Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Winter Week I

Winter Week I witnessed the children's seamless return to our classroom routines after a four day Thanksgiving break.  Our wall had been stripped of its Fall art work, so the children set to work creating new "Winter" art work!  We choose cool winter-like colors and used a different printing implement each day to create beautiful "snowflakes."  As in nature, at Parker no two pieces of "snowflake art" look alike! 













In addition, we read lots of winter books and learned several winter songs! 


The block area bustled all week as the children continued to explore, construct and create with the Waffle Blocks that we moved into the room the Week before the Harvest Feast.  From all appearance it was quite apparent that everyone was happy to be back at school!



Looking Deeper:  Exploration and Learning through Play
Let's take a closer look at Waffle Block play.

Children are naturally drawn to Waffle Blocks because they are large and colorful.  Building with Waffle Blocks takes the children far beyond the initial stages of stacking and layering.  Constructing with these blocks necessitates utilizing sophisticated mathematical discernment and skill, given the two prong into three prong building block design.  Initially, the teachers, (especially Ann) model and mentor construction for and with the children.


Driven by their great interest and desire, the children are quick to master this technique and elaborate floor designs begin to appear all over the rug! 


In no time at all our young "contractors" master the technique for building walls, and their structures become three dimensional.







Dramatic play and block play always go hand in hand, so the children quickly inhabit their "open-air structures," engaging in play that is limited only by the extent and direction of their imaginations. 


Their sense of design never cease to amaze us as the children create practical uses for their creations as well!


Before week's end they have installed roofs, created community dwellings and are enjoying one another's company in their cozy little houses!  


Waffle Block play engages and extends skills in all developmental areas.  One has only to "look deeper" at these photos to observe the ways in which the children have engaged their cognitive skills (thinking, imagining, mathematical planning),  their speech and language skills (collaborating, role playing), their social/emotional skills (empowering, interacting, pride, joy and delight in their structures), their fine and gross motor skills (lifting, connecting and putting away the blocks).  







It is a joy and privilege to facilitate and witness the children's growth and achievements through play!


Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Harvest Feast Week!

Harvest Feast Week was comprised of two very special days; soup making day and harvest feast day!  The children were very proud of the vegetables they contributed and were fascinated by the soup making process.   As the photos illustrate they were captivated as they watched Ann add the broth, and remained so as we took our soup pot down to the kitchen and placed it on the stove to cook!  Today was a very "high energy" day!  The children were so very excited to have their family members at school to share in the Harvest Feast!  They prepared a terrific meal, gave a wonderful performance, and had a great time sharing their toys and activities with parents, grandparents and special friends back in the classroom!  Many thanks to all of you who assisted with each step of our preparations, and for sharing in our special day!  Your assistance helped to empower the children to host this very special event for their loved ones!  

















Looking Deeper:  Exploration and Learning through Play
Let's take a closer look at our Harvest Feast!

The Harvest Feast is the culminating event of our entire Fall focus! 


Back in early Fall, the children looked out our classroom windows, and as they did so, I said, "The leaves are still green, but when all the leaves on all the trees have turned colors and fallen to the ground, Fall will be over and Winter will be here!"  Imagine my delight and the children's amazement when the ground was indeed covered with snow this week!


Our "Gifts from Earth" unit began with our field trips to Samascott Orchard and Ioka Valley Farm, where the children personally picked apples and pumpkins!  We have reinforced this theme again and again over the past six weeks as we collected leaves, and examined chestnuts, acorns, gourds and squash.  We talked about the importance of caring for the Earth that gives us so many gifts, and talked also about earth's long ago caregivers, the Native Americans.  We talked about how the Native Americans shared their gifts with one another, and in turn we shared our gifts of food donations with people who do not have enough food.  This past week the children used earthly gifts of pumpkin, chocolate chips, and vegetables to prepare a simple meal to share with their loved ones!










Experiential learning not only educates children it empowers them!  Throughout the past six weeks we have strove to have the children "experience" Fall and its gifts.  We have weaved threads between gifts, caring and sharing!  All of these threads came together today in a tapestry called "Harvest Feast"!  


It is a joy and a privilege to have you be part of  our "tapestry"!



Happy Thanksgiving!