Welcome back! 

I was so excited to see the friends again.  We took a few minutes to share stories with each other.  This is a great opportunity to engage in language development.  The children are also learning other important conversation skills including looking at the speaker and waiting until the person is speaking before you speak. 

During Jesus time we learned the story of the Blind Man.  We learned that just as Jesus healed the blind man, through His death and resurrection we are saved from our sin sickness! 

During small group time we did an observational drawing of a car.  (My car :) ) 

Drawing is one of the many ‘languages’ that provide insight to children's cognitive development.  Through the use of observational drawings, teachers have insight to what the children notice, and they also bring up topics for discussion.  (“I noticed the car has big wheels in the front and small wheels in the back.  Tell me more about that.”)

More About Observational Drawings

• Observational drawing grounds young children, whose thoughts are often full of imagination and fantasy, in reality  

• Drawing takes observation beyond simple sensory perception and allows children to organize knowledge and understanding

• Learning to draw with accuracy helps children to filter speculations and false theories out from what was actually observed in the subject or process

• Children develop new theories as they draw and observe

• Children retain more of what they learn in an observation when they draw vs. when they do not

• Teachers may assess what children have learned by what they are paying attention to in their drawings

Back in the classroom we added labels and what we noticed about the car to our conversation. 

Free choice time

The friends continued to explore ramps.  We discussed shallow ramps and steep ramps as we explored. 

Did you know that your child is increasing cognitive development as she/he creates in the creation station?  According to the updated Bloom's Taxonomy creative thinking is the highest level thinking skill.  The ability to create "something" out of "nothing" increases cognitive development! 

Read more about Bloom's Taxonomy HERE.

Bummer!  I forgot how to write letters this morning.  :( The friends helped me remember!  They taught me where to begin my letters (at the top) and how to form them.  The ability to teach someone else provides insight to the children's understanding.  :) 

Outside time 

During second small group time we practiced rhyming with fun poems! 

We practiced writing numbers and increasing our understanding of number sense as we sang Five Green and Speckled Frogs and wrote the corresponding number. 

With me, the friends created a shallow and steep ramp! We problem solved and collaborated to create the ramps. 

During free choice time, the friends signed up for a turn on the ramp. 

We documented how far our cars rolled.  

This was a great time to engage in meaningful learning!  We measured how far the car went, identified the number, wrote our names, and wrote the number.  

Free choice time is a great time for the children to practice conflict resolution skills.  Conflict resolution is a valuable social skill for both children and adults alike!  :) 

Some of the friends made labels for the ramps. 

Steep Ramps

Shallow Ramps 

We noticed that our measuring tape was not long enough.  We added some!  The friends helped me write the next number. 

"We left off at 13.  What number comes next?" 

"14!" 

"Oh yeah!  How do you write a 14 again?" 

"You need a 1 and then a 4." 

This was another meaningful opportunity to practice number sense!