The Flower Children

These were so cute I had to share :)

Pumpkin Patch and Carving Pumpkins with Fourth Grade Buddies!

Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Carving with Buddies

Also... we have been doing some yoga recently:

Cooking With Kids!

Just because last Friday was our last week of cooking arts/ agriculture arts for this block does not mean that your kids should stop cooking! There are some wonderful cookbooks written by Mollie Katzen, who also wrote "The Enchanted Broccoli Forest" and "The Moosewood Cookbook." She displays recipes in a way that children can follow, even if they can't read.

For the full "Number Salad" recipe, click on the link below. There are also many other recipes on the site.

http://www.molliekatzen.com/kids.php#

Also, check out these creative lunch ideas! If you have never heard of an obento, it is a Japanese lunch box. Parents in Japan spend a lot of time creating a picture perfect lunch for their children. If you are having a difficult time convincing your child to eat their vegetables, turning a carrot into tree or a flower could be just the thing that works!

Celebrating Autumn!

Alright, so autumn is my favorite season. I love the colors, the wind, the cozy sweaters, the sweet smell of pumpkin pie and the sound of the rustling leaves.

Five Little Pumpkins Fingerplay

Here's five little pumpkins sitting on a gate Wiggle fingers
The first one said,"Oh, my, it's getting late!" Wiggle thumb
The second one said,"Oh, I don't care" ...
The third one said,"There's something in the air!" ...
The fourth one said,"We'll run and run and run!" ...
The fifth one said,"It's only Halloween fun!" ...
Then WHOOSH went the wind and OUT went the light Quickly extend arms outward on  
"Whoosh", Clap on "Out"
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight Roll hands over hands

Yellow the bracken, golden the sheaves

(cross each hand on head)

Rosy the apples, crimson the leaves

(cross each arm across chest)

Mist on the hillside, clouds grey and white

(cross each hand on knee)

Autumn good morning,

(arms open a circle)

Summer good night.

(arms close a circle)

Great Books For Autumn:

Here is a list of things to do this fall season (for children, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc.):

1. Make leaf rubbings.
2. Jump in a giant pile of leaves.
3. Visit a corn maze.
4. Make popcorn from scratch- in a pot!
5. Make pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie....
6. Carve a pumpkin and then roast the pumpkin seeds (brush with tamari and brown sugar, or herb salt).
7. Go horseback riding.
8. Go apple picking.
9. Drink hot apple cider.
10. Go on a family walk.
11. Make a big pot of soup.
12. Plant bulbs that will bloom in the spring.
13. Have a campfire with your neighbors and roast marshmallows.
14. Collect acorns and make acorn fairies!

15. Go camping in your backyard.
16. Go bobbing for apples.
17. Make a treat for the birds.

Roll a pinecone in peanut butter, almond butter, etc.
Roll the pinecone in seeds, nuts and dried cranberries.
Hang outside on the branch of a tree.


18. Perhaps you want to be a tree for Halloween, or an autumn leaf (I was an autumn leaf when I was 6).

19. Make a lantern with a balloon and tissue paper.

20. Make pumpkin pie play dough!

Pumpkin Pie Play Dough

:  12 mins

:  5 mins

:  17 mins

 

Ingredients

• 5½ cups flour
• 2 cups of salt
• 8 teaspoons of cream of tartar
• ¾ cup oil
• 1 35gm container of Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 4 cups of water
• red and yellow food coloring (I forgot to add this)

Instructions

1. In a large pot (saucepan) dump in your flour.
2. Then add the salt.
3. Measure out the Cream of Tartar and add it to the pot.
4. Add in your Pumpkin Pie Spice and stir.
5. Then add the oil.
6. And finally the water.
7. Add the coloring until you get the desired tone of pumpkin you want.
8. Warm the ingredients up over a medium heat. Stir, stir, stir. Mix it until you get all the lumps out.
9. After about 5 minutes of stirring it will start to look like brown sugar. This means you are good to go.
10. Dump the dough out onto a floured space.
11. Knead the dough until it is no longer sticky and takes on a play dough consistency.
12. Play and enjoy, but do not eat it. You can smell it. Oh, it smells amazing!
13. Use cookie cutters and toys to make things and create. Enjoy!

Our Autumn Tree in the Library Corner:

Handwork in First Grade

For the last few weeks, the first graders have been learning how to finger knit. This is an essential milestone for the children before they learn to knit with two needles. During their first grade year, the children will felt wool with soap and water, finger knit, make their very own knitting needles, and create some simple knitted projects like a washcloth and a cat.

Here are two links that provide an overview of Handwork through the grades!

http://www.waldorfsandiego.org/our_programs/grades/Handwork.aspx

http://mnwaldorf.org/handwork/

Presenting..... Your First Grade Artists!

                                                   Finger Painting in Spanish!
                 

Wet-On-Wet Watercolor Painting

When we have painting class in first grade, we always start off using only one color. The children are given the opportunity to really experience that color. I ask them, "What does yellow feel like?" Different children are attracted to different colors and painting can be a very calming and therapeutic experience for them. After we experience the three primary colors, we will begin to combine them on the paper to create orange, green and purple. 

The Importance of Imagination

Hello everyone! I am sure that your child has shared at least one of the stories they have heard over the last few weeks with you. If not, ask them to! They may also have told you, that I usually do not show pictures while reading books. I am purposely choosing to do this so that they can work on developing their imagination and visualization skills. With the abundance of images in their everyday lives, children these days have to work especially hard to develop their imaginations. With imagination and pretend play comes critical thinking skills, improvement of reading, writing and speaking skills, and creativity. I would like to share two articles with you on the subject:

https://www.nationalserviceresources.org/literacy-storytelling

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703344704574610002061841322.html


Ask your child to share the stories that they are hearing at school with you before bedtime! This is also important for improving their memory and retrieval skills.

Check out Bella Luna Toys for imaginative play! Silks, butterfly wings, doctor kits, furniture, play tents and canopies.

http://www.bellalunatoys.com/waldorf-toys-imaginative-play.html

Thank you everyone.