December is here! (December 3-7, 2012)

December is the last month of the year, and the 12th month of the year. This week in Reception 1, we talked about December, what makes December different from other months, what happens in December, December holidays, and snow. We learned a new December song, we learned how to spell the word snow, and we made crayon snowmen and shiny foil paper snowflakes.

 

We also had a birthday celebration on Monday. Max -- our newest Reception 1

student -- turned 3 on December 1st. Happy Birthday, Max!

 

Singing the birthday song for Max (and Pranav)

at morning assembly Monday morning

The King's Chair

 

"Hoch soll Sie leben..."

Max gets ready to blow out his candles.

Make a wish!

Birthday cake ist lecker!

Evidence on cake discovered on face

Navneeth's birthday comes later this month...

 

Happy Birthday, Max!

 

 

 

LEARNING IN RECEPTION ONE

 

Counting reindeer with Miss Jolian

Can you think of 12 names for YOUR reindeer?

 

Navneeth tells us the weather outside

Finn and Lucie work on their snowmen

 Navneeth shows his artwork
 

Devi gets ready to draw more snowflakes

Mika shows off his snowmen

Jacob and Joshua discuss snowman drawing techniques

Cody and Lani put the finishing touches on their snowmen pictures

 

Jacob holds up his Number 12 handwriting. Good work, Jacob!

Mika and Alessandra work diligently on their 12s

after counting out 12 chestnuts.

Lucie wrote the first digit (1) in the Number 12!

 

 

Sankt Niklaus Tag

 

 On December 6, St. Nicholaus came to visit Reception 1, putting candies

 and small oranges in every child's house shoes.

Many of the children received Nikoläuser,

and they brought them to school to show their classmates.

Thank you to Alessio's mom, Milla Ladan, for bringing

in candy-bearing fuzzy bears for all the children.

(We don't eat enough chocolate in Reception 1.)

 

Cody shows her Top Model lip gloss gift from St. Nicholas

 

Sankt Niklaus Tag brought fresh, beautiful snow!

 

Ms. Kristina doled out St. Nicholas Day kisses

to those who requested them

Our lunch provider sent chocolate St. Nicholases

Which we immediately used as noses and eyepieces

I do not know how my face got covered in chocolate!

 

 

LEARNING THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE

 

1. Helping Others

 

Lani takes good care of her tablemates, by opening their

water bottles and food containers.

 

2. Public Speaking

  

Jacob describes his new book with glee

 

3. Working Together in a Team

Cody, Devi, Joshua and Jacob share crayons and ideas

 

4. Becoming Lifelong Learners

Mika and Alessandra read - the best thing any child

can do to keep on learning.

 

5. Enjoying Life

Gavrusha sports the croc head

 

6. Learning to Love Leberwurst

Mika holds up some delicious Brot slathered with Leberwurst

  

7. Co-Existing Peacefully

 Global citizens Jacob, Sylvie and Navneeth read together

 

8. Sharing a Delicious Meal

 

9. Using Power Tools Wisely

Allegra demonstrates the danger of a drill bit

(thank you for putting the drill away, Mr. Bernard)

 

10. Giving Love

 

 

 

 And while we're all freezing in Germany...

Hugo's playing on the beach!



Our Five Senses (November 26-30, 2012)

Our Five Senses

This week in Reception 1, we talked about the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. We learned about people who cannot see or hear. We learned words and letters in American Sign Language, and we learned how to spell out our names with our fingers. We heard songs that teach us about the five senses, and we made flour clay ears, eyes, hands, noses and mouths.

 Looking at pictures of things we can see, hear, taste, touch or smell.

We saw a sample of Braille, which is how blind people read!

Joshua holds up the eyes he drew

 

Alessandra proudly shows she can write 5 senses body parts

 

 Cody shows her fingers for touching (covered in new mittens)

 Mr. Bernard talks about using his nose for smelling

 

 Alessio tastes his Gurken with pleasure

 

 Devi shows that she can write eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin

 

 Navneeth draws pictures of noses and eyes

 

 Allegra colors things we can hear

 

 Jolian, Cody and Alessandra touch

 

 Allegra and Finn touch when they shake hands in morning circle time

 

Videos about the five senses to watch with your kids:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tTKLE72fJI

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipb0sEwpWjo

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWPJoI5lMOY

 

 

LEARNING IN RECEPTION 1 IS FUN!

 

 Ms. Kristina talks about the month of November

 

 Mr. Bernard helps us count in German

 

Calendar Keeper this week, Alessio, counts with Mr. Bernard

 

Together, best buddies Max and Finn look at pictures in a book

 

Almost Internationally Reknown Singing Duo

-- The Two Bernards --

perform for the children

 

It's fun to wear hats and hug good children!

 

 

 PRETZEL DAY!!!!

The brilliant and resourceful Miss Jolian had the fabulous idea

to make every last Friday of the month Pretzel Day.

On November 30, we all walked to the Bäckerei at Rewe

so each of us could buy something delicious!

Mr. Bernard taught each of us how to order auf Deutsch.

Then we went back to class and topped our pretzels and other baked goods with

Nutella, jam, and cheese spreads brought by Miss Jolian. Wow, it was a veritable feast!

While eating our pretzels, we decided that life is very good. And it is!

 

Questions for your child:

1. From what country do pretzels come?

2. From what country does Nutella come?)

 

 

 

On Friday we went ice skating again. This time, more kids began skating on their own!

Alessandra, Alessio, Devi, Cody, Joshua, and Lani all found their feet and no longer need to hold onto a chair or a person to skate! Ice skating is so much fun.

Thank you to Mr. Gerasimchuk and Mr. Maisner for coming with us to skate!

 

Max made his way around the rink without help!

Ms. Ashley pushes Lani and Jacob

Ms. Kristina gets ready to skate with Devi, Alessandra and Cody,
oblivious to children falling in the background...

Alessio skated like a star, and pushed Mika all around the ice!

 

Alessio pushing girls on the ice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe for easy flour clay: 2 parts flour, 1 part salt, 1 part water. This clay normally dries by itself, so you don't have to bake it. Certain children might want to eat the clay, but it won't taste very good.

If you would like to watch some of the videos we watched in class, check out the links below: