It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Jessie Miller and Will Kuehnle of the four-year-old Honey Bear classroom!  After showing an interest in games and physical play, Will and Jessie decided to embark on an exploration of sports.  They began by learning about the important traits of athlete, including teamwork, integrity, and persistence.   They continued their unit by delving into a different sport each week.  On this particular day, the class was learning about crew and rowing at the National Gallery of Art.  Below you will find images and descriptions of the lesson, and a reflection from Jessie.

Here are a few images from their lesson on rowing and crew:On their walk to the museum, the children pretended that their line formation was a boat.  Jessie reviewed the parts of a boat by asking the children to raise their hand if they were they were on the starboard, port, bow, or stern.

Once they got to their destination, the National Gallery of Art, Jessie showed the children a print of the painting that they would be looking for inside.  She also told the class that the painting was located in Gallery 68, and to keep a lookout for that number.  Given this information the class went inside with a purpose, and excitedly looked for the painting, noticing the gallery numbers.When they found the painting, The Biglin Brothers Racing by Thomas Eakins, they sat down and reviewed what they had learned about boats so far.  They remembered learning about parts of a boat and buoyancy.  Next they looked more closely at the painting and noticed two people in a boat.  The children enthusiastically shared memories of times they have been on or near a boat.  Jessie explained that this boat is used for a sport called crew, where teammates work together to row their boat in a race.

Jessie shared that she was on a crew team when she was in college, and her job was that of a coxswain, the teammate who helps to steer the boat by shouting out directions and controlling the rudder. Jessie made a pretend rudder using yarn, cardboard and a basket, and she explained how each part was used to steer the boat.

Then it was time to practice rowing!  Of course, Jessie couldn’t bring a boat into the gallery, but she brought items from the classroom that represented the parts of the crew boat to simulate the experience of rowing.  She took out the items one at a time and explained them:  The mat was to represent the water (and to ensure that the floor of the gallery would not be damaged).  A scooter acted as the seat in a crew boat that is on wheels so it can smoothly glide back as the teammate rows.  Next came blocks with shoes attached, which simulated the footplate – where crew members put their feet so that they are secure in the boat as they row.  Last came the oar, which Jessie had made out of cardboard. She took a turn on their constructed boat showing how a crew member rows the boat highlighting the importance of using your brain, muscles, balance, and teamwork.

Then some of the children got a turn!  They put their feet in the boat shoes, and practiced sliding back and forth.

They used their muscles to pull the oar back as they pushed with their feet.  Through this simulation, the children were able to apply their observations of the painting to something concrete, which deepened their understanding of the concept and sparked excitement for the topic.  Due to time, only two children tried the boat in the gallery, but Jessie assured the class that they would all have a turn that afternoon back in the classroom.

To end their circle, Jessie  read a page from G is for Gold Medal: An Olympics Alphabet by Brad Herzog about a young boy in the 1900 Olympics who won an Olympic medal for crew.

To conclude the lesson the children shared observations and asked lingering questions.  They wondered where the life jackets were on the crew members, and noticed other paintings around the gallery of boats.  They were curious to know more about these paintings, and Will honored their inquiries by reading the labels out loud, and sharing his own observations.

That afternoon, the children continued to explore rowing and crew by playing with the objects Jessie had created.  They enacted the painting they had seen that morning by having two crew members on the boat, and they added a coxswain at the front who helped steer the boat with instructions.

They also cheered on the US crew team team as they excitedly watched crew races from the Olympics on Jessie’s laptop.

A reflection from Jessie:

The Honey Bear teachers observed that the students gravitated towards games and play with a lot of physical movement. This led to our exploration of sports! We first focused on three tools an athlete needs when playing a sport including teamwork, persistence, and integrity. Afterwards, the Honey Bears began learning about some specific sports and how these tools are used in each. This lesson was done during our week about crew. I was inspired to teach them about this water sport because I was a coxswain for five years when I was in school. I was able to bring my previous knowledge, as well as enthusiasm, into the activities and lessons. I chose to take the Honey Bears to the painting The Biglin Brothers Racing by Thomas Eakins at the National Gallery of Art because it shows a clear picture of crew in action. The gallery is conducive for a lesson because it is usually quiet and has enough space for us to do a floor activity.

The objectives of the lesson were to scaffold the information we learned about boats that week, explore and learn new concepts involving a sport many of the students were not familiar with, and strengthen gross motor development with hands-on recreations of the rowing. Already having a vast knowledge on the subject allowed me to focus on the objectives and gathering of materials for the lesson rather than having to research the topic first. I see this as a benefit because I could spend more time going over the lesson itself as well as answer many of the children’s questions in the moment. My passion and excitement for the topic was also a benefit because the children could see my enthusiasm and therefore, become more interested themselves. I was pleasantly surprised to see how engaged and curious the children were about the topic.

I think the most effective part of my lesson was the ability to recreate the rowing in the museum. Being able to observe the crew painting, discuss the topic and then immediately role play the sport, gave the children multiple avenues to learn about a new subject. I believe the lesson reached and even surpassed the objectives I had set. The children were excited to share the previous information they had learned about boats such as where the bow, stern, hull, starboard, and port were located. They were also able to get first-hand experience with crew rowing by observing and discussing the painting, watching myself and a few of the students row in the museum, and practicing this sport on their own back in the classroom. To give the children even more exposure to the sport, we watched video clips of crew boats racing in the Olympics. This allowed them to see what they had been practicing in real life. They were all chanting “USA! USA!” as the boat representing the United States neared the finish line.

Although this variety of exposure to a sport helped the Honey Bears learn about a new topic, it is still not exactly the same as the real thing. It would have been helpful to have some of the real equipment rowers use and see an actual crew boat in real life. However, I will say it is much more beneficial for the children to be able to touch and actually use the objects to recreate the sport rather than just observing them in a museum, whether that is in a painting or inside a glass case. I believe this part of my lesson was successful even though there were a lot of materials to bring out and use.  I was also surprised to see how they calmly accepted the fact that only a few of them would be able to practice in the museum. Allowing each child to get a turn to row during the lesson would have taken too long and the children who wanted a turn back at school were given that opportunity.

The National Gallery of Art West Building is made up of quiet spaces that do not include things for children to explore through their sense of touch, as it is all visual. Therefore, we needed to make sure in advance that the rowing activity would be allowed in the space. We made sure to let the security know what our plan was, and use the materials in a way that were safe for the museum and its collections. We used a mat on the floor underneath the scooter so there would be no noise or scratches, and we had children practice one at a time with adult supervision. The children were able to practice back in the classroom two at a time, but I would have liked to build more oars and recreate an eight person boat with a coxswain and pretend we were participating in an actual regatta. I would have also liked to take the children down to the Potomac River in search of a real crew boat in action. I would recommend adding another week of exploration on this topic. The first week could be spent solely focusing on boats, buoyancy, and other nautical terms. The second week could be about crew rowing specifically.

After building on both topics and seeing how engaged the children were in the videos of Olympic racing, we are going to explore the Olympic games and see where this next topic takes us!

Be sure to check back soon for the Honey Bear’s Sports Round Up, which will provide a fuller picture of their unit, ideas on how to take a closer look at athlete’s tools, and specific sports in the classroom and the community.  For more ideas now, check out our Sports Pinterest board!

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Krystiana Kaminski and John Fuller of the four-year-old Cinnamon Bear classroom.  The class had just finished a long unit on the performing arts, and noticing the children’s interest in the emerging cherry blossom blooms, and Kusama’s exhibit at the Hirshhorn (an artist from Japan), decided to spend some time learning about Japan.  I joined them for a visit to the National Gallery of Art where they looked closely at an artwork that Robert Rauschenberg created while spending time in Japan.  They connected this piece to the Japanese holiday, Kodomo No Hi, or Children’s Day.  Below you will find images and descriptions of the lesson, and a reflection from Krystiana.

Here are a few images from their lesson on Kodomo No Hi:

The class began their morning by walking to the National Gallery of Art.  Along the way they spotted cherry blossom blooms that were just starting to emerge around the city.

Once inside the museum, the class found Robert Rauschenberg’s Wall-Eyed Carp/ROCI JAPAN.  They read a book that one of SEEC’s educators created to give some background about Rauschenberg’s artistic life, including his international art project, Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI).  ROCI allowed Rauschenberg to travel around the world, meeting with other artists, learning about their culture and how they made art.  This piece that the class visited is an artwork Rauschenberg created while in Japan.

After reading the book, Krystiana asked the children to look carefully at the artwork, and make observations about what they saw.  The children sat for a minute silently looking and then began sharing observations.  Krystiana went down the line and asked each child to share something they observed.  One child noticed an area on the painting that looked like lightening, another observed that there might be tissue paper on the artwork because there were lines that looked wrinkled.  The class also noticed green blobs, a map, a crane, photos, and a big fish.

Krystiana congratulated the class on their concentration and thoughtful observations.  She explained that the fish is a carp, which is seen often during a holiday in Japan – Children’s Day or Kodomo No Hi, which celebrates how wonderful children are.  She read a section of All About Japan by Willamarie Moore, and illustrated by Kazumi Wilds to learn more about Kodomo No Hi.  She let the children know that if they wanted to learn more about Japan, they could look in the books that afternoon in the classroom.

Next, Krystiana explained that the big carp on the artwork was in fact a big carp kite, and she brought out a carp kite that she had made herself.  She asked the children why they thought carp might be important to this holiday.  The children had lots of ideas including, “they have scales, and because you catch them and it’s yummy”, and “because it’s [Japan] is an island and there’s lots of fish around”.  Krystiana explained that when carp travel in the water, they go up stream and it takes a lot of power and speed to swim against the flowing water.  She said that the carp have to have lots of perseverance to keep trying even when it’s hard.  She went on to say that these traits (bravery, strength, and perseverance) are what families want their children to have, which is why carp are a symbol of Kodomo No Hi.  The children discussed and agreed that their families wanted them to have these traits.  They also discussed what else their families wanted for them.

Back in the classroom, Krystiana set out the books that she had brought to the museum and encouraged the children to do their own research to learn more. Many of the children sat with the books, looking through them and asking questions of their peers and teachers.

They also made their own carp kites like the large one that they had seen on the artwork. First they chose a large sheet of colored construction paper, and folded it in half lengthwise.  Next they colored the paper in any way they liked.  Then, they chose colored tissue paper and taped it to the construction paper.

Krystiana then rolled the papers together and stapled them.  Finally, the children chose colored string to attach to the carp, and added eyes and any last touches.  The children hung up their carp in the classroom so they could look at one another’s and share them with their families.  Some children even named their artwork.   For example, one child said, “this is my ‘Four-Eyed Carp'”.

A few weeks later, the class revisited their kites, and took them out to fly on a particularly windy day!

A reflection from Krystiana: 

What were your topics of exploration?

We did a two week exploration of Japanese culture, food, art, and people.

How did this topic emerge? What inspired you/how did you decide to explore this topic?

We had just finished a long unit on performing arts and were beginning the process of figuring out what our next topic would be. As a school using emergent curriculum we base our units on the children’s interests. The children had been learning about Yayoi Kusama in art class, and were very excited about our upcoming trip to see her work at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The cherry blossoms had also just begun to bloom so we thought doing a short unit on Japan would be a good idea.

Why and how did you choose the visit?

The carp-shaped koinobori flag is an important symbol of the Children’s Day festival in Japan, and is a prominent part of this piece. The piece is also large and vibrant, which I thought would be visually appealing to the children.

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

There were two main things I wanted them to take away from the lesson. The first, was the story of why the carp was chosen to represent Children’s Day.  The carp is meant to symbolize strength, courage, and perseverance as the carp has to fight the current to swim upstream. I wanted the children to make a connection to their own home life in how their parents want them to grow up to be brave and strong, and parents in Japan want the same for their children. I also wanted to connect to a previous lesson on perseverance and how important that is in our everyday life. The second objective I had was in relation to the other small photos that were on the piece. I brought some books with me and wanted to encourage the children to use them as resources later in the classroom to answer questions about other things they might see in the piece.

How did you prepare yourself for this lesson (did you know about this topic beforehand or did you have to research)?

I spent a few years in Japan as a child, so I was familiar with some aspects of Japanese culture. I did do more research into the symbolism of the toys, food, and games that are part of the Children’s Day celebration and tried to include some of them in the lesson.

What was most effective about your lesson?

The children loved the piece and were very enthusiastic about using their “eagle eyes” to point out little details they noticed. I brought a koinobori that I had made and used it while I talked about how challenging it must be to have to swim up a river. The children made some interesting connections about how they were strong just like the carp. We also had an interesting discussion about their families and all the things their parents want for them.

How did the lesson reach your objectives and expand the topic?

I think most of them made the connection to how just like the carp, they too can persevere in their everyday life. I think the more challenging connection was in relation to how families in Japan want the same things as our families do. I believe a few children made that connection, and during the rest of the unit we tried to continue to touch on some of the similarities we all share.

Were there aspects of your lesson that were ineffective? If so, was that okay?

I think I may have tried to do a little too much in the lesson. Between making observations about the piece, reading a book on the artist, talking about the story of the carp, and talking about the books we can use for research, I lost some children’s attention. Though for the most part, the children were interested and participated well during the lesson.

What was successful in terms of your preparation and logistics?

The children liked the carp kite I made and were excited that they would get the chance to make their own later. They also seemed interested to get a chance to do some research about Japan on their own.

If there were any challenges regarding logistics, what were they and how did you deal with them?

There was a line on the floor in front of the artwork that I had them all sit on. While it did help them sit down easier, it made it harder for the children on the ends to see and hear. In the future I would stick to making a half circle around the artwork instead.

What could you have done differently to better achieve your objectives and expand the topic?

I needed to tighten the lesson and make it more focused.  At this age their attention spans are short and I would have liked to make the take-aways more clear and concise. Also, I think they may have benefited from a hands-on activity. Next time I may have them add body parts to the carp kite I made, or use their own bodies to try to swim upstream a river while in the museum gallery.

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

Make sure you have a clear idea of exactly what you want the children to take away from the lesson and have more hands-on activities.

After this lesson has your thinking changed?

I love learning about different cultures and I hope I sparked the children’s curiosity to learn more as well.

How did you follow this lesson (what topics were explored)?

We made koinobori and took them out on the National Mall to fly a few weeks later! We also learned about how the cherry blossoms were a gift to the United States from Japan and played games under the cherry blossom trees. During the unit, the children ended up loving the book, Three Samurai Cats: A Story from Japan by Eric A Kimmel.  In the book there’s was a line about finding strength in stillness that resonated with them. We used it as a calm down tool for many weeks. The children would sit with their legs crossed, take deep breaths and find their inner samurai. It was pretty awesome!

The Cinnamon Bears continued to explore Japan for another week before launching into a new unit. Stay tuned for the Japan Round Up for more ideas from their unit!

It may not be officially summer yet, but are you already looking for a way to beat the heat?  If you’re downtown it can feel like the relief of a swimming pool is far, far away, however, our classes have some favorite hidden gems that we’re going to share with you today!  Whether you’re looking for a cooling mist or a full-on splash session, we’ve got the places for you and your family downtown.

1. Haupt Garden – The Enid A. Haupt Garden behind the Smithsonian Castle is gorgeous no matter what time of year you visit.  Flowers, trees, artwork and more await you in this multi-faceted garden, but come summer time our favorite spot is the Fountain Garden.  Bring along some water toys like a water wheel (our kids love ones like these), or bring something simple like tupperware that young children can enjoy filling and dumping as they please.

2. National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden – The fountain in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden provides many opportunities to learn while you’re cooling down.  There are often ducks in this fountain (in fact, they even have a ramp into the fountain that is specifically for the ducks), so bring along a favorite duck story and read it while you observe the real ducks swimming around.  Another exciting feature of this fountain is the jets that start off small, and get bigger and higher before shrinking again.  Observe the jets’ progress with your young one.  Predict what they’ll do next.  And lastly, while you can’t get in the fountain, our classes enjoy dipping their feet in the water to cool down after a long walk.

Be sure to stop back by in the winter as National Gallery of Art turns its fountain into an ice rink during cold months!

3. German American Friendship Garden – The fountains at the German American Friendship Garden, aren’t big, but it’s a nice spot in between the Washington Monument and the White House with plenty of green space around it.  Plan a picnic in this garden and afterwards cool off in the water.

4. City Center – While we usually stick around the museums downtown, we also take advantage of spaces and objects in the larger DC community.  One of these spaces is City Center at H and 9th Street NW.  City Center has lots of upscale shopping and restaurants, but it also has a several large fountains with jets of water that spout up from the ground.  Our toddlers especially love this fountain and enjoy splashing amongst the shooting water.

5. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden – Can you find all the water features around the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden?  They’re quite a few!  In the middle of the building there’s a fountain that grows higher as you watch.  There’s also a smaller fountain right next door in The Livingston Ripley Garden, which was originally allocated for a parking lot, but the garden’s namesake had a vision for this space to become a fragrant garden and succeeded! Walk around smelling the plants, and then stop at the fountain for a refreshing mist.  Finally, there is a small pool of water in the Sculpture Garden located across Jefferson Ave from the main Hirshhorn building.  While you cannot get in and splash, it’s low level allows children to get up close and observe the way the water moves.

Want to pair a trip to a fountain with a museum visit?  Check out or Water Pinterest Board for water related art and objects around the Smithsonian.

If you are a parent or educator you see kids playing all the time.  We know that children learn through play, but what can we learn from watching children’s play? Observing play offers a valuable glimpse into a child’s mind – what they’re interested in, what they’re thinking about, and what they understand.

Insight into Children’s Interest

At SEEC, we follow an emergent curriculum – we use the children’s interests as a vehicle to teach developmental skills, as well as content knowledge.  We’ve found that capitalizing on children’s interests make them much more invested in learning, and are motivated to find out more.  But how do you decide what topic to study if you’ve got a group of 15 four-year-olds?  Or even a group of nine, pre-verbal infants? To determine what the children are interested in, we observe and make note of many things the children do including; the questions they ask, the comments they make while we’re out in the community, the conversations they have with their friends, the books they want to read, and maybe most importantly, their play.

For example, a couple of years ago, my preschool class could not stop talking about Medusa.  One of the children had heard a story about the Greek mythological monster, and the rest of the children began incorporating the character into their play.  One day I observed a child jump down from the top of the playground climber and shout, “I’m jumping down from Mt. Olympus!”  Clearly there was an interest in Greek mythology, and storytelling and so we embarked on a Greek Mythology unit.

Observing infants playing can prove equally insightful.  For example, our older infant class recently explored sports because their teachers noticed that many children were gravitating towards balls in the classroom and on the playground, and experimenting with throwing and kicking objects.  They observed the toys they chose to play with, and the games they wanted to play again and again which led them to their next topic of exploration.

Play as Assessment

As educators, we need to reflect on our instruction, and assess whether our students are understanding the concepts being taught.  However, this can prove to be tricky with young children.  Observing play is a natural way to assess children’s understandings of concepts.  As Vivian Gussin Paley, noted play theorist, states, “…the continued observation of children at play demonstrates the importance of make-believe as the thinking tool that children use.”  During my years in the classroom I used any free play time  to ascertain what they had gleaned from the morning lesson.  I usually knew that I had provided a successful and exciting learning experience when the children worked the content into their dramatic play.

For example, directly after a lesson about astronauts and gravity, I witnessed several children using jump ropes to tether themselves to a tree or fence.  When I asked what they were doing one child said, “I don’t want to float off into space!”  That afternoon one child took a shoelace, and tried to tie it around himself.  When I asked why, he said, “I’m going to space.  I might fall, so it’s my seat belt.”  Children experiment with new knowledge through play. Adults can get a window into how they are processing that information, and get a better idea of where to go next with their instruction.

Another time, two children built a large rocket out of stools on the playground.  They decided together which part was safe to ride on, and which part was for the T-Rex.  Through observing their play, I understood that these children were processing the new information they had learned earlier that day about rockets and space shuttles.  The fact that they were discussing which part of the rocket was safe let me know that they understood that rockets have multiple parts, and not every section is suitable for people.  The fact that they added a seat for a T-Rex shows me that they’re incorporating multiple interests and that the possibilities are endless in their play.

The process can not end with simply observing play, but should be extended to assessment.  After reflecting on my own practice, I noticed I used the play observations to inform my cycle of teaching as shown in the diagram below. I would begin by planning a guided play experience with my class, meaning the activities I led were teacher-directed, but playful and hands-on. This guided-play often took place in a museum or community setting and helped illustrate a concept.  This guided play would often lead to spontaneous child-directed play. I would then observe and reflect on the child-directed component and take what I observed and apply it to the next guided play experience.

Play is powerful: it’s fun, it’s necessary, and it’s the way young children learn.  Why not use it to create positive, engaging and meaningful learning experiences for young children?

Interested in learning more?

Come play with us at the Smithsonian!  Join us in June for our seminar, Play: Engaging Young Learners in Object Rich Environments, where we’ll explore how to use play to engage young children in the classroom, museum, and community.  Use early bird discount code BIRD17 to receive 20% off from now until May 20th.

References

Dombrink-Green, M. (2011).  A conversation with Vivian Gussin Paley. Young Children, 90-93.

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Carolyn Eby, our school-wide art teacher!  Carolyn teaches art to all of our children, but on this particular day I joined her for a lesson with our preschoolers.  She meets with the three and four-year-olds every afternoon in small groups.  In conjunction with the excitement of the Hirshhorn’s Kusama Exhibit, Carolyn decided to do a mini-unit on Yaoyoi Kusama, exploring her artwork and background.  Below you will find images and descriptions of the lesson, and a reflection from Carolyn.

Here are a few images from their lesson on Kusama:

 Carolyn’s Kusama unit began before any of the classes visited the Kusama Exhibit.  Her lessons helped lay a foundation of knowledge about Kusama as well as build an appreciation for her artwork.  All the preschool classes were excited to visit the exhibit and see firsthand the artwork they had been learning about in art class.

Carolyn started this particular lesson by reviewing what they had done so far in their Kusama unit.  They remembered the flat pieces that Kusama makes, and looked at the flat artwork they made with inspiration from Kusama.

They also talked about Kusama’s sculptural art, and looked at their spheres and “sock-sculpture” they had collaboratively made together in previous art classes.

Carolyn told the children that there was one more type of art that Kusama makes that they hadn’t talked about yet – clothes!  Carolyn explained that when Kusama came to the United States from Japan, she began to make her own clothes.

Next, Carolyn said that Kusama is a designer, and asked the children what that meant.  One child responded, “you make things!”  Carolyn agreed and said that designers have a passion to make things and we use these things every day.  She surprised the children by telling them that everything they were wearing was designed by someone.  The children looked at their clothes and clips in their hair and expressed their shock that someone actually designed the items they were currently wearing.

To explore the idea of a designer further, Carolyn read D is for Design ABCS from Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.  They looked at multiple products that serve the same purpose, but noticed how the design of these items can be very different.  For example, all chairs are meant to be sat in, but they can vary tremendously in their size, color, shape, etc.  Carolyn explained that designers must think about lines, shapes, and colors when making something.

The class then looked at images of Kusama in her clothes and noticed patterns.  Some questions Carolyn asked were, “Are the polka dots carefully placed or random?”  “Do the polka dots go in a line?”  “What size are the polka dots?”  Through this careful looking of Kusama’s art, the children were analyzing the fundamentals of art that they learned about at the beginning of the year including shape, line, and color.

Then it was the children’s turn to be a clothing designer!  They had each brought in an old shirt from home, and the first step was placing a piece of cardboard inside the shirt so that the paint didn’t leak through from one side to the other.  This was tricky for many of the children, and Carolyn encouraged teamwork to accomplish the task.

The next step was taping down the sleeves on the back, so that the shirt was tight on the cardboard, making an easy surface for the children to paint on.

Carolyn had acrylic paints and tools ready to go.  She explained that unlike the paint they normally use, acrylic paint does not wash out of clothing, so they needed to be extra careful!  She showed the children the colors, as well as the tools to make different sized polka-dots. There were cotton swabs for small dots, foam circle paint tools for medium dots, and circles cut from foam packaging for large dots.

The children set to work using Kusama’s polka dots as inspiration for their shirts, but they added their own perspective and creativity.  They talked to their friends about what they were making including carrots, snowmen, and rain clouds.

Carolyn came around with the large polka dot tools and paint, and showed the children how to use two hands to get the tool off of the paint tray.  After one child used the large polka dot tool, he said, “Hey!  Look, I made a tire!”  Carolyn asked how he did this and he showed Carolyn how he pressed the tool down hard and then turned it slightly back and forth without lifting it, making tread marks.

While all the children used the same tools and artist as inspiration, each designed a very unique shirt.  When I asked this child about her design, she said, “I just had to think of it, and then I made it. It’s a flower!”

A reflection from Carolyn:

When the Yayoi Kusama exhibit opened at the Hirshhorn Museum, I was lucky enough to visit, and what I saw was so inspiring! I knew that each of the classes was planning a trip, and I really wanted to create a collaborative art piece with them that would help them process the exhibit and make their experience in the space much more meaningful. I wanted to make sure that in this unit children explored the different types of artwork that Kusama made (sculpture, painting, clothing design, etc.), techniques she used to create these artworks, and elements of Kusama’s characteristic style. Additionally, I always have an objective in the art studio to cultivate students’ curiosity about what they see in the museums, community, and classroom.  I also want them to feel empowered by their ability to create. To prepare for the lessons, I did some research about Kusama, but we also used the tool of observation and discussion when looking at pictures of the artist, her artwork.  We reflected together on their visit to the exhibit to ascertain what the children were most curious about and wanted to make.  With this particular unit I loved the questions the children asked about Kusama’s life and work, and their wonder when we finally put all the pieces they had created together.

During this particular week we took a close look at Kusama’s fashion career. We looked at pictures of Kusama in outfits she created, as well as photos of her fashion collaborations with Uniqulo and Louis Vuitton. We talked about what it means to be a designer, which is important to me because I want students to know that art is not only paintings and sculptures, but around us daily, whether it be a chair or shirt. We read through “D is for Design: ABCs from Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum” and looked at different objects that artists design. I loved our discussion about translating an artist’s style from paintings to clothing. The children made personal connections to the concept of designing, for example, one child referred to his father having a hand in designing jewelry for his mother!  Another aspect of the lesson that I found surprising was the children’s response to using a different type of paint.  I think that the students loved the responsibility of using “real acrylic artist paints” and it made an impact on how carefully they designed their shirts.

In order to better prepare for next time, I would try to create more countertop space in the art room so that I could accommodate more art supplies.  The studio itself is always a game of logistics with regards to materials! I want to make sure the kids have access to the tools we are going to use, but figuring out how to introduce them during the project or how to arrange them for their ease of use is always tricky and something I am always working on!  For this particular lesson I only had one set of large circle stamps with paint for the children to make large polka-dots on their shirts.  I began the week by taking the large stamps to each child, however, after spilling the paints twice, I set up a table for the artists to visit (I am lucky to have neighboring classrooms that are very generous with extra furniture.  Thank you, Honey Bears!).  This enabled the children to take their time with the large stamps, while I was able to use my energy visiting and checking in with other children as they worked on their designs.  My recommendation to any other teacher with this lesson is to try your best to connect the fact that each and every piece of clothing they are wearing is made by a designer.  This is a BIG idea that children might not think of, and having them begin that thought process changes their view of what an artist is. Since this lesson we have been taking a deeper look into fiber arts and we have even worked on doing some embroidery!

Last week we brought you a blog highlighting the many benefits of nature play. While any outdoor play is beneficial, play in natural environments, such as a forest or athletic field, has greater opportunities for discoveries. These opportunities yield greater exploration and learning.  But let’s face it, we don’t all live or teach near a forest, so how can caregivers or teachers mitigate this, and make the most of their outdoor space?  We’ve rounded up some great nature play resources and ideas for everyone – whether you live in a rural or urban environment.  The first two come from Emily Porter, Education Program Specialist at the National Zoo.

1. Children and Nature Network – The Children and Nature Network (C&NN) is a non-profit organization co-founded by Richard Louv, author of the seminal text “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.” C&NN supports grassroots efforts to encourage natural play and education by creating networks of teachers, parents, and natural organizers to share ideas and ask questions and by providing a wealth of free resources, including toolkits for establishing Family Nature Clubs in your community. Their 2015 guide “Thriving Through Nature: Fostering Children’s Executive Function Skills” describes how and why natural play supports executive function development and provides a variety of specific nature-based activities by age group.

2. Help Children become Young Environmentalists – Many environmental conservation organizations like Friends of the National Zoo are intensifying their efforts to promote natural play among young children and families based on evidence that demonstrates the connection between natural play and conservation-based behaviors later in life. In this spirit, our FONZ children’s classes provide opportunities for  young learners to participate authentically in environmental conservation. Not only do these activities promote agency and responsibility for young children, but they also help us focus on the positive narratives of conservation, rather than the typical “doom and gloom” stories that can be overwhelming for young children. For example try out one of these activities from our classes with your children:

• Instead of throwing away scraps of yarn, gather them and hang them on tree branches for birds to use in nest building.
• Make seed balls with native wildflower seeds that can be thrown into barren areas to create habitats for pollinators.
• Create temporary mud puddles to use as play habitats for plastic animals like elephants, warthogs, and frogs to explore the different ways that animals use mud and dirt in the wild.

3. Tinkergarten – Tinkergarten is an organization that promotes nature play for families with young children, and they offer classes around the country for ages 18 months to 8 years.  In addition, their website has a plethora of DIY activities that can be filtered to specific ages, length of activity, and skills that the activity helps to develop.   For example, their Tiny Friends activity encourages children to stop and look at the bugs that are in their environment.  The activity outline has ideas for books to read, questions to ask, and how to prompt further curiosity.  Even if you don’t teach or live near a forest, this activity can be done in a yard or small patch of grass.

4. Bring the Outdoors In – One factor contributing to children’s lack of outdoor nature time is the diminishing lack of green space, but you can bring the outdoors inside in a variety of ways.  We love these nature-inspired sensory bottles from Rhythms of Play.  They’re safe for babies, mess-free, and can be changed depending on the time of year or what your children are interested in.  Another way to get nature inside is by using natural materials for art projects.  During our one snow storm in Washington, DC this year, our art educator, Carolyn Eby, brought in buckets of snow, and used it as a blank canvas for their art.  The children used waterproof battery-powered lights and water colors for their creations.

5. Smithsonian Garden’s New App – Community of Gardens- Smithsonian Gardens has just released a free app, Community of Gardens, that explores the hidden stories of gardens nearby and around the country.  Download the app and take a walk around your neighborhood, stopping at the gardens on the map to read the stories with your child. You can even share your own garden story with the Smithsonian!  Work together to write a story about your garden, or take this opportunity to make your own garden, even it’s only a flower box.  Planting seeds, watering, and pulling weeds are all great sensory and movement exercises, and watching the changes in your garden is a fantastic way to incorporate science concepts.

Please comment and share some of your favorite nature play activities; we’d love to hear your ideas!  And check out our Nature Pinterest board for more ideas!

This post is coauthored by SEEC’s Brooke Shoemaker, and Emily Porter, Education Program Specialist, at the National Zoo.

Growing up, I had a special spot in the corner of my backyard that felt like it was all mine.  I would spend hours back there cooking stews made up of mud, leaves and sticks; making up stories about the lives of the bugs I saw; imagining I was an explorer in a new world; building forts with my sister, and observing the changes in the season.  While I was having a ball outside, I of course didn’t realize all the positive affects nature was having on my development- it was just fun!

Being outdoors and in nature is associated with numerous benefits including better physical, mental, and emotional health.  The natural environment is a complex and diverse one that contains opportunities for children to learn and develop in all areas.  Although the many benefits of being in nature have been researched, children are spending less time outdoors than ever before. This disconnect to nature may be due to several factors including the prevalence of media and technology, less green space to play, safety concerns, and adult perceptions about the importance of time spent outdoors.  Due to all of these factors, children spend much more time indoors involved in adult-planned activities than they do outside participating in free, spontaneous play.  So why is nature play so important?  We’ve outlined some key developmental areas, and how being outside positively affects children’s development in each domain.

Cognitive Benefits:  While some schools have cut recess time in favor of more academic time, being outside in an unstructured environment has numerous cognitive benefits.  It is common for children to have trouble focusing in the modern world with all the stimuli from media, and technology, as well as having to sit still for long periods of time.  Luckily, nature has been found to have restorative effects on attention and thus it is cognitively beneficial for children to have outside breaks.  Also, nature can be used as a subject of academic inquiry, not just as a break in between learning.  The ever changing environment found outdoors provides ample opportunities for children to explore and learn through question-asking, observation, experimentation, and reflection. Richard Louv, author of The Last Child in the Woods, even states in his article, The More High-Tech Schools Become, the More They Need Nature, that schools which utilize the outdoors as a continuation of their indoor classrooms have reported higher student gains in academic subjects such as mathematics and language arts.

Physical Benefits:  Nature play provides numerous opportunities for physical development through activities such as climbing, jumping, running, and balancing.  The environment outside is ever changing which gives children new terrain to encounter daily and access risk.  Outdoor spaces also tend to be larger than the indoor spaces children play in, allowing children opportunities to move in different ways and experiment with what their bodies are capable of.  On any given day one of SEEC’s classes can be seen engaging in large and small muscle development when out on our playground or the National Mall.  From climbing up on a tree stump, to carefully sorting through dirt and collecting small pebbles, nature play helps develop all muscles of the body.   Research also shows that children who have positive experiences in nature will grow up to be adults who enjoy being outside, so nature play is not only significant to developing physical skills, but also in maintaining children’s current and future health.

Social Benefits: With a little planning ahead, Nature is all-inclusive, it does not matter what a person’s ability, race, gender or class; there are opportunities for everyone to play outside.  Play outside is also usually unstructured, which allows children to share, cooperate, and navigate peer conflicts.  Nature play commonly supports small group play, as this photo demonstrates, in order to move a heavy log, a child must enlist the help of their peers.

Empathy Benefits:  Nature play can also play a role in young children’s development of theories of mind by supporting the type of perspective taking that is critical to moving beyond an egocentric view of the world.  When children play in nature, they are engaging with living beings other than themselves, from trees and grass to birds and caterpillars. This direct exposure to other living organisms offers a host of access points for children to begin developing an understanding of plants and animals as individual living things, like themselves, and develop larger understandings of what living things need.

By establishing positive connections between young children to the plants and animals that share their world, time outdoors promotes empathy to all the plants and animals in nature. Reduction in children’s exposure to nature can result in their developing fearful responses to and misunderstandings about nature, specifically surrounding certain “less-desirable” parts of nature: bugs, dirt, germs.  However, when young children are given the opportunity to explore the natural world on their own terms through play, particularly when in the company of a trusted adult, they create connections to and positive associations with natural spaces as their brains form critical neural pathways.  By framing nature and wild spaces as places of wonder early in development, we are helping children build the ability to care for those places in the future. In fact, research has shown that people who spend more time outdoors are more concerned about the environment, and are more invested in protecting it.  

Positive Sense of Self Benefits: Nature is, by definition, real and changeable. The natural play environment that a child encounters on Tuesday will be different on Thursday as leaves fall, winds blow, and animals move.  When adults encourage children to self-direct their own play in nature, this environment of constant change offers rich opportunities for children to develop confidence and practice making choices. On the flip side, the unpredictability of the environment can be frustrating for a child who finds that she is unable to replicate yesterday’s play experience exactly. However, when a supportive adult can helps her reframe these changes into a positive opportunity to have new adventures, it can be a great opportunity for practicing self-regulation and control.

Additionally, participating in nature play offers even the youngest learners the opportunity to participate actively and authentically in environmental conservation. Too often, issues in environmental conservation are introduced with a pessimistic outlook that can feel overwhelming to children. By offering children the opportunity to practice caring behaviors in wildlife and wild spaces, nature play empowers children and gives them the opportunity to take positive action, even if only in play.

We know nature play is great and beneficial to children’s growth, but how can it be incorporated more into a child’s home and school life? Be sure to check back next week for a Top 5 Nature blog for ideas to include more nature into your young child’s life!  In the meantime, check out SEEC’s Nature Pinterest board for resources and inspiration.

References:

Berto, R. (2014). The role of nature in coping with psycho-physiological stress: A literature review on restorativeness. Behavioral Sciences, 4, 394-409.

Burris, K., & Burris, L. (2011).  Outdoor play and learning: Policy and practice.  International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 6(8), 1-12.

Burris, K. & Burris, L. (2011)  Fearful people: Parental perceptions and children’s outdoor activity. Delta Journal of Education, (1)1, 45-60.

Ernst, J. (2012). Early childhood nature play: A needs assessment of Minnesota licensed childcare providers. Journal of Interpretation Research, 17(1), 7-24).

Ferreria, M. M., Grueber, D., & Yarema, S. (2012).  A community partnership to facilitate urban elementary students’ access to the outdoors.  School Community Journal, 22(1), 49-64.

Fjørtoft, I. (2001). The natural environment as a playground for children: The impact of outdoor play activities in pre-primary school children.  Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(2), 111-117.

Ingraham, C. (2015).  There’s never been a safer time to be a kid in America. The Washington Post. 

Louv, R. (2011). Reconnecting to nature in the age of technology.  Futurist, 45(6), 41-45.

Louv, R. (2012).  The more high-tech our schools become, the more they need nature.  Science & Children, 49(7), 8-9.

Mainella, F. P., Agate, J. R., & Clark, B. S. (2011).  Outdoor-based play and reconnection to nature: A neglected pathway to positive youth development. New Directions For Youth Development, 2011(130), 89-104.

Thompson, C. W., Aspinall, P., & Montarzino, A. (2007). Adult visits to green places and the significance of childhood experience. Environment and Behavior, 40(1), 111-143.

Zelenski, J. M., Nisbet, E. K. (2014). Happiness and feeling connected: The distinct role of nature relatedness. Environment and Behavior (46(1), 3-23.

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Maureen Leary who teaches Spanish to our kindergartners.  Maureen visits with the kindergarten class twice a week – one day to work specifically on Spanish vocabulary, and another day to focus on Latin American culture.  During her days focused on Latin American culture, Maureen teaches an introductory lesson in the morning, followed by a connected museum visit in the afternoon.  I joined the class for a lesson on Luis Soriano, a man who takes his donkeys, Alfa and Beto, around to small towns in Colombia to provide a mobile library for children. Below you will find a reflection from Maureen, and images from the lesson.

A reflection from Maureen:

As part of the Kindergarten Spanish curriculum, we spend time learning about each country where Spanish is the official language. These lessons encompass all sorts of topics, including art, music, history, geography and cuisine. For this lesson our topic of exploration was Luis Soriano, a man who travels with his donkeys Alfa and Beto to deliver books and provide instruction to children in remote areas of the mountains in Colombia. His traveling library is called the Bilblioburro (donkey library). This topic appealed to me because it emphasizes many important concepts – service to others, recognition of the different circumstances people live in, cherishing access to books and learning, and communities coming together for social improvement.

In the classroom we read a picture book about Mr. Soriano and watched a video describing his work. Each student then got a chance to share a favorite book brought from home and describe why it was special. We discussed how lucky we are to have access to so many books, but that not everyone in the world has that access. Mr. Soriano has dedicated his life to providing educational resources and instruction to children in numerous remote mountain villages. In the video we watched, he emphasized how important education is to the betterment of the lives of the children he serves, who otherwise might not find many opportunities for success.

For our museum visit we went to the Smithsonian library located in the Natural History Museum. The students regularly visit the DC Public Library, and they are certainly familiar with the basic concept of what a library is. For this lesson I thought it would be fun to explore how libraries can be very different in terms of size, types of resources, and patrons, but what they all have in common is their purpose to share information and help people learn. Our class was fortunate that we had a SEEC parent who works for the Smithsonian Libraries available to describe the library to us, show us examples of the types of books found there, and give us a tour. We learned that the library at Natural History mostly houses science textbooks and research documents, and that there are numerous librarians there who specialize in different branches of science. A highlight of our visit was checking out the stacks and getting a chance to try out the movable shelves!

After visiting the library we went to a quiet spot in the museum and read another picture book about Luis Soriano, called Waiting for the Biblioburro. In this story a girl eagerly anticipates the next visit from the Biblioburro and is inspired to write her own book while she waits. We then discussed that we were going to embark on a project as a class and make our own book to send as a gift to Luis Soriano. After talking about this idea for a few minutes, I told the students that I had been in touch with Mr. Soriano and he was happy to answer questions from them. We made a list of the things the students were curious about, like how many books the children could borrow, how he protects his books from bad weather, and how Mr. Soriano learned to read.

This lesson has had quite a bit of follow up. First, I sent the questions to Mr. Soriano and he promptly replied with detailed answers. The students and I really enjoyed reading his responses. We then began our book project. We decided to do a bilingual ABC book with ocean animals, since the Kindergarten has been doing an in-depth ocean unit. We also liked the idea of doing an alphabet book as homage to the hard-working donkeys, Alfa and Beto, who are named for the alphabet. We went through a careful process of selecting an ocean animal for each letter of the Spanish alphabet and assigning two animals to each student to make illustrations for the book. The students worked on their illustrations for several weeks with our art specialist, Carolyn, and they are continuing to work on the text with me, researching and choosing interesting facts about each animal.

The timing of this lesson worked out really well, as March 20 was the 20^th anniversary of the founding of the Biblioburro program, and to mark this occasion Mr. Soriano is fundraising to build a new library for his town, La Gloria. As a final part of this lesson, we will decide on some type of fundraising project of our own so that we can make a donation as a class to Mr. Soriano’s library project.  We will send him our monetary donation along with the book that he inspired us to write. It is my hope that this lesson will stick with the children for a long time to come, and that they will not only remember Mr. Soriano’s fascinating story, but they will better understand the benefits of serving the community as well as the importance of education.

Here are a few images from their lesson on Biblioburro – The Donkey Library:

During their morning lesson, Maureen met with the kindergartners in small groups to introduce them to the day’s topic.  She began by sharing a map of the world with the children.  They were quick to point out the countries they had already learned about.  Maureen explained that today they would be moving to a country in South America – Colombia!

In preparation for this lesson, Maureen asked each child to bring a special book from home.  After looking at the map, one child exclaimed, “If we’re talking about Colombia, why did we bring in our books?”  Maureen said that was a great question, and she had a video to show them that would make clear the connection between Colombia and books.

Maureen introduced the children to a man from Colombia named Luis Soriano via a video she played on an iPad.

As the children watched the video, they were impressed by the number of books that the donkeys carried.  Maureen asked questions to get the children to think about what it would be like if they lived in a place where they did not have easy access to books.  The children were very engaged in the video, and had comments and questions of their own including, “I can tell he loves books!”, “Is this happening right now?”, “Does he still have that donkey?”, and “I think it makes sense that we brought in our books!”

After watching the video, Maureen turned to the children’s special books from home.  She asked why they thought books were important.  All the children had something to say about this including, “because if you don’t have school, you need to learn from something”, and “you can learn words from books.”  Then the children took turns sharing their books, and why they were important to them, whether they were gifts, they loved how funny they were, or provided knowledge.

To end their morning lesson, Maureen read the children Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia by Jeanette Winter.  This story provided more information about Mr. Soriano and allowed Maureen to answer the questions they still had.

That afternoon, the class went to one of the Smithsonian Libraries located in the the National Museum of Natural History to visit another type of library they might not be familiar with, and broaden their idea of what a library is and looks like.  They met with Sara Cardello, an Education Specialist at the Smithsonian Libraries.  Before they entered, she asked about the rules of a library, and many of the children responded with “we have to have quiet voices”.  Sara agreed, and said that they needed to have quiet voices so people inside the library who were reading could concentrate.

The class sat down and discussed with Sara what you can do in a library including reading, and finding out information if you have a question. The children talked about what they normally check out from libraries, such as books, CDs and DVDs.  Then Sara told them a little bit about the Smithsonian Libraries and how they differ from the libraries they might be familiar with. She explained that all the Smithsonian Libraries are usually used by people who work within the Smithsonian who need to do research about something specific.

She shared several books from the library about marine life with the children since they were currently studying the ocean.  As they flipped through the books, they noticed that there weren’t many photos, and that they contained lots of words, unlike the books that they might check out from the library near their homes.

On the way out of the library, Sara showed the class an interesting feature of the bookshelves.  She explained that since they have lots of books, and not too much space, the bookshelves are on tracks and can move apart if a book from a particular shelf is needed.

All the children enjoyed taking a turn using their muscles to turn the wheel to move the shelves.

Following their trip to the library, Maureen brought the lesson full circle by reading Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown, a story about a girl who excitedly waits for Biblioburro, and how his visits inspired her to write her own book.  Maureen then shared a message she had received from Mr. Soriano when she reached out to him on his Facebook page.  He said he is still taking his library to the children of towns near him with his donkeys, Alfa and Beto, and that he always welcome support from people near and far.

She asked the class if they would like to create their own book and send it to Mr. Soriano to add to his book collection.  They were excited at the idea and also had some questions that they wanted to send back to Mr. Soriano.  After this lesson the class corresponded with Mr. Soriano to find out more about him, as well as began their work on their book and a fundraiser for the library.

Stay tuned for an update on Mr. Soriano’s response to the children’s questions, their book project, and fundraiser!

Recently we brought you a Teacher Feature from one of our three-year-old classes, the Koalas, as they learned about blood.  This lesson was part of a mini unit on the circulatory system, which fit into a larger unit on the human body.  The web below displays all the directions Koala teachers Katie Heimsath and Laura Muniz took the unit.  Following the web are photos highlighting some of their experiences.

5 Senses – Sense of Touch

To explore their sense of touch, the class went to the National Museum of Natural History‘s Gem and Mineral Hall.  The children felt the gems and minerals that were labeled with a “Please Touch!” sign, and described what they felt using words such as cold, hard, smooth, and bumpy.

Afterwards, the class sat down and played a game using their sense of touch.  Laura brought objects to put in the mystery box and each child took a turn feeling inside the box, describing what they felt, and then guessing what object was inside based on their observations.

Bones

While learning about the skeletal system, the class talked about bones, and what happens when they break.  Since we know we cannot see our bones from the outside, the class learned about x-rays and how doctors use them to take a look at our bones if we hurt them.  To illustrate this, the class looked at bone x-rays on a light table to get a better idea of what doctors look at when seeing if a bone looks normal or injured. Laura explained how broken bones are wrapped in a cast so they can heal.  To make this concept more concrete, the children used bandages to cast a baby doll’s leg.

To cap off their week on bones, the class talked about the ways in which we can keep our bones healthy and strong, including drinking milk, which contains calcium.  To explore where milk comes from, the class went to the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden to see Joan Miró’s sculpture, Lunar Bird.  They used their imaginations to pretend the sculpture was a cow, and “milked an udder”, which was a plastic glove filled with water, and little holes cut into the ends.

Digestive System/Intestines

The class began their week on the digestive system by focusing on where food enters our bodies – the mouth!  After seeing a giant mouth of a dinosaur, the children practiced their fine motor skills by cutting long strips of white paper into teeth and gluing them into a mouth.

Explaining the length of intestines using only words can prove difficult for young children to understand, so Katie made it more concrete by measuring yarn to visualize how long intestines actually are.  After they measured the yarn, the class lay on the floor along the yarn to see how many kids it would take to make the length of the intestine, which turns out to be a lot!

As they went through their week on the digestive system, the class added pieces to a paper model.  They used a straw to represent the esophagus, a balloon as a stomach and yarn and ribbon as the intestines.

We hope you enjoyed getting a bigger picture of our Koala class’ unit on the human body!  Visit our human body Pinterest board for more ideas.

It’s Teacher Feature Thursday!

This week we are featuring Katie Heimsath and Laura Muniz of the three-year-old Koala classroom.  Katie and Laura noticed a common interest among the children in human bodies and what they are capable of, so a unit on the human body commenced.  I joined them for a visit to the National Gallery of Art where they took a closer look at blood, and what goes into it.  Blood is a complex concept and this lesson is a great example of how we at SEEC are thinking about how to make a complex topic developmentally appropriate, approachable, hands-on and engaging for young children. Below you will find images and descriptions of the lesson, and a reflection from Katie and Laura.

Here are a few images from their lesson on Blood:

When the class first sat down, Katie asked the children to look at the painting Red Dance by Kenneth Young, and share what it reminded them of.  The piece reminded children of a brain, blood, and strawberries.  Katie shared that the painting reminded her of blood too, and that was what they were going to learn more about that day.  The class had already learned about how hearts and veins move blood around the human body, but now they were going to look at blood more in depth and see what elements make up blood.

Katie asked, “Who has ever cut themselves and had blood come out?”  Immediately the children began to roll up sleeves or pant legs to display a cut, and several told stories about how they got their boo-boos.  Katie asked, “Did your cut keep bleeding forever, or did it stop? Is your cut still bleeding or has it stopped?”  The children said they weren’t still bleeding anymore, and Katie explained that cuts stop bleeding because a hard scab is formed by some platelets, just one part that makes up our blood.

To take a closer look at blood, Katie read A Drop of Blood by Paul Showers.  This book is told from the perspective of a vampire and monster, and the children enjoyed the silliness of the illustrations, while the text provided information about what blood is and what it does.

Katie asked the children what blood looks like when we cut ourselves, and the children said, “red”.  She explained that when we bleed it looks red like the red dots on the painting, but if you look really close, with a microscope, you can see the different parts of blood.  While the children are not as familiar with the concept of a microscope, they are very familiar with magnifying glasses, and Katie brought some out to make the connection that a microscope helps us to see small things that we can’t see with just our eyes.

As they went through the book, Katie paused to talk about white blood cells, red blood cells, plasma, and platelets.  The children passed around pictures of each to get a closer look, while Katie explained why each part is important for our bodies.

After reading the book it was time to make their own blood!  This activity provided a hands-on and engaging way for the children to practice what they had just learned.  Katie brought out three “drops of blood”, which were three circles of contact paper.  She said that the contact paper is sticky and looks wet, so it would be like the plasma, which keeps everything together. Then the children came up in turns to add red blood cells, and white blood cells (circles of red and white paper).

To finish the blood, they added platelets, the small blood cells that come together to form a clot and stop a cut from bleeding.

After making one blood cell together, the class split up into two groups and worked together to make more drops of blood.  After they finished, there were some stray blood cells on the gallery floor, and the children were excited to help pick them up to leave the space clean.

Back at school in the afternoon, the class made their own blood cells that they could take home.

Then it was time to make more blood, but this time it was an edible version for their afternoon snack!  First the class helped mix red food coloring into yogurt, which was the plasma.

Next they added sliced grapes as the red blood cells.

For the white blood cells, they added sliced bananas.

And finally, they topped off their blood snack with red sprinkles, acting as the many platelets found in our blood.

The only thing left to do was enjoy eating it!  By making blood in another way, the children experienced multiple exposure to the same concept, which helps to reinforce it.  They were also actively involved in the process, which not only makes it more fun, but helps to strengthen their understanding of the concept.

Reflection from Katie and Laura:

For the first several weeks of school, our class explored their similarities and differences through lessons on favorite things, what their families are like and identifying and expressing their feelings. We noticed that many children in our class were experiencing some major transitions: caring for new siblings, finishing potty training, trying new foods, even adjusting to a new school! Our daily routine, including bathroom time, nap time, lunch time, play time, etc. led to discussions about how and why our bodies need all of these activities. So into the Human Body we went! We divided this unit up by the different body systems; it was a simple way to break down a complicated topic to a three-year-old level and gave us the ability to answer specific questions our class had.

We first explored how people experience the world using their five senses and learned that our brain helps us interpret it all. In the weeks following, we learned parts and functions of the digestive system and investigated our skeletal system. After that, we dove into the circulatory system. Early in the week we learned about the parts of the body that move blood around like our heart, veins and arteries. This particular lesson was all about blood. Our class had a lot of questions about the color of blood, what its job is, and why it is wet. Like a lot of children, our kids viewed Band-Aids as the fixer of all problems. As teachers we noticed a great opportunity to talk about how our bodies use blood to make scabs. Our objectives for this lesson were to address and answer those specific questions as well as practice working together as a group. Through the lesson, they learned the four different parts of blood and how those parts work together to keep our body healthy. Teamwork is a hard, but important skill to practice, so we built it into the lesson with a small group activity.

We chose to visit Red Dance by Kenneth Young at the National Gallery of Art because it is so visually stimulating and looks similar to actual drops of blood. It’s located in a gallery that is quiet and big enough to accommodate a group of curious and wiggly three-year-olds who need some extra room. We brought printed and laminated illustrations of four different parts of blood and small magnifying glasses to accompany the lesson. We passed these objects and pictures around so that the class could have something to hold and focus their attention on, as well as connect new vocabulary to.

Due to the length of time we had been spending on our bodily processes, our class had a solid foundation of ideas and lots of vocabulary to build on. They connected past knowledge (“there must be a lot of blood going around my small intestine if it’s moving all those nutrients outta there”) and asked questions to deepen their learning. They were engaged and curious since the book we read, A Drop of Blood by Paul Showers, made this very technical topic a little more exciting. By giving them objects to hold and engage with, we helped make a difficult concept more concrete. We were able to point specifically to images of parts of the blood that we can’t see with our own eyes, and explain the function of each one.

We were surprised by how well the small groups worked together in the activity to make drops of blood, and also at how they worked together to help clean up. We used some small materials, such as hole punched paper circles, that blended in with the wooden floor, and it was quite funny to hear some of our class saying, “Oh! There are more platelets over there!” and “Get that red blood cell!”

In the afternoon, we made a “blood snack”. The teachers did all of the cutting of the fruit, but the children helped by dividing, measuring and sorting all of the ingredients. It incorporated their fine motor skills, tested their one-to-one correspondence, and recalled a lot of the vocabulary we learned in our morning museum visit. The group also practiced turn-taking since there weren’t enough individual helping jobs to go around. Our class doesn’t have too many picky eaters, but for the few who are usually hesitant to try new things, this activity made it a bit more exciting to have something unfamiliar at snack.

An element we would have liked to add, but didn’t get the chance to, would have been a gross motor component. Our class was focused in the museum, but we realized after the fact that we could have played a game on the playground to extend the topic. It certainly helped their need for movement to have an activity in the museum, but playing a chasing game outside or teamwork game as a group would have been another fun experience.

While we had success with our activities, some of the materials we used to make the drops of blood made it difficult to transition out of the gallery quickly. If any other element had become more complicated, the activity would have become too complicated to do in small group, and we would have needed to make the drops of blood as a singular group.

After our exploration of the circulatory system, we continued learning about muscles, our respiratory system and discussed germs and exercise. Since our class showed continued interest in learning how their bodies worked, we kept our unit going strong for several weeks!

Katie and Laura continued to explore the human body for a few more weeks. Stay tuned for the Human Body Round Up for more ideas from their unit!