Leader of the day, April Calendar

When we return from the Easter Break, we would like to try a new twist on the leader of the day.
We would like to create our own version of the alphabet with new ABC pictures for the classroom.
When it is your child's special day, listed on the calendar, with a specific letter of the alphabet, your child is encouraged to bring a few item from around the house that start with that letter sound.
Not to big, or valuable. They will tell about what they brought and even practise writing the words of their items. Lots of work, but we think they are up for the challenge.
Stay tuned for the calendar!!

Why do Pretzels have knots?

How did the pretzel get its shape?

Some of the children thought, they just came like that. It's a heart. It's dough that the baker put like that. It's a face. It looks like bunny ears.

All great answers!!

So we dug a little further and found out.

Here are some of the points we talked about

• pretzels are made from dough. They are hard and soft.
• pretzels look like they have a knot in the middle, or arms crossing
• a long time ago a priest taught the children their prayers. He made pretzels for the children as a reward.
• the priest made the dough into a knot, because it reminded him of the praying children.
• in our Catholic church, pretzels were made of flour and water and could be eaten during Lent.
• children used to hunt for pretzels on Easter like the children today hunt for Easter eggs.

Our first dough ball-after we had a talk with the yeast to please work for Mrs. Long

Our first pretzel-looks pretty good

"We criss cross our pretzel like this.
It smells like beer!! "(lol)

"It's hard to roll. It's easier in my hands."

"Can I pinch it to make it stick together?"

"It smells like my nonna's bread."

A few classes joined in on our inquiry.
We did this baking for 3 days with Mrs. Iatridis/Mrs. MacDonald class.
Some others from the other classes made their way over too. It's great to share in the learning.

The children took turns measuring and stirring.

"it feels yucky"

"we're cleaning up the mess"

After we found out the information, we needed to try to make these pretzels ourselves. It was our reward for learning our Jelly Bean Prayer and learning the story of Easter.

Heres how we made them:

1 tbsp. yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 tsp. honey

1-1/3 c flour

1 tsp. salt

oven

small bowl

mixing spoons

medium bowl

cutting board, sprinkle with flour

baking sheet, spray with non-stick spray

measuring cups and spoons

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Put the yeast in a small bowl with the water and honey. Stir a little, then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes

Mix the flour and salt together in a medium bowl

After the 5 minutes is up, check the yeast mixture. It should be bigger than before and a little bubbly. Add this mixture to the flour and salt mixture

Stir everything together. Use a spoon to start. Finish with your hands. The dough is ready when it's still a little crumbly and flaky.

Put the dough on the cutting board and knead italic you are playing with clay. Knead it into one big ball.

Break off a piece of dough that's about the size of a gumball. Use your hands to roll into a skinny snake

Twist the snake into a medium size pretzel shape, and put it on the cookie sheet. Do this with all the dough, making 12 pretzels

We also did an egg wash and coarse salt to try different things.

Have you filled a bucket today?

One of the children shared this beautiful book with the class and it brought so many ideas to the class.

We have decided to try and be bucket fillers!! We have come up with many ways we can be bucket fillers. We are going to to do our very best NOT to be bucket dippers.

So, when we have filled our class bucket, we will have a pajama day party with popcorn and a movie!!

This came at such a great time, during the Easter season.We are remembering about being kind to one another and doing kind things for others.

The date will be determined in April and a note sent home to you.

Photo day

We have spring photos coming up. 

Our day will be April 12th. 

Forms to follow in April. 

The Jelly Bean Prayer

Here are some moments of the children learning our Jelly Bean Prayer.

The copy of the prayer will be sent home along with their bag of jelly beans.

Here are the words also.

(The Jelly Beans are safe to eat. Clean ans peanut free)

Red is for the blood He gave.
Green is for the the grass He made.
Yellow is for the sun so bright.
Orange is for the edge of night.
Black is for the sins we made.
White is for the grace He gave.
Purple is for His hour of sorrow.
Pink is for our new tomorrow.

A bag full of jellybeans,
colourful and sweet
Is a prayer, a promise,
a loved one's treat!

Inquiry moments

Many of these activities are based on the children's interests. The children have brought the learning to me, I provide the tools!!

Some activities are provoked by the educators, to provide different learning experiences. 

M has built a structure and is recording his design. 

Counting Lego, the towers must match the number on the card. It is also is ordering least to greatest and patterning the colours on the cards. 

Abc tent cards - ordering the alphabet and team work!!

Counting domino dots. 

Texture painting, creating abstract paintings. 

Magnet tile towers!

The children wanted to build structures, and forts. They needed it bigger to fit all the friends, so they made an addition. 

Shoe box computers and cash registers!!

Do you know how many pairs of shoes I've bought ;)