2016/2017 First weeks

Our school year is off and running!  We are closely watching the children's interests.  We are tuned into their thinking and getting to know what they understand, as well as, what they wonder and what misconceptions they hold.  Here are a few of the hot topics from the first month.

Tomato from our garden with tiny seeds

Okra from our garden with different colored seeds

We have harvested many tastes from our garden and explored the insides of several things from both the eating rows and the butterfly row.

Discovering the sound wall on our playground

Exploring the many ways to play a drum

While we are getting into the rhythm of school, we are also exploring rythmn concepts in preparation to establish a drum circle in our routine.

Building marble ramps

Exploring our new projector

Building with blocks and slats is taking many forms.  The children are building wolf houses, ramps, vehicles they can sit in, and various constructions with motion and imagination purposes.

Our new projector is prompting many discoveries with light, shadows, shapes, and gross motor movement.  

Worms, spiders, and roly polies

The children have an affinity toward entomology!  There is great delight when we encounter creepy crawlies both outside and in.

Sorting shells and rocks from a bucket of sand together

We are doing many explorations around the idea of classifying.  Did you know rocks are hard, but shells are soft?  We are excited to hear the theories the children are developing regarding the attributes of objects as they classify them.

 

The children have gravitated to our classroom camera.  It is fun to see all the silly face shots and we are touched by the many beautiful moments they have captured!

Celebrating International Peace Day with Room 7 in our garden

Ms. Sanchez read The Peace Book by Todd Parr to us. We enjoyed being together in our garden!

Exploring x-rays in our vet clinic

Our dramatic play area is a very busy vet clinic.  Many cats and animals are being cared for each day.

Liquid watercolor painting

We are exploring many art materials to provide the children with skills in using a myriad of things. These skills grants them the opportunity to express their thinking in many ways.

Watercolor painting in the garden