440 Classroom Newsletter – April 2012

We hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Spring Break and that you had an opportunity to spend some special time with your children.  We are excited about the arrival of Spring, and have some special things planned in the coming weeks.  We look forward to meeting with each of you during our scheduled parent/teacher Conference times on April 20 and April 23.

                           Vida, Kristen and Melody           

440 Classroom Teachers

Classroom Spotlight

This month, our focus shifts from the Geographical study of Antarctica to a Science and Cultural Study of Spring and the life cycles that it implies.  We will be studying various life cycles such as the life cycle of plants, worms, butterflies and chicks.  In the Science area we have put out many new activities and materials including:  lifecycle of a butterfly and parts of a butterfly, lifecycle of a plant and parts of a flower, parts of a bird and some fun bird puppets.  We have also been reading books about eggs and the various types of birds that hatch from them.

We have plans to plant seeds, create a worm bin and watch caterpillars turn into butterflies.

We started our first seed planting activity in the classroom last week.

Each of the children planted two spots in the planting tray and chose what type of seeds they wanted to plant, documenting their work in small pictures.

The playground has also undergone a spring transformation.  The plants have started to grow, and the trees have started to bud.  We’ve also opened the playground during our work time and have set up an outdoor work environment for the children which includes new activities such as baby washing and clothes washing.

We are also beginning a study of music and families of musical instruments:  percussion, string and wind.  Children will have the opportunity to utilize instruments in each of these families including a marimba, a guitar, and a recorder, among others.

In Practical Life and Art we have introduced activities that support the study of the lifecycle including a theme revolving around eggs and chicks.

Parent Volunteer Opportunities

Please continue to check the Volunteer Basket which we bring out to the gate periodically for specific volunteer opportunities.

Happy Birthday!

Drew Finley                        April 14

Finnur Mercier                  April 14

Thank You

Thank you to Dawn D., Missy B., Emily G., Kimberly C., Angie O., and Emily S. for reading to the children.

Thank you to Erin P., Shannon R., Jennifer J., Jessica M., Kimberly C., and Mary K. (Delaney’s grandmother) for substituting.

Thank you to everyone who has provided supplies for our food preparation and science experiments.  Thank you to Jack W. for the cake for the teachers.  Thank you to Oliver H. for the children’s sized snow shovels.  Thank you to Hunter S. for the tracing paper, baby food jars and the hard boiled eggs.  Thank you to Karsten V. and Gabriel D. for the flowers.  Thank you to Caroline K. and Caroline J. for the eggs.  Thank you to Nevi L. for the book for the classroom, the oranges and the toothpaste.  Thank you to Sully S. for the oranges.  Thank you to Annika B. for the pumpkin bread for the teachers, the tea and the baking soda.  Thank you to Elizabeth K. for the salt, flowers and eggs.  Thank you to Gabriel D. for the salt.  Thank you to Finnur M. for the baking soda and the toothpaste.    Thank you to Lucas D. for the salt.  Thank you to Ryan O. for the tea and the sugar cubes.  Thank you to Bella J. for the tea.  Thank you to Parker B. for the sidewalk chalk.