Moments in Learning

Today our class investigated some natural structures: hills!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.587475131312301.1073741879.213823248677493&type=1

The above are some photos of the children enjoying the hills.  Here are some of the things the children did:

• ran
• rolled
• tossed seed pods
• slid
• sat and watched

Last week our study of hills began.  Here was the first post about hills:

http://wordpress.miracosta.edu/laurap/2013/09/09/todays-highlights-a-hill-study/

To address some of our questions about the children’s experiences of hills, the following can be noted about our day today:

1. The “clock tower” hill still won in the votes, but it only won by one vote.
2. The children did not provide as many reasons for why they liked hill one or hill two.
3. Some of these differences could be due to the children who attend on Tuesday versus Monday.
4. The children today more actively explored both hills from the get-go.  There was no warming-up period.  The last visit to the hills we had, we noticed that the children seemed to explore the second hill more, perhaps because we went there second.

The hill studies have evolved to a study of “Structures” and we now have a project about structures underway in the classroom.  We recently put a board up near the sign-in book where families can share their observations of children and their explorations of structures (or read what teachers and other family members have been writing down).

Yesterday we captured even more photos of the children using some new construction materials outdoors – marble mazes and crates!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.587046288021852.1073741877.213823248677493&type=1

GARDENING

However, it’s not all about structures: We also did some gardening!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.587049284688219.1073741878.213823248677493&type=1

Our planning documents are now ready for the next week or so in Room 4.

We will be taking a walking field trip tomorrow.  To learn more about what we plan to do, please read our blog post from last week:

http://wordpress.miracosta.edu/laurap/?p=925

There are two new things in our planning sheets:

1) We have a section for “Project Plans”

2) We added information about the special activities happening in extended care

Thank you for reading our blog posts and our planning sheets!  Please let us know if you have any questions.

Environment Planning -September 14

Room 4 Planned Possibilities- September 14

The children in Room 4 have been exploring the soil in our garden box and talking about the garden for some time now.  We have learned about worms and are beginning to learn about compost.  The children mixed donated compost into the garden.  The children have also written out garden plans and have walked along campus to see what they want to plant.

We noticed that there were two consistent themes in what children want to plant: pumpkins and flowers.

We are about ready to start planting.  To do this, we need some donations:

1) Soil safe for children to handle

2) A pumpkin (we want to cut it open and plant the seeds)

3) Sunflower seeds (the children want flowers and these grow tall)

4) Flowers that are already sprouted (must be non-poisonous)

5) Families to donate time to work in the garden with children

If you want to bring in one of the items above, please talk with a teacher.  We want to be sure we get a variety of materials, so we can let you know if we already have someone bringing that item.

We can’t wait to start watching our garden grow!

Over the past few weeks, the children and teachers have been getting to know one another.  The teachers observe children carefully to learn about their development and interests.  One interest has been a consistent focus throughout the semester: “Structures.”

We have noticed that the children build with many materials in the classroom.  In fact, just today, the teachers collected images of all of the different ways in which children were “constructing structures” in our Center:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.584710478255433.1073741876.213823248677493&type=1

We would like to build upon this interest and do a more in-depth exploration of construction in our classroom.  A project is something that teachers consider when they plan.  We weave all of the different curriculum areas into our projects.

One of the natural reactions for teachers is to ask: “What do we want to do with the children that teach them about structures?”  However, for a project to be truly inquiry-based and focused on the children, the first step is to figure out what the children are doing with structures first: “What do the children do with structures and what are they trying to figure out?”

So, we have a “first” that we are going to try out this semester.  We are going to create a Google document where you all can share your own observations of what your child does related to construction of structures (or just interest in structures).  The teachers can look at this Google document and see what is happening at home.  This will help us with our planning.  Look for that document link in an email home to you.

Thank you for reading about the beginning stages of our first project!

Today there are four major things to discuss that relate to community-building in Room 4.

1) One of the children brought in some books from home today.  The books are in Spanish and English.  We displayed the books and children looked through them this morning.  Here’s a photo of how we displayed the books.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=584166528309828&set=a.220915221301629.55462.213823248677493&type=1&theater

2) We also explored our community garden outdoors today.  The children heard a song and book about worms today.  The children then looked for worms in the garden.  We were going to start planting, but the children are still actively and eagerly involved in exploring the soil.  We will continue to work with the soil and will begin planting once that becomes less interesting to the children.  To see what the children said and did in the garden with the worms, please check out this album and read through the photo descriptions:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.584166971643117.1073741875.213823248677493&type=1

3) Remember how the children washed palm tree pieces and collected items on a walking field trip last week?  Well, today the children started to glue the items onto the palm tree piece.  Here’s the previous album about the natural items and washing palm tree pieces:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=582203881839426&set=a.582203855172762.1073741874.213823248677493&type=1&theater

Here’s a photo of them adding the natural materials to the palm tree piece (today):

Creating group artwork can create a sense of community among the children.

4) Lastly, today the CDC announced our Open House!  Here’s the flyer for that event (click on the link below).  This is a way to come together as a whole school community.  We can’t wait to see you all there!

OPEN HOUSE

Thank you for reading our blog post!