Hoskins' Class 2018-2019: READY TO LEARN & GROW!
This year, we are starting off with a pineapple theme. When you enter our part of the hallway, you'll notice our bulletin states, "Be a pineapple: Stand tall, wear a crown, and be sweet on the inside." My big message simply means, be proud of who you are and be kind.
Did you know: the pineapple is a symbol for hospitality, welcome, and friendship? This dates back to the time of exploration, when Columbus and his crew sailed to the Caribbean Islands and were offered pineapples as a gesture of friendship and hospitality. As time went on and more seafarers were offered the same fruit, it became tradition that he would place a pineapple outside his home upon his return from a voyage at sea to alert his friends he was back and they were welcome to come over to listen to stories of his travels. Similar traditions were carried into colonial America where the pineapple was used on advertisements for inns and businesses. Pineapples were exotic, hard to find, and expensive, making for luxurious welcome offerings for dinner guests. It has remained a trend for many years since!
We are taking the kindness aspect a little further by using a metaphor of being "bucket fillers." Bucket fillers lift others up and show love and kindness to others. Everyone carries an invisible bucket with them throughout the day, and our buckets fill through the positive interactions we encounter like when someone is helpful, kind, inclusive, or generous. Our buckets are dipped into when we are put down or through other negative interactions, like time being wasted or not listening. This morning, the kids paired up to do skits to identify actions that would be bucket fillers or bucket dippers. After we spent time brainstorming ways to be bucket fillers, each child began working on writing about how they are and plan to be bucket fillers this year. You'll be able to see our buckets at Open House!
The pineapple theme continues over to a getting-to-know you activity called the Pineapple Project. Children learned the history of the pineapple and will soon conduct interviews with a partner as a getting-to-know-you activity. A craft will follow to display interview responses for others to read! You will also be able to see these at Open House in the hallway.
With that, I would like to express my warmest welcome to all of my 2018-2019 students and families. I have a feeling this year is going to be great!
