Happy Friday! We had a busy week in 2B - we explored clay and transportation, played with light and shadow, took a trip to the store, and made smoothies!
Specialists
Spanish - We learned about different animals and the sounds they make.
Cooking - We made Chex Mix with raisins and cinnamon - it was a big hit!
Soccer
Music
Clay
The children have been very interested in transportation! On Wednesday, we offered pictures of different vehicles (helicopter, police car, ambulance, airplane, bus, subway, motorcycle, SUV, and dump truck) with clay and tools. As the children studied the different pictures, they decided what they wanted to create:
Oliver: police car
Cooper: subway
Charlie: helicopter
Amalia: airplane
Mikey: bus
Nate: dump truck
We used this opportunity to also incorporate a shape study! Many of the children decided they wanted to make wheels and tires, so we asked, “what shape are they?” They shouted, “circle!” and we began to break off small pieces of clay and roll them into balls. We also noticed other parts of the vehicles: wings, lights, and windows, which looked like rectangles!
This activity was so much fun! The children drew inspiration from their favorite vehicles and used their fine motor skills and imagination to create.
Light & Shadow
On Thursday after Soccer, the children were amazed when they arrived back in the classroom to a new provocation! They noticed that the lights were off and a bright light was shining from an overhead projector. They immediately when up to the wall and noticed their shadows being projected. Some children went over to the projector and began placing animals on it, noticing new shadows! They continued looking around the classroom for other materials to place on the projector: legos, blocks, and people! They were mesmerized by the different colors, shapes, and how items became bigger and smaller .
Light and shadow is such a fun concept, especially at this age. It helps children to become very aware of their bodies, depth, and the shadows they can create. They were inspired to expand on light and shadow and found different materials to project. We will definitely continue this light and shadow study in 2B!
Smoothies!
On Friday during Morning Meeting, each child took turns telling us their favorite fruit:
Maddy: blackberries
Cooper: watermelon
Nate: watermelon
Amalia: pineapple
Nicole: apples
Oliver: bananas
We complied a list and chose two fruits to purchase from Morgan’s Market: pineapple and banana! We took a trip on the buggies, purchased our produce, and went back to school. Each child received a knife and plate, and started chopping up the bananas. We added the chopped banana, pineapple, and yogurt, and blended! The children noticed that the smoothie turned yellow, and many thought it smelled “good.”
The children then drank their smoothies - they were a big hit! Many of the children explained that their Moms and Dads drink smoothies at home. We love when children make these home/school connections. It really serves as a bonding experience for children and their peers!
Other activities this week included:
Stamping
Watercolor painting
Exploring play dough
Practicing literacy with white boards and name cards
November self portraits
Exploring lights
Letter recognition
Exploring water and rocks
We’re looking forward to seeing many of you next Friday at Parent Teacher Conferences. Have a good weekend!