Dear Rainbow Families,
The All About Me and Family curricula continue to roll in the Rainbow Room! I am sure you have all seen the incredible Rainbow faces displayed around the room. These works were the result of a very thoughtful and deliberate process in which the children, using hand mirrors for close reference, first molded the shape of their heads with newspaper and masking tape. Then each child selected a color from an array of multicultural paints to match skin color, a color yarn for hair, a color of bottle caps for eyes, cardboard and toilet paper rolls for ears, and pipe cleaners for the mouth. The children focused attentively as they painted their faces and applied their hair and facial features with glue, all the while checking back and forth from the mirror to their creation. The teachers and I continue to marvel at how closely these faces truly resemble our Rainbows.
The Rainbows recently read the book “Families Are Different” By Nina Pellegrini, which discusses and celebrates our variety of families, and they made Family necklaces using Sharpies and pens on small pieces of photo paper to draw members of their families, then threading these mini-drawings (conveniently hole-punched) onto shoe laces along with brightly-colored squeezy tops. And if you haven’t already, please check out the fabric Family portraits on the wall by art table.
The Rainbows have begun discussing the different seasonal holidays celebrated by their families, as well as reading several holiday books, including “The Chanukkah Guest” by Eric A. Kimmel and “A Letter to Santa” by Janet Craig. When asked this week what holidays they celebrate in December, the answers ranged from “Chanukkah” and “Christmas” to “My Birthday” (which is certainly equal to a holiday for the celebrant!). They have also been learning and singing a new song, “Happy Holidays.” And with the snow fall yesterday, the children read “Teddy’s Snowy Day” by Ian Beck and discussed what they like to do on a snowy day – look for their illustrated responses soon.
There has been a lot of interest in the Rainbow Room in different jobs and workers with this interest especially unfolding in the block area. The children have been building all kinds of structures to use for their fire fighters, mail carriers, mechanics, and doctors, to name a few. Today many of these block buildings were interconnected in an elaborate cityscape for their lively play. The dramatic play area has also had an infusion of worker-related accessories – play tools, clothes, and plastic protective masks – with the Rainbows often found hard at work there. The children also recently made a large cardboard box into a bus to take “sick” Rainbows to the doctor’s office.
Upcoming Events:
December 17 – Tillie’s “Big Sister” Party to celebrate Tillie’s imminent launch into big sisterhood!
December 20 – Pajama Day with a Rainbow breakfast (the children have already told their teachers what they want for the special Rainbow breakfast). We will send more details next week, but we want to be sure families know that non-Friday children are welcome to come in that Friday from 9-1 if they would like to join in. Just let me know.
Cheers,
Martha
A final note – please check out the plastic jar filled with bottle tops, the number of which the Rainbows recently made guesses (ranging from 20-1000). Answer to be counted out soon!