Beginning a sweet new year with Bees.

If the past few days have revealed anything, it is that we will indeed have a sweet new school year.

The children eagerly entered the classroom reuniting with familiar friends and meeting new friends.

My friends immediately began rediscovering favorite activities and exploring new ones. 

The children shared with us just how much they had grown since June, be it writing a name, or answering questions with a detailed speech rather than a simple yes/no.

With eager minds and helping hands, we began discussing our new theme.
Morah Katie:  At The Gan, we have been many types of people.  We have been astronomers who studied the planets; oceanographers who study the _____?
Efraim: Ocean!
Morah Katie: For the next few weeks we are going to be Entomologists. 

 Say it with me: EN TO MOLO GIST
They are scientists who study: BUGS!!!
Jack: Like dragonflies?
Efraim: Ladybugs.
Jack: Grasshoppers are bugs.
Morah Katie: Those are bugs, and entomologists study all of them.  We are going to start with a very important bug, the bee.

Morah Katie: Why are bees important?

Efraim: Honey! 

Scout: They pollinate flowers.

Morah Katie: Bees create delicious honey, and pollinate flowers.  They also help pollinate many of the flowering plants we eat! 

Here is a bowl of oatmeal.  If there were no bees, we would HAVE to eat it plain. Because of bees, if we want we can add blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries! 

We played a memory game to help us see some of the many fruits and vegetables we would not be able to enjoy without bees and their important work.

Sroli: Avocado! I see avocado!

Efraim: Blueberries lemon carrots celery

Judah: Sroli has an apple. I have the carrots.

We are grateful bees help pollinate apple blossoms.  Inside each apple is a hidden star!

We re-wrote a familiar song to express our thankfulness for bees:
I'm bringing home my baby bumblebee, won't my __________ be so proud of me!
I'm bringing home my baby bumblebee oh so carefully!
As we sung, each child added a fruit or plant:
Gracie: Strawberry!
Ella: Flower!
Mimi: Tomato!
Natan: Blueberry!
Efraim: Lemon!
Zimmora: Apple!

It has been a sweet and happy week.