What do seeds need?

Young children are naturally curious and constantly exploring the world around them. Classroom science provides the opportunity for children to extend this natural curiosity and building of theories. The children in Group 4 did an experiment to test the conditions which a seed needs to germinate.

The target language was sun, water and seed.  We asked the key questions "What does a seed need to grow?" and "What will happen to these seeds?".  We learned about making a hypothesis, observed the seeds during the week and then discussed the results.

Make them Playdough

By the way, here is the recipe for the playdough I made.  It's really easy and a great way for kids to build their finger muscles.  Homemade playdough is better for this than the one bought in the store. It's not as soft so it's more work for their fingers.  Instead of food colouring, try using TANG.  It will give it colour and a great smell.

Play Dough Recipe:

• 1 Cup Plain Flour
• 1/4 Cup Salt
• 3 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons of Oil (We made the original recipe with 1/2 cup and used olive oil, but some reader feedback said this was too oily)
• 1/2 cup of water
• Food Coloring

Method

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a saucepan
2. Whisk in the water over low heat
3. Mix in the vinegar
4. Pour in the oil
5. Continue to mix over low heat until it forms a playdough texture
6. Split up the dough, and knead in the food color (when it’s cool enough to touch)

Growing Things

We start September with a new theme - Growing Things! As part of this theme we will look at what plants and humans need to grow healthy and strong.  To do this I will use a project abased approach which will integrate content and language learning.  There are opportunities to explore a broad range of skills that children are developing, not just the language itself. Projects introduce, practice language and integrate language skills in a natural way. There is also evidence that, through repeated exposure, patterns of a second language can be internalised by young children in much the same way as they are with the first language.

We started the week off by playing games to introduce vocabulary for fruit and revise body parts.  We used homemade playdough to sculpt a banana, an apple and an orange.

Next, we played a balancing game to revise the vocabulary for fruit and body-parts.  The children had to try and walk around the room balancing their fruit on different parts of their body.  It was a lot of fun.

 

Experiementing With Colours and Flowers

We did a fun experiment in class this week as part of our theme - Growing Things.  We began by revising our primary colours and the children added food colouring to water to test to see what would happen when we mixed the colours.  I passed the flowers around the circle so everyone could see, touch and smell them.  The flower were put into vases with coloured water and the children tried to guess what would happen to the flowers.  We observed the changes over the week and were amazed to see what happened.

 

I think these photos are great.  You can see just how engaged the children are in the activity. Click on the photo to get a bigger picture and a closer look at the group during circle time.

Semester 1 Meeting

Last night, I was joined by over 70 family members to talk about the progress of our children in the first semester of our new English programme.  For those who were unable to attend and for others wanting to see the extra videos and photos, I have included my presentation in this post.

Please feel free to come and talk to me about your child's individual progress or any of the materials your child's portfolio.  Don't forget that the portfolio's are due back next week!

Thanks to everyone for coming and for all the support I have received so far on this bilingual adventure!

Pet food

Still on the topic of pets, we played in our fine-motor centers with different pet related materials.  There was everything from bird seed to dog biscuits, puzzles and playdough.

Big and small

We played a game in class today where everyone had to find big and small objects in the room.  Then we colored a picture of a big and a small dog.  Good job group 3!

Gustavo finds a small horse.

Gabriel fins a small pig.

Miguel finds a big table.

The class hard at work coloring their picture.

Looking after our pets

The children in Group 5 are caring for their pets in class today.  They are so responsible! Look at home they wash, feed and play with their pet rocks.

Pet rocks!

Our art activity this week was a lot of fun.  We made our own pet rocks!  First we painted them and when they were dry, we glued on eyes and feathers, fur or shells.  They looked so cute!!

After they were finished, our pets were given names and we made homes for them in the playground.

Feathers, Fur or Fins

This is the song we listened to in class as part of our PETS theme.  We watched the video and then had to try to remember and name as many animals as possible.  We then watched again to check.

It's a beautiful song so why don't you listen and sing along!

LYRICS

Feathers, fur or fins,

Shell or scale or skin.

If it runs on legs or flies on wings,

If it walks or crawls or slithers or swims.

It's got it's place in the scheme of things.
Feathers, fur or fins,
Shell or scale or skin.

Go, Dog. Go!

This classic beginning reader uses only 75 different words, it features red dogs, blue dogs, big dogs, little dogs—all kinds of wonderful P. D. Eastman dogs—riding bicycles, scooters, skiis, and roller skates and driving all sorts of vehicles on their way to a big dog party held on top of a tree!
We read this as part of our PETS theme.

What animals make good pets?

We discussed what pets are and came up with this definition...Pets are animals that live with us.  We love them and take care of them.  They become part of our family.
The children decided that the animals which make the best pets are...

• turtles
• cats
• dogs
• birds
• fish
• guinea pigs

We played lots of games to learn these words in English and read a funny story.  It's called Go Dog Go! You can buy a copy on Google books in digital format.

In art class, we painted a picture of a turtle and then decorated its shell with smalls squares of green foam.  We also did drawings of animals and played with sensory bags.

Looking at Pets

We started a fun new topic this month...PETS!  Animals are a natural topic of interest to children of this age.  Many already have a pet at home or at the home of a close family member.  During this month, the children used vocabulary and structures related to naming, describing and discussing the care of pets.  The activities and themes we explored also taught them values such as respect for all living things and responsibility.  The theme also provided opportunities for revision of previously encountered vocabulary relating to size, habitat and food.

My Hands

There are so many things that we can do with our hands.  We explored the theme in English class this week and did lots of activities which help develop both our vocabulary and our fine-motor skills.

Fine-motor sensory trays...

  

Playing with finger-puppets...

Lacing cards and puzzles...

Playing musical instruments...

 

Hand printing...

Swatting flies...

Where Is Baby?

This song has been adapted from the traditional children's song Where Is Thumbkin and sung to the tune of Frère Jacques.  I adapted the words to our theme this week - Families.

Here are the lyrics so that you can sing along with your child at home.

Where Is Baby?

(Tune of Frère Jacques)

(Start with hands behind back)
Where is baby?
Where is baby?
Here I am
(Bring right hand to front, with pinky finger up)
Here I am.
(Bring left hand to front, with pinky up)
How are you today?
Very well, I thank you.
(Wiggle fingers as if they're 'talking' to each other)
Run away
(Hide right hand behind back)
Run away
(Hide left hand behind back)

REPEAT WITH THE OTHER FINGERS

Classroom Management

When it gets too noisy or the teachers needs the group's attention, the best way to do it is...

3...2...1....POKEMON SQUASHED ON A WINDOW!!!

Never fails! ;-)