The beautiful foliage over the past few weeks has provided a wonderful opportunity for learners to notice the natural world and study leaves and trees. Learners have been examining the parts of a leaf, including the veins, blade, and petiole (the stem we can hold), and are identifying the shapes of different types of leaves, such as elm, oak, and ginkgo. Learners are practicing sorting leaves by color and matching similar shapes. Learners have also been examining types of bark and colors of wood from different trees. On the art shelf, learners are making leaf art with watercolors, leaf rubbings, and other materials. On the art shelf, learners are making leaf art, including painting with watercolors on leaf rubbings. 

As Thanksgiving nears, we have been discussing what it means to be thankful for something.  Every day learners are sharing what they are thankful for: moms and dads, friends, and toys! We have also been talking about the types of foods we like to eat at Thanksgiving—some favorites are mashed potatoes, turkey, and corn. We are learning more about where our food comes from by reading books about farms and studying the parts of the turkey and the lifecycle of corn. We are also looking forward to cooking up a Thanksgiving treat for our Tuesday Thanksgiving celebration! Gobble gobble!