Ruth Ann's Class Blog

It seems like FOREVER since I last blogged but when I look at the dates it was really last Monday. May is so busy here at Community School that a day often feels like two by the time we get in all our activities and rehearsals! And if that weren't enough, my classroom computer began its journey to IT Heaven so Karen and I have been getting my sister's old laptop in tune with the school server and loaded with all my precious info from the other computer. I think (hope) we have finished. First let's talk about our classroom activities. As you remember we are in the middle of our Eric Carle unit. We have read many of the books but have been doing activities to highlight three books in the past week and a half. Last week we read "The Tiny Seed" and planted four types of seed. The rain and heat have done wonders for the seeds and we beautiful seedlings now. Everyone loves "The Hungry Caterpillar" and as reported last week we had received our caterpillars and we anxiously waiting for them to grow. Well they never grew and I finally declared them dead so now we await a new batch of fuzzy friends. "The Mixed-Up Chameleon" is one of my favorites largely because of the very funny picture at the end. A chameleon goes to a zoo and suddenly wants to be other creatures. Being a chameleon, parts of his body change to be like the desired creature. As he wishes to be yet another creature parts of him change again until he has body parts from every creature he wishes to be. This led to an art unit on "how" Eric Carle creates his pictures with tissue paper and paint. We painted tissue paper (which was a wonderful lesson for stepping outside the box) and then glued it to animal pictures. Excess tissue paper was cut away. Add a few details with marker and a masterpiece is created! "Pancakes,Pancakes" led to quite a discussion about the work that goes into making our food. Today we made pancakes with Sharon's class. Since it is Strawberry Festival week we also made strawberry smoothies. Now that's a lesson I can savor. We have also been diligently working on our Art Festival project which has progressed with our lessons in primary and secondary colors. Please don't ask anymore. We want you to be surprised. Tomorrow will be such a fun day. The Spanish class schedule will be altered so the children start later. When they finish we will walk to Hollins to dine on a fruit break of short cakes and strawberries. Since beautiful weather is forecasted, we will take some extra time to play on the shady lawns of the campus. Don't send a fruit break for your child and don't worry about drinks. I will take cold water over in my handy, dandy cart. We have great representation from our room at the Strawberry Festival but if you can spare a little extra time, there are some key shifts unfilled. They are oddly the shifts that fill up first so I'm thinking some people took jobs they thought no one else wanted. This is your chance to take a fun (yummy)job like chocolate dipping! Go for it.