Maple Group - What Do Spiders Eat?

Central Idea:  Crawling creatures are an important part of our ecosystem

Lines of Inquiry:

Form - Features of crawling creatures

Causation - Crawling creatures affect the ecosystem

Maple group children shared the criteria they learned about spiders. The children were curious about what bugs eat from the previous group time. "What do spiders eat?" the children were asked. "Flies!" the children answered. Do you know spiders actually eat a lot more other insects and animals! Therefore, we started with a video about spiders' food.

We made a chart records spiders' food we learned from the video. the children were amazed by the fact that some spiders eat bats and birds! We also learned that some spiders need web to catch their preys and some don't need a web.

The children make spider webs with glue and thread.

The children made their own spider web with thread and glue. Then, we made a spider with clay and pipe cleaners. The children carefully rolled two clay balls for the two body parts and counted eight pipe cleaners for the spider legs!

Art - Rooting

The book "Rooting for You" by Susan Hood was read to the children today. 

The children learned about how a seed spread out roots and sprout when it grows. Moreover, there are warms and insects under and on the ground that help plants grow. Earth worms sow earth that helps plants grow better.

"Who need plants?" the children were asked.

Allye - "Butterflies."

Angela - "Bees."

Lucas -"I can eat fruit from plants."

The children created a picture of how a plant grow and how other creatures depend on plants or help plants to grow. The children used crayons to draw out plants, worms, and insects. We used hole punchers to create loose space in the dirt for the roots to grow easier.

Art - Leaves Print

Transdisciplinary Theme: How we share the planet

Central Idea : Plants play a unique role in our lives and the lives of animals

lines of inquiry:

• The features of plants in our local area
• How animals/people use plants
• The needs of plants in our local area

"What do you know about leaves?" the children were asked.
Mila - "they need water."
Matthew - "leaves grow."
Brendan - "Leaves are in trees."
Lucas - "You can use leaves as fertilizer"
It was always amazing to hear how much our little ones already know!

We read the book "Leaves" by Vijaya Khisty Bodach to learn more about leaves.

Each child chose the leaves they like to touch and feel the veins on the leaves. The children all want to show me their veins on their arms! What a great connection our children made!

Carefully, the children painted the leaves and print the leaves pattern on the paper.

Leaves use water, air and sunlight to make food for the plant; at the same time they give off oxygen, which all people and animals need.

Art - Dandelion

Transdisciplinary Theme: How we share the planet

Central Idea : Plants play a unique role in our lives and the lives of animals

lines of inquiry:

• The features of plants in our local area
• How animals/people use plants
• The needs of plants in our local area

This Friday, a big bunch of sunny yellow flowers was brought into Creative Minds classroom. Many children delightfully called out "dandelions!" The children shared what they knew about dandelions:
Cameron - "They are weeds. Dandelion can be medicine, too!"
Alfie - "You need to dig them out from a garden!"
Roy - "You can blow the white things."

To learn more about dandelion, the book, we read the book "Dandelion Adventures" by L. Patricia Kite. Then, the children were amazed by the beautiful time lapse video of dandelion flower turn into seeds.

Dipping dandelion flowers into yellow and orange paint, the children printed dandelion pattern on the paper and drew leaves and stalks with green crayons! 

It was lovely to hear children talking about dandelion flowers and seeds after the art activity.

Cameron asked "do dandelions grow all around the world at any place?"

Jayla asked "why some dandelions at our playground are closed?"

Art - Spring Flowers

This Friday, we all enjoy a long forest and neighbourhood walk with the sunny weather!
The children were told to find some spring flowers on their walk. Some children found wild flowers in the forest; others were amazed by the beautiful flowers our neighbours have planted in their garden.

During our neighbourhood walk, Cameron and Bela also saw some constructors building house. The boys immediately connected to our community unit and said "I see some community helpers!" How lovely to see our children recall their learning experience. 

After the long walk, the children had a rest on the grass and listened to the story, "The Imaginary Garden" by Andrew Larsen. In the story, the little girl creates beautiful garden full of beautiful plants on a great big canvas with her grandfather. Through the story, the children explored how to use paint brushes to draw certain flowers, like tulips, scilla and daffodils. 

We tried the brush techniques in the book. Using dots and strokes, the children created their own spring garden with water colour. 

It was such a nice painting experience when everyone was actually surrounded by the beautiful spring flowers! 

Art - Night Shift

"How We Organize Ourselves" 
Central Idea: The work people perform helps build community
Lines of Inquiry:

• The jobs people do in our community support its development (function)
• We take on roles each day and this helps us build a strong community (responsibility)

"When do people work?" the children were asked at the beginning of the art activity today.
"Morning time! and afternoon!" the children answered.
"Do you know there are people who work during night time?" I asked the children.
"Policemen," Bela said.
"Firefighters and bus drivers, " Cameron answered.
"Construction workers, " Brendan said.
Here, we introduced more community helpers through the book "Night Shift" by Jessie Hartland.
The children learned that there are street sweepers, security guards, newspaper printer and road workers on night shifts. 
Here were some questions the children asked along the stories:
"Why do they have to work at night?"
"What do these community helpers do in the morning?"

"Policemen work at night to protect people all day and all night!"

We decided to created a poster about community helpers on night shift.
On a paper doll, the children drew the special uniform or hats that night shift community helpers have.



Inspired by The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, we introduced "Pointillism" skill to the children. To create a night city scene, the children used sponge dabbers to make little dots on the poster.

"There are stars and street lights!"

  








Through the children book illustration, the children had a chance to explore people who do their job in night time. In order to build a strong community, people take different shift, even in night time!

Art - Community Garden

"How We Organize Ourselves" 
Central Idea: The work people perform helps build community
Lines of Inquiry:

• We take on roles each day and this helps us build a strong community (responsibility)

"The Curious Garden" by Peter Brown was read to the children to start our collaborative art project this Friday! While out exploring one day, a little boy named Liam discovers a struggling garden and decides to take care of it. Slowly, the garden spreads out and turns the dark, gray city into a lively, green community! At the end of the story, everyone joins Liam to make the city more beautiful and greener.

Instead of individual artwork, we decided to create a big garden poster to keep in our classroom. The children were excited to do a multimedia collage, using flowers, leaves, straw and seeds. As well, there were sponge painting with spring colour! 

"I will do the stems and you will paint the flowers!"

"We would like to add pink and purple flowers."

Here is our wonderful co-creation !