Patterns
For the past few weeks, the children have been observing and noticing patterns. First they looked at AB patterns by noting two colors and observing how they alternate. Then they were able to guess which color would go next. After they were confident in predicting what went next, they made their own patterns choosing two colors. Next, the chose an animal outline to color in with alternating colors to make gorgeous patterns of their own.
To switch things up, friends starting making patterns with natural materials that we had in our classroom. The children alternated seashells and sticks by lining them up and again predicting which would go next. Some of them enjoyed counting them as well.
Reptiles: So interesting for the children!
After the excitement of the petting zoo last week, the most popular animal among our Nursery friends has continued to be the snake. This week, we have learned that a snake is part of the reptile group. (We also discovered that turtles, lizards and crocodiles are also reptiles.) The children have been great investigators, making observations about them as well as drawing conclusions about their appearances or behaviors. They began asking different questions about snakes and we have been reading books and searching for the answers using our iPad and the monitor together during Circle time. The children were very interested in anaconda snakes and king cobras.
Some wonderful thoughts we heard about snakes were:
Wesley: "A snake can eat a spider!"
How are snakes able to smell? Serena: "With their tongue!"
Eugene: "That's an anaconda."
Michael: (Snakes) "Slither around. They start in an egg."
Mya: "My brother has a cobra doll."
Some questions we have had about snakes are:
"Can an anaconda eat an alligator?" (Michael)
"Can an anaconda eat a daddy snake? A baby snake?" (Eugene)
We researched some of these questions as scientists do...and welcome you to ask your child to see what they say!
Some wonderful thoughts we heard about snakes were:
Wesley: "A snake can eat a spider!"
How are snakes able to smell? Serena: "With their tongue!"
Eugene: "That's an anaconda."
Michael: (Snakes) "Slither around. They start in an egg."
Mya: "My brother has a cobra doll."
Some questions we have had about snakes are:
"Can an anaconda eat an alligator?" (Michael)
"Can an anaconda eat a daddy snake? A baby snake?" (Eugene)
We researched some of these questions as scientists do...and welcome you to ask your child to see what they say!
In addition, we learned that snakes lose their skin similar to how people do (we just don't notice it as much) and saw a video of a snakes losing their skin or shedding. Some of the children said it looked "glittery", "like circles" and like the wrapping of an apple from the store. We also watched a video of a snake moving quickly, or slithering, across the desert sand. James wondered if he could run faster than the snake. The children were intrigued!
As some friends also enjoyed holding the turtles at the petting zoo and noting their calm nature, turtles have also been popular among our friends.
Some thoughts and comments about turtles we heard were:
Zoe: "Turtles have flippers. Flippers help the turtle swim. I saw a turtle with a broken shell."
Aila: "If they go under the water, they cannot talk."
James: "They eat strawberry. They only eat the green part because (the red part) is sour for them."
Claire: "They don't have hair."
Anna: "It has big arms. It will fall under the water."
Some questions we have about turtles are:
Where do turtles live? (Aquarium? Ocean? In the sand?)
What do turtles eat? (Leaves? Strawberry? Bugs?)
Some thoughts and comments about turtles we heard were:
Zoe: "Turtles have flippers. Flippers help the turtle swim. I saw a turtle with a broken shell."
Aila: "If they go under the water, they cannot talk."
James: "They eat strawberry. They only eat the green part because (the red part) is sour for them."
Claire: "They don't have hair."
Anna: "It has big arms. It will fall under the water."
Some questions we have about turtles are:
Where do turtles live? (Aquarium? Ocean? In the sand?)
What do turtles eat? (Leaves? Strawberry? Bugs?)
Snakes and Turtles
On Thursday, the children got into two groups based on their reptile of interest: snakes or turtles. After discussing some facts about snakes (anaconda and king cobras are types of snakes, some snakes are poisonous and snakes smell with their tongue because they don't have noses), the children decided they wanted to make their own snakes. They were given many materials to choose from and the unanimous choice was to use paper clay. The children put their finger muscles to use in order to roll the paper clay into snakes. Some made big snakes, others rolled little baby ones, and some even made snake eggs. The children enjoyed counting how many snakes they had made and compared who had the longest, biggest, tiniest, and so on. The next day after the clay had dried, the children in the snake group painted them using colors of the choice.
Meanwhile, the turtle group also came up with facts about turtles (some turtles can hide in their shell while other turtles can't, baby turtles hatch from eggs and turtles that live in the sea have flippers). They even had some questions about turtles they wanted to find out: How sharp are a turtle's teeth? (Mya) and Do turtles have teeth? (James and Mina) which we said we would find out together during Circle time.
The turtle group decided that they would like to make one big turtle together. After searching for different materials for the shell (different sized boxes), the children decided to use part of an old, broken suitcase that we could not use in the classroom anymore. The children enjoyed taping the shell with brown and green tape! The children are still thinking about what materials to use for the body, head and tail. We will continue this next week.
The turtle group decided that they would like to make one big turtle together. After searching for different materials for the shell (different sized boxes), the children decided to use part of an old, broken suitcase that we could not use in the classroom anymore. The children enjoyed taping the shell with brown and green tape! The children are still thinking about what materials to use for the body, head and tail. We will continue this next week.
The next day many of the children in the turtle group asked if they could make their own turtles using boxes from our junk art area. They were VERY creative with other materials and use an egg carton, toilet paper tubes, tape and wood clay in new ways that the teachers were very impressed with. Some friends decided to team up to make their creations and the process and products were wonderful!
During Circle time, we researched about whether or not turtles have teeth as the children could not agree on an answer. We discovered that turtles that are living now do not have teeth but instead have little beaks which help them chew their food. The children were enthralled while watching a short clip of a turtle eating an apple.
It has been fascinating to watch as the children's interests grow while we study these wonderful reptiles. The children have retained so much new information as we discover it and it has been fantastic to hear them use their newly acquired vocabulary when talking about snakes and turtles. We will continue to search for answers and involve the children in fun, educational activities like this as they remain interested in learning more!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
-Julie and Natalie
Have a great weekend, everyone!
-Julie and Natalie