Get your passports ready ... it's international week!

After playing with some maps this morning, we said hello to each other in multiple languages (Spanish, German, Japanese, Hebrew, Sign Language). Then we looked at a globe and a map as a class. All of the teachers showed the children which countries their families come from and the languages they speak. Then Erica showed the children her passport and talked about why we need passports.

While the Sunflowers had music with Evan and used his drum kit, the Daisies sampled some Irish raisin bread that Isabel brought in and Oliver's pesto pasta from Italy. While the children enjoyed these special treats, Erica read Babar's World Tour.

When the two groups switched, Luca told us about the Greek spanakopita and the Japanese crackers he brought in. Next Margot shared her Irish scones and we read The Keeping Quilt that reflects her Jewish heritage.

During freeplay, all of the children made passports with their photo and stamped them. Then Ava and Ashley led their friends to dramatic play to pack for a trip to the castle in Frozen. Then they used the hollow blocks as an airplane that took everyone to Australia.

Margot and Mason explored the Sweet Peas room for a portion of the morning and pretended to be firefighters. Oliver, Alex, Isabel, Sasha and Sam manned the doctor's office and brainstormed ways to make casts and crutches for patients with broken feet. Near the office, Evan, Luca, Sam, Alex, Lukas and Eli helped paint a box that we are transforming into an ambulance.

At lunch, the Sunflowers switched jobs and then read per Mason's request The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna which the children loved (even though they thought some of the names sounded a little silly, especially King Ugrasena). The Daisies changed jobs.