I'm going to use pink for the legs.

Ms. Jennifer's Classroom Explorations

"I'm going to use pink for the legs."

November 26, 2012

Throughout the course of the semester,  the children continued to explore with animals.  The children had begun to draw animals as a means of representing their ideas.

“I’m going to build a spaceship”

Ms. Fausneaucht Classroom Investigations:

“I’m going to build a spaceship”

November 13, 2012

 On November 13^th, the children were exploring with the 3D waffle builders and were engaged throughout the day.

Maybe we should add hot water?

Ms. Szymaszek’s Investigations:

We need to make the butter soft…maybe we should add hot water?

November 14, 2012

 As the children gained experience using a whisk, the teachers tried to plan for recipes that required the use of the whisk.

"They're prints, footprints." -Studying Animal Footprints

Ms. Jennifer’s Investigations:

“They’re prints, footprints.” -Studying Animal Footprints

November 12, 2012

This morning the children had the opportunity to explore photographs of animal foot prints. First, the children viewed the prints and used their words to describe what they saw. Many of the children shared their ideas as to which animal was responsible for making particular prints.   

I want to make Green!

Ms. Davis’s Investigations:

I want to make Green!

November 14, 2012

 

 The past few weeks, the children have shown an interest in following a recipe while mixing ingredients, to compose a completed product.  During the afternoon, the children explored with making colored play dough from scratch with Ms. Davis. 

It’s a circle the mom made and its play dough.

 Ms. Davis’s Investigations:

It’s a circle the mom made and its play dough!

November 7, 2012

       In a continuing exploration of following a recipe while mixing ingredients, the children watched a video on “How to Make Colored Play Dough”.

"Where's the body?" -Drawing the Rest of the Animals

Ms. Jennifer’s Investigations:

“Where’s the body?”
 -Drawing the Rest of the Animals

November 5, 2012

To extend our study of animals while building the skill of drawing as a means of representation, the children were challenged to complete the animal pictures they were presented with. Images provided included the heads of a bear, crocodile, elephant, giraffe, and a tiger, but the rest of the animal bodies were missing. Prior to drawing, I encouraged the children to talk about the features of the missing animal bodies, such as the number of legs and arms, the shape of the body, the presence of a tail, and the color or pattern. I was anxious to see the children’s mental representation of the animals come out onto their paper.  I modeled this thinking and drawing process by talking about an elephant’s body and completing the body of the elephant.

You have to mix it like this...

Ms. Szymaszek’s Investigations:

You have to mix it like this, just like you stir up the eggs.

November 8, 2012

 

Throughout the course of the semester, the children have been interested in cooking, and the tools needed to cook.  Earlier in the semester, the children fixated on baking, using clay in muffin tins, cookie cutters with playdough, and rolling pins with cloud dough.  Earlier in the week, the children talked about using a big pot and a ladle to make “potions.”  To further this investigation, the children explored with mixing bowls, whisks, soap and water.   

Exploring with the Linking Cubes

Ms. Fausneaucht Classroom Investigations:

Exploring with the linking cubes

November 6, 2012

On November 6, the children began to build with the linking cubes.

I need to mix this potion...

Ms. Szymaszek’s Investigations:

I need to mix this potion.  Help me mix the potion!

November 5, 2012

On Monday, November 5, the children continuously talked about “potions!”  “I’m going to make a potion and stir it up like a witch does.”  “I’m going to make my own potion with all these things here.”   

" I want to make a map like that, a zoo one!"

Ms. Jennifer’s Investigations:

“I want to make a map like that, a zoo one!”
Week of October 29, 2012

This particular group of children continues to demonstrate a deep-rooted interest in animals and building for animals. Last week, the children were given the opportunity to explore the large zoo map and construct a zoo with blocks using the map as a reference. This week, I wanted to incorporate drawing as a means of representation and peer-teaching into my curriculum plans so I chose to create lessons that built upon these skills and also related to animals. 

Raffle Basket Info

Greetings Families!

To support our program, we will be raffling off baskets.  We are accepting donations for our "gift card shopping spree" basket.  This basket will contain gift cards or gift certificates for any store, in any amount.  Some popular gift card choices may include the following:

-Target

-Meijer

-Toys R Us/Babies R Us

-Barnes and Noble

-Kroger

-Restaurants (Applebees, Rainforest Cafe, Olive Garden)

-Museums/Zoos (the Henry Ford/Greenfield Village, Detroit Zoo)

-Panera

-Starbucks

-Coldstone

-Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins

I thank you in advance for your support and your donations.

Exploring With Baking and Cooking

Ms. Davis's Classroom Investigations

Exploring With Baking and Cooking

October 2012

 

During the course of the semester I have observed the children exploring with cooking in several areas such as the dramatic play area, the sand table and during outdoor time. On more than one occasion, I have recorded the children’s explorations with baking/cooking in the kitchen area and in the sand table, as they pretended to prepare cakes, cookies and/ or meals for myself, family, friends and love ones.  

Airplane Explorations

Ms. Szymaszek’s Classroom Investigations:

Airplane Explorations

October , 2012

 

 Upon placing Legos on the table, the children began to use Legos to build different airplanes, rocket ships, and helicopters.  For weeks, the children used Legos to build different airplanes.  To further their investigations, I provided the children with a diagram drawing of an airplane, showing all of the parts required for flight.

 

  For another few weeks, the children continued to build airplanes with more accuracy, and began to use the appropriate vocabulary associated with their structures.  “My airplane has two wings, and the jets are right here underneath.”  “My airplane needs to have a window to see through.”  “Your airplane won’t work!  It needs to have two sets of wheels so it can drive on the runway, see?”

 To expand upon this experience, I provided a large printout of an airplane cockpit, and taped it to a transparent board.  I also provided to floor chairs for the children to sit on.  The children have brought over multiple chairs so that two children can be the “pilot and copilot” and the other people can “sit here, ride in the airplane, and read some books.”  After hearing the story The Noisy Airplane Ride, the children have used the book as a point of reference for airplane travel.  “See here?  In the book it says you have to pass out a snack and drink.”  “It says the captain has to talk to the people in the back.  I’m the captain and I say buckle your seatbelts!”  The children have enjoyed taking turns piloting the airplane and riding as a passenger.  We have also talked about who rides on an airplane, and the jobs of the people on the airplane.  “The captain is like a pilot. He drives the airplane.”  “There are other people on the airplane.  They have to sit and buckle their seatbelts and eat their snack.”

To further this exploration, the children will get to see a presentation on airplanes, and view a video taken from the cockpit of an airplane taking off and landing, as well as a video from the cockpit of the Blue Angels stunt airplanes.  We will continue to explore with being pilots, and perhaps begin building larger airplanes with big wooden blocks.  If you or your family knows a pilot, has pictures of airplanes, or have books about airplanes, we would love to have you share them with our class! 

I want to make a home where bees live!

Ms. Szymaszek’s Classroom Investigations:

I want to make a home where bees live!

October 18, 2012

Exploring with the Triangle Magnet Tiles

Ms. Fausneaucht's Classroom Investigations

Exploring with the Triangle Magnet Tiles

October 16, 2012

The project that I have been working with the children has been building 3D or flat structures with the triangle magnet tiles. I noticed the children’s main focus would be using the square magnet tiles to build. The children often argued with who had the most magnet tiles, occurring throughout the play. The children consistently used the squares and did not use the triangles when offered. To challenge their thinking I have only provided the children with the triangle magnet tiles to explore and have had them explore with only the tall triangle magnet tiles to see how they will communicate with each other when faced with conflict.

Animal Explorations

Ms. Jennifer's Classroom Investigations

Animal Explorations

October 17, 2012

     As I observed the preschool children in Ms. Szymaszek’s class during the first few weeks of the semester, I noticed that almost every morning the children were taking out the magnatiles and plastic animals and playing with them in the block area.  It was hard to determine the focus of their play sessions with all of the distractions and other activities going on in the block area, so I thoughtfully designed a lesson to reveal the topics that were sparking curiosity in the children...

We are building a zoo!

Ms. Szymaszek’s Investigations:

“We are building a zoo.”

October 12, 2012

They fell off the trees!

Ms. Szymaszek’s Investigations:

Collecting Leaves: “They fell off the trees!”

October 11, 2012

 

But we need the leaves and berries to feed it!

Ms. Szymaszek’s Classroom Investigations:

“But we need the leaves and berries to feed it!”

October 5, 2012

I’m making the airplane. This is the wings.

Ms. Szymaszek’s Classroom Investigations:

I’m making the airplane.  This is the wings.

September 25, 2012

It smells like candy. Can we eat it?

Ms. Szymaszek’s Classroom Investigations:

“It smells like candy. Can we eat it?”

Monday, September 24, 2012

The past few weeks, the children have shown an interest in cooking. This morning, the children had the opportunity to make pumpkin play dough from scratch with Ms. Szymaszek. First...

What are we going to do with the seeds?

Ms. Szymaszek’s Classroom Investigations:

What are we going to do with the seeds?

September 20, 2012

I’m making cupcakes!

Ms. Szymaszek’s Classroom Investigations:

I’m making cupcakes!

September 18, 2012

It's too bright in here. I can't see the stars!

Ms. Szymaszek’s Classroom Investigations:

It's too bright in here.  I can't see the stars!

September 17, 2012

I’m making the most yummy cupcakes. Can I have that spoon?

Ms. Szymaszek’s Classroom Investigations:

I’m making the most yummy cupcakes.  Can I have that spoon?

September 14, 2012

We’re not space men. We’re boys that fly into space!

Ms. Szymaszek’s Classroom Investigations:

We’re not space men.  We’re boys that fly into space!

September 13, 2012

During the week of September 10, the children’s interest in rockets and outer space continued.  The children used different building materials, like the playplax above, to build a rocket ship.  “This is where the flames come out!  This is where the fire explodes.”  The children took the rocket to the stage, and continued to be “in outer space.”  The “arrow” on the record player “says how fast we’re going.  We’re going kind of slow.”  The window was the window of the “rocket ship.” Next, the group of children discovered a tray of rocks.  They said they “found lots of space rocks” and that they “need to put them over here to hide them for later.”