What a powerful activity! Teacher P brought some fresh herbs to circle time.  As she passed them around, she asked “Would you like to tell me what you’re feeling?” One child said “It smells like the food truck (he was smelling fresh rosemary). Another child said “It feels soft like chicle” (she was holding fresh mint). Lots of conversation about smells, tastes, and feelings that they actually felt, and were “evoked” from a memory of the smell.  She then placed the herbs beautifully in glass jars on tables with mortars & pestles, small bowls, scissors (all kinds including adaptive scissors), and white playdough.  The children were engaged for over 30 minutes talking, tasting, feeling, smelling and listening to the quiet classical music playing in the background. DRDP Measures I saw addressed: ATL-REG 1,4,6,7  SED 4,5  LLD 1,2,3  ELD 1,2 COG 1,2,8,9,10,11  PD-HLTH 1,4  and HHS 1,2,3,5  Here are the DRDP Measures at a Glance for Reference

DRDP: ARL-REG 4,6,7. LLD 3,4. ELD 1,2. PD-HLTH 3,4,9. VPA, 1.

This activity serves the following DRDP measures: HSS 1, 5, ELD 1, SED 5, Cog 8, PD-HLTH6

I was really inspired by the video we watched about "Defenders of Play" I've always believed that "Play is a child's work" They learn so much when they do this. The video had reminded me of something I have observed the children did one autumn day when they were playing at our courtyard. We had the giant waffle blocks that day. A group of children maybe 4 or 5 had started to build cubes with the waffle blocks When they were done, they sat on it  and arranged it i a circle afterwards  they took of their jackets off and placed it on their laps. I said " What are you guys doing?" One of them replied " We have a bonfire, Ms. Fides!"  The jackets were there blankets I figured and I loved it! I left them alone and just observed their play. One of them would pretend to be making smores. The other was warming her hands. It was awesome. One of the things I would continue to do and bring into my classroom are open ended materials which they can use to explore and have fun with.
DRDP: ATL-REG3, ATL-REG 7,SED 5, LLD3 AND LLD4

 

Reference:

 

Ong, F., & McLean, J. (2010). California preschool curriculum framework. Sacramento: California Dept. of Education.

The Incredible Years. (2003, November 15). Using Puppets to Model Social & Emotional Skills

[Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/uhDF-mKcQyY

During our “Morning Meeting,” my students and I sit together  and sing songs that support the languages spoken in our classroom environment. Singing gives my English speaking students a chance to learn a second language and exposes my Dual Language Learners to English. All of my students get the opportunity to learn language skills, such as sentence patterns, vocabulary, pronunciation, rhythm, and parts of speech. Music is a way for children to experience rich language in a exciting way! The featured video presents one of my favorite Bilingual artist “Jose Luis Oorzco singing Buenos Dias (Good Morning)!”

DRDP MEASURES: ELD 1-3 SED 1,3 LLD 1-3,5 HSS 5

We had a mom of two Hispanic children come and teach a traditional dance, wearing a bright colored dress, hair piece and using scarves. She chose to wear these clothing to show us the dance. It was not us being exotic or trying to do a tourist overview, but rather a skill and culture she wanted to share with us. There was no singing involved, only music and movement. You could add singing too and try to understand what is being communicated that way or ask about the name of the song and learn the background for it. You can explain what the dance moves mean or give Spanish names for them. Juan Pequeno Bailar is a great example of language mixed with movement. 

Strand: Sense of Time

Sub-strand- Personal History 3.1 Proudly display developing skills to attract adult attention and share simple accounts and recent experiences. (The children can show us what they know and how they move their body) 

Strand: Self and Society 

Sub-strand: Culture and Diversity, 1.1 Exhibit developing cultural, ethnic, and racial identity and understand relevant language and cultural practices. Display curiosity about diversity in human characteristics and practices, but prefer those of their own group.

DRDP: LLD 1, 2, 3, and 4

HSS 1 

-Caring for the natural world (SUBSTRAND) 

Grow flowers or vegetables in a wooden planter or flower box. This grants children the opportunity to observe a plant or vegetable’s life cycle. Children are able to see, feel, touch, smell and even taste what the produce and care for! Also, you can adapt other areas into this lesson. Math, science etc. 

https://youtu.be/6sEKubBz9fA

Think differently about weather! Remember when we were children and on rainy days we stayed indoors? Well, THINK DIFFERENT! That is an opportunity to take the classroom outdoors and explore. Of course safety first but perhaps you have a weather alert and they weather says rain for the rest of the week. Send out permission slips and get clearance from the office and go out and explore. Allow children to bring their best rain boots (Yellow boots like PEPPA PIG?) and most fanciest and cool umbrellas! Raincoat fashion, need I say more??? 😁 

Create a fun and witty checklist with emoji’s like this: 

Rainboots🥾 ✔️ 
Umbrella ☔️ ✔️ 
Raincoat🧥 ✔️ 
Collection Jar🏺 ✔️ 
Magnifying Glass🔍 ✔️ 
Happy face😃 ✔️ 

Create a worm bin. 

Create an Earth worm habitat. This project is FUN! https://youtu.be/AF-jzWKMdwE

Rediscover your own sense of wonder. As educators, our job is to keep children burning with hunger for knowledge & learning and it’s our job to feed them and nurture them! That means, we too, must keep learning and rediscovering with the children! ⚡️⚡️⚡️

 

References:

https://shelburnefarms.org/sites/default/files/btjnaturerosenow1.pdf

Hop across swamp

Walk around the mountain

Swim through the gold 

Tip toe through cave 

Two big horns

One wet snout

I feel rough skin

I know what that is its a dragon 

this would all happen while the children hold their maps they made and go though our class room to the dragon in the cave.