May 24, 2019

Sensory

This smooth and powdery texture is inviting to the children. Pouring, scooping, filling cups, and pretending to cook, are the different areas the children are exploring.

James: “Look, I made a smoothie!”

Manipulative

These versatile manipulative were very popular during the week. Rohan placed several pieces on the refrigerator. The art arrangement with the different shapes looked magnificent.

The children are collaboratively connecting and building a box using Magna-Tiles.

Charles demonstrated focus and concentration as he connected the different color squares. Even though they were all the same geometric shape, Charles carefully observed, selected, and arranged the color squares.

Alexandra, what are you building?

“I making a house!”

James: “A doggy house!”

The children have always enjoyed interacting with the Colander and Pipe Cleaner activity. It improves, fine motor skills, concentration, and focus as they insert the pipe cleaner into the hole.

The children shared and took turns as they engaged in many activities. As we implement different activities for children to explore, we often pair them to work together. It helps improve their social/emotional development.

Gym

Circle Time

Nate’s mom, Melissa, came to visit and read to the children. The children listened as Melissa reads one of their favorite books.

Art

Painting with Cups and Bottles

Painting with the color blue and yellow and shaving cream! As the children mixed both colors they created a secondary color, green!

Foil Painting!

Rohan is painting with his hands, paintbrush, and the opposite side of the paintbrush he indicated, "I'm drawing!" He used three different techniques to explore painting on foil paper.

The children applied glue on a white canvas with a paintbrush. As they finish, they glued recycled top pouches on the canvas. The beautiful recycled art piece is displayed on the classroom wall. Recycled materials are innovative! We have created and used many recycled materials.

Blocks

James: “It’s a boat. I’m going on vacation!”

Cooper: “I building a house. A man live in the house.

Teacher: “ What is the man doing in the house?”

Cooper: “He is inside the house. He’s doing something.”

Teacher: “Nate, I like the way you are connecting the Bristle Blocks. What are you building?”

Nate:”A train. Dad’s in the train. I’m in the train, too!”

Teacher: “Where are you going?”

Nate: “I’m going to Penn Station!”

Manipulative are hands-on materials that enable children to grip, maneuver, and create amazing constructions, as they use their imagination. The children continue to extend their creation as they manipulate each Bristle block. As they move their hands and fingers to connect and disconnect each shape, they explore and discover new techniques to create.

The sensorimotor stage is the first of the four stages in Piaget theory of cognitive development. In his theory, he emphasizes this period as a time of growth and change. Children experience the world and acquire knowledge through their senses and motor movements. As children interact with their environments, they go through an amazing cognitive growth. During this time, children begin to move towards understanding the world through mental operations rather than purely through actions.

Hollow Blocks facilitate the learning of spatial concepts and simple geometry. Building with blocks promotes skills that involve the whole child. Each child moves their muscles differently to build and create structures.

Alex has been discovering how different blocks feel in her hands and about space and shapes. She develops ideas and interests of her own as she selects the blocks she wants to use. She investigates and aligns them. Size and shape are essential features that help children to decide how they want to build their structure. Blocks are stimulating and rewarding. They contribute to Alexandra creativity and imagination as she explores.

Some of the parents opened the gift the children made for them for Parent’s Day!

Leo's grandmother came to visit classroom 1B. It is always a joy to have grandparents visit and read to the children. They looked intrigued as she reads, explains, and asks questions about each page.