Exploring Light and Shadow In Magnolia

Magnolia friends have been enjoying our new dramatic play corner: a forest campsite! Friends helped create a campfire out of cardboard, logs and twinkling lights. Others have been busy in the art area making decorations for the space. Teachers introduced an old fashioned overhead light projector to the classroom. We’ve been exploring light and shadow, and the interesting qualities of objects and the shadows they cast.

We have been having so much fun with lanterns, and making pretend flashlights, and using real ones to explore dark spots of the classroom. Mitra setup a box that is black on the inside and quite dark. Children are invited to create a “shadow scene” using small interesting loose parts and casting their shadow. Julianne visited and created tree and snowflake shadow puppets.

During our camping unit, we thought about how camping usually happens outdoors and some friends even shared that they have slept outside in a tent! This led us to conversations about nighttime, and how we’ve noticed how the days feel shorter and it becomes nighttime must faster these days. We wondered what kinds of animals might live and thrive during the nighttime, and learned that these animals are called nocturnal. Animals that are active during the day (like humans!) are called dinural. Crepuscular animals are active at dusk and dawn. We enjoyed a sorting activity and some art projects to think more about this.

Our classroom has been buzzing with excitement about our upcoming Winter Lantern Walk! We will get started working on our lanterns on Monday, and this week have been preparing by learning the song “This Little Light of Mine.” With our musical classroom you can imagine the heart and soul that these children put into their singing! We look forward to celebrating Winter more next week 🙂

*If your child is unable to attend the lantern walk, please let us know! We will have other opportunities next week to welcome Winter as a classroom community and will make sure everyone gets to enjoy the festive fun 🙂

A Birthday Circle to Celebrate Hayes

More Fun Around The Classroom

Meeting fred the frog and gus the grasshopper, music with Chrissy and Grandpa Clyde, playing a “pass the snowball game”, a visit from Elissa (Eloise’s mom) and practicing making snow angels!

♥Emily.Mitra.Darius