Science!

Mrs.Tonya and Ms. Amanda have found a log that the children are exploring! There is a growing understanding and recognition of the power of children’s early thinking and learning as well as a belief that science may be a particularly important domain in early childhood, serving not only to build a basis for future scientific understanding but also to build important skills and attitudes for learning.  Doing science is a natural and critical part of children’s early learning. Children’s curiosity about the natural world is a powerful catalyst for their work and play. With the appropriate guidance, this natural curiosity and need to make sense of the world become the foundation for beginning to use skills of inquiry to explore basic phenomena and materials of the world surrounding children. This early science exploration can be a rich context in which children can use and develop other important skills, including working with one another, basic large- and small-motor control, language, and early mathematical understanding.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

We had a special week at AoHV from the little ones first Christmas, to the school ager's singing carols for everyone! The children got to make cookies for Santa today and some of them couldn't help themselves from eating them! We watched a movie in our pajamas this week and had lots of fun dancing and decorating! We would like to thank all of the parents for the special gifts this week. You have made our holidays so special and merry! Have safe travels this week and we"ll see you on Tuesday!

An Awesome Week!

The hallways of the Academy of Harpeth Village were filled with the smell of gingerbread houses, sights of trees and rooms twinkling with lights, and the sound of  children laughing and singing Christmas Carols. Santa himself brought with him the magic, fun and wonder of surprise and hope for the holiday to come, but the most special gift of all was you the parents, pitching in to make our holiday parties today so special and merry for the children. We thank our teachers for all their hard work on the decorations and time, love, and effort they put forth to take such good care of our youth. From our school family to yours, we hope that this year you receive everything your heart desires and have a happy and safe holiday!

Fire Safety For Kids & Families

1.      In the event of a fire in or near your home, we here at AoHV want your family to be educated on what to do in the event this crisis could happen to you. Here are the top tips to prevent, plan and practice fire safety.

1. ---Working smoke alarms reduce the chances of dying in a fire by nearly 50 percent. They are a critical first step for staying safe, but in order to be effective, they have to be working properly. For the best protection, install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in every sleeping area and check them often.
2. ---Teach kids never to play with matches and lighters. Make a habit of placing these items up and away from young children.
3. ---Create and practice a home fire escape plan with two ways out of every room in case of a fire. Get a stopwatch and time how fast your family can escape. The kids will love it. 
4. ---Children should know how to respond to the sound of a smoke alarm. Teach them to get low and get out when they hear it. A child who is coached properly ahead of time will have a better chance to be safe.
5. ---Use common sense in the kitchen. Limit distractions when cooking and don’t leave a hot oven or stovetop unattended. This will also ensure that they do not get hurt or burned as well.
6. ---Blow out candles before you leave the room, travel or before you go to sleep. Always watch out for any kind of sparking lights or wires, dried out Christmas trees or appliances that seem too hot.

      For more information and activities check out firesafekids.org. There are games the kids can play that are safe and entertaining! Happy Holidays staying safe and as a reminder Kroger is accepting donations for our friends in West Tennessee who were affected by the drought and fires.

The Nashville Public Library Marionette's Visit!

We are always so thankful to have the Nashville Public Library visit our school to teach the children about a great story. This month they spoke to us about a young Hispanic boy named Tomas and a sweet librarian who taught him how important books are in our lives. The story was spoken to the kids in English and Spanish which is so important in our multicultural and diverse community. The kids are always intrigued by the marionette's and how life-like they move, and appear to speak. Tomas rode a dinosaur into the library, a tiger helped him look for books and the kids were wowed by the story! A special thanks to the library for filling our children with knowledge and inspirational stories!

Baking Thanskgiving Bread

Our Preschool 3 teachers taught the children how to make banana and pumpkin bread this week. The kids got to mix the ingredients, take turns stirring, watch it rise throughout the day and finally eat it! It was amazing to see how a science experiment turned into something great that tasted so good! It taught them to use all of their senses, and they even took time to share their creation with their parents and teachers!

Thankfulness

We are extremely grateful here at AoHV for our teachers, children, & families so to show our gratitude we had a big Thanksgiving lunch on Friday, November 18 for everyone. We hosted trimmed turkey & gravy, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, cinnamon apples and four different kinds of delicious desserts! The children got to eat in their classrooms or in the enrichment room with their families. It was a real treat and beautifully set up. The artwork throughout our hallways is adorable and we are thankful for our teacher's hard work and devotion to the children in our care. Our Preschool 3 class taught the children how to make banana and pumpkin bread this week. Family is everything and what we teach our kids is respect for each other and their surroundings, we hope you all have a safe and memorable holiday season.

We Are Learning About Pumpkins!

DID YOU KNOW:

A pumpkin is really a squash?
It is! It's  a member of the Cucurbita family which includes squash and cucumbers.

That pumpkins are grown all over the world?
Six of the seven continents can grow pumpkins including Alaska! Antarctica is the only continent that they won't grow in.

That the "pumpkin capital" of the world is Morton, Illinois?
This self proclaimed  pumpkin capital is where you'll find the home of the Libby corporation's pumpkin industry.

That the  Irish brought this tradition of pumpkin carving to America?
The tradition originally started with the carving of turnips. When the Irish immigrated to the U.S., they found pumpkins a plenty and they were much easier to carve for their ancient holiday.

Fun Facts About The Pumpkin!

• Pumpkins contain potassium and Vitamin A.
• Pumpkin flowers are edible.
• The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.
• In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.
• Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.
• The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 2,230 pounds.
• The Connecticut field variety is the traditional American pumpkin.
• Pumpkins are 90 percent water.
• Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October.
• Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.
• Native Americans called pumpkins "isqoutm squash."
• Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine.
  
  
  
  
  Our Academy children are learning so much about pumpkins this month! The preschool 3 class is doing an observation on what they think is inside the pumpkin. Their answers are very cute! They think there is: eggs, candy, snacks, a lot of candy, and chocolate. They will get to help cut open the pumpkin to find out what is in it. Children love exploring hands on to learn about pumpkins. They will also be using all their senses to learn as well.