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KNI Newsletter

March 2009

1: Educational goals for March
2: Let's sing: Songs for March
3: This month's craft project
4: Thank you, Sakura Class!
5: The Foot-washing area is almost completed!
6: Have you checked KNI blog?
7: Label your child's belongings!
8: Request and Announcement



When the weather is beautiful, we often play Warabe-Uta-Asobi* in the field. Field is full of dandelions. We always gather them to feed bunnies after our game. The jasmines at the gate have so many pink buds, and I cannot wait for them to bloom. In our garden, the some of the Daikon radish have gotten fat enough that we can probably pull them out. This is what it is like at our school in early spring. We have new baby bunnies too. Let's go outside and look for the signs of spring that are still hiding.

Translator's note, Warabe-Uta-Asobi: Children's games associated with nursery rhymes or songs

Educational goals for March

- To be interested in and enjoy Hinamatsuri event through making their own Hina dolls, displaying them, singing songs about Hinamatsuri, and listening to stories of Hinamatsuri.
- To notice the change of seasons through growing buds in plants, warmth of sunlight, and soft wind.
- To be physically active outdoors using Nawatobi (jump rope) chart (Kiku class) and Gambari (work hard) chart (Sakura class).
- Learn to care and love the little ones by interacting with new born rabbits.
- To be interested in and enjoy the growth of Daikon in garden.
- To be interested in small creatures like Roly-polies, ladybugs, etc, and plants like Hakobe, Katabami *, and dandelions.

Translator's note, Hakobe, Katabami: common spring plants in Japan

Let's sing: Songs for March

Renge: Ara Dokoda (oh where is it?)
Momo: Kawaii Kakurenbo (cute hide-n-seek)
Sumire: Zousan (Elephant)
Kiku: Inu no Omawari san (doggie the police)
Ume: Haru no kuru oto (sounds of spring)
Sakura: Believe
All: Ureshii Hinamatsuri (Happy Hinamatsuri)

Music with lyrics are provided next to the attendance sheet. Please take one and enjoy singing with your children.

This month's craft project

Students made Hina dolls for Hinamatsuri (Girl's Day), and each class made different types of dolls. Please decorate them at home and enjoy! It might also be a nice family project to make your own Hina Dolls!

Renge – Paper Cup Hina Dolls: Wrap colored paper around a paper cup to make a body, draw a face and cut it out, and then glue it to the cup. Make two dolls and put them on a stand.

Momo – Wall Hanging Hina Dolls: Make two paper dolls. Make a mount from recycled paper or cardboard and decorate it with colored paper. (We used recycled cake boxes for mounts). Glue dolls to the mount.

Sumire – Swinging Hina Dolls: Cut a circle from a sheet of paper and fold in half for the doll's body.

Kiku – olled Paper Hina Dools: Fold newspaper into a strip 1.5 inches wide, wrap it with wrapping paper and roll to make a body.

Ume – Plastic Bottle Hina Dolls: Cut the upper part of the bottle for the body. Put colored tissue inside the bottle and paint with marker outside. Make a face with tissue paper and place it on the top of the bottle.

Sakura – Standing Hina Dolls

Saturday Class – They made different shapes of Hina dolls using Origami paper

Thank you, Sakura Class!

On March 1st, the annual KNI Sakura class Hinamatsuri event took place in the Japanese Garden at the Huntington Library. The Sakura class performed traditional Japanese children's games and introduced Hina dolls wearing Hina doll kimono costumes in the old Japanese house inside the Japanese Garden. We instructed each child to be careful with the shoji and fusuma (both partially made with paper). It was a great opportunity for them to learn how to behave in a public facility. More than anything, we are grateful that this event gave the children a wonderful experience to introduce their own culture. They all worked so hard and did a fantastic job. And last but not least, thank you very much for your cooperation. We appreciate your support.

The Foot-washing area is almost completed!

The foot-washing area will soon be ready for use. Children can wash their feet in the area built right next to the wooden deck at the entrance to the school building. There is a water absorber buried underneath the washing area to collect excess water and avoid flooding. Now children don't need to worry about getting dirty and can play in the mud!

Have you checked KNI blog?

Have you checked the KNI blog our teachers update everyday? Please share your thoughts and give us your feedback. One of our student's grandfathers came to visit from Japan and told us he is very happy that he can see how his grandchild is doing at the school by checking our blog. His comment was very encouraging to us.

Label your child's belongings!

We have found many items without names recently. Please label all of your child's belongings and check the lost and found basket regularly.

Request and Announcement

We sometimes see students' young siblings play with the baby rabbits without parent's supervision. Please pay extra attention to avoid any accidents and show them how to handle the rabbits gently.
We will change our spring break schedule this year due to the director's surgery. It will start on April 8th, Wednesday through April 21st, Tuesday.

February Offering
The February offering totaled $57.65. Thank you so much!

Thank you: Mrs. Pfeiffer

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