Monday
Weekend News
Ellery - I went to my Pop Pop and Nana's house for dinner. They live next door so I didn't drive there. I played with toys. And we play a monkey game. Go Quick, Monkey. It said you step in something disgusting.
Zoey - Mommy did my hair. I watch the Eagles. Mommy and daddy throw me in air when Eagles win. I play my mommy.
Lydia - I just stay home and that's it. I watch the game at home with Mommy. Mommy's been sick. I watch The Alligator Hunter with Mommy.
Lake - My Mommy and Daddy watch Philadelphia Eagles on TV. Me too. I was in my Mommy's room and then I went out. My Daddy pick me up and he was shivering my belly.
Wren - I went to the Target and I got a box of these things that weren't sticky, but they said they were sticky. And, I throw the lamb up on the ceiling and we tried to catch it with cups, but we couldn't. And that's everything.
Colby - McDonald's with Poppy and then I went in the house. I play Duck Duck Goose with my baby.
Julian - I play with my Mom and Dad and well... me and my brother were playing football and by accident, he got hurt. Mommy help. And I help.
Willow - I went to swim school for my first time. It was very fun! And I made coffee cake with only one of my moms. And I had a fun time with that mom.
Masai - I was sick. I play mommy and daddy and my baby.
Annie - Me and my Daddy went to the store and when we got home, we eat yummy candy and yummy food. It was my Mom's birthday. And we ate yummy cake, but I did not like it. It was raspberry, but I don't like raspberry.
Renata - I did nothing at the weekend. I didn't even eat any food and I didn't do anything at all. I just sleep at my home.
Alicia recapped the story of Molly's Tuxedo with the Cardinals before continuing to read the book. Friends had thoughts about who wears what kind of clothing. Alicia explained that everyone can choose the clothing that make them happy to wear. Alicia went on to say that the clothes in her closet are Alicia's clothes not girl or boy clothes but just Alicia's clothes!! Ask your Cardinal whose clothing is in their closet?
We took a walk around campus and noticed a few different types of prints in the snow. Friends thought they were people, deers, animals and Alien prints! As we continued our walk, we came across 20 or more geese out on the fields near the gym. The Cardinals were excited to see the geese and wondered what they were doing there. A few thoughts were: maybe on a geese field trip, playing outside or on a playdate!
Tuesday
The book A Sick Day by Amos McGee read by Michelle was such a hit with the Cardinals. Friends had so much to say about being sick such as how it makes them feel, what they do and where they go.
Gym class today was all about Obstacle Course Balance Pathways. Friends used hula hoops and different types of balanced beans to complete the obstacle! Ask your Cardinal what was their favorite part of gym class?
Wednesday
Today we began the process of beginning to build our house. The Cardinals helped with building up the walls and resting the roof on top of our house. Talk about enthusiastic builders! So many ideas! The Cardinals were very helpful when it came to reinforcing the house. Stay Tuned!
Thursday
Early this morning our whole AFS community had a practice fire drill. The Cardinals did an amazing job with the process of getting outside and following the rules about what to do once we were outside.
Ellery led us into music class to "15 Animals" by the Philadelphia Chickens. Such a fun song! The Cardinals then, along with Keisha, sang "Jambo!" (one of our personal favorites:-) ). Next was practicing rhythmic patterns. Keisha clapped a rhythm first and then the Cardinals repeated it. They did a fabulous job!
The Cardinals then practiced rhythmic patterns by "clapping the flower pattern." They saw pictures of a Rose (one clap) and a Daisy (two claps). Keisha challenged friends by changing the pattern a few times. They loved it so much that some Cardinals even yelled out: "Longer pattern!" and "We want more, Keisha!" They also learned the vocabulary of Conductor, Musician, and Composition. Keisha was the conductor so she counted first - then the musicians (Cardinals) did their job reading/clapping the composition!
Keisha then read the book Animal Boogie as friends sang and danced. The Cardinals truly loved and enjoyed music class!
Friends continued to work on our house. We measured the height and width of the base. We then placed the roof on the floor and create a sunroof by friends taking turns drawing a rectangle. A teacher cut it out and friends helped to place a piece of clear plastic over the rectangle and taped it down. Upon completion of our house each Cardinal will get a chance to rest in the house at rest time and it would not be dark inside because of our sunroof. Stay Tuned for next steps!
Friday
Today was a special day where all the Kindergarten and EC Friends gathered together in the Library to meet the author of A Little Bit of Everything named Meghana Narayan. She told the Friends a little bit about herself and had them very involved. She is a Mama, an Author, an Artist and a Teacher (at another Friends School!). Meghana shared pictures of herself when she was much younger and had the room connect to each other by Things they Love and Things they Don't Like.
Meghana explained what a mandala is and the Friends compared different patterns in the mandalas. Mandala is a Sanskrit word that means "sacred circle." She went on to explain it could mean a circle of friends, and/or that we each have our own mandala within - and we are all unique and special.
Meghan read the story to all friends and everyone listened beautifully. They listened as the girl in the story named Amaya's experiences all became part of her memories. She is a little bit of Mama and a little bit of Papa and all things in between - the ocean and the storms. She knew it was her job to teach her new sibling to collect her own memories that will turn into her own story. Friends learned how important it is to realize: "You are You and No One Else. You are Beautiful."
