The children continue to be engaged in so many wonderful learning experiences, which deeply touch all of the curriculum frameworks.
We have been noticing big changes in the forest! We have watched as the leaf buds have turned into leaves, and the flower buds have turned into flowers, some very fragrant, others not so much, but still beautiful. Through these observations, we have discussed the life cycle of plants.
We continue to go on amazing nature walks and leaves sunflower seeds for the birds and squirrels. The children love coming back to see the shells left behind. Although, we may not see the animals eating, we know that they exist.
Two turtles continue to reveal themselves in the nearby pond. We have learnt a big word, exothermic, which means these animals need to use the environment to warm their bodies up (in the sun) and the water and shade to cool down their bodies.
Many birds have become very apparent in the forest this spring! We can identify many of them too (e.g., cardinals, robins, bluejays, Canada geese, crows, grackles, red-winged blackbirds, mallards). The children also know that the female is usually brown in colour to camouflage in the her nest, while the male is brightly coloured to attract the female.
This made painting our birds (Pottery-to-Go) quite successful! The children referred to our bird manuals and their prior knowledge to paint beautiful birds for Father's Day (shhhhh!!!!!)!
Thank you for providing all of the delicious vegetables! Together we learnt how to properly clean our hands, working surface, and veggies, how to hold a knife to cut our veggies and how together we created a lovely community soup! "I remember the most important ingredient from last year!", said one student. "Love!" And yes, we put a lot of love in our soup and as you can see the children polished off the whole pot! We also made yummy bread that we dipped in olive oil. What a delicious and nutritious snack!
A week later, we mixed together berries, yogourt, and milk to create a yummy purple smoothie! Take a look at our purple stashes! LOL!
Learning through explaining is a big component in our program. The children not only learn how to effectively communicate and teach, but they are also solidifying their knowledge as they explain processes to their peers. We can see how the children have learnt that the yellow dandelion is the same flower as the "wishing flower", it has simply gone to seed. They have deepened their knowledge when they explain the life cycle of the dandelion to their friends.
In the past, we have explored animal tracks. Lately, we have been looking at vehicle tracks and the tracks made by our shoes. We have also examined the different types of tires and their purpose (e.g., sports cars have tires will little treads so they can move quickly (with less friction), bulldozers and other heavy machines have tires with deep treads so they can move through mud, snow, and sand).
Similarly, our shoes have different types of tread too! We examined our own shoes and explained to the class what the best use of our shoes would be (e.g., hiking, running, walking, court shoes, dressy). Next we explored tracks with paint!
We also made our own vehicles out of wood. We decided which block of wood would work the best, as well as which wheels would make our vehicle successfully travel down a ramp! Bravo, les amis !!!!
Jump Rope for Heart was a great success! Although a little chilly, the children had a lot of fun!
With the unpredictable weather, we appreciate and thank you for continuing to dress your child in layers. Hats are so important to protect our bodies and heads from overheating. Thank you also for putting sunscreen on your child at home, before they come to school. Merci !
Have a wonderful week!