February 23, 2018

During the week we sang a variety of songs and read many of their favorites books.  For example, Pete the Cat, I love My White Shoes, Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons, and Mother Goose Book.  Mother Goose Book has many short stories and songs that the children enjoy listening to!

Among those songs we sang are:

• ABC
• There are 7 days in the week
• What the weather?
• Mr, Sun
• Five Little Speckled Frog
• Five Little Monkey's Jumping on the Bed
• Old Mc Donald Had a Farm
• Popcorn song-
• Where is Thumbkin?
• Watermelon
• Two Little Black Birds
• Blue Bird
• Baa Baa Black Sheep
• Where is Blue? and many more....

The children have been enjoying painting at the small easel.  They are exploring and discovering new ways to move their arms to create different brushstrokes.  I enjoy observing as they maneuver the paintbrush to create an art piece.  Each brushstroke is dissimilar from one another.    As they move their hand, they create delicate lines; some represent a person or an object.

Edith calls her painting, "Mommy and Daddy!"

Towards the left of the painting, she drew a circle, and it seems she drew two eyes and a nose.  Children's work is essential to them, they take a lot of pride drawing and creating an art piece. 

As Remy was painting, the teacher asked her, What are you drawing, Remy?  Remy gazes at her art piece with a keen eye.  She appears to be observing carefully everything she has drawn.    Madeline indicated that she was drawing a "Pappaion" is a French word for a type of butterfly.  

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Remy's picture had an in-depth meaning.  She names several sections of her painting; the sun, boat, circle, telephone, and daddy were in her art piece.   She chooses these words to describe her painting.   I wonder if each of these words is connected to an event or day she spends with daddy.  

A collage is a technique of composing a work of art by pasting on a single surface various materials.  The art of making collages, enable students’ to use their imagination and create a composition that expresses their creativity.  We used rose petals to make a   Flower Collage!  They applied the glue with a paintbrush and gently placed only petals.  They seemed to enjoy exploring with the materials, as they focused on squeezing and spreading the glue.  Our young toddlers are learning about different shapes.  They articulate the circle and triangle shapes with frequency.   Therefore, we created a geometric shape using the rose petals.    We selected a triangle, square, and circle shape as choices for our "Flower Shape Collage." The circle won because it had the most votes.  As they glued the petals in a circular shape, the children had a different view.   Some said it's a circle, a tree, flower, and fishes   This activity promotes fine motor and cognitive development, creativity, and imagination.

We have been exploring and discovering different shades of blue.  Today I placed various items of different colors in a box.  The objective was for the children to select one thing that was blue.   Many were able to recognize and identify the color.  All the selected items were placed in a Ziploc bag and taped on our Color Chart.

Toddlers are learning to understand their own space.  Children are constantly testing their body; they crawl in, around, over, and under things.  The first thing toddlers do when they see a cardboard box is to try to get in it.  As they explore getting into the box, they are discovering their body. Cardboard boxes are excellent tools for spatial exploration, and understanding their space.  

Remy looked curious and interested as she sat in the box.  Soon, Rheya joined Remy in the box.  The box appeared small for both children, but they both managed to create sufficient space.   It seemed that the two of them had a lot of fun sitting together sharing the space!    

Cardboard boxes also promote comfort and security.   It creates an emotional need to be in a small space.  It enables the child to connect with their inner need to be bundled up or embraced.  It also provides a sensory experience.  The soothe sides of the cardboard, the sound it projects when folding or carrying the box, the natural brown color, and drawing on the box are all integral parts of the sensory play.   Their imagination and creativity evolve, as they explore and discover new ways to use the box. 

During circle time, we sang the good morning song, 7 days in a week, and what's the weather out today.  We also sang a few songs and acted out one song, 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.  We used a mat to represent the bed, and all the children had a turn to be one of the monkey’s.  We will explore this method of singing again.    The simultaneous movements as part of the dance are excellent for encouraging everyone to join in and for building confidence and social skills. 

Manipulative toys:

As Remy connects the shape, she said "Square shapes!! A house!"

Look, Sandra, "A bed and person sleeping !"

Crumple Paper Project is a three-step project.  The children crumple the paper first, use watercolors of their choice, and wait until it gets dry to open the paper.  All the children will have the opportunity to do this project.  Their artwork will be displayed on the classroom wall.   

Harry recognized and identified the letter H.  He erased it before washing his hands to have lunch.   This is one of our transitions before lunch.

Highlights of the week:

Exploring Sensory Bag:  The bag contained baby oil, water, and blue watercolor.

Harry: “Blue! Harry’s hands!”

Madeline:  “It feels cold. Making snowflakes!”

Ellis selected only square unit blocks to build his tower and then chose a triangle shape as his final block.  He was careful and observant, as he was piling the squares.

 “A tower!”

Harry demonstrated to the teachers the different size diamonds he could make with his fingers.  He formed his fingers starting from the smallest to the largest!

All the children have a voice in the classroom. We voted on the shape of the "Flower Shape Collage" on Thursday.   Circle won!!!