Bubbles and Flyswatters?

Sesame Street spent the week using a wide variety of materials to explore bubbles.

The children were encouraged to pop the bubbles using several different body parts; hands, elbows, feet, and heads.

During another exploration, bubble solution was poured into a pan and the children used some interesting household supplies to blow bubbles; flyswatters, bubble wands, cookie cutters, stacking rings, and a sifter.

The children in Sesame Street discovered that their puppets love to eat bubbles! As Ms. Ciera blew bubbles the children caught them in the mouths of their puppets.

They observed bubbles as they popped on paper. They painted with bubble solution and used straws to create bubbly rainbows on coffee filters.

Key Developmental Indicators from this exploration:
Moving in locomotor and nonlocomotor ways, moving with objects, pretending and role playing, drawing and painting, describing objects, creating and experiencing collaborative play, using something in several ways, observing things from different viewpoints.

Looking for a fun at home project? Put your bubble solution into the freezer for an hour. Take the solution out, blow bubbles, and observe.

What will happen? Your bubbles will last longer in the air and they will also have a cracked appearance!

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford

Mini March for Cystic Fibrosis

We are pleased to announce that our second annual Mini March for Cystic Fibrosis was a complete success! We have raised $575 to support research and treatment and money is still being donated.

The children were sponsored to walk laps around the playground for one half hour. Between 10:45 and 11:15 am the children could be seen walking, marching, or running around the orange construction cones that marked their path.

Cystic Fibrosis is a condition that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States. In the 1950's, children diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis could only expect to live to see elementary school. Through medical advances and research funded by walk-a-thons just like this, the life expectancy of someone with Cystic Fibrosis has dramatically risen to the 30's, 40's, or beyond!

We are honored to have been a part of fundraising for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Decorating for Spring

Pooh Corner has been busy creating decorations for hanging around the classroom and welcoming spring! Our most recent project involved bingo dobbers, yellow finger paint, and paper plates. The infants used these materials to make buzzing baby bumblebees!

A few of the babies found the most excitement by using their touch and taste senses to explore the paper plates.

When Ms. Amber introduced the finger paint it went unnoticed by many of the babies. Unnoticed that is, until their fingers "accidentally" touched it.

It was exciting and amazing to watch the wonder in their eyes as the plates and their hands changed colors!

Magic Kingdom Easter Egg Hunt

Last Friday,while we were watching the movie Horton Hears a Who, the "Easter Bunny" hid Easter eggs all over the playground for the children to find. Each child was able to search for three eggs to put into the Easter bag that they had decorated earlier in the week.

The children put on their coats and the classroom door opened - the hunt had begun! The children immediately ran toward the back of the playground to find their first of three eggs. Some of the children found three quickly, while others hide to hunt a bit harder.

As everyone knows, there is always one egg that is almost impossible to find. The entire class began looking for the final egg. The children searched in all of the places they imagined it could be hidden; along the fence, under the trees, the sandbox, and behind the barn. They were ready to give up when Ms. Andrea noticed something pink peeking out of the empty flowerpot right outside our classroom door. The children investigated and sure enough, it was the final Easter egg!

The Easter egg hunt had come to an end. It was time to head inside to enjoy a delicious lunch of chicken nuggets, cut-up veggies, fruit salad, and cookies. The children cannot wait until next year to see where the "Easter Bunny" will hide the eggs. Will they be able to find them all?

Exploring "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle

The children of Big Bird Buddies have been exploring The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. This unique book provides many learning opportunities for young children. The story of an egg that hatches into a "very tiny and very hungry caterpillar" and eats a variety of foods, increasing in number, each day of the week. Finally this caterpillar, which has become "a big fat caterpillar" wraps into a cocoon. When he nibbles his way out he is a "beautiful butterfly".

Number: Counting Objects
Using an old oatmeal can with a lid and construction paper, we created our very own hungry caterpillar. There is a great big mouth cut into the lid provides the children to "feed" the caterpillar and count the food pieces he is given. "On Friday, he ate through five oranges. But he was still hungry!"

Mathematics and Science: Natural objects; living and nonliving
The children experience a simplified version of a caterpillar's life cycle. They recognize the process of change over time.

The children are also exposed to the days of week and the concept of time; as the caterpillar stays in his cocoon for two weeks.

Home to School Connection
Our families have been given the opportunity to experience this learning at home with their children. Our "Book in a Bag" activity is now filled with The Very Hungry Caterpillar, our own class-made caterpillar and his food, materials to create a butterfly, and of course a camera to document their excitement and learning!

We encourage you to experience this book at home with your children! The possibilities are endless!