Everyday is a Day to Remember

Young children know little about the wars of the world or the number of soldiers lost. It is never too early to teach them to be grateful for the quality of life they enjoy.

It was John McCrae's poem, In Flanders Fields (1915) that drew attention to the poppy as a symbol of remembrance for soldiers lost in battle. However, the poppy first made its mark as early as the 19th century during the Napoleonic wars when it was noted that fields once barren exploded with the blood-red flowers after the fighting.

 Three years after McCrae's poem was released Moina Michael, an American woman working in a New York City YMCA canteen, began wearing a poppy in memory of the millions who died on the battlefield.

Madame Guerin, a citizen of France, while visiting the US learned of the custom and took it home using handmade poppies to raise money for the destitute children in war-torn areas of the country.

  Canada saw the first poppy distribution in November of 1921.

http://www.canoe.ca/RemembranceDay/poppy.html

The Antithesis to the Condition of November

Many November poems fall on the bleakness of the month giving voice to the last fallen leaves, the migration of the birds, the coming of the winter wind. 

But Charlotte refused to be deterred by the condition of this gloomy month, instead she had the perfect remedy.

Using various loose materials, she created flowers, sun, bees and butterflies. 

"Since we don’t see them in the nature anymore, we created our own so that we can enjoy their beauty anytime! "

No shade, no shine

No butterflies, no bees

No fruits, no flowers,

No leaves, no birds,

No sunshine, lots of rain,

November

Imaginative Abilities of Children

Many of our greatest thinkers locate their capacity for original and profound thought in their imaginative abilities, first developed through creative play in early childhood.

~Sharna Olfman

 Daniel and Bianca designed and executed the building of a this castle to be used for a butterfly festival.  They created a stage where butterflies perform and a ballroom for the dancing butterflies.  When the building was complete, the children joined the butterflies by fluttering in and out of the structure.

In the Light of the Moon

The delightful tale the Hungry Caterpillar takes on a new story line when a group of children decide to write their own rendition. 

In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a sunflower.

One Sunday morning, the warm sun came up and pop out of the egg came a tiny and very lonely caterpillar. He was so lonely that he went to go look for other caterpillars to play with.

On Monday, he found one friend to play with and they decided to do a puzzle. On Tuesday, he found two friends to play with and they decided to color a sunflower. On Wednesday, he found three friends to play with and they decided to play Ring Around the Rosy. On Thursday, he found four friends to play with and they decided to  play, What Time is It Mr. Wolf.  On Friday, he found five friends to play with and they decided to sing Skip to My Lou.

On Saturday, the caterpillar and his friends played hide and seek all day. That night his feet hurt and he couldn't move anymore.



The next day was Sunday again and the caterpillar was so tired from playing he decided to rest for the rest of the day. After that he felt much better. Now he wasn't a little caterpillar anymore. He was a big fat caterpillar and he was ready to build a small house called a cocoon.






  He stayed inside for more than two weeks. He nibbled a hole in the cocoon, pushed his way out and...




He was finally a beautiful butterfly.
The End!