Fabric Collage

Fabric collage

During outside play, the children played in different areas. Some of the children played in varies areas. For example: in the sand box, climber, block area and in the bicycle area. Most of the children went around the playground playing in the different areas except a little girl. I notice that everyday i aim there she mostly plays in the sand box. She is usually one of the first children to arrive and right away she goes to play to the sand box. First she takes off her shoes and places them inside the shoe basket that is next to the sand box. then she goes along and plays in side the sand box. She usually plays solitary or parallel to others.

Inside the classroom I observe the children played in the varies areas as well, but one area that I really enjoyed was the art table.The teacher had set on the table a dark blue plastic bag with different fabric inside of it, but the children weren't able to see the fabric. Also there were cardboard squares, glue bottles and scissors. What I like is the teacher let the children choose what cardboard they wanted to used. After each child got there cardboard she pass the blue bag around and told the children to put there hand inside and take out what they like best. One of the girls put her hand inside and looked away. As she moved her hand inside the bag she said " oh I like this one because it soft." Then she took out the fabric she liked and looked at it. Then she told the children at the table why she like it. she said she liked it because its black and soft, then touched it with her hands. Finally, she cut out what she wanted to glue glued it on her cardboard.

The next day to extend the children learning I would talk about the sense of touch. I would bring out the  different fabric and talk about how each fabric feels. I would sit with the children on the carpet and have the children pass the different fabric. That way all the children will be able to touch it and feel the different textures. As we are doing the experiment I would talk about the different texture and write down how each feels; soft, hard, rough, etc. I would ask the children to help me out with words.

My experience has been very interesting. Since I been working in a classroom for over five years I was not use to observing from far away. I am use to interacting with them on a daily basic. While I observe the children would go up to and asked me to play with them but I couldn't. At first it was a little challenging to observe them because I didn't know them. I didn't know there personalities, behaviors, likes, social skill, etc. As the semester went on I was able to know each child's personalities. I was also able to see how much the children had learned and develop along the year. The children have develop in different areas like self and social, language and literacy, cognitive, math, physical and much more. I have seen how much the children have grown and develop along the year. I enjoy observing the class because I was able to see another side of view. Sometime, us teachers get stuck on subjective things rather them objective. I learned different documentation formats that will help me document children along the year.

Dancing with props

After the children had clean up to go home, they waited for their parents sitting on the carpet. Suddenly one of the children said out loud "lets dance". Then a few children called out " teacher," at the same time. When the teacher approached them they all said " we want music." Then the teacher put on a CD for then. Some of the children took out the music instrument box. The children started to dance to the music. Also the children would do as the song said. The children pretended to climb up, reach up, walk, and run in circles. Also the children dance together. they grabbed hands and dance in circles. While other children made their own music with music instruments. There was on girl who showed another girl how to used the music stick. She told the girl " you have to hit them slowly", as she demonstrated to the girl how to do it. Then the girl was able to use the music sticks. Other children played with the maracas, drums, and bells. The children seemed to really enjoy music time. They all laughed and dance together, until their parents pick them up.
During this activity the children were able to use their gross motor skill as they dance and mover around. Also they use their sense of hearing. 

The next day I would have the children do their own music instrument to further their learning, on music. I would supply small boxes, bottles, paper towel tubes, pop cycle stick, cotton balls, yarn and color paper for the children to make a musical instrument they like. After they make their own music instrument the children will be able to play their instrument and make their own music to dance to.

Construction

This pass Monday I observe the children being engage in the block area, during outside play. The teacher brought out a stand where the children are able to pretend to cut wood, hammer nails or screw screws in.  She also brought out, from the classroom, a container with different fixing tools and aprons. One boy pretended to build a T.V and then he watch a movie. He watch the movie of captain America, he said. Once he finished building his T.V he sat down and seemed excited as he watched  the movie. He constantly told his classmates what was happening in the Movie. Another girl pretended to build with a friend, but as she build she read a book. She told her friend that they needed the book to read the instructions. As they build the girl continued to read and turn the pages of the book. She also hammer nails on the stand. Another group of three girls put on their aprons. One of the girls said they need there tools before they build. So she took the initiative and put tools on her apron and then help put tools on the other two girls aprons. Two other boys play off and on in the block area and with the tricycles. The boys went around the trike area and then stop at the block area pretending to fix their trikes. This activities when on during outside play, the entire time. The children seemed to really like it and be engage in it. even though they were all in the block area, they all play different roles and maintain their role. The children develop memory, cognitive, motor skills, language and are creative while they play the different roles in the block area. i really enjoy observing how they all pretended to do different things but still play with the same materials.

October 31,2011

This  pass Monday it was Halloween but it was pajama day at school. I found it very interesting how the children new it was pajama day and didn't wear their customs to school but two children. One boy said that his pirate costume were his pajamas. As a girl with a princess costume came in for the day a child told her " It's pajama day not custom day." The girl said noting but asked her mom to take of her princess dress she had her regular clothes on unders it.
The children played most of the morning inside. The children had a cooking activity. They made carrot muffins. The teacher started the activity good but one things that I think she did wrong was not having all the ingridient out and ready at the table. All the children were ready and sitting nicely at the table. The cildren were ready to help. First she shredded the carrots on a  small table next to were all the children were sitting down. Then she let the children add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla flavor and cinnamon. She first measure it her self and let the children mix the ingridients. Everytime she needed a new ingridient she would go to the kitchen and grave it and brought it out to the table. At no time did the teacher sit down with the children as she did the cooking experiment with the children. The teacher stood up the entire time and reach over the children head to pass the bowl and have the children mix. Throught the Cooking exeriment she told the children many times to pass the bowl around and mix it ten times. The children did  a very good job they stir the bowl ten times and then pass it over to their right. One thing I noticed that some children were not able to mix it. As they stir the bowl the ingredients spill out of the container. The teacher wasn't at the table to see it and to guide the children  as she help them do it. One of the assistants was in the kitchen getting everything for snack ready. The other assistant had gone out of the room to do something the teacher ask her to do. Once the muffins mix was ready the teacher took the bowl and poured it her self on the muffins trades. As she did it she stood in the kitchen by the counter and the children watched from the table.
If I was teacher first of all i would have prepare all the ingredients. If the ingredients didn't fit on the table, I would have set them on a trade close by maybe on that table that she used to shred the carrots or on the counter that was closed by. That would have stop her from walking in out of the kitchen to get one ingredient at a time.
Also to extend the children learning I would talk about out cooking experiment before and after. I would explained all the cooking ingredients that we will use. Also the next day I would review the cooking experiment. Review the ingredients and what was need of utensils to stir and to pour on. I would also asked then questions of the taste and how the smell. I would write all their response on a construction paper for then to see and read.

October 24, 2011

This pass Monday I observe the children playing in different areas. Outside the children played with the bicycles and on the climber. It was actually the first time i saw that the children were not interested in sand play.
Indoors, I observed children playing in the block area, doing play dough, dramatic play, and tracing different shapes on the table. The activity that I enjoy observing the most was the block area. The teacher had set up a structure build out of block. She had put different block to make a stair way and many more. She also included people toys. As she dismiss the children to go play she let them know that she had started to build a hospital and that who wanted to continue to play their. Two children seemed very interested in the block area. As they play they build the parking lot and park cars. They also put clear tubes on the side and said that they were the elevators.The children pretended to be Dr, nurses and the ill person.  
The children use their imagination along with their fine motor still. They also use math when counting blocks measuring the sizes of the blocks and matching the blocks.
To further the children learning the next day I would bring in a book of Doctors. A book that describe what a doctor is and what does he/ she do. I also would bring in Doctor materials like bandages, play injection band-aids and stethoscope. i would set up and area like a Dr. office with all the materials adding clipboards, magazine and pencils. Then i would allow the children to play and develop their imaginations pretending to be a doctor or going to the hospital.

observation of oct. 17, 2011

This pass week I observed a variety of activities. During outside play the children play in the sand box, tricycles area, climber structure, block area and read books at the table. During inside play the children played with clear color magnets on a light table. They also played with puzzles, read books on the carpet and did art at the table. While I was doing my lab hours the class seemed to be very calm. There was a substitute teacher that the children are familiar with.  But one thing I noticed is that the dress up clothes and the play shoes were not in the classroom. The teacher had taken them out to be wash.

Still the children seemed to enjoy the other areas. The children at the art table were making books. One of the boys traces a snake. Then her ask the teacher “how do you write snake?” the teacher spelled it out for him but at the same time she wrote in on a piece of paper for him to see. Them he drew lights around the snake. He told the teacher “look this are lights so he can see at night.” The teacher asked him “where’s he going?” he reply “I don’t know,” but suddenly he said “oh his going to eat.”

While the children were making their books they talk among them self about what they were drawing. Also the teacher encouraged them to talk. She asked them many open ended questions to each child individually and waited for their responds. The children seemed to be entertained making their own book. During this activity the children develop social skill by talking to their peers and adults. Also eye-hand coordination by drawing and writing and use their imagination.

I really wouldn’t change anything from this activity. I think it was well set up and the children were engage drawing, writing and talking among themselves and doing art the same time. One thing I would add to the end is to have a small circle time with them, so there able to share there books with their classmates.

October 10

This pass Monday I observed a cooking activity. It was outside play, but the teacher asked the children if they wanted to go inside with the teacher assistant to make pancakes. Only six girls out of fourteen children went inside, to do the cooking experiment. The teacher assistant had the table set up with all the ingredients and materials they needed to make pancakes. The material she had where a big dip bowl to mix all the ingredients, a small bowl, a mixing spoon, a spatchula, measuring cups, a pitcher with water. The ingredients she had out were pancake mix, water in the pitcher and a bottle of vanilla flavor. As the girls went inside the classroom they all went to the bathroom and washed their hands. Once they washed their hands, they sat on the table. Except one girls didn't sit down, she stood aside from the table. The teacher encourage her to sit down but the girl refused to. She wanted to see from far away she said. As they started to make the pancake mix, the teacher introduced all the ingredients to the girls. Then, step by step they poured the ingredients into the big bowl. First, they pored the pancake mix into the big bowl.Two girls help measured it and poured into the big bowl. Next, the other three girls poured water into the big bowl. Third, the teacher poured a little vanilla for the flavor, with out measuring the vanilla. She also allowed each of the girls to smelled it. Then, the teacher mix the ingredients until it was mix completely. After she mix the ingredients one girl at a time took turns and help mix, except the girl who stand on the side. Once the pancake mix was ready, the teacher put the dirty materials aside. Then she brought out the electric griddle and put towels around it to prevent any child getting burn, that's what she told the girls. Once the griddle was hot she sprayed cooking spray. Then, with a measuring cup she poured pancake mix onto the griddle. She did five or six pancakes at a time. While the pancakes cooked the teacher ask the girls open ended questions. Some of the questions were; how many pancake are here?what color are they now? How does it smelled? As they talked about the pancakes, the teacher flip the pancakes. As they talked the girl remember how their mom made pancakes. Some of the girls said their moms put milk instead of water. Others said their mom made bigger pancakes. Once they were cook the teacher placed the pancakes into three bowls. They cook about twenty pancakes. Finally, that's what all the children ate for snack. To further the learning on this experiment, the next day I would talk about the cooking experiment. I would set up the table with playdough with rollers, spoons, spatchula, plates. As the children play with it I would asked them open-ended questions about the cooking experiment. I would asked them what ingredients we use to make pancakes? How do we make them? What ingredients goes first, second and third? How do we make pancakes? And many more question.