Batman Beats the Force of the Electric Cord and Electric Man by Ziggy
Once upon a time Batman was hiding in his bat cave from electrical man and then was fighting with Robin. He was just four (Robin). Batwoman was there. She was fighting with them. And then they put electric cord to the bad guy and he went somewhere else. And then they went in his bat car and it was over the rivers and through the woods and they got there as soon as they can and then they got there as soon as they can to fight again, but actually, and then every bad guy disappeared. And then all the people relaxed. The End
The Jungle Book Play by Mia
Once upon a time I was in a Jungle Book Play and I auditioned for the part of Bageera. And the next morning, my friend's mom came running to me and said "You got the part of Bageera" and I started screaming. The next day, I went to Kids Take the Stage and started practicing. Then soon after amonth that I had practiced, it was time for our show. I was really, really scared. But when I started doing it, my fears came over me. We did two shows, one on Friday and one on Sunday, and they went fine except for the one on Friday because I accidentally dropped Mowgli off my back. This is a true story. The End.
My Tooth by Lucy
Once upon a time my tooth fell out. I was so excited, I wanted to tell my mom when she came home, she was like, she said "Let's get some soft food at the store." We got rice and macaroni and cheese. She put it under my pillow because I went to bed. And then I went to bed and in the morning I got a dollar penny from the tooth fairy. I went to sleep and the other day I went to school and showed my friends the dollar penny. And then they said "Lucy I don't want it to get lost! Put it in your cubby." Then we got up in the night cause I was hungry for more sushi. I wanted to go to back to bed. Then we went on the plane to go to the South Pole. We saw polar bears and then we said "I'll go back on the plane and I'll go back home." The End.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Music as Curriculum
Beautiful events have blessed our Home Sweet Home preschool. The strong initiative to explore Music has created relationships and partnerships, strengthening our learning community. Many thanks to each individual who has performed, on stage and behind the scenes, and who fills their heart and carries our song forward.
HSH welcomes photos from all site and community happenings, including Joy Through Music and independent caroling - we love to see our families in action! HOME TO SCHOOL CONNECTION HOMEWORK: each family is asked to create a flat paper star 7"-10" in length/width and place in it a recent photograph of their HSH child engaged with music. Parents can borrow an HSH stapler and with their child position the star on the board in the hallway in January. This star will border our family boards this Winter, illuminating our PAC information. Please spread the word to your friends, so we can enjoys a twinkling border in the new year!
The following offering came from Early Childhood Exchange, December 20, 2010: "Early Brain Development Research Review and Update," Pam Schiller
"Linguists, psychologists, and neuro-scientists have recently changed their long held opinion about the relationship between speaking and singing. The latest data show that music and language are so intertwined that an awareness of music is critical to a baby’s language development. As children grow, music fosters their communication skills. Our sense of song helps us learn to talk, read, and even make friends.
"Brain areas governing music and language overlap. Music and language have much in common. Both are governed by rules and basic elements (word and notes). In language, words make phrases, which combine to make larg er phrases and eventually sentences. In music, notes combine and grow to form a melody.
"The neurological ties between music and language go both ways; a person’s native tongue influences the way he perceives music. The same progression of notes may sound different depending on the language the listener learned growing up. Speakers of tonal languages (most Asian languages) are much more likely than Westerners to have perfect pitch. All languages have a melody that is unique. Infants echo the inherent melodies of their native language when they cry, long before they speak."
HSH welcomes photos from all site and community happenings, including Joy Through Music and independent caroling - we love to see our families in action! HOME TO SCHOOL CONNECTION HOMEWORK: each family is asked to create a flat paper star 7"-10" in length/width and place in it a recent photograph of their HSH child engaged with music. Parents can borrow an HSH stapler and with their child position the star on the board in the hallway in January. This star will border our family boards this Winter, illuminating our PAC information. Please spread the word to your friends, so we can enjoys a twinkling border in the new year!
The following offering came from Early Childhood Exchange, December 20, 2010: "Early Brain Development Research Review and Update," Pam Schiller
"Linguists, psychologists, and neuro-scientists have recently changed their long held opinion about the relationship between speaking and singing. The latest data show that music and language are so intertwined that an awareness of music is critical to a baby’s language development. As children grow, music fosters their communication skills. Our sense of song helps us learn to talk, read, and even make friends.
"Brain areas governing music and language overlap. Music and language have much in common. Both are governed by rules and basic elements (word and notes). In language, words make phrases, which combine to make larg er phrases and eventually sentences. In music, notes combine and grow to form a melody.
"The neurological ties between music and language go both ways; a person’s native tongue influences the way he perceives music. The same progression of notes may sound different depending on the language the listener learned growing up. Speakers of tonal languages (most Asian languages) are much more likely than Westerners to have perfect pitch. All languages have a melody that is unique. Infants echo the inherent melodies of their native language when they cry, long before they speak."
Monday, December 13, 2010
Their Heads' in the Stars
Reported by Brown Bear: Mars is the Windy planet.
Reported by Brown Bear: Venus is the hottest planet.
Reported by Brown Bear: The Earth is turning, right now! But we don't fall down because it takes a long time.
Clarification by Brown Bear: It takes a whole day to turn around, but it takes a whole year to turn around the sun.
Clarification by Brown Bear: Yeah, it turns around in a day; it's a night, because it turns its back to the sun.
Reported by Butterfly: The Sun is a star.
Debated by Butterfly: No, it is not; it is the sun, not a star. The sun is round and hot, a star is a star up in the sky. It's not even the same thing.
Debated by Brown Bear: You just can't see it, but you can imagine it.
Home Sweet Home embarks on its' first fieldtrip of the school year with a journey to Chabot Science Center on Wednesday, December 15th to further research our big ideas about stars and light. Children are nto required to attend, and there will be activities in the Butterfly room and playground for people who prefer to stay.
Parent drivers will transport their child and friends for a morning of intense learning, wrapped up by lunch together and instruction on how to recycle our lunch remains. We anticipate leaving HSH by 9:00AM and returning to HSH no later than 2:00PM. Parents are asked to pay $7 by check made out to "Alternatives in Action" (memo: Chabot Science Center)
On Monday, December 13th the Geminid meteorites are highly visible in the night sky from dusk through dawn. Enjoy best viewing between 8:00PM and midnight.
Reported by Brown Bear: Venus is the hottest planet.
Reported by Brown Bear: The Earth is turning, right now! But we don't fall down because it takes a long time.
Clarification by Brown Bear: It takes a whole day to turn around, but it takes a whole year to turn around the sun.
Clarification by Brown Bear: Yeah, it turns around in a day; it's a night, because it turns its back to the sun.
Reported by Butterfly: The Sun is a star.
Debated by Butterfly: No, it is not; it is the sun, not a star. The sun is round and hot, a star is a star up in the sky. It's not even the same thing.
Debated by Brown Bear: You just can't see it, but you can imagine it.
Home Sweet Home embarks on its' first fieldtrip of the school year with a journey to Chabot Science Center on Wednesday, December 15th to further research our big ideas about stars and light. Children are nto required to attend, and there will be activities in the Butterfly room and playground for people who prefer to stay.
Parent drivers will transport their child and friends for a morning of intense learning, wrapped up by lunch together and instruction on how to recycle our lunch remains. We anticipate leaving HSH by 9:00AM and returning to HSH no later than 2:00PM. Parents are asked to pay $7 by check made out to "Alternatives in Action" (memo: Chabot Science Center)
On Monday, December 13th the Geminid meteorites are highly visible in the night sky from dusk through dawn. Enjoy best viewing between 8:00PM and midnight.
Mills College Children's School
Hey parents,
This is Allannah, and I want to tell all of you about our class trip to Mills College. So there we were, the five of us in Kathleen's car. We were oblivious of the wonders in our destination to come. We weren't allowed to listen to music, but that only made our trip even more memorable. When we got there, Kathleen introduced us to the vintage buildings, and gave us info on their history. Suddenly, we pull up to the Preschool center, eyes wide in awe. The whole scene was beautiful. You could see trees for miles. After we parked and got our notes together, we slowly walked toward the door, still examining the view. A nice lady named Debbie Brown introduced herself, as we started toward the first room.
Hello you awesome parents!
My name is Corinna. I am a big friend at Home Sweet Home and I am here to share my personal experience from Mills College. I love how the staff arrange their classrooms. The children could go as they please, but of course with adult supervision. I loved to see when all the parents gathered the children and sang songs and had a blast. The trees are the best for me because of how the breeze swept me off my feet. The directer is a very sweet and generous lady, she answered all of our questions and did a tour around the whole school and it was magnificent! Thank you for taking the time to open our letters of gratitude.
Hey this is Keith:
Last week we went on a field trip to Mills College to visit their day-care where I and the other Big Friends found very interesting ideas we would like to bring to Home Sweet Home. Like random days and free flow which means to leave the door open so the kids a choice on where they want to learn, and how to have things that're fun but yet also help them learn. For example: putting paint on some steps and paper on a trampoline and letting them paint their feet and jump. This helps them develop their motor skills and balance, but also lets them have fun while doing it.
This is Allannah, and I want to tell all of you about our class trip to Mills College. So there we were, the five of us in Kathleen's car. We were oblivious of the wonders in our destination to come. We weren't allowed to listen to music, but that only made our trip even more memorable. When we got there, Kathleen introduced us to the vintage buildings, and gave us info on their history. Suddenly, we pull up to the Preschool center, eyes wide in awe. The whole scene was beautiful. You could see trees for miles. After we parked and got our notes together, we slowly walked toward the door, still examining the view. A nice lady named Debbie Brown introduced herself, as we started toward the first room.
Hello you awesome parents!
My name is Corinna. I am a big friend at Home Sweet Home and I am here to share my personal experience from Mills College. I love how the staff arrange their classrooms. The children could go as they please, but of course with adult supervision. I loved to see when all the parents gathered the children and sang songs and had a blast. The trees are the best for me because of how the breeze swept me off my feet. The directer is a very sweet and generous lady, she answered all of our questions and did a tour around the whole school and it was magnificent! Thank you for taking the time to open our letters of gratitude.
Hey this is Keith:
Last week we went on a field trip to Mills College to visit their day-care where I and the other Big Friends found very interesting ideas we would like to bring to Home Sweet Home. Like random days and free flow which means to leave the door open so the kids a choice on where they want to learn, and how to have things that're fun but yet also help them learn. For example: putting paint on some steps and paper on a trampoline and letting them paint their feet and jump. This helps them develop their motor skills and balance, but also lets them have fun while doing it.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
December Birthdays!
Please give warm thoughts to our December birthday people!
12/5 - Lucy Allison
12/15 Grace and Olivia Martin
12/21 - Elisa Attias
12/27 - Malia Gordon
12/28 - Jack Crawford
12/5 - Lucy Allison
12/15 Grace and Olivia Martin
12/21 - Elisa Attias
12/27 - Malia Gordon
12/28 - Jack Crawford
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Stars and Light
Our Joy Through Music event has been scheduled for Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 4:00PM in the Big Room.
Our Learning Community will use this opportunity to share our perceptions and understandings of light and stars, a current topic Home Sweet Home has undertaken in our Project Work. Children's beliefs may reflect cultural symbols and/or a strong curiousity about our solar system. It will be interesting to access their big ideas!
Children's dispositions to be interested, engaged, absorbed, and involved in intellectual effort are strengthened when they have ample opportunity to work on a topic or investigation over extended periods of time -Lilian Katz
After observing this emerging interest in stars and light over the past few months, Home Sweet Home educators have collaborated to further engage children with this topic. In addition to books and other resources and activities, teachers hold space for deep discussions. It is not the teacherly act of passing the accurate information of Science facts, it is the continuity of listening deeply to the children describe their perceptions, and acknowledging their process toward understanding. "How big IS the moon? It is very small, I can cover it with my thumb." Rather than seek refuge in our adult role to contradict and correct children's beliefs, adults acknowledge their ideas and structure provocations that will invite children to continue their explorations. Is our playground big enough to draw a chalk solar system? How can we know? Let's look at some stars tonight. How big do they get? How can we understand something that much bigger than ourselves? Where can we go to get more information? (Chabot Science Center on December 15th!)
What is Project Work?
A common dictionary definition of the word project reads: "an individual or collaborative enterprise that is carefully planned and designed to achieve a particular aim." Project Work at Home Sweet Home is in-depth investigation that is worthy of children's engagement, time, and energy because there is a high level of interest, and an opportunity for discovery and experience. The investigation can be long or short. A study will involve discussion, fieldwork, representation, lots and lots of questions, and can culminate in the form of a presentation or celebration of what has been learned.
In the early years, adults can be intentional and deliberate about strengthening children's intellectual and social aptitudes by providing children with a foundation of lifelong love of learning and desire to know more. Project work often engenders positive feelings about school experiences, feelings of belonging, sense of competency and self-confidence among children. Project work and investigative study is aligned to how children naturally learn. Children are born investigators and observers of their natural world. Through a process of collaboration and inquiry between children and their teachers pursuing deep understanding of a particular concept or idea, children develop skills of cooperation, investigation; theories develop, as well as a deeper understanding of our world.
With much gratitude to the parents who embrace these opportunities and hold this time for the children.
Our Learning Community will use this opportunity to share our perceptions and understandings of light and stars, a current topic Home Sweet Home has undertaken in our Project Work. Children's beliefs may reflect cultural symbols and/or a strong curiousity about our solar system. It will be interesting to access their big ideas!
Children's dispositions to be interested, engaged, absorbed, and involved in intellectual effort are strengthened when they have ample opportunity to work on a topic or investigation over extended periods of time -Lilian Katz
After observing this emerging interest in stars and light over the past few months, Home Sweet Home educators have collaborated to further engage children with this topic. In addition to books and other resources and activities, teachers hold space for deep discussions. It is not the teacherly act of passing the accurate information of Science facts, it is the continuity of listening deeply to the children describe their perceptions, and acknowledging their process toward understanding. "How big IS the moon? It is very small, I can cover it with my thumb." Rather than seek refuge in our adult role to contradict and correct children's beliefs, adults acknowledge their ideas and structure provocations that will invite children to continue their explorations. Is our playground big enough to draw a chalk solar system? How can we know? Let's look at some stars tonight. How big do they get? How can we understand something that much bigger than ourselves? Where can we go to get more information? (Chabot Science Center on December 15th!)
What is Project Work?
A common dictionary definition of the word project reads: "an individual or collaborative enterprise that is carefully planned and designed to achieve a particular aim." Project Work at Home Sweet Home is in-depth investigation that is worthy of children's engagement, time, and energy because there is a high level of interest, and an opportunity for discovery and experience. The investigation can be long or short. A study will involve discussion, fieldwork, representation, lots and lots of questions, and can culminate in the form of a presentation or celebration of what has been learned.
In the early years, adults can be intentional and deliberate about strengthening children's intellectual and social aptitudes by providing children with a foundation of lifelong love of learning and desire to know more. Project work often engenders positive feelings about school experiences, feelings of belonging, sense of competency and self-confidence among children. Project work and investigative study is aligned to how children naturally learn. Children are born investigators and observers of their natural world. Through a process of collaboration and inquiry between children and their teachers pursuing deep understanding of a particular concept or idea, children develop skills of cooperation, investigation; theories develop, as well as a deeper understanding of our world.
With much gratitude to the parents who embrace these opportunities and hold this time for the children.
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