5-Day: Learning About Communites
5-Day started the week learning about our Earth community. We went on a nature scavenger hunt to look for signs of spring in the Earth through flowers, birds, worms, grass and dirt. Puddlestompers followed up on this theme with an exploration of colors in nature. Bright colors on insects (i.e. red or yellow) is a warning to other animals who may eat them saying, "Don't eat me, I taste terrible."
Tuesday began our community helpers theme with a visit from Kate Nyquist discussing feelings. She said it is very important to share your feelings with the people you love. Then the class walked around Newtonville village looking at what kind of stores there are and the buildings that make up this community. The class saw a mail carrier, a policeman, a fire truck, a city bus, a construction site with diggers and construction workers, and roofers installing solar panels. We also saw many shops and restaurants, including a dry cleaner, a barber, a hairdresser, a bank, an ice cream shop, an optician, and a grocery store. The most recognizable one was Starbucks!
We continued our theme with a visit from Rosa Clark and learning about singing in a chorale group. Rosa talked about Boston Symphony Hall and working with a conductor. Liz Seeley came in to talk about colleges and universities. The children had some great questions like, "Does a pilot go to school?" and "Where does a policeman learn?" The class began painting their boxes as the beginning piece towards creating our own 5-Day community. The dramatic play area is busy with children writing letters to friends, addressing them and stamping them. Other friends have been delivering all this mail to their mailboxes. We made bird feeders for our feathered friends who are building nests and hatching eggs. The class is excited to hang them by the playground and see if we get more squirrels or birds. Each child has been describing what they want to be when they grow up to Jasmine. The answers are wonderful! Please look at our bulletin board early next week to look at them.
The art table has been popular as children chose a part of a community to create and add to a class 5-Day town. Lots of new adventures coming up next week as we continue to explore this theme. We have a cellist, a flautist, a dentist, and a doctor visiting the class. We anticipate a walk to the library for a talk with a librarian. We are looking to do this on Tuesday, so pickup will be at the Newton Library Main Branch on Homer Street at 12:00. Also, Great Harvest has invited us for a tour on Wednesday.
Thank you,
Cathy and Jasmine
