Hi Everyone!
Short and sweet this week:
Firstly, a big welcome to Amelia (Milly) and her family to the Currambena community.
We are getting closer to being ready for a trip to Reverse Garbage. Can anyone help us drive out there this Friday? The children are so excited about the class play and have some wonderful ideas for props, scenery and costumes.
Lastly, I would like to send a gentle reminder of our “no nuts” policy. This includes all types of tree nuts. Please read the food packages if in doubt, “may contain traces” is ok - but definitely nothing that actually contains any type of nuts in the “ingredients” section.
That’s all for this week.
Cheers, Olivia
Posted September 3rd, 2008
in Casp, Olivia's Class
by oliviam
The big thing in CASP last week for us was Sarah’s accident. On Wednesday after CASP at 6:30pm Sarah and Rowena were crossing the road at the crossing in front of Currambena when Sarah was hit by a car. Thankfully and miraculously her injuries are not worse. She has extensive bruising and swelling and suspected fractures in her foot. She is missing the children and will be back as soon as she is able. All our best wishes to her.
On Monday the children made lemonade from lemon juice and sugar. Very tasty! On Friday we made a yeasted bun which gave everyone an opportunity to kneed and shape the dough. And it tasted great. More cooking is planned.
We have drinks and fruit each day around 3pm. As well as a variety of fruits we sometimes augment the choice with different vegetables. Carrots, cucumber and fresh peas have all proved popular recently.
We have been playing some of our new games recently. Connect 4 has been popular and a card game which we made ourselves. It is a form of the game “Billionaire” where you have to collect all of the same type of card. It is great for all ages and one of the class teachers noticed a group of mixed ages playing this game in CASP one afternoon and commented on how well the children were all getting on.
Any donations of other board games for rainy days will be gratefully received.
Love Colin, Sarah, Julia, Emma and Rowena.
Posted June 11th, 2008
in Casp
by juliannam
CASPThe first day of next term is Tuesday 29th April but on the Monday 28th April the teachers have a coordination day which is a pupil free day. However CASP will be open all day that day from 8:30am until 6:30pm. Children supply their own lunch and we supply afternoon tea as usual. A variety of craft and sport and games will be available. The cost for children picked up by 3:30 is $26 and for those who stay later it is $38. If you are interested can you please write your name down on the sheet next to the CASP sign in sheets.
Last week we enjoyed a variety of activities including making golden lanterns from shiny golden paper which some children enjoyed taking home. We made different shapes from red playdough and did gluing of letters onto paper.
The old couch outside CASP was folded out to become a bed and the children enjoyed extensive jumping on this as a farewell to it. It was becoming very dilapidated.
Fun was had with the ‘farmers and mice’ game where you stick tails (sheeting)
on some children and the farmers have to chase the mice and pull the tails off.
On one windy day we experimented with making parachutes which the children tested out from high vantage points.
We have been donated a small circular knitting machine which we have coaxed into life and the older children have made many knitted tubes with. These are used to keep arms warm. We might try woollen socks next term.
We have been playing ‘grandma’s slipper’ on the basketball court recently. This is a variation on “what’s the time Mr Wolf’. It tends to raise lots of issues about whether people are really standing still or not.
I finally managed to find some cheap eyedroppers from “The Essential Ingredient” of all places which we used for food colouring experiments on paper and in water and milk. We made some beautiful patterns.
This is our last newsletter for this term so have a safe and happy holiday and thank you to all parents and children for a fun and friendly term.
Love Colin, Sarah, Julia and Emma
Posted April 9th, 2008
in Casp
by juliannam
CASPThe first day of next term is Tuesday 29th April but on the Monday 28th April the teachers have a coordination day which is a pupil free day. However CASP will be open all day that day from 8:30am until 6:30pm. Children supply their own lunch and we supply afternoon tea as usual. A variety of craft and sport and games will be available. The cost for children picked up by 3:30 is $26 and for those who stay later it is $38. If you are interested can you please write your name down on the sheet next to the CASP sign in sheets.
Last week we did painting, made snakes with concertina tails, and dug out the Harry Potter Uno cards, Julia produced Looney Tunes colouring in sheets which the children loved We picked up some carpet squares at Carpet Right for free and played a variation on musical chairs on the basketball court. This was very popular. These carpet squares should prove useful for other things too.
When the weather gets colder and the evenings darker we will probably spend more time indoors so we are looking for more indoor games.
If anyone has any board or other games which they would like to donate to CASP we would be grateful.
Love Colin, Sarah, Julia and Emma
Posted April 8th, 2008
in Casp
by juliannam
CASP
We hope everyone enjoyed their Easter break without eating too many hotcross buns or chocolate. There were lots of activities for children to do in the city over the weekend including ‘Hoopla’ acrobatics, magic and music at Darling Harbour. Recommend for next year.
The lead up to Easter in CASP saw us making many small eggs from plaster of Paris. We had several Easter treasure trails with the younger children following a series of picture clues and the older ones following cryptic written clues. The prize at the end was a tiny fluffy (toy) baby chick.
One of the clues for the older children was:
Evening
Morning
Midday
Afternoon
which led to a particular CASP staff member for the next clue. (for answer see below)
Other activities last week included relaxing times on the swing, frenzied running and chasing ( do these children never get tired ) and hopscotch on the basketball court.
Love Colin, Sarah, Julia and Emma
(take first letter of each word to get EMMA )
Posted March 26th, 2008
in Casp
by juliannam
CASP
Last week was another rich and full week at CASP.
Some of the older children made a delicious pea soup from fresh peas which they podded themselves. This was delicious and we hope they decide to do it again.
We brought in some bouncing punch balloons which appealed to all ages. We also had some modeling balloons which didn’t work quite so well but we still had fun chasing them around We are trying to get some professional modeling balloons. Are there any magicians or entertainers out there with spares at home?
We did various craft activities including making majestic crowns from hand painted paper and more worms from circles of paper, buttons and pipecleaners. Does anyone still use pipecleaners for cleaning their pipe?
Soccer and tennis were popular this week as was dodge ball with all ages. A new game was devised as well where children tried to catch the ball while they were coming down the slide.
We did clay modeling where the children produced their own creations. Sarah studied ceramics at university so we are fortunate to have her helping with this.
With Easter approaching we made hand shaped eggs from Plaster of Paris and then painted them. The children loved shaping the fast drying plaster in their hands.
This is the last newsletter before Easter so we hope everyone has a relaxing and happy holiday.
Love Colin, Sarah, Julia and Emma
Posted March 20th, 2008
in Casp
by juliannam
Last week CASP seemed full of variety.
There was great excitement on Monday with the arrival of the new box of wool. We saw some of the older children doing French Knitting using only their hands. Some children tried conventional knitting using pencils as knitting needles and a few were learning to do finger knitting.
Colouring in cardboard shapes was also popular. There were many fishes and butterflies being carefully cut and decorated. We also made jewel boxes using egg cartons and little buttons.
With the weather generally fine we did a lot of outside play this including playing tennis, cricket and football. Children had fun hanging upside down on the play equipment and on Friday they played a lovely game of ponies with children jumping over little hurdles.
The younger children loved playing “crossing the river”, an introduction to jump rope with the rope snaking around on the ground, while the older children enjoyed breaking open and sharing two coconuts this week.
Parents/carers please remember to sign out your child when you pick them up and try to speak to one of us so that we know you have come and gone.
Love Colin, Sarah, Julia and Emma
Posted March 12th, 2008
in Casp
by juliannam
CASPLast week at CASP we saw lots of other after school activities at the school.
On Tuesday afternoon we saw the Maintenance parents making the school look lovely before the storms arrived. Lots of sweeping and tidying. The school looked great at the end. Thanks for all your efforts.
On Wednesday we watched the Pittosporum outside the staff room being trimmed with a chainsaw. There were lots of eager CASPians who helped haul the branches up to the gates afterwards.
On Friday we enjoyed the cakes and goings on of the social afternoon café
Other activities this week included enjoying breaking up a giant block of ice and watching it slowly turn to water, and making volcanoes from vinegar and sodium bicarb.
We also made butterfly fans, pirate hats, and, using straws and cardboard made beautiful coloured necklaces.
Thanks to the families who have brought in craft and other materials for us to use in CASP. Many thanks to Robyn and Aaron ( Josh’s parents ) for the large trestle table.
Thanks to Sue ( Sam’s mum ) for all the balls of wool and the cardboard tubes.
Love Colin, Sarah, Julia and Emma
Posted March 5th, 2008
in Casp
by juliannam
CASP
Last week we made a lot of different things using cardboard. There was great excitement when some cardboard tubes arrived which were quickly transformed into different things including horses and telescopes. Using cardboard boxes we saw great inspiration to create individual trains that the younger children could step into and wear.
Our new teepee poles and linen were made into a tent which the children used for Cat Cat Mouse and other games outside.
Some children also watched us making our own charcoal from old corks which they then used to do their own charcoal drawings.
Other activities this week included facepainting, plaster casting and painting, and painting with sponges.
This is a great time of the year for fruit and we had peaches, plums, grapes, apples and carrots to eat in CASP this week.
A big welcome to Emma who has joined us in CASP again. Emma worked for several weeks last year before traveling overseas. She has recently returned and this term will be working on Tuesday afternoons. She is studying education at university.
Thanks to the families who have brought in craft and other materials for us to use in CASP. Thanks to Robyn ( Josh’s mum ) for the wooden teepee poles and thanks to Guillame and Angela ( Zoe’s parents) for the packaging.
Love Colin, Sarah, Julia and Emma
WANTED FOR CASP
Egg Cartons
Coloured Wool ( any old balls or oddments welcome )
We have a few ideas for using eyedroppers - can anyone get these cheaply?
Posted February 27th, 2008
in Casp
by juliannam
Hello Everyone,
Last week we continued our mask making mainly with the younger children who often enjoy wearing them home.
Some of the older children made rotocopters and we plan to do more with this. If you want to see one come into CASP.
We explored making different things from play dough and some of us went up to the music room and tried out the different instruments we have there. The favourite seems to be the drums.
Victoria has her last day with us this week. We thank her for time at CASP and wish her all the best with her nursing studies.
Love Colin, Sarah, Julia and Victoria
WANTED FOR CASP
Brown Cardboard
Brown Craft Paper
Egg Cartons
Coloured Wool ( any old balls or oddments welcome )
Cardboard Tubes ( but not toilet rolls )
Posted February 20th, 2008
in Casp
by juliannam