We’ve started the first book, “Thinking Thoughts and Feeling Feelings,” from We Thinkers by Ryan Hendrix, Kari Zweber Palmer, Nancy Tarshis and Marcia Garcia Winner, an outstanding educators’ resource for the social and emotional development of young children.  During these next few months, our children will learn and develop self-awareness of their emotions, an understanding of the perspectives of others and build social competencies, including social problem solving, to create and foster positive social relationships.

In “Thinking Thoughts and Feeling Feelings,” we follow the adventures of four friends who learn how their thoughts and feelings affect the social interactions of each other.  One of the most important lessons our children learn is that every time they interact with others, from their classmates to their teachers to their family members, everyone brings their own thoughts and feelings to every social situation; it’s not just the individual child’s thoughts and feelings. 

Our first lesson focused on what is a thought?  The children are learning that thoughts are made in the brain (thought maker), and that thoughts can be ideas, pictures or quiet words they hear in their brain.  A great visual is the thinking bubble above a person’s head to show what he or she is thinking about.  The application of this visual is important as it can appear as character thoughts in the books we read to enhance comprehension, or used in drawings to depict our thoughts to tell our own story.  Our discussion on thoughts ranged from a recent pumpkin patch visit, to fall gardening to a favourite activity with mom or dad and the children did a great job in expressing themselves with ever increasing detail.  We’ll start talking about our feelings next….

Rain was probably our watchword this week.  We experienced some atmospheric river situations and “soaked” was the best way to describe the Kindergarten following morning and lunch recess.  We cannot stress enough the need for all families to send in rainpants and extra socks for their children, and indoor shoes (preferably runners) to change into from rainboots.  The children need dry socks and shoes to maintain good foot health.

Well, no sooner did the turkeys fly away then we started pulling out the Hallowe’en activities.  The first thing we need to do to get ready for the Big Day is to start decorating our classrooms with the children’s artwork.  Our big project this week was a beautiful painted pumpkin from the art website, Deep Space Sparkle.  

We taught the children how to draw a pumpkin using white pastel to create the ribs.  Next,  colouring mixing using red, yellow and orange paint from a paint palette to create the orange of their choice for each pumpkin section.  Then, a few pieces of construction paper to make the facial features, a stem and leaves from the vine and before you could say, “Boo!” we had a painted pumpkin patch!

During Alphabet time, we worked on the letter d.  We’re using an integrated instructional method of teaching phonics and phonological awareness in a balanced approach to reading instruction so our children are not only learning that language is made up of sounds, syllables, rhymes and words) but that language and literacy is also acquired through their personal and shared experiences and interactions with literature. 

Upcoming Events and Reminders:

-please send in rainpants and boots to be left at school

-please return your Library Book for the next Library Book Exchange

-Shake Out BC:  our earthquake drill will be held on Wednesday, October 25 just before the morning recess.  We’ll be practising “Drop, Cover and Hold On” underneath the classroom tables.  We will then count to 60 but there will be no building evacuation.

-we’re still collecting for the We Scare Hunger food campaign in support of local families on the North Shore.  This week the Harvest Project will pick up your generous donations.  Thank you.