Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Outdoor ABC Hunt

                    IMG_4888
This morning we spent a bit of time outside looking for a missing alphabet.
  IMG_0575 IMG_0577
                         IMG_0576
I saw this idea at Fantastic and Fun Learning and adapted it to work for our centre.  I hid magnetic letters, A-Z, around our playground before we went outside.
         IMG_0572 IMG_4887
The children were to quick to run around the play structure searching and
                                        finding letters.
                    IMG_4891
      As they found letters they added them to our alphabet line. 
        Matching the letters then running back to look for more.
   IMG_0582 IMG_0580
The activity provided an opportunity to introduce letters and to reinforce
                        letters in each child’s name.
                        IMG_4892
Another benefit of printing the letters on the ground for the children
         to match was to make sure we found all the letters.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Hammering Inside and Outside

                IMG_0500
   Last week I provided hammers and golf tees for the children,
 IMG_0434IMG_0546
                     knowing that they love this activity.
   IMG_0445IMG_0530
    We hammered into paper to make holes, sometimes drawing a design
                                      or name first.
  IMG_0443IMG_0547
             IMG_0514
Then when they finished, if they were interested, they lifted it up towards the light
           IMG_0554
                                  and could see through it.

We have tried hammering golf tees into paper, pumpkins and styrofoam so I thought why not take it outside and let them hammer into the ground.
              IMG_0454
             The grass makes a suitable canvas for hammering.
        IMG_0459
Although the real challenge is getting the tee out of the ground if they
                                happen to hammer it deep.
           IMG_0499
                   How else can we extend hammer play?

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Grumpy Bird ~ StoryMob

             This week our community performed a second StoryMob. 
We decided to do it on Raise-a-Reader day to help promote literacy in
                                      our community.
                   IMG_0022
We chose the book Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard because he was the guest author/illustrator at our regional library summer reading program.  We offered a few pre-mob activities leading up to the event.
               IMG_2667
A story time in a local park was a good opportunity to introduce the book to
                          families who weren’t familiar with it.
              IMG_2677
                    IMG_2681
          We practiced copying Grumpy Bird as we walked around the park.

                        IMG_0199
       IMG_0263 IMG_0300
Also we had a few days where families could attend events to make animal masks.  Our local art gallery opened on a Saturday to run a mask making day too.
       IMG_4825IMG_4828
       The day of the event started with building a nest for Grumpy Bird.
         IMG_4831IMG_4834
  We gathered our material in front of the art gallery and twisted grapevines
          together to make a circle.  Then we used bamboo to fill it in.
     IMG_4839 IMG_0359
  The gallery provided some softer material to line the nest making it
                       comfortable for lots of birds to gather.
IMG_0356IMG_4847
  Once all our main characters were assembled we started the story.
                          Bird wakes up grumpy.
     Too grumpy to eat, play and even fly so he goes for a walk.
As he walks he passes some of his friends and they decide to walk along with
                                        him.  
  IMG_0386IMG_0365
A young girl, of 8 , painted the above posters to put in business windows.  They provided the narration of the story and some advertisement leading up to our
                                                  event.
    IMG_0366IMG_0372
We continued around the city block meeting all the characters in the story
                           making our mob grow larger.
           IMG_0378IMG_0379
All the characters followed Grumpy Bird and copied his actions which cheered
                                 Bird until he was happy.
                     IMG_0385
We flew back to the nest to have a snack of worms (gummy, of course).
        IMG_4863
    It was so much fun to share a terrific story with so many people.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Bead Tree

Another activity I set up to get to know each other during our first week
                              at school was beading.
      IMG_4799 IMG_4800
The families gathered around the table and strung beads on wire then hung
                                   them on the tree.
 IMG_0289IMG_0295
As they worked on their bead strings they met each other, chatted
                    and became comfortable with new friends.
    IMG_0254IMG_0255
While they beaded we chatted about the beads they chose; what shapes,
                         colours and what they liked about them.
    IMG_0242IMG_0291
While they beaded I learned about their fine motor and math skills.  How did they handle the beads?  Could they string without assistance?  What shape did they make their strand?  Did they know the letters on the beads they chose?
   IMG_0241IMG_0346
I learned if they were able to leave their bead creation on the tree or if they
                                 needed to take it home.
   IMG_0290 (2)IMG_0253
What we ended with is an art piece to display that we worked together to create.