What kind of a plant is THAT?

Ms. Szymaszek’s Morning Investigations:

What kind of a plant is that?

January 17-20

The children explored with the planting "media"--soil compressed into a small disc.

The children added water and watched the media expand.  The children each took turns stirring up the soil to make it easier to plant.

During the winter break, the classroom received the gift of an amaryllis.  On  Monday, January 9, the children worked together to plant the amaryllis in a pot.  The children and teachers talked about what a “bulb” is, and why the amaryllis is considered a bulb.  The following week, the children used “science tools” of their choice to observe the changes over the course of the week.  The children selected rulers and magnifying glasses to measure growth and see the plant more closely.  “I think that its 7 centimeters tall.”  “I don’t think it’s grown at all.  It looks the same with just a little green on it.”

January 17-20: What are these new blocks?

Ms. Szymaszek’s Investigations:

What are these new blocks?

January 17-20

To continue our exploration with building, new blocks were added to the classroom.  The children had a discussion about what the new blocks should be named first.  The children developed vocabulary by using words to describe the blocks first.  These words included wooden, light, strong, small, noisy, and poky.  The children then watched Ms. Amy use the blocks to build a tall tower.  First, the children explored with laying the blocks flat on the floor.  During the week, the children have discovered new ways to stack the blocks tall and build towers that are increasingly taller and more stable.

The children looked closely at a tower created by a teacher, and worked to replicate the tower.  The children worked to alternate the pieces on top of each other to create a second tower independently.

 

The children also worked with teachers to create a stable tower by layering the blocks on top of one another, after an initial pattern was laid on the ground.