Let The Show Begin

We are never really quite sure what will emerge at the Suzuki Theater... but we are always sure we will be thoroughly entertained!

This day, we were about to be treated to a rock concert... by rock stars!

Gathering instruments and practicing the music that the children felt and imagined set the rhythm in motion.

Chairs were gathered for the audience. A sign was made to let everyone know about the performance that was going to take place.

Final rehearsal took place... and then the concert began.

 Suzuki Theater presents The ROCSTARS.

Concert Review: The concert was awesome man. Great sounds rockin' us out. 

Sincerely, ROCSTAR Groupie. Peace and Love man.

The Making of a Lemonade Stand

It all started with an idea Willow had when she arrived at school one morning. She wanted to create a lemonade stand. She started with her sign. It was amazing to watch her in action as she walked around the classroom to figure out where she was going to put her stand and what materials she was going to use.

She decided the block area would be perfect and went to work setting up a perfect spot. She chose rocks, a stool and fashioned a sign.

Willow discovered small, clear cups on the light table. They would be just right to offer her customers some fresh lemonade in! She collected the cups... and a helper. She recruited Paige to help her out.

She knew we had lemons in the fridge from our trip to the market. She also knew the exact ingredients needed to make the perfect cup of lemonade.

She had plenty of help and sparked lots of interest as her idea was being put into action.

Finally, her sign was set in place to let everyone know that she was open for business.

Customer after customer waited for a refreshing a glass of Willow's lemonade.

And what a delicious glass of lemonade it was! Sweet and tart and enjoyed by so many.

The Beauty of Painting

A picture paints a thousand words... the children paint a thousand worlds.

Interesting things happen when children paint beside each other. Paige makes her thinking visible.

And so does Shaianne.

Beginning painters perfecting their skills.

Combining our classrooms has given us the benefit of being able to offer the children an art studio. With this larger space, we often see children gather together and collaborate.

Did you know that children often follow the same stages as they develop their painting skills?

Some are experimenting with colours, shapes, movement.

Some have moved on to people and then begun to add in landscape and horizon.

Very often, when children have moved on from shapes, they have people in their paintings.

Lines, zigzags, loops and colour-mixing are where it's at when children are beginning to visit the paint easels.

Trying different types of paint and various sizes of brushes and paper give the children a whole new experience.

And always...

In all ways...

They show us how beautiful their world is!

Find some interesting information about the importance of painting by following the link.

http://bingschool.stanford.edu/institute/paint/

Sand, Sensory and Side by Side

Sharing our spaces to combine more than one classroom continues to benefit us time and time again. We've set both sand tables beside each other. We keep the sand in one of them wet (well, damp really). The other sand table has fine, dry, white sand. Time and again, the children delight us and intrigue us with their play and skill development at the sand tables!

Our Love of a Good Book

~ The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, And all the sweet serenity of books. ~ 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow