May 2014

After Spring Break the sun was in the sky, bees buzzed all around and everywhere life blossomed.  The children in Azul watched while caterpillars spun their cocoons, then waited patiently for the butterflies to emerge from their chrysalises.  We set them free on a warm sunny day with much excitement and joy. 

This month we also learned a little about music.  What kinds of music do people listen to around the world? What does a clarinet or a guitar sound like? Children were found sitting at the listening station identifying the sounds of different instruments while matching little replicas of them to what they heard.   

Our rich parent community contributed immensely to the learning process.  We had so many parents come in and share their musical instruments, their practicing regime and the discipline and patience it takes to be a musician.    

Children also enjoyed playing various instruments in the classroom.  A particular favorite was the didgeridoo we were so fortunate to have available to us.  Kindergartners have been taking on more leadership and have been giving guidance and lessons to the younger children who are thrilled to learn from their older peers!  

At circle last week we all took a ‘listening walk’.  We all kept really silent and listened to  the sounds in the environment.  When we got back we shared what we heard and played back a recording we’d made to see if we had missed anything.  

In May we will be learning about the continent of Africa: the food, lifestyles, music, animals and landscape of that magnificent continent!