December 2012 Newsletter

The children have been busy making holiday decorations for the last few weeks.  They’ve created paper chains to hang in the classroom, and made decorations and ornaments to bring home as gifts for their families.

We’ve been continuing our study of the story of the Nutcracker and the music by Peter Tchaikovsky.  We’ve learned a little bit about how a ballet works, and studied the families of instruments in the orchestra.  We really enjoyed the performance by a mother who is a flutist and who so generously purchased each child a wooden flute to take home.

We’ve also been reading holiday books and singing holiday songs.  We read a book about Hanukkah and the game played with a dreidel.  We also enjoyed reading a book called “Grandma’s Latkes” before the children had the opportunity to prepare latkes with Zoe D’s mom.  We also read the classic poem “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore and listened carefully for all the rhyming words found in that wonderful story.

Since the holidays tend to be a busy time of year, we try to continue our daily routines as much as possible to provide comfort and consistency for the children.  One of these daily routines that the children really love at this time of year is making silence at the beginning of each day.

Thank you so much for sharing your talents and traditions with us!  It makes our classroom studies much more interesting!

Happy Holidays!

Vida, Kristen and Melody

440 Classroom teachers

Thank You

Our classroom would not be the same without all the help and support we receive from our parents.  We have such a supportive community!!

Thank you to the Schmidts for the treats for the teachers.  Thank you to the Coughlons for the cookies for the teachers.  Thank you to Emily M. for the jars.  Thank you to Tracy R. and Emily M. for the Van Gogh “Starry Night” supplies.  Thank you to Julie D. for making latkes with the children.

Thank you to Missy B., Tom F., Joshua D., Drew R., and Jay C. for reading to the children.

If we’ve forgotten to thank you for something you’ve donated or done for us, please accept our sincere apologies.  Please know that we appreciate everything that you do for us.