January at Tiger Cub Immersion School has been a joyful start to the new year. As we welcomed students back after winter break, our classrooms came alive with curiosity and collaboration, while we embraced the monthly theme of "Clothes" through a variety of hands-on activities and engaging stories.
Our journey into the world of "Clothes" sparked lively discussions and imaginative learning throughout the month. Students discovered the many types of clothing we wear and what makes each garment special. Through stories like "What We Wear," "Froggy Gets Dressed," "Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons," and "Where Did My Clothes Come From?," our students learned about the origins of various fibers and fabrics, how wool and cotton are spun and woven into yarn and cloth, and how people choose different clothes for each season. Through various creative projects, students decorated paper shoes and sweaters, designed colorful wardrobes, hanged "clothes" on a line, and explored textures like cotton, wool, felt, and velvet. These activities fostered curiosity about how clothes are made and celebrated the diversity in what we wear for work, play, and special occasions.
January was also a month of growth in academic and practical skills. Students practiced character and letter recognition and writing in both English and Chinese: They learned new characters such as 云 (yún), 手 (shǒu), 井 (jǐng), 千 (qiān), 花 (huā), 布 (bù), 米 (mǐ), and 书 (shū), as well as the letters O, P, and Q, and various words that begin with those letters. Math activities included counting buttons, matching numbers to ice cream scoops, and decomposing numbers from 1 to 10. Students also honed their fine motor skills through practical life lessons like threading beads, weaving looms, using clothespins, transferring beans with spoons, and buttoning clothes. Indoor and outdoor play and movement continued to be an important part of our days, with Coach Evan leading dynamic yoga flows and our teachers taking the students on neighborhood walks.
Cultural appreciation came to the forefront in the latter half of this month as we celebrated the Laba Festival, a traditional festival held during the last lunar month before Chinese New Year. Students learned about the traditions surrounding this special holiday through the story "Sweet Laba Congee" and explored them firsthand through activities such as crafting their own laba zhou (腊八粥).
As January draws to a close, we look forward to February and the exciting new theme of "Friendship." Next month, students will explore kindness, cooperation, and what it means to be a good friend through collaborative projects and thoughtful discussions. We can't wait to embark on another month of fun, learning, and discovery together at Tiger Cub Immersion School!
Students decorated their own paper shoes with stickers, gems, and feathers and designed sweaters with various fabrics.
Students strengthened their fine motor skills through a hands-on threading activity using yarn and paper shapes.
Students used clothespins to hang "clothes" onto a clothesline.
Students practiced fastening buttons.
Students practiced weaving wooden craft sticks on a loom, recognizing AB patterns (forward, backward) and honing fine motor coordination.
This month, students practiced writing many different Chinese characters that they had learned. Here, they are practicing writing 花 (huā) and 布 (bù).
Students also practiced writing in English. Here, they are identifying and practicing writing Qq.
Students practiced identifying and writing the number 0.
Inspired by "Sweet Laba Congee," students made their own interpretation of laba zhou, or congee, with clay and beans.
Throughout the month, Coach Evan led our students in a dynamic yoga flow with many fun and novel poses, including mountain, pencil, tree, starfish, and meatball.
