Thursday

This morning was our big trip to Taubman to see the performance of "Frog & Toad". The play was amazing and the children never took their eyes off of the wonderful cast. Ask your child about their favorite part. I took pictures and hope to get them loaded on here soon (sometimes Blogger can be picky). Our half day friends both stayed and enjoyed lunch with us today. The children had a wonderful time talking about the play during lunch. We then had a peaceful rest time. The children were worn out from all of the excitement this morning.

Yesterday was a pretty busy day as well. In the morning, Lynn came to read to us. She read The Gingerbread Man retold by Jim Aylesworth. We then had fruit break and Music class with Kim. Afterwards, Lynn came back and we made cookies. I was so excited to get the chance to do a cooking activity with the children! Having two adults in the room for cooking activities is a must, so scheduling that has been a bit of a challenge for me this year. We had planned on decorating our cookies, but as usual, there is never enough time in the day! I will send the cookies home with the children today so they can still enjoy them. We then talked a little about the Boston Tea Party. Yesterday was the Anniversary of the historical event and we thought we'd celebrate too. I brought in different types of tea - with the help of Tulie (thanks, Tulie!) - but we didn't have time for an actual tea tasting. We will do this in January!

I hope everyone is working on their elf hats!! I've only received one so far. I can't wait to see the rest! Our Holiday party is tomorrow from 10:30-11:45am. Thanks again to The Medinas and Rita Patel for coming in the help. The children will be making food items during the party. They will make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a fruit kabob to enjoy during lunch. Please do pack your child a fruit break and a couple of items to accompany their sandwich and kabob. We will provide juice. Thanks! :)

Reminders for this week:

• Don't forget to make an elf hat with your child! Please be creative!! They will wear this hat on Friday as they travel around for our Holiday party. You can buy a hat at the dollar store and glue felt or paper elf ears to the sides. Add as much glitter and sparkle as you'd like.
• P.O.P. is collecting money for the 3 angels they've selected off of the angel tree through Friday. ANY donations you can give are much appreciated!! Pennies add up, so clean out your couch cushions and cup holders in your car. It has been wonderful to watch the children as they put their money in to help others in need.
• Hats and mittens/gloves collections will end on Friday. Thank you to everyone for sending in something. Some little boy or girl will be so grateful. 
• Frog & Toad performance is this Thursday. PLEASE BE ON TIME. We must leave as soon as we can for seats at the theater. They are on a first come, first served basis and we must get seats in front so our little ones can see. Thanks!
• Friday is our Holiday party. 10:30-11:45am. Thank you in advance to Jeff & Michelle Richer and Rita Patel for coming in and helping. I appreciate it!
• Quick Notes came out today. Click HERE to read today's issue.

AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!! :)

Wednesday

What a busy day we've had! This morning started off with Holly reading two stories to us during our Literacy time. She read Annie and the Wild Animals and Gingerbread Baby, both written and illustrated by Jan Brett. We then had fruit break and recess just before our Early Learner music class with Kim. Then, we went to Tulie's class for a special holiday activity. I read The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes by Linda Glaser and Nancy Cote. This story is about a family who is gathering together to celebrate Hanukkah and eat latkes. Throughout the story, a little girl named Rachel is send next door to borrow ingredients. She asks the neighbor each time she goes over to come celebrate with them, but she denies her invitation. Later in the story, the neighbor finally gives in and has Rachel and her family over to celebrate Hanukkah.

We had a couple different stations going on in the room - one of them, the children worked with Tulie in adding ingredients to our mixing bowl to make the latkes. I've put a copy of the recipe in each child's folder today. The recipe we used is from the book we read, and worked out great! The other station in the room was a beading station to make Hanukkah bracelets. Several of the students have managed to keep them on throughout the afternoon! We then had recess and lunch. Today was pizza day - many students also had packed lunch and chose to eat the pizza. Thus, many of their packed foods will return home this afternoon. We had a great day and will continue more Hanukkah celebrations tomorrow with our buddies. 

Thanks again to everyone for sending in hats and/or mittens for our Mitten Tree. It is getting so full we can barely see the lights on it! I appreciate everything you do!!!

Today sure has flown by! We started the morning with our morning meeting and fruit break. Our buddies came to our room and got us to walk over to Hollins. At Hollins, we watched the Jack Tales Players do a show that involved stories and music from the Appalachian Mountains area. They were all so wonderfully talented. The children were mesmerized and filled with excitement. We then came back and had a "make-up session" of music class that we missed yesterday.


Please continue to send in any plastic lids. They can be from any container! Lotion, water bottles, ketchup, vitamins, etc. will do :)

Thanks to everyone who has sent in hats and mittens/gloves for our mitten tree! It is filling up quickly!

Thanks again to everyone who has sent in money for the angel tree fundraiser. This is such a great way to show the children the gift of giving! Every penny counts.

Monday

Let me first thank everyone for showing up at B&N Saturday. I'm told the children did a marvelous job and I couldn't be prouder. As I sat in my Bedford home, I watched the sleet fall and the ice freeze. I really appreciate everyone who made it. Thank you for supporting our magnificent school! I, like you, was very disappointed B&N didn't have my book list available. The manager has sent me a note of apology and will print out my list. I 'm not leaving anything to chance and have copied the list for you from my computer. The fund raiser goes on all week and you can go back to the store, call in an order to the store and they'll get it out for you or go online and order books. Just be sure to mention our school and either give them the code (449884) or your vouchers. 


Tomorrow (12/8) we walk to Hollins to watch the Jack Tales Players from Ferrum College. Please remember to put your child in warm clothing and coat. Their walking pace isn't really fast enough to get their bodies warm so we have to rely on their clothing.


We began our study of Hanukkah today. I showed them a menorah and briefly talked about the Maccabees and the miracle of the oil lasting eight days instead of one. We then read a wonderful Hanukkah book about a ninety-seven year old woman who mistakes a bear for her rabbi and feeds him potato latkes. It's called  The Chanukkah Guest and is by Eric A. Kimmel. We also read (or sang) I Have a Little Dreidel by Maxie Baum and talked about the different meanings on the dreidel. I hope to make potato latkes with the children this week and play the dreidel game. We made Star of David decorations and have another we will make later in the week. Kim Mucha was out sick today, so during our regular music time, we watched Elmo's World - Happy Holidays! and the children loved it. It is a movie about Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas. This movie was a wonderful extension of our studies of December holidays and traditions. Ask your child who Dorothy was and what gift Santa suggested Elmo get her!

Thursday

This morning we started off with Ashlynn's show and share, which was a Cinderella doll. We then read The Mitten Tree by Candace Christiansen. We then worked on a project making mittens to go on our mitten tree, set up at our cubbies. Please remember to bring in new child-sized mittens (or hats) for the Mitten Tree. All donations will go to the Rescue Mission. 


During our buddy time today, we made snowmen. Although they weren't made of real snow, the children were very creative with them! I will hang them up in our room tomorrow for display. Be sure to stop in with your child and ask them to show theirs to you. 

Please remember to make an elf hat for the holiday workshop that we will be having on the 18th. We will also need 2 or 3 parents to help us for the Holiday Workshop. Please let me know if you can help.

On the 17th, we will be going downtown to see Frog and Toad at the Roanoke Childrens' Theater at the Taubman Museum. If you are able and willing to help us transport 3 or more students to the play, that would be great! Please let me know.

This Saturday at the Valley View Barnes and Noble book fair, our class will be singing at 11:00 in the children's department. Please bring your child to sing and don't forget your vouchers and your shopping list!

{F.Y.I.}

{F.Y.I.}
A couple things to make note of on your calendars this month:


Tomorrow morning(12/3), we will be reading The Mitten Tree by Candace Christiansen. It is a sweet story about an old lady who makes mittens for children who don't have mittens of their own. This month, we will have our own Mitten Tree in our room. Please allow your children to bring in a pair of new, child-sized mittens (and/or hats) to hang on our tree. On the last day of school before break, Tulie will take all of the mittens and hats to the Rescue Mission. The children will make mitten-shaped drawings to decorate our tree with. As they bring in new mittens for the Rescue Mission, they'll replace their drawing with the new mittens.


On the 18th (the last day of school before break), we will be having a Santa Workshop in our three EL rooms. The children will be the elves as they make Christmas crafts, foods, and decorations.Please help them play the part by making an elf hat at home to wear on this day. You can make them out of paper, out of fabric, out of anything; be creative! Please send the hats in by Thursday the 17th. We will also need two or three parent helpers from each room to help out with the various work stations. Please let me know if you can help. We have the projects planned already, we just need parents to help.


We (the Early Learners) also have a couple of plays in the works for this month. Keep an eye out for more details to come. :)

Annual Book Fair

Get your holiday shopping list together.

It's time for our annual book fair!

This year's book fair will again take place at Barnes and Noble Valley View Mall and begins

Saturday, December 5. We have planned a variety of events for both Saturday and Sunday, but your

voucher is good for the entire week, until Friday, December 11. Our events will include a variety of

musical performances, stories, a special reading with middle school teacher Jennifer Hollingsworth-

Austin of her book-in-progress, and a story time on Sunday afternoon. Please see the performance

schedule below for specific events and times.

Also, on Saturday and Sunday only, you can enter to win our contest! Tracy Morris of Forever

Today Photography is giving away a family photo session and CD of the shoot. To enter, simply visit

Barnes and Noble that weekend and drop your name into our bowl. Winners will be contacted the

following week and announced in Quick Notes.

Most teachers have shared wish lists with B&N. The process has changed for this year. In the

children's section of the store, there will be a stand with individual tags for books that identify the

teacher's name and desired book or item. When you choose a tag, please find the item in the store or

ask a B&N bookseller for help. If the book is not in stock, you can simply take the tag to the register

and pay for the item. If it is in stock, you can leave the item at the checkout. All books will be

delivered to Community School.

Our school receives a percentage of all purchases that use our Community School code. This

includes books, magazines, greeting cards, CD's, DVD's, games, toys and stationery, as well as

purchases made in the cafe, including drinks and snacks, mugs, bulk coffee and teas, and whole

cheesecakes. You can use your Barnes and Noble membership card for your discount and shop with

gift cards. Community School can earn up to 20% of all purchases. While we will not receive credit for

any online purchases, the voucher and school code can be used nationwide, so please forward your

vouchers and share our school code (449884) with your friends and family across the country. Our

best tool in raising money through the book fair is sharing our event with as many people as possible.

With everyone's support, we can make this year's book fair our biggest yet!

Performance Schedule for the Book Fair at Barnes and Noble

Please let me know if you are unable to attend.

Saturday, December 5

10:00 a.m. – Upper Elementary (Kim and Betsy) sings folk songs and silly songs.

10:30 a.m. – Lower Elementary (Beth) performs two special stories.

11:00 a.m. – Early Learners (Katlyn, Ruth Ann, and Tulie) share songs.

11:30 a.m. – Middle Elementary (Katie and Lena) present a sculpture garden.

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Lunch Break

1:00 p.m. – Middle School Choir and Show Choir perform. Also, skits by Seminarians and Bolivians.

1:30 p.m. – Piano Duets with Joe Hart and Kim Mucha.

5:00 p.m. – Jennifer Hollingsworth-Austin shares excerpts from her book in progress, “Scared for Life.”

Sunday, December 6

3:00 p.m. – Special Story Time with Katrina

Thursday, December 10

12:30 p.m. – MS Choir and Show perform, along with piano selections from choir members.

GET YOUR VOUCHERS HERE!!!