Feb 1st 2010, 00:00

In January each class explored, discovered and learned all about nature and especially trees. The two year old class explored texture and went on a barefoot walk. They felt the trees as well as smelled and ate different kinds of fruits in their very own homemade fruit salad. I can still see Owen Katz so proud of himself when he finally managed to use a little plastic knife and sawed his way through a pear. The three year old class learned all about what kinds of animals live in trees and how they survive. The use of drama is always a hit when it comes to this class. They love to act!!! The Pre -K class studied about the different kinds of trees there are. They also explored and pretended they were camp ing in the Yosemite Mountains taking pictures as Ansel Adams once did. They painted their own adaptation of some of Ansel Adams brilliant photography. The Kindergarteners studied how houses are made and how people from all over the world adapt their building of their homes by what kind of materials are around them in their enviroment; i.e. mud, trees, stone, brick, plant. You name it – it has been used. We finished the month of January celebrating Tu B' Shvat and being very grateful for all that trees as well as nature have provided for us. It is always so exciting when new things come and when we get to do or try new things. That is why I am so excited to announce that we have a new art teacher. Her name is Leslie Karst. She has studied fashion design at the Fashion Iinsitute of Design and Merchandising. She also completed many classes in the fine arts through Fullerton College. She comes with a love for children and is a great asset to our program. It has been a dream for Natalie Wirtzer to have an art studio where the children could be exposed to the wonderful world of art. To have the ability to have long term projects and to have the children totally immersed in all the mediums of art is such a delight. With this crazy world it is nice to have a beautiful place for the children to express themselves and now they do. I am looking forward to what our children can create.