Teacher Feature: Toddler Class Explores Liquid

Posted on June 4, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Logan Crowley. His two year old classroom was learning about the senses and decided to spend a week learning about how a liquid, solid, and a gas feel. Below you will find a reflection from Logan and images from his lesson on liquid. Liquid_Cover

What were your topics of exploration?

We were learning about the five senses. During the week of this lesson, we were exploring the sense of touch and learning how to describe how things feel. We also wanted to compare the textures and properties of various things. I chose to focus on the three different states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and for liquid, water seemed like a great choice.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

I didn’t expect my toddlers to necessarily be able to identify and define the states of matter, but I wanted to get their brains firing and thinking about how things felt when they touched them and what words they could use to describe what they’d felt. I also wanted to engage their sense of touch in general and give them an opportunity to experiment with water.

What was most successful about your lesson?

Even though a lot of them just ended up pouring the water on the ground rather than into the empty cup, I think I was definitely on the right track in that they loved to practice pouring and it let me know that they’d probably enjoy more opportunities to pour in the future. I was also surprised with how engaged they were with the book. Finally, even though we ran into some trouble with our original plan (we were told the kids could not walk barefoot in the water feature), the kids were great about it and still had a fantastic time playing with the water.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

I would have organized the pouring activity a little better, perhaps demonstrating first or having them come up one at a time. I also would have had a backup plan ready for them to be able to play in the water (having them bring sandals or water shoes, perhaps), since I found myself having to improvise when they could not go barefoot.

Here are a few images from their unit on liquid:

It was a cold day but that didn’t keep this class from learning and playing with water. Logan bundled up his group and walked up to the courtyard of the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian American Art. This in door space is large and equipped with a beautiful glass ceiling. It makes for a wonderful environment to be in when the weather is not ideal.

DSCN2696 Logan began his lesson by providing each child with a pitcher of water and a cup. He invited the children to pour the water and watch as the liquid moved from one container to the next. A number of the children touched the water with their fingers and also sampled it from their glass.

He then read a story Water by Frank Asch. The story explains the different states of water and Logan explained that today they were experiencing water as a liquid.

Logan picked this space because there is large fountain that produces a very thin film of liquid on the floor. Guests are encouraged to interact with the fountain by walking through (with shoes on) and touching it. The children really loved being able to interact with this liquid in so many different ways.

This class had a wonderful time learning about liquids! Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!

Teacher Feature: Three Year Old Classroom Explores Gardening

Posted on May 28, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Erin Pruckno. Her three year old classroom was learning about Eric Carle and Erin decided to spend a week focusing on The Tiny Seed. Below you will find a reflection from Erin and images from her lesson.

What were your topics of exploration?

In this unit, we were using the books of Eric Carle to engage with a variety of topics that our class wanted to explore, topics like animals, food, rainbows, and more. This particular lesson was from our week on plants, using The Tiny Seed to guide us. We focused on the parts of a plant, the plant life cycle, what plants need to grow, and in this lesson, how we garden to care for plants.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

One of my objectives for this lesson was for the students to develop a sense of their role in tending plants—many of them are interested in the plants on our playground, so I wanted to encourage their sense of responsibility in caring for the natural environment. I also wanted to foster their language development by introducing new vocabulary for the different tools we use to garden, which would also add new elements to their dramatic play. Finally, we used the lesson as an opportunity to organically build letter recognition and phonemic awareness as we named and labeled the different tools.

What was most successful about your lesson?

My students really enjoyed picking out and adding tools to our poster of “Gus the Gardener.” Making it into a game by telling them to close their eyes and pick is always a hit too! I also think that the lesson was successful in encouraging my class to think about the sounds associated with letters as they matched a label with text to the corresponding image of a gardening tool. They also were quick to pick up on the new vocabulary, using the words for tools they previously didn’t know as they played with them on the playground later that day!

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

The fun part of this lesson is that it doesn’t have to just be about gardening! I’ve also used a similar format to introduce the job of a paleontologist and all the tools he or she needs to dig. It could also work for exploring other occupations, like doctors or builders. During the museum portion of our visit, we were very lucky that there were two paintings side-by-side that allowed us to compare and contrast gardening indoors versus outdoors. Another teacher could accomplish the same thing by bringing in an image of a different kind of garden in another painting, or by comparing and contrasting two different photos or prints if they can’t make it to a museum. Visiting indoor and outdoor gardens would be another opportunity for making comparisons about the kinds of gardening and the tools we need.

Here are a few images from their unit on gardening:Erin’s class was spending time exploring the wonderful world of Eric Carle and decided to spend a week on his book, The Tiny Seed.

The group had read The Tiny Seed several times throughout the week so Erin decided to have the class work together to re-tell the major plot points.

DSCN2889 Erin then read a new book to the group: A Seed Grows by Pamela Hickman. The book introduces the different tools used in gardening.
Erin brought out some of the tools found in the book and introduced the group to her illustration: “Gus” the gardener.

“Gus” needs his tools! Erin invited each child to pick a picture of a garden tool and add it to the image. They all worked together to try and identify the different images.

Erin then had a second bag with the names of each tool and invited them to pick a word and match it to the image on the sheet.

DSCN2939 The class then headed out to the National Gallery of Art (NGA). On their way into the museum one of the NGA gardeners invited the students to check out his gardening tools.

DSCN2960 The final stop was to see Miro’s The Farm and Matisse’s Pot of Geraniums. Erin asked the group to do some close looking and describe what they saw in the two paintings. She emphasized that these paintings were both of gardens but one would be found indoors and the other outdoors. Erin then brought out “Gus” and had the group work together to identify which tools could be used to plant in either garden or both.

This class had a wonderful time learning about gardening and Eric Carle! Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!

Teacher Feature: Infant Classroom Explores Mail

Posted on May 21, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Jill Manasco. Her infant class was learning about communication and decided to spend time learning about mail. Below you will find a reflection from Jill and images from her lesson.

What were your topics of exploration?:

Our topic of exploration was mail/communication/writing letters. We looked at the different types of mail like magazines, letters, bills etc. We also talked about where our mail comes from and how it gets from place to place.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?):

I wanted them to see where our mail comes from and how it gets to other people. Also, I wanted them to see what kinds of things are sent and received through the mail.

What was most successful about your lesson?:

Our trips to the post office and NH mail room were the most successful things about our lesson. They enjoyed mailing a letter to our friend Emerson and also picking mail up for the school.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?:

The entrances to the post office were tricky for us since we are in buggies. The doors were not automatic and they were really hard to open but with an older group that would not be a problem.

Here are a few images from their unit on mail:

The group got all bundled up and headed straight to the post office for their lesson!

Earlier in the week the group worked together to write a letter to a friend who had moved. Jill showed the class the mailbox where they were going to drop off the letter but explained that they needed stamps to make sure it got all the way to their friend in a different state!
In the post office, they stopped to check out some of the boxes where people get mail.

Jill showed and re-read the note to the group.

She invited each child to help participate in the mailing process. Above a child is adding the letter to the envelope and below he is helping to seal it up!

Then it was time for Jill to weigh the letter and purchase the postage. Jill narrated the whole process to the friends.

Last step was the postage! This little boy loved how sticky it was!

Then it was time to mail the letter! When the letter arrived at its location the group was able to Skype with the recipient and see how their letter had traveled all the way to her.

This class had a wonderful time learning about communication! Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!

Teacher Feature: Kindergarten Classroom Explores Sol LeWitt

Posted on May 14, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Rebecca Adams. Rebecca is the Arts Enrichment Educator for kindergarten and has been working on a large mural with the children for the classroom. For inspiration, she decided to spend a day learning about Sol LeWitt. Below you will find a reflection from Rebecca and images from her lesson.

What were your topics of exploration?

We used the wall drawings of Sol LeWitt to explore the collaborative nature of large-scale artwork, and how using teamwork leads to a successful experience of the creative process in addition to an eye-popping product. This was also a technical exercise in one approach to handling a new medium (professional grade acrylic paint and medium on heavy weight watercolor paper) that mimics the skill set we will employ in painting the classroom mural. The limited palette and ‘hard line’ approach refine (fine motor) brush control and prepares participants to use color intuitively while demonstrating formal knowledge of fundamental color theory & color mixing.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

My primary objective was to enhance their understanding of the process required to complete large scale collaborative artworks while practicing and becoming comfortable with a new painting medium and technique. We also used rulers to anchor the underdrawings of these small paintings along with colored painter’s tape to help direct a three to four color palette. This priming technique facilitated their critical thinking skills when confronted with the “problem” of building a balanced, non-representational composition using unfamiliar tools & materials. It also gave them an opportunity to use a similar “recipe” as Sol LeWitt and expect different outcomes.

What was most successful about your lesson?

The most successful part of our lesson was watching and discussing a 10 minute video clip of studio assistants working on Sol LeWitt’s wall drawings. The magic of seeing teamwork reveal a polished, larger than human scale product helped the children connect to their own efficacy as an artistic “unit.” This conversation exercise in confidence building made teaching a combination of a new skill set more attainable. It was clear to them that communication and cooperation was far more important and effective than individual virtuosity. Another strong factor of the lesson was how the multi-sensory nature of this particular set of tools and materials kept them engaged and asking thoughtful questions throughout, while building a new vocabulary (e.g. “palette knife,” “bold,” “dull,” “transparent”) Their fine motor skills were assessed and greatly improved as well.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

I would suggest working in small groups of about three to four children at a time. It is helpful to have a “half-finished” and a “finished” prototype on hand to show the children. I also think it is helpful to have a “conclusion” circle so that the children can see others’ artworks, ask questions, and re-review the inspiration video.

Here are a few images from their unit on Sol LeWitt:

Rebecca decided to pull a few students at a time from the classroom for this lesson so that she could have more one-on-one time with the students. Rebecca began her lesson by talking about Sol LeWitt and his work and then showed a video on his murals: “Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective” (http://youtu.be/c4cgB4vJ2XY).

She also shared with the group Sol LeWitt: 100 Views edited by Susan Cross and Denise Markonish.

Rebecca illustrated the first step in the process.

The children then got straight to work using rulers and tape to design their paintings.

She then asked the children to select three colors and start painting between their lines.

Rebecca gave the children high quality acrylic paint which required the added step of using a palette knife to mix in medium to make the paint a bit more fluid. The children also needed to combine their paints together to get the color they desired.

The children really embraced the multi-step process and were able to hone their fine motor skills throughout the project! Sol LeWitt is a great way to get ready for painting their own mural in the classroom. The group will use a grid and also need to work collaboratively to create their one large scale painting.

DSCN3139 Here is a sketch of what the children decided to include in their classroom mural.

Looks great so far! Can’t wait to see the final product!

This class had a wonderful time learning about murals! Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week and watch to see the finished mural at the end of the school year!

Teacher Feature: Three Year Old Classroom Explores Eric Carle

Posted on May 5, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Laura Muniz. This three year old classroom was learning about Eric Carl and Laura decided to spend a week focusing on the animals featured in his books. Below you will find a reflection from Laura and images from her lesson.

What were your topics of exploration?

Some of Eric Carle’s books talk about animals, what they see and what they hear, so we decided to explore animal senses. For this lesson we wanted to focus on snakes and how they use their tongues to smell. We went to the Bone Hall at The National Museum of Natural History and checked out some cool snake bones. We also read Eric Carle’s The Greedy Python.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

I wanted the children to learn that animals sometimes experience things differently than humans. On this day, I wanted to emphasize the distinction between our sense of smell and taste and that of a snake’s.

What was most successful about your lesson?

I think the most successful part of the lesson was the game we played with the small jars with scented cotton balls inside. The kids took turns using their nose to smell, trying to guess what the “mystery scent” was. They then stuck out their tongues, the way a snake would, to see if they could smell with their tongues. The activity not only allowed the kids to engage with the lesson, it was also lots of fun!

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

We were talking about snakes, so naturally we went to the Bone Hall to check out some snakes and other reptile bones. Unfortunately, the space in the Bone Hall is a little awkward because it is a popular thorough fare to other exhibits. I feel like I could have also done this lesson outdoors or even at the Zoo.

Here are a few images from their unit on snakes:

DSCN2424 Laura began her lesson at the National Museum of Natural History. She read Eric Carle’s The Greedy Python and asked the group about what they knew about snakes. Laura then asked the group to compare the image of the snake in the book to the ones in the case explaining that we were seeing the skeleton of a snake.

DSCN2432 Laura then asked the group what part of our body we use to smell. The group was quick to respond and Laura followed up by asking about the snake’s sense of smell. She explained that snakes use their tongues to taste the air around them instead of smelling with a nose.

DSCN2434 Laura invited friends to try smelling the bottles first with their nose and then with their tongue.

DSCN2439 Laura added the extra challenge of having the children try to guess the scent in the bottle. They had such a great time working together to try and figure out the scents!

DSCN2455 Before heading back to the classroom, Laura invited the friends to take a closer look at the skeletons. They compare the different sizes of the snakes and their bones.

This class had a wonderful time learning about Eric Carle! Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!

Teacher Feature: Toddler Classroom Explores Pandas

Posted on April 28, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Megan Gallagher. Her two year old classroom was learning about the animals and decided to spend the day learning about pandas. Below you will find a reflection from Megan and images from her lesson.

What were your topics of exploration?

Our toddler class had been discussing animals for several weeks. This lesson was specifically on giant pandas. We started the lesson in the classroom with a sensory activity. I created a “panda forest” in the sensory table with bamboo, dirt and panda figurines. The children were encouraged to explore the items in the sensory table while we discussed pandas. We had been talking a lot about how pandas eat bamboo and many of the children enjoyed pretending to feed the bamboo to the panda figurines.

We then took a walk to the Smithsonian Castle to see the “Panda Cam” they have set up that live streams video from the pandas at the National Zoo. We had a special circle time at the “Panda Cam.” In addition to our daily circle activities, each child was given a piece of bamboo to hold while we read two books about pandas. The first book was Five Hungry Pandas, which is a counting book about pandas eating bamboo. The second book we read was My Panda Book which features photographs of pandas engaged in different activities and encourages young readers to consider what the pandas are doing on each page.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

I wanted the children to take away the concept that pandas are real animals that engage in behaviors unique to them. I also wanted to give the children many different ways to contemplate pandas, so that the concept they formed would be as complete as possible.

In addition I wanted to make sure that my lesson had a sensory component and gave the children the opportunity to interact with some of the real objects we have been discussing.

What was most successful about your lesson?

I was happiest with the sensory exploration part of my lesson. Giving toddlers the chance to touch and engage with different textures is critical for their development and I am always looking for ways to incorporate sensory based activities into my lessons. I was also happy that the kids were able to see and play with real bamboo. I like to involve some of the real objects we are discussing in my lessons whenever possible. I feel it gives the kids the best opportunity to fully understand a concept.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

If I was going to teach this lesson again I would bring along a tablet with a video of pandas being active as a backup for the “Panda Cam.” The panda on the live stream was asleep the entire time we were at the Smithsonian Castle. The kids still enjoyed watching the camera, but I think they would have been even more engaged if they were able to watch pandas moving around. I also definitely recommend bringing a manipulative for the kids to hold, as there is nothing to touch at the “Panda Cam.”

Here are a few images from their unit on pandas:

Megan began her lesson with a panda themed sensory bin. She added live bamboo, organic soil, and small plastic pandas for the children to explore.

As they played, Megan explained that pandas love to eat bamboo and the children began feeding it to their pandas.

The children loved the sensory table!

Since there are no actual pandas on the national mall, Megan decided to take the group to the next best spot for viewing pandas: the Smithsonian Castle. The Castle offers a live stream of the giant panda enclosure at the National Zoo. You can also access this camera on the National Zoo website: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/WebCams/giant-panda.cfm. To add a hands on component to her lesson, Megan brought along a piece of bamboo for each child to hold and explore during their visit.

Megan also read two different books about Pandas: Five Hungry Pandas by Alexis Barad-Cutler and My Panda Book. The class enjoyed comparing the images of pandas found in the books and on the screen.

This class had a wonderful time learning about pandas! Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!

Teacher Feature: The SEE Program Explores the Cape Buffalo

Posted on April 23, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Emily Sparling. She is the lead educator for the Smithsonian Early Explorer Program. This SEEC program meets for two hours twice a week in the Q?rius Jr. room at the National Museum of Natural History for children 18 months-2 years and their adult caregiver. The class was learning about the types of animals you would encounter during an East African safari and decided to spend a day focusing on the Cape Buffalo. Below you will find a reflection from Emily and images from her lesson.

SEE_Cover

What were your topics of exploration?

Our class was exploring the big five safari animals from East Africa and specifically the special characteristics and adaptations of each animal such as the lion’s retractable claws, the leopard’s amazing strength, the shock absorption in elephant feet, and the strong “helmet horns” on the Cape buffalo.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

My overarching objective throughout the unit was to help my students begin to develop careful looking skills. With this particular lesson my goal was for the students to begin to notice the way our skulls protect our brains and the way the Cape buffalo’s horns help it protect its brain.

What was most successful about your lesson?

With each animal we would first visit the Mammal Hall at Natural History to see an actual specimen and then on our second museum visit explore something a bit more abstract in relationship to that animal’s characteristics. I think giving the children a concrete interaction with the animal allowed them to connect with some of the more abstract explorations. In this particular lesson we visited NGA to look at some intricate helmets and a large bust of a bull. Despite the fact that the helmets were a bit above eye level (we had to lift each kid up), I was really amazed at how closely they looked at them. Perhaps the most successful part of the experience, though, was the crepe paper finish line. Art is cool but crepe paper is better…after our visit we let the kids try on helmets and “charge” through a crepe paper finish line to demonstrate how a buffalo might charge.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

Unlike some of the other classes at SEEC, our program has a parent/caregiver + child model. This lesson occurred during the height of spring break on the National Mall and as such crowds were larger and security tighter making it considerably more difficult for my families to navigate through the museums. I think I could have been a bit more thoughtful about those dynamics while planning my trip. Sometimes in the process of planning for learning I forget about planning for creature comfort! I think wherever your classroom is, staying attuned to the environment is important. Thankfully crepe paper is highly portable and there was plenty of green space for the kids to run it out once we left the museum!

Here are a few images from her lesson on Cape Buffaloes:

After a quick gathering in their classroom Emily and her class headed to the National Gallery of Art. Their first stop was Head of Bull by Gaetano Montia. Emily reminded the group about the information they had learn about the Cape Buffalo and showed them a few images. She then asked the group what were some of the differences and similarities between the two horned animals.

The group next went to see The Morosini Helmet. Here, Emily wanted to emphasize how the Cape buffalo horns act as an extra layer of protection for their brain just like a helmet does for people.

Emily brought along different types of helmets for the group to wear and compare to the art work.

Since the object is displayed high on a pedestal, Emily took time to lift each child and allow them to closely examine the object.

The group then headed out to try using their strong helmets. Emily had two adults hold the streamer tight and invited the children to run at it and use their heads, just like a Cape buffalo uses their horns, to break through.

The kids loved trying out the different helmets.

This class had a wonderful time learning about safari animals! Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!

Teacher Feature: Two Year Old Classroom Explores Bats

Posted on April 16, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Elaine Mullally. Her two year old classroom was learning about animal habitats and decided to spend a week learning about caves and the animals that inhabit them. Below you will find a reflection from Elaine and images from her lesson on bats.

What were your topics of exploration?

We began the lesson by reviewing the features of a cave habitat (dark, stalactites, and stalagmites) and then focused on which animals call it home. This particular day we learned about bats and introduced the word echolocation.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

I wanted the children to be able to identify caves as a dark habitat that might be challenging for an animal to live. Since this lesson focused on the bat, I also wanted them to be able to understand how they have adapted to live in this environment through echolocation.

What was most successful about your lesson?

The most successful part of the lesson was the echolocation game we played during circle time. The class was very excited to pretend to be insects while I pretended to be a bat using echolocation to find and eat them. The silly bug and bat goggles helped them get into character. They were also able to demonstrate the way sound bounces from a bat, to the insect, then back to the bat’s ear by rolling a ball back and forth.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

I would have chosen a different activity or game to play in the museum, or perhaps just find a book to read after observing the cave. It was a little too much for them to play a silly game twice and control their bodies in the museum.

Here are a few images from their unit on the bats:

Elaine began her lesson by re-introducing the group to caves. She then ready My First Book of Animals Homes by Eric Carle. The pages of the book are split so the top and the bottom pages turn independently, allowing the children to match which animal goes with each habitat. The students were excited when they were able to match the bat with the cave.

Elaine explained to the group that because of their environment bats need to use echolocation or a special type of hearing to catch their food. She used the green glasses as a way for the children to assume the bug character and black sunglasses with sharpie darkened lenses to become the bat.

She gave each child the opportunity to be the bug and then played a game where a ball represented sound traveling from the bat bouncing off the bug and returning to the bat.

Elaine would roll the ball to the child and then have them roll it back.

To show she had echo-located the bug she would come over and tickle the child.

She then took the group up to a cave in the Gems and Mineral Hall in the National Museum of Natural History.

Elaine reminded the children of the echolocation game they played in the classroom and then challenged them to send their “sound” or ball around a stalagmite to the bug.

The group had a great time using their echolocation in the museum.

This class had a wonderful time learning about bats and caves! Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!

Teacher Feature: Two Year Old Classroom Explores Frozen

Posted on April 9, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Shawna Williams. Her two year old classroom was crazy for Frozen and Shawna and her co-teachers decided to embrace the film as a way to introduce many different sub-themes including an introduction to Norway. Below you will find a reflection from Shawna and images from some of her lessons.

Frozen_Cover

What were your topics of exploration?

We were doing a unit of study on the book/movie Frozen. Within that theme we explored: ice, magic, castles, Norway/Arendal, winter, ice harvesters, Fjords, communication, love, Harry Potter, the life cycle of a snowman, and coronations.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

We wanted to expose the children to geography, language, math, science, and life lessons by using the movie/book Frozen. By acting out scenes, singing, dancing, dressing up and reciting quotes we wanted to bring the book/movie to life.

What was most successful about your lesson?

The children were truly engaged. I believe these lessons were successful because almost all of the children either had read the book or watched the movie and had already fallen in love with the story. Every day, the children looked forward to the lesson and were excited to learn. Not only was it a fun theme the children really enjoyed, but it was also a content topic rich with educational opportunities.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

I had a lot to share with the class about Norway and I felt like I could have organized my objects a bit better for easy use. I would suggest to teachers that they should have a clear vision for their lesson but not to forget to have fun with it because when children see your enthusiasm they won’t help but feel excited as well.

Here are a few images from their unit on Frozen:

Shawna began her lesson by showing the children a globe. She explained that there were seven continents and Norway is located in Europe. She took time to show each child the country on the globe and then invited them to try and find the matching spot on the larger globe.

While the children waited they practiced counting to seven on their fingers.

Shawna showed the group a few images of the country and then read them a Norwegian folktale, The Three Billy Goats Gruff.

Lastly, the group spent time looking and discussing the Norwegian flag and then took turns painting their own.
Since they had spent time in the classroom talking about the people of Norway, Shawna took the group up to the Mammal Hall at the National Museum of Natural History to see if they could match some of the animals on exhibit to ones that also lived in Norway. The children had such pride when they made their match.

The last stop for the visit was a large map found in the Hall of Human Origins. Here, Shawna re-emphasized the location of Norway and reiterated the information they had learned about the country.

This class had a wonderful time learning about Frozen and Norway! Be sure to check back for a new Teacher Feature next week!

Teacher Feature: Infant Class Explores Music

Posted on April 2, 2015 by francisag

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Katy Martins, Nessa Moghadam, and Noel Ulmer. Their infant class was all about sound so they decided to do a unit learning about music. Below you will find a reflection from the team and images from their lessons.

Music_Cover

What were your topics of exploration?

We were exploring music and dance.

What were your learning objectives? (What did you want your children to take away from the lesson?)

We wanted to expose the class to new sounds and spaces and encourage them to try out new ways to move their body (for example: clap their hands, bounce, etc.).

What was most successful about your lesson?

We found that this topic was a great way to get the whole class involved. Each child was given the opportunity to explore different instruments and experiment with their new environment no matter their level of mobility.

What could you have done differently? What recommendations would you have for another teacher trying out this lesson?

We suggest to other educators to have a plan for helping each child enjoy the museum visit. Bring along boppies and blankets to help those children who can’t sit up or aren’t quite as mobile.

Here are a few images from their unit on music:

The class started their unit on music at the National Museum of American History to see guitars from the 1960s. The educators brought along instruments for the children to use and a print of Juan Gris’ Guitar, Newspaper, Glass to use as an additional comparison.

The teachers also invited a parent to come in to play a guitar for the class. Throughout this lesson the children were shown prints of guitars, a collection of different types of guitars, and given opportunity to hear and play the guitar. By providing multiple touch points it illustrated to the children that the same object can sound and look different but still have the same name.
The class then moved on to the piano. A SEEC educator from the toddler classroom came to play some music with the children.
They had a wonderful time exploring the keyboard and hearing the different sounds it could make.

Katy, Nessa, and Noel then introduced the children to a genre of music, Bollywood. The class went up to the Beyond Bollywood Exhibit: Indian Americans Shape the Nation (http://smithsonianapa.org/beyondbollywood/) at the National Museum of Natural History to listen to music, play some instruments, and try out some dance moves.

The educators brought along a blanket for the children to help make the space feel cozy and welcoming. The children had a wonderful time using the instruments and seeing themselves in the mirror.

The group then hopped into the strollers to listen to some of the Bollywood music found in the gallery.

Their last stop was outside of the exhibit to see large mirrors with images of different dancers. The educators helped demonstrate some of the poses and a few of the infants even tried them out.

This class had a wonderful time learning about music! Be sure to check back for our Teacher Feature next week!