The Teddy Bears class has been a hive of activity over April and May. We have been exploring the roots of plants through different science projects. In one activity, the Bears worked with me at the table to gently spread the roots of some houseplants, giving them room to breathe as we transplanted them into different pots. The Bears were very gentle as they nudged the plants’ roots a little wider. They learned and practiced how to scoop, use a spade, spread the soil and provide water to it. What great nurturing skills for these little Caretakers! In a second activity mid-May, we will watch some roots sprout in a clear plastic glass of water, even though the Bears saw me clip an ivy vine in half, in an act that they assumed might kill it. They have already learned a song about the parts of a plant and the functions they serve, sung to the tune “The Wheels on the Bus.” (The children have also learned a song about spelling in chapel this week – of course they love the B-I-B-L-E song!) In a third project, the children will be delighted to see what happens when a white carnation is placed in a vase filled with tinted water. We have worked to observe the difference between soil, sand and gravel, particularly focusing on absorption. The children will hopefully come away from all of this with the understanding that God has set up an amazingly efficient system: He sends the rain (when the clouds are gray, they are full of rain), the earth absorbs the water, and the roots underground suck it up and deliver it to the leaves and then the flower through the stem (or trunk, in the case of trees.) One of my favorite moments in teaching the children this year was when the Bears were on the playground and we heard thunder followed by some raindrops. On the way back inside, one of the Bears commented that the angels were bowling and not to be scared. Another replied that they were just spitting. When the rain came harder, Bear #1 started running: "Now they're laughing so hard they're bustin' up!" Well, there you go, I guess you can talk all you want to a three or four year old about the divine and scientific plan behind it all. They'll still believe in the magic, too. As is only right, I think.
It took the children a few weeks of painstaking work transforming your donated grocery bags into bumble bee and lady bug costumes for the children using nothing more than yellow (Y is for Yellow), red, orange and black paint. We put them to good use by visiting the outdoor altar for games emphasizing adding, subtracting and matching sets for math, and classification and data gathering for science. We loved seeing the Bears buzz and flit from bench to bench and make patterns, too. Naturally, we needed to take a long walk around the campus! It was just the boost everyone who saw them needed, I could tell from the smiles generated. By the way, parents, your flashlights will be returned. We have used them to play hide and seek games in the dark; the little sleuths loved searching for specific numbers, letters and shapes using the flashlights' beams. Thank you for the loan and the donation of other materials including To Go Menus and coupon packs for our Restaurant Center. The Teddy Bears had a whole lot of fun while learning through play about numbers, symbols, addition, subtraction, and nutritious foods versus those that are less so.
The end of our year together is near. We have survived Ike, Swine Flu, and lots of other roller coaster rides in 2008-2009. We will spend the last three weeks of school taking a look at the zoo (Z is for Zoo)and community helpers, and we will generally review numbers, letters and shapes. The best fun of all is our continuing look at the art of Picasso, Michelangelo, Seurat, Pollock and Monet. I admit it's a stretch for the letter X (X is for eXhibition) but I assure you the students don't care. They just think it's terrific to lie on your back and paint on paper attached to the underside of a table, or use a Q-Tip to daub dots to create the impression of a tree, or use ping pong balls and liquid tempera to create vibrant splatter paintings!
Your school bags will start to come home heavier and heavier as we empty the cubbies and art folders. Please don't forget to send water and skin protection, and those extra clothes you sent earlier this year in case of accidents might need to be swapped out for lighter gear. Thank you all for the wonderful conferences at the end of April. Thank you for blessing me with the opportunity to teach your children. I will never forget them. Have a happy summer and I look forward to watching your children continue to thrive here at Holy Spirit next year, if that is their path. I hope that all your children leave the Teddy Bears class with as many wonderful memories as I have.
Amber Carothers
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