Earth Group - Rain Puddle Reflection

We read "Raindrops" by Sandy Gay and "The Rain Puddle" by Adelaide Holl today at the group time. Here, we used eyedroppers to create raindrops and puddles on a tray.

Playing with droplets, the children put blue coloured water droplets upon a piece of wax paper. We used straws to blow droplets and played water droplet race! What a fun way to experience and to manipulate water droplets.

Field Trip - Kitsilano Beach

As part of our Water Wonders formative week activity, we went on a field trip to Kitsilano beach this Friday.

We were so excited at the bus loop.

The children and teachers took a bus together; it was a wonderful experience for the children.

The children shared public space and respected other passengers on the bus. 

In our formative week of our new unit, Water Wonders, our field trip to Kitsilano beach provided the children opportunities to demonstrate their prior knowledge and current understanding. As we explored at the beach, the children collected shells, sticks and seaweeds.  

The children have asked many inspiring questions, which we can explore and learn more in this unit.

Here are some of the children's questions and comments:

Where does the water in the storm drain go?

Why are there pipes in the forest trail?

Do the pipes take the water to the sea and ocean?

Why is there a pipe but there was no water inside; where did it go?

There are bus and creatures in the water.

Why is the tree and grass wet but it didn't rain?

The water is moving; the waves are coming in because the ships are pushing it over!

The wind is moving water, too.

There are animals that get food in the water like sea gulls.

When the sand has more water my boots get stuck in it.

In the summer time the sand looks different.

Why are there sea weeds and shells on the beach? How did they get there?

The water in the sea is salty.

How much salt and fresh water do we have?

Art - Foil Paper Print

Exploring with different art media, the children tried to used foil paper and paint to create the artwork. First, we slightly scrunched a piece of foil paper. Then, the children painted the foil paper.   

The children printed pattern on a piece of white paper.

Art and Craft - Colourful Ornaments

As the holiday season approaching, we made some colourful ornaments this week!

The children used aluminum foil, string, cardboard and Sharpie markers to create this shinning colourful decoration.  

Art - Tint & Shade of Blue

Last week, the Water group children and I found it challenging to mix and to reproduce the right colours we wanted from Nature. Therefore, we decided to break down the steps and explore tint and shade. To make it simple, we chose only one colour, blue, to work on this week. 

Working with the Colour Tablet Box 3 again, the children explored that by adding white, we create a lighter blue; on the other hand, we can get a darker blue by mixing black and blue together.

The children enjoyed mixing and creating their own tints or shades of blue!

Art - Leaves Colour

The Colour Tablet Box 3 from Montessori Sensorial area were introduced to the children today for our art activity. I demonstrated how we can grade different shades of colours from light to dark. 

Then, each child had a turn to observe and to match the colour of the autumn leaves that were collected from outside. The children were encouraged to take their time to look at the colours carefully and to compare the different shades.

The children noticed that some leaves had more than one shade of colour that match. Look how carefully our little ones focused on finding and matching the colours!

We tried to used the paint to reproduce the leave colours we see. All the children were so eager to mixing and create the colour we  see from the leaves. After the process of trail and error, the children and I found that it was pretty difficult to reproduce the same colour from Nature! We will keep explore about different shades of colour next week.

Art - Sky Colour

Today, we began with study the cover of "Sky Color" by Peter H. Reynolds. "What colour is the sky?" I asked the children. "Blue" the children said. "Is there other colours in the sky?" I wondered. Some children looked at outside of the window and said "white and grey, it's cloudy!"
As we read through the story, the children explored that the sky could change colour depends on the time of a day or on the weather. 
Some children also shared their knowledge about that we see colours because of light and the rainbow colours within the light.

The children were encouraged to try a new art technique to draw with white candle upon the paper first.

 Then, we picked different sky colours to put on our paper. The water colour helped us to see the candle marks we made at the beginning. 
Having practice using water colour during our art time, the children were capable controlling the amount of water they applied with the water colour on paper. The children learned to stop adding water upon the same spot and to wipe their brushes to reduce the water.

 It was exciting to watch the children's gradual progression of water colour art technique. Moreover, the children enjoyed the process and carefully observed the colour-mixing happened on the paper.