days! Please feel free to send your child with a spill-proof thermos of cocoa, or another warm drink of your choosing. We will also have herbal tea available.
Students often like to have a warm beverage from home in the winter. Please do not send your child with sweet drinks like hot cocoa, unless it is a special designated hot cocoa day. Herbal tea and hot water with honey and lemon are great alternatives that allow the children to keep warm and also remain hydrated and energized for their day of play and learning.
Please join us this Friday, 11/18, from 11:00-12:00 for a family luncheon. Please bring a lunch for your family to enjoy together in our forest classroom. Please also bring a picnic blanket if you have one. You are welcome to take your child with you from the lunch; please see me to check your child out before leaving.
This Friday, 11/18, is a half day of school for all students. Dismissal is 12:15-12:30 pm.
Next week, 11/21-11/25, there is NO SCHOOL for Thanksgiving break.
Thank you for sharing your children with us, and for being part of our community.
Gvyalieliga,
Ki Holly
