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.