Notes from the Classroom

The winter season is upon us! We are looking forward to a new year, filled with exploration, growth, and fun, with our Small Friends family

The Pollywogs spent the Fall learning about pumpkins, deer, hibernation, and giving thanks.They carved a pumpkin together, and made handprint turkeys and deer. The read stories, such as Time to Sleep, and made hibernating animals. The Pollywogs also went on a field trip nature walk, and made autumn wreaths with their findings! Soon the infants will be exploring the winter season, stars, and snowflakes!

The Scallop group is sad to say goodbye to Dana Simmons, but excited to welcome their new teaching team: Anne Nina as Head Teacher, Delreen Smith as Teacher, and Heidi Marks as afternoon Teaching Assistant. The Scallops have begun a unit entitled Winter Wonderland, during which they will be exploring the weather of the seasons and will be doing projects centered around the major multicultural winter holidays. As always, they continue to work on basic motor, cognitive, and social/emotional skills.

The Starfish have recently wrapped up a Family Life unit, during which the children shared stories and photos of their families, and learned about all different family dynamics through literature and dramatic play. Currently, the Starfish are learning about the different holidays of the winter season through songs and rhymes, and will soon begin a unit on Winter Clothes– they will discuss when to dress warmly, increase their vocabulary by identifying different types of clothes, and will practice zipping and buttoning!

For the Hermit Crabs, the fall was filled with fun, including painting to ocean sounds, learning about different kinds of birds, and an exciting field trip to the Whaling Museum’s Festival of Trees! The Hermit Crabs will now be exploring Nighttime– the sky, bedtime routines, and nocturnal animals.

The Bluefish recently finished a unit centered around the literature of Jan Brett, whose stories include The Mitten, The Hat, and Gingerbread Baby. They also learned about arctic animal– specifically, penguins, seals, polar bears, and beluga whales– and did many art projects for both subjects, which are displayed around the room. The Bluefish are now learning about the winter holidays, including Christmas, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, and Chanukah– and will be exploring the winter elements.

In November, the Dragonflies reflected on what they are thankful for and giving thanks– They even made thank you cards for the police station and fire department, thanking them for all they do for our community. The Dragonflies are now working on Dreams and Wishes: They did a play of Where the Wild Things Are for families and the younger classes. They are now learning about Holidays Around the World, and took a field trip to Our Island Home to bring holiday cheer to the residents.

The After-School Program decorated a tree and wreath for the Whaling Museum’s Festivals, which were displayed for all the island to see! They have begun working on a sequence book about their day: Kindergarten, the bus, Small Friends, and home! After-School Program spots are available! Please call Thayer if you are interested in your child spending his/her afternoons with us!

Notes from the PTN

The next Parent-Teacher Network meeting will be Jan. 5th at 5:15pm We will be discussing the upcoming Couponing Workshop