Even on a rainy day, the weather didn't stop The Apple class from making it all the way to The American Museum of Natural History. The journey started by taking the M86 bus across town to Central Park West. The students fluttered down the street in their blue GBS ponchos, just like the butterflies they were about to see. Braque led The Apples into the Butterfly Conservatory where they observed all different types of butterflies (e.g., colors, shapes, sizes). Up, down, and all around, the butterflies flew everywhere; some even landing on heads, phones, hats, and glasses! The students learned that these insects eat nectar, oranges, and even plantains. They noticed that chrysalises hang upside down and come in many different colors. The Apples cannot wait for their own chrysalises to change into beautiful butterflies! Stay tuned... On a warm Wednesday, The Apples welcomed spring with their very first field trip, riding the M86 bus! The students eagerly walked down 92nd street and quickly arrived at the bus stop on the corner. The Apples inserted MetroCards into the machines, pressed the buttons, and grabbed their tickets to step onto the bus. "Hello!", said the friendly bus driver as the students boarded the bus. Everyone walked to the back and found their window seats. The students noticed all the different parts of the bus (e.g., wheels, doors, windows, seats) and commented on what they saw while looking out the window. As the bus approached 1st avenue, The Apples pulled the yellow wire and pressed the red button to signal our stop. "Goodbye!", announced the driver over the loud speaker and the children joyfully exited the back of the bus. Here are a few quotes and pictures highlighting our favorite parts of the trip. Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! To celebrate, The Apples were greeted by The Cat in the Hat for a special read aloud of Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? by the famous author. The students were excited to help the cat by making different sounds throughout the book. "Boom, Boom" "Sizzle, Sizzle" "Moo Moo" and "Buzz Buzz" were some of their favorites by far. When it was time to say goodbye, the students chose a sticker and pencil from the cat's special bag. The Apples have taken on "BIG" responsibilities in the classroom. Each student is assigned a specific job to help our classroom run smoothly. The jobs rotate weekly so everyone gets a turn completing a task. If you are looking for "new workers" at home, The Apples are ready, willing, and able to get the job done! The Apples welcomed their VIPs on Friday, February 3rd 2016. The students and their special guests decorated snowman boxes with foam stickers and enjoyed crunchy popcorn in honor of white week. The Apples also sang "8 Little Snow Kids" (see lyrics below). Thank you for coming and making VIP Day such a success! "8 Little Snow Kids"
8 little snow kids standing in a row, 8 little snow kids made out of snow, Out came the sun and stayed all day, And 1 little snow (child's name) melted away! On Wednesday afternoon, The Apples joined The Astronaut Class for "Book Buddies". Each student was paired with an older student "buddy" to read some of their favorite books. All of the students pulled up some comfy chairs and the sounds of "Pete the Cat", "Panda Bear, Panda Bear", and "Trucks Roll" filled the air. The Apples were so excited to spend time with the older children and decided to invite them to play with our toys. Until next time...happy reading! The Apple students are learning how to be responsible when taking care of a pet. They practice how to safely approach Lily by asking her owner "Can I 'brush', 'pet', or 'walk' your dog?" Before the students say good-bye, they always give Lily her special treats and watch her run down the hall full speed ahead! Next time Lily visits, The Apples will learn how to take the lead by walking in front of her, calling her name, and never letting go of her leash. The Apples discussed what it means to be "thankful." We shared ideas, thoughts and stories in preparation for our Thanksgiving Feast. The students shared their favorite food which inspired our own classroom story "It's Thanksgiving Day" (to the tune of "Today is Monday" by Eric Carle). It culminated into a celebration of family, food and fun! This week, The Apples explored pumpkins. The students used their five senses to experience both the inside and outside of different size pumpkins. Sounds of "orange", "round", "hard", "squishy" were heard throughout the classroom. The Apples washed their pumpkins with sponges and soap, rolled and tossed them, and sang various pumpkin songs (see below for lyrics). When it was time to look inside a big pumpkin, some of the students used their hands and others used spoons to scoop and sort the seeds and pulp. Later, they helped create a Jack-O'-Lantern by discussing the different parts of a face and choosing what shapes they liked best. The teachers carved a happy face with eyebrows and added a light to watch it glow. A BOOtastic time was had by all!
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AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
March 2017
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