Please see the full disclosure regarding our use of the Experience Preschool Curriculum here.
We introduced a mini bone study during our All About Me unit through Experience Preschool. As the children interacted with the X-Ray art activity, we observed how they reacted to the inspiration photo (several real x-rays) and listened to their interesting discussions. J. shared a story about a relative that did not wear wrist or shin guards while skateboarding and ended up breaking a bone. We felt our bones in our wrist, hand, and face, then glued paper bones on to paper. 35 research-based skills are embedded in the Experience Early Learning curriculum that we use. At least two skills are the main focus of each activity and are listed under the activity title in the Teacher's Guide which is included in our monthly kit. A quick glance is all that is needed to see what we should be focusing on with our students. During these activities, at least 8 skills and subskills were practiced, including Life Science, Scientific Reasoning, Visual Arts, Fine Motor, Vocabulary and Communication. You can read all about the Developmental Continuum of Skills here.
Their interest in bones continued and so we began to think about how we could support their learning even more. I found plastic skeletons at a local store and added them to our science table. Soon, the children were trying to match the plastic bones to the X-rays. They sorted them and examined the bones under the magnifying glasses.
Just when I thought the STEAM concepts in the Experience Preschool Curriculum was already amazing, the curriculum team came back with even better concepts and activities this year. The teacher support provided by this company is incredible! The "brains" activity is just one great example. I provided a wooden bowl for the children to explore. We then talked about how it is hard like our skull bone and that it protects our soft brain. We also talked about why we wear bike helmets or helmets while skiing or participating in other sports. Then the children felt cooked noodles that feel much like our brains do. How cool! Their reactions and commentary were PRICELESS. "Wow. I don't think I like that." "That feels mushy." "It's slimy!"
I hope you enjoyed a snap shot of life in our classroom at St. Mary's. There is always something new to explore and we are never quite sure where we will end up when we let the children's interests lead. We hope we are inspiring a life-long love of learning. See you soon!
If you would like to add some of these great resources to your classroom, be sure to check out Experience Preschool and the links below.
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In our monthly curriculum box from Experience Preschool, we receive four Teacher Guides and many helpful references, such as the Weekly Activity Skill Chart. This month's theme is All About Me and I love how they combined the Weekly Lesson Plan and Summary of Skills sheet from last year. It is helpful to see the entire day at a glance and follow across to the skills we will be focusing on. It also highlights the activities we are to assess. All helpful aids for busy teachers!
Above, Mrs. P. is working with two students. Relationships are at the center of what we do at St. Mary Preschool, and so we do not do many activities en mass. We invite children to join us when they are ready and take our time introducing the activity. Our Experience Preschool curriculum provides prompts if we need them, however Mrs. P. has become very skilled in this area (she's a natural, really!) and will ask the children an opening question, ask them to make observations about the inspiration photo such as colors, shapes, lines, subject, etc. She then gently guides them through how they may want to create their project, always allowing for self-expression and creativity. We are not looking for what I call cookie-cut art here. And parents certainly don't want Mrs. P.'s art work. They will treasure their child's work and will definitely know that their child created it.
Experience Preschool has developed a Developmental Continuum of Skills, that have 7 main learning domains, and 35 school-readiness skills within them. The focus for this activity were skills SED 1 Self-Awareness, and CA 3 Visual Arts. If you would like to more about the skills, please click here.
In one of our STREAM stations, we had lighted mirrors and a question prompt along with key vocabulary words. Children were able to get their tool box and create another self-portrait if they desired. Repeat exposure to the same or similar activity is important for preschoolers. Some children are eager to try new activities right away, while others have another plan in mind in the Housekeeping station or Block and Building Station, for example. Our goal is to provide 50 - 60 minutes of uninterrupted play so children can plan and carry out a plan. It not only respects children and their work, we are encouraging the use of higher-level thinking skills.
We hope you enjoyed an inside look at how we use the Invitation to Create activities in our Experience Preschool curriculum. Please contact us if you have questions and be sure to check out our Facebook page for regular postings of life in our classroom.
Puppets may seem "old-school" or for those teachers who are naturally theatrical. I challenge you to reconsider their place in your program. You just may embark on a surprising journey.
Each morning, children quietly wake up Ollie Otter, who lives on the nearby Leland River, and share some of the things they are learning. On this day, our Experience Preschool curriculum suggested we read Head to Toe, by Eric Carle. Ollie asked each child, which animal movement was their favorite. They not only shared, but some were also eager to
demonstrate the movement. Now, I am not one of those naturally theatrical teachers like my friend Caroline. She had a voice and personality for every character in a book and certainly for our puppets. The children were drawn in from the get-go. To my surprise, the children are still curious about each puppet I introduce, and most want to talk to him or her. This is especially true if they can be "the expert" and teach our puppet friend a skill such as how to be a good friend or stay safe during a storm drill.
The Experience Preschool Curriculum has a Character Education series embedded in it. Each month we receive a storybook that illustrates the trait, the children engage in a retelling with their teacher, draw something from the story, and make a stick puppet also. A new character trait is featured each month. I decided to use a book from last year, as it features a River Otter. The focus trait in River Clean-Up is "responsibility" and I used highlighter tape on the word "responsibility" every time it was mentioned in the book. After a few readings, I only had to point to the highlighted word and the children "read" it.
I remembered a popular activity from last year also, and acted that out with the children. On this particular day, when Ollie woke up, he found that his beautiful Leland River was polluted! The children vowed to help him clean it up and that is just what they did!
I hope you feel inspired to use a puppet in your classroom. Enjoy the journey! |
AuthorSheila Anderson has over 25 years experience in the Early Childhood Field and still loves going to "school" everyday. Archives
January 2022
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