New Year Wish List for HEDP

Classroom Supplies

Lysol Wipes

Paper Towels

Dry Erase Markers

Pencils

Vegetable Peelers

Pencil Sharpeners

Hobby Supplies

Mini sewing machines

Latch Hook Rug Kits

Clay

Paint your own pottery

Games and Toys

Chess

Magnetix

Playmobile Sets

Battleship

Connect 4 Game

Bio Putty

Books

Sammy Keyes Series

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series

Comic Books

Children's Picture Books

Easy Readers

Grade Level Books

Girft Cards

Book Stores

Amazon.com

AC. Moore or Michael's Craft Stroes

Walmart

Stop n Shop

Shaws

We appreciate your thought, kindness and generosity!  Thank you!

Teamwork from the 2-6 group!

What’s Cooking in 2-6?

This month, the kids made PUMPKIN PIE. We challenged them during this cooking activity by giving them the responsibility to read and follow the recipe on their own (they did a fantastic job)!  All we gave each group of three were step-by-step directions and a chart to keep track of the baking time. From there, they were on their own to complete the task. The children did it all from making sure the oven was preheated, to measuring the ingredients. This one activity fostered so many skills: working in a group, reading a recipe, following directions, measuring, and time keeping.  What a fun activity to observe the children doing. 

The kids also enjoyed making other Thanksgiving foods and treats such as making their own corn bread patties, shaking up their own butter out of heavy cream, measuring and cooking whole cranberry sauce and bagging their own spice sachets and seeping them in apple juice to make apple cider.  We hope your families enjoyed all these treats for the holiday season.

What have we been up to?

As many of you know, we’ve been selling spoons for the Project Bread’s Holiday Spoons Fundraiser. Much of November was dedicated to creating and decorating these spoons. For two weeks, we had different themes every day. Some themes included animals, comic/characters/cartoons, food/drink/candy, sports, people, patterns and creating their own designs.  From many different versions of Pokemon characters to spoons depicting themselves, the children all used their creativity and imagination to create wonderfully decorated spoons! We will continue to sell these spoons for $2.00 until December 11, 2009. They will be out on display in the cafeteria and in the K/1 room. Many thanks for all of your support in helping to raise money to end hunger in Massachusetts.  Please check out the Project Bread website for more information at http://www.projectbread.org

We have also been writing to soldiers in Iraq to wish them a safe and healthy New Year.  The kids worked on very detailed and heartfelt cards for over 2 hours on Wednesday 12/9.  We discussed how we can reach out to many different people in our community to brighten their day.  Some children decided to write to neighbors, stores or other caring people. It was wonderful to see the children work together and discuss the importance of those who choose to work in public service.  We did not get into the discussion of why we are at war and if it is right or wrong.  We kept the conversation on the track of making those in challenging places feel special by sending a warm wish.  Please let us know if there is anything your family would like us to add to the care package we will be sending to Iraq.

 

What to look forward to in December!

December is a very exciting month for the 2-6 team because the holiday season is approaching! When discussing our plans with the kids, we got many requests to do some of the projects that we did last year. In addition to that, we have new ones that we know they will love. Some include sweet treats, gift making, sewing and building projects. Lastly, we will also be making projects to ring in the New Year.

From all of in 2-6, we wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a

happy and safe New Year!

Information and Reminders

Due to new sign out procedures, please document the time that you sign out your child.
During this time of change in our economy, we would like to make sure each and every family has a warm meal and a place to spend the holidays.

Please see Noelle should your family need help with providing a meal or any other essential items during this holiday season. As always, your name and situation will be kept to our high confidential standards.

Mark you calendars

4:45pm closing - Wednesday, December 23

No School - Thursday Dec 24-Friday, Jan 1 - Happy New Year!

1st day back in 2010 - Monday January 4th                                                                                          

K/1 is having so much fun!

Our K/1 group has been busy learning about the human body and the many different systems that our body has.  We also practiced about keeping our body healthy and free of germs.  We were lucky to have a very special guest Scientist, Jenn Mataraza who showed our group germs with a high powered microscope.  Our little animals loved working with Mrs. Mataraza and her lesson with germs.  Please ask your child how easily germs can spread.

Thank you to Jenn for your kindness and time!

We can now call the k/1 group "animals" since we consistantly break the groups up into Lions, Tigers and Bears to make our actitives more manageable, fun and flexible.  Please ask your child which "group" they are in.

Our Lions, Tigers and Bears also learned about how important it is to show thanks by giving and sharing.  We also focused on kindness and love by baking cornbread and chocolate chip bread.

Delicious December 

We have many fun activities planned for December including making many different homemade treats for each child to share with family, friends or neighbors over winter break.   Today was filled with a breakfast snack, creative clay and wacky hair!  Thank you for a great series of early release days.

Our group will be taking part in a great winter activity by sledding down the Heath School hill when the weather cooperates.  Please ask the K/1 Teaching Team about the permission slip and supply your child with a bike helmet, sled, snow pants, boots, change of clothes, hat and mittens should you want your child to participate.

Our Lions, Tigers and Bears will also focus on hibernation, the arctic and other great animals.    Please review the great list of books we will be reading thoughout the month.

Books

The Mitten by Jan Brett

A polar Bear Journey by Debbie Miller

Ice Bears by Brenda Guiberson

A Polar Bear Biologist at Work by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Animals that Hibernate by Larry Dane Brimner

Arctic Stories by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak and Vladana Langer Krykorka

Here is the Arctic Winter by Madeleine Dunphy

Arctic Fox by Stephen Person

Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs

Footprints in the Snow by Cynthia Benjamin

The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

A few important notes:

We now have a new sign out procedure that requires the pickup person to document the time.  Please initial and write the time that you pickup your child.

Please supply your child with appropriate outdoor gear every day.  We will enjoy the outdoors as often as possible and want your child to keep warm while outside.  Please label and supply a hat, mittens or gloves, snowpants, boots, warm coat, and extra change of clothes.

We encourage all kids wot have an extra pair of slippers or comfy shoes that can be left at HEDP during the winter months.  This helps keep our classroom clean during this wet, sandy and salty time of year.

Please note our Boot Tag system that will be used to help locate your childs boots.

HEDP will be open from 12:00-4:45pm on WED 12/23.  Please take note of our 4:45pm closing time and make proper pickup arrangements.

K/1 Wishlist

Lysol Wipes

Papertowls

Bio Putty

Febreeze Spray

Connect 4

Marble Maze

Gift Cards to Staples, Target, Bookstores and Local Stores

December 2009 News

Pre-K Extended Day

Pre-K has had a very busy month filled with "letter of the week" activities and health and hygiene.  Each child is learning new vocabulary and beginning to recognize words through the many project on a daily basis.  We have also learned a great deal out how our body works and what keeps it healthy.  The children agreed that making homemade soap was the most excited part of this unit. 

November was also a month about the thanks we have for others and the importance of giving.  We heard a ton of thanks for families, friends and special toys!  We hope your family enjoyed the delicious cornbread each child made.

December happenings will include learning about animals that hibernate and the arctic.  We will also review snowy owls, polar bears and penguins.  We will also be making lots of homemade treats and sweets for each child to share with you over the New Year break.

Our December letters will be J,K and L.  We encourage you to play games like "I Spy" and point out new vocabulary that begins with these letters.  It is wonderful to hear the kids note what they have been learning with family and friends.

Please note:

We will continue to go outside and need each child to wear appropriate clothing.  Please label all hats, gloves, mittens, jackets, snow-pants and boots.

Please bring in an extra pair of slippers or shoes that your child can wear after we go outdoors.  It will be best if they can leave them at HEDP.

Please send in a new pillowcase for your child's rest mat.

We need each child to be signed out at 2:15 (PICKUP) with the time and initials of the pickup person.  Please let your sitters or family members know our new procedure.

Pre-K Extended Day will be closed on Wednesday 12/23.