Moments in Learning

Yesterday, we highlighted the writing area as an important area in our classroom.  As a part of that, we talked about how children gain print awareness in the preschool years.  This is that “aha” moment when they realize print matters and carries meaning.  That first important word is usually their names, but could be other things.

We started two things today that help the children with name recognition.  We will have more soon, too (e.g., better cubby labels with photos and names).  In the meantime, here are two things:

First, we have a new clip chart where children can move themselves from “Home” to “School” when the arrive to school.  When they leave, they can move their clip back to “Home.”  This is something you can do with your child upon arrival and departure each day.  Children can start to recognize their own names and the names of their classmates.  They have gotten good, already, at learning the names of their classmates!  (Keep reading – the post goes beyond the photos.)

We also have a new chart that the children use that help them know if they are playing indoors or outdoors.  There are number slots so that there are 12 children, at most, in these locations at any time.  Today we counted the numbers together (1 through 12) and put names on the spots.  The teacher will pull the clips out of a basket and have the children choose what they would like to do.  We switch mid-day, and sometimes children may choose to go back indoors or go outdoors if there’s room, so everyone gets to do both each day (unless weather prevents it!).  Children learned mathematics here, too!

Lastly, we wanted to highlight the music and movement area in the classroom.  This has been a busy area of the room!  Music is mathematical (rhythm and patterns) and involves a different form of visual literacy (making sense of sheet music).  In the area, we have sample sheet music for children to see just so that they can get used to what it looks like.  We have a lot of percussion instruments like a steel drum, tambourines, rhythm sticks, and more.  We also have ribbons so that children can see their movements when they dance to music.  The area involves a large amount of motor skills (large and small), cognitive skills (remembering music and creating patterns), language skills (words and sounds), and social-emotional skills (music can bring joy and bring people together!).  It’s also science: a small drum may sound different from a large drum.

We have a large open space for music.  This is just some of what we offer (see the photo below).  We also sing and dance during the day.  This week the children have been singing “Flip Flap Jack” with the teachers.  It’s more of a chant and it’s pretty silly!

“There once was a man who was made of food and his name was Flip Flap Jack.

His head was made of a pancake.  A pancake?  A pancake.  His head was made of a pancake and his name was Flip Flap Jack.

His eye were made of blueberries….” (Keep going).

Hair: Whipped cream

Nose: Strawberry

Mouth: Sausage

Body: Waffle

Belly button: Raspberry

Legs: Bacon

Feet: French toast

Arms: Bananas

Ears: Oranges

Here’s Flip Flap Jack!  Have a great day and thanks for reading our updates.

We did some garden planning again today.  Like yesterday, you can read the ideas of the children below. The next step is to learn more about gardening with the children.  For example, some of the things listed by the children cannot be grown in our garden box.  The teachers already know this, but we don’t want to tell them.  Instead, we want to ask the children questions and investigate their ideas.  For example, we might ask, “have you ever seen that growing on a plant before?”  Or we could ask, “how can we find out how to grow ______?”  By investigating the ideas more, we can solidify our plans for the garden box.

Here are the things the children said today:

Wyatt: blueberries

Isabella: tomatoes and flowers (pink, purple, and green)

Alexis: lettuce and a snail

Addie: peaches

Kendra: strawberries and bananas

Mia: blueberries, tomatoes, and carrots

Aiden: tomatoes and bananas

Curren: red flowers

Madisyn: watermelons and pineapple

Kingston: cucumbers and carrots

Cameron: carrots, tomatoes, and lettuce

Caleb: flowers

Lexie: “a pink flower for me”

Lauren: “a pink rose for me”

Leah: tomatoes

Jasmine: bee flowers and strawberries

Esperanza: strawberries

Julian: swiss chard (after observing the room 1/2 garden and how they were growing swiss chard)

Caiden: flowers

Peter: blue flowers

Today our special area of the classroom to highlight is the writing area.

The writing area is a place where we may put things like pencils, markers, envelopes, stationery, stencils, alphabet cards, stamps and stamp pads, a hole punch, scissors, and other tools people use in writing.

The writing area is a place where children can explore these tools.  They learn how to control their hands using hand-eye coordination (involves brain development and practice).   Once they learn that print carries meaning (print awareness), they may begin to experiment with writing.

Writing is a complex process that involves an understanding of and interest in letters and words . It also involves fine motor skills, which can be built with controlled use of things like playdough, paint, Legos, and even dressing baby dolls.  All of these things can help with writing.  In fact, artwork is a beginning step towards writing.  It involves taking ideas in the mind and recreating them on paper or in another form of art.  Writing is a similar process, but letters and sounds are used to represent the ideas.  We are hoping to introducing signing in for the children in the next week or so.  For now, they are definitely using the writing area and using it together!

Something to do at home:

A child’s first name is oftentimes the first word in which they are interested.  Recognizing one’s own name is a great first step to help children learn print.  We are going to do a lot of activities at school that involve name recognition.  At home, you can show your child his or her name if you write it.  Having your child sign a card or his or her artwork can also be helpful.  If your child’s name doesn’t look like it should yet, that’s okay!  It’s part of the developmental process.  Please speak with a teacher if you have questions about this process.  In the meantime, we want children to use these materials and have fun with them in a way that promotes development and does not pressure them.  Thanks for taking time to read this blog post!

The children came to school ready to play and make friends.  We focused a lot on learning names and getting to know one another.  We also focused on learning the routine of Room 4.  It went great!  The children explored all of the areas indoors and outdoors.

Today we will highlight the garden box outdoors as an area of our environment.

It is an area that involves as much planning as other areas in the classroom.  We would like to involve the children in its planning, care, and upkeep.  We would also like to involve families if you would like to be involved!

(keep reading below the photo for more on gardening)

Children learn a lot from gardening.  They learn spatial concepts when planning where to put seeds and plants.  They learn science when they learn how much water and sun plants need.  They learn about how the earth and soil supports the growth of plants.  Children gain important social skills when they take the responsibility to plant in the garden and care for plants.  Children also learn the names of plants and may read them on garden markers (language/literacy).  Children may learn where food comes from, too, which can promote a healthy lifestyle and nutrition choices.

Here are the things children said they wanted to plant in the garden when we asked them today during small group:

Giovanni: Purple flowers

Wyatt: Blackberries

Thomas: Pumpkins to make a jack-o-lantern

Myla: Eggs

Peter: Blue flowers

Julian: Big flowers like sunflowers

Mia: Carrots

Esperanza: Pink flowers

Lauren: Pink roses and watermelons

Charlotte: Roses

Alexis: Pumpkins

Connor: Pumpkins

August: Rice

Addie: Applies, oranges, peaches

Tremon: Red flowers

Sidney: Carrots

Isla: Red flowers

As you can see, our garden definitely does not have much in it after the summer.  We have some rosemary, but that is about it.  If any of you are interested in contributing to the growth of our garden, please speak with a teacher in Room 4.  We can plan with you what may help us (time, seeds, plants, etc…).  Thank you!

Each week or so, Room 4 will update plans for the classroom.  Planned possibilities are special small and large group activities that the teachers will do throughout the day.  Our environment planning sheet shows you what we have out in each area of the classroom.  We see the environment as a “third teacher” (you, the family, are the first and we, the teachers, are the second), so we plan what we put out carefully.  Below you will see links to two of our planning documents.  We will highlight one of the areas each week and talk about what activities children do in those areas and how they link to the development of children.  Thank you for looking at our planning sheets!

Environment Plans -Week 1

Room 4 Planned Possibilities- Week 1

We want to be sure you are ready for the first day of school.  Please view our first newsletter and review the daily routine (posted for you below).  Some things have changed from last year, if you are returning to Room 4, so be sure to check these links out, too.  If you have questions, please email Laura at Lpaciorek@miracosta.edu.  Thank you!

Room 4 Welcome Newsletter

Room 4 Daily Routine