Deck the school with bows of holly Tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la! December is always a short and busy month. We will be creating crafts, singing carols, and reading timeless stories all month long! We are really focusing on the joy of giving and encouraging children to show their love through their helpfulness, happy attitudes and acts of kindness at home and at school. Be watching and try to catch them doing something good!

We will keep our spirits bright with a Christmas Party on Thursday Dec. 18, 2008. We will be having our annual class gift exchange. Children will draw names and are invited to bring a $1-3 gift wrapped for that child.

Service
We would love to do a class secret service for someone or something if you have any ideas see Amy or Karen.

I enjoyed our conferences together. Your children are doing great! This is a young class but one of our most academic years ever. Your children are zooming right along. If you could not schedule a conference you will be getting a phone conference the first week of December. I will send the progress reports home with your children.

The Perfect Gift
Find a classic story or a wonderful illustrated book. Wrap it up and slip it under the tree. You have just given your child…..special time with you and something that can be enjoyed over and over. Opening a book can be like opening a whole new world of adventures beyond belief. Reading out loud is a great activity for the whole family. Give the perfect gift give a book!

Some of My Favorite Authors:

Jan Brett
Eric Carle
Mercer Meyer
Max Lucado
Jez Alborough

Pilgrims and the Indians... re-enactment

Montessori grasps on to the importance of each Holiday... Thanksgiving being no exception. Our Thanksgiving Party included the story of The Stone Soup, making of Pilgrim and Indian hats (each child had the choice of which they would like to be), the re-enactment of the Pilgrims and Indians at Plymouth Rock, ended with a wonderful feast of the Stone Soup that each child helped contribute ingredients to that day. It was a wonderful, educational, and most importantly FUN day!

Trevor Tenney and Taylor Mills.. greeting eachother just as the Pilgrims and Indians did.

So much fun!

And that is the rest of the story.....

Collins Chapman:)

Kelten was so happy to pose as an Indian!

Kellen Mills first workstation as Pilgrim:)

Kaelynn Hipps and McKay Wood acting out the Thankgiving workstation of the Pilgrims and Indians.

Kayson Merrill... so careful in balancing.. and SO CUTE.

Briley Decker... one of our cutest girl Indians.

Brooke Chlarson and Taylor Mills... two lovely Pilgrims!

Stone Soup

Adding ingredients!

Mrs. Merrill discussing the process of making stone soup.

Ready to cook!

Stone Soup Recipe:

1 round stone (washed)

10 cups of water

1 lb. ground beef (cooked)

3 Tbsp. beef broth flavoring (powdered)

1 Tbsp. salt

2 large carrots

2 onions

3 celery stalks

3 potatoes

1 cube butter

1 cup barley or rice

1 bag frozen peas (do not add until last 10 min. before serving)

Chop it all up, put in the pot with the stone. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until vegetables are soft. Turn off heat, add peas, and serve! Mmm... delicious!

Pumpkin Mousse Pie

Graham Cracker Crust

Filling:

1 tub cool whip

1 vanilla pudding prepared

1/2 cup pumpkin

1 tsp. pumpkin spice (or allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon combined)

Fold together, spoon into pie shells. Spread plain cool whip on top, chill, and serve!

Thanksgiving Party Feast!

The First Thanksgiving feast!

The Feast included: Stone Soup made by our students that day, Pumpkin Mousse Pies, and cornbread! So all of you mom's with picky eaters... your children loved it!