Dear Parents,

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving in the company of family, turkey, and

football!

With the rush of Black Friday behind us, the countdown to Christmas has officially

begun!

The children (Polar Bears and Brown Bears) are busy preparing for their Christmas program

performance on Friday, 13December at 5 PM. Please check with your child’s teacher about

what they need to wear that day. Both the children and the teaching teams are excited about

their performances and can not wait to share it with you. Please mark your calendars!

December is such an exciting month with all the wonderful traditions of Christmas – the story

of Jesus’ birth, the lights, the trees, the caroling, the decorations both at home and at the stores,

visiting Santa, thinking of others while buying gifts, the smiles on the children’s faces as they

help bake Christmas goodies, and, most importantly, spending time with family! At CDC, the

children will be counting down the days while discovering and exploring events, materials, and

the community associated with the holidays and each homerooms topic of adventure. Some

classrooms will also celebrate by having a Holiday party. Each care-giving teaching team will

provide you with more specific information when the time nears.

Now is also a good time to check your child’s extra

clothes supply to make sure weather-appropriate

clothing is on hand if needed. Also, winter jackets,

hats, and mittens are needed as the children will be going

outside every day weather permitting.

Christmas Time By Ronald Doe

Christmas Time is finally here, It only comes but once a year.

And it’s a time to spread good cheer, To those we love and hold so dear.

Christmas Time is a time of glee,

A time when peace and love run free. A time for those like you and me,

To sit beneath the Christmas Tree.

Christmas Time is a time of joy, A time to sit back and enjoy.

The smile on each girl and boy, As they play with a Christmas Toy.

Christmas Time is a time to share,

The passing of another year. Birth of Jesus, a joyful prayer,

To show loved ones how much we care.

Christmas Time is a time for song, A time for us to get along.

To make us feel Lord Jesus strong, Forgive all those who did us wrong.

Christmas Time is a time to pray, Put love and kindness on display. Show compassion along the way,

Christmas Time should be everyday

CDC will be closed for the Holidays

December 23 and will re-open January 2,

2014.

I want to wish each and every one of you a

very Merry Christmas and a Happy New

Year!

Jette

Twinkle, Twinkle Twinkle, twinkle little star

What a wonderful child you are! With bright eyes and nice round cheeks,

Talented person from head to feet. Twinkle, twinkle little star,

What a wonderful child you are!

The Little Lambs will explore the “Sweet

Sound of Music!” The Key Development

Indicators the Little Lambs will

encounter are listening and responding to

music. While playing different genres of

children’s music the children will be able

to distinguish the difference between

slow and fast paced songs by body

movement and body language. We also

have many Christmas stories and songs to

share with the children. Songs such as

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”,

“Frosty the Snowman”, “Santa Claus Is

Coming To Town”, “Jingle Bells”, “A

Holly Jolly Christmas.” And books such

as “Santa Paws”, “How To Build a

Snowman”, “Five Christmas Penguins”

and “My First Christmas – Touch and

Feel.”

I bring you my heart That is now filled with love,

Because God sent a baby From heaven above. I bring you my heart It’s so happy within.

I know Jesus loves me, He died for my sin.

I bring you my heart You should give yours away,

Give it to Jesus and be saved today.

The Character Education is “I Feel Calm!”

and lullabies will be played and sung

creating calm for Little Lambs to

experience and benefit from first hand. No

matter where on the planet or in what year

you were born, your mother sang you a

lullaby before putting you to sleep.

Lullabies have existed throughout human

history and some of the ones we sing to this

day are hundreds of years old. Although no

one is certain, it is believed that the name

“lullabies” comes from the “lull”-ing and

“by”-ing sounds one makes to help a baby

fall asleep. Others believe the term comes

from a Hebrew phrase, “Lilith-Abi”

meaning “Lilith begone.” Lilith is a

folkloric character who was believed to

steal children in the night and these

incantations were sounded to keep her

away. Whatever the origin, lullabies are

used to assure, comfort, console and

confirm one’s love for their baby and their

promise to keep them safe and secure. A

lullaby is the perfect Christmas gift to your

child and a gift that gives back to you.

Rock-a-bye Baby Rock-a-bye (name), in the tree top

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock When the birds sing, my sweet (name) will

smile And fall asleep sweetly, for a short while.

In the month of December the

children will explore pictures

of Belgium and singing songs

and nursery rhymes of Belgium.

We hope everyone a happy and safe

holiday!

Leola, Venicia, Kristi and Liliana

Throughout November the focus of our

conversations and activities ‘thankfulness’ using

the words ‘thank you’ in most interactions. The

Little Lambs also beautifully decorated their care

setting for Thanksgiving with your help..

December is here and the focus of our planned and

prepared lessons is “I Can Hear, Smell, and

Touch.”

December is here and the ‘Big Idea’ for the month

around which materials in the care setting will

be placed, books for reading will be selected,

finger plays for reciting and gesture supported

communication will be chosen and music will be

played is “Touch and Feel”.

"Touch and Feel Zoo", "Baby Touch and Feel

Farm", "Baby Touch and Feel Tractor", " Petting

Farm", "Touch and Feel Pets" will the support the

Communication and Laguage Key Developmental

Indicators of listening and responding,

communicating non-verbally, participating in

communication give-and-take, exploring

picture books and magazines and

enjoying stories, rhymes and

songs, the Exploring Objects

Key Developmental Indicators

of exploring objects using the

senses*, discovering object

permanence and exploring

and noticing and how

things are the same or

different and the Time Key Developmental

Indicators of anticipating familiar events and

noticing the beginning and ending of a time

interval.

*Sensory exploration is a

child's way of examining,

discovering and making

sense of their world. To

support your understanding of the necessity

and importance of sensory exploration,

please read the following excerpt from

“Sensory Play: Early Exploration Through

the Senses”, by Rachelle Doorley.

Exploration from Birth

When babies first interact with the world,

they don’t have words to describe what they

encounter, but they do absorb information

through their senses. A newborn’s sight is

limited at first, but as they get older their

sight becomes more finely tuned. A

newborn also begins to hear sounds in the

womb and can distinguish her mother’s

voice from other voices at birth. She can

differentiate between sweet and sour tastes,

will gravitate toward more pleasant smells,

and is comforted by warmth and a soft

touch.

As babies mature, their awareness becomes

heightened. A once “content” or “easy”

baby may suddenly take fright at loud

noises, be annoyed by a wet diaper, or reject

the texture of a new food. These changes

may confuse or frustrate parents, but they

can also signify developmental maturity as

the child begins to make sense of the world.

Language Acquisition

While babies may not have the words to

describe their experiences, sensory play can

help babies build vocabulary and

understand language. By using words and

questions that relate to the child’s

experience, a parent or caregiver can link

sensory experiences with cognitive growth.

Here are a few examples of how you could

articulate a sensory experience for a baby:

Touch: “I’m pouring warm water on your

head. Do you feel the wet water?”

Sight: “Do you see the bird in the tree?”

“Where do you see a squirrel? Oh, I see the

squirrel on the fence.”

Smell: “Would you like to

smell this flower? Mmmm, it

smells sweet.”

Taste: “I think you like the lemon.

Ooh, is it sour?”

Sound: “Do you hear the airplane? What

sound does it make? Woooooosh.”

Using descriptive and action words such as

cold, hot, bumpy, shiny, smooth, pour,

dump, scoop, sift, and splash in the context

of experiences will help solidify the

meanings of these words in a young child’s

mind.

Sensory Activities for Babies

Babies may be limited by their mobility and

dexterity, but not their ability to interact

with the world. Babies can enjoy the feeling

of water in a pool or bath, take in the

movement of wind on a walk, and respond

to the sounds of music playing on the

stereo. As babies become toddlers, they’ll

want to feel a variety of materials, scoop

and sort small objects, and experiment with

the properties of cause and effect (i.e. what

will happen if I dump this bowl of sand?)

Here are some sensory activities for

babies.

To nurture sight and touch experiences,

place your baby on a soft blanket and

billow a scarf overhead or offer

a variety of objects for your

child to touch.

Water Scooping

Playing with water is a

favorite activity for babies.

Fill a large, shallow bowl

with water and provide your upright baby

with simple scooping tools for open-ended

exploration.

Bean Bowl Exploration

Fill a large bowl or shallow tub with dry

beans, rice, sand, or wheat berries. Babies

will enjoy sifting these materials through

fingers, picking them up, and pouring them

out. Use your best judgment and pay close

attention when introducing young children

to small objects.

Tearing and Feeling Wet Paper

The simple ingredients of paper, water, and

a large tub make this engaging activity fun

for your child and easy for you.

This unit of exploration also has the goal to

encourage movement, develop social

relations, developing creative representation

and encourage them to listen to music which

are important key development indicators.

We will be providing musical instruments

for the children to explore maracas,

tambourines, and bells while introducing the

CD “Latin Playground” by Putumayo World

Music.

The teaching staff will also start introducing

Sign Language by using Annie Kubler “Sign

and Sing-Along” books. This month the

song we will be singing and signing is

“Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”

Little Lambs II wish all the parents a

wonderful and bless holiday season.

Little Lambs II Teaching Team

As part of November theme, the

Caterpillars explored and touched

materials covered with a variety of

textures, noticing how things are the same

and different, exploring soft books and

soft blocks, listening and responding as

well as enjoying stories, rhymes and songs

and strengthening the attachment the

Caterpillars have formed with their

primary and secondary care givers and

other adults in the care setting.

The joy of the holiday season is upon us

and will be shared with the Caterpillars

through Christmas music, Christmas

books, decorations and pictures.

SILVER BELLS (tune: “Jingle Bells”)

Silver Bells, silver bells Ring them loud and clear. Silver Bells, silver bells

Bringing Christmas cheer. Ring them high, ring them low, Ring them ‘round and ‘round. What a lovely time of year When silver bells you hear.

Our big ideas for December

will be "The Magic of

Music" and "The Bells are

Ringing". The Caterpillars

will be offered a wide variety of bells and

rattles of different colors , textures, shapes

and sizes for listening to differences in

sounds and encountering the Key

Developmental Indicators of

exploring objects with their senses,

noticing how things are the same and

different, moving the whole of and parts of

the body, moving with objects, exploring

sounds, listening and responding to music

and songs, experiencing "more", repeating

an action to make something happen again,

experiencing cause and effect.

I LOVE BELLS (tune: “Three Blind Mice”)

Bells, bells, bells, I love bells,

All kinds of bells, They’re so swell.

Some are small and “ting-a-ling”. Some have handles that you swing. Some are big, you strike to ring.

I love bells, All kinds of bells.

BELLS ARE RINGING

(tune: “Frere Jacques”)

Bells are ringing, Bells are ringing. Ding, ding, dong. Ding, ding, dong

Happy little bells, Happy little bells.

All day long, Ring their song!

FIVE LITTLE BELLS Five little bells hanging in a row.

The first one said, "Ring me slow." The second one said, "Ring me fast." The third one said, "Ring me last."

The fourth one said, "I'm a chime." The fifth one said, "Ring me at Christmas time." The sixth one said, "Ring me with the others."

The seventh one said, "Ring me for the mothers." The eighth one said, "Ring me with a song." The ninth one said, "Ring me all day long."

Christmas music will be played and

sung in the care setting and colorful

light-weight scarves, bells and other

simple sound producing musical

instruments will be provided for use in

response.

We will also focus on the Key

Developmental Indicators of

communication non-verbally,

participating in communication give and

take, listening and responding to stories.

The children will listen to books about

the Christian celebration of the birth of

baby Jesus that include" The Twelve

days of Christmas", "Jesus Loves Me",

"Jingle Babies", "My Santa Claus",

"Here comes Santa Claus".

CHRISTMAS BELLS (tune: “Oh, Christmas Tree”)

O Christmas bells, O Christmas bells, We love to hear you ringing.

O Christmas bells, O Christmas bells, You make us feel like singing.

You sing to us of colored lights. You sing to us of Christmas night.

O Christmas bells, O Christmas bells, We love to hear you ringing.

In their “Awake, Alert

Time" the Caterpillars will

be also found crawling in

and out of the tunnel,

chasing the balls all around the classroom,

climbing the stairs in the care setting,

being ticked, cuddled, hugged, kissed and

engaged in communication and

conversation showcasing the Key

Developmental Indicators of expressing

initiative, doing things for and by

themselves, moving the whole body,

moving with objects, exploring and

noticing the location of objects and

forming attachment to the primary and

secondary care givers.

In December will have our first

Parent-Teacher Conference and

Conversation. A sign-up sheet will be

posted on the parent table for you to select

the time you wish to meet.

On December 18 we will sing Happy

Birthday to Davis!!!!

We wish everyone a very Merry

Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Mrs. Margareta, Ms. Charlisa and Ms.

Brandi

One Little Christmas Tree One little Christmas tree

Stood all alone. Its heart was very sad,

For it hadn't found a home. Chop! went the ax. Down fell the tree.

And off it went with a happy family.

We hope everyone had a blessed, and

relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. Along

with the hussle and bussle that the

Thanksgiving holiday brings, we hope you

had time to enjoy your families and get in

preparation for the holiday. We would also

like to thank those that participated in our

Parent-Teacher Conferences and

Conversations.

The Koala Babies prepared for

Thanksgiving talking about families. We

are working on identifying members of our

own families, recognizing the similarities

and differences of families and celebrating

our School Family. We send a warm thank

you to the families that joined us in our

"I'm thankful for……….." cookie

decorating activity. Five Little Bells

Five little bells hanging in a row. The first one said, "Ring me slow."

The second one said, "Ring me fast." The third one said, "Ring me last."

The fourth one said, "I'm a chime." The fifth one said, "Ring me at Christmas

time." The sixth one said, "Ring me with the

others." The seventh one said, "Ring me for the

mothers." The eighth one said, "Ring me with a song." The ninth one said, "Ring me all day long."

As December approaches,

our neighborhoods are

beginning to look festive

with all the lights and

holiday decorations. In the first weeks, we

will be exploring different lights and

shadows. We will explore with flashlights,

string lights and strobe lights of different

colors. Along with observing lights, we

will also take a look at shadows. We will

observe shadows we make with our whole

bodies, parts of our bodies (hands, fingers,

feet and toes).

The Lights on the Tree (sung to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus")

The lights on the tree go blink, blink, blink! Blink, blink, blink, blink, blink, blink!

The lights on the tree go blink, blink, blink! All Christmas Day!

In the weeks following, we will continue to

enjoy the winter weather by discussing

what clothing we wear outside when it gets

cold. We will explore clothing articles

such as coats, boots, hats, gloves, and

scarves. We will be discussing how and

why we wear certain articles of clothing

and encourage the children to "assist" us in

dressing themselves until we are assisting

them in their dressing.

The final weeks will be spent discussing

Jesus and Christmas. The children will

hear Christmas stories and music, view

festive decorations, create Christmas treats

and explore with wrapping paper. We will

host a Christmas party on Dec, 17th. We

encourage you all to join us if possible

Sign-up sheets will be available in the

weeks ahead.

As some of you may know,

each year at CDC, each School

Family chooses a country of the

world to learn about and discover

throughout the year. This year the Koala

Babies have selected Bolivia. Throughout

the year, we will be taking a look into the

history, language, foods, customs and

rituals of Bolivia. This month we will

explore Bolivian celebrations and

holidays. If there is any assistance or

ideas about or from Bolivia that you would

like to share with us, we look forward to

hearing them.

As a friendly reminder, we go outside on a

daily basis and we are also starting to walk

with the rope outside, please remember to

bring proper hats, coats and shoes with

your child every day.

Thanks again for the plastic "diaper" bags,

they have really come in handy, please,

keep them coming!

Winter break dates as follows: 12/23-01/2.

We hope everyone has a joyous, safe,

relaxing winter break and we look forward

to seeing everyone in 2014!

Cheers,

Rashawn, Ximena and Mycee

During November's "Fall Into

Nature" theme, the Polar Bears learned about

the Autumn season and a lot that happens

during the season! We talked about a few

things including the color changing of

leaves, squirrels and acorns, and made

colorful turkeys and cornucopias in

celebration of Thanksgiving!

Our little Polar Bears are growing more and

more each day! A few of them can say words

like “Ready”, “Block”, “Please”, “Yes”, and

“No". They can even say most of their peer’s

names!

They are also growing and developing

physically. The Polar Bears are working

really hard on using the railings when going

up and down stairs and really seem to enjoy

kicking balls and chasing them during our

time in the gym. HIBERNATION

Hibernation! Time for Hibernation!

Hibernation! Time to go to sleep!

In the winter where's the frog? Sleeping by a pond or log!

Where’s the frog? Pond or log?

OH! Hibernation!

Time for Hibernation! Hibernation!

Time to go to sleep! In the winter where's the snake?

In the mud beneath the lake! Where’s the snake?

In the mud in the lake? OH!

Hibernation! Time for Hibernation!

Hibernation! Time to go to sleep!

In the winter where's the bat? In a cave is where its at!

Where’s the bat? Where’s it at?

OH! Hibernation!

Time for Hibernation! Hibernation!

Time to go to sleep!

Our December theme will be

"Winter Wonderland".

Planned and prepared lessons

for learning will focus on the

season of Winter, including animals that

live in cold places, snow and Christmas!

TWINKLE, TWINKLE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!

(sung to the tune of “Twinkle. Twinkle Little Star”)

Twinkle, twinkle Christmas lights! Santa Claus came last night!

Down the chimney with the toys! Woke me up with all the NOISE! Twinkle, twinkle Christmas lights!

Santa Claus came last night.

Feel free to sing this song with your Polar

Bear at home too!

Dance Like Snowflakes (sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques")

Dance like snowflakes, Dance like snowflakes,

In the air. In the air.

Whirling, twirling, snowflakes, Whirling, twirling, snowflakes,

Here and there. Here and there.

On Friday, 20 December, we will

celebrate Christmas with our Polar

Express themed Christmas party! The

children are invited to wear pajamas and

bring their special ‘lovies or teddy!

We will watch a few scenes

of The Polar Express movie,

drink hot chocolate

and make cookies! More

details will be provided

on our Parent Board

in the classroom as

we get closer to our

special day!

See the Snowflakes Falling See the snowflakes falling!

(wiggle fingers)

See the candles glow! (hold up one finger)

See the wreaths upon the door! (make wreath with hands)

It's Christmas time, I know!

Happy Holidays!

Ms.Tanganyika, Ms.Nina and Ms.Sherelle

During the month of November, the Brown

Bears discovered the taste and feel of

pumpkins, sweet potatoes, squash and

leaves. The Brown Bears made textured

turkeys, a harvest garden and celebrated

Thanksgiving with a potluck luncheon.

A Shining Star On the very first Christmas night,

(put hands together; lay head on hands as if sleeping)

A wondrous star shone big and bright. (hold hands above head; move fingers like stars shining.)

It marked the spot where the baby lay. (pretend to rock baby)

So Kings and Shepherds could come to pray.

(fold arms)

For the month of December our themes are

“Winter Wonders and Holiday

Happenings” exploring and discovering

what happens in winter; snow, snowflakes

and winter wear (coats, hats, gloves,

scarves, boots). Tastes associated with the

season, such as gingerbread and cocoa will

also be enjoyed. In relation to “Holiday

Happenings” we will discover Christmas,

Kwanza and Hanukah. We will have a

Holiday celebration on December 20th,

2013 at 3:00 PM.

TWINKLE, TWINKLE HANUKKAH Twinkle, Twinkle Hanukkah lights,

Shining brightly for 8 nights. See the dreidel spin around,

Eat some latke crisp and brown. Twinkle, twinkle Hanukkah lights,

Shining brightly for 8 nights.

SING A SONG OF KWANZAA (tune: “Sing A Song of Six Pence”)

Sing a song of Kwanzaa For seven nights long. Light a Kwanzaa candle

As each night comes along. Celebrate first harvest

And for unity. That’s the way to celebrate

With friends and family!

TWINKLE, TWINKLE SEVEN LIGHTS (tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”)

Twinkle, twinkle seven lights In the Kinara, burning bright. Time to celebrate first fruits And the history of our roots. Twinkle, twinkle seven lights In the Kinara, burning bright.

We will sing “Happy Birthday” to both

Oliver and Parker on 7 December.

Mark your calendars

CDC’s Annual Christmas program

in the sanctuary of the Church at

Clarendon at 5:00 PM on Friday,

13 December.

CDC closed for Christmas break

December 23 – January 1st. We

will reopen January 2nd 2014.

Lighting All the Candles (sung to: "I've Been Working on the

Railroad") I am lighting all the candles!

On this Hanukkah night! I am Lighting all the candles! To see them shining bright!

Flicker, flicker little candles! Fill me with your glow!

Now the time has come to count them! Ready, set and go! 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8.!

SING a SONG of HANUKKAH (sung to: "Did You Ever See a Lassie")

Oh, sing a song of Hanukkah! Hanukkah! Hanukkah!

Sing a song of Hanukkah! Happy Holidays!

With presents and presents! On every night, a present!

Oh sing a song of Hanukkah! A Happy Holiday!

Thank you,

Ms. Lupita, Ms. Vonita and Ms. Liping

It was a great pleasure talking with and getting to

know all of you more during the conferences. I want

to thank you all for the insightful information you

offered, and reiterate my openness to continued

communication thought the year. I greatly value

forming dialogue and relationships with families,

and find that it is beneficial for children, parents and

teachers alike.

Our Christmas wreaths

Are fat and round

Made of woodsy things

We found. We tied brown cones

Upon the green

And stuck red berries

In between. Upon the wreath

For our front door

We tied red ribbon

From a store.

Building on what the children learned last month

about giving thanks, the focus for December’s

planned and prepared theme of study will be “Joy to

the World”. We will celebrate all the wonder,

excitement, and beauty all around us as winter

officially begins and the magic of the holiday season

surrounds. We will discuss the meaning of giving and

receiving gifts, and continue to emphasize being

grateful for all we have. With an emphasis on the

Communication and Language Key Developmental

Indicators of listening and responding,

communicating non-verbally, participating in

communication give-and-take, communicating

verbally, exploring picture

Five Little Bells Finger Play Five little bells all hanging in a row

(wave one hand with fingers extended)

The first one said "Ring me slow" (wiggle thumb)

The second one said "Ring me fast" (move pointer finger fast)

The third one said "Ring me last" (move Middle finger).

The fourth one said "Ring me like a chime" (move ring finger)

The fifth one said "It's Christmas Time" (move pinky finger)

Another big focus of December will be preparing the

children for our part in the Christmas Program on

December 13, which was discussed with you in

detail during the Parent Teacher Conference and

Conversation.

The Creative Representation Key Developmental

Indicators of imitating and pretending and exploring

art materials will be presented with the addition of

seasonal décor and decorations for the children to

use and create.

Christmas Wreath Rhyme

books and magazines and enjoying stories, rhymes

and songs we will also be integrating more

environmental print and numbers into the learning

environment.

Star (sung to the tune of “I’m a Little Tea Pot”)

I’m a little star from in the sky I’ll sit on the tree top way up high I’ll shine for you in my special way

And twinkle brightly on Christmas Day.

We'll Decorate The Tree (sung to: "The Farmer in the Dell")

We'll decorate the tree, We'll decorate the tree.

Heigh-ho, it's Christmas time, We'll decorate the tree.

The presents we will wrap, The presents we will wrap.

Heigh-ho, it's Christmas time, The presents we will wrap.

Carols we will sing, Carols we will sing.

Heigh-ho, it's Christmas time, Carols we will sing.

A reminder...

- I want to reiterate the importance of dressing your

child for the elements, as we try our very best to

allow the children to get some fresh air and time on

the playground every day.

Ring the Bells (sung to: "London Bridges")

Ring the bells it's Christmas time, Christmas time, Christmas time.

Ring the bells it's Christmas time, Merry Christmas time!

(addition verses) *Play the drums it's Christmas time *Tap the sticks it's Christmas time *Clap your hands it's Christmas time

We have been busy decorating our room and

spreading the holiday cheer, and will continue to

make holiday themed crafts and art projects. We are

very excited to be celebrating the holiday season

with all of you, as 2013 comes to a close and we ring

in the New Year.

Christmas time is near. Christmas time is near.

Merry Christmas everyone. Christmas time is near.

It’s time to trim the tree. It’s time to trim the tree. Merry Christmas everyone. It’s time to trim the tree.

It’s time to wrap the gifts. It’s time to wrap the gifts. Merry Christmas Everyone. It’s time to wrap the gifts.

It’s time to hang the stocking. It’s time to hang the stocking.

Merry Christmas everyone. It’s time to hang the stocking.

Christmas Time is Here (sung to: "Farmer in the Dell")

Red and Green (sung to the tune of “Mary had a Little Lamb”)

Red and green are Christmas colors

Christmas colors Christmas colors

Red and green are Christmas colors

Pretty Christmas colors.

Little Tree (sung to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot”)

I’m a little tree growing tall. Someday I’ll be the best of all. I’ll go home with a family and

A Christmas Tree is what I’ll be!

We would like to wish you all Happy Holidays!

Ms. Bernita and Ms. Anniea

The Inchworm teachers would like to say THANK

YOU to all of our Inchworm families for all you did

to contribute to making our month of November very

"family oriented". The stories written and illustrated

in celebration of “Names Day” were both

informative and inspirational as were the “Family

Trees.”

Also, thank you for making the time to sign up for

Parent-Teacher Conferences and Conversations. It

was very refreshing to have a chance to sit down and

speak with each family individually and in depth,

making me forward with anticipation to February,

when we meet again!

The Big Idea for December is "Until Christmas

Comes!"

Advent is a Time to Wait (sung to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star")

Advent is a time to wait, not quite time to celebrate. Light the candles one by one, 'til this Advent time is

done. Christmas Day will soon be here, time for joy and time

for cheer.

Someone's Coming Someone's coming, Someone's coming

Do you know just who? Jesus is coming, Jesus is coming Born for me, and born for you.

As we prepare for the most wonderful time of the

year we will participate in activities such as "tree

trimming", sharing, baking, and tons of art projects

to help make the season bright.

5 Little Christmas Trees 5 little Christmas Trees

Standing all alone Their heart were very sad

'Cause they hadn't found a home. Then chop went the ax And down fell the tree

And off they went with a happy family! (continue from 4 to 1 Christmas Trees)

No little Christmas Trees Standing all alone

Their hearts were very happy 'Cause they all found a home!!!

I'm A Little Pine Tree (sung to the tune of "I'm A Little Teapot")

I'm a little pine tree- as you can see, All the other pine trees are bigger than me.

Maybe when I grow up-then I'll be A great big merry Christmas tree!

We will also be practicing for the upcoming holiday

program. The Inchworms will perform a special

holiday dance that is sure to bring a smile to

everyone’s face.

Let's All (sung to the tune of "We Wish You A Merry Christmas")

Let's all do a little clapping! Let's all do a little clapping! Let's all do a little clapping! And spread Christmas cheer!

other verses: Jumping!, Twirling!, Stretching! Bending! And???????!)

After careful consideration, we have decided to

change our Country of Study for this school year to

Iceland.

During the month of December we will learn about

the Christmas Holiday traditions of Iceland. We will

also begin to learn phrases in Icelandic. This month

our language focus will be phrases of gratitude:

Thank You: Takk (Tahk)

No Thank You: Nei Takk

(Nay Tahk)

Please: Vinsamlegast

(Vin-some-le-gast)

December Key Developmental Indicators:

*Developing Social Play

*Expressing Emotions

*Exploring Building and Art Materials

*Exploring Picture Books and Magazines

*Listening to Music

*Communicating Verbally

*Listening and Responding

Dates to Remember:

Holiday Program-

Friday, 13 December 2013

Holiday Break-

Monday, 23 December 2013-Thursday, 2 January

2014

We wish each and every family a happy holiday

filled with love, laughter, and blessings.

See you in 2014!!

Ms. Lakisha & Mrs. Nicole

May the Love of Christ Surround you! May His blessings flow your way!

As you Celebrate His birth This Christmas Day.

Throughout November, the Lady Bugs had the

opportunity to reflect on all for which they are

thankful.

As we enter the season of the giving, lets continue

to give thanks for the love, kindness and joy that we

all share as well as the ‘Miracle’ wrapped in

swaddling clothing!

The Christmas Story by Leanne Guenther

Once upon a time, A long, long time ago.

Begins the story of a baby, That most of you should know. His daddy's name was Joseph,

And Mary was His mom, This babe was very special

He was God's only Son. Some angels came from heaven,

And they began to sing. To the shepherds in the fields below,

"Glad tidings do we bring!" A bright star lit the heavens,

To light the magi's way, To the baby in the manger

Who was born on Christmas day. And all who gathered round Him, Rejoiced and praised His birth.

For the babe, the King, named Jesus, Is our Saviour here on earth!

November highlights included learning the value of

“thankfulness”. The Key Developmental Indicators

that the children encountered included building

relationships with their teachers and peers,

participating in communication give and take and

talking with others about personally meaningful

experiences, specifically our families and their

Thanksgiving traditions. The Lady Bugs compared

attributes of fruits as they helped to cut them up into

a fruit salad. The children displayed creativity in

making Indian vests and head bands and Pilgrim hats

and collars as we re-enacted the “The First

Thanksgiving” at our Thanksgiving celebration.

I thank you for creating time to meet with me to

share exchange information at the Parent Teacher

Conferences and Conversations.

The First Christmas (Action Rhyme)

Clop, clop, clop went the donkey's feet, Clop, clop, clop down the stoney street.

Nod, nod, nod went Mary's head. She was tired, and she needed a bed.

Knock, knock, knock went Joseph at the door. "Do you have room for anyone more?"

"No, No, No!" the innkeeper said, "I don't even have one more bed."

"Wait, wait, wait," the innkeeper said, "You can use my stable for a bed."

"Shh, shh, shh...What is that I hear? The cry of Baby Jesus, oh so dear!"

The children will be giving to their friends

participating in a book exchange. We will read

books, listen to, learn and sing Christmas carols. Use

creative and sequenced movement as we “follow the

Star” to the Christmas miracle.

A Shining Star (Action Rhyme)

On the very first Christmas night, (put hands together; lay head on hands as if sleeping.)

A wondrous star shone big and bright. (hold hands above head; move fingers like stars shining.)

It marked the spot where the baby lay, (pretend to rock baby.)

So kings and shepherds could come to pray. (fold hands and kneel.)

On Friday 20 December, the Lady Bugs will have a

Christmas celebration where the children will

exchange books.

Mark your calendars for Friday, 13 December! The

Lady Bugs will be participating in FBCC CDC’s

Annual Christmas Program, singing “Rocking

Around the Christmas Tree.” We are asking that you

dress your child in white tops and red bottoms for

this event.

December comes with Joy, Sharing, Giving and lots

of Love, but most importantly the birth of Jesus, thus

“Jesus is the Reason for the Season” will be

experienced and expressed through our December

units of learning together.

“The Joy of Giving-the Sights, Colors and Sounds of

Christmas!”

If you have a Holiday tradition or a simple activity

as reading a holiday book that you would like to

share with the class, please do!

Love and Joyous Holiday Wished to All!

Ms. Elise and Ms. Elizabeth

Two Little Candy Canes Way up high on the Christmas tree Two little candy canes winked at me

So I shook that tree as hard as I could And down came the candy canes

Hmm, Hmm, Good!!

As November comes to a close, the Little

Discoverers will transition into the month of

December with the theme of “Tis, the Season.”, a

unit of study about Christmas and family tradition.

Christmas Candy (an action rhyme)

I took a lick of my peppermint stick (pretend to lick candy.)

And was it ever yummy! (lick lips.)

It used to be on my Christmas tree. (form tree shape with hands.)

Now, it's in my tummy! (rub stomach.)

Over the holidays, most of the children will be

spending time with many members of their families,

immediate and extended. The children need little to

no encouragement to talk about this special time, so

we are spending each day of December devoted to

our families. At Circle Time, we will discuss

families, human and animal and how they live and

love each other. Children will also have the

opportunity to engage in the Key Developmental

Indicator of sharing personally meaningful stories

about their family. We will also engage in various

holiday activities, and we will begin to count down

the day until Christmas. The Little Discoverers

engagement in the Creative Arts Key Developmental

Indicators art music, movement, pretend play and art

appreciation will yield a wealth of ‘Winter Art’.

Expressing and representing what the Small Scholars

observe, think, imagine and feel in product and

process two and three dimensional arts including

reindeer antlers, handprint reindeers, gingerbread

houses, peppermint play dough, Santa hats,

Christmas quilts and a holiday gifts and surprises for

family members. The smells and flavors most often

associated with this holiday season of the holiday

season include GINGERBREAD and

PEPPERMINT and Math and Science Key

Developmental Indicators will be engaged in and

encountered with cooking and science projects to

tempt and tantalize the senses and the taste buds.

On the last day of school before the holiday break,

we will make cookies for Santa and his reindeer.

Gingerbread Men (an action Rhyme)

Stir a bowl of gingerbread, smooth and spicy brown. (pretend to stir.)

Roll it with the rolling pin up and down. (making rolling motions.)

Take a cookie cutter and make some little men. (use imaginary cutter to cut imaginary shape.)

Put them in the oven 'til half past ten. (pretend to slide cookie tray into oven.)

MMMM!

During the month of December, Language, Literacy

and Communication Key Developmental Indicators

of comprehension, speaking, vocabulary,

phonological awareness, alphabetic knowledge,

read, concepts about print, book knowledge and

writing will be the focus of our reading of books

such as the classic Green Eggs and Ham, The Polar

Express, A Wish to be a Christmas Three , and How

the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Dates to remember

December 13 – Annual Christmas Show 5PM

December – 20 – last day school for the holidays

January 2 – return to school

Happy Holidays!

Ms. Kayla and Mr. Avery

November proved to be an interesting and

informative month as our Small Scholars explored

“Whoo’s Thankful? We’re thankful!” Throughout the

entire month the classroom was occupied with an

abundance of gratitude and delight. Not only did we

explore the concepts of thankfulness, we practiced

using our words to express ourselves, community

roles that we carry, and reflected on Thanksgiving

traditions.

In the month of November, the Small Scholars

began their journey in Christian Education. Through

our Christian Education enrichment program we

reinforced the concept of thankfulness, as we

expressed our appreciation for that that the Lord has

done, and continues to do for us. We were reminded

that the Lord provides for us in all ways and that we

can always count on His everlasting love to keep us.

Baby Jesus Baby Jesus snuggles in deep,

(pretend to sleep)

In warm but scratchy straw. (scratch nose)

On a nearby hillside, shepherds hear, (put hand to ear)

The angel’s song of awe. (animal sounds)

They race to Bethlehem to see, (run in place)

The king born in a stable. (animal sounds)

Then kneel before the Son of God, (fold arms)

A manger for his cradle. (rock a baby)

As we move into the month of December, the Small

Scholars will raise the question “Whoo’s That

Baby?” celebrating the story of the birth of Jesus

Christ. This theme will not solely be a continuum of

our Christian Education, but support all

developmental domains expressed in the Key

Developmental Indicators. Reading Biblical

accounts as well as books about the birth of Jesus to

acquire a deeper understanding of what the birth of

Christ meant historically as well as for us today will

provide opportunities for the children to engage

actively and meaningfully in the Language, Literacy

and Communication Key Developmental Indicators

of comprehension, speaking, vocabulary,

phonological awareness, alphabetic knowledge,

read, concepts

about print, book knowledge and writing.

Additionally, keeping with the Small Scholars’

standard, engagement in the Creative Arts Key

Developmental Indicators art music, movement,

pretend play and art appreciation will yield a wealth

of ‘Winter Art’. Expressing and representing what

the Small Scholars observe, think, imagine and feel

in product and process two and three dimensional

arts including holiday wreaths, Christmas trees, and

snowmen all to decorate our classroom with the

winter spirit. We will also create holiday cards to

express our joy for the holiday season. Similarly, we

will be creating yummy ginger bread houses out of

graham crackers, and decorate them with parent-

approved-candies. (We ask that our parents, please,

provide the yummy goodies needed for our

wonderful gingerbread houses.)

Gingerbread Men Stir a bowl of gingerbread

(stir as in bowl)

Smooth and spicy brown Roll it with a rolling pin

up and up and down (pretend to roll)

With a cookie cutter, (pretend to cut out)

make some little men. Put them in the oven

(place in oven)

till half past ten!

As we enter the month of December, we would like

to say thank you to our Small Scholars’ families for

their continued support in all we do. After all, we’re

thankful!

Ms. Gabby

With Christmas fast approaching, we are spending a

great deal of time practicing for the Christmas

program on December 13. We will be sending the

lyrics of the 4 songs we will be performing,

including a Chinese song. We are asking that the

children dress festive for our performance, wearing

red, white and/or green clothing.

During our discussion of “Gifts and Giving” to those

we love, the children will have an opportunity on

December 6 to bring in an item of their choice that

they received as a gift. We will create a dialogue

about why gifts we have received were special to us,

and how we can show others around us that we care

about and appreciate them. We will highlight and lift

up the many gifts and talents each child brings to our

classroom, and give them creative ways to express

the love and joy of the holiday season with their

peers, school community and families. We will also

have a Christmas tree in the classroom, giving the

children the opportunity to decorate it, and carry the

excitement of the season with them at school, and at

home.

Our "librarian of the week" program is going very

well, with the children showing great enthusiasm for

sharing books with their friends. The Roaring Lions

have been spotting rhyming words, deciphering

between fiction and non-fiction books, and making

problem solving suggestions to characters in the

stories we read. With an increasing interest in

written communication, activities will be planned

for the children to write holiday cards, prepare

visual aids paired with written captions, and add to

the amount of environmental print in the classroom.

Nurturing the children’s curiosity about where things

come from and how they are made, we will continue

to provide opportunities for the children to explore

new materials in our sensory table, and continue to

be a part of the food preparation process. The

children have been interested in viewing food items

before they are peeled, cooked and mixed together,

and noticing the differences of their properties before

and after we have manipulated them.

Enjoy your holidays!

Ms. Amanda and Ms. Ami

Dinosaurs lived long ago. Some walked (stomp in place)

Some swam (pretend to swim)

Some flew, you know! (flap arms at sides)

Some were big (hold hands high)

Some were small (hold hands low)

Some were gigantic— (stretch arms out wide)

V-e-r-y tall! (stretch arms up high)

The “Big Idea” for December will be “The Land

Before Time” and will focus on the time periods

where dinosaurs ruled the earth. While many

children already have a mild fascination with

prehistoric creatures, we will introduce them in a

chronological order from beginning to end during

the Mesozoic Era of the earth. In the three weeks

before Christmas we will discuss the Triassic,

Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods culminating with

the extinction of dinosaurs. For each period we will

learn about the earth’s geography and climate,

evolution of dinosaur and mammal composition,

marine life, avian life, and plant life. This exciting

theme will allow for many activities from dinosaur

bone excavations at the sand table to dinosaur

handprint art and related science experiments.

Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, Where have you been?

I've only seen you In books that you're in.

Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, Why aren't you here? I want to know what

Made you all disappear!

Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, How you would roam! Forests and beaches

Were your private home.

Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, How you could eat! Dining on plant life Or dining on meat.

Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, Where did you go?

Once you were giants, And how you did grow! Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, What made you die?

So many guesses, But no one's sure why.

DINOSAURS

The Dinosaurs The dinosaurs lived long ago, when life on earth began.

(gesture palm up wave over your shoulder)

Some were tall (gesture high).

Some were small (gesture low).

Some liked water (gesture swimming).

Some liked land (gesture walking by alternating palms on your knees).

Pteranadons had leathery wings (gesture flying).

Brontausaurs, long necks (gesture to neck).

But the meanest dinosaur of all (gesture mean face).

Was Tyranosaurus Rex (gesture heavy stomping by alternating

palms on your knees).

The Mesozoic Era extended approximately 186

million years and is divided by three periods known

as the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.

Triassic Period

Lasted from 252.2-201.3 million years ago and is

characterized by:

One geographical landmass known as Pangaea

Evolution of reptiles into first “true”

dinosaurs such as the Eoraptor and

Herrerasaurus

Evolution of a wide variety of

ancestral crocodiles

Jurassic Period

Lasted from 201.3-145 million years ago and is

characterized by:

Pangaea breaks up into the Gondwana and

Laurasia continents

Small plant eating dinosaurs evolve into giants

such as the Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus

Medium to large carnivorous dinosaurs such as the

Allosaurus and Magalosaurus evolve

Evolution of armor plated dinosaurs begins

Dinosaurs

Cretaceous Period

Lasted from 145-66 million years ago and is

characterized by:

Pangaean supercontinent

continues to break up into

modern continent shapes

Carnivorous dinosaurs

dominate and evolution of

raptors and tyrannosaurus

occurs

Herbivore giants of Jurassic Period have mostly

died out

Armor plated dinosaurs increase in number and

grow in size. Examples include Triceratops and

Ankylosaurus.

Meteor impact on the Yucatan Peninsula results in

dinosaur extinction and end of the Mesozoic Era.

On December 13 at 5:00 PM in the church sanctuary,

the Sea Turtles will participate in the annual

Christmas performance and we look forward to your

attendance. Thank you for the instrument donations

for this event.

A Dinosaur For Christmas A dinosaur for Christmas is the only thing I need.

It doesn't matter if it's slow or one that's built for speed.

A massive one, a tiny one or one that's in between.

A dinosaur that's muddy brown or bright and shiny green.

I don't care if it's big and tall

or really old and ugly. I don't care if it's rough and tough

or soft and cute and snuggly.

A spiny one will do the trick. A scaly one is fine.

As long as it's a living, breathing dinosaur, and mine.

I promise if you bring me one

I'll never ask for more, That's all I want for Christmas:

just one single dinosaur. --Kenn Nesbitt

Happy Holidays!

Marquita and Sean

Our experience of giving, to show gratitude and

appreciation, continues throughout the holiday

season. Looking back, we want to say thank you to

parents for sharing and telling about your child

during Parent Teacher Conferences and

Conversations, volunteering your time with us on

the walk to TRADER JOE’S, helping with

information for share bags, and joining us at our

class Thanksgiving-Birthday feast.

Children have been working really hard on counting

their blessings in prayers, sharing acts of kindness

with each other, minding their manners,

acknowledging with appreciation all others do for

them and working together as great partners.

Children have also been busy making and expressing

choices, plans and decisions during the Plan-Do-

Review sequence and Small Group Time. The

Language, Literacy and Communication Key

Developmental Indicators of vocabulary,

phonological awareness, reading, alphabetic

knowledge, concepts about print, book knowledge

and writing focus have been presented in active and

participatory learning experiences in which children

are offered lessons in identifying upper and lower

case letters, writing opportunities when signing into

centers each day, position words, colors, size and

shapes. December Small Group learning will support

the listed Key Developmental Indicators with a

focus on phonemic awareness (sound to symbol) of

the consonants of s, f, b, h, m and k as well as

writing addresses. Mathematic as well as Science

and Technology Key Developmental Indicators will

be supported in opportunities to sort and classify,

recognize, identify and create patterns and explore

solid figures.

Children will prepare for “The Coming of Baby

Jesus” using the Advent Calendar and discovering

the family tree of Jesus through activities of the

Jesse Tree. They will deck the halls with tinsels,

ornaments and pictures of Biblical stories each day

leading to Jesus’ birth. Children will celebrate all

December birthdays with focus on birthday of the

Christ Child and participate in a gift exchange, the

details of which will follow.

JESSE TREE

The Jesse Tree is named for Jesse, the father of King

David. This is because the Gospel of Luke tells us

that Jesus belonged to

“the house of David”.

The prophet Isaiah tells

us, “A shoot shall come

out from the stock of

Jesse, and a branch shall

grow out of his roots”. (Isaiah 11:1)

The first Jesse Tree ever made is in a stained glass

window in a cathedral in Chartes, France. It was

made in the twelfth century and it shows a picture of

Jesse sleeping in a tree rising from his body. Each

branch of the tree shows one of Christ’s ancestors.

So a Jesse Tree is Jesus’ family tree in pictures.

Every night, a story about one of Jesus’ ancestors

can be read and a symbol of that person is placed on

the tree.

Happy Birthday:

Brandon 12/02

Sidney 12/14

Lyla 12/23

Happy Birthday, Jesus

Happy Birthday, Jesus, I'm so glad it's Christmas. All the tinsel and lights and

The presents are nice But the real gift is You.

Happy Birthday, Jesus,

I'm so glad it's Christmas. All the carols and bells make

The holidays swell And it's all about You.

Happy Birthday, Jesus

Jesus, I love You.

Information about the December Field Trip we are

planning to visit the exhibit of Nativities around the

world displayed at the National Cathedral will be

distributed soon.

CDC’s annual Christmas Program will be held on

December 13, 2013. Little Explorers are busy

preparing to give you a great performance. All are

invited!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Bindu and Lawrence