This week we really started to dive into our project work. It was the first time we found mail inside our mailbox, and we started to look at our world map and figure out where we are in relation to some of the schools we are going to be talking with! Everyone was very excited to contribute to the postcards we will be sending out very soon. We should also be receiving some mail from John who is traveling in Korea right now!
Some highlights of our week include:
Making sensory bottles (which have really been helping us identify one another and learn each other’s names).
Continued work with clay - and we started to see a shift from just touching the block of clay to utilizing the little pieces to build sculptures.
Making oobleck (cornstarch and water, which stays in a state between solid and liquid).
Starting to talk about and vote on what our class will be for Halloween (more details on this are coming very soon, we will need each family to bring in shirts/hoodies so we can create our costumes!). Right now we are voting between three separate ideas: Wild Things (like from the book), Pumpkins, or Astronauts and/or rocket ships. We will take our final vote on Monday.
Lots of painting - even with our feet!
Running and racing in the gym
This week I’d also like to introduce you to two separate school wide intent projects that we will be focusing on this year.
First, as teachers, we will be studying different ways children interact with and learn from paint. We will be closely observing and documenting the ways in which paint can allow us to express ourselves without verbal communication, but can also be a rich way to open up a dialogue and use our storytelling skills. As soon as Eudenis and I finalize our research questions, we will share them with you. And throughout our project, we would love to hear from you if you have any questions, input or ideas on how we can further our study! Also if you have any leads on field trips to museums or places where we can do some painting related activities, please let me know!
Our second intent will focus on a social emotional curriculum — which is something we always do with the two year olds anyway! For the first part of our year we will be looking closely at self-expression. During the next couple of weeks we plan on making an emotion book, talking about what makes us special and unique, and how we can care for ourselves and others.
Combining the two- one of our research questions will definitely be: When a child engages in a painting project, does his/her emotional disposition change? i.e. does a child who is having a difficult morning suddenly relax once painting is introduced?
Have an amazing weekend, the weather should be great! A few reminders:
-BMS is closed on Monday, October 8th for Columbus day
-Apple picking is Thursday, October 11th at 8:30 sharp
-BMS Annual Halloween parade on Oct. 31st at 9:30 with a lunch party when we return
