November 21, 2018, 01:54 PM
CREATIVITY…IN COLOUR!!! -T/Th Fine Arts & Science
In our classroom we have recently been concentrating on the many different colours in the world around us.
The last few weeks we have tried to provide a good variety of “colourful” activities to stimulate the children’s different senses, causing them to see, hear, touch and manually manipulate many different parts in their free play time.
It has been interesting to encourage conversations about colours as the children play and converse at circle time….discussing their favourite colour, the colours of foods that we eat, the colour of our shoes and clothes and the colours of the leaves changing around us. These chats allow us to know each other better and become more comfortable connecting with each other verbally.
We have offered the opportunity to manipulate dough, dig in sensory bins, build with various types of blocks, paint, draw, cut as well as read, sing, dance, climb, swing, slide and design their own games using loose parts.
We have offered the opportunity to manipulate dough, dig in sensory bins, build with various types of blocks, paint, draw, cut as well as read, sing, dance, climb, swing, slide and design their own games using loose parts.
Giving children the chance to develop their gross and fine motor skills using a variety of play places and projects gives them great confidence and causes them to grow and learn in many ways.
It is our goal as educators to give your children a continually changing and challenging environment in which they can develop their creativity more and more!!!
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November 20, 2018, 03:17 PM
A Visit With Our Grand Pals - 4 hour class
Another wonderful morning with our friends at “Grand Pals” senior centre (Courtyard Gardens Retirement Residence). After our arrival, we all gathered in a cozy space at Grand Pals. The fireplace was running and soft music was already playing in the background! This truly set the atmosphere for a rainy morning together. Our friends at Grand pals had planned an activity to make “fruit loop” bracelets! Each preschooler gleamed with excitement when the sweet smell of fruit loops were poured into their plates. Although very tempting to eat, the little children showed great control and worked hard on putting together their bracelets.
There were some great interactions between the preschool children and the seniors: working together to string the fruit loops, problem solving as to how many could fit on a pipe cleaner, focus and eye hand coordination, and just simple joy and smiles exchanged amongst each other! The activity was so fun that most children and seniors made two bracelets.
After making the fruit loop bracelets, the children had a little singing performance with musical sticks. “Tap your sticks in the air, with a 1 2 3...” Being in a smaller room, the sound of the music and sticks tapping was so vibrant and captured the attention of everyone in the room (even those working and resting down the hall). Without a doubt, that catchy song was stuck in our heads on the bus ride back to preschool.
To end the lovely morning together, our friends at Grand Pals offered us some Oreo cookies and juice as a treat. From what we learned, the Oreo cookies was surely a treat for the seniors also!
We wished our visit to Grand Pals was longer, but our quality time spent together was more than delightful. Some children (and seniors) appeared a bit "shy" initially, but you can witness such a quick connection soon after. The smiles and laughter in the warm room was infectious and we look forward to our next visit during the Holiday season!
November 13, 2018, 05:12 PM
From Leaf Picking to Seed Picking!
Now that the children have settled in, we are noticing some children are exposed to sensory play for the first time and are avoiding the “messy stuff” in fear of getting their hands dirty.
Sensory play supports language development, cognitive growth, motor skills, problem solving skills and social interaction.
To support our sensory play, we went outside to play in the leaves and then collect some colorful leaves. Hudson, Salma, Jessie and Jocelyn enjoyed jumping into piles of leaves they had gathered. We then collected leaves in a basket to take back to the classroom. Salma and Allison began putting glue onto leaves in class whilst Jocelyn and Jessie decided to do leaf rubbing using pencils.
At circle time Barbi carved a pumpkin. Elias, Hudson, Jocelyn, Jessie, A.J, Allison, Elsa and Salma pick the seeds out of the pumpkin and they were collected into a bowl. Some of the words the children described when picking out the seeds were slimy, slippery, wet, sticky. We then baked the seeds for the children to taste.
The following class Jocelyn shared a note with her friends, that she had written at home, about her experience tasting pumpkin seeds.
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November 5, 2018, 03:06 PM
Fall and Harvest Exploration ~ Fine Arts & Science; Tuesday/Thursday
Hello Families, October have been a busy month of sharing experiences and stories, cooking together, getting to know each other and feeling more and more comfortable in the classroom.
Hello Families, October have been a busy month of sharing experiences and stories, cooking together, getting to know each other and feeling more and more comfortable in the classroom.
As part of our exploration about fall and harvesting, we learned about apples, by playing, tasting, reading and even cooking. We found out that most children preferred red apples
We made apple sauce together to share with our families for Thanksgiving, apparently, for most of the children cutting with a knife was a brand-new experience, however they all did a remarkable work.
In preparation for the Lantern Festival, the children painted and decorated lanterns. The handles were made using wire and beads. Jessie, Jocelyn and Era made sure they filled the wire “all the way” while Scotia and Linden were seeking for the “special” ones. On the other hand, Siya searched and collected only pink beads because that is her favorite color.
We made apple sauce together to share with our families for Thanksgiving, apparently, for most of the children cutting with a knife was a brand-new experience, however they all did a remarkable work.
In preparation for the Lantern Festival, the children painted and decorated lanterns. The handles were made using wire and beads. Jessie, Jocelyn and Era made sure they filled the wire “all the way” while Scotia and Linden were seeking for the “special” ones. On the other hand, Siya searched and collected only pink beads because that is her favorite color.
Later that week, many of the children participated in
the lantern festival joining the rest of the community where we played games,
drums and paraded with our lighted lanterns.
Experiences like these, give children a sense of belonging, of being part of a family, a community and being active participants on it. They also create memories, build connections, enhance conversations, and bring family and community together. Many of these meaningful memories your child will treasure for life.
To continue our exploration about fall and harvesting we went on our first fieldtrip to the Westham Island Herb Farm.
During our tour, we visited the chickens, the goats and their kids, Gracie the donkey and a “huge” cow with her calf. The children and parents were curiously listening and observing some details our guide pointed out about the animals, like how the goats have slits that are horizontal a difference of ours that are around, and also how white feathered chickens with white earlobes lay white eggs and brown ones with red earlobes lay brown eggs!
Inside the barn, the children were intrigued about the big machineries and the many bales of straw and hay we found there. The guide explained that the green bales were hay to feed the animals and the yellow were straw used for other things, like sitting at the farm. After learning a little more about the vegetables harvested at the farm we finally walked to the pumpkin patch to look for the perfect pumpkin to take home.
The following class we did some exploration with pumpkins. We review the children’s theories of what they think we will find when we open the pumpkin: “seeds”, “beans”, “gross stuff” were some of the answers the children shared. Many agreed they will find seeds inside.
This sensory experience allowed the children to see, smell, taste and feel as they learnt about pumpkins. It also promoted conversation as they shared stories of what they liked, tested, or done at home. Some children were timid about touching the pumpkin’s guts and they used only spoons, and others were more comfortable feeling and cleaning the inside, separating the seed from the veins using their hands as tools.
This sensory experience allowed the children to see, smell, taste and feel as they learnt about pumpkins. It also promoted conversation as they shared stories of what they liked, tested, or done at home. Some children were timid about touching the pumpkin’s guts and they used only spoons, and others were more comfortable feeling and cleaning the inside, separating the seed from the veins using their hands as tools.
I am exited to see the children’s engagement and positive responses to the materials and experiences we offer to them as we strive to follow children’s interest and nurture their curiosity through their learning journey.
Until Next time, Silvia
October 30, 2018, 10:40 AM
Exploring Fall ~MWF 4 hour class
With the season changing, this gave us the opportunity to explore fall in our classroom. When we asked the children what fall is, most of them said leaves are falling. Chelsea said, “We get to pick pumpkins”. For our fall exploration we put leaves and pumpkins at the center of it.
Joven and Ramsey enjoyed playing with the pumpkins and dinosaurs. Joven said “Dinosaurs are very hungry. They’ll eat all of the pumpkins”. Both boys used their imagination as they got engaged in their play.
At the sensory table, we had flax seed, small yellow caps and plastic leaves with some bowls, spoons and tongs. Gavin enjoyed hearing the sound of the flax seed inside the tray when he mixed it. Nicole made pumpkin chocolate soup as she transferred the flax seed and yellow caps into the bowl.
To enhance the children’s fine motor skills, we had a table where they got to string leaves on a pipe cleaner. The children punched a hole on the leaf to be able to get it in the pipe cleaner. Some children were particular as to what pattern they were making. Linden only wanted big leaves on her pipe cleaner. While Aj, made a necklace with
brown and red leaves alternating.
At the park, the children enjoyed throwing leaves up in the air. Midas, Chelsea and Nicole were curious about the big muddy puddle. At first, they started walking across it. Then they jumped on it. But what got them really curious was what will happen if they put leaves in the puddle. Each of them started to put one each. Chelsea said “One leaf floats”. Nicole gathered more leaves and put in the puddle as well. Chelsea saw it and said, “Some float, some sink”. Midas found a rock and dropped it in the puddle as well. Nicole said “For sure that will sink”.
With our first visit to our Grand Pals. The children got to paint fall trees using q-tips. Both the children and the Grand Pals tried to help each other create their masterpieces.
I am looking forward to other activities that we will be doing to explore fall a little bit more. We will be concluding this exploration with a Pumpkin Patch Field Trip next week. I wonder where that experience will take the children’s interest to.
Until next time,
Teacher Patricia