Happy Holidays! May the new year bring joy and peace to the world. Have a happy new year!

 “When we teach skills to children too early, too formally and out of context, they will learn them without the desire to ever use them again.” Dr. Lillian Katz

So begins the rollicking chase around Matti’s kitchen and out into the countryside as Matti’s mother, his father, the cat, and the dog run after the boisterous, bouncing Gingerbread Baby, only to be joined by a flock of goats, Martha and Madeline, a crowd of villagers and more. The Gingerbread Baby stays just out of reach, daring them to catch him all along the way! But Matti’s not with them. He’s at home, and we see him in the borders patting and rolling and putting something into the oven. What is he making? Will he ever see his Gingerbread Baby again? Yes! In a delicious twist at the end that surprises even that mischievous Gingerbread Baby. Jan Brett’s lively and beautifully detailed paintings catch the spirit of a favorite old tale through her cheeky little Gingerbread Baby and the colorful cast of characters who pursue him through a tiny Swiss village surrounded by forest and mountain.

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today. Stacia Tauscher

Lucy’s grandfather is coming to visit and she wants to make him a picture. No painted picture could ever be good enough; she wants to show him how special he is by creating a one-of-a-kind collage from her kindergarten scrap box, foregoing recess to gather materials. A curvy mound of hills, a lake surrounded by clumps of flowered material, and a dog made furry by Lucy’s own hair complete this tactile expression of love, which her blind grandfather “sees” with his fingers. Lucy’s easy acceptance of her grandfather’s special needs and her enthusiastic labors are portrayed beautifully by Nicola Moon. The colorful illustrations by Alex Ayliffe have a collage feel to them. This book is exceedingly good for raising awareness in very young children.

To find out what we did this week, click here

Check out our Thanksgiving song video by clicking at the following link: Thanksgiving

We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. George Bernard Shaw

Ms Pantoja came to our class and talked to us about the importance of brushing and flossing our teeth. This is what we learnt:

• We should use toothpaste with flouride as it makes our teeth healthy and strong.
• We only need a little bit toothpaste. Too much makes our teeth sensitive.
• We should brush with up and down strokes and also the back of our teeth. Don’t forget the tongue!
• We should floss every tooth, even the back ones!
• It is best to brush three times a day but we should brush at least twice a day.
• We should visit the dentist twice a year for check up.
• Fruits, vegetables and milk make our teeth strong. Too much sugar is bad for our teeth.