February 26th: Red Sings from Treetops

 

This week, we read a book about seasons. Written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, Red Sings from Treetops is a book filled with lively and imaginative colors that change throughout the seasons. This book gave a great illustration of each season and showed them how trees changed during each season. After I read the book to them, we had our usual discussion time. I asked them what their favorite season was and why. Most of them said summer because they went on vacations and didn't have to be in school, which they reffered to as "this crazy place!" We talked about new life in spring, the shining sun in summer, pumpkins and leaves in the fall, and snow and hot chocolate in Winter.

After we had discussion, I passed out slips of paper that each had an activity/item associated with one of the seasons. Some examples of what they got include worms, lemonade, pumpkins, schoolbuses, a sled, and snowmen. They had to read theirs aloud and then tape it on the white board under the season it belonged to.


Everyone's piece of paper taped to the board

For our craft, I made little 4-page booklets using cardstock paper. The night before, I had cut squares of different colored paper and stapled them together to make mini-books for each kid.

After I passed out the booklets, I instructed the kids to draw something that reminds them of each season. The green paper was for spring, pink for summer, orange for fall, and white for winter. Each kid drew their own pictures of what they like to do during each season or something that reminds them of that season. When they were finished, they went through their books with me.





 

I think the kids' favorite part about our meetings is when they get to go and color. Each one of them is so creative and can't wait to show me their drawings. It's inspiring to see how excited they get when they draw even the simplest things, their satisfaction comes in sharing their new ideas.

 

 

When they had all finished drawing their booklets, they waited in line while Dianne and I got the snacks ready. This week we had flavored marshmallows. The marshmallows were different pastel colors that reminded me of Spring. I told the kids to smell their cup of marshmallows and asked them what season it smelled like. One girl said they smelled like Summer, because of the fruity flavors!