Using the Autoharp

     Music has been a huge part of our classroom this school year.  The children are always singing and using the musical instruments in the basket in the classroom.  I thought it would be interesting to introduce the children to some instruments they might not normally see.  Our program has Autoharps available so I brought one into the classroom.
     I modeled for the children how to strum on the autoharp using the picks instead of their fingers.  The children caught on very quickly and very quickly decided they enjoyed the sound the autoharp made.  They were using words like "strum", "harp", "pick", and discussing the sound.  One of the children noticed that by pressing one of the buttons the sound changed on the harp.  Many of the children were interested in the vibrations of the strings as the pick went across them.  They were continuously putting their hands on the autoharp to feel the strings vibrate.
     I plan on using this with the children on more occasions to see how their ideas build and comfort level with the music strengthens.

Exploring Clay

     As a group, our classrooms decided to explore with clay this year.  We are interested to see how each different age group reacts and manipulates clay and what types of strategies the children use as they get older.
     In our classroom, we chose to start exploring with red clay.  The children at first were not that interested in clay, but after a few times of being exposed to it and exploring with it, they began to gain confidence and got excited about working with the clay.  Many of the children were exploring how it feels.  The children love to use play dough in the classroom, but clay feels different and leaves a residue as they work with it, so it took a few tries before they became more comfortable.
     Right away we noticed the children describing how the clay feels and beginning to use their hands to manipulate it.  One of the first things we noticed was how the children began pinching pieces off of a big chunk of clay.  Some of the children started to line the little pieces up and others attempted to roll the clay between their hands.  It was very interesting to watch the interest grow as their comfort level grew.

January 2013 Newsletter

Welcome to January!  We are excited to see our returning children and welcome those new children starting with us this term.  There are some new changes to the classroom this term.  Charlene Rodegher will be co-teaching with Mrs. Stone now because of Mrs. Paris’ retirement.  Charlene is a graduate of the Early Childhood program at U of M-Dearborn and has worked as a staff member and teacher substitute in our classroom.  She will be with us through the end of the Spring term.

 We also have four Early Childhood interns this term.  They will be leading investigations with the children and eventually take over many of the responsibilities of the classroom.  Allyssa will be with us all day on Mondays and Wednesdays, Nancy will be with us on Thursdays, Brandy will be with us on Wednesdays, and Lauren will be with us in the mornings Monday-Thursday.  They all seem very excited to be a part of the classroom and look forward to meeting the children.

In the winter months, even in snow, we will be going outside to explore if the wind chill is above 20 degrees.  We might not be outside for very long, but it is good for the children to explore outdoors when the weather permits.  Please bring shoes or boots that can withstand walking through snow.  You are also welcome to bring snowpants, hats, mittens, and any other outdoor gear appropriate for the playground.  It is important to make sure items are labeled with your child’s name.  It would be helpful if hats and mittens are placed in the sleeve of your child’s coat so we don’t have to search through each backpack.

On Monday, January 21^st, the center will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Day.  No school.

We are very excited for a new semester.  We have a neat group of children and can’t wait to see where their interests are when the term begins.  As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please ask!