The famous “Mike the Bubble Man” visited Magic Garden! He treated all four classes to an amazing bubble show! Fusing mathematics, science and music, Mr. Mike blew bubbles of all sizes! He even encased some students in kid sized bubbles! Lots of fun!
Want to make your own bubbles? Here is Mike’s awesome recipe:
Mike the Bubble Guy’s Solution Recipe
* 4 gallons of water
* 4 cups of Dawn liquid soap
* 1/2 cup glycerin
Let sit for 24 hours.
Have fun!
Starlight
The afternoon program is always stirring with fun, friendship and, of course, rich educational moments. The girls and boys have recently shown quite an interest in penguins! During our cozy story times, the students continue to enjoy themed literature selections, both fiction and nonfiction. The Starlight kiddos have acquired some very interesting facts. Did you know penguins cannot take flight? Did you know penguins swallow their meals whole? Did you know that these cute creatures spend half of their time on land and the other half in the water? Our Starlight friends do! To expand this interest, the pupils created adorable paper plate penguin crafts. Later, they explored frozen penguin cubes in the sensory table. Tons of fun!
To release some of those wiggles, our children continue to request impromptu dance parties! “Cool Kids” is a current favorite playlist of tunes. Freeze dancing and the classic “Animal Action” are always crowd pleasers. At pick up, you may witness Club Starlight is off the hook! Looking ahead: the students will focus on studying the human body. This will infuse music (“Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”), dramatic play and art! We can’t wait!
Twilight
So many children take part in our afternoon program. It’s no wonder that their compelling interests inform and enrich our ever-evolving curriculum!
Recently, the students became interested in the Aurora Borealis. More commonly known as the Northern Lights, this enchanting show of sky colors clearly captured each pupil’s attention. After viewing some educational video clips, the boys and girls formulated many questions and scientific guesses. Simply put, this phenomenon is caused by magnetic fields, particles in the sky (atmosphere) and solar flares. To capitalize on this learning, the children engaged in easel painting sessions, creating their own versions of the Northern Lights. How cool is this?
As part of Magic Garden’s Magical Mindfulness curriculum, the Twilight kiddos have been enjoying some very thoughtful selections of literature. This includes the Rhinos and Raspberries series, a collection of cultural tales of tolerance. Also in the mix: Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon and Humpty Dumpty After the Fall by Vothy Kuon.
Coming up: Continued work on our Random Acts of Kindness tree!
Sunshine Scoop
The Sunshine Mathematicians are hard at work, exploring the next level of Magic Garden’s Everyday Mathematics curriculum. The students have graduated to the expansion level of counting. Great job, girls and guys!
During Circle Time, the kiddos listened to Donald Crews classic children’s book Ten Black Dots. Focusing on numerals 1-10, the children took part in numerous, whole-group counting activities. Later, drawing on inspiration from Mr. Crews, the pupils crafted their own mixed media collage, incorporating their own black dots. In the coming days, the boys and girls will explore parquetry shapes and accompanying pattern boards, as well as a racecar counting game to further hone their math skills. What a great deal of learning!
Sunshine’s Magical Mindfulness curriculum continues! Recently, the children used serenity spirals during a morning meeting session. With their index fingers, the Sunshiners listened to calming music while tracing the spirals in firm concentration. This practice provides a method of meditation and relaxation. Some friends exclaimed, “I feel quieter.” And other students said, “I feel relaxed!” Mindfulness is always a vital component in our classroom! Coming up: The Sunshine Class will celebrate Magic Garden’s annual Read Across America month. Many special guests are scheduled to visit our room with their favorite selections of children’s literature!
Starburst Happenings
The Starburst scientists are bustling in their lab of wonder, learning and super fun times! Recently, the boys and girls took part in a very official snow crystal observation. They placed sheets of dark- colored construction paper in the freezer, to allow them to chill. As fresh snow began to flutter down from the sky, they placed their sheets on the pavement and gathered flakes. Using magnifying glasses, the students observed and identified the different snowflakes and snow crystals!
In other frosty happenings, the Starburst kiddos are exploring the fascinating world of polar bears! Did you know that polar bears have a thick layer of blubber under their skin to keep toasty? Did you know that these fuzzy creatures are expert swimmers? Did you know that they live in the Arctic Circle? Just ask our little scientists. They are polar bear specialists!
Coming up: The Starburst friends will celebrate Read Across America! Also, a new unit on rhyming!