Osiyo, Chickadee Families,

Welcome back!  It was fantastic having students back on campus to start the spring semester. Over the coming weeks, we may spend more time indoors due to below-freezing temperatures. While we will still play outdoors as much as possible, mornings, lunch, and rest may be indoors if the air feels very cold. Last week, students enjoyed this combination of time indoors and outdoors. Inside, students participated in fine motor activities like molding with beeswax, finger chaining, putting together puzzles, and drawing. Outside, the children especially loved finding ice and breaking it up with tools. The sun-sparkled ice reminded many of them of crystals. On Wednesday, we walked to the farm, and the students noticed the wetlands were frozen. This led to a discussion about whether they could skate on the wetlands.

Our January and February circle is all about Winter! The students sing songs and recite verses about King Winter and preparing for and playing in winter weather. They act out many gross motor movements that cross the midlines of the body helping students to develop balance, strength, and coordination, and also help keep them warm. Now that we are in the second semester, and many of our students may be rising to first grade next year, our circle songs and movements are more complex. This progression helps students build the necessary brain connections and skills needed for reading, writing, and math in the coming months and years. One of our new songs piqued the students’ interest because the tune and movements are familiar, but the words are new to most of them. This song is a Japanese version of Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. Try singing the song with your child and asking them to show you the movements: they are a little different since there isn’t a great translation for “toes,” and the order of facial features differs from the English version. 

A ta ma, ka ta, hi za pon

Hi za pon, hi za pon

A ta ma, ka ta, hi za pon

Me, mi mi, ha na, ku chi

(sing 3 times)

Announcements and Reminders for Chickadee Kindergarten:

• 1/17: Southern Train Museum visit

• 1/20: MLK, Jr Day of Service: No School

• 1/20: CAB Service Project: 10:00 a.m.

• 1/21: Early Childhood Curriculum Night: 6:00 p.m. (adults only, please)

• 1/22: Grades Curriculum Night: 6:00 p.m. (adults only, please)

Gyvalieliga,

Ki Holly