Hogarth Country Day School

Established 1980

 

 

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News, if unreported, has no impact. It might as well have not happened at all.  Gay Talese

This is the page for parents of students attending Hogarth to check for information and special announcements from the director, Andrea Murphy.

Click here for interesting links.

Why Hogarth? Where did the name come from? Visit The Write Sisters blog to find out. I wrote the December 5, 2008 entry entitled Poetry Friday: The Distressed Poet, in which I discuss the Hogarth name.

PLEASE NOTE:  The Daily Blog is no longer available to the general public.  If you are a Hogarth Parent, please email Andrea for more information.

What's the Buzz? (The Buzz section includes Buzz for the entire year.  You'll notice Buzz information gets older as you scroll down.)

We’ve entered the homestretch of the academic year, folks! (Last post of the 2009-2010 academic year.) This last month of school will be busy, busy, busy as we prepare to say “goodbye” at the end of the month. What lies ahead for May?

  • Parent Conference Day is Wednesday, May 19th. Since I’ll be meeting with parents from 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., there is no school that day. If you would like to meet, you can either call 679-2097 to schedule an appointment, or talk with me when you bring your little one to school.
  • EK and PK kids will be having their 100 Book Parties this month. If you’d like to send in party treats, I’m putting sign-up sheets on the door. Thanks!
  • EK and PK children will participate in a Spring Sing at the Rockingham County Nursing Home on Tuesday evening, May 25th. Our little concert starts at 6:30 p.m., and shouldn’t last more than a half-hour. (If that!) The nursing home is located on North Road in Brentwood , about 8 minutes from Hogarth. You should park behind the building and enter through the main doors in back. We will be singing in the Atrium, which is straight across from those main back doors. If you arrive by 6:20 p.m., that will give us plenty of time to get the children organized. (NOTE: The CPG children are not participating in the Spring Sing. Because they attend school only 5 hours per week, there just aren't enough hours in the school day for them to rehearse without cutting back on important curriculum and play time. The last thing I want to do is have music be a tedious, unpleasant or stressful experience for them!)
  • The EK and CPG children will celebrate their last day of school with a waffle breakfast. The PK children will celebrate theirs with a pizza lunch. Please plan to send in $2 in an envelope with your child’s name on it. Thanks!
  • Your final tuition payment of the 2009-2010 academic year is due the week of May 3rd. For folks whose children will be returning in the fall, the first payment of the 2010-2011 academic year is due by July 5th. Thanks so much!
  • **IMPORTANT RECALL INFORMATION** (From the CNN site on 05.01.2010)  -- A voluntary recall has been issued for more than 40 over-the-counter drugs for children, including Tylenol and Motrin, because they don't meet quality standards. Click here for more information.

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  • Andrea attended a workshop offered by NH Parent Information and Resource Center entitled Kindergarten Readiness: Training the Trainer. Based on this training, Andrea will present the workshop What is Kindergarten Readiness? annually to all interested Hogarth parents. The first presentation will be in June on a date to be announced.

  • Lydia attended the professional development workshop Bibliotherapy: Using Children's Books to Help during Difficult Times. 

  • Remaining April Calendar Notes:  

  • EK Weather-Related Cancellation Make-up Day -- Thursday, April 22nd from Noon until 3:00 p.m.

  • We are closed for Spring Vacation the week of April 26th.

  • You should have received your school pictures. If you have any questions, contact Cathy Brown at Expressions Photography.

  • A recall has been issued for a wooden safety gate manufactured by Evenflo.  Click here for details.

  • On March 23rd, Lydia and Andrea attended a 2-hour workshop offered by Salem Family Resources: Success by 6 entitled When Something's Not Right: Screening for Social/Emotional Development 0-6 Years Old.

  • Changes to Upcoming Make-up Schedule.  

  • PK Weather-Related Cancellation Make-Up Day -- Thursday, March 25th from noon until 2:30 p.m. (Weather-related make-up days are scheduled according to our Snow Day/Cancellation Policy.) 

  • EK Weather-Related Cancellation Make-Up Day -- Thursday, April 1st from noon until 3:00 p.m.

  • PK Workshop-Related Cancellation Make-up Day -- Thursday, April 15th from noon until 2:30 p.m.

  • EK Weather-Related Cancellation Make-up Day -- Thursday, April 22nd from Noon until 3:00 p.m.

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  • On March 13th, I (Andrea) attended a program at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art entitled Overcoming Challenges offered by the New England Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. The program addressed the challenges faced by childrens' writers and illustrators. Because my writing informs my teaching and vice versa, I came away with several new literacy ideas to try in the classroom. I also came away with a dozen or so new books for the Hogarth library which I picked up at the museum bookstore. Although it's a bit of a hike (around a 2.5-hour drive), the museum is definitely worth visiting. The bookstore alone makes the trip worthwhile!

  • On March 6th, Miss Lydia attended a 4-hour workshop entitled Positive Discipline That Works presented by Scott Noyes of Empowering Programs. Click here to view a PDF of a handout from this workshop detailing several very effective discipline techniques.

  • The school pictures should be in by the first week of April. If you have any questions, contact Cathy Brown at Expressions Photography.

  • This month the children are adding the songs Green and I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover to their repertoire of songs.

  • Tax time is rapidly approaching! Check out The Tax and Budget Priorities Page at The National Women's Law Center outlining tax credits for families.

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  • I attended a 6-hour workshop entitled Seasons of the Year: The Arts in Early Learning on November 21st at Plymouth State University. The workshop was offered by the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire and VSA Arts of New Hampshire in partnership with the Plymouth State University Early Childhood Studies program. To get a good idea of the kinds of ideas and practical information presented at the workshop, visit the Start With the Arts page at VSA. The day was not only terrifically informative, it was fun. Here's a picture of a collage I worked on with my "team." 

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  • Our Christmas parties are scheduled as follows: Thursday, December 17th for the CPG children, or Friday, the 18th if the 17th is a snow day. Monday, December 21st for EK and PK children, or Tuesday, the 22nd if Monday is a snow day. I'll have a sign-up sheet posted on the door for folks to sign up to send in party snack and paper products. The children do not exchange presents with each other, but we do have one special tradition. Each child will bring a Christmas card to the party for his or her Christmas Card Buddy. The children will be picking names for their Christmas Card Buddies on Monday the 7th, so check your child's backpack to see who it is. The CPG children picked names last Thursday, so the CPG parents should already know who their child's buddy is.

  • Hogarth will be closed for Christmas Vacation from Wednesday, December 23rd through Friday, January 1st.

  • Parent Conference Day is coming up next month on Friday, January 15th. If you would like to meet that day, please give me a call, or talk to me at drop-off or pick-up time to schedule an appointment. There is no CPG class that Friday.

November 1, 2009

  • I attended three professional development workshops last month. 

    1. Introducing the 2009 Edition of Developmentally Appropriate Practice. It was described thusly: "Revised, updated and expanded, the new DAP position statement and book from NAEYC reflects the changes that have happened in research, demographics, and the reality of early education in the 21st century. This workshop will give you an overview of recommended practices for ages birth-8."

    2. Child Care Licensing Orientation. The workshop description reads: "The New Hampshire Child Care Program Licensing Rules have been revised. One new rule is that all child care personnel must complete Child Care Licensing Orientation. The orientation is an overview of Licensing and some of the rules needed for everyday work with young children."

    3. The Wonders of Autism: Strategies that Work. "Each year a growing number of children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This workshop will define the varying identifications and characteristics of this disorder. Understanding will be gained as to why children on the spectrum behave as they do. The social and communication challenges of autism will be explored and tools for effective inclusion strategies will be shared."

  • EK, PK and CPG children will meet at the Leddy Center on Wednesday morning, November 4th at 8:45 a.m. The children will be ready to be picked up at the Leddy Center by 11:15 a.m. This counts as the Wednesday, November 4th PK class and the Friday, November 6th CPG class, so your little ones will not have class at Hogarth on those days. 

  • PK children will meet on Thursday, November 5th from noon until 2:30 p.m. to make up the September 23rd class that was canceled due to the bee swarm.

  • There is no school on Veterans' Day, Wednesday, November 11th.

  • Hogarth will be closed for Thanksgiving Recess from Wednesday, November 25th through Friday, November 27th.

WE'RE BACK!

September 26, 2009 -- On September 24th, McNeil Consumer Healthcare announced a voluntary recall of certain Children's and Infants TYLENOL products. Click here for details.

I've scheduled 3 visits with Project Nature's Mary Doane for each class this school year. Click over to the calendar page for dates and programs. Check out our Field Trip/Special Events policy at Our Policies.

SUMMER BUZZ 

July 22, 2009 -- Despite the rainy start, this is turning out to be a terrific summer here at Hogarth. I'm getting so many things done that got pushed aside during the school year. Things I wanted to do, but because they weren't critical, never got around to  doing. Things like organizing my supplies and cataloging my classroom library.

I recently took a workshop on developing health and safety policies for early education programs and will be reviewing my own policies over the next month or so. I'll be taking  Infant and Child CPR and Pediatric First Aid in August in order to keep my certification current.

I'm also researching and writing biographies for the America's Notable Women Series from Apprentice Shop Books. I  wrote Barbara Jordan's biography for the Texas book, and am currently working on Gertrude Ederle for the New York book. My writing extends to my teaching, as well, as I review, revise, and extend my curriculum. I'm developing a new literacy component for all three classes. The children and I will be reviewing many of the books we read this coming year, and posting those reviews online at my new blog, The Picture Book Project at Hogarth School. I suggest you bookmark it now so you can check it out often over the coming school year.

I managed to slip away for a few days of vacation up north at Back Lake in Pittsburg. Situated on the Canadian border, this little slice of paradise is just the place to relax, renew and recharge. I hope you're all able to find some downtime for yourselves this summer, too!

There is no school the week of April 27th, which is our Spring Break week.

I recently helped judge kindergarten entries in the Fifteenth Annual Reading Rainbow contest at New Hampshire Public Television. This was my fourth year judging, and the stories just keep getting better and better. If you're curious, click here to read the winning entries.

I will be presenting a workshop along with The Write Sisters on May 8th at the New Hampshire Educational Media Association's annual conference at the Grand Hotel in North Conway.

Parent Conference Day is Friday, May 15th. There is no CPG class that day. Don't forget to schedule your appointment if you'd like to meet with me!

Our Spring Concert is at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 28th at the Hilton Auditorium at the Rockingham County Nursing Home on North Road in Brentwood.

  • March 27, 2009 -- Happy spring!

Project Nature's Mary Doane will visit with the CPG children on Friday, April 2nd. 

The Write Sisters were featured in an article in the Arts and Entertainment section of the March 22, 2009 New Hampshire Sunday News. Entitled Runaway Slaves and Square-Bottom Bags, the article spoke about Women of Granite: 25 New Hampshire Women You Should Know, the book I co-authored with the Write Sisters.

  • February 27, 2009 – Let me start by saying that I love New England. I love the four seasons, but inevitably they end up like houseguests who have stayed too long. The novelty of fresh snow and crisp air is wearing thin right about now. I'm ready to move forward. Bring on the mud and be done with it, I say. The kids and I can't wait to get back out on that playground!

You should have your child's school picture proofs in hand by the first week of March. Visit our photographer's website here.

It's tax time! Parents will find my Federal Tax I.D. number posted on the blog page.

  • February 14, 2009 --  Happy Valentine's Day!

PK children will enjoy their Project Nature visit with Miss Mary this Monday, February 16th. Mary will present a wonderful program about the natural world based on the book Stranger in the Woods. 

  • February 8, 2009 --

Our Valentine's Party schedule is as follows: EK and PK children will have their parties on Tuesday, February10th, or Wednesday, February 11th if Tuesday is a snow day. The CPG children will have their party on Thursday, February 12th, or Friday, February 13th if Friday is a snow day. The children will be exchanging cards. You can find all of the children's names on the class photo page. CPG Parents: Don't forget to add Brady D., our new CPG pal, to your child's Valentine's list.

EK and PK Picture Day is Wednesday, February 11th. CPG Picture Day is Thursday, February 12th. Visit our photographer's website here.

In late January, I attended Kindling Words Children's Writer's Retreat in Vermont. The keynote speaker was Ashley Bryan, and I came away positively inspired. Ashley is an accomplished artist, poet, author, illustrator, and storyteller extraordinaire. This 86-year old dynamo is truly a Renaissance man. He reminded me how much I love poetry, and that it is meant to be read aloud. Actually, it is meant to be performed, and his performance was magnificent. I decided to add a poetry component to the spring concert the children and I are putting together for you. EK and PK children started learning some wonderful poems that lend themselves to choral reading, including one that Ashley performed, Baby by Langston Hughes. The children love it as much as I did.

  • January 28, 2009 – After the December ice storm and spending January taking Student Inventories and holding Parent Conferences, we're finally getting back to normal. 

Project Nature's Mary Doane visited with the EK and CPG children on Tuesday, January 27th and presented Stranger in the Woods, one of her programs about the natural world based on the book Stranger in the Woods. Because of the snow storm, Mary's January 28th PK visit will be rescheduled.

Our Valentine's Party schedule is as follows: EK and PK children will have their parties on Tuesday, February10th, or Wednesday, February 11th if Tuesday is a snow day. The CPG children will have their party on Thursday, February 12th, or Friday, February 13th if Friday is a snow day. The children will be exchanging cards. You can find all of the children's names on the class photo page, which you can access from the blog page. 

  • November 28, 2008 – Registration for the 2009-2010 academic year opens to parents of children currently enrolled in Hogarth on December 1st. Please let me know if you are planning for your child to return next fall, or if you are planning to enroll a sibling. Registration for families new to Hogarth School opens Monday, December 15th.

Our Christmas Party schedule is as follows: EK and PK children will have their parties on Tuesday, December 16th, or Wednesday, December 17th if Tuesday is a snow day. The CPG children will have their party on Thursday, December 18th, or Friday, December 19th if Thursday is a snow day. The children will draw names to choose a Christmas Card Buddy, and exchange Christmas cards with their Christmas Card Buddies at the party. Look for your child's Christmas Card Buddy's name in his or her backpack the week of December 1st.

Please add a pair of warm slippers to your child's backpack. Your little one will need a pair of slippers for days s/he wears boots to school this winter. Make sure the slippers have soles, and completely cover your child's foot. No slipper socks, open toes, sling backs or giant novelty slippers, please. If your child does not regularly bring a back pack to school, plan to send in a pair of slippers for him or her to keep at Hogarth until spring.

  • November 10, 2008  –   EK and PK children will meet for class at the Leddy Center on Wednesday morning, November 12th from 8:45 until 11:15 where they will attend Peter Pan. 

EK and PK children voted in our mock election on November 4th. You can see the results here on this sample ballot. 

  • October 12, 2008 –  I will present the program Women of Granite: 25 New Hampshire Women You Should Know with The Write Sisters at the Epping Historical Society on Thursday evening, November 6th at 7 o'clock. The Write Sisters learned about a number of interesting women while researching and writing Women of Granite. Many of these women were unknown to them at the start of the project, and are unknown to the public in general. Come learn who these women are, why they've faded from the public consciousness, and why you should know about them.  

  • September 7, 2008 – Women of Granite: 25 New Hampshire Women You Should Know, the book I co-authored with The Write Sisters, has been selected by the New Hampshire Center for the Book to represent the state of New Hampshire at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. later this month. 

Last Year's News

  • June 16, 2008 –   I know it's not officially summer yet, but you sure can't tell that from my beautiful, new garden! Thank you SO much to the 2008 PK Parents for the gorgeous flower garden you folks put together for me. I will certainly be enjoying this garden for years and years to come, and thinking of your children each spring when the flowers bloom anew.  

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  • The last day of school for all children is Wednesday, June 4th.  Morning children will enjoy a waffle breakfast, and afternoon children will feast on a pizza lunch.

  • Thursday, May 29th I participated in a panel discussion at the Kensington Public Library with my fellow Write Sisters on our new book Women of Granite: 25 New Hampshire Women You Should Know.

  • Thursday, May 22nd I presented a workshop with my fellow Write Sisters at the New Hampshire Library Association's Spring Conference entitled Women of Granite: 25 New Hampshire Women You Should Know based on our book of the same name.

  • Parent Conference Day is Thursday, May 15th.

  • Spring Vacation is the week of April 28th.

  • Flat Stanley is on his way home! Click here for information.

  • I’m crossing my fingers in the hopes we’re through with snow days, and am finalizing our make-up schedule.  Click here to see how many days we’ve missed, how many we’ve already made up, and which extra days your little one is invited to attend school to make up the rest.  By the time we’re done, your child will have had the opportunity to attend every single solitary day of class originally scheduled. Because I always factor three snow days into my tuition schedule, you’ll all be coming out ahead in the end. I hope this takes the sting out of the inconvenience I know some of you experienced this winter.  Never let it be said that we don’t try our best at Hogarth! (Please note that I am not changing my policy about not making up snow days.  My snow policy is fair and fine for typical winters.  Winter 2008 was anything but typical!)  

  • Mary Doane is scheduled to present her final Project Nature program for the 2007-2008 academic year on Tuesday, April 8th. 

  • We will celebrate The Week of the Young Child on April 14th, 15th, and 16th by Room Weaving.  Your child needs a ball of yarn with which to weave.  Feel free to send it into school in a labeled bag whenever it's ready.  (No skeins of yarn, please.  It has to be rolled into a ball in order for your child to weave.)

  • Morning EK and afternoon PK will have their 100 Book Parties on Monday, March 31st.

  • The Epping School District is conducting its annual Child Find Screening on Saturday, March 8th.  Click here for more information.

  • The school pictures taken by Cathy Brown from Expressions Photography should be arriving in early March.

  • Mary Doane's afternoon PK Project Nature program has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 4th.

  • Project Nature's Mary Doane is visiting with the afternoon PK children on Tuesday, January 29th and with the morning EK children on Tuesday, February 5th.

  • Wednesday, January 2nd -- NO MORNING EK CLASS -- Because of snowy road conditions and local public school delays, there is no EK class.  Our PK class will meet as scheduled from noon to 2:30 this afternoon.

  • Thursday, December 20th -- NO SCHOOL -- Because of today's snowstorm, our bonus day is canceled.  Another bonus day will be scheduled in the spring.

  • Monday, December 17th -- NO SCHOOL -- The town of Raymond has delayed their school opening, which closes Hogarth for the day.  We'll have our Christmas parties tomorrow, December 18th.

  • Our Christmas parties are scheduled for Monday, December 17th.  If the 17th is a snow day, we'll have the parties on the 18th.

  • Representatives from Exeter Hospital will conduct a free hearing screening here at Hogarth on Tuesday, December 11th.

  • My New Hampshire state licensing specialist came by on October 12th for an unannounced licensing visit.  She reviewed my records and inspected my facility, and I'm thrilled to report that I passed my inspection without any violations.  That's zero, folks!  It's not often one gets happy over receiving a "zero" on a test.  The state's representative was most impressed with my methods of keeping records, and she thought this website was fantastic.  She also loved the posters on the classroom ceiling.  Hurray for Hogarth! 

  • October 9, 2007 -- Mrs. Lamparelli and I attended a 3-hour Professional Development workshop entitled New Hampshire Early Learning Guildelines (NHELG) presented by Rockingham Community Action Child Care Services. According to the introduction to the NHELG, "The Guidelines address learning and development appropriate for children from birth to entrance into kindergarten. The NHELG are rooted in widely accepted theories of child development and current research."  You can read the actual NHELG by clicking here.

  • I will be collecting work samples and taking student inventories the weeks of October 9th and October 15th. You will not see many (if any) work papers coming home during that timeframe.   

  • We'll be celebrating Halloween in both classes on Tuesday, October 30th. We will be having a fruit salad topped with scoops of sherbet in each class. I need several people from each class to send in fruit for the salad on October 29th.  I need one person to take all the fruit home and prepare the salad for the party.  I need another person to send in a carton of sherbet on the 30th, as well.  I'll have a snack sign-up sheet posted on the door.  If you would like to help with the party snack, please sign up for a specific item.  Thank you! 

  • September 20, 2007 -- I attended a 2-hour professional development workshop entitled Observation and Assessment presented by Rockingham Community Action Child Care Services.

  • September 11, 2007 -- I attended a 3-hour professional development workshop on child growth and development sponsored by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.  

  • I've booked three visits with Mary Doane!  She'll present Clever Tortoise, her first Project Nature program of the year, on Tuesday September 25th.  

  • I spent the weekend of September 7th participating in the first Writers' Asylum at Poland Springs in Maine.  This retreat for professional children's writers focused on the business end of writing for children.  We were a small group of 11, which allowed us to accomplish so much.  I picked up lots of great tips and ideas, and enjoyed talking shop with this talented group of award-winning authors who are also teachers, librarians, professors and editors.

  • I'm launching my children's author web site! Visit www.andreamurphy.com to read about my writing life.

  • August 16, 2007 -- Mrs. Lamparelli and I attended a 2-hour Professional Development Workshop presented by the UNH Cooperative Extension entitled How to Turn Good Play into GREAT Play.  If you'd like to view the video portion of this workshop, click here and scan down until you find the Play workshop.  I think you'll find it fascinating.

  • August 9, 2007 -- Mrs. Lamparelli and I were recertified in CPR and First Aid during a 3-hour workshop in Portsmouth.

  • I've booked New Hampshire author Diane Mayr to visit with both classes on Monday, November 5th.  She'll be reading her latest picture book Run, Turkey, Run!   Diane is a wonderful writer, and Run, Turkey, Run! is the perfect Thanksgiving story for the preschool set.

  • June 14, 2007 -- I attended a workshop presented by Dr. Deborah Abelman entitled Children with Challenging Behaviors:  Developing and Communicating an Inclusive Environment.

 

Pictures from the 2006-2007 Academic Year

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We worked those fine motor muscles making mosaics!

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Spring is finally here!  As we wait for the snow to melt and the mud to dry up so we can get back on the playground, we're managing to have lots of fun inside.  See for yourself.

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On January 2nd, the children enjoyed a special Toy Sharing Day.  

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On December 5th, Miss Mary from Project Nature presented Stranger in the Woods.  We had fun singing and moving.

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Miss Mary drew a mystery picture on the door.  It was part of a snowman!  We helped finish it.

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Miss Mary read us a wonderful story called Stranger in the Woods.  The stranger was a snowman!

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A snowstorm blew into the classroom! 

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After the storm, we became the characters in the book.  Some of us were trees.  Some of us were animals.  Some of us were snowmen.

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We sculpted snowmen from clay.  Miss Mary brought whole cloves for us to use as buttons.  They smelled great!

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Miss Mary taught us a song we could sing and sign.  

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Thanks, Miss Mary!  We'll see you again in April.

 

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With just a little imagination, chairs become a minivan and plates become steering wheels!

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Pals at Playtime!

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We're Wild About Turtles and Project Nature!

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Miss Mary Doane's visit on September 26th started with singing and movement activities.  Children who have experienced past programs remembered her signature song There's a Big, Beautiful Planet in the Sky.  Children new to Project Nature learned the song in short order, and soon everybody was singing and moving with Miss Mary.

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Next thing I knew, the children and Miss Mary had all fallen asleep.  The room was filled with snoring, until everybody awakened.  The strange thing was, they awakened as animals.  This happened over and over as the classroom filled with snakes, elephants, turtles -- you name it!

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The elephants were so heavy, Miss Mary couldn't budge them an inch!

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When the children finally returned from their jungle adventure, it was time for a story.  Morning children enjoyed reading Tricky Tortoise, while the afternoon children rooted for little turtle to find a place to live in A Home for Little Turtle.

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All the while, there was a scritch-scratching sound coming from the block area.  What could be in those boxes resting under a drop-cloth?  Three turtles, that's what!  Most of the morning children were eager to touch the first turtle's shell.  The afternoon children were happy just to look.  (I guess the brave factor increases as we age.)  After a little spritz of water to highlight the 13 beautiful scales on her shell, the turtle was ready for her close-up encounters.

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Miss Mary told us all about how she came to be a rescuer of turtles.  She thought it might be fun for us to make our own turtles out of clay.  She was right!

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We had a terrific day.  Thanks Miss Mary!  We're already looking forward to your next visit in December!

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Kid's At Work!

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© 2010 by Andrea E. Murphy