Hemlock Class
What a great autumn season. The children are going on nature walks and enjoy the falling leaves. We started to collect and dry them for future art projects. During circle time we talked about why seasons occur, that we have four distinct ones and why leaves change colors. We named the different parts of a leaf. Bird migration and the reason for it tied right into it as well.
We talked about the changes in weather. -Please make sure your childs/childrens next set of clothes are marked with their names, too. We have some similar winter coats ready to be mixed up! – We try to bring the outside in as much as possible and this month is definitely pumpkin time. We talk about the life cycle of a pumpkin and its parts. We sing the pumpkin song. There is a pumpkin in the Practical Life area for coloring and for hammering. There will also be a large one for carving into a Jack-o-Lantern during circle time closer to Halloween. The children are excitedly talking about their visits to pumpkin patches with you in the afternoons and on weekends, too.
We made our own apple sauce in the am and pm class. The children were able to wash, peel (not all children wanted to participate in this step) and cut their own apples. The crock pot softened the apples in class and smelled nice. The children enjoyed unsweetened apples sauce for snack and we were able to share with our Buckeye friends.
For science we found out if an apple sinks or floats.
Sunflowers were tweezed for their seeds so we could feed the birds. Thank you to the Buckeye class for growing and sharing so many of them. Now we are tweezing native corn.
We also talked about Columbus Day during an afternoon circle.
A big ‘Thank you’ goes to Meera’s mom, Radhika, for sharing her custom of Navratri (a nine day festival in India) with our class. We were lucky to have her come again for Diwali/Deepavali (the five day festival of lights) in the pm class. It was great to have you come and explain and show your traditions! Thank you for the diyas with decorations and the yummy sweets!
On Halloween we would like for the children to come in costumes that allow for easy access for the bathroom and no weapons, please. The first thing we will do is take a picture of each child in her/his costume. Later on we will create a work for the classroom with before and after pictures as a matching work. It will be enjoyed throughout the year by morning and afternoon children alike! During class time we meet with the Buckeye class on the playground to show off our costumes and sing “The witches brew” a favorite song of ours this season.
A lot of our circle times are used for Class Meetings. This is a time for children to share their ‘appreciations and compliments’ for and with one another, then they can bring up arising issues in class or with classmates and we find solutions that will work for the children. At the end we enjoy a fun activity together to leave on a positive note.
Please come and sign up for our conference in the coat room. Conferences will be held on November 7th and we will offer three spots per time slot as all three teachers will conference simultaneously.
Buckeye classroom:
This month we’ve been embracing all things fall. The children learned about the reason for our seasons, about trees and leaves, exploring why they change colors and eventually fall from the trees. Our pumpkin study was a highlight—the children learned about the parts of a pumpkin and its life cycle, and we even dissected one together during circle time to see (and feel!) what’s inside.
As Halloween is approaching, we’re exploring some of its familiar symbols—spiders, bats, and cats—learning fun facts about each. We had a simple discussion about the origin of Halloween, and how it has changed over time. The children expressed their creativity through Halloween-themed art projects, including making their own bat masks.
We also celebrated important cultural events this month. For Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we discussed why we now honor Indigenous peoples instead of celebrating Columbus Day, focusing on respect for the first people who lived here. We were fortunate to have parents visit and share about Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, and Korean Thanksgiving (Chuseok)—both wonderful opportunities for the children to learn about traditions around the world.
We’re looking forward to Halloween, when children are welcome to come in costume (please keep them comfortable and school-appropriate).
A reminder that Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Friday, November 7th—we look forward to connecting with each of you then!