Early Childhood Curriculum Update
October 2017
Mott Class - Preschool
This month, the Mott Class dove deeper into our study of ponds and streams. We visited a pond where children went on a scavenger hunt to find things like leaves, trees, acorns, frogs and feathers. We were even able to bring some of these items back to the classroom to take a closer look and use them to sort. After this field trip, we practiced being authors and wrote words for some of the pictures taken on our field trip. We turned it into a book and named it The Pond Picture Book.
We also spoke about all the different bugs you might see at a pond. We discovered that there are so many! We then used our thumbprints and markers to make bug pictures. Some children made caterpillars, some made mosquitos and some made up new types of bugs.
This month we read a book called How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton. This book encourages positive behavior by using the concept of an invisible bucket to show children how easy and rewarding it is to express kindness, appreciation, and love by "filling buckets." We then furthered this concept by making our own buckets out of plastic cups and sequins. Everyday we practice this language by telling each other what fills our buckets or empties them.
Hicks Class - Preschool
The Hicks Class has been studying creeks and ponds by reading about them and going on field trips to see what lives in and around them. The children noticed that a stream, if followed, can take you somewhere and a pond takes you in circles. We’ve studied water bugs, little fish, crayfish and frogs. The children helped collect a water sample and have been watching it under a microscope to see single cell microorganisms that live in it.
October was an exciting month as we cooked each week with apples and learned about how to eat healthy. We have been practicing yoga as we act out stories and play games that involve breathing and calming our bodies.
The class has been exploring through STEM activities, which include listening to the story, The Gingerbread Man, and building something to help him safely cross the river. Many children used Popsicle sticks and tape to create a bridge for him to cross the river. Other children built him a boat. After the children finished their creations they tested them in our sensory table that was filled with water. There was such excitement as they watched the boats float and bridges stretch across the water table. For those projects that didn’t work, a new plan was formed and the child made adjustments before a second test was done.
Rustin Class - Kindergarten
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Location: 1018 West Broad St Quakertown PA 18951
Phone: 215-538-1733
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