today was fine dining Friday
That means we get out the good china (Ikea plastic plates), the fine linen (thrift shop napkins), and the napkin rings (also thrift shop purchases).
and create exquisite centre pieces.
(Today they choose pinecones and rocks - other times there have been baskets of Christmas ornaments, strings of beads, plants ...)
We eat with our napkins on our knees, making polite conversation while Tchaikovsky plays quietly in the background. That's the theory. Reality is, napkins are on knees and we talk about using inside voices while we are inside so that we can actually hear the music playing!
I have acquired a variety of colours of napkins; it is wonderful to hear the kids discuss what colour each of their classmates would like while they are setting the table. Brings joy to this teacher heart.
After I have washed the napkins, the kids sort and fold them ready for the next Fine Dining Friday.
We also have a tray available on the classroom shelves to practice setting the table with more than just napkins and plates. I picked up a set of cutlery, a plate, a glass, a napkin and napkin ring, and a placemat at the local thrift shop (my favourite teacher store!)
I drew outlines where all the cutlery and the plate and glass were meant to go. The other side of the placemat is blank so that the children can decide whether they want a "cheat sheet" or not.
The kids figure out where everything belongs.
Ready for dinner!
Michelle at Hubbard's Cupboard has (in a treasure trove of a website) a sight word book about setting the table. It's a free download in a student black and white version, and a teacher size colour version (in Spanish and German as well as English). I printed the colour version 4 pages to a sheet of paper to make a mini book for the children to read while they practice setting the table.
cheers and bon appetit
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