Month of October 2019

November 03, 2019

Month of October

Exploring Shadows

We provided the children with small flashlights during explorations. We noticed how the children explored the darker areas of the classroom with their flashlights. They pointed the flashlights at various objects and watched how a silhouette formed on the wall. To extend the children's thinking we covered the walls with white paper and provided the children with flashlights and plastic animals. We encouraged the children to move the light source close to the plastic animals and far from the plastic animals, and observe how their shadows were impacted.

Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met:

3. Participates cooperatively and constructively in group situations

a. Balances needs and rights of self and others

11. Demonstrates positive approaches to learning

a. Attends and engages

b. Persists

d. Shows curiosity and motivation

e. Shows flexibility and inventiveness in thinking

21. Explores and describes spatial relationships and shapes

a. Understands spatial relationships

b. Understands shapes

24. Uses scientific inquiry skills

28. Uses tools and other technology to perform tasks

Exploring speed and distance using ramps

The children have shown a strong interest in propelling their cars down the ramp and watching how fast their cars can reach the bottom. We have covered the ramp in a variety of different textures such as wax paper, bubble wrap and aluminum foil to see how these textures would impact the speed of the cars. The children first used their senses to explore the various textures. Then they proceeded to place their cars on the ramp and observe how fast or slow their car traveled to the bottom. They discovered that the bubble wrap and aluminum foiled slowed their cars down. While the wax paper did not impact the speed of their car.

Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met:

3. Participates cooperatively and constructively in group situations

a. Balances needs and rights of self and others

11. Demonstrates positive approaches to learning

a. Attends and engages

b. Persists

c. Solves problems

d. Shows curiosity and motivation

e. Shows flexibility and inventiveness in thinking

24. Uses scientific inquiry skills

26. Demonstrates knowledge of the physical properties of objects and materials

Investigating Fall

Outside, we collected different types of leaves and placed them on top of the light table. The children describe the shapes, colors and sizes of the leaves. As the leaves began to change colors, we went outside and collected a second round of leaves, and then placed them on the light table. The children noticed how the leaves were now shades of yellow, orange and red. To strengthen the children's understanding of fall, we placed the four sided easel outside and provided the children with a paintbrush, paper and green, yellow, orange and red tempra paint. They represented the trees using small brown and yellow strokes at the bottom of their paper. At the top of the paper, they created a series of green, yellow, orange and red strokes.

Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met:

7. Demonstrates fine-motor strength and coordination

a. Uses fingers and hands

b. Uses writing and drawing tools

9. Uses language to express thoughts and needs

a. Uses an expanding expressive vocabulary

b. Speaks clearly

12. Remembers and connects experiences

a. Recognizes and recalls

b. Makes connections

13. Uses classification skills

21. Explores and describes spatial relationships and shapes

a. Understands spatial relationships

b. Understands shapes

25. Demonstrates knowledge of the characteristics of living things

27. Demonstrates knowledge of Earth’s environment

Building habitats for animals

During self initiated play, we have noticed that the children would pull out the animal baskets and place all the farm animals on the brown carpet. To further interest in farm animals, we provoke their thinking with pictures of barns, a green carpet, unit blocks, and plastic farm animals. The children used the unit blocks to create enclosures for the animals.