NEXT WEEK- March 30 - April 6 - School will be closed for Spring Break! We return on Tues, 4/7
Wednesday, April 15 - Spring picture day. We will have both individual and class photos done.
Tuesday, April 21st – Planetarium Field Trip (Every child can have one chaperone join them and NO siblings are allowed on the field trip). Please return your permission form & fee by April 10th.
Thursday, April 23rd - 🎼 Casual music program. Shortly after drop-off on Thurs., 4/23, you are invited to come to Ascension Hall to hear your child sing a few songs they have been learning in music class with Ms. Vicki.
YELLOW DUCK NEWS:
This week we have continued on with comparing and contrasting different versions of a familiar story. Our fairy tale this week was The Three Little Pigs. We started with the original version, and then read, “The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig” who became kind and friendly when he sniffed in the sweet smell of flowers that the wolves used to build their final house! We’ve made our way through different endings, characters, and settings. Our ducks have now had excellent experience in how one story can be told in so many different ways. Instead of art appreciation, it is story appreciation.
Then the children were invited to make houses like the pigs did in the stories. They had to figure out ways in which to construct them using tape, pipecleaner “straw”, sticks and lego bricks. First each child worked alone, and then we collaborated in groups. We tested the strength of the houses to see which was the strongest, with a wolf (hair dryer). Ask your duck what happened. Of course, we also added three little pigs and a wolf so the story could be retold in a fun way! 🐷🐷🐷🐺
We also introduced the concept of nursery rhymes and learned they are short poems that are sometimes sung and contain rhyming words. We read Humpty Dumpty, Hickory Dickory Dock, and sang the Itsy Bitsy Spider.
After reading Humpty Dumpty we did our egg drop. We looked at some photos of example designs & discussed what materials were used to protect the egg. Then we provided all kinds of materials on our table in which the children could construct a safe fall for their Humpty Dumpty. Each child got a raw egg in a ziploc bag & had the opportunity to test their design. Most everyone thought their egg would make the trip unscathed. We first dropped them from our short ladder. Most broke. The five that did not break were then dropped over the railing of our loft. And finally the last remaining intact egg was dropped over the railing of the pirate ship on our playground and STILL survived!
Doing this experiment provided not only great fun, but so many other learning experiences. The children learned that certain materials work better than others to protect an egg. They learned to encourage the others whose egg broke. This investigation reinforced self-regulation by taking turns, using their eyes to watch, and their ears to hear if the egg broke. It enforced how to dream big. Most important of all, they learned how to accept failure (and success), and accept it well. We pointed out that this is how real scientists learn. Failure is a part of life and an important lesson, as it’s usually the way we also learn. We’d still be in the dark if Thomas Edison had given up!
We practiced number order as we created clocks and experimented with water pressure & precision aim as we sent Itsy Bitsy Spider down the spout.
We also took advantage of the beautiful Spring weather to have a picnic with our Whale friends and spend playground time playing with new friends and old.
Everyone has been excited about the upcoming Easter holiday and enjoyed painting Easter eggs at the easel and hunting for letters hidden in eggs around the classroom.
We hope you all our duck families enjoy the Spring Break week. We’ve heard there are many adventures planned and can’t wait to hear about them when you return. Bring a picture or souvenir to share at circle time!
Safe travels,
Miss Sue & Miss Carina
