Tiny Tribe: 2014-01

Lucky Fish for Chinese New Year

This month we have been reading and learning all about the Chinese New Year.

Fish paintings and decorations are very typical Chinese New Year symbols for wealth. Fish are symbol for the blessing that the family have surplus money in the New Year.

Today we used paint, markers, glue, and collage materials to create our own fish artwork.

Helping Roles

By giving preschoolers jobs at home and in the classroom, we can allow them an opportunity to feel like they belong and are significant in their world. During class time, one of the activity choices today was cutting the ends off of the green beans that we were going to eat for lunch. This was a very popular choice and the kids were excited to contribute. Later on during lunch, they discussed how they each helped cut the beans. They were eager to eat them too!

When kids participate in all of the processes of their day, they can take ownership and responsibility for their actions. When they spill the food while serving themselves or put their pants on backwards they have the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

Mixing Primary Colors- Yellow, Red, and Blue

We explored the science of color mixing today.

What will happen if I mix a little blue into a little red?

If I add even more red? Or some white?

Oooh, I made pink.

Mix a little yellow, swirl in some red.

Magically orange appears.

Katy's Princess Castle

Katy- A princess and a prince lives in my castle. She's a princess. See? (Holds up wooden girl). I'm changing the castle because this one will be the one she lives in. I will built it. A prince is too. His name is Chicklesticks! It's a funny name. We got to build sixty rooms. Two, seven, eight, nine, ten babies live there. They have babies. Her name is Beliza. The princess.

Corre, Perro, Corre! Go, Dog, Go!

The preschoolers were delighted to hear one of their beloved stories read in Spanish today. Jena read a page of the book in English, then Victoria read the same page in Spanish. Because the preschoolers are all very familiar with the English words in the story, "Go, dog, go!",their eyes lit up in understanding as we read the same words in, "Corre, perro, corre!".

I made this!

I chose the color and shape of the beads that I wanted to use.

I chose beads shaped in the letters of my own name and for my family and friend's names too.

I picked up a tiny bead between two of my fingers and held it there while I steadied the pipe cleaner with my other hand.

Once my bead was on the pipe cleaner, I used my fingers to push the bead all the way to the end.

I made this all by myself.

Float, Sink, and Freeze

This week we have been talking about how water freezes and turns into ice. The Centipedes wanted to try it out for themselves, so we took a walk around the neighborhood, and thy each collected items to add to their container. Once we filled up our container, we headed back inside to add water to it. Each Centipede made observations about which items would float, and which ones would sink. They all enjoyed adding the water all by themselves, and watching the items either float or sink. We put each container into the freezer, and when we return to school on Tuesday, we'll find out how each one froze.