NZ Teacher

The yarn was used to make a trap.  It was tied to a picture frame and a basket. Each was positioned on shelves across from one another.  The children had to go "under" the trap to get to the carpet for whole class time. There was a lot of sharing of ideas, problem solving, and use of the positional language "over" and "under" and "around".

Most of the children are able to chant the question: "How many circles are there?" Everyday the leader (with my support) reads the question. One of the children made this pattern with the 5 circles.  Another child likes to make the pattern of 5 seen on a dice. Literacy learning, math development, communication and creativity.

The children's interest in making a volcano and a tornado provided a perfect opportunity to show the different sounds in the words. One of the children said the words emphasizing the three sounds. So I wrote it that way.  She has read the words several times. Firstly saying it with the three separate sounds then blending them together to say the word in it's entirety.       

To save their tower the children have been making "No Breaking" signs. Each child used different visuals to convey their message. One of the children was able to write the word "No" and he wrote it repetitively - trying to make sure his message gets across. Literacy learning is happening because of their play. Their play has given them a reason to communicate in a graphic manner. Each child was doing what they know how to do and learning from the others around them. This is differentiated literacy learning.

It's the only way to learn. By playing with it. Finding out what will happen if I do this? What will happen if I do that? This boy knows all about the smartboard because he's spends time playing with it. He's even worked out how I unplug it so that he can't play with it anymore.  Creativity, innovation, knowledge and skill comes from having the freedom to explore.

It started with small jars of water for the children to use to wash their paint brushes while using the blocks of water color paints.  It turned into a color mixing experiment. I asked if I could change the water "because it's only going to get blacker." "That's what we want," was the reply. They wanted the experience of adding more and more to get darker and darker black. 

There is a boy in my class (of mostly boys) who loves anything that is science related.  He is always looking intently at objects in the environment.  When we're outside he experiments with water and sand or he watches the ants.  He has ideas for his own and tries things out. He is always observing carefully.  He is a scientist in action.