Independent Inquiries vs. Science Table

On The Ontario Kindergarten Teachers Facebook page someone asked for some ideas as to what they could put on a Science table. This was the answer I gave:

Our EY team co-constructs several inquiry tables with children on different topics based on student interest (i.e. weather, plants, worms in worm hotels, etc.). These inquiry tables are student-led and can be done independently. The environment will include books, visuals, pics, co-constructed vocabulary, clipboards, iPads, open-ended questions posted on the wall, documentation of learning, and any kind of hands-on "stuff" we can drum up. Our EY team will often be found at one of these spaces documenting kinder learning, but we do not have to be present for this centre to function. As the environment is the third teacher the learning will go one without us being there. However, we have found that science experiments are a great table activities with adult support (i.e. kinder team, EA, parent volunteer, older student) during Play-Based Learning times. Something we just started is a: "What do you want to learn about?" board. Children add new ideas in words and pics about their interests and then we co-construct a new learning environment to support their exploration process.

This was an inquiry space on nests.

Grinch Day: Rich Learning at a Party

Grinch Day was the last day before Christmas Holidays. We read the book, "The Grinch that Stole Christmas" by Dr. Suess to get into the spirit and learn all about Whoville, the Grinch, and his change of heart. We dressed up like little Whovillians with crazy hair, colourful outfits, and some Grinch clothing the children already had. We had several invitations for play and learning around the class and hallway in hopes that the children soon would be there. (Whoops! Wrong story!) We had some that I didn't get to snapping pics of like acetate Grinch pictures on the light table with loose parts.

Stick the heart on the Grinch... a classic.

 Grinch hand prints and open-ended art provocation with all things green.

 Grinch hats with the opportunity to decorate your own hat. Many students created designs that were not the typical Santa hat.

Whoville trees: After reading the story and checking out some google images on Whoville we took a particular interest in the trees that we thought were unique. 

Sensory Grinch foam 

Milk with colour mixing using our hypothesizing skills. Mmmm!

Grinch Kabobs... a pinterest classic.

Green Rice Krispies

The last day before the holidays is a day classes typically call a 'party'. We absolutely called it a party too, but the invitations for learning were hidden in party activities. We had some typical 'party activities', but also had rich learning opportunities with open-ended provocations. The excitement was controlled by all of the provocations set about beckoning them to come learn and play. We practiced skills like observing, hypothesizing, designing, problem-solving, negotiating, language skills, persistence, and fine motor skills all in a day where we called it a "party"! 

Gingerbread House with Plan

Our Grade 6/7 Learning Buddies from Luke Felhaber's class came to Kinderland for some creative holiday celebration. Our EY team is always mindful of making sure our food is safe for children with allergies. I spoke with caregivers about what products are safe for their children and they came in to review the food a couple days prior to the build. 

Each team of kinder and Learning Buddy were provided with a template for a plan. The kinders drew the plans and many of them wrote out instructions. Some Learning Buddies scribed for their kinder. Many unique designs came from this process and lots of oral language and math concepts emerged. Here is some of the fruit from their labour.

Santa's Candy Shop: Dramatic Play

Lots of ideas flooded chart paper with what our Dramatic Play area would be in December. Kinders gave their thoughts on why their idea should be voted for and after the vote we were left with Santa's Candy Shop. It was up to our EY team to figure out how we would bring the literacy and math into the play. Our kinders also had many thoughtful ideas that we honoured. They helped decide what we needed for our Santa's Candy Shop and what we would do there. 

The sign is a collaborative effort. We have a cash register with student created money and poker chips. A keyboard with the cord cut off and files for receipts, plans, recipes, etc. Clipboards, writing utensils, notepads, sticky notes for writing opportunities. One clipboard had a cookie plan where students drew and wrote about their plans before creating.

Vocabulary words to inspire reading, writing, and oral language. 

Student created work displayed on the board to inspire others or expand on each other's thinking. 

Candy: Tins, tissue paper, twist ties, loose parts to wrap, and tags to write prices and labels.

Gingerbread loose parts cookies, fabric, loose parts, cookie sheets, cooking utensils, etc.

Loose Parts!!!! 10 jars of loose parts such as plastic snowflakes, pompoms, cotton balls, Christmas foam shapes, gems, diamonds, buttons, acorns, baby wood cookies, flowers, stones, yarn, etc. We also had gingerbread play dough, muffin tins, cookie sheets, spatulas, etc.

Frozen Small World Play

The interest in the movie Frozen continues in Kinderland. Our kinders wanted a small world play of Frozen.

 They decided that they needed a collaborative art piece of Elsa's castle. Students first chose to paint  triangles using various shades of blue, but later they decided they wanted swirls instead.

We cut the mural into a castle shape, added snowflakes around, and covered it with this great snowflake shimmering fabric from the local fabric store.

The kinders wanted puppets. So, we found these printable Frozen characters online and laminated and glued popsicle sticks to them.

We also made story stone Frozen characters with rocks, Frozen printables, and modge podge.

This tile is from a garage sale in the summer, and this castle was a find in storage. The Frozen storybook fabric was also from the local fabric store.

Our shelf has various loose parts. We have tile mats, separated stone tiles, wood blocks, different coloured fabrics, gems, numeracy mushrooms, stones with letters, etc. We also put some books on castles on there to see if it would provoke any interest.

Collage of Frozen Small World Play

Many stories were created in this space. Many retells were had. Many creations were designed and constructed here by mighty innovators.

Christmas Read Aloud Advent Calendar

Every day in the month of December as a count down to Christmas #pgkinderland unwrapped a present. Each present was a Christmas book that we read aloud in Kinderland. The kinders loved unwrapping every book with great anticipation for the holidays. Our focus in read alouds currently is retelling stories beginning, middle, and end.

Some of our favourite Christmas read alouds this year were:

Snowmen at Christmas by Mark Buehner and Caralyn Buehner
Mooseltoe by Marcie Palatini
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess
Pete the Cat Saves Christmas by Eric Litwin

Winter Holiday Art

We love giving children opportunity to express themselves creatively and get messy. The following pics show children being provided with open-ended materials and encouraged to seek out more materials that they want. They have been given a sample and then encouraged to explore, create, and extend.

Fine-motor activity with eye-droppers and dried-up markers in water.

Exploring repetition in art with swirls of wind and silhouette trees.

Creating designs and patterns with Christmas lights.

Exploring print-making with forks and corks.

A kinder brought in this book and independently followed instructions to create their piece. Exciting to see them bump into literacy, math, and procedure while self-selecting their learning.