Mellow Monday

You might expect our first Monday to be manic. Not here. On only the fourth day of school, our class has settled in comfortably. All different parts of the classroom are buzzing with a harmonious activity level.


In the block area, a group of five constructed a "highway" with blocks, which in and of itself is not unusual. That they collaboratively measured with large and small blocks to complete "circuits" and cloverleaf-like loops was. CalTrans has nothing on these budding civil engineers. All the while, the painting easels are in heavy rotation as are the Lego and playdough tables. More on playdough tomorrow...

MUSICAL MOVEMENT
In our first day of small group activity, Sonya brought one group to the multi-purpose room for some structured movement activities, drawing on her keen knowledge of children's music. The children enjoyed a rousing game of "Hot Potato"(no small feat with 12 four yr. olds), "The Freeze" song, "The Boogie Walk"(bunny hop) and "When Cows Get Up In The Morning." The class really enjoyed saying good morning in the many animal languages on the farm. Critical reviews from the participants were very favorable: Sebastian said, "I liked the 'Cows in the morning' song. Sheyla proudly proclaimed, "We did 'Hot Potato' and I didn't even cry when I got out!" Great work, Sonya.


TODAY'S STORY
What Are Friends For? by Sally Grindley and Penny Dan. Usha brought this story to life for an appreciative audience, providing intermittent explanations to clarify for comprehension. She told the story of a large bear and a small fox who love doing everything together. When the bear needs a rest, the fox plays a trick on him, making him cross(one of the words). The fox takes the bear's upset personally and retreats to sob(another word). Once both parties express their feelings, all is forgiven and they confirm the moral of the story: "Friends Are Forever." The story was so popular, Usha was compelled to read it again when Nate cast the tie-breaking vote in our afternoon book "selection election." It's such a fun and practical way to count, estimate and compare sums.