Monthly Archives: September 2014

A visit from a museum scientist

Posted on by under Enquiry & Discovery, The Natural Environment

Simon, the scientist from the Museum Victoria, came to visit us on Thursday and he brought some Australian animals. We learnt about their habitats, and how where they live affects the sorts of special features they might have. It was very interesting to touch REAL animals, and to find out more about our unique Australian animals.

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When we saw the red-bellied black snake, it was a great chance to practise snake safety for our bush kinder excursion to the Manangatang Kinder’s bush kinder program.

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We want to thank  Museum Victoria for this outreach program and the Arts Centre in Mildura for funding it so that our children can benefit as much as other children in the towns and cities in Victoria.

maths in the sandpit

Posted on by under Early Learning, Emergent Curriculum, Enquiry & Discovery, Maths

Maths  investigations can happen anywhere. Maiya noticed something about the chick pea seedlings that are sprouting in the sandpit – how long they are when you look at them with their roots as well.

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The next day, we got some supplies out and Maiya chose long ones and short ones to stick on her board.

Then Adam came along and did this too. Adam had to draw a line first, before sticking his on – perhaps he has heard someone say that they all have to be on the line? This is the start of using standard measurements – to help make measuring meaningful.

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Doing science

Posted on by under Early Learning, Emergent Curriculum, Learning through play

Jobe asked if we could do some science at kinder – What sort of science?

You know, like volcanoes.

So we did. Scientists try to understand how things work, so the goal was to help children look more closely and wonder about why.

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Bicarb soda is interesting because it reacts to some things and not to others – we tried it with water and it didn’t bubble up like a volcano. Then we offered bicarb and colored vinegar and we noticed that

  • It had a special smell
  • The bubbles didn’t keep going a long time
  • There were holes in the bicarb soda after the bubbles had finished

Louise asked where the bubbles had come from? Most people thought from when the bubbles had popped.

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Some people were able to listen very quietly and hear the bubbles frothing.

 

 

“It’s definitely a wet day.”

Posted on by under Creativity & Imagination, Early Learning, Emergent Curriculum, Enquiry & Discovery, movement & physical learning, The Natural Environment

This was said with a big smile and shining eyes when William arrived. He came to kinder prepared, in shorts and boots so he wouldn’t get his trousers wet! It rained  all day on Monday – and while some children were happy to go back in after a while outside, there was a group who happily spent their whole time in the mud, stones and water of the river. New side channels were dug and rocks shifted; stones dropped and splashes made; boats launched, beached, sunk and rescued to do it all over again.

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flying bookworms

Posted on by under Creativity & Imagination, Language & Literacy

As part of our literacy focus in the last couple of weeks, and our visit from the Flying Bookworm Theatre, we offered the children some special paperclay to make their own flying bookworms that live in one of their favourite books.

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William brought a Thomas book along so we could see his favourite book.

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And Grace likes the Gruffalo.

The more we can make reading and stories a fundamental part of daily life, the more likely the child is to be positive and enthused about learning to read – and excited about doing so. The community around them needs also to celebrate and show an interest in books and reading – children learn from what we do and feel, more than from what we say.

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