Tuesday
We have begun a project called "The Best Building Book." The first Catbird to choose this activity at Choice Time is in charge of the building (The Head Contractor), and gets all the magnatiles. They can work completely on their own, or select a team, from Catbirds who volunteer, to work with them. The team knows (at least theoretically), that the Head Contractor is the decision maker and that they are all putting together a single building. This requires that they actively communicate with one another and discuss their ideas with one another. The challenge is real.
While friends are building, Carol engages in running commentary of the process, noting progress and problems, and reminding friends of the need to check in with one another and present their ideas to the Head Contractor.
This project taps into a number of valuable skills: Leadership, working in a group, effectively communicating and problem-solving, to name a few. The commentator goal is to encourage and scaffold these skills.
In Art, we got to begin working with clay!
Older Catbirds worked on specific skills in order to build representational figures.
Younger friends worked on manipulating the clay to form basic shapes, as well as to simply enjoy the process and strengthen hands and enhance fine motor skills.
Snack Time name caller is a favorite and important job. It involves calling out friends' names, using the tree cookies. In this way, friends are dismissed to wash hands and get ready for snack.
We have begun our study of the brain, and are starting with the 5 senses.
Today we watched a video about the sense of smell.
Friends showing and describing their drawings
Wednesday: PAJAMA DAY!
On PJ day, we took pictures of all the Catbirds and each of their stuffies. We are using these to create a deck of cards that will become a matching and memory game.
A Best Building Book entry.
Learning to write by tracing.
Setting up for the Cooking Show.
Making pancakes.
Today we got to bring stuffed animals to music class and they got to participate!
The Catbirds had so much fun!
One of the Catbirds brough a book to school and asked if she could read it to the class (if your Catbird has a book that they can read or have memorized, we encourage them to come and read).
Some new coloring pages.
Thursday, February 22
In Spanish, we are working on learning the names of clothing (la ropa).
Today we used our sense of smell. We watched another video and reviewed the way smell and our brains work. Then, the Catbirds closed their eyes and tried to identify 5 different smells.
Some were harder than others.
Next, we move on to taste!
Friday, February 23
Today friends found photos of their faces without noses!
They had to match their noses to the right faces.
Marcy the snail came to morning meeting and the Catbirds helped her create a story. They worked hard to explain to our puppet friends what things need to be in a story for it to work. This was in preparation for writing our own versions of the Three Little Pigs.
Explaining to Marcy the Snail what a family is, by showing her our family pictures.
Dress up was off the hook today.
Storytime with Ashanti.
spending time with our new books/
