Yay for snow!  The children have been pulling each other around the grass-covered playground in sleds for weeks, so the slight dusting of snow on Tuesday morning was very welcome!

 

At the art table this week the students made some beautiful crayon and watercolor resist paintings.  Some are displayed at school, but many went home.  The children quickly figured out that they needed to color with the crayons first then paint over with the watercolors to get the best effect.

 

We are so grateful to have Gerry Tobin working with us to prepare for our Winter Performance on the 14^th.  She is teaching us some wonderful songs that we are excited to sing for everyone!

 

On Wednesday morning we visited the Post Office for a tour with Postmaster Jodie.   Everyone was enthralled by the big back room where all the mail is checked in, sorted out, and prepared for delivery.  We got to see the back of the PO boxes filled with mail, the mail carriers sorting out the mail, the carts that the mail comes in on, and the bins that hold the packages.

 

When we got back to school, many of the students decided to write their own letters.  Some children wrote letters to family, friends, and Post Master Jodie to thank him for our tour.  Some decided to make their own personal mail pockets to receive mail at school, and they painted a big blue mail box to put their outgoing letters in.

 

We read the story The Jolly Postman and discussed all the different types of mail – packages, letters, magazines, newspapers, postcards, and cards.  We learned how to write a letter by beginning with a greeting, such as Dear, and finishing with an ending, such as Your Friend, and a signature.

 

During Spanish this week we continued to work on the names of shapes and colors.  We are learning a color/shape song, and we practice saying them by finding them on our clothing.  On Tuesday Zeanny brought some raw sugar cane to school.  Everyone got to try a piece.  It was fibrous and sweet.  We chewed on the cane and sucked out the juice.  Yummy!

 

Friday students could not wait for science time!  They selected a static electricity experiment, so first they worked on blowing up some balloons.  The balloons were fun to play with, so the students spent some time bouncing them around and keeping them up in the air before settling down to learn about static electricity.  They rubbed the balloons all over their hair then held them over paper and sugar to see what would happen.  The static pulled the small paper pieces and sugar onto the balloon, but the most exciting part was when the balloons stuck to their heads.  One balloon even stuck to the ceiling!

 

Next week we will continue practicing for our Winter Presentation.  We will also be preparing some (secret) holiday gifts for our families.