November School Happenings

Here is a look at some of the things Jake and his classmates have been up to:

• Yankee candle fund raiser was delivered- Thanks for all who purchased an item or more to raise money for additional items for the preschool playground and a new gazebo


• The children learned about the life cycle of pumpkins


• At the water table the children sorted fruits and vegetables (FYI- fruit snacks are provided every Wednesday through a grant the school has); they also played with boats


• Played in the apple orchard for dramatic play; and were busy getting ready for the holiday feast (cleaning house, preparing food, and enjoying the meal)


• In art, they mixed red and yellow to finger paint pumpkins and also used a small gourd to make prints in a pumpkin patch


• They helped make pumpkin bread by measuring and mixing all of the ingredients!


• They learned about different types of apples (and also tasted an assortment) and created a chart about the characteristics of the apple slices; they also made applesauce and charted its characteristics-then compared the two


• In the sand table (and in their own cup), they planted apple seeds, made apple instruments in art (Jake's was yellow), baked apple pie with play dough, and measured the lengths of different objects with apples; they also played with mixed beans at this station; and carved sculptures


• They learned a bit about estimation by estimating how many paper apple prints would fit along the perimeter of the apples.


• In celebration of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, the kids made mashed potatoes, fruit salad, and butter! They also went on a turkey hunt through the classroom (looking for colored turkeys and the child that had the colored match)


• Designs were made with rice and they also painted with feathers and sponge shaped feathers.


• Block area had Lincoln Logs!


• One subject they touched on was eating healthy (healthy food vs. junk, etc.)
• Feelings and emotions were discussed. In art, they kids cut out different pictures displaying a range of emotions to make a feelings collage. They also had to pick a feeling and represent that feeling while making a stick puppet. In their journals, they talked and drew about a time they felt a strong emotion. A hula hoop game was also played where the children had to express whichever feeling was in the hoop.

School Pics are in!

I was very pleased with the outcome of Jake's school pic. I made sure to tell him to smile correctly as he has this "fake" smile that he does. Problems with the scanner, so please excuse the quality (I mean dust on the pic).

Fake smile

Aaa-ha-ha-ha

Jakob's new Santa-like laugh...

So according to Jake, Daddy took him two places after school yesterday...to Nawrrwich and then to Nor-wich?

Tonight at dinner, I was opening ketchup packets to put next to a "few" fries and he was like "WOW Mom, you are a powerhouse!".

The boy sure keeps us laughing!!

A Teenager Already?

Jake keeps talking about "When I am 16....!". I have no idea where this is coming from. The other night he told me that when he turns 16, he will drive and pay attention and that he is also going to teach Kaleb how to drive!!!

Boy With Many Hats

So, Todd is infamous for having "many jackets". Will Jake be the boy with "many hats"? Took these two pics tonight within an hour of each other.

With his Bob the Builder hard hat

Wearing Daddy's dirty work hat

Choot Choot

Nana bought Jakob this really cool Lionel R/R Crossing signal and bank combo. When you add a coin, it makes the sound of a train blowing its whistle and the signal "dinging". Of course, he wants to be able to see the coins in the clear tube!

A Friends Special Day

We were invited to attend Maison's 5th birthday today at McDonald's. After I finished my NST, and a stop at Nana's, I picked up the boys and headed to the party. Jake was excited as he knew Daddy was getting him ready for a surprise, but he didn't know it was a birthday party!

Aside from the sun gleaming in the windows, we had a good visit. Jakob enjoyed running around through the play scape. He ran into a friend Mikayla from school- he was upset because he did not get to give her a kiss before we left- he said sighing, "She's my girl! I will kiss her on Monday at school."

Birthday Boy

Jake's Baby

Looked over and saw Jake sitting with his "Baby Kaleb":

Exo Island

Jakob told me tonight that I need to "Go to Exo Island!!"- he is referring to Exile Island on Survivor. Couldn't believe it!

We discussed his uncles (he was talking about them).

He actually wasn't feeling well for about a day, then was afraid that he was going to get a virus and turn all different colors...

Visit to Mr. Barber

Well, it almost happened. Jakob ALMOST got his hair cut by a professional (for the second time in his life). We decided to head to Rocky the Barber in town today to get Todd and his hair cut.
He was excited, even wanted to give him a hug when we got there! Had to wait a bit, but he climbed right up in the chair. Everything was looking good, got a picture in, cape goes on....and the it all begins to go down hill. Needless to say- lots of tears and more crying at home (the norm hair cut experience) while I proceed to cut his hair. Maybe next time?!

Children's Book Week

This week is National Children's Book week. To celebrate at school, teachers and students could dress up as a character from a classic children's book or story. Jake almost made the newspaper! The reporter interviewed him and took his picture...but probably because he is famous from TV, they didn't want to overload the star =). Below is the article from our local newspaper, a picture of Jake we took here in his costume, and a picture of his principle dressed up. Enjoy!

www.cbcbooks.org

Characters mark National Book Week

By JULIE A. VARUGHESE Norwich Bulletin

GRISWOLD -- Lydia* has ladybug clothes, a ladybug bathing suit and about 100 ladybug books, according to her mother, Holly.

So, it was only natural Thursday she would want to dress up as her favorite character from Eric Carle's "The Grouchy Ladybug" for National Children's Book Week.

This week, Nov. 13-19, is dedicated to the written word, and Griswold Elementary School students and staff Thursday suited up as their favorite children's book characters to celebrate.

National Children's Book Week began in 1919, when Boy Scouts of America librarian Franklin Mathiews presented the idea to the American Booksellers Association. The Children's Book Council, established by the association, has administered the week since 1944.

Thursday in Griswold, School librarian Judy Beahan, dressed as the Grinch from Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," said she hoped to encourage students to read classic children's literature as opposed to comic books.

"I think it's more magical," she said, noting the classics recently have had to compete with high-tech forms of entertainment.

Teachers from some grades decided to dress up in themes. Fifth-grade teachers dressed as characters from 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," kindergarten teachers dressed up as "Mother Goose" characters and preschool teachers dressed as "Three Little Pigs."

Holly Santiago liked the fact students got to dress up for one day as their favorite book character.

"It's great. They can express themselves," she said.

Third-grader Joyce* converted her "Blue Diva" costume into a fairy costume by adding wings.

She said she got the idea from "Winx Club," a series of books about modern-day fairies written by different authors.

"I always wanted to be a superhero," Joyce* said.

Her friend, third-grader Tameeka*, came dressed as "Angelica" from "Rugrats" books based on the television cartoon.

"I like her because she's mean," Tameeka* said.

Super Star

Jakob and Grammy made the news on Halloween. I am working on putting the video together to upload to this page. They spelled both his first name and last name wrong.

For now, here is the article from wtnh.com (where you can also view the clip).

Fox sightings prompt Griswold schools to keep kids indoors
(Griswold-WTNH, Oct. 31, 2006 5:00 PM)
Creepy Halloween characters are not the only things putting a scare into students in Griswold.
The threat of foxes is keeping the kids indoors and off the schools playing fields per order of the superintendent.

Two fox dens sit on this hill just above the practice softball field at Griswold High. Too close for comfort for the superintendent who says not a day goes by that someone does not spot a fox.
Supt. Elizabeth Osga, Griswold Schools, says,"We can see them morning, noon, or night. Running by."
Foxes around here are nothing new with the woods and a river nearby but lately Osga says,"They're more visible and they're bolder."

So bold, one was spotted just lying next to the fence of this playground as the pre-k kids were being brought to school.

Jakob*, Pre K, says, "It's not around but there was a fox here, huh? Where is it? That is what Jakob's grandmother would like to know. Sharon*, grandmother, says, "I was amazed to see it that close. I've never seen one that close before - laying' there."

To play it safe the superintendent has deemed this playground and these playing fields off limits. Which means no outside play periods for the kids and the soccer and football teams have had to find other fields for practice and games.

Supt. Elizabeth Osga, Griswold schools, says,"We really wanted to make sure we had all available information before we put kids in a situation of risk."

The superintendent hopes to have the teams playing on these fields again by the end of the week but she wants to make sure those players and those coming to the games are reeducated to know not to leave any french fries or other food sources around which would make these areas more attractive to foxes.
The DEP says there has been no sign that any of these foxes are rabid.

They just appear to be very comfortable around people.

A spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection says the agency will send trappers to the area to catch the foxes and set them free elsewhere, such as a state forest.