Commonality: Holistic Development
Supports cognitive, emotional, social, and physical growth through integrated learning experiences.
Books and Literacy Activities Galore
Books and Literacy Activities Galore show how having books, story boards, finger plays, and other activities such as story tapes and nursery rhymes available in the classroom supports children's developing literacy skills. Children love having books read to them as well as opportunities to explore the stories through play. Books should be available to the children throughout the classroom.
Recently the children have grown extremely attached to two Mother Goose books. They recognized some of the rhymes, such as "Humpty Dumpty" and "Hickory Dickory Dock" from felt board stories and "I Love You" rituals. Children love the rhythm that guides them through each rhyme with a steady beat, which we see them measuring out with a bounce of their heads or hands. The children also love the finger plays and interactive elements we have evolved around many of the rhymes. All of these elements are hugely important to their development of literacy skills and help promote a sense of joy in reading.
Predictions and measurements
Predictions and Measurements shows children using science, math and language skills while engaging in social interactions. Predictions and Measurements is hands-on, and the children are talking about their experience while thy pour and measure using different tools.
We tied in our current projects on caring for pets and presented the children with an opportunity to weigh dog biscuits. First, the children gave me their predictions on whether they thought that the small biscuits or big biscuits were going to be heavier; then they got to work to test their theories. Friends realized as they manipulated the scale, that if they filled the sides evenly, they balanced each other. They also identified which side was heavier each time!