Our focus for April included kindness, the continent of Africa, the zoology of birds, Garden Day, and more.

 

Kindness

We explored the meaning of kindness and discussed the many ways it can be expressed. Together, we came to understand that kindness includes love, support, and the ability to bring happiness to others—and to ourselves. We categorized acts of kindness into different spheres, such as how we interact with family members, teachers, friends, animals, the environment, and even how we care for ourselves.

To help make this concept more concrete, we encouraged the children to take kind actions and to notice and appreciate the kindness they receive from others. These moments of kindness can nourish our hearts and inspire us to continue doing good.

To celebrate and recognize these acts, we placed colored stones in a jar each time we named an act of kindness. It was truly heartwarming and powerful to see the jar fill up day by day. By the end of the week, we had counted 90 acts of kindness!

Being mindful of the environment we live in is also an act of kindness. Before spring break, we planted cedar tree seeds, watered them regularly, and cared for them with love.

As a final gesture of kindness and generosity, we made strawberry smoothies for all our ECC friends—spreading joy, one sip at a time!

 

Africa

Africa is rich with diverse cultures, traditions, and ways of life. People across Africa live differently depending on where they are, and this makes the continent beautifully unique. African people are known for creating vibrant fabrics with colorful patterns, often used for clothing and to make woven baskets. In some places, you might see women carrying heavy items on their heads with incredible balance and strength! Africa is also home to the Savanna, where wild animals like lions, elephants, zebras, and giraffes roam. To explore African culture, children can enjoy hands-on experiences like playing traditional drums, wrapping fabric, pretending to carry items on their heads, or caring for a baby doll in a cloth sling—just like some African mothers do.

 

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a special country in Africa with a rich history and culture. Did you know that coffee originally came from Ethiopia? It’s also the only place where you can find a special lion with a black mane! A long time ago, a king in Ethiopia even rode a lion through the streets to show his strength and power. Ethiopia is also known for its amazing churches that were carved from a single giant rock—people still visit them today! Atseda shared a bit of her culture with us. She wore beautiful traditional clothing, including a white dress and scarf. She also spent time cooking delicious Ethiopian food for us to try. We got to taste injera, a soft, spongy flatbread, along with flavorful stews called wots. Thank you, Atseda, for helping us learn more about Ethiopia!

 

Birds

We talked about the characteristics of birds, like having feathers and being warm-blooded and various types. With their survival instincts, birds can be different from each other in terms of their appearance, diet, nests, and so on.  We also studied the birds’ beaks/bills and learned that they are just like different tools that help the birds to get food skillfully. Through hands-on experimentation, we explored the functionality of various beak shapes by using multiple tools to grasp different objects.

Steven, Zinna’s dad, brought the chicks from their farm for the children to observe. We were surprised to see how much the chicken that visited two weeks ago had grown. The children observed the chicks closely, noticing the colors of their feathers, the shapes of their beaks, and the texture of their legs. We loved holding them with our gentle hands.

As an art project: We used our imaginations to create a flock of fanciful birds from cut cardboard shapes, piecing them together keeping in mind the head, body, wings, legs, and tail feathers. Each bird was uniquely different from the other. 

 

Earth Day-Garden Day

There are so many things we can do to make our Earth a better place to live and share with others. In our discussions, we came up with at least ten ways to care for the Earth—many of which we’re already practicing! For example, we make an effort not to waste food, we turn off the faucet when we’re done using water, and we recycle whenever possible.

On Garden Day, we were especially grateful for our parent volunteers who joined us in the yard. They helped us weed, water, and plant, giving us a hands-on opportunity to learn and take part in making our environment even more beautiful and sustainable. Alongside gardening, there were also other activities for the children to explore and enjoy.

It was a happy, inspiring, and meaningful day—one that reminded us of the importance of caring for our Earth every day.

 

Birthday Celebration

We celebrated Alex’s 4th birthday with a special visit from Alina, a former Cedar student from 2015 to 2018 and a close family friend. She joined in the celebration, making the day even more memorable.

 

Art with Julianne

With the thoughtful guidance of Julianne and Noushin, the children collaboratively created a stunning Persian-style rug on canvas. Their collective effort and creativity brought this beautiful piece to life.

 

Sound of the Week–“s”, “t”, “v”

For our “Sound of the Week” activities, we made strawberry smoothies for “s.” For “t,” we had a tea party, enjoying mint tea with honey and some little snacks. 🙂 For “v,” we made a delicious and healthy vegetable soup.

 

Inside and Outside Time