We introduced our unit on apples by reading the "Little Red House." The story is about a boy who searches for a little red house with no doors, no windows, and a star inside ( a copy of the story has been placed in your child's cubby). Some of the other stories the children enjoyed listening to were:
Seed to Apple, by Anita Ganeri, How do Apples Grow, by Betsy Maestro, and Apples Here, by Will Hubbel.
We had an apple taste test. The children tasted three different types of apples and chose the one they liked the best. They then colored in the square above the picture of their favorite apple. The results showed: Four people liked the granny smith apple, four people liked the red delicious apple and one person liked the macintosh apple.
We love apples!
The children seemed to really enjoy the music class this week with Lisa. Some of the activities included marching to the beat of the drum (and learning to STOP when the drum stops), keeping the steady beat with their bodies (clapping, tapping, and stomping, etc.), and using various rhythm instruments. The children have also been working on identifying their thumbs and pointer fingers and using them to sing the "Itsy, bitsy, spider." This small motor movement is excellent for getting them ready for using a pencil or crayon, and for playing an instrument!
The highlight of the week was when the Newton Fire Department visited our school. The children were so excited, especially when they were able to sit in the fire truck. Chris (firefighter) let the children try on his helmet and mask. It was a wonderful learning experience for the children, as well. He explained to the children what to do in case of a fire. He also dressed up in his firefighters gear and explained the purpose of each piece of equipment.
We concluded our week by making delicious apple sauce. The children loved using the "magic apple peeler." They got so excited every time they turned the handle on the peeler and watched the apple being peeled and sliced at the same time.
