November Sun

The weather today was too nice to be inside.
We took our learning outside, down the street and to the park.
It always amazes us how much learning that children can begin for themselves, especially in a rich environment like a playground.

There's imaginative play.

Gross motor exercise.

"I tried this before and I couldn't do it. But I tried again and now I can!"

Using technology.

 Experiments in gravity.

Teamwork and patience.

 Writing.

 And biology.

Cameron Ha. found the last caterpillar of the season, and the children put him in the grass.

"Go home little buddy."

Tired but happy faces headed home.



Tube time

What can you do with a flourescent tube package?

Earlier this week, we brought in these long clear tubes as a provocation. Part of the Emergent Curriculum approach is to bring in new and novel items and see what happens. We don't give any direction about what they are or how to use them...this is called a provocation.

It's amazing what the kids can think up on their own! We observe, ask questions, and try to deepen their learning, and encourage problem solving processes.

So what can you do with a tube?

You can fill it up and watch all the stuff tumble out.

"It's gravity."

 You can fight fires.

"Pshhhhhhhh!"

You can make a megaphone.

"HELLLLLLOOOOOO Miss Russell!"

 You can make a mop or a vacuum.

"Vrrrrrrrrrr!"

 You can make a ramp for cars and marbles.

"Put it up higher so it will go faster!"

 Or you could join them together...

And make a reeeeeally long ramp!

"I think we need some tape!"

Look for more updates about the ramp inquiry using these tubes, coming soon. 

Self-regulation

Several parents have been asking about self-regulation. What is it? Why is it important? What does it look like?

Self-regulation is the ability to respond to stressors and return the mental and physical system to a calm, balanced state. Being calm and balanced is the best state for learning, which is why it is so important.

Stressors could be all sorts of things: changes in routines, noise, light, crowds, exciting situations like parties, generalized anxiety, scratchy clothing or tight shoes, stimulating video games or toys, etc.

When self-regulation breaks down, self-control is also lost. This is what leads to impulse problems, hands-on behaviour, and generally bad behavioural choices.

"Developmental researchers have identified self-regulation

– the ability to respond effectively to various stressors and

return to a state of equilibrium – as central to the ability to learn.

We know this from our classroom experience. The hyperactive

child and the child who can hardly stay awake will both

struggle to focus, as will the child who is highly anxious or

very sensitive to light and sound." - from Learn Magazine
Here's an example from a famous study. A four year old is left alone in a room with a marshmallow, and was told not to eat it until the adult returned. If the child waited, he would get an extra marshmallow as a reward. If not, no extra marshmallow.

40% of four year olds were able to delay gratification and control their impulse to chow down. Those 40% showed higher academic achievement when studied again years later. Self-regulation = academic success.

In our class, we are looking for children who can regulate their voices (indoor voice), walk in the classroom, share toys, use words to solve problems, and stop playing at clean up time. We encourage this through clear expectations, positive feedback for good self-regulation, and a visual tracking system for when self-regulation breaks down.

We give them warnings before changing activities so they can start preparing to stop playing. As teachers, we model our own self-regulation by being in a calm, alert state when interacting with the children.

If you're interested in learning more, check out this short article:

http://www.self-regulation.ca/?wpfb_dl=10

For more indepth reading, take a look at this one, geared towards teachers (but still very useful at home):

http://www.self-regulation.ca/?wpfb_dl=4

As always, let us know if you have any questions about this or any other topic.

Kids in action

It's always busy in our kindergarten, as anyone who has visited can tell you. There are always many centres open to allow for free choice, and the children are encouraged to come up with their own projects to pursue. As a result, we often have 10 or 11 little hubs of activity at any given time.

The teachers spread out at playtime in an attempt to capture all the learning. Armed with clipboards and cameras, we observe, ask questions, and challenge the students to keep experimenting. Sometimes we get pulled away to deal with the inevitable social conflicts, but we try to focus our time on the learning at centres. Teachable moments happen fast and we want to catch them all!

Here are a few videos and pictures of the action this week.

Excitement about the Bey Blade project continues. Check out this counting action, with more boys building in the background:

The gravity experiments are growing:

The boys started creating posters about how to make a good Bey Blade out of cubes.

And dinosaurs danced in some paint to celebrate the /d/ sound we've been working on this week.

Some artists started making creations out of wire and other found materials.

We're hoping to bring you more action soon. With parent interviews beginning next week, we may have to put off posting for a little while. We will do our best to keep you updated!



Bey Blades

Since the beginning of the year the boys in our class have had an ongoing interest in Bey Blades. Since we have a "no home toy rule" at school the boys were forced to find a new way to enjoy their favourite at home toy. Admittedly, at first we fought them on it, as it often got wild and every day they spent the majority of their activity times making and battling Bey Blades. At one point we even took away their first Bey Blades attempts which were being made out of a gear toy. The boys persisted and soon the gear toy was replaced with a new material to build Bey Blades with.

We finally decided that instead of fighting them on it, we would work with them on it. So far everyone has gotten a chance to spin their Bey Blade and we all counted to see who's Bey Blade could spin the longest. I documented the times on the wall, with the seconds their creation spun for. Today the boys started to count the seconds on their own and record their name and time independently. Over the next few days we are looking to introduce more materials so the boys (and a few girls) can improve upon their original design and even test some new designs using those new materials.  

Gavin's Bey Blade creation

There was serious thinking that went into the design. They discovered that there needs to be a knob on the bottom to allow it to spin. We'll be talking about the concept of "friction" next!

The boys mid- Bey Blade battle.

A Bey Blade Design.

Another Bey Blade Design.

More Bey Blades.

A more intricate Bey Blade Design. They are starting to build on their original designs.

An original Bey Blade that was modified to have longer arms.

Our Bey Blade timekeeping board.

Black and Orange

Here's some of the action from Orange and Black Day:

What goes up...

We've had a jam-packed day today!

At the construction carpet, we introduced the vocabulary word "gravity". Children were busy building towers, then rolling marbles off and watching them fall. We learned that gravity is what makes things fall.



Unfortunately, we also discoverd gravity makes blocks fall on people's heads! We have a new rule for the wooden blocks....no towers higher than the hips.

We introduced the Poetry Books today.

This book contains many of the songs we share in class. Children are excited to practise these at home with parents, brothers, and sisters!



Encourage your child to track the words with a finger and to sing with experession.

This morning, we noticed our pumpkin has changed:

We decided to put it outside and watch it to see how it changes over time.

Predictions include:

"It will change colours."
"It will go white. I saw a white pumpkin once."
"It will go all mushy."
"It will grow into a new pumpkin."

 We'll leave it in the field, along with some other gourds and apples, and check on it every few days.

Soon after placing the pumpkin, our boys discovered the ditch. What ensued were more experiements into gravity....aka rolling down the hill!

Science is everywhere!