Creating groups

Often the individual children in our classroom are interested in different types of activities and material explorations. As the school year has progressed, the children are now more confident in the types of lessons and materials we use in the classroom.

In thinking about our future diorama, we wanted to see what type of contribution might interest them the most. Different actions were listed and we talked about how each might contribute to the diorama.   I asked the children what type of activity they liked the most, or knew the most about, because when we start creating I will need some experts to help with different things. The children took a minute to think and then I asked them to come make their choices. We still have some children to speak with but they each seemed confident as they made their choices.

Thinking about Dioramas

Over the past few months the children have been exploring teeny tiny things.  We have done everything from creating with different building materials, to thinking about tiny details as we draw and paint, to finding special tiny things on the playground.  

The interest seems to have continued with the children after winter break from school.  This week we started to brainstorm ways to incorporate the interest and ideas of all the children in a way that combined the ideas we want to continue exploring.

I printed out photos of dioramas for the children to see.  I explained that dioramas are a small way to represent a space.  Typically we make them out of a box and it is a way to use tiny materials in another way.

We looked at 5 photos of scenes that I thought might be of interest to the children.  We looked at a train station, the desert, a winter scene, an ocean, and a neighborhood.  The children each had the opportunity to vote for a scene that interested them.  They took turns putting their name under a photo to cast their vote, and then we looked at the results together.

We talked about which diorama idea had the most votes, which had the least amount of votes, and what they thought that meant.  Everyone concluded that the train station looked the most interesting and had the most votes, so that will be the scene we will start with.  In the days and weeks ahead, we will begin the planning and constructing process.

I'm excited because this idea really seems to combine the interest area of trains, with the ideas of constructing and drawing tiny details to add so that all of the children will be able to contribute to the process. It will be neat to see how the plans unfold! 

Idea web

We started to web our ideas for our exploration of tiny things.  We have been recording the explorations done in the classroom, and are getting a good visual of where we could go from here.  Our idea of "Tiny Things" has transcended content areas and is something that continues to very much be a point of interest to the children in the classroom. 

Tiny Things

Over the past few weeks we have noticed that the children in our classroom have become very interested in tiny things.  We had a parent bring in small Legos for the children to use and we noticed the interest begin to spread after that. 

With the Legos, we started by having the children just use them to construct.  We did introduce 3-D models to them, specifically an Eiffel Tower made from metal.  The interest in tiny things has carried over to small types of building materials, small animals, and small "pretend play" objects.

We brought in tiny puzzle pieces for the children to construct with - they aren't actually puzzle pieces but small construction materials that look like puzzles and can fit into each other.  The children have been very excited and have used them to create objects like lightning bolts, robots, and tracks.  

Our plan is to read the book, Tiny Perfect Things by M.H. Clark.  The book is about going on a walk through a neighborhood and noticing small details in nature and everyday life.  I am curious as to how the book will inspire the children.  Our plan is to read the book a few times in the classroom so the children are familiar with it and can use it as a resource if needed. 

September 2019

Dear Families,

Welcome to a new school year!  We are so excited to be working with you and your child this year and look forward to a very busy beginning of the school year.

My name is Catie Stone and I will be the lead teacher in the classroom this school year.  I have my Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from U of M-Dearborn and my Master’s Degree in Special Education from U of M-Dearborn as well!  Go Blue!  I have been working at the ECEC as a lead teacher for 11 years but have worked as a student staff member here as well – and I even went to preschool here as a child!

My name is Toni Addington, I will be the Teacher Assistant in the classroom this school year. I graduated from Grand Rapids Community College with my Associate’s degree, with plans to go back to school. Currently, this is my 2^nd year here at the ECEC, however this is my 13^th year teaching.

As I am sure you are aware, we do have some significant allergies in our classroom this school year.  Please make sure you are not sending peanut butter or peanuts in your child’s lunch – you can use Sun Butter or Almond Butter as alternatives.  We are also not permitting food at drop off time or for birthday/holiday celebrations.  Alternative suggestions are listed in the Parent Handbook.

One of the big questions parents are wondering at the beginning of the school year is drop off routine.  We want the children to come into the room, wash hands with soap and water, put away their backpack, find their lunch label and put their lunch away, and then sign in as their families sign in.  This consistent routine was very effective last year and helping your child through this process each morning builds consistency and helps the children get comfortable quickly in the classroom.  It is amazing how practicing to write their names each morning with their families has built fine motor skills over the school year.  We were blown away last year with how quickly the children caught on to the routine and began to read and write their names!

Some of the families have already expressed interest in knowing if there is anything needed in the classroom for the beginning of the year.  We can always use Matchbox cars, books, small houseplants, dry erase markers, small trains and tracks, large woven baskets, and Clorox wipes!

Thursday, September 19^th is our fall Curriculum Night!  You are invited from 5-6pm (open house style) to the classroom to see some of the things the children have been doing the first few weeks of school!  We will be demonstrating how different goals and objectives spanning content areas are incorporated into play throughout our school day.

Friday, October 11^th is a professional development day for teachers so there is no school for children on this day.

Saturday, October 12^th the ECEC is doing a meet up at Plymouth Orchards from 12-3pm.  This is a great chance to meet up with families from our program, see animals, go on tractor rides, and pick a pumpkin!  Parking is free and tractor rides are a few dollars, but fun is endless!  Many of the classroom teachers will be stopping by as well.  Bring your whole family!

Just a reminder to dress in layers for unpredictable Michigan weather!  We will be spending as much time outside as possible – especially with beautiful fall temperatures. 

Please know if you ever need anything or have any questions to let us know.  We look forward to a great year.

Catie Stone & Toni Addington

Dollhouse!

Over the winter semester we worked on concepts related to building.  We had two Early Childhood Interns focusing on different concepts related to building - specifically stabilization, shape of a structure, and parts of a structure.

We wanted to create something as a class that combined all of these concepts.  The children have been very excited about bringing in wooden dollhouses to the classroom so we decided to building a group dollhouse using all of the new ideas and concepts we have been working on.

We asked for donations of boxes to our classroom and our families were wonderful about bringing in materials!  We were able to talk about what a house needed, and the children decided on rooms, windows, door, and roof.  We began to design the skeletal structure of the house!

After the exterior shape was created, we had to think of a way to make it more sturdy.  As of right now, we are in the process of applying paper mache to the exterior of the dollhouse.  The children were all very active participants in this process and were excited to see how it changed the house as it hardened. 

We will continue to work on our house and can't wait to see how it turns out!

Candling our ducks

In about a week our ducks should start "pipping" and emerge from their eggs!  We have had the opportunity to "candle" the eggs - meaning we are shining a very bright light into the eggs to see what is inside.  

At the beginning stages of development, a black spot and veins are visible as an egg is candled.  

As the duck grows, more details become visible.

In the next few days of candling, beaks and feet will be showing when we look inside of the eggs.  So far we have about 15 eggs that are showing development, so we are hoping to have several ducklings soon!