Week in Review (10/3-10/7)

Week in Review (10/3-10/7)

Trying New Ways to Paint 

The children are always excited to paint in the classroom. Because of this, we offered them a few new ways to paint this week. Children were able to create paintings with new tools like cardboard tubes and sponges. We talked about the marks they made and noticed they were different from normal paintbrushes. They also tried foam paint, a new type of paint they used with their hands. This offered new colors and textures for students to explore. 

7a. Uses fingers and hands 

7b. Uses writing and drawing tools 

8b. Follows directions 
33. Explores the visual arts

Boat Investigation

We extended on the children's interest in boats by incorporating both construction materials and dramatic play opportunities. We noticed children bringing chairs into their boat play so we offered them chairs and large wooden blocks outside on the building platform. The children immediately began designating drivers and fixers in the boat. Many of them were concerned about "blocking the water" and creating boundaries around the boat to "keep the water out". They found a round block to use as a steering wheel and extended blocks from the side of the boat to create "stairs". We are eager to see how the class continues to explore boats. 

1b. Follows limits and expectations 
 3a. Participates cooperatively and constructively in group situations 
7a. uses fingers and hands 
10a. Engages in conversation

Building Pathways

The students in our class enjoy building roads and driving cars. We have explored wooden roads, waffle block roads, and train tracks and have used problem solving skills to construct roads that were big in size and connected in many different places. The students have recognized the various modes of transportation and roadways and we are excited to build more roads and learn how cars move. The students have applied real world concepts to their building such as stop signs, construction work caution, bridges and tunnels and are really making connections from what they have already learned from their own experiences and connecting it with their play.  The students are working together to build a community of learners who are kind and share information, space and toys!

1. Regulates own emotions and behaviors
a. Manages feelings
b. Follows limits and expectations
c. Takes care of own needs appropriately
2. Establishes and sustains positive relationships
a. Forms relationships with adults
b. Responds to emotional cues
c. Interacts with peers
d. Makes friends
3. Participates cooperatively and constructively in group situations
a. Balances needs and rights of self and others
B. Solves social problems

Week in Review (9/26-9/30)

Week in Review (9/26-9/30)

Exploring the Garden

Our class explored the different plants growing in the garden. They observed how different vegetables such as tomatoes and zucchini grew. Children noticed the red, orange, and yellow flowers growing. They also felt different textures such as soft, fuzzy leaves and "pokey" leaves. We enjoyed running through the garden and investigating each new plant we saw. 

24. Uses scientific inquiry skills

25. Demonstrates knowledge of the characteristics of living things

26. Demonstrates knowledge of the physical properties of objects and materials

27. Demonstrates knowledge of Earth’s environment

Pretending to be Firefighters

We have noticed the class being interested in firefighters lately. We set out the firefighter hats and jackets and also included flexible tubes they could use as "fire hoses". They quickly started incorporating the materials into their play. We saw them "putting out fires" around the classroom and "rescuing" each other. 

 29. Demonstrates knowledge about self
30. Shows basic understanding of people and how they live
31. Explores change related to familiar people or places 36. Explores drama through actions and language14. Uses symbols and images to represent something not present
a. Thinks symbolically
b. Engages in sociodramatic play a. Engages in conversations 

Sailing Boats in the Water

To build on the interest in boats we have observed, we introduced new boats to the classroom. The children were very curious about how they moved and floated in the water. They floated them on top of calm water and then made the water "wavy" and made the float that way. We will continue to research boats.

24. Uses scientific inquiry skills
26. Demonstrates knowledge of the physical properties of objects and materials

Dissecting Flowers

After painting flowers, we gave the children a chance to explore them in a new way. They were able to look at the flowers up close and see how they felt. Some children were interested in how all of the petals felt in their hands. Others noticed they could pull of the petals and worked hard on that. 

7. Demonstrates fine-motor strength and coordination
a. Uses fingers and hands 24. Uses scientific inquiry skills
25. Demonstrates knowledge of the characteristics of living things
26. Demonstrates knowledge of the physical properties of objects and materials 27. Demonstrates knowledge of Earth’s environment
28. Uses tools and other technology to perform taska

Week in Review (9/19-9/23)

Week in Review (9/19-9/23)

Building Boats

We have noticed a consistent interest in boats while playing with the children. They often pretend to be on a ship while they are on the play structure or building platform outside. This week, we offered them large blocks to build with and saw them creating boats and ships again. We extended on this within the classroom with foam blocks and listened to students tell us about how to keep water out of the boat, where the propellers go, and how to add sails to boats. We will continue to explore the children's interest in boats in the coming weeks. 

Painting on an Easel

Painting is often an exciting choice for the children during the day. We changed their painting process by putting their paper on an easel. They experiment with the paint and noticed how a vertical surface changed their painting. It allowed them to test different strokes and use larger movements while painting. 

Playing with Dinosaurs

Of course the class loves dinosaurs! After hearing students talking about them and pretending to be them, we offered the children large toy dinosaurs to explore with. While playing with the dinosaurs, children shared some of their knowledge with us. They knew that some dinosaurs ate meat while others ate plants. Some children thought that dinosaurs only ate food all day. Other children shared that dinosaurs sleep and take care of their babies as well. 

Dancing with Ribbons 

The class enjoyed an opportunity to move their bodies and dance in the classroom. They listened to different songs and used ribbons while they jumped, hopped, spun, and danced with each other. They especially enjoyed songs that gave fun dancing directions like "Bop Til You Drop" and "The Freeze Dance".

Student Teachers

Meet Our Student Teachers 

Hi! My name is Alicia Lovejoy and I will be interning in your child's class on Wednesdays until December. I am so excited to be apart of your child’s learning experience and wanted to let you know a little about myself. I have been married for 11 years and have two children in elementary school. When my son started school, I knew it was time for me to finish my degree and that is what has lead me to the University of Michigan Dearborn. I currently have my associates degree from Washentaw Community College in Child Development and my CDA which is a national certification in child care.

I currently work as a kindergarten paraprofessional at my local charter school in Ypsilanti.  I will be graduating in December with my bachelors in child and family general studies. After graduation, my goal is to attend the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor and receive my masters in elementary education and to become a kindergarten teacher.

I am very excited to be partnering with you over the next few months as your child transitions into our classroom. I know that we will do many fun things as we learn and grow together. If you ever any questions or concerns please feel free to ask!  I look forward to getting to know you all!

Sincerely,

Alicia Lovejoy

alovejoy@umich.edu

My name is Farah Farhat, and I excited to be interning in Ms. Fennessey and Ms. Phee’s classroom on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. I am a senior at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. I am working to earn a major in Early Childhood Education.

Some hobbies of mine include reading, baking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. I have two brothers, and a sister. I do not have any pets (yet)! As a family, we spent most of our summer relaxing, playing sports, and traveling to different areas of the world!

My experiences with children began during high school. I enrolled in a childcare course. I had the opportunity to work alongside my teacher and classmates in a preschool setting. This experience is what has driven me to really become intrigued with child development, as it is such an important time for children. Throughout my college experience, I have completed many practicums here at the ECEC, as well as other various school districts. My goal for the term is to provide your children with a strong, stable, and positive foundation for education. When a child has a positive view or attitude towards a particular topic they are more likely to succeed!

I am excited to have the opportunity to work together this semester. The start of a great education starts with building strong relationships with those at home!

Week in Review (9/12-9/16)

Week in Review (9/12-9/16)

Exploring Indian Corn

Children practiced their scientific inquiry skills by exploring a new natural material. They used tools such as magnifying glasses and safety knives to explore Indian Corn. They shared their observations and questions about the corn. We encouraged them to answer their own questions by further examining the corn. We noticed them being especially interested in removing all of the kernels or "seeds" from the cob. 

Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met:

13. Uses classification skills

11. Demonstrates positive approaches to learning

24. Uses scientific inquiry skills

28. Uses tools and other technology to perform tasks

Caring for Others as Doctors
During explorations, we offered the children dramatic play materials including stethoscopes, white coats, and other doctor tools. They tried using these tools in a way similar to what they had seen before. We noticed the children making connections between their prior experiences and how they could be doctors within the classroom. We talked about how doctors can care for their patients. Some children wanted to use their doctor skills on baby dolls, stuffed animals, or a teacher.  

Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met:

9. Uses language to express thoughts and needs

a. Uses an expanding expressive vocabulary

29. Demonstrates knowledge about self

30. Shows basic understanding of people and how they live

Painting with Watercolors

Boys and girls experimented with how to create different lines, shapes, and marks with the watercolor paints. We talked about the different colors they used and how they moved their paint brush around the paper. We will continue to develop these painting skills throughout the year. 

 Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met:

7. Demonstrates fine-motor strength and coordination

a. Uses fingers and hands

b. Uses writing and drawing tools 

33. Explores the visual arts

Creating Habitats for Animals

We have heard the students talking a lot about animals this week. We offered them natural blocks and animal toys and invited them to create homes for the animals. They were interested in creating walls and enclosures. After constructing homes, the children moved their different animals around the structures. 

 Teaching Strategies Gold Objectives Met:

5. Demonstrates knowledge of the characteristics of living things 

14. Uses symbols and images to represent something not present

a. Thinks symbolically

b. Engages in sociodramatic play

31. Explores change related to familiar people or places

32. Demonstrates simple geographic knowledge

First Week of School! (9/7-9/9)

Welcome to School!

The first week of school was full of fun! Some children experienced a more difficult transition but everyone found  something new to enjoy and smile about during the school day. It was exciting to see children make new friends in the class while others found friends they have known from other classes. We look forward to getting to know children and their families as the school year continues. 

Trains and Towers

We saw many children exploring the materials in the block area. They combined tracks to create a long space for trains to ride on. They also experimented with different ways to build with the blocks we have in the classroom. 

Investigating the Water Table

In the hot weather, we saw children enjoying the cool water table. They experimented with different sized cups and scoops to fill and dump the water.

 Making Letters with Playdough

Playdough was especially popular with the class this week! After trying different ways to roll and flatten the dough, we offered children letter cutters to use as well. They searched for the letters in their names and pushed them into the playdough. 

Listening to the Sounds from Marble Trees

Students noticed that when they dropped marbles down the trees, they made different sounds. Children smiled when they put their marbles in different spots and heard the music they could make.