Monday, January 20, 2014


Ramps, Bridges and Tunnels


       Last semester we had a new interest emerge where the children were using the blocks and cars to create roads that included bridges and tunnels. They have developed the idea that cars move over bridges and under tunnels. The children placed bridge blocks next to others to widen the bridge or lengthen the tunnel. They would then use different methods to move the cars with these blocks. Some children would push the car underneath the tunnel while others would place their hand under the tunnel and pull the car out.  
Adding multiple cars was also something the children explored with. They would connect 2 to 5 cars and discover how to move them all over the bridges and through the tunnels. The different ways that the children used to move the cars illustrated their prior knowledge on how cars move with bridges and tunnels. Some children pulled the front car from underneath the tunnel until all of the cars have made it through. Others would push the last car through, causing all of the front cars to move through the tunnel. When the children were using the bridge with the cars they would do one of two things. Some children placed the car on top of the bridge and let go, watching the car move down the bridge. Others would hold onto the car as they moved it over the bridge. This action made me curious about how they use a ramp with their pathway.
            This past week I introduced the children to a thin long piece of wooden molding that we call a slat. This slat was propped up against a chair creating a ramp. The children were given balls to roll down the ramp. I found that the children interacted with the ramp much like they did with the bridge. Some children placed the ball at the top of the ramp and observed how it moved down. Others would hold onto the ball and move it up and down the ramp, exploring the motion of the ball.
            I would like to combine ramps and tunnels and use them together. I am curious to how the students will interact with these two materials together. Will they be more focused on one than the other? Will the children find a way to move the ball using both? Does the movement of the ball change when using these two together? These are just a few of the questions I would like to explore with the children.
            

Movement of Animals

            Over the school year the children have been very interested in animals.  They are interested in how they look, how they sound, and how they move.  We wanted to explore this further with them, most specifically how animals move, because we were wondering how the children perceived this idea and would represent their thinking.
            We stated off by letting the children look at the hermit crabs we have in the classroom.  We let the crabs walk around in our sand box on the ground so they could see clearly and have an idea of their motion.  The other neat thing the children noticed was that as the crabs moved, they could see their tracks in the sand.  Many children pointed these out specifically with their hands and fingers.  They couldn’t tell me what they were, but when asked how they got there some of the children motioned towards the crabs.

            We then offered the children some of our classroom plastic animals to manipulate in the sand.  We offered them specific animals that would have different tracks in the sand if the children moved them around.  Some of the children began to notice these tracks and point them out as they moved the animals along in the sand.  We want to expand on this and see if we can figure out specially what the children know about particular animals and how they move – and think of ways it will be easy for the children to represent their understanding. 

Friday, January 3, 2014

January 2014

Dear Families,

            Welcome back after break! We look forward to an exciting semester! This term we have two interns who will be with us on Tuesday and Thursdays. They will be the new addition to the teaching team this semester. Madelyn Mollison will be with us from 8 am to 4 pm on Tuesday and Thursdays and Rebecca Bolling will join us those days from 9 am to 5 pm. Our interns will be working with Mrs. Stone and Mrs. Hughes to write and implement lessons in the classroom along with all of the day to day happenings.

            Over break we have encountered inclement weather. The ECEC closes due to these conditions when the University of Michigan- Dearborn closes. You can check the universities website or the news stations to inquire whether or not we will be open. We will be going outside if the weather permits. Please bring your child to school with hats, gloves, boots and snow pants so they will be able to enjoy exploring the snow outside. These items all need to be labeled with your child’s initials.

            This semester our big idea is movement. We will be exploring movement of our bodies, of objects, of animals and look more closely at ramps, bridges and tunnels. We have our communication board at the front of the classroom on the closet door where you are welcome to read and write your own observations of your child’s thinking. We also have the web of thinking that illustrates where these learning groups are going based off of our documentation of the children’s thinking. Documentation can be found above the window to the hallway next to the cubbies. You can find your child’s learning group here as well as documentation on their thinking based off of what they have said and done in their learning group.

            On Monday, January 20, 2014 the ECEC will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 21, 2014.

            As always, if you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to ask.  We look forward to an exciting semester.


Catie Stone & Charlene Hughes