Wednesday, 12/3/08

School Announcements: Please continue to save your tin cans for our luminaries for the Winter Solstice Festival!

There was a bit of adventure today at the school when our minature horse, Lily Belle, mysteriously escaped from her tether. While pulloing the Toddler class in the wagon mid-morning, Tina and the kids saw a brown streak run by . Lily had been tethered to a tree in the front side yard and somehow managed to get free. After some wrangling by Jamie and Leslie behind the play yard fence, Lily was cornered near the pasture gate and returned to her nervous companion Abby!

Highlights from the Infant Room: Gage and Ali enjoyed sitting side by side in the Bumbos today. Thanks to Jack's family for donating the Bumbo with the tray. Gage and Ali even found time to hold hands! Jack arrived a little later today, but he and Miss Caprice enjoyed reading Guess How Much I Love You and some quiet time after his big nap! Jack likes his friends Luke and Orion to visit, as they just both turned one are stimulating little guys!

Highlights from the Toddler Room: "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and other nursery rhymes were a hit at Community Time. The boys enjoyed stacking large wooden blocks and gathering eggs in baskets. The couldn't stop laughing and saying "egg". A wagon ride around the farm with Tina and watching Lily Belle escape were fun, too!

Highlights from the 2s Room: The children enjoyed the story The New Baby, talking about babies, what they look like, what they eat, how to take care of babies, and how to touch babies softly. The Selfish Crocodile was also read, and emphasized sharing, caring, taking turns, and using kind words. The kids sang "Five Little Monkeys", the "Good Morning" song, and "Look Who Came to School Today". The kids constructed a track for cars, chopped fruits and nuts for our afternoon snack bars, and enjoyed lots of great time outdoors!

Highlights from the PreK:
This morning we used out new chopper from Grandma to chop dates, fresh apples, and almonds for our afternoon snack bars. Delicious! Miss Ashley gave us a good gross motor workout before morning snack. Some many friends can be counted on to set the table and set out food at our meal times! What helpers! At Community Time, we read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and enjoyed identifying our names spelled aloud. Most of us can identify every friend's name. We played some gross motor games, too. At morning snack, we retold the story of "The Three Bears" aloud, and pretended our yogurt was porridge. Fine motor activities inside included scooping macaroni wheels and building with our castle construction set. Outside, we enjoyed driving miniature cars on a chalk track Miss Michelle drew for us, riding bikes, digging with garden tools, and writing on the porch with chalk. Mr. Jamie even threw in a game of "Simon Says"!

AM Snack: rice cake, yogurt, water
Lunch: egg salad, whole wheat crackers, peaches, baby carrots, water or milk
PM Snack: homemade fruit and nut bars, water

Tuesday 12/2/08

School Announcements:
Please save tin cans for our luminaries at the Solstice Festival 12/21! Please remove the labels and wash the cans. We'll be happy to use cans that are a minumum of 8 oz and up.

Don't forget the December Evening of Indulgence this Friday from 6:30-9:30. The fee is $25 per person, and this entitles each participant to receive two spa services, a glass of wine, and light appetizers. For our school moms, bring a friend and receive a third spa service free of charge! Gather 'round our chiminea outside for good conversation and kid-free times!

Today we had our first fire drill at school. Things went very well and the children and staff did a great job!

Highlights from the Infant Room:
The kids sang and clapped with Caprice, singing "H.A.P.P.Y.". Jack is scooting all over the room. Ali enjoys sitting in the Bumpo seat and watch everything that happens in the classroom. Gage, our youngest friend, really loved being on a Boppy, covered with a blanket, rolling outside in the evacuation crib for the fire drill.

Highlights from the Toddler Room:
Orion enjoyed see-sawing with friends today. The kids enjoy cooking in the classroom, and all of the boys (the class has only boys) love to read books. Gavin and Waylon love to watch the older children at our school. All of the kids like to pull out their cubbies, pull out the contents, and switch clothes and socks!

Highlights from the 2s Room:
The kids enjoyed reading Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too? by Eric Carle and Potty by Mylo Freeman. Everyone went on a pretend "bear hunt" and drew with beeswax crayons. Early this morning, the kids were able to wake the animals who were still nestled in their warm barns!

Highlights from the PreK:
At Community Time today the kids softened beeswax in their hands while listening to Dr. Suess' ABCs and I Am Who I Think I Am. The rhyme that we say when given a piece of beeswax is:

Bees give us their gift of gold

For you my dear to warm and hold

Story time is here to tell

Come listen to the fairy's spell.

Fine motor activities inside included scooping macaroni wheels and stringing them on pipe cleaners to make necklaces or bracelets. Drawing with beeswax crayons was also available. Pretend play including caring for our baby dolls, and playing prince/princess. Several children built a farm with our animal figures and the doll house and stables.

Work with Mr. Jamie including water plants in the green house, working with the animals, and building a stone labyrinth.

Monday 12/1/08

School Announcements: Wow! The week before Thanksgiving was very busy for us at the school. Many staff and children were sick with a variety of symptoms, so there was little time to keep up with the blog. But, we're back and ready to start a fresh week and a fresh month!

Highlights from the Infant Room: Miss Caprice is back and feeling well. Jack enjoyed scooting across the hardwood floor making crawling motions. Ali is rolling over from a prone position. They both enjoyed a quiet day with thier teacher.

Highlights from the Toddler Room: The children painted with yellow today by shaking a wooden, paint-covered egg over paper in a large box. Their artwork is proudly displayed in the classroom. The kids enjoyed a wagon ride to see the animals with Mrs. Michelle. Crinkling paper and outside time with Miss Lacey completed the day.

Highlights from the 2s Room: The kids enjoyed meeting their new friend, Mason. The kids painted today using a pinecone with the help of Miss Tina. Outside, the kids enjoyed watching the animals and listening to the donkey, Abby, "hee haw" when she saw Mr. Jamie. In the afternoon, Miss Janie sang the apple rhyme and read a story. Everyone liked Mr. Jamie's new and improved outdoor tunnel.

Painting with a pinecone.

Highlights from the PreK Room: As part of community time, the children enjoyed books called Who Am I?, Miles' Dog Food book, and Matt's Ready, Set, Go book. The kids enjoyed painting with pinecones (some will finish tomorrow), building with Legos, and writing and drawing with wipe-off markers. Friends helped Mr. Jamie take care of the animals, including spending time with the miniature horse, Lily Belle in the side yard. Fine motor work included stringing pasta wheels on pipe cleaners and using tongs to transfer the pasta from one bowl to another. Mr. Jamie's tunnel was a hit in the afternoon!

Drawing and writing with wipe off markers.

Transferring pasta with tongs.

AM Snack: homemade blueberry bread, water

Lunch: roast chicken, brown rice, mixed vegetables, fresh orange slices, milk

PM Snack: hummus, baby carrots, pretzel sticks, water

Toddlers enjoying afternoon snack.

Winter Solstice Festival

Mark your calendars! Come join us under a beautiful Texas sky to celebrate the shortest day of the year! The festival offers a time to reflect, enjoy the rhythm of drums and spend quality time with your loved ones. Bundle the kids up and join us for a great evening!

The Good Earth Day School will open up the farm on Sunday, December 21 from 6 pm—9 pm.

Activities include:
· Labyrinth
· Story telling
· Fire Dancer
· Drumming

Hot beverages and snack items will be available for sale.

Price is $6 per person, children 1 and under are free.

Parking available at the farm with overflow parking available across the road at Wiley Middle School.

Stay tuned to the blog for additional information regarding this wonderful event.

Monday, 11/17/08

We are fortunate to enjoy these big, beautiful trees each day! Today, Mr. Jamie made a little roof for us to pretend under at the base of the trees. We were all excited to see its progress throughout the day!

School Announcements: Please remember your nap items and water bottle each day! A reminder that our school will be closed on Wednesday 11/26 through Friday 11/28. We are closed 11/26 for staff development.

Highlights from the Infant Room: Jack enjoyed playing with a silk cape on, and we were glad to see our friend Ali back after leaving early on Friday. Both children enjoy outdoor time with Miss Caprice, and are so attached to her!

Highlights from the Toddler Room: Watch for Miss Lacey more as Miss Janie takes a break with preliminary contractions. Today our friends Luke, Kai, and Gavin enjoyed wagon rides with Miss Lacey, climbing on the play structure out front with Miss Caprice, and books with Miss Janie.

Highlights from the 2s Room: Everyone enjoyed a walk with Miss Mandy to say "good morning" to the animals on the farm. Capes were a big hit, made by Isaac's grandmother in North Carolina! It was a great day to paint outside with green and white! Pouring and scooping beans at the picnic table was a fun activity at the picnic table. Feel free to bring items from nature to display on the classroom nature table. Items the 2s found last week are currently on display.

Highlights from the PreK: At morning community time, everyone enjoyed Miles' "three pigs" book! The class took a walk to give Mr. Jamie some seeds for this week's plantings. Everyone is getting really good at setting the table. Inside the classroom, friends enjoyed the puppet stage, pretending to be teachers, and dressing up is always a huge hit--especially with some new fluffy scarves from Miss Lacey. Outside, the class painted with green and white and enjoyed dancing and flying with capes on! Mr. Jamie kept everyone busy with animal care, practice nailing with a hammer, and an obstacle course with hoops, a balance beam, and jumps.




AM Snack: applesauce, cinnamon graham crackers, water

Lunch: homemade vegetable soup with pasta, crackers, cheese, water

PM Snack: pretzels, organic apple juice

Friday, 11/14/08

Painting outside is a good idea!

An early morning visit from Mr. Frog. . .

School Announcements: Have a great weekend! Don't forget your nap items and water bottle on Monday. We have a new see-saw on our playground!

Highlights from the Infant Room: Watch for a revised infant daily note form on Monday that makes liquids and solids easily distinguished. Jack and Caprice spent the day together today playing with silks and doing foot/toe rhymes from the book Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parents. Jack enjoyed being outside very much!

Highlights from the Toddler Room: The toddlers enjoyed lots of time outside this morning and enjoyed watching all of the animals. Puzzles and bean bags were favorite activities. Several friends surprise us each day with a new clear word! This morning, the class made fruit smoothies for their AM snack.

Making smoothies! Can two year olds use blenders???

Highlights from the 2s Class: Mandy's class loves nature walks and added things to their collection bags today. Mandy found a frog outside early this morning and the kids loved it! This morning, the class made fruit smoothies for their AM snack. Friends helped Leslie make English muffin veggie pizzas. Asa, Jaden, and Isaac helped Grandma Rice shredded carrots with a rotary cutter. Maksim and Gabrielle loved digging in the dirt, and Isaac, Asa, and Jaden loved to chase a ball that Jamie threw for them this afternoon.

Highlights from PreK Class: Today PreK enjoyed a visited from a friend named Micah! During community time Miles' "real" story of the big bad wolf and the three little pigs. They sang "Skunk in the Barnyard". PreK took a walk around the farm to say "good morning" to all of the animals. Everyone worked on English muffin veggie pizzas. Some friends finished a painting project. The animals were fed by the PreK. Free play indoors included Legos, making pipe cleaner bracelets, and dressing up to play house. In the afternoon, they sang "Happy Birthday" to Landon and celebrated, enjoying blueberry muffins from his mom!

AM Snack: PreK: fresh oranges, dry cereal, water. Toddlers, 2s: fruit smoothie

Lunch: English muffin veggie pizzas (tomato sauce, shredded carrots, spinach and garlic, mozzarella), tropical fruit salad, milk

PM Snack: cheese cubes, Triscuits, water--also blueberry mini muffins for PreK

Thursday 11/13/08

I've got my eye on you, pig. Love, Abby the Mini Donkey

Who you lookin' at? Love, Lucy Pig

Working hard in the morning is a good thing!

School Announcements:

Today was our first visit by the farrier. She was there just a few minutes trimming Abby and Lily's hooves. She doesn't do pigs, however, so Lucy will have to wait for her pedicure for a little while! Mr. Jamie things he can do it . . .more on that later!

Highlights from the Infant Room

Jack and Ali enjoyed reading a texture book with Miss Caprice. They ran their hands over various textures. In the afternoon, they both enjoyed the great outdoors.

Highlights from the Toddler Room

All of the boys in Miss Janie's class love to stop by the book shelf and "read" throughout the day. They love the backyard, especially spying on the animals through the fence. Balancing bean bags on heads was a fun game that made everyone crack up! The class is really coming together as everyone relaxes and gets to know one another and Miss Janie better.

Highlights from the 2s Class

Miss Mandy's class enjoyed going on a nature walk and collecting pine cones and other items in small brown paper bags. While out on their walk, they stopped by to see Lucy, Abby, and Lily Belle. Inside at morning snack time, Asa, Jaden, and Isaac enjoyed using the crank apple peeler to peel apples and give them a taste. The apple peeler makes the cut apple look like a corkscrew! After all of the activity, the boys enjoyed a very good nap!

Highlights from PreK

Uhh, Matt, you must've drawn the short straw on where to stand in this picture!

Colton, Saxon, and Wacy check out Lily.

After arriving today, the PreK class had community time outside where they think they may have heard Silvia squirrel (from the Grandmother Wind story) chattering in the trees. They sang some favorite songs, including "Skunk in the Barnyard, P.U." Next they enjoyed a nature walk to collect a large bowl full of pine cones for a future project. The kids also helped Mr. Jamie with a trench and worked in the greenhouse. Inside, the PreK class establised a nature table that will change with each season. This is a small area where natural items are displayed on a silk. Children may bring items from nature to add to the nature table. Fine motor work included making pipe cleaner necklaces and bracelets and building towers with Montessori columns. Several friends helped assemble ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch. In the afternoon, the children enjoyed playing a game with Mr. Jamie that involved hitting a ball with a large stick.

AM Snack: oats and honey granola bar, water
Lunch: grilled ham and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, peaches, corn, milk
PM Snack: peanuts, craisins, water