Reflecting Upon December

                                      Reflecting Upon December 


Building with recycled materials 

The children continued to show an interest in building. We provided them with a variety of recycled materials such as cardboard tubes, plastic tubes, paper plates, and egg cartons. The children worked on stacking the plates and tubes on top of one another to create a tall structure. Many of the children discovered that placing a paper plate between the items would help stabilize the structure. 



Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met: 

6. Demonstrates gross-motor manipulative skills

7. Demonstrates fine-motor strength and coordination 

a. Uses fingers and hands

11. Demonstrates positive approaches to learning 

a. Attends and engages 

b. Persist 

c. Solves problems 

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



Furthering our shadow investigation 

In November, the children worked on exploring their shadows in front of a fixed light source. We wanted to extend their thinking by providing them with a light source they could manipulate like a flashlight. The children experimented with the flashlight in a variety of ways like exploring how distance impacts the intensity of the light.  Other children were interested in pointing their flashlights at objects and observing the dark shapes on the wall and/or floor. When the children aimed their flashlights at various objects they noticed how some of the objects let the light travel through. 

.       

Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met: 

7. Demonstrates fine-motor strength and coordination 

a. Uses fingers and hands

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


21. Explores and describes spatial relationships and shapes

 a. Understands spatial relationships 

 b. Understands shapes

24. Uses scientific inquiry skills

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

28. Uses tools and other technology to perform tasks



Exploring paths objects take

We have presented the children with a variety of different materials for them to manipulate a ball through such as clear plastic tubes, plastic waffle tubes, plastic flexible tubes, and wooden unit blocks. The children developed several different strategies to get their ball from one end to the other. They discovered they could physically push the ball, shake the tube, lob it down the tube or place several balls down at the same time. 


             

Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met: 

3. Participates cooperatively and constructively in group situations

a. Balances needs and rights of self and others

6. Demonstrates gross motor manipulative skills

11. Demonstrates positive approaches to learning 

a. Attends and engages 

b. Persist 

c. Solves problems

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



Creating designs in paint with various materials 

Some of the children have shown a big interest in the visual arts. We have been exploring how to create designs using different materials such as balls, beads, and yarn. Many children used their hands to physically manipulate the item to change the designs on their paper. While others moved the tray back and forth, and up and down to change the design.

 








Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met: 

7. Demonstrates fine-motor strength and coordination 

a. Uses fingers and hands

13. Uses classification skills

21. Explores and describes spatial relationships and shapes

 a. Understands spatial relationships

24. Uses scientific inquiry skills



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