If only the leaves would really turn it would feel like fall. I’m hoping for leaf crowns and leaf art in the coming week. Last week our final school monarch took flight, we read about Johnny Appleseed, played in sensory pumpkin patches, and painted gourds. On Wednesday we made applesauce again. We love the process and turning the handle of the apple peeler. We smell our chopped apples and everyone adds a pinch of cinnamon. I was in and out on Thursday and Friday with a sick child of my own, but the Honey Bees were in good hands and enjoyed our second apple pie of the season. I hope you got out and picked some apples or pumpkins this weekend.
This week we’ll investigate our pumpkin, read pumpkin books, and count the seeds in our pumpkin in groups of ten. We’ll name our pumpkin and I’ll attempt to carve it into a honey bee. We’ll talk about the life cycle of the pumpkin and maybe even plant some of our pumpkin’s seeds in a sunny window. Last year we named our pumpkin Mrs Fruity… because pumpkins are a fruit…and after we carved her into a cat and enjoyed her in our room, we watched her slowly decompose over the winter. On Friday we’ll have our annual Fall festival, a simple celebration with games… like pumpkin bowling…a pumpkin hunt on the back hill, and picnic style apple and pumpkin snacks in the sunshine. More information will be forthcoming via email.
Hannah and Angie are starting their conferences soon, and I’ll set up fall conferences with you when they are finished. I’m always available if you have questions or concerns though, and I always say that if you needed a parent teacher conference, you probably have already had one. 
Next week we start a unit on art and artists in preparation for our annual art show. It is one of my favorite messy and creative times of the year.
