It's Hot! No,Wait...It's Cold! HEY!

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
Usha prepared another science experiment with water. Yesterday they made clouds in a bottle. Today dealt with relative temperature. Three bins of water: Very Warm, Ice Cold and Room Temperature. Place one hand in warm and the other in cold for about a minute. Simultaneously place BOTH hands in the bin of room temperature water. One hand feels cold while the other feels hot, defying the notion that it is the same water. It's fun watching them move their hands around, feeling for the constant temperature that resumes after about 20-30 seconds. Here are some of the comments:

Christopher: "I did this thing with my mom at home but we didn't have warm water."
Aidan F.: "Oh! My hands are burning with ice in my hands!"
Aiden S.: "It feels good if I touch the regular water."
Belle: "I like to hold ice in my hand, but not for a long time!"
Nate: (shrieks!!) Oh! My hands are freezing! That one is HOT!

WARNING: Only try this experiment AFTER a restroom break.

TODAY'S STORY
Chicka Chicka 123 by Bill Martin Jr., Michael Sampson, and Lois Ehlert. The same team that brought Chicka Chicka Boom Boom brings this clever take on numbers. Where the first one whimsically identifies upper- and lower-case letters, this one tackles numbers 1-9 and multiples of ten. A green zero that lingers on each page fulfills his destiny at the end when he joins 10 to make 100. While multiples of ten are advanced for our age group, identifying the numbers is right in our range of mathematical development. We'll be expanding our counting exercises into the teens and twenties over the next few months.

Who Says Clouds Are Sad?

Nate:"Hey, look, those clouds look like water."
Banjamin:"Yeah, that's because they ARE water!"

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
Each group made a "Clouds In A Bottle" science experiment with Usha today. While we did not get too deep into it, we did talk about water, clouds, pressure, smoke particles and drops. We chose instead to focus on the process and the outcome. The 'ooohs and aaahs' at their own discoveries were plenty to keep the experiment going time and again.

PARACHUTE GHOST
Yes, I know...we don't do holidays. We don't wear Halloween costumes to school. We sure don't bring or eat any candy at school. But we DO collaborative movement activities to music. I can't really help it if some Eastern European polka music has some sounds like ghosts in it. Basically we rotated slow/fast, high/low until the odd part of the music, where we made a giant "rainbow ghost" (by going underneath) to scare the musical ghosts away. We began by radiating good morning "waves" from each individual to all others in turn. It was enormous fun and a great exercise in turn taking, cooperation and following directions.

TODAY'S STORY
That's Disgusting!, by Pittau and Gervais. The title aptly describes each and every page from mildly yucky to outright nauseating. This book inventories the smell, taste, touch, step, pick, and ooze of about any substance that comes out of a body or creeps on the ground. The children spent half the time listening and looking at the simple, funny pictures and the other half checking others' (and the teachers') faces, which fluctuated between sour and laughing uncontrollably. It was awful. Simply, wonderfully, hilariously awful.

Art Class & Grassy Playground.

"I spy a Butterfly."

We had a great time on the grassy playground with this little friend being the star of the show.

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
We examined the bones that we submerged in milk, soda, and vinegar. The milk bones looked the same. Those in soda had turned dark brown. Those in vinegar had become slightly pliable (we'll leave those in over the weekend) After seeing what these things can do to bones and teeth, we made the connection to brushing teeth to protect them and keep them clean and white.

ART STUDIO
Yet another fun session in the art studio:

• Macaroni gluing on cardboard.
• Pipe cleaners and large styrofoam forms.
• Scratching patterns and designs in bins of colored salt.
• Color bears table puzzle.
• Easel painting with metallic colors.
  
• Making books at the drawing table. (most popular)

TODAY'S STORY
Milo's Hat Trick, by John Agee. An incompetent magician goes hunting for a rabbit to improve his act. he catches a bear by mistake. The bear can dive into his hat, defying belief. The bear makes his act a success. After much fame and fortune, the tired bear wishes to retire. Milo takes him back to his cave. The bear teaches milo how to do the trick for his own encore. Imagine a magician who ends his act by diving into his own hat!

Going Batty!

Using chalk to color on dark paper.

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
Today we made flying bat puppets. Much like the bird puppets of 3 weeks ago, these little critters flap their wings with sweeping arm movements up and down. The children enjoyed making them. They threaded the straps, made "eyes" with the hole puncher, and colored them with markiers and colored chalk. When some complained that the markers didn't show up on black paper, I simply told them that there was something on the shelf that would. They tried the crayons. Nope. Then colored pencils. Uh-uh. When they tried colored chalk, you'd have thought someone struck gold! Unaccustomed to drawing light on dark, they busily drew, rubbed, and dusted their bats and themselves. They flew those bat puppets for a half hour at a time!

TODAY'S MATH:
paper + hole punch = happy kid
kid + tiny circles on the floor + masking tape "mitt"(sticky side out) to pick up all those tiny circles = happy parent



TODAY'S STORY
HICCUPotamus, by Aaron Zenz. This book full of bright, colorful, "cartoony" illustrations, tells of a hippo trying to get rid of the hiccups. He visits animal after animal for remedies. Eventually he does cure them, only to find that all of them have the hiccups. Each page is written in four line stanza with multi-syllable suffixes attached to rhyme. It makes up for what it lacks in logical narrative with phonically amusing word patterns. It's similar to the rhyming kids do with one another when they're just "being silly."

TOMORROW: We examine the results of our "bone experiment."

Real, Live Skeletons In Our Room!

TODAY'S ACTIVITIES
Panicked expressions look about. "In fact, they are sitting around this table right now. Do you know where they are?" Relieved expressions were followed by a staggered crescendo, "They're in our bodies!!"

We had a discussion about skeletons and examined bones from the chicken we had for lunch yesterday. The children noted that they are very hard. They are white. They smell funny. We then began a science experiment. We submerged a dozen chicken leg bones in three different substances: milk, vinegar and soda pop. We'll remove them Friday to compare the results.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SKELETONS?

Aiden S.: I know about skeletons because I saw dinosaur skeletons."

Christopher: Your bones are connected in your body and if you want them to be strong, you can eat enchiladas."

Sebastian: "For Halloween, there's a skeleton in my bathroom."

Nadia: "You could dress up like a skeleton for Halloween!"

Samantha: "Skeletons are bones."

Dorri: "I know what they look like because I saw a picture at my house."

Luca: "I saw one at gymnastics."

Idries: "Skeletons are angry. I saw Scooby-Doo. I'm Freddie."

Lola: "Skeletons have teeth."

Belle: "They're inside you, made of bones."

Aidan F.: "Inside your whole body, in your head and your arms and everywhere in your body there are bones."

Benjamin: "Bones are in your body. You have to drink milk and water so they're healthy."

Jabari: "Chicken bones is made of milk and water."

Henry: "Skeletons are inside your muscles."

Liam: " You drink water so you don't get dehy-der-ated."

Taye: "Milk is healthy for your body...and water."

Athena: "I don't like milk, but I still drink some."

Madrid: "Skeleton is made of chicken bones and I make Cheerios."

Saiff-Deen: "They go like this!" (lifts elbows and rocks back an forth)


SNACKLACES?
After setting up our science experiment, we made "Snacklaces", necklaces made of string and Cheerios. Whenever they get a bit peckish, they just nibble a few! This activity develops our fine motor skills and counting skills. An interesting aside: The stacks of Cheerios on the red yarn resemble vertebrae!

TODAY'S STORY
Danny And The Dinosaur, by Syd Hoff. The presentation was the same as before, only this time we emphasized that the only way we know about dinosaurs is from fossils, bones and footprints. By studying these, scientists learned all about all the different kinds and sizes of dinosaurs.

Ewwwwwwww!

It requires careful application of flubber and a great deal of patience to cover a dinosaur so evenly. Can you guess what kind of dinosaur this is?

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
"What's Missing?" Begin with a tray or area with familiar items (toys, utensils, etc..) Ask the child to inventory all of the items present. Cover with a small blanket, box, jacket or whatever is available, and remove one item along with the cover. What's missing? This game is very easy to play at home and infinitely adjustable for any age or learning level. We introduced it as a way to sharpen perception and memory. The inventory phase of the game is also good for vocabulary development. Just be sure not to exceed 1-2 new words per game, to avoid frustration. After a few rounds, kids can play independently with each other.

Remember that there are plenty of activity books, computer games and such that reinforce these skills, but there is no substitute for the rewarding interaction between you and your child. Part of the fun is trading roles in this game to build mastery and confidence. You'll be surprised how even the playing field is between you.


PARACHUTE PLAY!
Sonya is our resident expert on parachute activities. She introduced our groups to games that reward cooperation, following directions, and turn taking with spectacular displays of billowing color. Look for plenty more on this favorite movement activity.



TODAY'S STORY
What Was I Scared Of?, by Dr. Seuss. This tale, found inside the book The Sneetches And Other Stories, is a favorite nail-biter among preschoolers. Everyone held onto every word as the character worried about the "pale green pants with nobody inside them." Relief replaced fear as he discovered the pants were just as afraid of him. They end up as friends. Plus, pants are funny.


JUST BECAUSE IT'S SO COOL...


Take a look at the alignment and evenly spaced pattern of the railroad ties and tracks. Amazing!

Mwahahahaaa!

CAUTION: MAD SCIENTISTS AT WORK!

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
Our groups measured and mixed our very own "Blubber" today. Look for it on trays all this week and next. This stuff is difficult to get out of clothes, so dress accordingly.

SCIENCE: Incrementally stirring in the "magic solution" (1-1/2 C. water, w/5 tbsp Borax), they marveled at the transformation from liquid (2 C. glue & 2 C. water) to jiggly solid. We opted for an acidic green color which they entusiastically named "poisonous!". The interesting thing about this substance is that it is a "non-Newtonian fluid" that has the properties of a solid and a liquid at the same time.

MATH: We will measure how long we can stretch it before it breaks and how many seconds it takes to stretch from the table to a tray on the floor.

SENSORY: The stuff is just fun to bounce, stretch, and roll. When dropped in the hand, you can feel the vibrations resonate through your hand, stimulating those nerves in a sooting manner. They love draping it over dinosaurs and guessing its name by the profile.

MOVEMENT and BALANCE
We brought out some "stepping domes" to practice balancing. Stepping gently was essential to the stability of the domes. A full circuit around the train without slipping was cause for much elation.





TODAY'S STORY
Pigs Will Be Pigs. The pig family wants to celebrate by dining out, but they have no money. Remembering that they are pigs, they begin to uncover lost wealth under sofa cushions, the laundry, papa's workbench, etc... Eventually they gather enough to have their celebration. While this story is far too advanced for our children to "picture-read" independently, they did enjoy the absurdity of pigs having, losing and spending money. They had no trouble understanding the concept of "money" as something you can trade for things like lavish dinners at the "Enchanted Enchilada."

We Love Fridays!

...but not for the reasons most people love them. We love them for the variety of fun things we get to do!

Lola makes sure her envelope has enough stamps.

ART STUDIO
What a fun day we had in the art studio. Some of our activities carried over from last week's session, while some were brand new experiences. Such balance of continuity to freshness is optimal for a diverse group of children with varying degrees of apprehension or enthusiasm. Here's what we did:

• Brightly colored blocks with finger puppet monsters.
• An enormous collection of rubber stamps and a dozen pads.
• Vertical drawing easel full of circles to color.
• Shiny round shapes to decorate the large blue "building" we painted last week.
• Drawing/cutting/folding with paper and envelopes - always popular.
• Easel painting with standard and metallic paints on orange, yellow or white paper of rectangle or circular shapes. Choices within set parameters provide automomy without confusion.

GRASSY PLAYGROUND
Gorgeous weather and a repaired sprinkler system have brought the green grass back and with it more bugs, snails and motivation for exploration. There is a noticable improvement in coordination as children synchronize thier movements to really get the seesaw rocking high, sometimes even bouncing off the seat a bit. Happiness comes in many forms.

POPULAR ACTIVITIES
Yet again a big ol' block of ice draws 'em like bears to honey. Today it took a bit longer to free the polar bears. One thing that cought my attention was when Mollie and Saiff-Deen were taking turns, seeing how long they could hold the block of ice before the cold was too uncomfortable. Hilarious, especially when they said the water was warm afterwards. The seeds of relativity have been planted for these two.



Sonya set up a cool arrangement of inclined tubes with little cars. They began feeding their cars into the tube, running to the bottom, sending it down the next, following the car. Soon enough the subversive goal of cooperation was attained, with the students remaining stationary, feeding the cars to one another as quickly as possible. Now that's rapid transit!

TODAY'S STORY
Swimmy, by Leo Lionni. We read this story yesterday and the class eagerly listened to this tale of the little fish coming out on top. They even cheered when the big hungry tuna fish were scared away. Who doesn't love a good underdog story? It is a tale of accomplishing big things for everyone's benefit through cooperation. This is a recurring theme in early childhood education. Hopefully, this doesn't inspire mutiny.

Ta-Da!

TRAPEZE ARTS
Stephan conducted a great session, beginning with safe stretching. We then practiced human pyramids and somersaults. The skills taught on the real trapeze were how to mount/dismount and hanging upside down. They loved it.


MOST POPULAR ACTIVITIES
Mask making continued to be very popular. Already children are beginning to modify the stencil designs to make their own ideas (robots, monsters, etc..) Rhoda Kellogg, our schools founder would eschew the use of stencils as being unnatural, but would still find pleasure in the visual schema incorporated in Nate's tiger mask. The circle with the cross in the center is one of the most prevalent images in her research of child development.


SENSORY SCIENCE
The other activity that gave practice to our sharing skills was at the sensory table. Where groups of four squirted warm water through a huge block of ice to liberate a seal and polar bear. We have another with two large polar bears for tomorrow.



TODAY'S STORY
We didn't get to this one until the afternoon story time, so we'll be reading it at the big story time tomorrow morning. Swimmy, by Leo Lionni, tells the tale of one smart little fish who organizes all the other little fish so they are not eaten or scared into remote corners of the ocean. We could use that lesson in November.

Windy Wednesday

Animal On The Equator or AT-AT on Ice Planet Hoth?
(Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, Star Wars fans)

The gorgeous weather has rewaded our paper airplane flyers with fantastic loops and flight patterns. More paper exercises continue with drawing and cutting animal masks. They know what parts are needed and are able to make them independently, with little assistance from teachers. Clean up, on the other hand, requires more than a little insistence. One fun tip is wrapping a piece of masking tape, sticky-side out, around their palms. They go at those tiny scraps like frogs after flies. More on this soon.

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
Today, Sonya helped the squirrels emulate stained glass by sandwiching brightly colored tissue paper between dark blue papers with holes. They marveled at how they glowed in the light. Tomorrow the raccoons will have their turn to do the same.

AUTUMN MUSIC CLASS
We continued using the small hand drums, this time with soft mallets. Annette led the class through songs about Autumn. The students performed musical reinactments of leaves falling and blowing in the wind. We also interpreted the Life Cycle Of A Pumpkin, as illustrated by photos in the book, Pumpkin Circle.

TODAY'S STORY
It's Mine!, by Leo Lionni. This is a book about learning to share. Three quarrelsome frogs live on an island and bicker incessantly about what's mine, mine, mine. A large toad from the other side of the island brings this to their attention. The point is made all too clear when a rainstorm floods the island and the three frogs become united by the same fears and hopes, as they shiver atop the only rock not covered by water. When the water subsides, they discover they were really atop the big toad and were reminded of his wisdom. From that day on, the water, the earth and the air full of flies was "ours."

A follow-up Q&A indicated that we have much sharing to practice.
Survey: ours or mine? (their answers in italics)
Shoes? mine. The blocks? ours. Pants? mine. The classroom? ours. The toys in the classroom? mine.


We defined three ways to share. When someone asks to play with something you have, you must answer one of three solutions:

1) Yes, we can split the pieces so you have some and I have some.
2) Yes, we can play together, with all the pieces.
3) Yes, we can take turns. I'll tell you when I finish (within pre-determined, reasonable period of time - usually 5 to 10 minutes).

Limiting solutions to these three answers simplifies the process and clarifies their communication with one another. Parents, begin your answers with "Yes, after you..." or "Yes, as soon as we..." is a positive way to provide motivation and empowerment for your child. Plus, they'll feel a sense of accomplishment and enjoy their request more.

Tuesday Flipside

Spiral Maze with a rainbow at the end, by Henry.
A careful look will reveal many smaller spirals (writing) on the reverse.

TODAY'S ACTIVITIES
Our activities today were exactly as yesterday's only with the groups alternated. The squirrels got to make playdough while the raccoons performed exercises in movement and coordination.

TODAY'S STORY
Little Blue And Little Yellow, by Leo Lionni. The author uses abstract shapes of color to represent the characters in this story of very human emotions. Little Blue and Little Yellow are best friends who live across the street from one another with their families. They are best friends at school. Blue searches for yellow, who is lost. When he finds him he hugs him so hard that they both turn green. When they return home, their parents don't recognize them, so they cry until they turn into blue and yellow tears that rejoin into their original color forms. Blue's parents tell yellow's parents what happened and they all live happily ever after.

Aside from the simple blue + yellow = green lesson, using abstract characters can often focus our attention more acutely on the feeling of the story. Many of our students' paintings are the same way. Picasso often said, "It took me a lifetime to learn how to paint like a child again."

Masks On Monday

This morning's most popular activity was making animal masks. This activity will remain and optional "free-play" activity for the duration of the month. We don't celebrate Halloween. We don't permit costumes at school. We do welcome children to make their own masks and props for dramatic play. The motor skills of tracing and cutting are valuable and this activity encourages rapid development in these areas.While this begins as a skills-based activity, we usually see very creative shifts as we provide additional materials and replace the animal stencils with blanks that can become anything they imagination. As for now, it's raw enthusiasm and some children asking for the first time to learn how to draw and cut. That's really what it's about.

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
Nothing fosters a sense of community ownership better than work and cooperation. Sonya led the squirrel group through our bi-weekly playdough manufacture. These measuring, mixing, cooking and forming skills are taking hold. many of the children have already memorized the ingredients list and can some of the quantities. These skills will provide nearly instant gratification as we transition into cooking edible delights. My wincing has been replaced by a HUGE jug of Purell.

SCHEDULE SWITCH: ART STUDIO ON FRIDAYS
Room 4 Art Studio visits move to Friday. We discovered (quite by accident) that our transitions to/from the Art Studio were quicker and easier for us and the children when done from the grassy playground. In addition, this allows for more continuity in our daily routines in the classroom. Children who miss out on an activity have more opportunities to participate. Also, maximizing our small groups means more attention and quieter, more focused activity periods.

TODAY'S STORY
Danny And The Dinosaur, by Syd Hoff. This artifact from 1958 still entertains. We had it in our classrooms of the 60s, 70s, and for some of you, the 80s. Danny's wish comes true when a dinosaur at the museum comes to life to experience the "modern" world of children. We preceded the story time by taking a survey: "Would You Ride A Dinosaur To School?" By pre-loadinginformation, we prepare them for the story, encouraging more focused attention. The more they know going in the more easily they can make sense of new information as they process it. If you're curious, the result was 9 yes, 8 no. We'll see if it changes tomorrow.

Double Fun Friday!

We got to do both the Art Studio and the Grassy Playground on the same day!

ART STUDIO
The art studio was full of activity, but the groups were so engaged you could hear a pin drop. Here's what we did:

• Paint Rollers and Brushes on long sticks for a tall cardboard building.
• Sensory bins full of coffee grounds, sifters, containers, and funnels.
• Starch Packing "peanut" constructions with water blotters.
• Tiny, brightly colored sticks to collage on dark blue cardstock.
• Interlocking fish building shapes.
• Painting Easel with pastel and metallic colors.
• Crayon drawing on large paper mounted on upended table.
• Drawing/cutting/writing table with pre-assembled books for "story pictures".

Alternating groups between the art room on the lower level and grassy playground made for easy transistions and the perfect balance between calm and active play.

SENSORY SCIENCE
In our sensory bin we had water with marbles and 4 polar bears. Oh, did I mention that the water was frozen solid? We used cups of warm water and pipettes to "bore" holes through the ice and liberate the polar bears and marbles from their cryogenic state. This was a lesson in persistence as much as sensory comparisons of hot/cold and melting. The muscle groups used to operate the pipettes are the same used for writing.

STRAWS AND STARS
This is one of my favorite toys - so simple, yet infinite in possibilities. The scale of building with these invites collaboration. Fine motor control is essential not only for placing the pieces together, but also exerting just the right amount of pressure to connect them without collapsing the surrounding structure. This was our first exposure to this one and the students wanted assurance that it would not be their last. I can't wait to see what they build with them next.

TODAY'S STORY
Five Little Monkeys Wash The Car, by Eileen Christelow. We all know about the five little monkeys jumping on the bed. In this story, Mama Monkey is frustrated with a temperamental car and decides to sell it. Before doing so, she employs her brood to wash and paint the old beater. A family of crocodiles buy the (now psychedelic) heap, un fazed by it's inability to start or move under its own power. They push it home and use it as their new napping dorm.

Robots (and Other Movements)

Christopher's painting of Two Robots
"There are two and the big one is the daddy and the little one is the baby robot."
Interesting how a simple image becomes a symbol when repeated an given meaning. Yet another connection to writing and reading. He practiced more in this drawing below.



TODAY'S ACTIVITIES
The class finished their round collages today. For those who already finished Usha provided multicolored bears, vehicles, and glass drops for sorting and counting.

The groups alternated these activities with music and movement with the Wiggles. These short, snappy songs cover lots of different ways to move and follow directions.

TODAY'S STORY
Farm Flu, by Teresa Bateman. One by one, the animals are getting sick. The farmer's son has takes care of them, by putting them in beds, giving them hot soup, lots of water and quiet time. Gradually he discovers their recovery as they begin to request things like popcorn and movies and party favors. Knowing they no longer need this kind of attention he returns them to their pens, only to sneeze himself. Now who's going to take care of him?

Hop, Hop and Bop?!

MOTORING MUSIC
We enjoyed playing our hand drums today in music class with Annette. We reviewed how to make different low and high sounds. We even tried them on as umbrellas and made rain sounds lightly with our fingertips. The favorite number was "I Traveled Around Australia On Hwy. No. 1" by The Shenanigans. In this musical tour around from town to town "down under" moving differently with each stop. The hand drums made great steering wheels. This adventurous and educational circle time replaced our usual morning story.


Nate describes his drawing; "This is in space and that's the rocket up there. It's blue. It's going to blast off." I am fascinated by the use of scale and pattern around the edges of the round shape in this drawing. It gives it a sense of dimension.

TODAY'S ACTIVITY
Usha provided for both groups to collage the round "plates" they painted Monday. Children selected brightly colored die-cut shapes and insects. We'll see how they come out tomorrow.

SENSORY SCIENCE
We began experimenting this week at the sensory table. A tub of water is irresistable to most young children. Add to that multi-colored glass marbles, a couple dozen magnetic balls of similar diameter and three magnetic wands and you have a set up for investigation. At first, massaging their hands with the marbles underwater was enough. Second, they began sorting them by color. Third, the magnet test. By waving the magnetic wands over the tiny spheres, some moved and stuck to them while others did not. This made for an exceedingly fun clean-up, especially when pouring the marbles into the glass vase. It was loud! The most interesting discovery was in using the sifters to separate the marbles from the water. Someone noticed,"Look at the [sifter] squares! They got big in the marbles!" Sure enough, the glass marbles and water combined to form a lens that magnified the pattern of the sifter below. We are definitely going to do more with this idea...