The Maple Room
9.19-9.23
Third Week of School
In this third week together, the Maples have begun to take ownership of their classroom and come together as a group of peers. Through Work Time experiences, the Maples have been building, creating, and conversing. At our second Community Gathering, the Maples sang along with full voices to songs that are quickly becoming standard Compass repertoire.
Guided Discoveries
Unit Blocks
This week, we introduced Unit Blocks as a choice at Work Time. Unit Blocks are a foundational element of many early childhood classrooms, and the anchor of many integrated, inquiry based classrooms. As a building tool, unit blocks engage a child's spatial awareness and motor abilities. As they imagine the structures they would like to build, they employ many mathematical strategies, such as determining length and weight. They estimate how many blocks will be needed, and through a process of trial and error, negotiate weight and experiment with symmetry.
Currently, the teachers are rotating through all of the Maples to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to build with Unit Blocks. As the Maples become familiar with this material, the structure of block play will evolve, and more blocks will be introduced into the area.
Sensory Table
The Sensory Table was introduced to the classroom this week, and has been the source of incredible imaginative play. Sensory Play provides an opportunity for children to explore texture, scents, and strengthen fine motor skills. Throughout the year, the material will change, often reflecting our course of study. Currently, the table is filled with cotton filling as the Maples begin their exploration of this center.
Cray-Pas
Cray-Pas (or oil pastels) were introduced into our Art Center this week. The Maples enjoyed using this material and observing the differences and similarities to crayons. They noticed that in order to care for the cray-pas and use them all year, we would have to protect them much like we do the other materials in our Art Center. As our shelves begin to fill with a range of materials, the Maples are learning how to use each and every one with care and respect.
Our First Class Mobile - Maple Hopes And Dreams!
Last week, the Maples drew their hopes and dreams for the year on Maple leaves, to symbolize our collective vision of what we hope to see, do, and experience in our classroom. On Thursday, they entered the room to find these visions hanging as our first class mobile. Throughout the year, collaborative art work will continue to be an important element of our classroom environment.
Ask Me About...
- Creating "letter collages" with torn paper and glue sticks
- The songs "Pirate Ship" and "What Would You Do If A Monster Came To Tea?"
- Reading The Kissing Hand by by Audrey Penn
- Brian's story from his childhood, Mud Shoes
More Maple News!
- Thank you for your donations of baby food jars! These are a hot commodity in our classroom and school, so please continue to send them our way if you have any in your homes.
- We have an Instagram account! Follow us at compass_maples for daily class updates and photos!
- STAY TUNED for an email with a link to our Google Photos page! Google Photos is the platform we will be using to upload any and all documentation from our classroom, including photos and videos.