So far we have talked about the various parts of the human body that the children were eager to learn about. We also revisited what we had learned so far by using our incredible body model. It was interesting to see how much they have soaked up, how much they remember, and how much they can reiterate! After voting for what we were interested in next, we chose the Mighty BRIAN - mighty in the sense of how powerful it is. So we decided to learn all about it.
Revisiting our human body model!
Learning about the size of our brain and the two halves by putting both palms with curled fingers together...
Playing a memory game to see how our eyes and brain coordinate and pass messages...they loved it and wanted to play it over and over again. Friends remembered the items in the blue tray and in the end tried to say all the items they saw.
Next we added two more tiny items to the already existing ones and asked them to spot the new additions. They loved that one too, and each time we were learning as to how our BRAIN does all of this. At the same time we spoke about our five senses who help us to pass the messages to the brain and the brain tells us what to do!
We did some sensory at circle time with BRAIN JELLY. Its consistency is just like a brain and that gave them an idea that brain is not bony, rather its a soft organ. A friend also mentioned how the BRAIN is protected by a skull which is a bone and part of the skeleton!
A feeling the squishy, soft, brain jelly
Friends using the JELLY to make the BRAIN and white styrofoam pieces to make the skull on our human body mannequin!
The recent caterpillars and lady bugs that we are inhibiting have been a spark of talk in the science center. Friends have been talking about the changes that they are observing, reading the different books in the science area about the life cycles, and these non fictional books play such a meaningful role in giving them the picture of the entire process at one glance and helping them in comparing and contrasting the facts that they currently seeing in the bugs in our classroom.
L and D looking at the tiny lady bug larva in the tube with food and talking all about what they are seeing and questioning what is the black powder, why is there a long paper strip inside, what is this, what is that, etc. Such an inquisitive discussion!
As a result we talked all about the lady bugs and went ahead to create our own natural habitat for them. We randomly brought leaves and barks from outdoors and the children placed them one by one as per their preferences - the way they wanted to decorate the room for the lady bugs!
We further learned how lady bugs need moisture and thus we added wet sponges...
We will make sure we spray them with water talents everyday.
Time to give attention to the caterpillars now :)
Observing them two by two...
Recording our every day observation and noticing the changes. We talked about the butterfly life cycle, the food that came in the container, and how fat and big they grew each day. The best phrase we used for the entire week was - they eat and eat and eat :)
Letter Y week
We made letter Y collages with all yellow materials like crayons, flowers, & ribbons.
A made a smaller Y with ribbons to fit inside the big one...
We later became artists and painted 'Y'ellow daffodils...First they each got a daffodil to observe, talk about the observation, and then draw...
Friends drew their perceptions of what they saw...
M having a close look each time he drew a part...here he first made the stem and the pollen that he saw inside...
Fiends adding the 'Y'ellow element of the flower...
Some friends saw orange in their flowers and wanted to add some orange color...
All friends agreed to have green to give it a natural touch...while some even wanted blue to make the calm sky...
A and L proudly pointing at their art and talking all about what they made, how they made, and why they made it the way it was. I documented their saying and it's up on the wall to read. Lovely story telling with a great illustration :)
Yarn bowls...
Friends glued yarn on a plastic bowl that we used as a mould. After drying for a couple of days we picked them out and could see the shape look like a yarn bowl!
'Y'ogurt tasting...
We tasted different flavored yogurts like strawberry, peach, blueberry, and strawberry banana. Using our sense of smell, see, and taste, we made many predictions and conclusions.
Other activities we loved doing during the week...
Puzzles!
Friends wanted to get in two teams and work to complete a puzzle. We made group A and group B and both the teams right away got involved in their task. With a lot of team spirit, discussions of which piece will go where, handing down pieces to each other to fill their sides, problem solving, and collaboration, both the teams nailed down the task in no time!
Grips A's teamwork...
Group B's teamwork...
Feeling of accomplishment...
Feeling of competence...
They not only started it, but fairly ended it too with a great clean up...
Group A cleaning up and putting each piece nicely into the box being respectful of the materials they have...
Group B friends used a lot of stacking style while one friend held the box. Interesting to see different ways of doing the same task! This shows our children are such unique individuals who contribute with their unique styles :)
K was going to be a big sister in no time. She brought a book and wanted to read it to every friend. Here she chose a spot on the log with her friend A and together they cruised the book with the happiest of feelings. Well she was the highlight of the day as she was going to be an older sis.
Friends wanting to push each other on the swing. We learned how to be careful, when to push, and when to let go off the swing. Each child did it amazingly!
They called this 'A love chain' and asked me to take a picture of their friendliest hugs...
Friends discovered that all the Velcro backing foods in the kitchen area were sticking to L's dress. They started plating the fruits on her dress and L called herself 'The fruit girl' for the rest of the day. She went around selling her fruits to friends and teachers. When someone purchased it, she would just ask them to pluck the fruit out :) A very creative form of pretend play!
L and S working hard to stack layers of dominoes and balance them. L stacks them in a pattern - alternating color and direction, while S stacks them in a way to make a square building!
You never notice when another week passes in no time being around such a curious, friendly, and creative group of children!
Keep seeing you around.
Hugs,
Teacher Rashida
