Hello families!

How beautiful is the snow??  It sure is nice to see now that it is December!

Yesterday we had our great “unveiling” of the bulletin board near Ms. Perkins’ class.  The grade ones were so excited as they had no idea what the surprise would be!  We “unwrapped” the board to reveal a holiday advent calendar.  For the last few weeks before the holidays we will be learning about holidays that are celebrated during the month of December (Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah).  We will be learning about other major holidays, like Chinese New Year and Ramadan, in the New Year!  We will be exploring foods, clothing, games, customs, and traditions that accompany each holiday.

Yesterday I sent home a “My Holiday Traditions” assignment.   Please discuss with your children one holiday that your family celebrates (it does NOT have to be a December holiday!) and have your child fill in each section with illustrations, labels, and a brief sentence to describe their picture.  The assignment is due on Monday, and students will share their holiday traditions with the class! (REMINDER: please have your child complete their “Family Tree” if they have not yet done so.)

We discussed how some families celebrate Diwali, Ramadan, Lunar Solstice, Eid, Christmas, etc.  and that these celebrations are part of what being a family is all about!  Holidays are celebrated by family members in common ways AND traditions are passed down from generation to generation.  We will learn that holidays have similarities and differences.  It shall be an exciting month leading up to our winter break!

(Pictures to follow!)

Ms. Holmes