Tea Parties, Trajectory, and Empathy

Spring weather seems to have arrived early! Along with the springy weather, Roan joined Caterpillar class this week. Please say “Hi” to her and her parenting adults, Reed and Reanna. You may recognize them as Caterpillar alum and Live Oak student, Rami’s family. Welcome!! 🙂

Updates/Reminders

We are expecting rain next week! Please send your child with or in rain boots on days following rainy days, even if it’s not raining. Puddles are fun!
Save the Date: Thursday, April 3rd 9:30a-10a- Spring Sing, more info to come in the ECC Bulletin
Spring Break- April 7-11: No School, Camp available with sign-up for ExDay eligible children

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Tea Time

We have been having daily tea parties. Inside, Caterpillar friends have been cooking up all kinds of yummy baked goods: cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and the occasional salad and eggs. Lots of pretend birthdays have been celebrated with the birthday song and “blowing out” candles. Outside Caterpillar friends have been practicing their pouring skills as well as how to use sponges to refill the vessels once all the water has been poured out onto the black Tuff Tray. Outside tea time is a more sensory-rich exploration with rosemary and lemon slices making an appearance. In both spaces there have been lots of opportunities to practice asking for a turn, a trade, and waiting as well as navigating difficult feelings like disappointment and frustration and sharing in joy and delight. Caterpillar friends’ imaginations have free reign and there has been lots of cooperative and collaborative play alongside individual play.

Empathy & The Rabbit Listened

Drawing from the 13 Black Lives Matters Principles, we have been focusing on Empathy through the book The Rabbit Listened. Over the past couple weeks we have been read the book as group, read the book using stuffed animals and blocks to reenact the story as a group, and had it the characters, blocks, and book available for Caterpillar friends to engage with on their own. Caterpillar friends now help tell the story and we us use the different animals to name different reactions to unexpected things i.e. “I feel angry like bear and want to shout about it!” “I’m like snake and want to ruin it for everyone else.” We also made rabbit ears to remind us to embody the rabbit who listens and response with empathy.

Trajectory Schema

Caterpillar friends have been very interested in the trajectory schema- how things move through space. New activities in the classroom that support this exploration are the pendulum and sand with funnels and scoops.

Art with Julianne

Julianne came in and did large wet on wet watercolors paintings with us.

Music with Aaron

Aaron took us on a train ride and we spotted all kinds of animals along the way!

Tomás’ Birthday

We made strawberry moon pops for Tomas’ birthday. His mom and dad, Stephen and Layla, and big brother Dylan, came in to celebrate with stories and a dance party to Gangnam Style.