The Week Ahead 20180330

Qing Ming wishes to our Wellington families We send our young Wellingtonians off for Spring break, marking the custom of Qing Ming, an occasion of unique characteristics, integrating sorrowful tears to the dead with the continuous laughter from the spring outing. https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/qingming.htm Tomb sweeping day remains embedded in a culture dating back over a thousand years. Tomb sweeping, spring outings and kite flying are symbols of this tradition. ‘At this time, spring returns and dominates the earth again. The feel of growing life is in the air, with sap ascending in trees and buds bursting. And the willow branches inserted on each gate add vigour and vitality to the surroundings.’ We look forward to welcoming our Wellingtonians back to the setting on Monday 9^th April 

    

  Classroom News for week beginning Monday 9^th April 2018  EY1 – Erica Ni writes about the theme The Very Hungry Caterpillar This week we will start our new theme The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We will read The Very Hungry Caterpillar in Chinese and English to children. We will talk about food the caterpillar eats every day. In art area, children will make caterpillars with various materials. In small world play area, children will have opportunity to feed “caterpillar” with food they find. Children will also use torches and light and name the food on the board. We will hide some toys in the sandpit and ask children what they find to review the names of animals, food and numbers. We are reading: 《很饿的毛毛虫》、《我的百变浴缸》、The Very Hungry Caterpillar We are singing: 《爱我你就抱抱我》、Hello,Hello,How are you A note from the EY1 team: Qing Ming holidays are from 31^st March to 8^th April. Children will be back to the setting on 9^th April.   EY2 – Vivian He writes about the theme A Squash and a Squeeze Welcome back! In EY2 this week we will begin the new theme, “A Squash and a Squeeze.” The children will use different materials to decorate the egg. In addition, we will go on an egg hunt in the setting. As the weather is getting warmer and spring is coming, we will talk about the concept of animal life cycles such as tadpoles and caterpillars. We will make a life cycle book as well as maps to help us understand the meaning of life cycles. We will start to introduce different types of buildings and design. We are reading: A Squash and a Squeeze That’s not my… (book series) Goldilocks and the Three Bears 小房子变大房子 变变变 小蝌蚪找妈妈 We are singing: Down in the Jungle Where Nobody Goes. Old McDonald had a Farm Humpty Dumpty 大房子 粉刷匠 A note from the EY2 team: Please remember to let your child wear the proper school uniform to school. To prepare for EY3, at home, we want parents to encourage their children to do things independently such as eating and dressing by themselves as well as using the restroom and using tissue properly.   EY3 – Nicole writes about the theme Under the Sea “Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.” John Lubbock This week we will begin the new journey of “under the sea”. On Wednesday, children will be dressing up as a sea character and join our theme entry day by sharing their knowledge and questions about the sea. Our learning activities will go along the book 《sharing a shell》. We will be talking about the book and ask questions about what the children want to know. After that we will make shell designs and decorations and make wind chimes. We will be making puppets for acting out the story《sharing a shell》in our puppet show theatre. We are reading: 《我们是一家》 Sharing a Shell by Julia Donaldson We are singing: 《登鹳雀楼》 5 Cranky Crabs Special date: April 11^th is dress up day for sea characters. Please dress up in sea related costumes and hand-made costumes are preferred.   EY4 – Emily Gu writes about the theme Imagine That After the holiday we will start the new topoic “Imagine that!” Teachers will read the story Not a box and encourage children to be open minded and use their imagination when doing the activity and problem solving. We want to encourage children to have their own ideas and opinions and understand that there is more than one way to do something. We are reading: Not A Box 不是箱子 童话故事 We are singing: 多变的毛线 Phonics songs   Music and Movement – PeiHua and Sarah write about life in the music space EY 1 – Welcome back! Spring is here and this week we will begin exploring a magical, musical garden. We’ll review 春雨沙沙沙 and learn the new bilingual song Hello Mr. Sun. Movement activities and an instrument play along to butterfly and caterpillar themed music will also be a highlight. EY 2 – It’s time to take a trip to the farm! We’ll meet hens, pigs, goats and cows on the farm, play with the sounds they make and explore moving fast and slow moving like different farm animals. The Chinese song 老母鸡 and the English rhythm chant 10 Fluffy Chicks will be introduced, and eggshakers will be our featured instrument for a fiddle music themed play along. EY 3 – All aboard! We’re off on an ocean adventure this term. The traditional English song Children, Children Build Me a Boat will launch us out on the ocean to play in the waves and hear the magical sounds of the sea.  We’ll meet several ocean animals through the Chinese song 在海里 before heading back to the beach to play sandblocks to music from the Caribbean. EY 4 – The adventure begins this week with the delivery of a mysterious letter. 欢欢 the Panda needs our help! Can we work together to get across and save her? Musical highlights of this Earth Day themed journey will include a bilingual version of the classic 康定情歌, a fast and slow musical train journey to play along with, and the popular English song The Whole World in Our Hands. We are singing: EY 1 -春雨沙沙沙, Hello Mr. Sun, Fly Fly the Butterfly EY 2 -老母鸡, Old MacDonald Had a Farm, 10 Fluffy Chicks EY 3 -在海里, Children Children Build Me a Boat EY 4 -康定情歌, The Whole World in Our Hands Special notes: Spring is here and we are expanding the Music Kitchen. Pots, pans, spoons, plastic bottles, biscuit tins, chopsticks, ladles, cups… We would love to have those odd pieces from the back of your cupboard for our children to make joyful noises with! Please drop your items in the Music Kitchen box in Reception. Should you have any questions please e-mail peihua.wang@wellingtoncollege.cn or sarah.peel@wellingtoncollege.cn for more details.