Exploring Shadows

For the past month we have been exploring light and dark, black and white. 
                This led us to using light to create shadows.
                  

The children recognize the light, and everything between the object and the light, but finding the shadow that lays on the table behind the object is very difficult. 
                
As the children played with the items on the table they created a spot light which
                  prompted me to get out our crank flashlights.
        
The only dark place, in our room to use the flashlights, was under the table.
                 Turned out the children liked the little hide away.
                  
                    I decided to give them something to search for.
                    
        I printed pictures of a bunny, cow, dinosaur, eagle and letters A-F.
                   
As we were discovering the pictures and letters, this child noticed that B goes with bunny.  Together we matched the rest of the letters to pictures but noticed that two letters didn’t have pictures to match.
     
A and F were missing pictures.  When asked what starts with A (ah) she thought and said "apple".  I encouraged her to draw a picture to add under the table.
                  
Then we worked on the letter F and decided to draw a frog but she said she didn’t
                              know how to draw it so I volunteered.

                
                    For a few days I left this message on top of the table.
    
           
                       More children discovered the pictures and letters.                    
                     It’s wonderful learning when the unplanned happens!

Cookies for the Birds

This morning we planned an outing to the marsh to feed the birds.
                     
We've been before because it’s very close to our school and is a short
           trail that our little ones can manage fairly easily.

We were going to make bird feeders but then I found this recipe at 
                            Imagine Childhood.
      
    It was a switch to bake cookies for the birds instead of ourselves. 
We followed the recipe, adding margarine, flour, oatmeal and baking powder.

                        
A fun part was when we added the egg, the recipe said to add the shell too. 
                         So we crushed it up with our hands.
  
Next we added bird seed and blueberries (we had some in the freezer)
                                and mixed it altogether.
                      
We rolled it out between two sheets of waxed paper and started to
                                use cookie cutters.

The cookie cutter didn’t work well so we decided to roll the dough into
                             balls and poke a hole in each.
             
They bake for about 15 or until hard and brown.  All ready to take the marsh.
   
We strung green yarn through the hole and looked for a tree to hang it from.
             
                The colours almost match the environment.
                          
                Will the birds find them?  Will they like them?

Sharing Books with our Buddies

This morning we met with our buddies.  Our objective was to promote reading.

             
The big buddies had visited the library and picked out books to read to the
little buddies.  They practiced reading it before we got together.
 
This was an opportunity for the big buddies to be a teacher.  Teaching the little buddies how to handle a book.  I noticed the books being handled respectfully and turning the pages carefully.
    
Teaching the little buddies that pictures and words in the book mean something.
I noticed that they pointed at pictures after reading to help make connections.
                
Teaching the little buddies the pleasure of reading together.  I noticed heads together studying the book; listening, asking questions, talking together.

To end our time together the big buddies brought a book to life.
                             
They performed Caps For Sale.

caps for sale 2 from Maureen Wagner on Vimeo.
As they story started the children settled in to listen.  Even our youngest buddies were attentive to what was happening.  We didn’t need a back drop or scenery, the big buddies led us through the story so enthusiastically that the little buddies were so enjoying it that they were willing to become involved.

Make-a-Snack

                         
Today we made ‘Warm Rolled Up Bananas’ for snack.  You can find this simple 
                               recipe at Super Healthy Kids.
  
               
Measure cream cheese, honey and cinnamon in a bowl, then mix really well.
             
                 Spread it on a tortilla right out to the edges.
 
         Peel the bananas and roll them up in the cream cheese tortilla.
              
Cook them in a frying pan, turning every couple of minutes so all sides are
                             browned and the insides are soft.
            
                   We sliced it so everyone could share.