Special Visitor

We were busy again in Germany today.  We added hair and beards to our nutcrackers and hung them in the hall, we added glitter to our Christmas lights, ate a ginger snap from Germany and then wrote about what it tasted like.  We made a poster about it and hung it with our gingerbread men from yesterday.  Next week we will graph the colors of our nutcrackers' jackets for one of our morning math centers.  We will also sort and make patterns with bows and add presents and ornaments to Christmas trees.  It should be fun!

We had three special visitors today.  My sister, brother- in- law and my kindergartner Gann came by for a visit. Gann did not want to leave and spent the afternoon with us.  We watched Rudolph during rest time today.  A special treat from Kathy the Elf.  She left us a box of Christmas movies and popcorn.  What a special treat!

Hallo from Germany

We had a good flight to Germany today.  We flew over the ocean and raced a few dolphins and then we flew over snow capped mountains.  When we landed we went straight to a bakery where they needed help icing gingerbread men.  We helped them out and ended up with some great looking gingerbread men!

After lunch we added a square present to our Christmas shape books and even got to add a bow on top.

When we got back to the room after PE it was time to make our nutcrackers.  The children did a fabulous job following directions and working together.  Their nutcrackers turned out very cute.

Holiday Travel

I hope your child was not too jet lagged this afternoon from our quick trip to Holland today.  We began our Christmas Around The World unit and visited Holland on our first stop.  We learned that Sinterklaus visits the children of Holland in a boat loaded with packages.  The children collaged a picture of that scene today.  We also learned that children in Holland leave their shoes out, instead of stockings, for Sinterklaus to leave treats in.  Since we were in Holland we left our shoes in the hall during rest time and when we woke up there were treats in them.  It was very exciting! 

We also began working on our Christmas Shape Books.  Today we added a diamond ornament to our book.

Kathy the Elf has been visiting us every night and leaving us messages.  Last night she added eyes to our Mr. Potato Head.  We get to add a piece when we are following directions and are "caught" being good.  We are trying to make him complete so we can have a PJ/ movie party the last day of school before Christmas break.  I'm sure your child will keep you updated on our progress!

Our next "trip" will be to Germany on Thursday.  Fun, fun!!

Field Trip Fun!

  After the initial disappointment that we were not going to the movies with popcorn and Cokes the children really enjoyed their trip to Children's Theater.  The performance was just for us.  They know how special your children are!  Our elf  Kathy asked us to tell her friends there that she said "hi".  Of course the children remembered.  When we got back to school we found kisses all over our rug.  I think Kathy the Elf's friends had already told her how great the class was at Children's Theater.  It was quite a  treat!!  To go with the neat Christmas tree Kathy brought us this morning we finished our trees that we painted yesterday.  The children free painted them, cut them out and decorated them today.  They really brighten our room!

Big Surprise!

This morning as we gathered on the rug for calendar time we noticed a red and green linking chain and a little stuffed girl in the rocking chair.  There was a note she had written (with very poor handwriting according to the children) to us on our Daily News board.  It said:

  Dear Friends,

   I am here to help you get ready for Christmas.  I will help you count the        days.

  Love,

  Kathy the Elf

We were not sure what to do with the linking chain.  After a lot of discussion and looking at our December calendar we figured out there are 13 days of school left until we get out of school for Christmas.  At the end of each day someone who has had a great day with no behavior problems will get to tear a link off.  We will then add a link for each day we are at school in December.  We will  be able to compare the lengths of the chains and use them to measure different items in the room.  We can't wait to see what Kathy the Elf does next!

We also free painted Christmas trees today.  Tomorrow the children will cut them out and decorate them.  We will hang them up with the adorable elves the children made yesterday.  Our room is beginning to look very festive!

Don't forget tomorrow is our Children's Theater field trip.  We will be seeing the Elves and the Shoemaker.