LITERACY/LANGUAGE: "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom"

As an extension of our literacy-rich program, the Cardinals decided to create a letter tree. This idea was inspired by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault’s book, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. This is a funny, funny story that the Cardinals enjoy hearing over and over again. In an alphabet rhyme, all the letters of the alphabet race up the coconut tree. “Will there be enough room?”

 

The following day, the Cardinals gathered in a circle and together we spoke about each Cardinal choosing a letter of the alphabet. To be fair, we decided that pulling letters out of a cup would be the best strategy. After each Cardinal had a letter, we talked about decorating each letter with an item that has the beginning sound of their chosen letter, e.g., nickels for N, cotton for C, straws for S, and so on.

We decided to replicate this image by attaching the papier mâché tree in our classroom. But, just like in the story, twenty-six letters was way too many letters for our tree! So, after much discussion, the children decided to display the letters on our classroom wall for all to enjoy!

Thank you, Audrey, for decorating the letter "E" with "eggs!"

LITERACY / LANGUAGE: Self-expression

"Fish are swimming in the purple water and fish are swimming in the sky."

April 2014 

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT: Cooking

Providing young children with hands-on cooking opportunities make an already fun activity into a deep learning experience. It is a basic life skill that fosters competence and independence. Cooking projects are a great way to incorporate several learning concepts. It can help build children’s vocabulary, reasoning ability, and learn cause and effect.

Here we see Audrey as she eagerly prepares Irish Potatoes. When Audrey helps out with cooking, she is learning and practicing social skills as well as mathematical, scientific, and literacy concepts.

Math skills are always a part of the process of cooking since counting and measuring are included in the recipe. Using different types of measurement devices gives Audrey the chance to practice the skill of measurement and builds for understanding concepts such as fractions. Science concepts are also part of cooking experience. Chemistry comes into play as Audrey discovers how things change if you alter the environment. For instance, combining powdery and liquid ingredients becomes eatable dough. Fine Motor Development and hand-eye coordination are strengthen as she uses the cooking tools and rolls the dough into small sized balls...and teaches sequencing. Sensory Experience is provided when she smells the ingredients and tastes the ending result. Literacy and following directions skills are promoted through the practice of reading picture clues and following the steps. And, Audrey is also learning Social skills as preparing and eating foods together takes cooperation.

LITERACY/LANGUAGE: Journaling, Winter Break experience

What did you do during the Winter Break?

“I went to my aunts and the puppy jumped on my back.”

1/6/2014

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Cooperative Play, Board Games

Board games are wonderful learning tools for young children. They can teach important social skills such as communicating verbally, sharing and waiting, taking turns, and enjoying interaction with others as they share each other’s ideas. Board games can foster the ability to focus, and lengthen a child’s attention span by encouraging the completion of an exciting, enjoyable game. In addition to teaching young children about patience and good sportsmanship, board games also help children improve their literacy, mathematical, memory and spatial skills.

Here, we see Audrey and her peer as they play cooperatively The Ladybug Game. In their play, Audrey and her friend are sharing and turn-taking. Also, they are listening to each other’s ideas and responding politely and respectfully to one another.  

1/17/2014

Love of Books With Friends...

December 2013
Social Development
Lnaguage and Literacy

Audrey's love of books is observed each and everyday in our Cardinal classroom!  She reads after lunch on a daily basis in a comfortable chair and is often joined by her friends who enjoy listening to her 'pretend reading' aloud. She takes leadership in these experiences and the children have come to love the 'teacher Audrey'!   Throughout this year Audrey has gained confidence in herself and has established wonderful relationships with the children in the class.  When sharing a book with the children, she is very intentional and aware of details in how she 'reads'.   She carefully shows the pictures to all of the children who are listening and uses picture clues to relay the story.  Recently she has been particularly interested in reading books about birds to her friends. She carefully points out details of the birds including color and size.  

Audrey often chooses to play during Choice Time in our Dramatic play area.  Her interest and joy of role playing with her friends reflects the deeper connections she has made with her peers.   She has matured in the area of social development and works well in collaborative, cooperative

play.  Audrey loves to play with the baby dolls and it is so wonderful to see how she is able to bring her love of books and reading into her world of imaginative play with her friends!

LITERACY/LANGUAGE: Journaling, Career choice

What would you like to be when you grow up? What kind of job would you like to do and why?

"A Teacher because I like kids.”

11/19/2013

LITERACY/LANGUAGE: Bird Study Homework, The Students as Teachers

The Cardinals took great joy at sharing their Research Study. The children had chosen a particular species of bird that they wanted to learn more about and returned to class with their findings. Along with their results, several of the children created a nest for their bird of study. Quite a few Cardinals and their families worked together to create the most outstanding habitat for their bird of choice, an amazing collaborative experience.

Each Cardinal was eager to share their found facts as well as the story of all the work that went into the creation of the nests they crafted. Without any hesitation, each took a turn and stood in front of their classmates and teachers and communicated their discoveries. Once done, they invited their audience to ask questions.  This active involvement of the speaker and the listeners fostered a great deal of developments within each child, from learning how to ask a question or stating a comment to providing a leadership role where their choice and voice was honored.

Here’s what Audrey taught us...

The Purple Finch

by Audrey Flitter

1) Nests can be 2.5 feet up to 60 feet off the ground and often built under an overhanging branch for shelter.”

2) The Purple Finch uses its big beak and tongue to crush seeds and extract the nut. They do a similar trick to get at nectar without eating an entire flower and also to get to a seed buried inside a fleshly fruit.

3) The oldest recorded Purple Finch lived to be 11 years 9 months old

4) It lives in the "forest"

5) It eats "sunflower seeds.”

When asked Audrey why she chose this bird her response was, “I studied it because I like the colors of brown and red.” 

The experience of presenting her homework provided Audrey many great developmental benefits, Literacy, Cognitive, and Social/Emotional. It offered Audrey the opportunity to understand the difference between a statement and a question as well as use descriptive language, concept thinking, storytelling, and so much more. Overall, it helped Audrey develop effective communication skills. Also, this opportunity allowed for Audrey to share her interest which fostered her emotional self.