One of the highlights of today was going to the courtyard and discovering all of the activities that Ms. Kim, from 'Natural Wonders', had prepared for us! The kids loved wandering from station to station exploring everything. There was oatmeal to dip our hands into and pour into containers. Beans galore were found at one station along with different kinds of spoons and bottles. Scented play doe could be found at another station along with little stones to mix with the play doe. A BIG rock was discovered by Tucker, who enjoyed laying down on a pillow and looking at the rock up against the sky. Beau could be found at the block station making bridges for the animals. Evan enjoyed pouring the oatmeal into a cupcake tin with several friends. A box of old keys and clothes pins was a treasure chest for Joseph! The kid's smiles just made the beautiful day even more delightful.
"Show and Tell' was a big hit as Evan showed us a piece of wood that his dad was using to make his BIG bed. Everyone held the wood, discovering that it was hard and smooth. According to Evan, there is a lot of wood to clean up and he will be very busy helping his dad! The kids who are listening are starting to raise their hands to ask questions about the show and tell object, which is wonderful!
Using our idea web, the kids took turns making complete sentences to tell what they know about the cow. It was also a great opportunity to practice the correct pronunciation of the 'c/k' sound. We sang a song about a cow using our idea web, with each child waiting their turn to pick the picture about which they wanted to sing. Using actions helped the kids stay engaged with the song.
I hope the kids told you about the strawberry shortcake we made today! First, we sequenced the ideas that 1) a cow lives on a farm, 2) a cow eats grass on the farm, 3) we get milk from a cow, 4) ice cream is made from milk, 5) we can make a milkshake all because of the cow. Oh, it can be so hard to wait our turns when we cook! The excitement to be a part of the creation keeps everyone engaged and wanting to answer questions before their turn to add something to the blender. Of course, turning the blender on and off was the BEST part, according to the kids. We shared our milkshakes with Ms. Carol and Mr. Jimmy, practicing our "Hello, ___" , eye contact, and presenting the milkshake while using our words to tell them what we made. Mr. Jimmy is great about asking the kids questions which provides this practical, everyday communication interchange. We want the kids to practice their social communication skills with different adults, and kids, in different contexts!
Ms. Kelly will be posting a slide show of all the kids during the "Natural Wonders". Thank you, Ms. Kelly. We also thank Ms. Tiffany for taking all of the pictures! Enjoy!
