Puppets, Scarecrows and Slides

At today's Morning Meeting, we talked a little about the meaning of "percussion," and each Turtle did a call and response rhythm pattern. We have realized that we are more than drummers, because we are interested in making a variety of sounds with percussion instruments (A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement, shaken, rubbed, scraped, or by any other action which sets the object into vibration.)

Then, the Turtles found out about our big surprise of the day - a puppet show at the Upper School library! We had a quick snack and headed off (with a fast stop at our favorite tree). Arriving was very exciting, as we went through a giant room full of books and made our way to the Reading Room. All of the children from Early Childhood were there, and the puppeteer was showing them her lion puppet. Then, she passed out pretend fruit and vegetables and desserts and rubber ducks to the kids, and the show began. It was the story of a man trying to give his rubber chicken a bath, and each of the children got to go up and put their "food" into his bathtub. The Turtles really enjoyed being part of the show.

Afterwords, we walked past the front of the school and got to check out all of the funny scarecrows standing there. Then we went to the Kindergarten playground and really enjoyed using all the different equipment.

We sang our Goodbye Song to our half day friends on our way back from the Lower School and headed in for lunch. Today's lunch discussion got very silly. We started off talking about the puppet show and then one of the Turtles proposed that the guinea pigs had also gone to a puppet show, while we were out of the room. Then, we discussed how funny it would be if the guinea pigs put on a puppet show for us. This led to a long and giggly conversation about the various kinds of clothing guinea pigs might wear. What a nice and silly way to wind up our week.

There was lots of Magna-tile construction today, as Turtles worked to build animal houses. When structures fell apart, there were more Turtles who came to rescue and rebuild.

Just as we were getting ready for Morning Meeting, Debbie Green came in and asked if we could have the Music classes in our room, because people were using the Meetinghouse. So we gathered up our snacks and headed to the Chipmunk room. At Morning Meeting, we tried out a call and response clapping game, where each Turtle got a chance to make up a rhythym, and all Turtles followed along. After our bananas and bagels, Tamara read an old favorite (No, David! by David Shannon) and we had a few minutes to play in the Chipmunk room (we were surprised to find that they have dry oatmeal in their sandbox!), before it was time to return to our room for music.

Alison was here with her guitar and led us in many of our favorite songs, as well as some dancing.

Next, we got to go out on the playground for a bit. Then, some kids came back inside to start our next Studio Painting project - The Story of Black and White (all of the kids will be working on this over the next week or so). Meanwhile, many of the Turtles outside continued our percussion study - and we were joined in our drumming by many children from other classes.

The Continuing Adventure of Percussion

Choice Time today was spent in construction, caring for the guinea pigs and in a impromptu "skiing" session, as the kids discovered the slidability of some of our long blocks.

At Morning Meeting, we sang some songs, and recorded ourselves talking about the discoveries we'd made on our drumming walk. The Turtles are exploring a wide range of sounds and the ways that we can make sounds change.

After snack (it was pretzel day!), we headed out for some playground time and another walking adventure. We stopped to visit our favorite tree and found, much to our surprise, that the Little Frogs were already there. Then, we discovered that our favorite tree was also their favorite tree!

The Turtles have gotten very good at making themselves the perfect drumming sticks, and we discovered some new ways to make sounds on fences and trees today. We also realized that there are a lot more leaves on the ground, and Robby orchestrated a group of friends to help him make a good leaf pile - and then to leap in it! We stood in a circle to sing goodbye to our morning friends and then came in for a new favorite story - A Giraffe and a Half by Shel Silverstein. The Turtles are getting good at figuring out - and making up - rhyming words.

Spiderwebs and Drumsticks

The Turtles were very happy to see one another this morning. Luna and Nellie were also happy to see us, as their cage had gotten a little smelly over the long weekend. So some friends helped clean up the guinea pigs home, while others built and worked with the alphabet puzzle. Then, everyone decided to get some string and the Turtles became the Spiders and constructed a giant web in the climber!
At Morning Meeting, Tamara told the Story of Music and of some special kids who go on adventures with percussion sticks and make music wherever they can find it. We did some clapping rhythms and then headed out to find sticks and things to drum upon.

We made music all over campus. We drummed on rocks and trees and pipes and walls and bleachers and fences! We noticed the differences that big sticks made and little sticks made and wet sticks and dry sticks and soft and hard and fast and slow.

We also spent some time visiting our favorite trees and noticed some ways that they've changed over the past week.

Then, we went to the tennis courts and played some games of "Red Light, Green Light," and "The Fox and the Chickens." A couple of Turtles got boo-boos, and we had a delightful conversation about all the things that you can do to help make a friend feel better. The Turtles have really started to bond as a group, and it's a wonderful thing to watch their friendships grow.

When we returned from our adventure, we found a surprise waiting outside our classroom: Our New Morning Meeting Rug! We have been waiting for our rug since the beginning of the year and the Turtles were eager to bring it in and roll it out. We gave it a good test and discovered that we can all fit on it, even on our bellies (our other rug was just too small). Then Tamara read part of a book Naomi brought in called, "Frogs," and we sang goodbye to our half-day friends. At lunch, we talked about medicine (yucky or not) and monsters (friendly ones). Tamara sang a storybook, Hush Little Alien, to take us into rest time.

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, It's Off to the Woods We Go!

It was a magical wonderful day in Turtleland. During a brief and busy Choice Time, friends engaged with letters using several alphabet puzzles and sand writing and also joined for a favorite group activity - drumming.

Then it was time for our outdoor adventure. We "buddied up" and headed over to Abington Art Center, went through the "Magic Gate" and into Alvelthorpe Park! We went over, under, around and through. Looked at leaves and sticks and rocks and "pieces of old road." We made up a new song, "Don't Run Your Buddy into a Tree," and made up new verses while we snacked by the pond.

We spent some very fun time at the playground there, where many friends went on extensive, imaginary train rides to New York City, The Zoo and The Bug House.

On our way back, we took a rest by the pond and Carol told the story of, "Shiney Pete," the fish who wanted to fly and his friend, "David Duck," who helped him do it (have your child tell you how).

Many of our friends had sticks from our journey and discovered some wonderful new percussion sounds - our favorite one being the rat-a-tat-tat of our sticks on the fence! On our way back through the Abington Art Center, we found new places to explore - a house to play in and hills to climb and run/roll down (this may explain the condition of some of the Turtles' clothes). We also saw people setting up the stage for a show tonight. It is the opening of the Art Trail, and there will be a free concert with Rich Nourie's band!
All in all, it was a great adventure!

The Mighty Mighty Turtles!

Here is another one of our favorite Turtle Songs:
We are the Turtles!
The mighty mighty Turtles!
(and repeat!)

We frequently sing it Call and Response style, with the teacher doing the first part, and the Turtles doing the second. We have also been know to mixed it up, being, for instance, the Happy Happy Turtles, etc. And clearly, we are creative Turtles as well!

"Higher and Higher"

One day on the tire swing, Tamara was pushing the children. "Higher! Higher!" they demanded.
"How about we sing a song?" Tamara suggested.
And in a quiet and melodious voice, GK started singing,
"Higher and higher
Til our toes will touch the sky!"
The other children quickly joined in, and a new Turtle classic was born!

The Turtles Abroad!

The sun was shining this morning, and it inspired wanderlust in the Turtles after being cooped up for two days inside. And so we went on an adventure! Without even cleaning our room, we donned coats and boots, and set out. We had a peaceful snack on the porch of the Meetinghouse before continuing on to races in the cemetery. We then snuck through the Big School, quiet as can be, and finally emerged onto the Lower School playground.

The Pre-K classes were out there, and it was so much fun to see some of our old friends! The children also loved pushing their physical prowess on some of the more challenging equipment like the sandbox digger, twirly sliding board, climbing nets, and monkey bars.

Back in the classroom, we read a class favorite, Hug by Jez Arbourough.
It was  great day, and the Turtle teachers are planning an even bigger adventure for tomorrow: Alverthorp Park!

Cozy Art on a Rainy Day

The Turtles' artistic juices were flowing on this rainy Tuesday. At Morning Meeting, Tamara told the Story of the Art Area. After our Moment of Silence, we moved our meeting to the Art Area, and the children sat with rapt attention as Tamara began, "Once upon a time..." She talked about a beautiful art area, with everything in its place, and beautiful supplies that made the children artists excited about making beautiful art. But then there was a problem! Someone dropped a marker on the floor, and didn't put the lid on it and it dried out! And problems like this went on at length, until one of the Turtles said, "They have to clean up!" And Tamara nodded and that is how the story of the Art Area ended happily. Well, with this introduction, the children were eager to get to work!

After Morning Meeting, the children could choose snack or art, and the Art Table blossomed into a whirl of water coloring! The children are working on becoming the masters of their brushes, keeping the point of the brush together to make clean lines. They are also working on the water color sequence: dip in the water, blot on the napkin, dip it in the color, and paint it on the paper (or water-napkin-color-paper). Doing this sequence every time helps keep the colors clean and bright, and their work today was a beautiful example of how intentional instruction on technique, followed by open-ended exploration leads to wonderful artistic expression!

Other highlights of the day included snack harvested from our garden (tomatoes, soy beans, grean beans, and peas) and Max's mom, Ann reading us two books: Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex and Only A Witch Can Fly by Alison McGhee.

Monday's Adventures

The Turtles were busy today, starting with some explorations of the very long tunnel that Carol brought in. It turned out to be a perfect car tunnel, and the children spent much of choice time, sending cars rolling down the incline.

Today we also welcomed a new Turtle! Julian joined our class, and many childen were excited to reconnect with their old friend from the Little Frogs Room. At snack time, the Turtles took turns telling Julian things that they liked about the Turtle Room, and at our End-of-Morning Meeting, Julian chose his favorite book and "read" it to his friends with only a little help from his teachers.

Missy had a delightful obstacle course set up for us, including a pop-up school bus, tent, and fire truck. We also used "noodles" to dance, stretch and play "Hurry Hurry, Drive the Fire Truck."

On the playground, we harvested vegetables from the garden! We had a couple red tomatoes, several green tomatoes, soy beans, green beans, and sugar snap peas. Tomorrow we will cook them up for snack!

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