Category Archives: Teacher notes

Water Play : Wet and Wonderful

Splish, splash, bubble, bubble, pop! All They’re Doing Is Splashing, Right?

 

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Incorrect! Water play fosters learning in all developmental areas. It provides opportunities for children to experiment with math and science concepts, strengthen their physical skills, advance their social and emotional skills, and enhance language development

Problem-Solving Skills. As children manipulate water play materials, they begin to understand why and how things happen. For example, given sinking and floating objects, a child will soon discover that just because something is large in size does not mean it will sink.

Math. Children begin to understand and experiment with concepts such as more/less, same/different, many/few, empty/full, before/after, greater than/less than, and counting

Science.Water gives children an avenue to contemplate issues such as: What makes rain? Where does water come from? What makes mud? children also learn physics principles such as the effects of force (increasing the water flow through increased force); effects of gravity (water runs downhill); and change in state (solid, liquid, gas).

Physical Development. Water play encourages the development of eye/hand coordination through pouring, squeezing, stirring, painting, scrubbing, and squirting. Children strengthen their gross motor skills by running, dodging water drops, and hopping through a sprinkler. They widen their sensory experiences as they put their hands in different textures (gritty, squishy, and slimy) and different temperatures (warm, cool, and cold).

Social and Emotional Development. Water play is one of the most relaxing activities children can experience. After all, many adults relax in a warm bubble bath or hot shower! Water play relieves tension by encouraging children to release their emotions with pouring, pounding, and swooshing. In addition, social skills expand as children play cooperatively; negotiate; and share equipment, space, and materials.

Language Development. Children learn new vocabulary such as sieve, funnel, eggbeater, stream, bubbly, moisture, and evaporation. Water play is such a meaningful experience for young children that it can be extended to writing experiences as well. Children may draw pictures of sprinkler play, then dictate a description or story to the teacher. Another valuable writing experience involves the teacher writing down children’s predictions, such as how long it will take ice cubes to melt in the sand box or how many babies one batch of soapy water will wash.

Creative Development. Water encourages children to use their imagination. As the children play, they may pretend that they work at a car wash or live in a castle. Water also encourages children to try out new ideas and solutions to problems in a safe environment.

 

Recommended Resources
Crosser, S. (1994). Making the most of water play.Young Children (July): 28-32.

Hendrick, J (1996).The whole child: Developmental education for the early years.Columbus, OH: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

James, J.C. and Granovetter, R.F. (1987).Waterworks: A new book of water play activities for children ages 1 to 6.Lewisville, NC: Kaplan.

MacDonald, S (1998).Everyday discoveries: Amazingly easy science and math.Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House.

Miller, K. (1989).The outside play and learning book.Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House.

Schiller, P. (1997). Brain development research: Support and challenges. Child Care Information Exchange (September): 6-10.

Week #5 – September 15- September 19 Planning Activities

We had 4 great  weeks  of school we are exited to share with you  our

” Learning possibilities”   for the week #5   September 15- September 19   in Room 5.

If you have questions, please ask us any time!

Outdoor Environment Planning Sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVORktrMVJVSmlsWkU/edit?usp=sharing

Learning possibilities Planning Sheet Week # 5

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOYzdIRmlGVndod1k/edit?usp=sharing

Week #4 – September 08- September 12 Planning Activities

We had 3  wonderful weeks  of school we are exited to share with you  our

” Learning possibilities”   for the week #4   September 08- September 12   in Room 5.

If you have questions, please ask us any time!

Outdoor Environment Planning Sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOQWs5aFBKMHF4dWs/edit?usp=sharing

Learning possibilities Planning Sheet Week # 4

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOeUJrdmZlSXdqaW8/edit?usp=sharing

ROOM DONATIONS -Recyclable Materials

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We have some exciting things planned for the next couple of weeks.

Kitchen area: our dramatic play kitchen moved to the loft area .Our second floor is under construction in becoming our “Farmers Market”. We have been talking about what does a market have, what things can you find and how you can use your senses while you are there. To enhance the investigation we need our parents help in donating some materials.
ROOM DONATIONS -Recyclable Material: There are some things that we would love to have for our classroom to enhance our Dramatic and Art area.
Please look around your house for things that can be recycled and collect 3 or 4 things that you were planning on throwing away or recycling and send these items to school with your child.

Some examples of items that can be sent to school with your child are:

• Empty Shampoo Bottles with caps (rinsed and Air dried ***)
• Empty soap dispenser (***)
• Laundry Detergent (all Sizes)(***)
• Empty Kleenex or tissue boxes
• Empty egg cartons
• Plastic bottles with caps (all sort of sizes : Water ,Juices, milk Half -gallon ***)
• Any Cardboard food containers.( cereal , spaghetti, crackers boxes)
• Plastic condiment bottles (Ketchup bottles ,Mustard, mayonnaise ,Dressing ***)
• Cardboard tubes (paper towel tube or wrapping paper) No toilet paper tubes please.

Thank you for helping in collecting these items. We hope that you have a great weekend. We will see you all soon! If you have questions, please ask a teacher in Room 5.

 

Classroom Environment Update

Our Brand New

Music and Movement Area

We are so excited to begin our third week with you and your children.  We have some exciting things planned for the next couple of weeks.
 
ENVIRONMENT: Our environment is in the process of being updated.  Here are some of the things that we have added, based upon the initial observations we have made of the children during weeks 1 and 2.
 
The children have been using everything in this area,but the initial setting was to small.Now we have our grand opening of our New Music and Movement Area.
We strive in making the environment engaging for our friends.

 

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We will like to thank all our parents from  Room 5  for your support .We appreciate everything you do.
Ms. Ferny and Teaching Staff from Room 5

Holidays and Other Celebrations Policy

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Dear Parents of Room 5 :

We have sent out our First September Edition E-Newsletter to Room 5 families that signed up .  The Topic was ” Birthdays, Holidays and Other Celebrations Policy”. For more information  ,you will find details in Parent handbook.

http://www.miracosta.edu/instruction/childdevelopmentcenter/parenthandbook.html#holidays

 

Thank you!  We are looking forward to sending you all updates and want to be sure that you receive them.

Week #3 – September 01- September 05 Planning Activities

We had 2 wonderful weeks  of school. Here are our ” Learning possibilities”   for the week #3   September 01- September 05   in Room 5.

If you have questions, please ask us any time!

Outdoor Environment Planning Sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOMlBzTElseENRX3M/edit?usp=sharing

Learning possibilities Planning Sheet Week # 3

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOSG92c2JDYkVLYnc/edit?usp=sharing

Week #2 – August 25- August 29 Planning Activities

We had a great first week  of school. Here are our ” Learning possibilities”   for the week #2  August 25- August 29  in Room 5.

If you have questions, please ask us any time!

Outdoor Environment Planning Sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOczFzYndBM2Fock0/edit?usp=sharing

Learning possibilities Planning Sheet Week # 2

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOeWJadUZuLXB1Z3c/edit?usp=sharing

 

Plants Donation for our Classroom.

We truly appreciate the fact that parent involvement (at all levels) it is an integral part of our  partnerships between Home and School .

Plants Donations  for our  Classroom.

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If you have a small or medium potted plant that you would like to donate, that is safe for children (non-poisonous), we would greatly appreciate the donation.  Most nursery staff should be able to let you know what kinds of plants are or are not okay to be around children.
For more information about what plants are classroom friendly ,you will find details in our class eNewsletters.
eNewsletters: Today we sent out  2 editions from  Room 5 for  our families that signed up . Thank you!  We are looking forward to sending you all updates and want to be sure that you receive them.

Room 5 – Week #1 – August 18- August 22 Planning Activities

We are very excited for our first week  of school. Here are our ” Learning possibilities”   for the week #1 August 18- August 22 in Room 5.

If you have questions, please ask us any time!

Outdoor Environment Planning Sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOcDNwTnhDcHFvS1E/edit?usp=sharing

Learning possibilities Planning Sheet Week # 1

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOWUNMQkw2UUxGUW8/edit?usp=sharing