This week’s teacher feature highlights a lesson from toddler teachers Lauren Bundy, Katherine Custer, and Emily Romig on natural wonders. The class went to the National Gallery of Art to look at nineteenth century American landscapes. In these painting the class was able to identify and think about natural wonders such as mountains, rivers, and waterfalls. Below you will find images from the lesson as well as a reflection from the teachers. 

Here are a few images from their lesson on Natural Wonders:

To start the day, Katherine sat down with the class during snack to have an informal discussion. She started the discussion by asking, “Who is not in class today?” The class listed a couple of children who had not yet arrived and then turned their attention to the fact that one of their teachers, Lauren, was not there. Katherine explained that Lauren was in Asia on a trip and pulled out an atlas for the class to look at and learn more about Asia. The class was able to look at maps and pictures of the natural wonders in Asia.

After snack, the toddler class sat down for a more formal learning experience. To start the circle, Katherine sang hello to each child and gave each child the opportunity to talk to the group about something that they were wearing that day.

During circle, the toddler class used technology and books to look at examples of natural wonders. The class looked at images of rivers, mountains, and streams. After looking at the images, the toddler teachers explained that the class was going to visit the National Gallery of Art and look for paintings of some of these natural wonders.

At the National Gallery of Art the class stopped to look at Mount Corcoran by Albert Bierstadt as a group. The class saw different things in this painting including “water”, “mountains”, and even “volcanoes”.  After a few minutes of observing the painting, the class moved on to other galleries.

As the teachers walked through the galleries, they were able to have more individualized discussions about the natural wonders depicted in the paintings. The teachers followed the children’s interests by walking closer to the paintings that the children pointed to. Katherine and Emily used a stream of consciousness technique to describe all the things they saw in the paintings, which introduced many new words to the toddlers.

After exiting the National Gallery of Art, the class found a shady spot by a fountain to read the book How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman. It is a story about traveling around the world to collect items for an apple pie.

Reading the book outside allowed the children more freedom in their movements. Some children even chose to stand up to get a closer look at the book. The class thoroughly enjoyed experiencing the around-the-world adventure.

A reflection from Katherine:

This year, our toddler class has explored many topics and we just recently began a new unit on exploring the outdoors. We developed this idea from some emerging interests we saw in the class. For example, on our outings around the National Mall, our toddlers began observing more about their surroundings and even started to use familiar landmarks to help them navigate. We also noted their curiosity in a small gardening lesson we had done a couple weeks prior. I’ve discovered that for our class of young children, lessons seem to be absorbed best when they can find ways to relate the topic back to themselves or create a memorable experience with it. We began our new unit on exploration by talking about maps and discussing where we live and places we have traveled to. In an effort to personalize the lesson, I wanted to share somewhere special to me – the American West. Not only have I visited there and have personal accounts to share, I also love the late 19th century paintings of these landscapes and the way they are displayed. I wanted to try to incorporate these paintings into our lesson as visuals for unique land features that can be found in the outdoors. On a different level, I liked the idea of using these paintings for a similar purpose to their original function – showing Americans on the East Coast the beauties of the American West.

In the classroom, we began by looking at photos of some common land features, such as mountains, waterfalls, rivers, forests and deserts. Some of the children already knew the words for these things, while others seemed to be learning them for the first time. When we arrived at the National Gallery of Art, they were very excited and energized by the large-scale paintings. We initially stopped at Albert Bierstadt’s Mount Corcoran, but I could tell we would need a bigger space to keep the class engaged and also to diversify our scenery. We walked to a larger gallery with many similar paintings and took a seat on the floor.

It can sometimes be challenging to engage toddlers in lessons that are purely two-dimensional, so I tried to pay special attention to the things they were noticing on their own in the paintings to affirm their sense of curiosity. This age group enjoys identifying what they see, and these paintings, which are realistic in nature, allowed them to do just that, as we observed the works in the gallery. They wanted to label everything they saw, including their new words (“mountain”, “river”, “forest”, “waterfall”) and living things, such as animals and people.

When our students became too wiggly for the indoors, we moved outside to a large water fountain where I had them sit while we read a book. My hope was that the water feature outside would provide both a tangible connection for them to a waterfall painting we had seen and a break from looking at the landscape paintings. We read a book called How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World. The book covered many different countries with different landscapes and resources that gave us a diverse understanding of the outdoors. They were able to draw parallels between landscapes they saw in the book and the things we had already seen and discussed in the galleries.

We faced a few obstacles throughout the course of our lesson and during the field trip that provided some opportune learning moments for me as a teacher. My biggest takeaway was that I should be looking for more ways to engage and hold attention while in the galleries. In hindsight, I should have provided some kind of sit-upon for our students in the gallery to create a physical indicator of what their bodies should be doing while we were in the space. Throughout our discussion, we struggled with wandering around and with containing our energy. I also would have liked to provide some kind of three-dimensional object for the children to hold while we talked to help channel their attention to our topic of conversation – perhaps an object from nature, such as a rock or leaf.

Keep an eye out for the Round Up on explorers to learn more about this unit and for ideas on how to do an explorers theme in your toddler classroom!

At SEEC, we use an emergent curriculum, so we are always observing our students and taking note of their interests and questions. It came as no surprise to our teachers when their classes began to show interest in Japan. Even with the cold spring temperatures, Washington, D.C. was abuzz with cherry blossom excitement in March and April. Couple that energy with the Hirshhorn’s exhibit of the Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama, and the children began to take real notice and make inquiries.

Our PreK class students are making their mark in Kusama’s Obliteration Room.

One of our toddler classes and one of our preschool classes each embarked on a unit featuring Japan. If you haven’t already, take a look at the toddler Teacher Feature on karaoke and the preschool Feature on Japan’s Children’s Day.  Below are some of the highlights from their explorations.

The PreK class got some fresh air and enjoyed an early glimpse of the cherry blossoms. Their teacher, John Fuller, taught them a traditional Japanese folk song entitled, Sakura. The song describes the blossoms in the spring.

Mr. Fuller took them to the Natural History Museum’s solar system galleries and shared the folktale, The Rabbit in the Moon.

Since the Freer Gallery of Art was closed for renovations, Krystiana Kaminski took the PreK class over to the National Gallery of Art where they explored kimonos, Japanese art, by looking at Alfred Maurer’s Young Woman in a Kimono.

While our PreK was busy with their unit, out toddlers were also exploring Japan. One of their teachers had recently traveled to Japan, so it was a particularly rich experience as she was able to share her personal experiences.

The toddlers got busy making their own veggie sushi. This activity blended new content with sensory exploration and fine motor skill development.

After looking at Japanese ink wash landscapes, the children headed outdoors to create their own  masterpieces.

The toddler’s lesson on tea included a classroom component in which they were able to observe one method of tea preparation. They concluded the experience on our art studio with our art educator who had them explore the physical and visual properties of tea through painting.

The toddlers had the opportunity to learn about the unique Japanese tradition of  Kintsugi or repairing broken pottery with lacquer, often mixed with gold. This art activity encouraged careful looking and provided them with a creative and open-ended art project.

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.

It is hard to be away from your child. So, as soon as you are reunited you are naturally eager to hear all about their day! Many of us get stuck in the “How was your day?” “Fine” cycle. While well-intentioned, that question does not usually elicit much information. So let’s break the mold and take question asking to the next level! Here are a few ideas.

1. Ask your caregiver for a specific topic. This could be something they talked about, explored, drew, or saw. SEEC teachers post daily “ask me about…” topics in every room so that parents can ask or speak with their child about a specific topic. This allows the parent to ask a question that goes beyond the one word response. It also helps to remind the child of exactly what they did that day. 
2. Who did you Play with? Building relationships and socializing are very important to your young child and navigating those relationships is a key part of their day. They will be anxious to share!
3. What was the best thing that happened today? Why? Children often work in extremes. Something is a favorite one minute and terrible the next. You may hear something unexpected and surprising!
4. What was the worst thing that happened? Why? This question also plays to children’s tendency to work in extremes. However, the response to this question may also be something seemingly minimal (for example, not getting to play with the toy they wanted or peas for lunch) but it can tell you a great deal about your child’s particular preferences and ultimately parts of their day.
5. What was something that happened that was different than yesterday? Time is a tricky concept for young children. This question asks your child to categorize an activity as later in the past and more recently in the past. It also asks them to separate events from one day to the next and be observant of changes whether they were big or small.
6. What did you play with today? Where did you spend most of your time playing? Play is work for a child. Through play, children are designing experiments and acting out scenarios that they can later use as data. Asking about their play is the same as asking your partner, significant other, friend, etc. about their job.
7. What was something funny that happened today? By the end of the day we can all use a little humor! Also, for your child to communicate the funny moment, they will most likely need to set the scene and describe the cast of characters.
8. What song did you sing today? Can you teach me? Children love music and the chance to play the teacher role. This is a great way to not only hear about their day, but also participate in a part of the day that you might have missed.
9. What did you learn today? This will look different for a young child. Instead of their answer being academic, it might be a social, emotional, or physical activity.
10. What did you eat? People often associate memories with food. Asking what your child ate will not only help you get a sense of their day, but might teach you more about their particular preferences making meal planning a bit easier.

There are so many great questions out there! Have one that works well to get your child chatting? Please share!

This week we are featuring a lesson from one of SEEC’s two year old classes. The teachers Melinda Bernsdorf, Brittany Brown, and Brittany Leavitt used Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors as inspiration for talking about and designing a theatrical set with their class. After experiencing the Infinity Mirrors, the class went to the theater to rehearse their performance and talk about sets and props while on stage. Below you will find images from the lesson and a reflection from Melinda, Brittany, and Brittany.

Here are some pictures from the day’s lesson:

The first Infinity Mirror room that the class visited is entitled “Souls of Millions of Lightyears Away”. Before each group entered the space, their teachers asked them to think about “What story might take place here.” When the children exited the room, some of their answers included a story about “outer space” and “rainbows” and a story that included “flashing light, jingle bells inside a cave.”

The class then visited “Dots Obsession Love Transformed Into Dots”. This space also inspired the class to think about a variety of stories including some about “Spiderman”, “a circus with balloons”, and “soccer balls”.

The final mirrored room that the class saw is called “All the Eternal Love I Have for Pumpkins”. Possible stories that could take place in this room included a story about things “that live in space” and a story about “polka dots on (people’s) cheeks.”

The class finished their trip by stopping in “The Obliteration Room” where they were given polka dot stickers to put on the walls. It was fun for them to help take part in designing the space.

After their trip to the Infinity Rooms, the class went to the theater to rehearse their play entitled Abiyoyo. While on stage, the class was given the chance to hold the props, run through the play, and discuss potential set designs.

In their reflection, the teachers noted this time on stage as a trying part of the lesson. The children had just completed an immersive experience while visiting the Infinity Rooms and were having a hard time focusing on their rehearsal. Upon identifying the problem, the teachers were able to work quickly to try to resolve it so the class could experience a successful rehearsal. Since the class was struggling with staying in their positions, Melinda Bernsdorf grabbed blue tape to mark the ground.

After placing the blue tape and with the guiding support of Brittany Brown and Brittany Leavitt, the class was able to focus on the play.

After thinking about how sets help tell stories, the class designed and created their own set for the play Abiyoyo which they performed in front of their families.

A reflection from Melinda Bernsdorf, Brittany Brown, and Brittany Leavitt:

This lesson was a part of a month long exploration of musical theater. Our class had been examining different plays and musicals as well as talking about the areas of work that go into putting on a production. As a class we had been working on our own production of Abiyoyo, which we had adapted from the book Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger. In the weeks leading up to this lesson, we had talked about stage make-up, choreography, costumes and props, and set design, discussing how each had an impact on furthering the story narrative.

We had been anticipating the Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors exhibit and because of the high level of interest in the exhibit, we had to schedule our trip long before we knew what our class would be exploring. It worked out beautifully that we could use Kusama’s immersive art to extend the ideas we had been discussing. We hoped to dive further into the concept of set design and setting as storytelling devices. We intended to use each different area of the exhibit as a different “set” and discuss what story was taking place. We also had a more challenging goal of using Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors to get across the concept of remaking a whole world or reality within a tiny space, like how the set of a play can bring a world to a stage.

From the first room, our students were open to the idea of telling stories about their surroundings and were imaginative in their ideas. In this way, Kusama’s art was very successful in showing how set design and setting are important aspects of storytelling. The more abstract ideas of directly associating that with the play we were producing in class may have been lost along the way, but that was fine. Our main goal was facilitating an incredible experience for our students and pushing them to wonder and dream about what they were seeing, rather than just being present for the moment.

Our visit actually went much more smoothly than expected. We had anticipated a high volume of visitors and had some plans in reserve in case there were long lines for the infinity rooms. We also had a strategy in mind for which rooms we thought would be most valuable if we discovered that we could only see one or two because of time. We knew that we could only ask our students to stay engaged for a limited time if most of what we were doing was waiting. Luckily, none of this ended up being a concern during our visit. We were able to walk up to each area and enter almost immediately. However the rooms were small and only allowed for a few students to enter at a time. While waiting for each student to have a turn, we talked about the storytelling aspects of our environment. These small amounts of down time enabled us to have open ended discussions with our students in small groups while still in the museum space. Our class had the opportunity to share their ideas while they were still surrounded by the experience.

We followed our visit to the Hirshhorn Museum with a trip to the theater we were using for our play. Each day this week we had been spending some time rehearsing in this environment, allowing our students to become comfortable on stage and in the space. This ended up being the least successful part of our lesson on this day. The transition from the time spent exploring Kusama’s art to the more focused work of rehearsing our play was difficult for our students. We had been able to maintain their focus for an extended period of time in the museum, and if in the same situation again, I would give myself permission to let go of the second part of the lesson. Trying to make the connection by physically having our students experience both the Infinity Mirrors and the theater was unnecessary and too much. It would have been more appropriate to revisit the lesson the following day as we assembled our own set on the stage.

We concluded our exploration of musical theater by putting on our Abiyoyo play at the end of the week in front of an audience of our students’ families.

Stay tuned for the Roundup on Theater for more ideas from Melinda, Brittany, and Brittany and to learn more about their class’ exploration of musical theater.