Hello Yellow Duck Families,
We have been working on some collaborative art pieces the past several weeks and they have turned out beautifully. One piece was made up of driftwood pieces from the beaches of Lake Superior. Sections and stripes were taped off and the children got busy painting them with black and white paint. Some mixed the colors and made gray. When they were dry, they were grouped together to make a wreath of sorts.
Another one was done by dragging a small squeegee across a small portion of paint that was on the edge of a large piece of paper. After everyone pulled their paint in their own way, it was left to dry and then was outlined to make everything pop!
Look for these art installations in our room to the right of the door as you walk in.
Why do collaborative art?
Collaborative art is a great team building exercise for preschoolers. The focus is not so much on the artistic product but instead, to help support:
Following instructions
Flexible thinking
Compromise
Sharing
Of course, we always have individual art opportunities each day for those who thrive on expressing themselves in their own way.
“Every child is a different kind of flower, and altogether make this world a beautiful garden.”
Our arctic friends were in our sensory table playing in some snow. “Instant Snow Powder” is made of safe and non-toxic superabsorbent polymer, developed specifically to imitate most of the properties of snow. It’s actually similar to what is inside of a diaper 😄. When water is added to the dry mix, it can grow to 100 times its size. It was fun to watch it grow right in our hands!
We also observed a water bead with the same properties expand in a small jar of water. It started with a tiny speck and blew up to the size of a marble by the end of the day. We then took the bead out and watched it shrink back down via evaporation by the next day.
Let it snow!
On Wednesday we enjoyed our Pancakes and PJs day. It only comes once a year and we were ready for it! We spent a comfy morning working in our classroom in our pjs. By ten o’clock, the pancake invitation was in the air calling us to Ascension Hall. Everyone filled their bellies with pancakes, fruit, and juice. It was delicious! Thank you to all who helped make this day possible. We couldn’t do this special day without you!
“Yum!”
REMINDERS
Our annual Valentine Dance will be next Friday, Feb. 7 from 6:00-7:30 pm. The fellowship hall will be transformed into a party! People have asked what to wear…dress fancy, dress casual, just come dressed ready to dance! Keep in mind, this is a kid-friendly, family event. Our Ducks will also be learning some dance moves for this next week!
Valentine’s Celebration - We will be celebrating Valentine’s Day on Thursday, Feb. 13th (note that this is a corrected date from last week, silly me😊). Please send in Valentines with your child on that day and our ducks will deliver them to one another using their decorated bags we’ll make here in the classroom. If you’d like to include a treat with your Valentines, feel free to do so as long as it’s store bought and individually wrapped. Have your child sign their names on their Valentine cards and leave the “to” part and envelope, if there is one, blank. This way they can practice writing their own name and not be overwhelmed by writing all of their friends’ names. We have 14 Ducks in our class.
February 14th & 17th - No school (teacher work day Monday)
March 12 & 13 - Conferences - School is closed for spring conferences, but feel free to plan with a friend to watch each others’ children on the playground during your conferences.
March 25 - CCP Spirit Day/Night at Al’s Burgers!
March 27 - Casual music programs in the fellowship hall. (This is a new event! Shortly after drop-off on this Thursday, your child will sing a few songs with their class & Ms. Vicki for an audience of parents and special loved ones in Ascension Hall. More details to come…
Just like that, another week is gone. Soak up all the fun the weekend brings!
Peace,
Ms. Shelly & Ms. Carina