Discovery Centre Experience in the Afternoon

 

I love sharing some of the wonderful happenings that occur in the classroom. Often these are unplanned and open up to wonderful learning experiences.

Two boys from the afternoon class, who usually only want to participate at the Construction area, chose to go to the Discovery Centre first.

 

 

While there I noticed there were using the shells, twigs, and shells from the area. Suddenly they both went to the creation centre got scissors, dark blue paper, and some dark blue paper and begun cutting. I stood back and was intrigued by what they were doing. They were not really communicating with each other, just concentrating on constructing and cutting.

 

After awhile, I decided to approach and ask them what they were using the materials for. The one boy explained he was building a house for the beaver, and the other was building the dam. Now the exciting part of questioning each other.

 

"I wonder why beavers build dams?" "Oh, that is easy, it's so their houses won't be flooded by the water", explained the other boy. "I should have built the home until the table because their houses are under the water". "But that makes no sense because then their houses would get flooded".

 

At sharing time the boys shared what they had discovered and made. These two boys drew and then wrote about what they had made. This is how Literacy is integrated into the Kindergarten program.

 

 

The boys decided they want me to get books about Beavers so they can learn more about them. I plan on checking the library at school. However, if anyone has any books about Beavers we would love to borrow them for the afternoon class.

 

 

The morning class is more interested in caterpillars and butterflies. They now know which type of caterpillar turns into a Monarch butterfly and where they go in Fall for the winter. One of the Kindergarten girls told the class she knew they went to Mexico because her Mom and Dad told her. Thanks for teaching us Mom and Dad!

 

The morning class wants to have books about butterflies at the Creation Centre and they want to paint different kinds of butterflies. I can't and won't say "no" to that learning.

 

 

On a Different Note

 

As we are heading into October, I ask parents to save and donate any birthday cards, get well cards and old Calendars that you may have. Calendars have wonderful pictures for the children to use to assist with their paintings, drawings, and sketches.