The kids took to the polls this week and exercised their right to vote. Learning the process from start to finish children took turns being poll workers, casting their ballots and getting the beloved ‘I Voted’ sticker. The question on the ballot this election cycle was Should the CNS Market remain open or closed? The results were a resounding ‘Open’ as the tally was taken on the alphabet rug before Circle Time. Thank you Teacher Resa for organizing a clean and fair election! 

In October CNS visited Hansel’s Orchard in North Yarmouth. It was a lovely day of exploring and learning. Mrs. Hansel taught us about the life cycle of an apple, the pollinators that help the fruit and the many animal visitors that visit the orchard. Our favorite story was of the wild turkeys and their dancing apples. Mrs. Hansel also showed us her bee hive and we learned about the bee’s life cycle and what the inside of their hive looks like. 

After the learning we picked apples to bring home and played a wonderful child led game of Red Light, Green Light at the edge of the orchard. 

All the talk of apples and bees had the children asking lots of questions once we were back in the classroom so our Bee unit was pulled out onto the art table and apple sauce was made later that month. Yum! 

The children have been spending lots of their outdoor time learning about our beautiful tree that is the center of the Courtyard at State Street Church.  It was determined this Fall that the tree is dying and must be removed for safety.  Although we are all so sad to say goodbye to this beautiful giant, Teacher Resa has embraced this as an opportunity for us all to learn.  A group of knitters made our tree a 30-foot-long scarf for adornment while it is the focus of the children’s studies.  The children will take part in an interfaith ceremony to say goodbye to the tree and celebrate its extraordinary long life.