CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY CHILDREN S SCHOOL - PRESCHOOL THREE S TREES NOVEMBER 2017

Transcription

1 CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY CHILDREN S SCHOOL - PRESCHOOL THREE S TREES NOVEMBER 2017 ARCHIE IS USING A SPECIAL TOOL CALLED A MAGNIFYING GLASS TO GET A BETTER VIEW. November was a month full of tree exploration! The friends in the Red and Blue Rooms took a closer look at the way trees grow. They need good soil, plenty of water to drink, and sunlight. We collected some bark, pinecones, pine needles and leaves. Then we spent some time talking about the different kinds of trees on our campus. We went on a scavenger hunt to identify the various kinds of local trees. Our campus is full of beautiful varieties, such as Ginkgo, Blue Spruce, and Maple. The teachers supplemented the outdoor discoveries with independent play and creative arts. We sang songs like, The Green Grass Grows All Around, Way Up High in the Apple Tree, and Roots, Trunk, Branches, Leaves. Some books that helped us learn about trees were, The Happiest Tree by Uma Krishmaswami, Forest Light, Forest Bright by Jennifer Ward, Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, Baby Bat s Lullaby by Julia Noonan, The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall, The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, A Tree is Nice by Janice May Dry, and The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle. We enjoyed a few tree projects. We reused a paper towel roll and combined it with a paper plate. Using paint, glue, MARINA AND KIERAN ENJOYED MRS. TOMER S VISUAL AID DURING SINGING TIME! and tissue paper, we transformed these materials into our own fall trees. In the make shop, we all took turns combining pieces of wood to become a wooden sculpture. We finished it by painting with various colors. A great deal of our learning is accomplished through play. The children enjoyed playing with tree-themed Legos, wooden tree blocks, adding leaves with colored pencils to paper on the easel. We also drew water coming up through tree roots, through the trunk, and into the branches and leaves. We had a wonderfully busy month! LETTIE IS PRACTICING FINE MOTOR SKILLS. BRANDON IS ENJOYING THE USE OF A SCOOTER WHILE HIS LEG IS HEALING. EMMA GRACE IS PAINTING SNOW ON HER TREE.

2 OUR IDEAS AND INTERESTS! Kieran enjoys building with bristle blocks. Marina is molding play dough during free choice. Shreya and Emma Grace enjoy outdoor time together! Archie uses his feet to create music on this large-scale keyboard.

3 CREATING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH ART AND PLAY Archie is focusing on the crunching leaves. Brandon finds a new way to play with play dough. Roxy Lettie is testing tools. Shreya uses materials such as newspaper and watercolors. During music we sang, The leaves go crunch, crunch, crunch.

4 WE ARE GAINING INDEPENDENCE! We can make music with our feet, right Lettie?! Shreya can make a line and a rectangle. Marina is interested in the growth of lima beans! First we glued small wood pieces to our base. Then we painted our creations! Happy Birthday, dear Brandon!

5 Gym time! Library time! Tree time! Birthday time! Number park time! Trees are an important part of our world. They provide habitats (homes) for all sorts of insects, birds and other animals. Many types of fruits come from trees -- including apples, oranges, and pears. Trees do lots for us, our environment and other plants and animals in nature but we don't just love trees for practical reasons. Trees can also be very beautiful -- tall enough they seem to touch the sky and so big around you can't even hug them. It is likely that just about everyone on earth has at some point in their life stopped to enjoy the beauty of a tree. Tree s Team Fall - Carnegie Mellon University Mrs. Loomis, Ms. O Neill, Mr. Salinetro, Mrs. Tomer