Nursery Weekly Newsletter –11/23/15 – 11/25/15
Dear Parents,
We hope that all of our families had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed the last weekend of “calm.” Now that the Black Friday sales have kicked off the season, it’s time to start practicing those conscious breathing exercises in order to get through the busy month ahead!
This past week was short-lived but full of Thanksgiving fun! We gave thanks, read stories, sang songs and played games like “Pin the Pilgrim Hat on the Turkey” and “Can You Find the Turkey.” Check us out on Facebook!!!
During our feast on Wednesday, the children indulged their curiosity by sampling different foods designed for the picky palate! Wearing their pilgrim hats and feathered headbands, the children shared turkey, broccoli, corn, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, pickles, olives, potatoes, American cheese, cupcakes, cookies, chips and apple juice! With a spoonful of this and a spoonful of that the children really enjoyed their feast. The smells were tantalizing and we nearly ate ourselves into a coma! A special thanks to everyone that contributed delicious treats!
Since the holidays are quickly approaching, this is going to be a very busy time for the children. The month of December will be filled with holiday magic. Our unit, “Holidays We Celebrate,” will give the children an opportunity to learn about Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. In order to enhance the learning process and provide a vivid picture of these celebrations, we will have fun making some wonderful projects. We are a multicultural classroom and therefore have the amazing opportunity to teach your children love and acceptance. If your family has any special traditions that you would enjoy sharing with us, please let me know. I would be happy to incorporate it into our lesson plans or have you join us to present it.
This week we will introduce the letter “Hh”. Our color focus will be “white”. In Math we will introduce the number “six”. Please remember that Wednesday will be “Crazy Hat Day!” I can’t wait to see all those wacky, imaginative hats!!! We will also work on our holiday projects. We will begin with Hanukkah, the eight day “Festival of Light” that begins in the evening of December 6th.
I am soooo excited to be introducing “Elf on a Shelf” this week!!! It’s such a fun way to get into the Christmas spirit and a great tool to enforce good behavior. First, a gift wrapped, frozen box will be delivered to our classroom. On it will be a return address from the North Pole. When we receive our special delivery we will read the enclosed storybook aloud and vote on a name for our Elf. Once named, he/she will receive the Christmas magic and begin serving as Santa’s eyes and ears. Let the fun begin! We will let you know how it goes!!
In order to be ready for our annual “Sing-Along” at the Arbor House on December 16th, we will begin practicing our holiday songs. Some of the songs the children will be singing are: “America” (My Country Tis of Thee), “Jingle Bells”, “Frosty the Snowman”, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, “Eight Little Lights of Mine”, “I have a Little Dreidel”, and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. This will give the children an opportunity to make a difference in an older person’s life. It is a valuable experience and we know how it will brighten everyone’s day.
No matter what holidays you observe in December, take time to notice and celebrate the small miracles around you!!!
Warmly,
Miss Joanne
December Birthdays:
Michelle Pratkin 12/7
Dates to Remember:
December 2nd “CRAZY HAT DAY”!
December 16th Arbor House for Older Adults – Sing-Along!