Celebrating Advent
The last two weeks we have been celebrating Advent in the classroom. In this busy time when energy is buzzing around us outside of school, it’s nice to step into the slow and comfortable pace of the classroom!
Here is our nature table, which currently has a “star ladder” with an angel coming down one star every day. She moves down while the children are sleeping, and she started the first day of advent and will continue until she reaches the earth.
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| Advent |
When she reaches the bottom, where the candle is, this will be christmas day.The children will not be here of course, but they like to see the angel moving down the star ladder and counting down the days till christmas each day when they come to school.
Two weeks ago we celebrated the mineral kingdom.
we lit a candle and said verses for the mineral kingdom and sang a song each day.
As we lit the candle every day, we sang:
One little candle lighted in the wreath, the earth below….begins to glow.
Our daily verse was:
In the first candle of advent
shines the light of the crystals in the mines.
The rocks, the jewels, and the stones.
The seashells and even our bones.
Now that we have moved onto week 2 of advent, we sang and said the week one verses, and added to it the
honoring of the plant kingdom.
You will see the lovely orchid in the center of the second advent wreath photo, this is a gift from Sophia’s family, thank you!
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| Advent |
In the lighting of the second candle, we sang:
Two little candles lighted in the wreath, a plant lifts up….a blossom cup.<
Our verse for the plant kingdom each day was:
In the second candle of advent, shines the nuts and the berries on the vines.
The grasses, fruits and the trees,
and all the lovely flowers that we see.
Next week we will be celebrating the animal kingdom.
Then the children will go home for the holidays and that last week of Advent we would be celebrating the human kingdom.
It is a special way to recognize the four kingdoms.
You will see in the photos Rick sharing face masks (new ones of course) with the children who wanted one, he was running around here working and using one himself and the children were fascinated and wanted to play with them.
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| From Masks Dec10 |
Here are pictures of the children searching for earthworms in the garden.
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| Looking for Worms |
I (Nicole) was so surprised and delighted to see the boys bring home those amazing gnomes. What a special handmade gift that we will always treasure. Thank you Miss Linda and Chay. Here are photos of children busily stitching their gnomes.
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| Sewing Dec2010 |
Here Ember and Theodore are hard at work making holiday cookies.
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| Making Cookies 20101217 |
A very Happy Birthday to Theordore!
This week is our last week before the holidays and we wish everyone just so much love and magic over this time!