I wanted to share something with you. Have you ever listened to the song ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’ by The Byrds? It’s a beautiful song, but I adore another version even more. It’s by Dan Zanes and Elizabeth Mitchell, and it always reminds me of the children under our care. As the year is coming to a close and some children prepare to move up, I can’t help but reflect on all the wonderful growth that has happened in our classroom. It’s truly miraculous, with every season, turn, turn, turn.

Speaking of growth, we recently included tadpoles in our life cycle study. This is a great addition to our observation of caterpillars, ladybug larvae, and root vegetables, and it offers a wonderful opportunity for children to witness and learn about the changes that occur in these creatures. The children are really fascinated with the learning experience and are absorbing all the knowledge they can.

The children’s play has shifted towards a more imaginative and cooperative style. Ms. Sara and I observe as stories unfold on the playground. It is delightful to witness their conversations and storytelling. Some children are creating birthday parties in the sandbox and inviting others to join, while others are playing hairdresser and using a rake to comb hair. A few are pretending to fight fires. Whatever adventure the morning takes them, there is so much joy in watching the children play together.

As the weather continues to get warmer, we are making the most of our time outside. This week, we took the children to our grassy lawn and enjoyed a picnic lunch. We plan to continue having our lunchtime outside as much as possible.

This week’s food tasting featured an English cucumber. Although some children may have already tried this, it was a great chance to encourage those who may have refused it previously to give it another try.

Love and Light,

Cynthia and Sara

 

“There must be a provision for the child to have contact with nature; to understand and appreciate the order, the harmony, and the beauty in nature.”

In the month of May, we are exploring the fascinating world of pond life and insects. This week, we started by teaching the children the names of some common backyard insects and their body parts. To help them remember, we sang a song called “Head, Thorax, and Abdomen” to the tune of “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” With the weather getting warmer, we have been observing a few insects outside, and we constantly remind the children to be kind to all living things, including insects.

On Monday, we received teeny tiny caterpillars, and every day, the children have been observing them closely to see how much they have grown. We are currently learning about the lifecycle of a butterfly and new vocabulary words such as “chrysalis” and “metamorphosis.” Encourage your child to tell you all about the life cycle of a butterfly!

We would like to express our gratitude to the Raia family for generously donating a Root View Farm to our classroom. The children were thrilled to participate in setting up the garden, where they helped by scooping in the soil. Together, we planted onions, carrots, and radishes, and now the Root View Farm will allow the children to observe what these root vegetables look like when they grow in the soil.

Sara and I want to express our sincere gratitude to all of you who attended this year’s gala. It was truly a memorable night, and we both had an amazing time. Your presence and support made it all possible, and we couldn’t have done it without you. For those who were unable to attend, we missed you, but we hope to see everyone at next year’s event. Let’s make it another unforgettable night!

Cynthia and Sara