Sorting Fun

This student first sorted by color and then buy shape.

MATHEMATICS
2.PK.1 Sort objects by similar attributes (size, shape, and color.)
4.PK.1a Identify circles, triangles, and squares.
4.PK.1b Begin to recognize two and three dimensional shapes in the environment.
SCIENCE
P.PK.1 Sort objects according to observable properties (shape and color).

Then he showed another student how to sort by shape. They even made up a little song amount it as they went along.

LANGUAGE
8.PK.4b Share ideas and information from personal and share group experiences.
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL
5.PK.1b Play in pairs and small groups.
5.PK.1d Initiate play, or enter into play with a group of children already playing.
6.PK.1a Attend to a task for at least 10 minutes.
6.PK.1c Use verbal and non-verbal conversation skills.

Letter Ss....summer...shaved ice...FUN!

Shaved ice is like snow in summer!  This week our  pre k students  were experiencing the sound of Ss as well as the blend sh.

SCIENCE
E.2.A.2 Students know water on Earth can be a liquid (rain) or a solid (snow and ice) and can go back and forth from one form to the other.
P.PK.5 Identify hot and cold
LANGUAGE
1.K.3  Recognize and name upper and lower case letters of the alphabet.
SOCIAL STUDIES/SOCIAL EMOTIONAL
G8.PK.1 Identify weather conditions (rain, sunshine, snow, fog).
4.PK.1b Express common courtesy to others (saying "thank you", "please", and "excuse me").

Nothing better on a HOT day!

Puzzles are fun for all ages!

Puzzles enhance math, spacial relations, problem solving and social skills....to name a few.

MATHEMATICS
K2.K.1 Identify attributes used to sort objects.
K4.K.9 Sort and classify objects by color and shape.
3.PK.1 Compare objects by size to determine smaller and larger.
4.PK.2 Identify positions (in front, behind, next to, up, down, inside, outside, on top, ordinal positions).

We always have at least 3 levels. Easy, medium, hard. This meets and reinforces self confidence levels too. If a student is having an "off day" they can pick up an "easy" puzzle, work it with ease, and it re-fuels their subconscious tank of "I am good at...." "I am successful"...."I can do it"....which helps them socially and emotionally feel better, and may even have some left over to be used later when they get in a tough place again. Another reason why they need to hear our positive acknowledgements10 times more than our corrections.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL
1.PK.3 Re-engage in a task or activity after experiencing disappointment, frustration, or failure.
1.PK.2b Acknowledge actions and accomplishments verbally and nonverbally.
2.PK.3b Clean up or put away toys and material when finished.
4.PK.1d Demonstrate problem-solving skills (ask for help from an adult, talk about problems, talk about feelings relating to problems, and negotiate solutions.)
5.PK.1a Play independently.
5.PK.2b Take turns with teacher support.
6.PK.1a Attend to a task for at least 10 minutes.
6.PK.1d Demonstrate ability to delay gratification to complete a larger task.

Taking Fun out of Learning

Joy Out of Learning
April 26, 2013

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
-Dalai Lama

In her TedTalk, "When Education Goes Wrong: Taking the Creativity and Play out of Learning", Nancy Carlsson-Paige from Lesley University shares this message:

"When we watch children play, we understand how central play is to healthy development — to children’s emotional, social, and cognitive health and learning. Through play and hands-on activity, children build ideas and relationships that become the foundation for success in school and life. Today’s overemphasis in schools across the country on standards and testing is pushing down to younger children and resulting in more and more direct instruction at the expense of play and active learning.

"When we drill and grill children, we cut out the powerful natural capacities they bring to the learning experience — their creativity, original thinking, capacity to problem solve and invent new ideas, their natural ability to cooperate, initiate, and persevere. When we take these amazing capabilities children have out of the education experience, we take the love out of learning. We take the joy out of learning. What we have to do is figure out: How do we create an education system in this country that nurtures and develops and builds onto the magnificent capacities children bring with them when they come to school?"

Value of Solitary Play

The following is from Exchange EveryDay...
Value of Solitary Play
April 19, 2013

Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.
-Benjamin Franklin

In their new book, From Play to Practice, Marcia Nell and Walter Drew, summarize the work of Monighan, Scales, Van Hoorn, and Almy (Looking at Children's Play, New York, Teachers College Press, 1987) on solitary play:
"There is little reason to assume that solitary play is less mature than interactive play, or that children always benefit from admonitions to share their toys. Instead, there may be good reason for fostering solitary play in the curriculum.
"The sense of mastery that children gain from solitary play seems to provide a solid base for cooperative play, sharing of ideas, and social negotiation that are also called for in educational settings. The opportunity to consolidate intellectual activities in a private context may also contribute to the development of problem-solving skills and a reliance o n self-control in educational settings."

Making Tortillas

Last week, two of the students were reading Highlight magazine and noticed a recipe for tortillas.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL

1.PK.2a Express ideas for activities; initiate and participate in discussion with teachers or peers.

 They asked if we could use it in our next cooking class. We read and followed instructions and made our own tortillas.

LANGUAGE
4.PK.1  Demonstrate and understand that printed material contains information.
4.K.7 With assistance, listen to and follow pictorial and written directions to complete tasks.

 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
6.PK.2 Demonstrate the muscle strength, dexterity, and control needed to manipulate items.

We didnt quite master rolling them into circles... but that's ok,

our shape was oval last week anyway!

MATHEMATICS

4.K.1 Identify 2-D shapes.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

1.PK.1 Demonstrate personal hygiene skills (hand washing).

1.PK.3 Identify healthy foods.

Slack Line

Check out our new outdoor attraction.  We call it a Slack Line.  It's like a mini tight rope.  

It's great for building large motor skills, teaching balance, spatial awareness, and self-confidence and cooperation taking turns.

The students are learning so many things and meeting so many pre-k standards:
MATHEMATICS
4.PK.2 Identify positions (in front, behind, next to, up, down, etc).
SOCIAL/EMOTION
H1.Pk.1 Children begin to complete simple tasks together.
H2.PK.1 Begin to recognize that problems can occur in groups.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
1.PK.1 Identify the basic vocabulary of simple movement patterns(walk, run, jump, hop, coimb, etc.)
2.PK.1 Demonstrate a basic form in walking, running, climbing, jumping, hopping, etc.
2.PK.2 Perform a variety of large motor skills.
5.PK.2 Demonstrate turn taking and cooperation during physical activities.
5.PK.3 Interact positively with others regardless of personal differences.
3.PK.1 Demonstrate locomotor movements such as up, down, forward, and backward.

Look even our little toddler students can join in the fun!

 Doing this as a group makes the students have to work even harder as the need for group problem solving and coordination occurs.

SOCIAL/EMOTION
G5.PK.1 Identify direction and location (up/down and above/below).
C13.PK.2 Participate in group decision making.
5.PK.2a Participate in cooperative groups to complete a task.

What is Play?

As you read and explore HO4K you see the children play!  and play!  and play!  Our wonderful teachers facilitate learning into play and play into learning.  You'll notice at the bottom of most posts what the children are learning as they're playing.  The following is a great perspective from Exchange EveryDay on play:

"Historically, play has been viewed as a frivolous break from important endeavors like working and learning when, in fact, a child’s ability to fully and freely engage in play is essential to their learning, productivity, and overall development," observe Steve Gross and Rebecca Cornelli Sanderson in their article, "Play is the Way," in the Beginnings section of the September/October 2012 Exchange magazine. They continue:

"A natural drive to play is universal across all young mammals. Children from every society on earth spend time playing. Why? Because play is a crucial vehicle for exploring and learning, developing new skills, and connecting with others. From an infant’s first smile to a preschooler’s careful construction of a tower, children use play to engage with and learn about their world. Play has key neurological, cognitive, socio-emotional, and physiological benefits for children’s health. Most importantly, play is the way in which children form loving, trusting relationships.

"People often think of play in terms of specific ‘play activities’ such as tag, soccer, or playing in the sandbox. In contrast, they think of work in terms of activities like raking leaves, cooking, cleaning, or doing homework. It is our belief that any activity, as long as it is done with a playful approach, is play. In other words, it’s not about what you do, it’s about how you do it. Playfulness is the expression of our natural drive to freely and joyfully explore, engage, and connect with the surrounding world."

The above picture is a perfect example of impromptu play that the students came up with on their own and Ms. JoAnn and Mr. Eddy facilitated their play into learning.  Everyday the students play outside at HO4K.  This particular day in the giant sandbox was windy.  Despite the wind, the students still had a blast using their imaginations throwing tissues up in the air and watching them fly!  One student also learned on his own if the tissue has sand on it that it will not fly.  This activity worked for every age and the children and teachers had an unforgettable time!  Now the question is, do you think March will come in like a lamb or a lion this year??
...And here's what the students learned:
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
2.PK.1  Demonstrate a basic form in walking, running, climbing, jumping, hopping, and walking up ad down stairs.
2.PK.2  Perform a variety of large motor skills (throw a ball in purposeful direction, attempt to catch a large ball, etc.)
SCIENCE
E.PK.1  Observe and identify weather from day to day.
P.PK.2  Explore and demonstrate how object move.
P.PK.4  Explore what happens to objects in relation to other forces.
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL
G8.PK.1  Identify weather conditions
2.PK.1b  Move through routines and activities with minimal adult/teacher direction.

Jumping, Rumbling, and Rolling

Check out our new fun!  The students use their imaginations coming up with different ideas and activities to play.  Not only are they jumping, rumbling, and rolling, they're also cooperating, waiting their turn, and talking to friends to work out who's turn it is and how much longer, etc.
The students are also learning to follow our 3 rules by looking at the sign:

• 2 people at a time
• Can jump, rumble, roll when both friends have smiles and are having fun
• If friends are waiting for a turn, the longest turn is 5 minutes

MATHEMATICS

1.PK.3a  Recognize and read numerals 0-5

5.PK.1  Identify and sort information (interpret quantity in pictures).

LANGUAGE

1.PK.4  Recognize environmental print and symbols

1.PK.5  Demonstrate awareness that print carries a message.

4.PK.1  Demonstrate and understand that printed material contains information (illustrations, graphs, and charts).

4.PK.5a  Recall information from an event, text, or picture related to self and the world around them.

4.PK.5b  Respond to or ask a question about an event.

4.PK.7  With teacher assistance, follow, a simple pictorial direction.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL

H2.PK.1  Begin to recognize that problems can occur in groups.

H3.K.4  Demonstrate respect for each other in the classroom and school.

C13.PK.1  Follow classroom and school rules.

C13.PK.2  Participate in group decision making.

1.PK.1a  Make independent choices from diverse interest centers or activities.

1.PK.2a  Express ideas for activities:  initiate and participate in discussions with teachers or peers.

5.PK.1b  Play in pairs and small groups.

5.PK.2b  Take turns with teacher support.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

2.PK.1  Demonstrate a basic form in walking, running, climbing, jumping, hopping, and walking up and down stairs.

2.PK.2  Perform a variety of large motor skills.

4.PK.1  Engage in daily moderate to vigorous physical activity.

5.PK.1  Participate appropriately during physical activities.

5.PK.2  Demosntrate turn taking and cooperation during physical activities.

5.PK.3  Interact positively with others regardless of personal differences (skill level, gender, race, and disability).

Matching Colors of Gloves

Who knew gloves could teach so much? 

Matching colors! 

Using small motor skills to put fingers in!

How we can dress for cold weather and keep our hands warm!

How we dress ourselves!

Cooperating with each other!

Using our talking words!

 

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

3.PK.1  Demonstrate the ability to follow basic movements (over, under, in, out, in between).

5.PK.2  Demonstrate turn taking and cooperation during physical activities.

5.PK.3  Interact positively with others regardless of personal differences (skill level, gender, race, and disability).

6.PK.2  Demonstrate the muscle strength, dexterity, and control needed to manipulate items.

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

2.PK.3  Demonstrate persistence by trying again when faced with challenges.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL

G8.K.1  Recognize weather changes with the seasons and how people adapt to those changes.

2.PK.2  Demonstrate self-help skills

6.PK.1c  Use verbal and non-verbal conversation skills

5.PK.2a  Participate in cooperative groups to complete a task.

LANGUAGE

7.PK.1b  Listen and follow a two-step oral direction with the use of formal and informal language.

MATHEMATICS

2.PK.1  Sort objects by similar attributes

 

Climbing in the Sandbox

The students had lots of fun climbing in Ms. JoAnn's giant sandbox. 
"Beginning with the freedom to walk, run, jump, climb, hop and do other physical activities in and out of doors, children are introduced to exploring different ways they can move.  Throughout the preschool years, children are focusing on large muscle development that includes:  Strengthening of muscles, balance, coordination, and muscle control." 

The students love exploring in the sandbox and coming up with their own adventures. While climbing can sometimes be dangerous and makes teachers and parents nervous, it is important to let kids take reasonable risks. The activities the students were inventing while playing were quite daring for some of the more timid. Therefore Ms. JoAnn encouraged them to continue...always asking them how they felt and if they felt safe.

The look on their faces shows pride and a greater sense of self confidence, which really escalated when Ms. JoAnn asked them to demonstrate it or teach a friend how to do it.

 

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

2.PK.1  Demonstrate a basic form in walking, running, climbing, jumping, hopping, and walking up and down stairs.

3.PK.2  Demonstrate the ability to follow basic movements (e.g., over, under, in, out, and in between).

4.PK.1  Engage in daily moderate to vigorous physical activity.

5.PK.3  Interact positvely with others regardless of personal differences (e.g., skill level, gender, race, and disability).

 

HEALTH

3.PK.1  Identify and express basic feelings (e.g., happy, sad, angry, frightened, etc.).

3.PK.3  Identifty potential hazards at home, school, and community, etc.).

 



Play is Deep Learning

The following article is from  *ExchangeEveryDay*    

*October 19, 2012*

*I Think I Can... I Think I Can... I Think I Can.

-The Little Engine that Could*

"Watch children at play and you might suddenly realize that they are not

just frivolously wasting time or mucking about," notes Paul Bailey in his

book, "Think of an Elephant" (London: Watkins Publishing, 2007).

"Child's play is deep learning: a self-directed state of deep "connectedness"

and personal engagement.  It is also an enthusiastic and absorbing state of

relaxed attention — healthy qualities often missing from adult life.  Play

is a creative learning exchange between mind, body, and circumstance into

one integrated and healthy whole.  Awash with symbols and mental imagery,

children at play are learning in a way that can be wildly creative,

insightful, and visionary....

"Research shows that the more animals play, the bigger their brains grow.

Moreover, brain imaging techniques show that social play seems to rewire

our brain, increasing the activity of connections between our brain cells.

Play also helps develop our logical reasoning, our ability to learn, and

our behavioral flexibility."

These children are building and playing with blocks. As you can see some are working together while our little ones watch and learn how to build.  The student below even created individual rooms, adding people and pretending what goes into each room (ex. a bathroom and bedroom, etc.) This is great modeling for the younger children with advance skills in building and pretending!

As stated above, "play" time is actually critical learning time. Look below to see just some of the Nevada Preschool Standards that are addressed while doing an activity like block building. 

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL

4.PK.1c Respect rights and belongings of others ****Take note above at the little one, who even though tempted to knock the blocks over, respected the work of the older student! Wow! This takes restraint :)

1.PK.1a Make independent choices from diverse interest centers or activities.

1.PK.1b Select materials to use for individual expression.

1.PK.2b Acknowledge actions and accomplishments verbally and non verbally.

1.PK.2a Express ideas for activities; initiate and participate in discussions with teachers or peers.

5.PK.1a Play independently.

5.PK.1b Play in pairs and small groups.

5.PK.1c Engage in dramatic play.

5.PK.1d Initiate play, or enter into play with a group of children already playing.

5.PK.2a Participate in cooperative groups to complete a task.

5.PK.2b Take turns with teacher support.

5.PK.2c Share some of the time.

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

2.PK.1 Select progressively more challenging tasks.

2.PK.2b Express satisfaction when accomplishing a task and achieving a goal.

2.PK.3 Demonstrate persistence by trying again when faced with challenges.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

6.PK.1 Demonstrate skills in eye-hand coordination

SO...next time your little one wants to "play", think of all the learning that is about to take place and just have fun!

London Bridges Falling Down

Our little ones learn best by watching others around them. Several weeks ago the older children played movement games like London Bridges Falling Down and Ring Around the Roses. We helped each other learn how to sing and play. How adorable that we captured on film the little ones initiating and playing on their own. Holding hands, they played together nicely, trying to recite the words and sing along! We have the cutest kiddos!

Learning With Blue Jeans

Every child enjoys tearing and ripping things! So when learning about the letter J this week, students loved the hands on activity of pulling at and ripping old jeans. Some students had  to work together and some were able to do it alone! Students used their small motor skills, determination and strength to tear small pieces of jean material to later glue inside the letters Jj.

 

Anything that uses small motor skills such as pinching, is a great pre-writing skill. It helps with the pencil grasp and prepares students for writing skills. Of course it was a great time to also review the color blue. Wow, what fun we have!

Water Play

 

Really? Could the kids at HO4K get any luckier? The kids love to get wet and to play in the water on the warm days. It is always fun to watch as they invent new games, use their imaginations and practice their social skills. Little or big, we find ways to splash and have fun together.

 

Students came up with the idea to wash the outside toys and make a "car wash" for cleaning! What a great time splashing and cleaning we had. It is always more fun to "clean" when it involves dramatic play, imagination and getting wet! Needless to say, the toys are clean and so are the kiddos!

 

 

WHOA! Look how he can balance 3 cups full of water while helping to clean! What a great helper!

 

Students came up with the idea to wash the outside toys and make a "car wash" for cleaning! What a great time splashing and cleaning we had. It is always more fun to "clean" when it involves dramatic play, imagination and getting wet! Needless to say, the toys are clean and so are the kiddos!

Who Has Rhythm?

 

When children have guided play time with instruments, they naturally start to create rhythmic patterns. The student above experimented with loud, soft, fast and hard movements. This created different sounds. She also was able to copy patterns using her instrument. What fun we have dancing and exploring with movement and music!

 

 

Our little ones also love to "play" the musical instruments. They are learning how to cooperatively share and take turns while creating music together. Above they are using hand-eye coordination and their motor skills to practice playing the instruments. As they continue to develop these skills, it is music to our ears!

 

Some of the Nevada Preschool State Standards addressed through these activities would be: Music and Movement1.PK.3aRecognize and select a variety of simple songs, finger plays, musical games, and musical activities alone and with others.
2.PK.1
Play and identify a variety of musical instruments.
2.PK.2Participate in a rhythm instrument band.
2.PK.4

Accompany simple music with rhythminstruments or clapping.

3.PK.1
Improvise simple songs and rhythmic patterns using voice, body or instrument.

Such Hard Workers

Children have the amazing ability early on to explore and play using their imaginations! Research has shown that dramatic play can affect a child's learning and ultimately impacts their success later in school. This form of "play" provides opportunities for students to imitate, combine both spoken language with imagination, and pretend to be someone or something else. Often, children pretend or act out "real life" situations, and change things from reality to their own perception of the situation.

 

 

 The students above are "car workers". They are changing tires and fixing the cars that are broken. Together, they learn how to manipulate the tires, remove them, rotate and replace them. The cars are fixed, washed and ready to play with again!

 

 

Part of dramatic play is assuming roles or positions of others. Students initiated "grocery store" play. They organized it so that there was a cashier, a helper and a customer. One student even declared, "how bout we wait in line, that's what we do in real stores."

 Students learned to take turns participating in the various roles and worked together to organize this form of play.

 

 

Learning the role of a consumer and understanding that money is needed in exchange for goods and/or services, is one of the Nevada Preschool Standards that is explored over and over again through this type of organized dramatic play! Students also demonstrate the roles of different jobs in the community and appreciate the work as they imagine themselves assuming that role.

Some of the other skills enhanced through dramatic play can be, cooperation, communication and problem solving skills. Not only is it fun to pretend and play, but it is a great educational and life learning experience!