December Newsletter
2016 - 2017 Academic Year
Happy Holidays!
The Cottages Cookbook
Portrait Viewing with PLPP
Santa & Mrs. Claus Visit The Cottages!
Polar Express Presentation
Pat Sanders (a previous grandfather in our program) will be returning this holiday season for his annual presentation of The Polar Express. He will be coming to The Cottages on Wednesday, December 14th and will be dressed up as the conductor. He will talk about his adventure on The Polar Express with our Bumblebee and Dragonfly students. This is always such a fun event for the children and we are grateful to have this opportunity every year at The Cottages!
School Wide Pajama Day
We Believe in Santa Paws!
Each year The Cottages supports local families and/or organizations through our Annual Giving Tree Community Service Project. This year we have decided to spread the love and collect items for our furry friends at the Humane Society of Sarasota County. Collections will take place from Monday, December 5th - Friday, December 16th. Check out their wish list below!
To help the children feel connected to to our community service project and enrich their learning experience, the pet therapy team along with some furry friends from the HSSC will be coming out to The Cottages this month to share a story with the children. We are very excited to help out this wonderful organization in our community.
If you are interested in volunteering at the HSSC or to learn more about this organization please check out the link below.
8th Annual Festival of Lights & Winter Holiday Celebrations
Please say you'll join us for our 8th Annual Festival of Lights & Winter Holiday Celebrations on Friday, December 16th at 3:30pm. The children and teachers will be working very hard on their special light projects and are excited to show off their creative masterpieces. Children in all cottages will be given many experiences to explore with light, reflection, and shadows. It's a magical time of year at The Cottages! There will be a sign up sheet posted in each cottage from your Room Parents for food and drink donations. We hope to see you there!
Friday, Dec 16, 2016, 03:30 PM
602 McIntosh Rd, Sarasota, FL, United States
Pizza Fridays
Every Friday cottage families have the opportunity to purchase pizza for their child. For only $3.00, your child can get two slices of cheese pizza, fruit, and a cookie. If you'd like to create a pizza account, you can give more than $3.00 and we will keep track of pizza payments. A notice stating pizza money ran out will be put in your child's lunchbox prior to the next pizza day. We ask for cash only please and you can drop the pizza money with your child's name on it into the silver tuition lock box.
Winter Break - School Closed
The Cottages will be closed from December 23rd through January 2nd for Winter Break. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. Please remember, as per our handbook policy, tuition is still due during winter break as this is a paid vacation for our hardworking and dedicated teachers. We can't begin to explain how appreciative we are of your support of our program and our teachers. Without the amazing support that we receive from our families we would not be able to offer the high quality of care and education that you have become accustomed to. We wish all of our families a joyful holiday season and many blessings for a healthy and prosperous new year!
December Birthdays!
These birthday wishes
are special and sent to you,
to wish you a world of happiness
which lasts the whole year through.
- Fiona T.- 12/8
- Athena G.-12/11
- Isla D.- 12/12
- Finnely K.- 12/15
- Ella G.- 12/16
- Max R.- 12/18
- Ms. Jamie- 12/19
- Ms. Claudia- 12/28
Happy Birthday to all of our friends born in December!
Cricket Cottage News
Tis' the Season
During the month of December, we will be introducing the holidays of Christmas,
Hanukkah, and Kwanza. We will discover these holidays through activities, stories, songs, and colors. Please feel free to bring in favorite holiday books or songs to share with our friends. Holiday colors will be introduced this month such as the colors red and green for Christmas, blue and yellow for Hanukkah, and red, black, green, and yellow for Kwanza.
Exploring Light & Reflection
This month the children will discover light and reflection through hands on experiences. They will have the opportunity to discover light using the light table and a variety of materials as well as using natural light. Reflective materials will be added as well to further encourage their natural sense of wonder.
Holiday Songs
The Cricket Cottage will be filled with holiday music this month. We are taking
this opportunity to learn new songs as well as promoting music and movement.
We will give our friends bells to ring while listening to the classic song, Jingle Bells.
JINGLE BELLS
Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Finger Play
HANUKKAH MENORAH (use your fingers to indicate the
candles)
One little, two little, three little candles
Four little, five little, six little candles,
Seven little, eight little, nine little candles
On the Hanukkah menorah
Light little, light little, light little candles
Light little, light little, light little candles
Light little, light little, light little candles
On the Hanukkah menorah
Burn little, burn little, burn little candles
Burn little, burn little, burn little candles
Burn little, burn little, burn little candles
On the Hanukkah menorah
Blow little, blow little, blow little candles (blow on fingers)
Blow little, blow little, blow little candles (blow on fingers)
Blow little, blow little, blow little candles (blow on fingers)
On the Hanukkah menorah
Sign Language
We will be working on the sign "share" during the month of December. We will
promote “sharing is caring” throughout this holiday month.
Art Experiences
We will be working with various colors during the month of December to coordinate with the holidays we will be learning about. The children will use the colors red and green for Christmas, blue and yellow for Hanukkah, and red, green, black, and yellow for Kwanza. We will also be making reindeer footprints for our art board.
Ladybug Cottage News
November in Review
November was a great month for being outside. We spent most of our free time outside on the back lanai and began bringing the children to Jenny’s House in the evenings. Doing this gave the Ladybugs a chance to meet and interact with some of their older schoolmates. The children had a blast learning about farm animals. They were very interested in the animal books and manipulatives so we shifted our focus more towards those items by adding more books and toys that related to their interests. For art the children enhanced their motor skills by coloring with egg shaped crayons and painting with corn cobs. Our favorite activity this month was “bathing” the farm animals.
Investigating Light and Reflection
This month the children will discover light and reflection through hands on experiences. They will have the opportunity to discover light using the light table and a variety of materials as well as using natural light. Reflective materials will be added as well to further encourage their natural sense of wonder.
Scholastic Shout Out
We would like to thank the Nadeau family for purchasing the books on our classroom wishlist for Scholastic. We received some great new December themed books for our room! The books we are excited to read this month are-
- Llama, Llama, Jingle Bells
- The Little Engine that Could
- Duck and Goose it's Time for Christmas
- Snowmen at Christmas
Christmas Tree Green-Smoothies
As parents, we all want to provide nutritious meals for our children. Yet with busy days and picky eaters, this can sometimes be a challenge. Kale, spinach and spirulina are greens that are safe for children 8 months and older. These greens can be incorporated into a smoothie, bypass you soon to be toddlers taste buds and go straight into their belly’s. There is no set way to make a smoothie. This recipe is meant to play around with. Feel free to substitute and experiment.
1 banana
1/2 apple or a handful of pineapple chunks
1 cup spinach, kale or a tea spoon of Spirulina
1-2 cups water, apple juice or coconut water
1/2 avocado
Donations
If you haven't brought your child's portfolio items in please do so. We really need these items to make sure your child's portfolio is complete in a timely manner. Below please find the items that we will need for your child's portfolio.
- 3 Ring Binder
- 100 Clear Sheet Protectors
- 1 Ream Printer Paper
Tis’ the Season for Colds
Here are Some Essential Oil Uses for Babies & Children:
Common Cold: Cedarwood, lemon, Melaleuca ericifolia, rosemary, rose, sandalwood, or thyme.
Blend: Combine 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil with 2 drops melaleuca (Tea Tree), 1 drop lemon, and 1 drop rose otto. Massage a little of the blend on neck and chest.
Constipation: Ginger, mandarin, orange, or rosemary. Dilute one of the oils and massage on stomach and feet.
Crying: Cypress, frankincense, geranium, lavender, Roman chamomile, rose otto, or ylang ylang. Dilute for massage or diffuse.
Diaper Rash: Lavender (dilute and apply).
Blend:
Combine 1 drop Roman chamomile and 1 drop lavender with vegetable oil and apply.
Digestion (sluggish): Lemon or orange. Dilute and massage feet and stomach.
Dry Skin: Rosewood or sandalwood. Dilute and apply.
Earache: Lavender, melaleuca (Tea Tree), Melaleuca ericifolia, Roman chamomile, or thyme (sweet). Put a diluted drop of oil on a cotton ball and place on the surface of the ear; rub a little bit of diluted oil behind the ear.
Blend: Combine 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil with 2 drops lavender, 1 drop Roman chamomile, and 1 drop melaleuca (Tea Tree). Put a drop on a cotton ball and put on
surface of the ear, rub behind the ear and on the ear Vita Flex feet points.
Fever: Lavender. Dilute in vegetable oil and massage baby or child (back of neck, feet, behind ear, etc.).
Flu: Cypress, lemon, Melaleuca ericifolia. Dilute 1 drop of each in 1 Tbsp. bath gel base for a bath or diffuse.
For more info, check out the link below.
Caterpillar Cottage News
November Recap
Throughout the month of November the children learned about farm animals. We had different activities that showed where each animal lived and what each animal sounds like. We had fun painting and we created animal tracks, squirted paint out of gloves which resembled cow utters, and we made barns for all our animals. Not only did we learn about farm animals, but we also learned about the Thanksgiving holiday. The kids enjoyed making turkey tracks and teepees for our Pumpkin Pie party.
Winter Wonderland
The Caterpillar Cottage will create a winter wonderland theme including snowflakes, snowmen, and of course snow! Since Florida doesn't get snow, we thought it would be fun to make our own. The children will get to paint with ice, play in a winter sensory bin, and shovel imaginary snow.
Festival of Lights Project
During December, we will be lighting up our cottage this month. We will be creating our light project for the school's annual Festival of Lights celebrations. The children will be using tissue paper on cd's to really make the colors glow.
Peppermint Playdough
The children had a blast with the pumpkin playdough, so we will be making peppermint playdough for the holidays. We will make red and white dough for the class to create candy canes. This will be an excellent fine motor activity that will put everyone in the holiday spirit.
Light Table
One of our favorite activities in our room is using the light table. We currently have x-rays and colorful blocks for the children to explore. We are looking for new objects to use. If any parents have any materials around the house they would like to share/ donate., we would greatly appreciate it!
Holiday Songs
Snowey Pokey
You put your right mitten in
You put your right mitten out
You put your right mitten in
And you shake it all about
You do the snowey pokey (shiver)
and you turn yourself around
That's what it's all about
(you can substitute mitten for boot, hat, etc)
Snowflake, Snowflake
Snowflake, snowflake
Dance all around
Snowflake, snowflake
Touch the ground
Snowflake, snowflake
In the air
Snowflake, snowflake
Everywhere!
Butterfly Cottage News
November Recap
November was turkey-tastic! During circle time, we read books and sang new songs about Thanksgiving. We also created "turkey tracks" with pipe cleaners and played a turkey game on the felt board. We ended the month with some delicious pumpkin pie with friends and family.
Topics
We are really going to shine in December as we learn about light. We will be adding new materials to pour light table as well as creating kaleidoscopes. As we study about the cold weather, the children will be painting ice in the sensory table. We will also be building igloos with peppermint playdough.
Documentation Panels
Throughout the school year the Butterfly teachers will be creating documentation panels. The panels are based on a special activity or project the children participated in. Pictures and objectives will be displayed as well as quotes from the children. Please take a few minutes to look at the panels with your child.
Light Project- Polar Express Train
During the month of December, we will be working on our light project for the festival of lights. Our project will be creating a train that resembles the Polar Express. We will read the story of the Polar Express and work as a team to decorate the boxes. We will add lights to our "train" and take turns being the conductor and passengers.
Objectives
Our objectives for the month of December will be engaging in socio dramatic play and engaging in conversations. We will be using our imagination in creating the Polar Express train for our light project. The children will be asked questions on how to design this project, which tools we should use, and who should be assigned to different jobs.
Materials Needed
We are in need of the following materials for our winter projects. if you are able to donate, we'd really appreciate it!
- Flashing holiday lights for our train
- Paper towel tubes
- Peppermint extract for playdough
Bumblebee Cottage News
November Recap
During the month of November, the Bumblebees learned the letters N, M, and K. We practiced tracing our letters with dry erase markers and using our fingers to write the letter in colored sand. We worked on learning our colors and enjoyed mixing the primary colors to create secondary colors. We talked about the holiday of Thanksgiving and what we are thankful for. We also enjoyed learning the Thanksgiving songs, "Ted the Turkey" and "Let's be Thankful".
Shadow and Light
During the month of December we will be discussing how shadows form. The Bumblebees will be experimenting with various lights and shadows. We will also be using the overhead light projector to create shadows using our bodies and objects in the room. Light table shapes will be used to create patterns and then projected onto the wall and ceiling.
Nature
Now that the weather has turned cooler, we will be spending a lot more time outside this month. We will be going on nature walks and collecting items from nature. We will be looking for pinecones, acorns, and leaves. The children will bring these nature items back to the room to create nature collages. We will also be using these items to work on our pre-math skills be counting, sorting, and patterning the items we find outside.
Letter of the Week
The letters the children will be learning this month are W, C, and D. The Bumblebees will learn the sound of the letter and words that begin with that letter. we will also practice writing the letter in the Handwriting Center and tracing the letters in sand using items that begin with that letter.
Arctic Animals
The Bumblebees will learn about arctic animals this month. We will learn about penguins, polar bears, and seals that all live in the arctic tundra. We will encourage the attempt of trying to draw these animals as well as creating the animals using loose parts. We will search the map and find out where the Arctic Tundra is located and talk about the weather there.
We would like to wish our Bumblebee families a happy holiday season and a great new year!
Dragonfly Cottage News
November Recap
The month of November was full of feathery fun! We learned so much about birds to what they eat, parts of a bird, and where they live. We made beautiful 3D bird houses out of scrap wood pieces and poured and measured bird seed. We also enjoyed making beautiful clay nests. Our Pumpkin Party was a success and we are just as grateful to all of our Dragonfly families. Thank you shout out to our room mom Cara Hunter for always being a huge help to make our parties awesome!
December
The month of December is short because of the holiday season, but we're not going to waste any time! We will be focusing on a lot of problem solving and scaffolding this month such as the how's, why's what's, and what do you think. We also will be working on phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and social skills. The year is almost halfway through and we have been working very hard and the children are doing great. We are so proud of all our Dragonflies!
Main Topic
We will be doing a forest study this month. We will discuss animals that hibernate, adapt, or migrate during winter months. We will be learning about what animals call the woods home. We will explore lots of natural materials such as sticks, branches, acorns, and pinecones to bring a forest feel into our classroom. We really want the children to fall in love with nature and to learn respect for all living things.
Light Project
We would like to invite our Dragonfly families to join us for our Festival of Lights party on Friday, December 16th. Our theme will be the forest of light. The children will work together to create this and we will be using a lot of magical white lights for this creation. We would like to take this time to wish our Dragonfly families a very joyful holiday season!
Art & Cooking
The Dragonflies will have a chance to sculpt their very own hibernating bear and bear cave this month. Our forest theme will carry over to a fun cooking project of making chocolate bark. We will also make cinnamon ornaments as part of the holiday season.
Science
Being that we will be discussing animals that hibernate this month, another activity we will be doing is making bear dens. If you are able to bring in big boxes to help us with this activity, we would greatly appreciate it. We will also be working on charting and graphing by setting out some food and observing and charting the animals we see.
Donations
We are in need of some items for our cottage light project "the forest of light" to really make it spectacular! We will be collecting the following items:
- tree trimmings
- fairly lights
- pine cones
- shiny white ornaments (snowflakes, icicles, etc.)
- white lights
- pine tree trimmings
- branches
If you are able to donate any of these items, we greatly appreciate it! Thank you!