We're in a Pickle!

Christmas and pickles? As we have been out and about at German Christmas markets, we keep coming across ornaments shaped like a pickle. Pickles? What is up with that? Well, we used our trusty friend Google to find out what relation pickles have to Christmas. Come to find out, the Christmas tradition of hanging a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree is considered a custom from right here in Germany!

The ornament shaped like a pickle is hidden on the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. Whoever finds the pickle shaped ornament on Christmas morning is supposed to receive an extra Christmas gift. However, this “German custom” is not a German tradition at all! There are other possible origins for the Christmas pickle, but nobody knows for sure where the custom of the pickle shaped Christmas ornament really started and why.

Personally, we prefer our pickles on a cheeseburger and not so much as a decoration on our Christmas tree, even if it is just an ornament. We are all for the extra gift though!

Pickles are a fun topic to talk about (and taste) in the classroom and there are some fun books and activities related to pickles too.  

 

Pickle Pixies!

 

Pickle Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pickle Books:

 

 

The class singing Rudolph:

39 St. Mary Axe Building  known as the Gherkin Building in London

 

  

Pickle Pinterest Board

 

 

 

 

Stop, Drop and Roll!

Stop, Drop and Roll!

And we have been on a roll this week with lots of exciting events to promote fire safety for Fire Prevention Week!

Being part of a military community we are aware of the necessity to be prepared for anything and with the help of Sparky and the base firefighters, we worked on being prepared in case of a fire.  From smoke alarms to escape plans, we talked about how we can be safe through activities and actual demonstrations.

Fire Safety Books:

 

Sparky, the Fire Dog Voki:

 

 

Fire Safety Activities:
 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Fire Snack (pretzels for wood, red licorice for fire and can of whip cream as extinguisher):

 

Fire Safety Videos:

 

 

Adobe Voice Pixie Pics: 

http://voice.adobe.com/v/QcpFoEyIxkQ

 

Fire Safety Pinterest Board:

Fire Safety Product:

 

Freebie: 

 

 

Random Pixs!

 

 

 

My, My Time Flies!

Another school year is almost over! It always amazes us how much “our” children grow over a school year physically, socially and academically. And we always wonder what happened to the time, if only we had a little bit longer!

One of the disadvantages of teaching on a military base is we don’t get to see our students continue to learn and grow from year to year. The constant moving that military families do makes it very difficult to keep in touch. Facebook (and other social media) has been helpful in that aspect. As a matter of fact, we got several Facebook messages recently about our pre-k and kinder babies graduating from high school. We even got some from students graduating from college! Yikes, time does fly!

We asked the students to name one thing they learned in Kindergarten.  This is what they said:

We also asked why they were excited about going to first grade:

Other End of Year Activities:

Live interviews (Chatterpix):

Kindness Books:  No More Pencils, No More Books,

No More Teacher’s Dirty Looks! by Diane Degroat and The Last Day of Kindergarten by Nancy Loewen

Graduation PinterestBoard

A message from S’s twin to S who’s  moved on with her family.  We miss her but with social media – we’ll be able to keep in touch! (by the way - twins were created in Ms. G's art class).

I leave you with a Smilebox of Ms. G’s pictures from a favorite summer vacation spot for Americans living abroad!

Another slideshow by Smilebox

Have an AWESOME summer!