Moon Sand and Movin' Around

Moon Sand is an amazing material that is like a mix of clay and sand, an amazing sensory experience. The Turtles experiment with the various sizes and shapes of molds to make everything from the moon to cookies.

 Tamara also shared a Rubik-cube like toy that was mesmerizing for the Turtles as they moved it around to create many many different shapes.

 Tamara read the book, "Buzzy's Boo Boo," which gave everyone a chance to talk about their many many boo boos.

Today was our last Movement Class with Missy! We gave her a card and a HUG ATTACK! She had lots of fun games for us like Limbo, Hula Hoop Hop Scotch, and Tunnel Crawl.

Outside, it was a little moist, but not actually precipitating, so the Turtles ventured out. They dried the slide off (albeit in an unconventional fashion) pushed each other on the tire swings, rode bikes, investigated the garden, staged a dance performance, and made magnificent birthday cakes.

Stretching Minds, Bodies and Rubber Bands

We had a few new things in the room today, the most popular being the rubber band art boards (they probably have a shorter, more accurate name). Many of the Turtles gathered around the table to challenge themselves and their friends to do all kinds of things with these materials: Make the most shapes, make the coolest design, get the most rubber bands on the fastest. It was a great activity, not only for the creativity that they brought to it, but also as a way to enhance fine motor strength and dexterity.

At Morning Meeting, we tried sitting up on the blocks, to see whether that made it easier or harder to still our bodies. We also had a fascinating discussion about what is in our bodies, and what it does. The Turtles talked about their hearts and took their own pulses and wondered at why their hearts beat so fast when they run. Others shared their ideas about stomaches and lungs and eating and peeing and pooping, and blood and what happens when you get a cut. It was a full-on Turtle Anatomy class. I recommend continuing the conversation at home. We ended up talking about what happens to our insides when we sit slouched as opposed to holding or bodies up. Next, we had a very still Moment of Silence.

We also worked on drawing our third main story character - the Guinea Pig with the Stinky Shoes. The Turtles kept running back and forth to Nellie and Luna's cage, so that they could accurately describe what a guinea pig looks like.

Outside, we took out new markers to draw on the glass, and cars with the blocks, to build roads and buildings.

In Movement class, we stretched, played dodgeball, did the limbo and popped streaming bubbles.

Inside-Outside Day!

Today we had our first Inside-Outside Day! Inspired by Carol's attendance of the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children Conference this weekend, Inside-Outside Day was an experiment to see what it would be like to have Choice Time with choices both inside and outside! Leaving the back door open, with one teacher inside and one teacher outside, the children could choose where they wanted to work and play!

Inside, popular choices were telling Turtle Stories for Tamara to type, and of course, snack.

Outside there were many choices, including magna tiles, baby dolls in the tent, and reading books.

We also had Movement with Missy, jumping through obstacle courses, learning how to play dodge ball, and playing follow the leader.

It was also Sarah Lynne's Treasure Box Day, and she shared her many treasures, including special rocks that she brought to share with her friends.