Did you know we read at least 10 versions of the Gingerbread Boy? There were the traditional ones with the little old man and the little old lady wanting a little child around the house to the version of the Gingerbread Cowboy, The Gingerbread Girl and The Gingerbread Kid Goes to School. The children enjoyed comparing all the stories and really came up with good observations. Our discussions were quite enthusiastic. Ask your child to tell you about their favorite story. As a closure activity at home, why not try baking and decorating your own gingerbread boy or girl and then writing a brief story to go with it. Work as a team; you can do the writing, but let your child come up with some ideas of his/her own. Always encourage creativity. Have some colorful illustrations to accompany your words.
A tradition for years in my home was to spend time decorating a gingerbread house. Each year the size of the house seemed to expand. It wasn't long before there was a jungle gym, turtle pond and tree house in the Gingerbread kids backyard!
Despite the fact that my own children have moved long distances from home, it is still heart-warming when they call to tell me that they have continued this childhood tradition with their friends; of course, with a 21st spin: their cookie characters now sport fancy road bikes, drive cars, are vegetarian, have a pet cat, and have travel adventures far beyond Grandma's forest. If you haven't already begun a family tradition, now is a good time to start. Baking cookies is fun and easy (even if it IS a little messy!)
This week we had fun with Ms. J and her Jingle Jacket, played and sang "Jingle Bells", graphed our jackets, played Jenga, patterned candy canes (upside down and backwards J's!), and practiced fine motor skills by picking up jewels with a plastic"claw".
A popular center this week was playing Candy Cane Pick Up Sticks. This activity required concentration, strategy, and very careful and steady movements. If you don't have this game at home, it would make a great stocking stuffer. On the topic of gifts, boardgames like Candyland,
Guess Who and Guess Where are just a few that come to mind. A deck of cards, Go Fish and some Bingo games are also big hits.
This coming week I will also be reading a story called the Miracle of the Poinsettia,
a touching story of a little Mexican girl who has no gift to bring to the manger. If you are in a store and see this flower, point it out to your child. It is a flower of the season.
Thank you to Mrs. Lenck who gave a very informative lesson to the children on Hanukkah. And a "round of applause" to Mr. and Mrs. Levy who read a very age-appropriate book, Sammy the Spider's First Hanukkah. As a follow-up activity, the children learned how to play the Dreidel game. Try this at home. It's lots of fun, reinforcing counting, taking turns, and good sportsmanship!
This next week I will introduce the letter "L" with lots of discussion on lights that surround us during this holiday season. Lights on trees, on houses, in windows, on Menorahs, and Kinaras. Have you heard about how our classroom looks "awesome" during snack? We shut off the lights and eat by the light of colorful twinkle lights. What fun! The "ooh's and ahhh's" are almost deafening! It's moments like this, that reminds me of the innocence of this age.
I will also be reading a Big Book called, Goodbye/Hello. It's a story about a little girl who moves and leaves her favorite friend behind. I use this as an opportunity to discuss address and phone numbers. Practice this important information at home. We will be reviewing this during class for the next few weeks.
Use the New Year as an opportunity to practice days of the week and months of the year. Calendar skills are part of our daily routine. Have a child-friendly calendar in obvious view so that you and your child can practice daily.
Mark your calendars for our first Wilson Primary Center Holiday Sing Along, Dec. 22. Please refer to the notice sent home from Mr. Gil for details.
Remember that Tuesday, Dec. 23 is a shortened day. Check handbook for class arrival and dismissal times.
Looking forward to January:
If you have not already done so, please contact Judy Shulze to schedule a Parent-Teacher conference in January.
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