Positively Medieval!

Staying true to our emergent curriculum, which builds on the interest of the child, we are embracing all things medieval! Our Room 1 friends have expressed interest in castles, knights and princesses; therefore, we are doing our best to make this endeavor not just a thematic unit, but rather an authentic learning experience. We are facilitating conversations to keep their interest alive and to also think deeper about these topics. How do you explain the Middle Ages to a 5 year old, you ask? You let them explore the art, culture, architecture, customs, and don’t forget the fairy tales!

Exploring the literature…

Building together…

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Collaborating to create…

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Telling stories through pictures…

Cultivating artistic expression…

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Measuring in our math small group…

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Exploring vocabulary and concepts associated with size…

Identifying shapes and writing numbers…

Developing a strong sense of symbolism through micro-dramatic play…

“This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?” Isaiah 66:1

Our prayer is that as we continue to discuss these topics, your child will know who The King of Kings is. More than anything, we want them to develop a reverent love for God so that His resting place will be in their heart.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

Fizzy Exploding Hearts

Our hearts (and minds) are exploding with fun new learning experiences this week!

The scientists of Room 1 explore chemical reactions with a few substances (baking soda, vinegar, water colors, and of course GLITTER!).

Science experiments are a fun way to make sense of the world around us. We are able to make predictions, develop critical thinking skills, communicate with peers, exercise patience and perseverance, and solve problems.

We also get to show off our fine motor skills that make us the capable little scientists we are. Check out a true pincer grip…

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…and now we’re working toward a proper pencil grip!

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As you can see, we also enjoy hypothesis testing…

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Jesus Loves Me Party

Our “Jesus Loves Me Party” was a Valentine’s celebration centered on God’s love for us! We are so thankful for God’s unwavering love! He loves us when we make good choices and when we make bad choices as well. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Understanding the truth about God’s love not only strengthens our relationship with Him but also strengthens our relationship with others.

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

Room 1 friends shared why they love Jesus…

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At Morning Meeting, a few friends helped lead our Bible verse song:

“G-O-D  is  L-O-V-E” John 4:16

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We made valentine cards…

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…and worked with strawberry play dough!

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A couple of our fabulous Room 1 Moms read some books about love!

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We ate yummy yogurt parfaits topped with graham crackers, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries! Mmm!

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After our special Valentine’s Day snack, we sang songs about God’s never ending love.

We passed out the Valentine’s we made for our friends.

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Most importantly, we spent the day LOVING each other!

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Thank you to all the parents who helped make this celebration possible. We LOVE you!

Clear Skies Ahead! 

Weather has been the focus of our discussions, experiments, and art projects for the month of January.

In our science small group and in our classroom library, we have been learning what clouds are made of.

To really understand these systems as a whole, we created our own demonstration of the water cycle.

  

We also graphed our favorite weather…

We checked out rain clouds…

…and experimented with rainbow rain clouds!

We created a cloud in a jar (using hot water, hairspray, and ice)…

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…and were AMAZED!

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We wove our clouds together…

and created our own storms!

           
Even in our very mild Los Angeles winter, we are so thankful for God’s sovereignty over the weather EVERYWHERE.

“When He gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, when He made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, then He saw it and declared it; He established it…” Job 28:25-27

Baking with Joy!

With Christmas festivities in full swing, it just wouldn’t feel like the holidays without baking! Room 1 friends measure, pour, mix, and roll their way to a yummy treat!

As Ms. Joy guides the children through a Snickerdoodle recipe, the group discusses units of measurement, consistency of the ingredients, and spices used.

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Hands-on cooking activities are a fun way for children to make connections in content areas like math, science, and literacy!

The Underwood Family Farm

Today, Room 1 had an awesome day at The Underwood Family Farm! Our day began with haystack climbing!

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After a quick snack, we learned a little bit about how fruits and vegetables grow.

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We loaded up the tractor and headed to the fields!

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Farmer Kate showed us how to pick Clantro, Bok Choy, and Swiss Chard.

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After lunch, we headed to The Animal Show. We got an up close and personal look at Cilantro and Basal (the farm rats), Fern (a giant rabbit), Jonah (the goat), Halo (the chicken), and Bingo (the black labrador retriever).

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After the show, we feed some goats, pigs, bulls, emus, and donkeys.

We ended our day with some good ol’ fashion playtime! We explored tunnels, pretended to drive a stationary tractor and combine, used the giant tractor slide, and climbed in a wooden train.

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Thank you to all of the Room 1 parents who joined us, drove, and helped us keep our little ones safe and engaged! We love and appreciate you!

Oh Hello, Mr. Guitar and Mrs. Violin!

Whether we’re inside, outside, or visiting the “Big Field” we love to incorporate worship and music/movement into our everyday routine. We are filled with joy as we sing songs that remind us about how much we are loved by God!

There are so many benefits associated with music! Some of which include: learning to participate in a group activity, expressing emotions, strengthening listening skills, becoming aware of one’s body, cultivating imagination, and improving large and small motor skills. Music and movement is a time when we get to discover that movements have the power to communicate messages. Woah! Isn’t learning about the world around us,so much more fun when we get to act it out with our own body?
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