Inspire to Imagine

During our Pond Life unit, we read "Around the Pond: Who's Been Here?" by Lindsay Barrett George.  One of  the animals discussed in the book was the beaver.  The kids showed a lot of interest in this creature.  They suggested that we look in our animal reference books to learn more about it.  After reading more, looking at and discussing the pictures I placed the book about beavers and a beaver lodge that I made out of a black foam produce container and twigs in the science center.  Two students in particular were very intrigued by the beaver lodge.  On their own, they got square connectors from the shelf and created something great! I asked them to tell me about what they made and below is their story.

The Beaver sleeps in a castle.  He climbs up and falls into the bucket.  The castle is in the water.  He sleeps in it to dream.  He plays in the sticks.  It's his playground.  His castle is safer because it has a door and can close and lock it.  The stick playground doesn't have a door and it just floats in the water.  Monsters might get him there and eat him up.  The castle doesn't have a kitchen so he's moving to a house.  But, now he goes to Buffalo Wild Wings.

Frogs are Fun

Learning about frogs is always fun!  Our tadpoles have arrived and they are growing quickly.  The kids spend a lot of time watching them.  I've put a discovery box beside the aquarium that contains a frog puppet, plastic frog eggs, tadpole, froglet and frog, a life cycle puzzle, as well as a variety of books about frogs and how they grow.

Having resources available for the children to explore helps to reinforce the lessons that we do during circle. These resources also create opportunities for the children to make connections, practice observational and scientific skills and discuss what they are learning with each other and me. 

We made frog puppets to give us a meaningful visual of how frogs eat.

We sponge painted brown paper lunch bags.

Next, we attached eyes, arms and legs.

I attached a plastic fly at the end of a party blower.

After making a small slit under the flap of the bag, I pulled through the blower.

  

The kids had a great time making their frogs eat lunch and exhibit other frog-like behavior.

Math - Fun with Manipulatives

Children need the opportunity to use hands on materials to practice their math skills.  Providing them with meaningful materials allows them to practice these math skills and makes learning fun.  It's often difficult to find commercial activities to support classification, one to one matching, number conservation, conservation, as many as/more than/the same as etc.   These concepts underlie the important mathematical concepts that children will eventually become involved in when they begin school  I rely on using typical toys and household items to provide most of the math opportunities in my classroom.  All of these activities can be done at home.  Once you get the hang of it, I'm sure that you can come up with many more! 

This sorting activity was a hit with the kids.  I took a cardboard egg carton and painted a different color in each cup.  I then filled each cup with small items of each color that I found in the odds and ends box as well as the art shelf.

This sorting/counting/patterning activity was as easy as buying plastic fishing worms.  

I emptied my piggy bank for this money sorting activity.  

Sometimes, math activities just present themselves.  This child picked out the colored loops that were in her cereal bowl and encouraged her friends to do the same.  I saw sorting and counting going on.  Some compared amounts and used math vocabulary like more than and less than.  This activity was completely child initiated.

Play dough is always a favorite.  I added number stampers, birthday candles and birthday hats.  The kids made birthday cakes and stamped a number in the cake.  They then found that number of candles for the cake.  The best part - they got to sing Happy Birthday.

What activities/games/materials do you use in your classroom or at home?  

  

W is for worms

We've been busy this spring getting our hands messy and filling our minds with valuable knowledge.  Our April science unit has taken over our room.  We have seedlings, fish and worms.  Our tadpoles will be arriving any day.  I've enjoyed watching the kids interact with the worms.  They (the kids) are fascinated by them (the worms) and love when they (the worms) join us for circle time (I'm not sure how the worms feel).  One morning we spent almost 20 minutes watching them squirm into letters!

Our plan is to train them to squirm into words.  We'll keep you updated on their progress.        

Playing with Hats

Last week's theme was hats.  What

a great time the kids had trying on 

all of the hats in dramatic play.

We watched Elmo and Zoe compete

to wear the most hats and had a contest

of our own!