Cardinals Blog 2023-24: Weekend News, making guacamole and More...

Wednesday

Weekend News

Ekin - I sled at the big hill next to my house, so, 10 or 11 friends come and sled with me. Dad made hot chocolate for me, dad and mom. I watch tv and after that I play a little bit.

Ada - I made Olaf. I went sledding with my mom and daddy. I pick up my brother from school. I drank hot coco.

Surai - I play snow and I play my mommy and baby brother. That's it, nothing else.

Addy - I play in snow with Logan and I make snowflakes with mommy. I bake chocolate chip cookies with mommy. I went Taekwondo. I play bubbles in my house with Logan and we laugh.

Jackson - I play outside with Shelby, Jaylen and dad. I ran in the snow and try to make snow angel. I read books in the night and I eat mac and cheese. I was waiting for dinner so I play Mario Cart with Jaylen then he went away so I play by myself.

Ellery - I go sledding with dada and mama. I read books mama and I bake chocolate cake with dada.

Shanaya - I ran around with my brother. I play in snow with my brother. I cook something with mommy but I forget what. I watch my I-pad and play with my toys.

Cooper - I play with my train tracks and my sister. I play family with my sister. I watch a show and I go out in snow. I sled and I play in the snow with my sister.

James V. - I play in the snow with my mommy. I made a snowman and snowballs with my daddy.

Zoey - I play snow myself. I eat cupcake. I make it mommy.

Julian - I play in the snow with mommy and Elliott. The snow plows come and move the snow. We made snow angels and go on the sled.

Lydia - I play in snow with mommy. I play with Lydia and my sister. I eat some mac and cheese.

Grant - I play my brother in my room. I play in snow with my brother. I watch tv my brother and my baby sister.

James M. - I made snow angels with my dad in snow. I also went sledding on my little hill in my backyard. I watch Paw Patrol and Rudolph movie.

Olivia - I play in snow and mommy and daddy got snow out the way. I play Peppa pig with mommy. I eat some spaghetti and meatballs.

The Cardinals were very excited to see each other this morning after not being together for 4 days. Friends immediately began conversations upon entering the classroom as they slowly arrived at school. Here are some of the many play scenarios that emerged, going on a train ride, going to the beach, making cookies with play-dough, cutting out snowflakes to display in the window, hide and seek, and team building of homes for lovies in the block area with a few conflicts. However, many of the conflicts, friends solved on their own. Great work Cardinals, yay!!

Thursday

Spanish class with Alicia started with our beginning routine of greetings, Calendar work and Hundred Chart work all in Spanish. Followed by Alicia finishing the story called Mary Wears What She Wants. The book was based on a true story of Mary Edwards Walker who was not allowed to wear pants during a time long, long ago. Alicia continued to talk about same and different, igual y diferente. Alicia talked about how all the Cardinals have the choice of wearing whatever they want, how we all wear clothes and how some friends wear sneakers or boots. As Alicia continued reading the Cardinals had much to say such as, "I'm a girl and I don't wear dresses always, they're mean, they need to be nice to everyone, I see at Target a sign that's boy and girl, I wear all the colors I want, why do the store put sign up and I like wearing my hat inside". Today it was Surai's turn to squeeze la vaca!

Before Winter Break, the Cardinals had been interested in Avocados, as a teacher often brings them to school as part of her lunch and a couple of Cardinals had also brought avocados for lunch. Some friends knew of avocados and some did not, many questions emerged such as: "Is it soft or hard, is the seed inside small or big (as we often guessed before the avocado was opened); does it taste good; why do you bring avocados all the time; why is it light green inside and dark brown outside?" and the list goes on.. And so we had a conversation with our Cardinals about making guacamole as a class. Most friends were excited, while some declared, "I'm not eating it." When asked, 7 friends said they had guacamole before, 11 friends wanted to make it, while 4 friends said no.

We made our guacamole with avocados of course, the outer part of a diced tomato, a little lemon juice and a dash of salt. We also had chips to dip our guacamole into. Before we started each Cardinal made a prediction as to how many avocados we had by looking at them on a plate. We then counted the avocados to see how many we had (14). After counting the avocados, a friend said, "There must be 7 in each bag cause 7+7 is 14." Then we made predictions as to the size of each seed inside before cutting the avocados open. Friends were taking notice of the seeds as three friends made comments saying, "The big avocados have small seeds inside and the small ones have big seeds inside." Another friend chimed in, "That's right cause the one you just cut was small and it had a big seed." Yet another friend added, "Well, all the avocados so far have seeds. I want to see if one doesn't have a seed." All the avocados did have seeds; it would have been really interesting if that friend's thought came true!

We also counted the seeds, used them to compare size, shapes, color and to do simple addition and subtraction equations. A friend asked if we could keep the seeds to grow an avocado tree and so... we are going to clean and put the seeds in water and wait to see what happens! Stay Tuned!! 11 friends ate guacamole with chips, 4 friends just wanted chips and one friend changed their mind at the end of snack and tried the guacamole! Ask your Cardinal how did you make guacamole? How did it taste? What made you not want to try it?

Here are the Cardinals predictions about how many avocados we had??

Ekin - 12

James V. - 12

Grant - 3

Ellery - 6

Olivia - 7

Surai - 10

Zoey - 12

James M. - 7

Jackson - 12

Ada - 10

Cooper -12