So, I've decided this post is going to be more of a resource of ideas because quite frankly, there's too many bad stories I could share right now, than good.
On to the ideas!
Food Weeks
I decided after Valentine's day themes and a whole two weeks remaining in the month, I wanted to do a quick, easy, fun theme. Because many of them out there can be quite extensive, I thought about things the students had shown real interest in - cooking, baking, eating food they made. With that in mind, I did a week of nutrition and then the second week, making it all about cooking. Yes, even the three year olds followed this program plan.
I ended up buying this activity from Education Station:
It's all magnetic but it allows kids to make a "healthy" meal whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I wasn't sure how engaged the kids would be. It seemed more appropriate for the older classes as the young ones felt feathery boas and rockstar sunglasses were more entertaining (..hmmm...). Either way, great teaching tool, very durable, and simply fun.
For cooking, the three day program followed a meal plan.
Monday: Pancakes
Wednesday: Salsa
Friday: Pizza
The two day program did very similar except we didn't do salsa-making. All of it was super easy to do as many people tend to think the automatic "Ohmygod! You are braaaaveeee...". To be honest, I don't think alot of those people cook with their kids at home because I strongly believe in it being a trust and "mess" issue. One: alot of adults don't trust their kids because they automatically think 2: mess, mess, MESS.
But, because in my classroom I believe in respect and trust, I'm even willing to put a hot griddle down on the table for a three year old to see their pancake bubble and flip over because both of us know, they're not going to touch something that's going to hurt if they do. I'm willing to let a four year old help me cut with a large knife because we know they have never touched a big knife before because it's a grown-ups' job - but I'm letting them try and be successful with it. Simply, give them the opportunity with optimism and postivity - and you've offically planted the seed of a life skill being acquired.
P.S The salsa recipe we used, I'll post next time. It's really great tasting and I don't think I will ever buy salsa again!
Galaxies
March is such a random month for planning. You can try to talk about the lion/lamb weather connection. You can try wearing green and explain a little man myth. Then what? You end up being only half way through the month and you end up getting frustrated, think you wasted time on things they really have no concept of, and wished you avoided it all together. Well fellow ECEs', I have been there, done that, and never returning. I decided to avoid it altogether and do a full month of space. Best. Decision. Ever.
The weeks have been based on spaceship building, flying through the stars, creating solar systems (next week!!), and the teacher feeling good about the month of March for a nice change.
Today, the older groups learned about what the word "galaxy" means, different types, what they look it, and ended it with some watercolour painting of galaxies themselves. This became very easy to teach with the use of showing real photographs and explaining the differences by using terms like shape, design, or neither.
You would think they would remember "spiral" galaxies by far. Nope. Instead, they say "Elliptical" and "Irregular" galaxies.
