The children
in our room have been exposed to the scientific process this semester. We utilized science tools to explore
different kinds of fruits and seeds during the fall. The children enjoyed dissecting the Osage
Orange and the pumpkin. We also have watched
the seasons change as we have been outside – sometimes bringing different
aspects of the changing seasons into the classroom. We have utilized leaves, sticks, sand, and
snow in various lessons this term. The
children have also been noticeably interested in the animals we have in our
classroom – the gerbil and the hermit crab.
The children watch the gerbil eat, comment as he drinks, and talk about
where he lives. Some of the children
help us to water the hermit crabs and enjoy watching them come out of their
shells as they move around the tank.
The children
in our room have become very aware of the identity board that is on our wall –
showing their faces and work samples and the faces and work samples of their
classmates. They have started to point
out classmates in their photos and use their names. We regularly speak about facial features when
looking at photos. We are also
encouraging vocabulary development with the children – using simple words to
indicate the beginning or ending of an event or to indicate a transition in the
classroom. They have all begun to
recognize the routine in daily activities (cleaning up, getting ready for group
time, getting ready for snack, cleaning up snack, etc). We regularly use our
dramatic play area – the children imitate real life situations through play in
the classroom.
This term
the children have been exposed to a variety of ways to represent themselves
through the arts and have been able to explore with a variety of
materials. One of the most widely
favored ways to do this in the classroom is through music. The children listen to a variety of music and
move their bodies in various ways – including with fabrics and ribbons. We have had out the balance beams, tumble
mats, and have brought the ladybugs into the classroom for the children to use
whenever they need to. We regularly use
the dramatic play area of the room, where the children are able to act out and
express themselves by pretend. The
plastic people and animals are always available to the children as well for
exploring. We have used clay, play dough,
paint, pastels, and writing utensils this term in various areas of the
classroom. Exposure to these mediums
regularly will help the children to become more comfortable as they continue to
explore, eventually being able to add tools or new ways to manipulate the
mediums.
