Milestones

Our M/W/F week before Thanksgiving break began with imitating the story of The Three Pigs. Above, we used popsicle sticks and sugar cubes to construct little pig homes, and then each child had a paper version of a pig to play act the story.

Oh, there's that mean wolf who likes to chase pigs!

We connected these homes with a book about homes all over the world. The children enjoyed figuring out what materials were used to build each house. We decided we really wanted to build an igloo next time it snows a lot!

One morning, when I had all these activities laid out on the tables, Gunnar initiated some train play. He wanted to make a really big track, so I suggested he start on the other side of the room. Soon our whole class was involved. . .(and actually our friend Lilya was still sick, so no pics of her)

The children had to share trains and, then figure out how to have several trains on a track. Everyone seemed to want to go in and out of the tunnel (interesting) - I eventually suggested they make more tunnels out of some blocks . . .

This little event of train play was another excellent example of emergent curriculum, or allowing the children to take time for self-initiated activities that encompass their immediate interests. This is a large component of the Reggio philosophy as well. As a teacher, I find these opportunities invaluable, and I have to be on my game to recognize when they are happening, rather than push my own agenda for the moment. When the children are encouraged by their own ideas, they can become extremely focused and the opportunities for learning is sometimes doubled in my opinion. I took a picture of my position of observation with my clipboard handy for note-taking. During these child-initiated events, it is important that the adult keep a healthy distance so that the children may freely interact. As with the tunnel, etc., I tried to make a quick suggestion and then ease into the background again.

If you can read my messy handwriting, I cited many benefits to that day's play. . .

A teacher-guided provocation during the week was unfinished faces at the easel. I wanted to see what the children would do here. Very few of our classmates are drawing representationally (age appropriate), but I often find that if there is some introduction to the idea, we can move it along a bit.

By Friday, we succumbed to some traditional turkey projects!

This activity offered some scissor practice.

We traced our hands, put a beak and eye on the thumb, added some feathers and . . .

A TURKEY!

We also made some yummy mashed potatoes together that everyone enjoyed.

Hope you all had a lovely holiday!

The T/TH group really enjoyed playacting The Three Pigs - especially imitating the wolf's "I'll huff and puff" part. Elliott is playing that part (above) while the rest of the class uses chairs as their houses. It took us awhile to get the line "not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!

We also made pigs' houses from salt dough, popsicle sticks and sugar cubes . . .

On Thursday, we traced our hands to make some traditional turkey art.

We worked together to smash some potatoes to make mashed potatoes.

Owen enjoyed helping the kids add salt. We learned that a "pinch" is just a little . . .

This group definitely gets more social outside. Below Zoe and Camille get good at the teeter totter, while in the background, Elliott and Owen engage in their daily wrestling!