May 13-17

Outside is a great learning environment. One child take a risk like climbing and seek accolades, then invites others to join him. One classmate would not try but cheered another on, the second made it almost to the top before retreating and the last classmate made it to the top!

Walking and balancing on the beam are a challenge for this student. The rock climbing wall is another students challenge.

Turn taking and caring for a smaller playmate were clearly shown by these students.

 Students often make a choice that shows independant thinking and the ability to stay on task in the midst of activity.

A big brother shared his little brother with his classmates.

 These students are discussing the movements of the dance. They have been playing for about 15 minutes, taking turns and following the dance steps.

These two students are sharing a quiet time as they engage in this alphabet game.

One student is sharing the bugs and worms he brought to school.

Social Dramatic play allows children to act out adult roles like this doctor group. They went on to try out the real stetheschopes and then on to multi victim emergency room surgeries. It does not matter that the instruments in the OR room included drills and saws from the carpentry bucket. Imaginations, language, motor skills, cooperation and idea sharing were all in high gear.

 

These students chose Finger Paint Making. They practiced numeracy and literacy as they read the recipe, found the right measuring tools and counted the measurments into the bowl. Later they enjoyed the tactile fun of painting and drawing with it.

 Rocks in cans were a great experiment in sound. Rocks of different sizes, more or less rocks and various can sizes and open or closed lids all change the sound made when shaking the can.

Students moved the plants they started out to the play yard. Keep your fingers crossed that something will grow to fruition.

Mother's Day crafts, songs and stories were a large part of the week.

They sang two mother's day songs on video,

I had technical difficulty and will share them when I figure it out.

 

Large motor skills were developed out in the sunshine and in this bowling into the bottom of the lockers game.

 

Emerging literacy in reading the pictures and copying letters.

 

Self help dressing skills include turning clothing inside right.

 

We worked on safe walking skills. We call them 2 jellybean walks.

Students get 1 jellybean each direction for staying in line.

 

 Bonus! We saw an X in the sky made by two jetstreams.

April 29th - May 3rd

A lost library book was found under a cupboard! (of coarse nobody knew how it got there) We went for a walk in the brisk spring air to the library to return it. Bugs have been the study of several children lately so we enjoyed a couple of fiction Lady Bug stories while we were there. We then we printed some photos and counted money at May-B Sew.

When we made some photo prints at May-B Sew. Some students liked watching technology in action while others sorted and counted coins to pay for the pictures.

Dinosaurs have been another interest lately providing many learning opportunities. Language skills in the discussions with staff and students, classification of pieces according to a variety of characteristics, the concept of facts and the fun of fiction and the creation of habitat for the dinosaurs.

Props and blocks lend themselves to creative, dramatic and communication play.

The photo below may not look amazing, just one student at the SMARTBOARD and the other at the computer table. As I watched, they peacefully negotiated a solution to the problem of one student controlling the program with the SMART BOARD and the other with the MOUSE. This was followed by completion of the program in progress and a cheerful change of turns. In addition to these "amazing" social skills they were learning with STARFALL!

A couple students made a craft shop and directed other students in the process of making flowers. The entrepreneurs co-operated in the conception, set up, client recruitment, instruction and clean up of their business.

Picture and name cards were matched to each other and also helped students spell their names on crafts.

Students continue to watch the mini greenhouses for new growth and learn a little science with this song.

My May Garden to Skip to My Lou

Sun in the sky; shine shine shine.
Sun in the sky; shine shine shine.
Sun in the sky; shine shine shine.
Help me with my garden.

Rain from the clouds; drip, drip, drip.
Rain from the clouds; drip, drip, drip.
 Rain from the clouds; drip, drip, drip.
Help me with my garden.

Seeds in the dirt; grow, grow, grow.
Seeds in the dirt; grow, grow, grow.
 Seeds in the dirt; grow, grow, grow.
Help me with my garden.

Pre-reading and writing are seen everyday.

A student brought her puppy for a visit. It was a great opportunity for both the students and puppy to socialize.

April 22-26

Our routine was a little different this week.
We were entertatined by Grade 3/4 when they preformed their Music Festival Poems. Then we went to the United Church to watch the Junior Chorus practice their Festival Musical Theater pieces.

The students walked to the Kinsmen Park to climb the hills and run around. The Three Little Pigs houses on display prompted the dramatization of the story.

Spring finally arrived! On Friday the students walked to Charlie's Place for morning snack with some regular coffee time patrons. On the way back and forth they enjoyed the "street river".


Building and organizing are great pre-math skill builders. Building uses greater than, less than and equal to and classifying allows children to make order in their world.

 

Socio-Dramatic Play is another way children explore the world they live in. 

 

 

 

Crafting activities provide creative opportunity, fine motor development and sensory exploration. 

 

 

Emerging literacy can be teacher directed or indivual exploration.

Exercise provides large motor skill work, strength, balance and co-ordination.

Co-operation and language are always a big part of playing in groups of children.