H is for “Halloween” “House” and “Hedgehogs

When diving into our sound study for the letter “H” the children engaged in a variety of activities involving literacy, art, and scientific thinking. We read the book If I Built a House by Chris Van Dusen and invited the children to make a blue print of a house using cut out shapes. Once completed, they searched for matching geometric shapes in our blocks that the teachers then hot glued together for the children to paint. The multi-step construction process was exciting and satisfying upon completion.

We have a stuffed animal hedgehog that comes out for social emotional lessons named Hedgie. The children engaged in research about hedgehogs by looking at a children’s science magazine and having the teachers read fun facts. We learned about their unique adaptations, where they live, what they eat, and that their babies are called hoglets. Following a recipe that children helped make air dry clay that we used to construct hoglets for them to take home and “care for”. You might be seeing these miniature sculptures in your home this week!

I is for “Igloos” “Ice” and “Islands”

The children learned about how igloos are made from sawing large blocks of ice and stacking them together with snow packed between. They pretended to make their own by cutting white paper and gluing arches on a a dark sheet of paper representing a cold starry night. They also enjoyed the multi sensory, process art of ice painting on canvases. We also started the Montessori land and water series last week which focused on islands and lakes.

Miscellaneous Fun around Mariposa Classroom