On Wednesday, April 26th, the Moonbeam Classroom joined the Sunshine Classroom for the second annual “Spring Pancake Feast.” Our students crafted colorful, stenciled placemats and table cloths for the event. Converging in the hallway, all the kiddos dined on yummy pancakes, fruit and lemonade! It was a splendid celebration of all the “magic” friendship at our school.
Thanks, friends!
Starlight
The Starlight students gleefully proclaim that spring has, at last, arrived! This reflects in their ongoing adventures. Using magnifying glasses, the afternoon friends have been scouring the campus, observing all wonders of our natural world. This includes insects, birds and sprouting daffodils. The children plan to gather an array of outdoor materials to construct their own open-ended art collages. Very cool! Since Magic Garden’s campus is surrounded by trees, the students continue to comment on the developing colors and the blooming buds. To capitalize on this, we have begun taking a series of photographs to document the progression. The Starlight shutterbugs are certainly having a blast!
With Earth Day ahead, Starlight has been having fun, singing a collection of “green” songs. This includes ‘We’ve Got the Whole World in Our Hands.” Numerous fiction and non-fiction themes books have also been afternoon favorites. Coming up: More Spring fun!
Twilight
The Twilight children have (finally!) begun to hear some tweet, tweet, tweeting on campus. Could it be? Teacher Olivia led each of our afternoon students in crafting wonderfully, repurposed and eco-friendly bird feeders. Using Popsicle sticks (for the roof), upcycled milk cartons (for the frame) and numerous colors of paint (for fun!), the kiddos created feasting grounds for our fine feathered friends. Very cool! Thanks, Ms. Olivia!
In anticipation of Magic Garden’s annual butterfly hatch, the Twilight students have also been creating gorgeous art versions. Any material will do! The girls and boys utilized watercolor paints, doilies, foam scraps and more to fashion their own fluttering creature.
Up next: Learning about volcanoes and outdoor adventures!
Sunshine Scoop
The Sunshine Classroom has transformed into a gallery! Our kiddos continue to engage in the endless possibilities of open-ended art experiences. In this, our children are provided with a variety of tools and then, set free to create! Their expressions are unfiltered, unaltered and 100% independent. There are no limitations, instructions or samples. For instance, recently the boys and girls painted with helmets! You may ask, “How is this possible?” Well, we simply taped paintbrushes to hats salvaged from the Dramatic Play area. Very fun! Do visit our display. Later, they utilized texture paints (just mix paint with sand or oats or rice or…whatever!), as well as pendulum painting. The Sunshiners have surely created timeless masterpieces!
Continuing with this exploration, the children continue to enjoy listening to a new classroom favorite, The Boy Who Just Couldn’t Stop Drawing by Kay Harring. This biography details the life and work of artist, Keith Haring. Inspired by sidewalk break dancers, Mr. Keith’s work could be seen all over New York City. During Choice Time, the Sunshiners created their own colorful, symbol-covered dancing bodies. Each is so unique and stunning. Be sure to check out our Magic Garden Subway installation in the front entranceway!
Coming up: Planting and outdoor team games!
Starburst Happenings
What do the Starburst friends see? What do our kiddos hear? And what is that smell? Lately, the Starburst Classroom has embarked on a new learning venture: The five senses!
Kicking things off, the girls and boys began to explore the world of hearing. Examining diagrams and nonfiction books, the children learned about the different parts and functions of our ears. For instance, the outer ear is the portion we can see, functioning as a cup to capture travelling sound. The inner ear, a spiral-shaped tube, translates vibrations into sound and sends this information to the auditory nerve and then, the brain. Very cool! Building on this information, the students crafted cup telephones, engaging in silly conversations with their classmates. Also, they had a blast playing several rounds of sound bingo.
Now, the friends are focused on the topic of sight! Blindfolded drawing workshops and sightless walking tours are certainly classroom hits. The Starburst children are also learning about individuals who cannot decipher between different colors (color blindness). In addition, the pupils have begun to investigate the braille alphabet! Investigating this system of raised dots, each child continues to attempt to spell his or her own name. Amazing!
Coming up: The worlds of touch, taste and smell!