Celebrating Arbor Day

http://www.arborday.org/explore/

National Arbor Day is an observance where people and communities are encouraged to plant new trees as well as taking care of the trees we have around us.

The observance day was founded in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska. National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday in April each year (April 29, 2011). So, this is a perfect time to start exploring trees within your children's community and offer Arbor Day preschool activities with the children.

There's so much that children can learn from trees.

If you have the opportunity, plant a small tree on the grounds around your classroom to nourish and watch its growth throughout the years. See how it changes during the seasons. Allow the children to name the tree in honor of their classroom. This gives them pride in nurturing their environment, learning more about the importance of trees in our lives and hopefully returning back to the center to see it's growth over the years!

Arbor Day Pre-K Activities

Adopt a Tree

Find a Tree

Take the children outdoors to explore trees in your playground, the park, and in the neighborhood. Talk about things that are the same and things that are different from each tree. What are its parts (roots, trunk, limbs, branches, leaves, etc)? Together play observation games. Ask questions such as: "Who can find the thickest tree trunk?" or "How many different kinds of leaves can you find?"

Getting to Know Your Tree

Tell the children that they can choose a tree to adopt (all the children can adopt the same tree if necessary). Once they have decided on their tree, help the children get to know their tree better.

• Let each child hug her tree. "How far do your arms go around it?"
• Encourage each child to kiss her tree. Have her smell the bark, leaves, pine cones, flowers, and acorns.
• Have each child explore the tree carefully with her eyes. Then, if possible, let the child look at parts of the tree with a magnifying glass.
• Let each child explore her tree carefully with her hands and feet. Feel the bark, leaves, twigs, and buds.
• Help each child find out who lives in her tree. Point out that many trees are homes for animals and insects. Look for nests - "What is it made of?" "Who do you think built it?"

Make a Book About Your Tree

Pass out paper and invite the children to draw a picture of their tree. If possible, let them draw while looking at their tree outdoors. Have each child name their tree (teacher can write the name on this sheet). The children can draw pictures of the animals or insects that live in their tree.

Have the children visit their tree and find a piece of bark to paste on another sheet of paper. Or, show the children how to put the paper up against the trunk and make a rubbing of the bark with a crayon.

Help each child measure the trunk of her tree with a piece of yarn. They can glue this piece of yarn to a page in their book.

Finally, have each child find a fallen leaf from her tree and glue this to a sheet of paper. If possible, visit this tree during all four seasons to collect a leaf.

Bound all these pages together between construction paper to make a book.

 

 

Nutrition From Trees

Many trees produce fruits and nuts that make good food for us to eat. Encourage the children to find pictures in magazines to make a "food from trees" collage. On one day, have a "tree food day" and serve fruits, nuts, apple or orange juice, and other snacks from trees.

Music and Movement

Invite the children to use their bodies and pretend they are trees. Play music and have these pretend trees sway in the breeze using their arms - back and forth. When the music stops, the children must freeze into a tree shape (like an upright trunk).

 

 

Read Books About Trees

Here are a few suggestions:

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

The Happiness Tree: Celebrating the Gifts of Trees We

Treasure by Andrea Alban Goslin

Another Tree in the Yard by Lucia Sera

Tell Me, Tree: All About Trees for Kids by Gail Gibbons

Source for Arbor Day: http://www.arborday.org

Arbor Day preschool activities will help teach young children about trees and this important observance. As we are trying to become more eco-friendly, saving our trees is an important factor in our lives. Youngsters should learn how to plant trees, nurture trees and love trees - they will save the Earth!

copyright: http://www.brighthub.com/

Sand and Water Table

Tree Farm

1. Set up a tree farm in your sand table
2. Provide tractors, bulldozers, etc for them to play with in the area.
3. Put pieces of small branches, bark & leaves in the table.
4. Encourage children to plant trees and harvest them in the table.

Snack Time

Leafy Snack

1. Using leaf cookie cutters, create leaf shaped sandwiches.

2. Allowing children to take part in this activity would be so much fun for the classroom.

3. Alternatively use Jell-O, to make Leafy Jigglers.

Art & Family Involvement

The Family Tree

1.Have children bring pictures of their family to class. Let the children draw a tree on the poster board or large sheet.

2. Next have the children paste the pictures on the tree.

3. Now you have a cute family tree.

Group Project

Tickle Tree

1. Draw a triangle shape tree on a large sheet of paper. This is a group activity, so the larger the better.

2. Next, have the children cut three inch pieces of green paper and curl them with scissors or their fingers.

3. Finally, let your children glue the curled paper to the triangle to make a unique tree.

4. Add the following Poem to the bottom of the tree:

This is my tickle tree,
As you can plainly see,
It will tickle you,
As it has tickled me.
So if you are not careful, this little tickle tree,
Will make you say Hee, Hee, Hee.

Copyright: www.everythingpreschool.com



Kelli Boniecki
kelliboniecki@gmail.com
http://www.kelliboniecki.scentsy.com/

 

Work Sampling Collections & Parent/Teacher Conferences

It's about that time where your program is in the midst of completing the Collection Reports for Work Sampling and sharing the child's progress with parent(s). Below are a few tips in helping transition into preparing for parent-teacher conferences as well as methods for sharing feedback.

A reminder to yourself while observing your students and sharing information with parents about the child's work.

Our 4K classrooms use “Authentic Performance Assessment” which means assessing children while they are applying their knowledge and skills in a situation or to a task that is meaningful to them and that is within the range of typical classroom activity.  Performance assessment is authentic because it is not set apart from daily learning.  

You, as the teacher, can either do spontaneous observations of activities to get an idea of children’s knowledge and skills, or they can plan activities or assigned tasks so they can observe and “document” the outcomes.  When the outcomes are documented, you make it possible for others to “see” the learning and development that is taking place.  

Documentation is “evidence” of learning and development.  Examples of documentation include observations made by the teacher and recorded as anecdotal notes, photographs of activities, products the child makes or produces, stories of learning experiences in activities, projects and units, records of problem solving attempts, and so on.

You, the teacher, “share the story” of the daily activities by displaying some of their documentation on the bulletin boards, walls, shelves and open floor spaces in the classroom.  The displays are the part of documentation that demonstrate to parents and visitors what children noticed, wondered, explored and discovered in their daily activities.  Displays are the part of documentation that makes children’s work visible within the classroom and school. 

  

FOUR REASONS FOR REGULAR CONFERENCES:

*To facilitate a balanced examination of all aspects of development.

*To provide uninterrupted and privacy for conversation.

*To facilitate a free-flowing exchange of questions and information and to increase mutual knowledge and respect.

*To provide the opportunity to formulate and coordinate goals and plans.

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCES:

*Help parents feel at ease- make the environment comfortable for them.

*Begin with a positive attitude and end with a positive attitude!

*Encourage parent participation-ask them open-ended questions during the conference.

*Summarize the conference for the parent. Feel free to use the above information about portfolios and conferences to help parents understand the importance of their involvement in the child's classroom learning experiences.

PITFALLS TO AVOID FOR A SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE:

*Avoid using technical terminology....parents may not always understand words like sensorimotor or 10th percentile.

*Avoid the role of "Expert". Be cautious of "I think" phrases.

*Avoid negative evaluations. ALWAYS stay away from the words: problem, behind, immature, never, can't, slow, failing. Remember these words are subjective. Suggestion: Instead of: Jimmy doesn't like art.  

Try: Jimmy usually chooses to play in blocks, building large buildings, and adding trucks and people to the scene. I have seen him choose to use art materials twice in the past two months.

*Avoid unprofessional conversations.

*Avoid giving advice. Unless you are an expert or doctor, your best bet is to provide suggestions after encouraging parents to help come up with strategies.

In closing, here is a quick reference list for successful conferences.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCES

1. Prepare carefully before the conference by considering the individual child's progress and documentation.

2. Ensure privacy.

3. Provide an informal setting.

4. Be mindful of parents' time.

5. Establish rapport.

6. Begin on a positive note.

7. Encourage the parents to talk.

8. Listen attentively.

9. Develop an attitude of mutual cooperation.

10. Delay making suggestions yourself.

11. Encourage suggestions from parents.

12. Summarize points covered.

13. Make plans together for future action.

14. End on a note of continuing cooperation.

15. Make notes about the conference after the parent leaves.

Reference:

Gestwicki, C. (2010). Home, School & Community Relations (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.

Help Support Autism Awareness

          and Research!

http://www.kelliboniecki.scentsy.com/

 

Week of the Young Child- April 22-28, 2012

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about that topic!

What is Week of the Young Child?

The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world's largest early childhood education association, with over 80,000 members and a network of over 300 local, state, and regional Affiliates.

The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

NAEYC first established the Week of the Young Child in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life. The Week of the Young Child is a time to plan how we--as citizens of a community, of a state, and of a nation--will better meet the needs of all young children and their families.

 

NAEYC Resources & Logos you are free to use for your events!

NAEYC offers a variety of resources for planning your community's celebration of Week of the Young Child. Here are some of our resources that either feature the 2012 theme, Early Years Are Learning Years, or generally promote awareness of the rights and needs of children. Although the Week of the Young Child does not have an official logo, NAEYC has some graphics that many associate with it. These images are available for your use.

Week of the Young Child Planning Event Book

Activities to celebrate Early Childhood Education in your community



Crayola Week of the Young Child Class Activities

Special classroom activities for your children to enjoy!

Art
Child Collage
Supply the children with magazines with pictures of children, construction paper and glue and let them make collages.

Me Puppet
Have the children create a sock puppet by placing buttons and yarn on a colorful sock with tacky glue.

Button Picture Frame
You will need six popsicle sticks, tacky glue, buttons, two small magnets, construction paper and a picture of the child. Then you make a frame with four popsicle sticks. Lay two stick parallel to one another (stick 1 and 2) then complete the from with sticks 3 and 4. Then to make the picture stay in you will need to add stick 5 and 6 on the top and bottom of the frame. So you have sticks 3 and 4 (the sides) with a stick on the top in front, top in back, bottom in front and bottom in back. Follow? Connect these sticks with glue. When dry have the children decorate these sticks with paint. Let that dry. Then let the children glue buttons on the frame. Let that dry. Cut a piece of paper to fit the back of the frame. Glue that on. Cut the picture to fit in the frame, and insert the picture. Then glue the magnets at the top and bottom of the back of the frame. Viola.. an awesome gift.

Finger Prints
Supply each child with a piece of white paper and different colored non-toxic stamp pads. Show the child how to make fingerprints on the paper, using only one finger at a time.

Self Portrait
Children can use torn paper to make a self portrait.

Shadow Art
Use an overhead projector, or the sun to create a silhouette on the wall. Tape a piece of paper on the wall, and trace the outline. Have the child cut out the silhouette. You may choose to have them decorate the shadow.

I like.... Collage
Supply the children with many different magazines, with foods, toys, etc. Let the children cut out things they like and glue them onto a piece of paper.

Feet Butterflies
Have children take off shoes and socks, paint the bottom of their feet with non-toxic tempera paint. Have the child step onto a piece of paper with their feet and heels together. When dry, add antennae with markers or crayons or yarn.

Me Puppet
Take a picture of each child. Have the child cut out the picture and glue to a popsicle stick.

Paper Bag Puppets
Supply each child with a brown paper bag, yarn and other items to make a puppet. The flap at the bottom of the bag is the mouth.

Paper Plate Faces
Have the children draw facial features onto a paper plate to make a face. Supply the children with yarn or Easter grass for hair.

Paper Plate Faces 2
Have the children cut out facial features from a magazine and have them glue them onto a paper plate for a funny face.

Paper Plate Faces 3
Supply the children with different multicultural colors of paper. Have them tear the paper and glue them onto a paper plate to cover the paper plate. After the glue dries have the children draw on facial features with a marker or crayon, or they hay glue on facial features from a magazine.

I Like...
When I was in Second Grade we did an "All about Me" Board and a warm Fuzzies book. The "All About Me" board was a bunch of pictures of me and my family and there were also things that said a little bit about me... like "My favorite food is Spaghetti" or "I have a cat named Missie" The Warm Fuzzie book was a book that the teacher wrote compiling all the nice things the other children said about me. "I like her hair" "She is a good student" "I like to play with her" I still have this book somewhere amongst the few things that made it from move to move. Anyway, have the children sit in a circle and say one nice thing about the child sitting next to him/her.

Life Size Me
Have the child lay on a piece of butcher paper and trace them. Have the child color the paper, then cut it out.

Life Size Me II
Have the children make crazy poses on black butcher paper. Trace them, then have the children cut them out. Finally hang them around the room for some fun shadows. Do the parents know which one is their child?

Feeling Painting
Divide a piece of paper into 4 sections. Have the children draw a picture of Happy, Sad, Mad and scared one in each of the 4 sections. Label the boxes for the children.

Friends, Holding Hands
Fill in the blank with the name of your class. Write this title in the middle of a piece of butcher paper. Then individually, paint a child's hands with a paintbrush and non-toxic paint. Using a paintbrush will increase the quality of the print, opposed to dipping the hand in paint. Have the child make a handprint around the edge of the paper. Wash the child's hand and repeat with all the children and teachers on your class.

Games, Math and Science
Hair Color Chart
Have the children raise their hands if they have brown hair. Count and record the number of children that have brown hair. Repeat for red, blonde and black. Graph the results. Ask the children "what color hair do most of the children in our class have?"


Height Chart
Measure each child's height and create a graph to represent the children's height in your class.


Eye Color Chart
Have the children raise their hands if they have brown eyes. Count and record the number of children that have brown eyes. Repeat for blue, green and hazel. Graph the results. Ask the children "what color eyes do most of the children in our class have?"


Where's Your ....?
Ask the children "Where's your ____?" Fill in the blank according to their age.
Here are some examples:
head, eyes, nose, foot (easy)
fingers, ankles, knees, neck, forhead (medium)
knuckes, wrist, thigh, forarm, palm, spine (hard)


Feelings Chart
Ask the children "How do you feel today?" Record the answers and create a chart. Talk about the results.


Listen to your heatbeat
Allow the children to listen to their heartbeat with a stethescope. The toy ones work, but some of your parents may have access to a real one.


Guess how I feel:
Have one child stand in the middle of the circle and act out an emotion. The other children can guess what it is.


My Friends and Me Jump
Take pictures of the children and laminate them. Have the children hop from one picture to another.


My Friends and Me Musical Chairs
Set out the pictures on the floor in a circle. Have the children walk around the circle of pictures. When the music stops have the children race to their picture. Every child should have an picture to stand on.


My Friends and Me Time
Set out the pictures on the floor in a circle. Have each child sit on his/her own picture for circle time.


I am Special Because....
Have the children finish the sentence "I am special because...." Record their answers.


Jump Jim Joe
Sung to "Hurry Hurry Drive the Firetruck"
Have the children sit in a circle before lunch. Pick one child, have that child pick a friend, then have the two children hold hands and follow the directions as you sing:
Jump, Jump, Jump Jim Joe,
Shake your head,
Nod your head,
Tap your toe,
Round and round,
And round we go,
Go and wash your hands
WITH SOAP


1, 2, 3 Good Friends
Sung to "10 little Indians"
1, 2, 3 good friends,
4, 5, 6 good friends,
7, 8, 9 good friends,
10 good friends are we!


You can also sing it in Spanish
Uno, dos, tres amigos,
Cuatro, cinco seis amigos
Siete, ocho, nueve amigos
Diez amigos son!


Who is here today?
Sung to "the Farmer in the Dell"
Who is here today?
Who is here today?
Everybbody clap your hands,
Who is here today?
Jill is here today!
Jill is here today!
Everybody clap your hands,
Jill is here today!
Substitute Jill for the names of the children in your class. Great circle time song where the children can dance or jump while you sing their name.


My Friend May I?
Played just like Mother May I? The child and parent stand at opposite sides of a room. The child asks if he/she may: take so may step forward. i.e. "Mother may I Please take 3 baby steps forward?" the answer would be either, "Yes you may", or "No you may not." The child wins when they reach you. Encourage the use of descriptive words, such as little, big, huge, tiny, and giant. You can also play this with a group of children. The winner would be the one who reaches you first.


Name Ball Game
Have the children sit in a circle and supply the children with a ball or bean bag. The child must say the child's name that they are going to pas the beanbag to or roll the ball to.


Friend Memory
Ask the parents to supply you with a picture of each child in the class. Make 2 black and white photo copies of each photo and glue the copies to the back of a blank index card. Now you have the cards to play memory.


Who is missing?
Have all the children cover their eyes. I have found that when they lay on their bellies they tend to peek less. Tap one child on the shoulder. That child will hide. Then the other children have to guess who is missing.


Hello My Friend!
Have one child sit in the middle of a circle on a chair. This child should cover his/her eyes. Then pick one child to go up to the child in the middle and say "Hello my friend, can you guess who I am?" The child in the middle gets three guesses. Then the child who spoke sits in the middle and the child that was in the middle chooses another speaker. The children can use their normal voices, but if they are familiar with the person in the chair, silly voices can be more difficult and amuzing.


Follow me
Play follow my friend just like follow the leader.


Mystery Can
Send a large coffe can home with a child. Send a letter with the can similar to this:
Dear parents:
This month we are going to be playing a game called "Mystery Can" I am sending the can home with your child. Please help your child find something to place inside the can that is special to your child and return it tomorrow with three clues written on a piece of paper. The children will try to guess what it is and the first person to guess correctly will take home the can.


Me Me you!!!
Played like "Duck, Duck, "me" instead of "duck" and "you" instead of "goose."

Book and Music Recommendations

My Body: All About Me Head to Toe
Excuse Me! A Book All About Manners
From Head to Toe
All About me (DK Lift-the-Flap)
The Mixed-Up Chameleon
I Can Do It!
All by Myself (Look-Look)
When I Get Bigger
Me Too!
He Bear, She Bear
Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You
Mice Squeak, We Speak
The Foot Book
Leo the Late Bloomer
I'm Gonna Like Me : Letting Off a Little

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WOYC Events In South Carolina
(Click on the title above to learn more about events listed below)

Monday, April 23 All day Special Event: Week of the Young Child (Statewide) Tuesday, April 24 All day  Special Event: Week of the Young Child (Statewide) 1:30pm  Child Care and Disasters (Webinar) 6:30pm  A Closer Look at the Environment Rating Scale: Science & Nature (Anderson County) Wednesday, April 25 All day  Special Event: Week of the Young Child (Statewide) All day  ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY 10:00am  Special Event: PICNIC IN THE PARK (Greenville) Thursday, April 26 All day  Special Event: Week of the Young Child (Statewide) 9:30am  Pregnancy Discomforts (Greenville County) 6:30pm  Creative Curriculum: Dramatic Play (Abbeville County) 6:30pm  Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse & Neglect (Greenville County) Friday, April 27 All day  Special Event: Week of the Young Child (Statewide) All day  10th Annual Early Education Learning Conference (Spartanburg County) All say TEAM Lowcountry Conference (Jasper County) Saturday, April 28 All day  Special Event: Week of the Young Child (Statewide) All day  10th Annual Early Education Learning Conference (Spartanburg County) All day TEAM Lowcountry Conference (Jasper County)

Edventure in Columbia

United Way Child Care Resource and Referral

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