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| Jackson Pollack inspired group painting of our Chinese New Year Dragon costume |
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| Our Chinese New Year Celebration and Dragon Dance each child was able to enjoy with a partner while classmates played loud instruments |
“It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.”
Dr.Wangari Maathai
Klahanie School
April 2015 Newsletter
It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is
planting trees.
Dr. Wangari Maathai
March 2015 Reflection
Happy Spring!
This long month has brought
us many wonderful opportunities in and outside the classroom. We were able to expand our outside play
space to the south end of the property where we have a slide and much dirt
moving, digging and creation opportunities. The children self-initiate plays once or twice a week using
the dress-up and Garden Stage—these plays are amazingly entertaining for all
and I hope to expand on this for our June Graduation ceremony if they are up
for it!
Our class gathered dandelion
greens for a class dandelion, apple and lemon dressed salad the children made
and ate together and mixed with the very entertaining descriptions of the salad
by the children, everyone tried it!
Walks to our neighboring Klahanie beach have increased. Like all spring life our class is
popping with activity, interest and movement. Thank you again
to parents holding concerns or questions about class-time who asked input as
well as time in class to observe, fun to share with you how well this group of
dynamic children are doing! Check
out our school blog to see pictures of it all!
April Curriculum Topics
·
Peace Maker
Dr. Wangari Maathai: I was
honored to listen to Dr. Maathai when she visited Seattle over ten years
ago. She is my favorite Peace
Maker to share with the children. Using
a fictional story I wrote and orally tell during circle, I will share
Dr.Maathai’s life mission for the earth, women and children of Kenya and
beyond. I welcome you to look up
her work www.greenbeltmovement.org.
Each Earth Day I like to plant seeds and a tree with the children in
honor of her vital work. She is
dearly missed.
·
Earth Day and
Art Creation: For our 2015
Earth Day on April 22 we will be using the wonderful recycle materials from
Tinker Topia in Tacoma (www.tinkertopia.com) to create Art pieces as well as plant
some seeds and tree in honor of Dr. Maathai.
·
Parts of a
Plant/Flower: seed, roots,
stem, corolla, pistil, stamen, nectar and pollen. During the month of April we will be planting seeds and
working in the soil most of the month.
Thank you for dressing your children in cloths you do not care getting
home muddy. All paints are
washable.
·
Life Cycles of
Butterflies: Our Painted Lady butterfly larva
arrived and we will be observing the cycle of the butterfly as well as many art
and science projects surrounding this fun unit.
·
Hawai’i
continued as well as Introduction to Bees
·
Continued
Sewing, Wood-working and Food Preparation opportunities
·
Outside Painting
and large science projects (volcano making, parts of flower collage) and more
Plays outside!
Reminders/Thank You
·
Spring Break J No school April 13th-17th
·
Thank you, Thank you Meaghan
Goliday for organizing the Klahanie Scholarship Fundraiser, please contact
her for information!
·
Elizabeth Shaw for the play-dough and Ruthanne Rhoads for the cookie
cutters donations!
·
A great book we read in class this month was “Cool Down and Work
Through Anger” by Cheri J. Meiners, M.Ed.
I seek to purchase her series for the school, she has great and practical
Emotional and Social Development support in a children’s book format for
families. I re-read it for myself
a couple times!
o
www.freespirit.com The Learning to Get Along series
March 2014 Class pictures:
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| Thank you Mrs. Kelly for sharing your beach with us for these fantastic experiences! |
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| Creating our clay air-dry Hawaiian islands |
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| Monthly calendar |
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| Card sewing |
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| Hawai'i animal book creation |
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| Carlough! Our own Aerial Silk resident! |
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| Hike back to school |
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| Sewing specialist Jordan! |
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| Wood working |
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| Class play the children created and performed |
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| Bridge and city building |
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| Class Hawaiian islands |
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| Picking dandelion leaves for our class salad |
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| Preparing the dandelion, apple and lemon dressing salad |
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| Everyone in class tried the salad! |
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Moveable Alphabet story writing      |
