T'was the Night Before...

A Whole Week of Projects!

We packed our Art Boxes for homeless children, stacked them in Judith's car, where they were then delivered to an organization that will give them to children who are in greatest need. Our Bear Cubs are so excited to feel that we are big enough in our bodies, hearts and minds to bring joy to people we don't even know!

On Tuesday, Sandra came and talked with us about the Colombian celebration of La Novena. Beginning nine days before Christmas, families and friends journey from house to house in the evenings to pray, sing and feast. Sandra taught us a traditional song that we sang in Spanish and she also baked some traditional breads for us to have with snack. It was wonderful to learn about another "Celebration of Light!"

Tuesday was filled with celebration! At the end of the day, we surprised Bailey with a vegan carrot cake and sang her a rousing rendition of our favorite song, "Happy Birthday to You." (We refrained from asking her to walk around the circle 25 times... as it would take s-o-o-o long.) Our Bear Cubs were hungrily eyeing that cake, which Bailey kindly shared with us. M-m-m-m!

Who better to celebrate love, light and joy with than our families? We worked so hard on making gifts, then creating wrapping paper, and finally wrapping and labeling our surprises. We hope that you will enjoy them for a long time, looking back on these wonder years with joy even as your children grow up and eventually leave you with an empty nest. Indeed, our sturdy gifts will last that long...

On Thursday in P.E., Ms. Nancy set up four creative movement stations for "Santa's Workshop." Below, is "Rooftop Jumping," where each child had to propel themselves through the air and bounce onto a "rooftop" (a colored disc.) Count how many rooftops you can land on!

Now use your imagination to build "A Marvelous Toy." Someone older will help keep track of the masking tape!

More rooftop jumping...

"Reindeer Games!" You and your partner toss soft toys to each other and catch them with a scoop...

Finally, Santa gets stuck in the snow and needs help pushing his sleigh free. How can we do this together? We love problem solving, working, moving and cooperating together!

Big ideas to create another Magnificent Toy!

And to all a good night!

Happy, Loving, Peaceful Holidays

from Judith, Cathy and all of the Bear Cubs

Festivals of Light

Last week our class experienced Swedish traditions from the darkest time of the year, as we celebrated St. Lucia Day. A candle crown is worn by a child, who serves warm pastries and cookies at dawn to her family. We made our own crowns, then mixed and baked Cinnamin muffins to share together. As an extension of our rock study, we made a simple rock labyrinth to walk while wearing our crowns (in lieu of each child balancing a tray of muffins as he/she walked around the room.) The children have LOVED the labyrinth and asked to keep it in our room longer... Take a look at the depth of concentration it inspires!

When each child reached the center, she/he touched the little stone cairn to mark a

"point of arrival," then carefully turned to walk back out.

Bailey came to our class on Wednesday morning to tell us about the celebration of Hanukkah!

Bailey tells us about the menorah and the candles. One more candle is lit every night, for the eight days of Hanukkah, until the menorah is full and shining. It is placed in the front window of the house to give its light to the world and for all passersby to admire.

There are traditional foods and games as part of the Hanukkah celebration. Foods cooked in oil are important to the feast, to commemorate the long ago miracle of the lamp oil burning for eight days instead of one. Bailey brought "Mighty O healthy doughnuts" as an example of a food cooked in oil, which we enjoyed after lunch.

She showed us the letters on the dreidel and spun it. We are learning how to spin the dreidel and are able to keep it spinning for a few seconds!

Thank you, Bailey, for sharing your traditions and knowledge with us!

Fascinating Firsts!

We have had quite a few "fascinating firsts" lately, and we'd love to share a few of them with you! Panda Paws had her first experience running in a see through ball, rolling up to each of us in the circle. We were very quiet, except for lots of delighted giggles! We borrowed the ball from Chub-Chub, the long haired hamster in the Explorers class. Thank you Chub-Chub for sharing your favorite ball! For most of the class, it was their first time having eye to eye contact with Panda Paws. Everyone was very careful and respectful about letting her move the ball the direction she wanted to go. We kept our toes touching our neighbor's toes so that Panda Paws couldn't roll the ball out of the circle.

To help attune our eyes, hands and brain to the power of observation, I set up a "still life" art project which also celebrated the season. This was the first time the children had worked on a still life drawing, followed by painting with liquid watercolors. Each child had a unique interpretation.

Last week, we went to the Seattle Children's Theater and Children's Museum at The Seattle Center. Here we enjoy various science exhibits at the Children's Museum. First, we climb a mountain and discover habitats, caves, tunnels, glaciers,

nurse logs...

We send balls on tube trips with simple machines and vacuum power!

We take a trip to one of our favorite neighborhoods...

Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?

In the Sesame Street exhibit, we learn about how our human bodies work and what we can do to help take care of ourselves.

By pedaling, kicking and jumping, we can make the lights go on!

We take turns on the obstacle course... sliding down with our friends

at the end is so much fun!

Using stationary pressure sensitive gear, we can "propel" ouselves through town by running or turning the wheels of a wheelchair. Our track lights up to show us where we each are on the map.

Our class is so experienced with this healthy practice... hand washing!

We also used our hand power moving levers to make a big model heart beat, giant lungs breathe, and a huge digestive system operate... from beginning to end. The children were both fascinated and en"gross"ed with the end results!