Pre-K: Maps, Measuring, Magnets and Monet
"Mm" week was so full of possibilities that we’ve decided to extend it into the few days we have together next week as well…
Language and Literacy
We started off our week under the table - literally. As we continue to strengthen those core and shoulder muscles in preparation for writing more and more, each child completed two mazes while lying on his/her back under our literacy table. As a quick review, we also asked children to turn over gingerbread houses that had letters in them, make the sound of the letter and mark it on the accompanying sheet. They did a FANTASTIC job! Another review was an old favorite - letter bowling. We set up pins (paper cups) with a letter on each and children bowled with a beanbag, knocked over the cups and made the sounds of those letters. We are so proud of how the class has absorbed and practiced the sounds we’ve already done!
Math and Science
This week, we practiced measuring with unifix cubes and rulers. Children measured items we laid out on our math table, and then many took rulers and yardsticks to measure things around our classroom, including each other! We also discussed and created maps. Each child mapped our classroom, created treasure maps and the stories that went along with them, and also mapped their neighborhoods. Martine and I loved watching the children use their memories, their imaginations and their spatial sense to create literal, 2D maps from such abstract concepts. Take a look at our bulletin board to see their treasure maps and read the stories they wrote about them.
Martine’s Science Thursday focused on magnets and how they attract/repel. They made predictions about whether items would be magnetic or not, and, then, they experimented to see whether their predictions would come true.
We also turned our Dramatic Play area into a Mapparium. We had an enormous map of the world on our floor and added fish, village pieces, dry erase markers and a globe to see how the class would explore. We watched as children tried matching points on the globe with points on the map and listened in as conversations unfolded between children about where they’ve been and where they’d like to go. Your children may still be on the younger side to fully appreciate and understand Boston's own Mapparium, but it's such a cool place to visit, either for now or later:
Art
This week, we explored the artist Claude Monet. First, we read Monet’s Impressions, which has both his words and paintings. We, then, showed the class a slideshow of (and made a virtual visit to) his enormous Water Lilies at the Musée de L’Orangerie in Paris, and we talked about how we might feel if we were in the middle of the painting. We also read Katie Meets the Impressionists and focused on recreating his water lily paintings over the course of a few days. Children made lily flowers by using watercolors and eye droppers on coffee filters, painted lakes with blue, green and purple colors, and used small sponge brushes to make lily pads. Our Monet Water Lilies is on view in the hallway, and here are the links to slide show and the virtual visit:
We hope that you have a restful weekend as we gear up for our last few days before the holidays. We will be spending a bit of time on Matisse and money, in addition to getting into the holiday spirit!
Emily and Martine
Questions to ask your child:
What were some of the objects you tested that were magnetic?
What colors did you see in Monet’s Water Lilies? What colors did you use?
Which was your favorite map of the ones you created?