Fused Glass Projects with Julie Wilcke.

On Friday we received a wonderful lesson about glass art.  Julie Wilcke is Jacob P.'s aunt.  She drove down from Portland to give the kids a lesson about glass and safety.  Then we got to do the fun stuff: create art.  The kids made a Star of David, a Christmas Tree and a Kinara (for Kwaanza).  This was our big project for Holidays Around the World.  Julie will bring back the fused glass art on Friday and the kids will be able to share what they created.  For those kids who were not there last Friday, she will be making a Christmas Tree to take home.

 

Jacob P.'s dad, Mr. Pilmer is helping out at the Christmas Tree table.

Jacob P.'s grandpa, Mr. Pilmer is helping out with he Star of David table.

Jacob P's Aunt Julie is helping out with the Kinara table.

Holidays Around the World--Week 2--Israel, Germany and Italy

This week we visited Israel, Germany and Italy.  We travelled using Google Earth as our guide.  We had so much fun learning about the different customs in the different countries.  The kids also really liked "going on the trip."

Working on our Holidays Around the World books and passports.

Working on our Christmas Trees from Germany.

We are working on some special projects to take home to parents.  One involves a messy handprint :)

Marin helped out with this activity.

On Thursday, we had Jacob J.'s dad visit.  He was so lucky and got to help out with the reindeer crafts :)

On Thursdays, we also have Mrs. Hayes who volunteers all afternoon.  She read the kids a book about La Befana for the country of Italy.

The kids made brooms representing the brooms in the story La Befana.  They then swept the classroom with them.

Lots of sweeping going on.

Links to Holidays Around the World Songs

Everyday we have been singing "Hello to All the Children of the World" and "It's a Small World."  The kids love these songs, so I am posting the youtube links for you.  There are advertisements which I block from the kids in the classroom, but I have no control over your settings at home :)

Hello to All the Children of the World

It's a Small World    



Enjoy!

Food Adventures--Apple Crisp

We are very lucky to have the Food Adventures program at our school.  Ms. Tory came in and helped the kids put together an apple crisp.  The kids LOVED it! You should have received the recipe, but it had apples, a squeezed orange, cinnamon, and granola.  Very easy, very healthy, very yummy!

The kids used crinkle cutters to cut the apples.  Yeah!  No one got hurt!  I might have to buy some of those.  They are much safer than a knife and the kids got to make their own food.

This food adventure was VERY successful.  The kids really enjoyed it!

Artist in Residence--Jewelry Making

We are so lucky that we have our very own Artist in Residence Sharon King.  We have learned so many different types of ways of to create art.  This time we learned how to make jewelry with different types of beads: wood, glass, and plastic.  The kids were great listeners and created some awesome bracelets.

These are the different beads the kids got to choose from.  They could only take one bead per container.

I had the kids show me their bracelets by raising their arms.  Such cute bracelets.

Holidays Around the World--Ethiopia

On Thursday, we learned about Ethiopia with the help of Crystal, Rahel's mom who gave us a wonderful presentation about this country.  Crystal had lots of visuals about Ethiopia and shared about the language and some of the customs.  The kids were mesmerized and really enjoyed touching all the artifacts.  

This is a gourd to drink water from.

An example of a Christmas meal that is shared by the whole family.

The language spoken in Ethiopia is Amharic.  Look how beautiful it is in their writing.

This is a traditional dress worn on Christmas.  This is Rahel's dress :)

We danced to some Ethiopian music.

We did a craft with Ethiopian colors.

Holidays Around the World--England

On Wednesday, we studied England.  We learned about Father Christmas, Christmas Crackers, plum pudding, and stockings.  Our craft for the day was to make stockings.  The kids had to lace them up with yarn.  Lots of fun.  We were lucky to have our CV Mentors Marin and AJ working with us.