We have spent a great deal of time exploring the changing of the seasons. Summer seemed to fly by, but it seems that is often the case here in Michigan. The children are beginning to notice the cooler temperatures, and we have been observing the vibrant colors out on our playground. We've also been finding ways to bring Fall into the classroom. Check out some of the explorations that have been taking place in the classroom!
Art with Fall Materials
We started first by using leaves for painting. Many of our leaves were still a vibrant green and had not yet changes colors, although a few of the were beginning to change. We used these leaves as our painting tools, looking at the different prints each one made.
From there, we used our leaves (as well as other materials) to create collages. Some of our kids have really been into collaging and using glue (since we used collaging for our identity board pieces). They love all things sticky! We collected items from our garden, and used them in our collages in the classroom. The children loved feeling the different textures, and hearing the sounds the items made.
Pumpkin and Gourd Explorations
We like to bring in other types of materials as well. The past few weeks, we have brought in pumpkins and gourds. We usually explore the items first, looking at the textures and colors. Later, we open up the pumpkins to explore the fun stuff inside! This is an exciting sensory experience for many children. However, some are not too sure about it, and are very hesitant to touch the innards of the pumpkin. We use the seeds for counting explorations as well. We'll be using the pumpkins in other ways as well for the remainder of the season.
Future Explorations and Connecting to the Early Childhood Standards
We still have some time to explore the changes occurring during the Fall season. The leaves are just beginning to change and drop. We're hoping we still have a few warm, dry days to explore in the piles of leaves on our playground. We've also been incorporating some light explorations, as the amount of light during our school day is changing. When we first started school, our mornings were bring and sunny. Now the sun comes up a little later, so our mornings are darker. The children have noticed and we often talk about the sun in our conversations. We're excited to explore these changes, and bring in new Fall materials to explore!
These explorations relate to our Early Childhood Standards of Quality (https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/ECSQ_IT_approved_422341_7.pdf). Many of these standards involve exploring the world in which the children live in. We recognize the children need to use all of their senses to explore the world, so we find ways to incorporate sight and touch, as well as sound, taste, and smell. We'll be mixing up a batch of cinnamon playdough, a smell often associated with smell. The children also wanted to taste the pumpkin, so we're looking for ways to sample some pumpkin as well!
Here are some examples of the standards met through our explorations:
STRAND C: EXPLORATION: Infants and toddlers
learn through active
exploration of the
environment.
Goal 1: Infants and toddlers experience environments where the
importance of spontaneous play is recognized and play is
valued as meaningful learning.
Goal 3: Infants and toddlers experience environments where they learn
strategies for active exploration, thinking, and reasoning.
Goal 4: Infants and toddlers experience environments where they
develop a growing sense of social relationships, the natural
environment, and the physical world.
STRAND D: COMMUNICATION: Infants and toddlers use
a variety of means to
communicate their needs
and thoughts, and to
understand and respond to
other people and ideas.
Goal 2: Infants and toddlers experience environments where they
have opportunities to communicate through the use of
symbols/pictures, signs, and stories.
Goal 3: Infants and toddlers experience environments where they
discover and develop different ways to be creative and
expressive about their feelings and thoughts.
STRAND E: CONTRIBUTION: Infants and toddlers
have opportunities
for learning that are
equitable, promote social
competency, and value
each child’s and family’s
contribution.
Goal 3: Infants and toddlers experience environments where they are
encouraged to interact and learn with and alongside others.
